Scavenger (Fallout 3)

Scavengers are traders in the Capital Wasteland. Some Scavengers will be accompanied by non-hostile guard dogs, robots or even non-hostile Yao Guai. If asked about their merchandise--after Megaton is blown up--they will say people in Megaton no longer need things. Their comments can also reflect other PC actions such as helping Big Town residents.

Scavengers will sometimes pick a random target to scavenge. It may be a container, or simply a random (possibly pre-programmed?) spot on the ground. Once they have secured an object, they guard it for some time. If you approach them too rapidly and intrude on their actions, they may become hostile. You will receive a warning from them unless you are moving very quickly. Even while they are doing this, you should still be able to easily approach them from another direction to initiate dialogue.

Scavengers always wear a Roving Trader Outfit along with a pair of eyeglasses or a type of hat, usually a Stormchaser Hat. They are equipped with random low-to-mid level weapons. After the 1.2 patch, it seems Scavengers have access to the weapons in their store inventory, causing them to often end up wielding high-powered weaponry such as Missile Launchers or Flamers.

Additionally, Scavengers have noticeably higher than average health and combat skills for human combatants, being marginally superior to Brotherhood of Steel Paladins in terms of health and skill. However, their lack of proper armor leaves them vulnerable to most hostile Wasteland inhabitants.

Locations
Scavengers can be found in the Capital Wasteland in various random encounters.

Some scavengers have fixed locations where they have set-up shop:


 * In the barn east of Reclining Groves Resort Homes
 * In Lucky's, a red building southwest of Warrington Station, near Tenpenny Tower.


 * If killed and the PC then leaves the building and re-enters a new scavenger could be in his/her place already. 
 *  * This does not always happen. It is possibly just a random occurrence or a glitch.


 * East of Jocko's Pop & Gas Stop and north of Signal Sierra Victor
 * On a bridge over a sunken freeway, west of Falls Church Metro and north of Red Racer Factory
 * Just west and up the hill from SatCom Array NW-07c, in the shelter of a fallen satellite dish. There is also a numerous amount of different chairs here but the reason for this is unknown.
 * The Scavenger Shack west of Hamilton's Hideaway
 * The Scavenger's Dock to the west bank of the Potomac River, southeast of Wilhelm's Wharf pointing towards Anchorage War Memorial
 * Pennsylvania Avenue, with two guarding dogs


 * If you kill this scavenger, eventually another will appear in his place. In one case late in the game (lvl 20 + after the Enclave started appearing), the new scavenger was wearing Power Armor, but also had his normal scavenger clothing in his pickpocket-able inventory.


 * At the Freedom Street Station close to the exit to Metro Central.
 * In a broken house west of Fort Bannister, north of Charnel House.
 * A little east of Vault 106
 * Just outside of Megaton.
 * South of the Fairfax Ruins (may have been killed by raiders but his stuff is still there and you lose karma for stealing it)
 * North of Canterbury Commons near a water tower
 * Radiation King in Georgetown
 * In a destroyed house northwest of Fort Independence, accompanied by a dog.
 * In a shelter underneath the Arlington Memorial Bridge between the Citadel and the D.C. Ruins.
 * Northeast of Five Axles Rest Stop underneath the collapsed bridge and monorail. Next to a burning barrel.
 * Southeast of Oasis, in the open area with pools of water.
 * Along the shores of the Mall's pond, taking refuge under an overturned row-boat.

Broken Steel
In Broken Steel, Scavengers can be seen leading the Aqua Pura Caravans carrying Aqua Pura throughout the Capital Wasteland. Each Aqua Pura caravan are led by a generic Scavenger merchant, along with an Aqua Pura Brahmin and 2 bodyguards (consisting of either Rivet City Security or Brotherhood of Steel).