Fallout Wiki
Advertisement
Fallout Wiki

 
Gametitle-FO1Gametitle-FO2Gametitle-FO3Gametitle-FNVGametitle-FO4Gametitle-FOS
Gametitle-FO1Gametitle-FO2Gametitle-FO3Gametitle-FNVGametitle-FO4Gametitle-FOS
You have a Guardian Angel, but with a deadly hand-cannon instead of wings. Meet the Mysterious Stranger, AKA real name- Farmer. An odd and eldritch entity said to appear and aid you in combat before you draw your dying breath. Of course, it helps if you have said a prayer to Farmer first.Fallout 3 Official Game Guide

The Mysterious Stranger is the individual that might appear if the player character has the Mysterious Stranger perk. He/she lends a helping hand in battles.

Background

The Mysterious Stranger in Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas is heavily implied to be the father of The Lonesome Drifter. In speech, the Drifter will state that his father was a "mysterious" man, and that he was a "stranger" to his own family. The word mysterious appears right above stranger in the dialogue box. The Drifter carries a unique .44 Magnum, which can be acquired by the Courier, that looks remarkably like the Mysterious Stranger's .44 Magnum; and when drawing it, the same guitar notes that are heard when the Mysterious Stranger shows up are played, and a chord is played when the weapon is holstered. As of Fallout 4, the Mysterious Stranger is currently being investigated by Nick Valentine, who has made note of his several appearances in other games of the series, and attempts to apprehend him when he appears.

Interactions with the player character

Fallout, Fallout 2

Interactions
Paving the Way
This character is a permanent companion.
25 Strictly Business
This character is a temporary companion.
Icon talkinghead
This character has a talking head.
Icon quest starter
This character starts quests.

no

FO76 ui icon quest
This character is involved in quests.

no

FO76 vaultboy firstaid
This character is a doctor.
FO76 ui trading team
This character is a merchant. Sells: no
40 Weaponsmith
This character can modify weapons.

no

33 Protector
This character is allied with the following faction(s).

no

Other interactions

There is a chance that Mysterious Stranger will appear as a temporary ally during random encounters.

Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas

Interactions
Perk nociception regulator color
This character is essential. Essential characters cannot be killed.
Paving the Way
This character is a permanent companion.
25 Strictly Business
This character is a temporary companion.
Icon quest starter
This character starts quests.

-

FO76 ui icon quest
This character is involved in quests.

-

FO76 vaultboy firstaid
This character is a doctor.
FO76 ui trading team
This character is a merchant. Bottle cap -
Sells: -
2d20 Jury Rigger
This character can repair items. Max Repair condition: -
12 The American Dream
This character rents beds. Bottle cap -.
Icon severed ear color
This character drops an ear upon death (Contract Killer).
Severed
This character drops a finger upon death (Lawbringer).
Mesmetron icon
This character can be enslaved with the Mesmetron.

Other interactions

The Mysterious Stranger will appear out of nowhere to assist in battle by finishing off enemies. After the V.A.T.S. sequence finishes, he will disappear in a similarly abrupt manner.

Fallout Shelter

The Mysterious Stranger appears in vault rooms or elevators. He does not aid in battles, but may appear in the vault regardless of if the vault is experiencing an incident. When selected, he disappears and the vault is awarded a random amount of caps. He must be tapped on to receive the caps. If any rooms are not powered he will not appear, even when the sound effect occurs. Finding him five times is one of the Objectives.

Inventory

Fallout, Fallout 2

Apparel Weapon Other items
Levels 9-14: leather armor
Levels 15-18: Combat leather jacket
Levels 19-22 metal armor
Levels 23-26: combat armor
Levels 27-99: power armor
Levels 9-13: hunting rifle or FN FAL
Levels 14-19: assault rifle or combat shotgun
Levels 20-26: laser rifle or H&K CAWS
Levels 27-99: H&K G11
-

Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas

Fallout 4

Notes

Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas

  • A short guitar riff will play whenever the Stranger holsters or unholsters his weapon, as does the Mysterious Magnum.
  • He circles around the enemy shooting several times.
  • He can appear in water, and swim around. He will not shoot when this occurs.
  • In Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas, The Mysterious Stranger has a unique .44 Magnum; Mysterious Stranger's .44 magnum that can only be obtained via console commands. It deals up to 9000 damage, making it one of the strongest weapons in both games.

Fallout 3

  • During the add-on Mothership Zeta, having the Mysterious Stranger perk opens up a unique dialogue option with Somah. "Maybe, if we're lucky, a friend of mine will show up to help us." To which she responds with confusion.
  • There have been cases of the stranger making movie-like entrances and exits. An example is on the Anacostia Crossing escalators near Rivet City; he will walk up the escalators and shoot the enemy. [citation needed]
  • The Fallout 3 Official Game Guide refers to his name being Farmer.

Fallout: New Vegas

  • He seems to have a son, The Lonesome Drifter, who wanders around the wasteland looking for his father.

Fallout 4

  • Unlike Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas, The Mysterious Stranger no longer appears to be asian. He now also sports a mustache, appears older, and has his coat buttoned shut rather than being tied shut.
  • The Mysterious Stranger isn't bearing a Mysterious Stranger's .44 magnum as he did before in Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas. Instead he uses the standard issue .44 Magnum and possesses a special and unique perk, named "Mysterious Stranger Damage", which increases all the damage stats on all weapons except melee weapons. It can be obtained only through console commands using player.addperk 00188AAA.
  • The riff alerting to his upcoming presence is considerably different to previous games.
  • Nick Valentine is trying to arrest the Mysterious Stranger. Nick has a short log containing everything he knows about the Stranger in his office, and if the player has Nick as a companion while the Stranger appears, Nick will exclaim in frustration as the Stranger slips away.

Appearances

The Mysterious Stranger appears in Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout 3 and all its add-ons, Fallout: New Vegas and all its add-ons and Fallout 4, making him the only character to appear in all canon Fallout games. He also appears in Fallout Shelter.

Behind the scenes

The Mysterious Stranger is inspired by the trenchcoat-clad figures of 1940's and 1950's film noir.

Bugs

Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas

  • Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 If the Mysterious Stranger appears and there is a wall or other obstacle between him and his target, he will not take a shot. This will sometimes lead to you being stuck in V.A.T.S. permanently, necessitating a reload of an earlier save. [verified]
    • This may also happen if your target is swimming as he will not be able to draw his weapon and will swim around possibly rendering you stuck in V.A.T.S.
  • PCPC If the enemy is near a cliff and a weapon is used that knocks them off it without killing them, the Stranger may spawn in the air off the cliff and fall to his "death" as a result. As he is an "essential" character he will be rendered unconscious and the "Mysterious Stranger is unconscious" message will appear on screen like any other essential non-player character. This will not prevent him from appearing to aid the player at a later date. [verified]
  • PCPC You can sometimes knock the Mysterious Stranger unconscious if you attack a nearby enemy in V.A.T.S. with an explosive such as a grenade. [verified]
  • PCPC After the Mysterious Stranger has killed his target, there may be a considerable delay in V.A.T.S. before he goes away and normal play is resumed. You and companions can still be attacked and may be killed if there are other enemies around. [verified]

Fallout 4

  • The Mysterious Stranger has a criterium that needs to be met before he can come: the target must be at 150 hit points or lower, or the target must have 40% of health or less.
  • PCPC If the Mysterious Stranger appears and there is a wall or other obstacle between him and his target, he will not take a shot. [verification overdue]
  • Some times the Mysterious Stranger kills himself causing him never to spawn again. [platforms tag needed][verification overdue]
  • Playstation 4Playstation 4 The Mysterious Stranger spawns either on top of the enemy or within touching distance and won't fire his shot. He continues doing this and resetting the game doesn't fix it, effectively making him useless. [verification overdue]
    • If this happens try to put space between you and your target
  • PCPC If the Mysterious Stranger shoots Virgil it refills his life instantly.[verification overdue]
  • It appears that the Mysterious Stranger doesn't even have to hit the target for the bullet to kill his target, this is most noticable when he appears behind the Sole Survivor and shoots. Blood will come out of where he shot at but the target will die regardless.
  • Lorenzo Cabot can survive up to 8 or 9 Mysterious Stranger shots when the criterium for summoning the Mysterious Stranger is met.

Sounds

Mysterious Stranger appearing in Fallout 4

noicon

noicon

noicon

noicon

Mysterious Stranger appearing in Fallout Shelter

noicon

noicon

Gallery

Advertisement