Ben Canning

Ben Canning is a water beggar found at seemingly random locations in the Capital Wasteland. However, unlike the water-beggars found outside some towns, he only seems to take one bottle of any water (Purified Water or Dirty Water). After being given one, he proceeds to drink it repeatedly; when activated, he apologetically tells the character that he's not up to traveling yet. Standing after a minute or two, he simply says "Good to see you again, friend!" If he is nearby while you are fighting, he will rush to help you, although his usefulness is questionable.

Ben is armed with a Laser Pistol, but like many NPCs is unable to use it because he has no ammo for it (he carries Microfusion Cells instead of Energy Cells), resulting in him rushing into combat with his fists. Not surprisingly, he dies pretty quickly. If you want, you can give him a better gun and ammo for it (and, while you're at it, better armor and some stimpacks) by reverse-pickpocketing him. Since he wanders the Wasteland like the Caravan Merchants after you rescue him, he does have some small usefulness in fighting random enemies for you. Strangely, he will also be added to the merchant "cycle", and will sometimes appear in place of a merchant if you wait at caravan stops. He will not have any items to sell, of course, or additional dialogue.

Ben Canning levels with the player, and has tagged skills in Small Arms, Big Guns, and Melee Weapons. At high player levels, Ben is about on par with an Enclave Soldier, and if given Power Armor and a Chinese Assault Rifle, is skilled enough to kill Raiders and many mid-level critters on his own.

Locations
Ben Canning is one of a multitude of random encounters in the game, and he may appear at any one of the assigned random encounter locations. If he is resuscitated with water, he will follow the same looping route as the Caravan Merchants.

Loot
If you find him dead, you will find:
 * Dirty Water or Purified Water, depending on what you gave him
 * Head Wrap
 * Laser Pistol
 * Microfusion Cells (5)
 * Roving Trader Outfit

Bugs

 * He will not accept Aqua Pura as water.
 * Sometime he can be found following the player everywhere with a fast travel after the player gave him a water (given a place is not within the city parameter i.e. inside megaton, however he can be found at the front of the city if your fast travel didn't bring you right inside the city's wall like in case of Rivet city).
 * When given water he takes out an empty nuka-cola bottle or a beer bottle instead of the plastic water bottles.
 * He is sometimes found right next to water, but is still asking for it. Pretty damn funny.
 * He can sometimes be found sitting with only his head sticking out of the ground.

YouTube Videos
Ben Canning: Hwn4THb2Ips

Appearances
Ben Canning only appears in Fallout 3.