Slave collar (Fallout 3)

Characteristics
Slave collars are used by the slavers from Paradise Falls. The collars send a frequency to Paradise Falls to keep track of where every collared slave is.

It is possible to remove a collar from an enslaved non-player character, simply by talking to them and selecting the appropriate conversation choice. Success in removing the collar is based on the player character's Science skill: one's skill must be at least 25 to attempt to remove the collar, with only a 50% chance of success. The likelihood of success increases in steps (at skill levels 50 and 75) up to a 100% success rate.

Outside of initiating conversation, the player character may be approached in the Wasteland by an escaped slave still wearing a slave collar, who will beg for the collar to be removed.

The collar will also explode if struck by the Mesmetron, so be sure to mez only non-player characters who aren't yet wearing one. As Grouse states, "The Mezzer rays trigger the collar's self-destruct mechanism, so once the collar's on, don't shoot the slave with the Mesmetron, unless you want to pay me for a new collar."

There are two versions of this item; the first is a quest item given to the player by Grouse for use in the quest Strictly Business, along with a Mesmetron. It has a weight of 1 and a value of 0, and cannot be removed from the player character's inventory except by enslaving a non-player character.

The second version of this item is a hidden apparel item that is generated on non-player characters enslaved by the player. It can be worn by the player character on PCs by typing into the console: to add the collar to the inventory, then  to equip it. will remove the collar.

Locations

 * The slave collar can only be obtained through accepting the three quests marked above as there are no collars placed in the game world.

Related quests

 * Strictly Business
 * Strictly Profitable
 * The Kid-Kidnapper

Behind the scenes
Exploding collars are frequently used as plot devices in fiction entertainment. The earliest known use of an exploding collar was in the Starchild Trilogy, a trio of novels published between 1964 and 1969.

Bugs

 * Even though the slave collar weight is listed at 1, as a quest item they do not actually add weight to your personal carry total.
 * Removing a collar via dialogue from any non-player character who has been enslaved by the player (other than Red, Flak, Arkansas, and Susan Lancaster) may cause a crash to desktop.
 * If you put a slave collar on an Enclave scientist (the ones wearing a glass helmet), their body will become invisible leaving only their hands and head visible.
 * If the player receives the slave collar for the quest and kills Grouse the quest will end, and the slave collar will be 0 WG instead of 1 WG it usually adds.
 * If you put a slave collar on any non-player character and directly after entering the Operation: Anchorage add-on, the slave will disappear, and you will be unable to get another collar from Grouse.