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Bug Verification Project
This article is within the scope of the Bug Verification Project. This project is dedicated to increasing the validity of game bugs. If you want to participate, please check the project page.
Scavenged from parts by a wandering trader named Tinker Joe, Sergeant RL-3 is a RobCo Industries Mister Gutsy model, created for mobile attacks prior to the Great War. Utilizing both plasma and flame as its main weapons system, "Sarge" is always ready with a quip ("Pain is just weakness leaving the body! Hooah!"), but has an experimental "personality," making it difficult for Tinker Joe to offload him.[1]
This companion must be purchased from Tinker Joe between the RobCo Facility and Tenpenny Tower for 1,000 caps if the player has neutral Karma. If the player's barter skill is high enough, the player may purchase him for only 500 caps.
RL-3 will return to Canterbury Commons after the player is abducted by the Enclave in Finding the Garden of Eden. The player either must make sure their karma is neutral by the time they speak to him if they hope to recruit RL-3 back into their group. Otherwise he will refuse to join you.
RL-3 will remain essential before you hire him or damage him yourself.
He always refers to the Lone Wanderer as "Sir", regardless of what gender is selected.
RL-3's Plasma rifle is incredibly inaccurate, usually missing a stationary super mutant. Oddly, he is much more accurate when attacking the player, if turned hostile, and will hit even over long range.
RL-3 stands mostly still while attacking, instead of running at enemies like other companions. This makes it less likely that he will run straight into a group of Deathclaws, but he won't follow the player if attacking enemies. This is troublesome, considering his inaccurate weapon
RL-3 can be asked to activate the purifier during the quest Take it Back!. If the player does not have Broken Steel installed, he will refuse, and exhort the player to finish the work his/her father started.
If the player does have Broken Steel installed, RL-3 will willingly start the purifier, aware that the radiation in the control chamber poses no threat to him. When the game resumes after the epilogue, RL-3 will be waiting in the infirmary at the Citadel.
If you board Mothership Zeta, RL-3 will wait next to where you are abducted from.
A non-recruitable RL-3 can be found in the GECK files.
The line, "You're making me angry, you won't like me when I'm angry!" is a line from the 1970s TV show The Incredible Hulk.
The line, "Old war-bots never die; they just rust away." is a reference to an old Army ballad line, "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away," made famous by General Douglas MacArthur's farewell speech.
The line, "There's nothing I love more than making some other poor bastard die for his country," is based on the quote from American General Patton, "The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his."
Sergeant RL-3 shares a line with Optimus Prime's famous quote "Roll out".
The line "Kill them all, let God sort them out!" is based on a quote from Cisterian church leader Arnaud Amalric, during the Albigensian Crusade.
RL-3's designation nearly resembles the initials of actor and former Marine drill instructor R. Lee Ermey. (RL-E)
xbox360 You may not be able to talk to RL-3 when trying to rehire him at Canterbury Commons. If this happens simply reload your most recent save and go back. He should now talk to you and you shall be able to rehire him as normal. [verified]
ps3 With Broken Steel installed, RL-3 possesses a staggering amount of health at higher levels. At level 20 he has fully several thousand HP, more so than even a super mutant behemoth. This is due to a badly adjusted setting concerning RL-3's leveling, which grants him 350 HP per level gained. Dogmeat and Fawkes are similarly affected. This only occurs if Broken Steel is installed prior to meeting RL-3, otherwise RL-3's level does not scale and his health is fixed at 350. [verified]
pcps3xbox360 If in sneak mode, having the Robotics Expert perk produces the usual dialogue box with RL-3. However, selecting "Talk" does nothing. [verified]
pcps3xbox360 RL-3's plasma projector uses the laser rifle's firing sound, not the usual Mister Gutsy sound effect. [verified]
ps3xbox360 When traversing over mountains, RL-3 may get stuck on, or in, a rock. [verified]
pcps3xbox360 Some events cause RL-3 to become hostile towards everyone (including the player) indefinetely after ever being dismissed from the party. These include destruction of the combat inhibitor, him witnessing Tinker Joe die, Crow's death in general (because RL-3 has some sort of scripted-in co-affiliation to Crow like he has with Tinker Joe) and investing any money in Crow's business during the Merchant Empire Quest (because the game treats merchants you invested in like they were dead in some regards). [verified]
pc RL-3 may remain frenzied even if his combat inhibitor appears repaired. To check, open the console, click on RL-3 (or enter prid 94285), and issue the getav aggression command. If it returns 3.00, RL-3 is frenzied, which can be repaired with setav aggression 1.
ps3 RL-3 can be waiting in the Commons even if you did not purchase him and he can be hired for free. This can be used to the players advantage. [verified]
He appears in the second tunnel part from the quest The Waters of Life if he is told to wait somewhere outside the memorial. [platforms tag needed][verification needed]
xbox360 RL-3 will sometimes attack friendly or neutral non-player characters. He has a knack for attacking everyone inside of the Republic of Dave Capital Building, and Scribe Yearling and the Brotherhood of Steel knights inside of the Arlington Library. What is odd is that you must walk to a certain spot in these areas before he will become hostile towards them. To fix this, simply have RL-3 wait in an area away from these spots, but don't dismiss him. Conduct your business, and when it is concluded, reacquire him. (If you want RL-3 in the Arlington Library to help you out with the raiders further in, just go another way that won't trigger this bug). [verified]
pc It is possible to recruit sergeant RL-3 at the same time as another companion by dismissing your current companion and speaking to tinker joe purchasing RL-3, then quickly re hiring your old companion before RL-3 joins you. This glitch works with Butch, Charron and Dogmeat. Leaving the Capital wasteland to point lookout or the pit will need you to fire all companions, and this glitch cannot repeat. [verified]
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