Mysterious Stranger

Mysterious Stranger is a Perk in Fallout, Fallout 2, and Fallout 3.

Fallout and Fallout 2
When you select this perk, there is a chance (30% + (2x Luck)) that your character will gain a temporary ally, but only in random encounters.

Details depend on the player's level:
 * 9-14: 50 HP, Leather Armor. (52 HP if stranger is female)
 * 15-18: 70 HP, combat leather jacket.
 * 19-22: 90 HP, Metal Armor.
 * 23-26: 110 HP, Combat Armor.
 * 27-99: 130 HP, Power Armor.


 * 9-13: Hunting Rifle or FN FAL.
 * 14-19: Assault Rifle or Combat Shotgun.
 * 20-26: Laser Rifle or H&K CAWS.
 * 27-99: H&K G11.



Fallout 3
You've gained your own personal guardian angel... armed with a fully loaded .44 Magnum. The Mysterious stranger wears a fedora and overcoat, resembling a 1940's detective, such as Dick Tracy. With this perk, the Mysterious Stranger will appear occasionally in V.A.T.S. mode to lend a hand, with deadly efficiency.

If you can get an opponent down to 150 health or less in V.A.T.S., there is a 10% chance the stranger will show up and finish them off with his highly accurate magnum (His shots can still hit team mates or obstructions and not kill a target), regardless of whether you can still see them or if you hit. Also could be considered adding a critical chance to V.A.T.S. Quite humorously, the Stranger still appears next to the target even if you are using a Fat Man. He is set as essential and cannot be killed. Unfortunately, neither Lawbringer, Contract Killer, or Grim Reaper's Sprint will grant their benefits, because you did not make the kill.

His appearances have a counter called 'Mysterious Stranger Visits' that is displayed during the loading screen of the game and on the Pip-Boy 3000 under the Stats tab - General.


 * Note that his magnum does 9000 damage per shot and should kill any enemy in one hit, including the Super Mutant Behemoths. However, you still have to do most of the damage, since you need to get the enemy's health down to 150 before the stranger appears.
 * See also: Mysterious Stranger (character)
 * The Mysterious Stranger will, at times, seek out other hostile targets while in V.A.T.S after he has killed the one you were shooting at. (Needs Confirmation)

Bugs

 * (First noticed in patched version of Operation: Anchorage 3-30-09) If an opponent is above you in the operation anchorage simulation, it is possible for the mysterious stranger to spawn behind you and a poorly aimed shot from a Chinese Soldier will knock him unconscious. Only time this happened, he did come back. Just seemed to take longer.


 * A rare glitch might occur when the Stranger appears. If the Stranger appears behind the player character or even your possible Follower, he might actually murder all of you. This has happened to a few players on occasion, but is only most common in small confined spaces, such as a house in Megaton.


 * Unfortunately, the Stranger can often fail to kill a character or creature if they are positioned unfavourably (i.e. in an attempt to assassinate an enemy he can easily fall off a bridge or cliff or get stuck outside a building - which usually results in him running around pointlessly for a while until V.A.T.S. ends).


 * During VATS it is not uncommon to hear the Mysterious Stranger music, even if he does not appear. This most likely happens at times when he would have appeared to finish off your enemy, but you killed the enemy instead.


 * It is possible to kill the mysterious stranger should he appear between you and the target while firing in V.A.T.S. Generally this will occur in small spaces, perhaps in a small silo somewhere near the Republic of Dave while a mohawked raider bludgeons you with a lead pipe. The mysterious stranger will not reappear should this happen (clarification needed).


 * On the PS3 version, if the mysterious stranger appears whilst you are using VATS at a distance with a sniper rifle the display will corrupt and the game will freeze. Best way round this is to save before you use VATS with a sniper rifle.


 * If you are attacking a swimming enemy (Mirelurks, for example) and the Stranger appears, he will fall into the water with the enemy and will swim in place, unable to attack because he is in water.


 * Sometimes when the Mysterious Stranger appears, he doesn't somehow shoot. He'll just stand there, leaving you helpless.