Wastelander (Fallout 3)

Wastelanders is a catch-all term for anyone living in the wasteland who is not affiliated with some other groups. They make a subsistence living off the land, trade with local settlements, and try not to be ravaged by the abundant, and usually hostile wildlife, or bands of roaming raider gangs. Most are not aggressive but will defend themselves if attacked.

Background
Some wastelanders will not want to open dialog and tend to be rude, while others are pleasant and friendly towards the Lone Wanderer. Most are encountered by The Lone Wanderer in random encounters. These wastelanders are usually fleeing from anything from molerats to a deathclaw, others may fight against these creatures, and some unlucky wastelanders are encountered already dead.

Daily schedule
Although the vast majority of wastelanders appear in random encounters, some can be found in fixed locations such as:
 * A wastelander being chased by a raider with a flamethrower will appear just outside the Calverton chapel.
 * A wastelander wired with a bomb will appear outside the canyon leading to Evergreen Mills after the completion of The Waters of Life if Broken Steel is installed.
 * 2 hostile ghoul wastelanders live inside the pylon shack.
 * 3 hostile ghoul wastelanders occupy the ghoul outpost.
 * 4 hostile ghoul wastelanders occupy the wasteland gypsy village.
 * One wastelander is the unlucky target of the claw aboard Mothership Zeta.

Interactions overview

 * If you resurrect any of the dead wastelanders, most will turn hostile and can be killed by a single punch. These wastelanders will drop fingers

Inventory
(Generic Wastelander)

* 25% change of spawning headgear. ** 20% chance of spawning a frag grenade.

Notable wastelanders
Notable characters called "Wastelander" in-game:
 * The Preacher: A crazed inhabitant of Seward Square. His hostage, who offers some unique dialogue, is also called "Wastelander".
 * John: An inhabitant of the wasteland killed by a pack of vicious dogs.
 * Ghoul scientist: A hostile scientist attempting to use the United States' nuclear arsenal to eradicate life on a massive scale.

Appearances
Wastelanders appear in Fallout 3, although the word wastelander is used in Fallout 2, and characters that can be considered wastelanders appear throughout the series.