Human



Humans, or Homo sapiens (sometimes called smoothskins, normals or bleeders by ghouls and super mutants, respectively) are common inhabitants of Earth. In the post–apocalyptic age, "human" is more specifically used to denote those that have been more-or-less unaffected by radiation as opposed to mutants like ghouls and super mutants, even though said mutant types originate from humans. Four distinguishable, common ethnic groups are present in post-War America: African, Asian, Caucasian, and Hispanic.

Description
Despite the existence of various mutations, humans are still the most common humanoid creatures on Earth. Post-nuclear humans, as a direct result of the radiation and exposition to the F.E.V. of the West Tek Research Facility (that mutated after the Great War due to radiation), and some other biochemical agents released into the environment during and after the Great War, exhibit more diversity, primarily in genetic structure. The aforementioned factors have resulted in an increased rate of mutations in humans, although very few of these result in phenotypical changes. Most of these changes are non-lethal, non-damaging variations in the human DNA that simply increase the genepool variety. Also, humans with minor mutations, like additional toes, skin lesions due to TDC infection, permanent red eyes, permanent varicose veins or complete lack of hair, are still considered to be normal humans.

Pure and prime humans
"Pure" humans, or "Prime Normals" are theoretically humans which have not been mutated unnaturally by radiation or other Post-War pollutants. They can be said to be original humans, no different than those from before the War. However, because of the widespread and pervasive fallout in the Wasteland, these represent a very small minority of all sentient species on Earth. They exist only in isolated factions, such as the Enclave, or in remote areas untouched by radiation, such as the underground vaults. Some Vaults, opening at times where the radiation has faded, can produce tribes which can be said to be pure, such as the Boomers.

All of these variations have been uniquely interpreted by the Enclave leadership as basis for claiming that the humans living outside the Enclave and isolated vaults are no longer pure, that they are, in fact, "near-humans" that pose a threat to the "pure" humanity living in the aforementioned locations. This theory, based in the claims of Dick Richardson and John Henry Eden is relatively vague in fact: debate remains whether these genetic variations are considerable enough to substantiate a new subspecies of human, or even if the differences exist at all. In a possible ending of Fallout 3, however, it is shown that all non-Enclave persons are eradicated, giving credit to the theory. It is also claimed by the super mutants that humans not exposed to radiation (those located in vaults) will transform into superior mutant when exposed to FEV, as opposed to Wasteland humans, also lending credence to the aforementioned theory.

Likewise, humans are the only race to have been seen reverting back to a primitive age. The most notable example of this are tribals that have developed their own culture; having distinct beliefs and superstitions, religious rituals, customs and even their own unique languages in some cases. They also commonly bear tattoos as one of their traditions, commonly practiced to implicate an important, symbolic meaning to the tribe or the human.

Sub-species
Sub-species are humans who have identical or near-identical phenotype as normal humans, but many of their senses have evolved.
 * Beastlords, humans who developed an ability to exert psychic control over animals.
 * Human psyker, humans who posses a certain paranormal power.
 * Slags, humans whose physiology adapted to prolonged seclusion underground, possessing for example perfect dark-light vision but their eyes are sensitive to bright light.

Separate-species
Separate-species are entirely separate humans species would be any group of humans that are mutated into a substantially different phenotype and physiology.
 * Ghost people, humans evolved by the constant exposure to the Cloud of Sierra Madre, filtered through their hazmat suits. The resulting species enjoy heightened perception, agility, extreme longevity, fire immunity, virtual immortality and death with limb amputation caused by a universal mutation from which everything is connected to each other. However, the drastic physiological changes have resulted in a loss of human cognition (although its degree remains unknown).
 * Ghoul, humans with a unique genetic makeup that have evolved by heavy radiation poisoning which erodes their skin and greatly extends their life. They are sterile and immune to the lethal effects of radiation but not to its degenerative effects. Three other variations also exist:
 * Feral ghoul, ghouls without the regenerative ability of the neurological system that affords their longevity into the higher reasoning functions of the brain itself, causing them to lose their ability to reason and become hostile towards all non-ghouls. Their body is also more skeletal than normal ghouls and their eyes are completely white.
 * Glowing one, ghouls who have absorbed an unusually high amount of radiation into their bloodstream and muscle tissue without their neurological systems filtering these particles from the blood and tissue, becoming a luminescent yellow-green ghoul, living conduits of radiation. Some have lost their ability to reason, having the same skeletal body and eyes of feral ghoul, and can emit radiation, even for a time after their death. Some others have kept their mind and are physically similar to normal ghouls.
 * Marked man, particular ghouls when violent storms of the Divide skinned them alive while the intense radiation caused a unique variant of ghoulification. The ghoulification kept them alive and in incredible pain from their wounds, such injuries and radiation would have even killed ordinary ghouls. They are only kept alive by the radiation of the Divide, which now heals their particular forms and are hostile towards all non-ghouls.
 * Super mutant, humans subjected to forced evolution via FEV-II or the EEP. They are much taller, bulkier and more muscular than 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 virtually biologically immortal (but not immune to death from injury). Two variations exist:
 * Mariposa super mutant, super mutants that originated from the Mariposa Military Base in California, evolved via FEV-II. They generally have green skin and blue pale for nightkin caste, due to prolonged use of Stealth Boys. They are more intelligent, more civilized, and retain better diction than Vault 87 super mutants. Also, the more a human is affected by radiation, the more of a chance their transformation into a super mutant has to fail, therefore making them more likely to be brutal and less intelligent. Only a handful of them are more intelligent, stronger and overall superior to normal humans.
 * Vault 87 super mutant, the super mutants that originated from Vault 87 in the Capital Wasteland, evolved via the EEP. They have yellowish skin and are more aggressive, less intelligent, and less well-spoken than mariposa super mutants. Also, their facial expression is permanently set in a sneer. Unlike mariposa super mutants, their mutation never stops and they continue to evolve and grow up slowly over time through stages, up to 9 meters. Only two of them, Fawkes and Uncle Leo, are known to have kept their human sanity and intelligence.
 * Swampfolk, humans who have developed extreme deformities as a result of combined New Plague infection, inbreeding and ionizing radiation.

Sub-types
Sub-types would be any group of humans that have a different phenotype, but as a result of either natural (prenatal genetic factors, degenerative illnesses) or artificial causes (pharmacological experiments), but are still genetically humans.
 * Dwarf, humans with dwarfism appearing to result from a particular medical condition or radiation, that have drastically reduced their stature.
 * Lobotomite, humans who were surgically-altered with the Big MT medical experiments, turning them into mindless savages. Their brains have been replaced with advanced Tesla coils, allowing them to perform simple tasks (use doors, walk), fight hand-to-hand, use firearms, their head cannot be crippled, have a better chem addiction resistance and shock from bodily damage, but they are unable to talk (the only noises that they make are short grunts) or have a normal conscience. It also appears that the Tesla coils allow them to have a relatively long life, since a lobotomite called Test Subject 1, probably the first lobotomite created in Big MT, is still alive in 2281.
 * Spore carrier, humans who have entered the terminal stage of an entomopathogenic fungus called Beauveria Mordicana developed to colonize the bodies of common pests. Once it has fully colonized a host body, the host technically dies, but the body continues to move by means of the fungal colonies within it. In this manner the fungus moves amongst more of its prey, occasionally spraying spores in a radius around the host body, infecting all who come near it.
 * Trog, humans who have entered the terminal stage of the Troglodyte Degeneration Contagion.

Gameplay relevance
In Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout 3, and Fallout: New Vegas, the player can only play as a human character. Fallout Tactics allowed the player to control other races (see Fallout Tactics races), even though the player could only start as a human and Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel is the only Fallout game allowing players to choose a ghoul as the principal player character.

Fallout, Fallout 2 and Fallout: Tactics
In the SPECIAL character system, humans have 40 Character Points to divide between their Primary Statistics.

Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas
Human non-player characters suffer extra damage from headshots both in V.A.T.S., and in free-fire mode. They prioritize their targets according to the weapons they carry. Any grenades the non-player characters carry can be detonated with a well-placed shot.

Shooting the enemy's weapons is a very effective way of disarming humanoids, as the weapons they carry are often of inferior quality requiring only a few shots, and their hand-to-hand damage is negligible. This does not apply to enemies using Unarmed weapons.

Project V13
Humans were supposed to appear in the now canceled Fallout MMO Project V13.