Super Mutant (Fallout 3)

Vault 87 super mutants or East Coast super mutants are a species of super mutant found in the Capital Wasteland. While a few of them can be rather intelligent, in general they are more aggressive and less intelligent than their distant Mariposa cousins.

Background
These super mutants were created in the "Evolutionary Experimentation Program", the experiment assigned to Vault 87. The modified strain of FEV which created these mutants resulted in a new strain of super mutant which, in addition to becoming sterile, grow larger and stronger as they age.

The first super mutants of this variety were created in 2078, becoming a permanent feature of the Capital Wasteland. Too dumb to overrun it, but too strong to die off.

Biology
They are different from their Western counterparts in that they possess a yellow-green skin color and are less intelligent, but appear more healthy than west-coast super mutants, as they are never seen with any cybernetic parts or organic disorders. Every super mutants facial expression is permanently set in a sneer. However, unlike their counterparts, they are less human, and after the transformation, no features on how they looked in their former lives can be found. They take their prisoners to transform into more super mutants.

During exploration of Vault 87, information from terminal entries reveals more about the process of mutation that super mutants go through, at least when it comes to the specific strain of FEV found in the super mutants of the Capital Wasteland. As the subject mutates, its' muscular and skeletal systems develop rapidly while mental faculties diminish. Most sexual characteristics are eliminated, transforming the subject into an almost asexual state.

Despite their supposed lack of intelligence, even compared to West Coast mutants, they are somehow able to organize themselves into a coordinated army (as evident from numerous raids). They also procure large amounts of advanced weapons, ammunition and equipment, and maintain the FEV infrastructure necessary to transform humans and increase their numbers. How they are able to pull this off is never explained, as the player never meets a leader or governing body in the game, unlike in previous Fallout games.

In the ruins of D.C., the super mutants are looking for humans to expand their army and a new source of FEV (a conversation between two super mutants in Vault 87 reveals that they are running out of "green stuff").

Gameplay attributes
Super mutants can strike fear into players who are at a low level. They can be very difficult to take on if not properly equipped. Despite being less than intelligent, they can sometimes use cunning military tactics. Heavy hitters run and confront the player with a melee weapon like a nail board or a sledgehammer, while super mutants behind them take pot-shots at you with a ranged weapon. Occasionally, super mutants will utilize grenades from behind the gunners, despite catching the heavy hitters in the blast radius sometimes.

When encountered at lower levels, super mutants are usually in groups of 2-3 with 1-2 centaurs. At higher levels, they can be found in groups of 3-5 with 1-2 centaurs acting as their watch dogs.

Super mutant
These are the youngest and weakest of the Capital Wasteland super mutants. They never walk alone and usually attack in groups of two or three led by a stronger super mutant. Regular super mutants have almost twice as much health as most standard human non-player characters, but this is somewhat offset by their lack of body armor. Some of their prime locations are the GNR Building Plaza, the National mall, the Statesman Hotel, the National Archives and Falls Church.

Super mutant brute
Super mutant brutes are generally stronger and better armed and armored. They are the most common of all super mutants once the player reaches a high enough level. The are easily distinguished by their galea-like metal helmets. They also have a crude form of metal armor, making them somewhat tougher.

Super mutant master
The super mutant masters are the group leaders of the mutant army which plagues the Capital Wasteland. They have the most hit points of all "common" super mutants (without Broken Steel). They're discernible by their armor which consists of black tubing which wraps around their lower and upper body and a fighter pilot helmet. They are generally never alone and are usually accompanied by one or two brutes. They tend to hang around old slaver settlements or abandoned towns, and they are rarely out in the open, wandering the wastes. Some reports suggest that they may also be found at abandoned Enclave facilities.

Super mutant overlord (Broken Steel)
The super mutant overlords are variants added to the game in Broken Steel. They are old, powerful super mutants who already appear to evolving into behemoths. Their intelligence (in comparison with other types of super mutants) is questionable, but they are smart enough to wield energy weapons. Sometimes they are seen leading groups of super mutants, but they more frequently tend to act alone or in pairs. Overlords also have a 40 unblockable damage bonus when attacking with a tri-beam laser rifle and a 25 bonus when attacking with a special version of a super sledge. When carrying an assault rifle or a Chinese assault rifle they use a one handed pistol motion. They have a good chance of dropping above average loot such as stimpaks, mini nukes and purified water. They appear frequently at later levels.

Super mutant behemoth
The behemoths are the greatest threat among the East Coast super mutants. There are only five of these behemoths, although reports of their sightings continue long after the last of them are killed. They are the oldest and the strongest of their kind, being many times larger than any other humanoid creature. They are usually armed with an almost unrealistic large fire hydrants mounted on the hydrant's water main pipe, used as a makeshift melee weapon, or they could also just use their enormous fists; both cause major damage. Killing all five behemoths will grant you the achievement/trophy, The Bigger They Are....

Notable quotes

 * "I'll wear your bones around my neck!" 
 * "I'm gonna eat your arms... when you're dead, human!"
 * "What you up to? Something fun? Something to eat? Me bored!" "Why you care?! You human or something?!" "Never mind! You too dumb to talk to!" 
 * "I have a joke for you. Ready? Knock knock. Who's there? Humans. Humans who? Kill the humans, kill them all! Hahahahaha. Oh, that's a good one. Hahaha!"
 * "Now try and hide... from THIS!"
 * "Got something for you!"

Appearances
Vault 87 super mutants appear in Fallout 3 and its add-on Broken Steel and  Mothership Zeta

Bugs

 * Occasionally, super mutant masters and overlords may appear that are merely labeled as a "super mutant", but still have the same health and equipment of masters/overlords.