Super Mutant (Fallout: New Vegas)

Mariposa super mutants or West Coast super mutants are a variety of super mutant. Super mutants are mutated humans, products of infection by the Forced Evolutionary Virus, (or FEV). The super mutants found in the Mojave Wasteland are of the variety that originated from the Mariposa Military Base in California.

Background
Super mutants were first created on the West Coast by Richard Grey, also known as "The Master". He decided that he would have to force humanity to evolve beyond its innately destructive tendencies by turning them into super mutants. In 2162, a person known to history only as the Vault Dweller destroyed the Master's mutant army by causing an explosion in the FEV vats at Mariposa, which collapsed the entire base, after which he proceeded to The Cathedral in the ruins of Los Angeles and killed the Master.

In 2236, the Enclave, discovered the remnants of the Mariposa Base. Soon, Enclave assault squads combed the desert for slaves they could use to excavate the military base and get to the FEV vats. In 2237 the Enclave abandoned the site after mutations occurred among Enclave personnel and slaves exposed to the FEV remnants in the facility, causing a second generation of Mariposa super mutants to arise.

By 2281, some super mutants from both generations have established a community called the State of Utobitha in Black Mountain near New Vegas under the leadership of Tabitha. The smarter and more organized Master's Army remnants are in charge of the dumber second generation mutants. Some other, more peaceful mutants reside in Jacobstown, led by Marcus.

Biology
They are much taller, bulkier and muscular than pure strain humans, have (mostly) green, gray, or yellowish skin, are immune to disease and radiation, and are gifted with superhuman strength and endurance. Although they are completely sterile, the rapid regeneration of their cells caused by FEV makes them biologically immortal (but not immune to death from injury).

Average super mutants stand approximately 10.4 feet tall (although they typically stand with hunched backs that reduce them to about 7.8 feet) and weigh around 800 pounds, possibly even more. Their skin color is predominately grayish green. Their skin is extremely tough, and their muscle and bone structure are enhanced well beyond the human norm.

Super mutant intelligence varies greatly throughout super mutants. Though generally "lacking" in the mental aspect of life some super mutants retained some (if not all) of their intelligence from before they were changed into super mutants.

Gameplay attributes
Super mutants often use heavy guns and melee weapons such as heavy incinerators and  super sledges. The melee variants rush the player after throwing their frag grenades and the ranged mutants will shoot at the player from a distance while they slowly advance, relying on their armor for protection.

Super mutant
The weakest of the three basic types of super mutant these mutants attack by rushing the player if utilizing a melee weapon or standing in place shooting the player relying on their superior armor for protection from attacks.

Super mutant master
The strongest mutant players will encounter. They use light machine guns or miniguns for long range combat and  super sledges for close range. They are distinguished from the other two types because they wear full body armor lined with tubes and fighter pilot helmets.

Nightkin
Blue mutants made from the most untainted humans, these dangerous creatures utilize Stealth Boy to sneak up on their victims. They often prefer melee weapons such as the super sledge or the bumper sword though some can be seen using firearms.

Nightkin master
Similar to a regular Nightkin, these mutants have more health and utilize better equipment.

Nightkin sniper
A unique Nightkin found outside Tabitha's station carrying a hunting rifle and upon death it will drop the unique missile launcher Annabelle.

Appearances
Super mutants appear in Fallout: New Vegas.