“Well, that's all she wrote.”
Doc Mitchell is a surgeon and doctor living in Goodsprings in Fallout: New Vegas.
Background
Doc Mitchell grew up as resident of Vault 21 underneath New Vegas Strip, where he earned the nickname "mole-butt" by the Vault's younger residents due to a "big mole in his rear bumper."[1] During the New Vegas Strip renovations from 2274 onwards,[2][3] Mr. House contacted the Vault 21 residents with the prospect of participating in the city's resurgence.[3] Most of the residents refused, while others challenged those against the change on House's behalf, deciding the fate of the Vault via a game of Blackjack.[3] House's supporters won in an "extremely risky, and fateful, gambit,"[3] leading to the opening and stripping of the Vault.[3][4] House filled the entire Vault with concrete, leaving part of the top level untouched.[4] This forced many residents into homelessness, including Mitchell.[5]
Mitchell parted ways with residents and became a traveling doctor, which he felt was a "good idea at the time."[5][6] He used his medical expertise to help others, noting that "most folks out here ain't educated," making his skillset a rare occurrence.[6] Eventually, Mitchell went back to Vault 21 to marry his childhood sweetheart.[6] They had plans to travel to California, but only made it as far as Goodsprings when his wife became ill from germ infection caused by years of isolation in the vault.[7] When she passed away, Mitchell had no reason to keep traveling, and opted to remain in Goodsprings to keep close to her.[7]At some point, Mitchell developed a bum leg.[8]
In 2281 a courier was shot in the head and buried in Goodsprings Cemetery, before being rescued by Victor.[9] Victor quickly brought the injured courier to Doc Mitchell,[9] who removed most of the lead shrapnel from their brain and nursed them back to health over the next several days.[10][11] While the courier recovers, Mitchell attempted to learn of any next of kin through their possessions, but was only able to find a Mojave Express Delivery Order.[12] Once the courier recovers, Mitchell has them take a sequence of tests, before gifting them his old Pip-Boy 3000 and a Vault 21 Jumpsuit (his if the courier is male, and his wife's if the courier is female), before sending them on their way.[13][14][15]
Interactions overview
| Interactions | ||
|---|---|---|
| This character starts quests. |
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| This character is involved in quests. |
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| This character is a doctor. |
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| This character is a merchant. |
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| This character has a physical disability. | ||
Other interactions
- Mitchell revives the player character after being found by Victor and sets the character's stats for the game with the help of the Vit-o-Matic Vigor Tester. He then gives the Courier a set of weapons (depending on tagged skills), a Vault 21 Jumpsuit (either his own or his late wife's, depending on gender), and his old Pip-Boy 3000. Having either of the pre-order packs, or the Courier's Stash installed, the items will be added when the game begins, though cannot be accessed until receiving the Pip-Boy 3000.
- Prior to leaving the house for the first time, the Courier can also gain an additional eight Stimpaks if the Medicine skill is initially lower than 30 by passing a Speech check (30). An additional Medicine check (31) can be completed after using the Today's Physician on one of his tables, followed by another Speech check (30), again this must be done before leaving the house the first time. All three skill checks reward 30 XP for a total of 90 XP. Similarly, with attribute builds that start both Speech at or above 30 and Medicine above 30 (e.g. Int 10, Chr 10, Luck 7), Medicine can be temporarily lowered by drinking alcohol (e.g. from Mitchell's refrigerator) to temporarily lower it below 30 and enable passing all three checks.
- During the word association part of the psych evaluation, if the player picks any of the following; kick, demolish, crush, heavy and human shield, Doc Mitchell will mention how disturbing their answers are.
- If in the word test "campfire" is picked as an answer, the next word will be "enemy" instead of "bandit."
Vit-o-matic comments
Mitchell's dialogue is influenced by the Courier's choice of S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attributes.
| Attribute | Extreme | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | Low | "That's some serious atrophy, even for someone who's been in bed awhile. It's a wonder you can move at all." |
| High | "Surprised anybody'd want to tangle with you. Heck, you could go Deathclaw hunting with a switch." | |
| Perception | Low | "Now I ain't no optometrist, but maybe we should fit you for some glasses while you're here." |
| High | "Nothing gets by you, huh? Coulda used you when I lost my keys last month." | |
| Endurance | Low | "I just don't get it. A stiff breeze'd tear you in two but a couple of bullets and you're right as rain." |
| High | "I guess that explains how you're still alive. You're built solid as an oak." | |
| Charisma | Low | "Huh. Must be some frontal lobe damage." |
| High | "Good to see them bullets didn't affect your charm none." | |
| Intelligence | Low | "Sorry, son/little lady. I fixed up your head as best I knew how. I guess I missed a spot." |
| High | "Look at that. Maybe them bullets done your brain some good." | |
| Agility | Low | "Don't have all your coordination back yet, looks like. You should think about doing some rehab." |
| High | "Most patients don't get out of bed after being shot and then move like they was in perfect control. You're unusual, I'll say that." | |
| Luck | Low | "Now that don't make a lick of sense. Seems to me you're the luckiest son-of-a-gun in New Vegas." |
| High | "With Luck like yours I'm surprised them bullets didn't just turn right around and climb back into the gun." | |
| All | None | "Yep, that's a pretty standard score there. But after what you been through, I'd say that's great news." |
- If the highest attribute is Strength at 8 and the lowest is Perception at 1, he will comment on lacking Perception.
- If two stats are at equal opposite extremes, for example Strength at 10 and Perception at 1, he will comment on the high extreme.
- If two or more attributes are tied for an extreme, he will comment on the one corresponding to the latest letter in SPECIAL as a form of tiebreaker. For example, a Strength, Perception and Endurance all at 9, and no other attribute at 1, he will comment on Endurance.
- If all attributes are between 4 and 7, he will use the "pretty standard score" comment.
Inventory
| Apparel | Weapon | Other items | On death |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field Hand Outfit | Laser Pistol* | Bottle Cap Forceps Med-X Stimpak |
* Only during Run Goodsprings Run.
Notes
- None of the items in his home are flagged as being owned, nor will he care about having something taken from in front of him.
Quotes
- "Why don't you just relax a second? Get your bearings. Let's see what the damage is."
- "But try not to get killed anymore."
- "Well, that's all she wrote."
- "Seems like wherever I go it's always the same. Folks just never leave each other alone."
- "Welcome back. I had hoped you wouldn't need to come see me again so soon. What can I do for ya?"
- "How're you holding up?"
- "Well, I got most of it right, anyway. Stuff that mattered."
Appearances
Doc Mitchell appears in Fallout: New Vegas and in the Fallout: The Roleplaying Game adventure Showdown in Skull Canyon. He is also mentioned in the Fallout: New Vegas DLC Old World Blues.[16]
Bugs
Doc Mitchell will not fix radiation poisoning if the player character selects any other fix after that choice until they exit out of dialogue with him.
Behind the Scenes
In the first draft of the story brief, Victor was supposed to heal the player and comment on their stats rather than Doc Mitchell.[Doc 1]
Gallery
Doc Mitchell eating
References
- ↑ Courier: "You know Doc Mitchell?"
Sarah Weintraub: "Mitch!? You know "mole-butt?" I hadn't thought about that name in a long time. I was just a child, and he had a big mole in his rear bumper. You understand, kids and all that. Everyone knows about each other in a Vault, there's no other way. I hope mol... I mean Mitch, is doing well!"
(Sarah Weintraub's dialogue) - ↑ Courier: "Who exactly are you, Mr. House?"
Mr. House: "I am Robert Edwin House, President, CEO, and sole proprietor of the New Vegas Strip. I oversaw the city's renovations starting from 2274 onward. The Three Families are my employees. Before the Great War of 2077, I was the founder, President and CEO of RobCo Industries, a vast computer and robotics corporation."
(Mr House's dialogue) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Vault 21 Terminal entries; Opening to a New World: "Seven years ago, Mr. House rebuilt and organized the great city of New Vegas. Vault 21 rests in the middle of The Strip, and it was inevitable that it would become part of the city's bright future. Mr. House contacted our community and offered us to participate in the resurgence of New Vegas. Most Vault 21 dwellers refused the offer - life was comfortable, safe and fruitful. We had grown so accustomed to the benefits of our isolated society that we could not conceive leaving it behind for an unknown future teetering on a precarious balance. Still, there were some among us who disagreed with the prevailing wisdom. They challenged, on Mr. House's behalf, each of the vault-levels' representatives that supported continuing our isolation. According to the custom, a game would be set up where the winner would decide the course of the community's future. A game of Blackjack was scheduled and held in this very level of Vault 21. After many hours of grueling struggle, Mr. House's supporters won in an extremely risky, and fateful, gambit. They decided to open up the doors to the outside world. The rest upheld our system and remained true to their promise to abide by the victor's decision. After almost two hundred years within Vault 21's halls, we released the seals of the ancient doors. We opened to a new world."
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Vault 21 Terminal entries; A Tribute to Mr. House: "[...] Mr. House stripped the vault and filled its empty husk with concrete - only leaving behind part of the vault's top level. This section is where you now find hospice and where the warmth of our ancient home remains alive for all to enjoy! [...]"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Courier: "I saw your old vault on the Strip. Vault 21, right? Mr. House filled it with concrete?"
Mitchell: "Yep. He sure did. Wanted himself a hotel, and to make sure once he made the change there'd never be any going back. We didn't get a say. Don't know how you'd argue with a fella like that anyways, everywhere and nowhere all at once. So just like that, we was all homeless. Went our separate ways, and that was all she wrote."
(Doc Mitchell's dialogue) - ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Courier: "Tell me about yourself, Doc."
Mitchell: "Well, I already told you I came from a vault. After that, was a traveling doctor for a spell. Seemed like a good idea at the time. Most folks out here ain't educated, so people with medical knowhow are hard to come by. Found that I could help a lot of people with what I knew, and that was all right with me. Eventually, I went back and married my childhood sweetheart and that was the end of my traveling days. Didn't miss it none then. Still don't."
(Doc Mitchell's dialogue) - ↑ 7.0 7.1 Courier: "Is that when you settled out here with your wife?"
Mitchell: "Eventually we made our way out here. But uh... Well, when folks spend their lives in isolation, sometimes that ain't the best of things for learning to fight off germs. We was going to California, but Goodsprings was as far as we got. After she passed, wasn't no reason to keep going. I stayed so I could keep close to her."
(Doc Mitchell's dialogue) - ↑ Courier: "The town is going to be attacked by bandits. Anything you can do to help?"
Mitchell: "Seems like wherever I go it's always the same. Folks just never leave each other alone. I'm not much good in a fight, with my bum leg. And my supplies are scarce. But I'll give you what I can spare."
(Doc Mitchell's dialogue) - ↑ 9.0 9.1 Courier: "How did you happen to find me?"
Victor: "I was out for a stroll that night when I heard the commotion up at the old bone orchard. Saw what looked like a bunch of bad eggs so I laid low. Once they'd run off, I dug you up to see if you were still kicking. Turns out, you were, so I hauled you off to the Doc right quick."
(Victor's dialogue) - ↑ Mitchell: "Now, I hope you don't mind, but I had to go rooting around there in your noggin to pull all the bits of lead out. I take pride in my needlework, but you'd better tell me if I left anything out of place."
(Doc Mitchell's dialogue) - ↑ Mitchell: "Whoa, easy there. Easy. You been out cold a couple of days now."
(Doc Mitchell's dialogue) - ↑ Mitchell: "Here. These are yours. Was all you had on you when you was brought in. I hope you don't mind but I gave the note a look. I thought it might help me find a next of kin. But it was just something about a platinum chip. "
(Doc Mitchell's dialogue) - ↑ Mitchell: "Well, if you're heading back out there, you ought to have this. They call it a Pip-Boy. I grew up in one of them vaults they made before the war. We all got one. Ain't much use to me now, but you might want such a thing, after what you been through. I know what it's like, having something taken from you. "
(Doc Mitchell's dialogue) - ↑ Mitchell: "And put this on, too, so the locals don't pick on you for lacking modesty. Never was much my style anyway."
(Doc Mitchell's dialogue) - ↑ Mitchell: "And put this on, too, so the locals don't pick on you for lacking modesty. Was my wife's. I think she was about your size, and she hardly wore it after we left the vault. Felt it was too brazen. "
(Doc Mitchell's dialogue) - ↑ Doctor Mobius/Dialogue: The bullet that went into my brain? Doc Mitchell tried to patch me up, but...
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