Venturing into Zion: Your Honest Guide to Fallout: New Vegas’s Honest Hearts DLC
Are you planning a trip to Zion National Park in the Fallout universe? Forget scenic hikes and beauty. In Fallout: New Vegas’s Honest Hearts DLC, you face a different kind of wilderness. Let’s explore this add-on.
No Vaults in Zion? Wilderness Living, Baby!
If you love Vaults, prepare for disappointment. Zion is vault-free. People in Utah chose fresh air over planned underground bunkers. After all, who can blame them? You won’t add vaults to your collection here.
Honest Hearts Gameplay: Time and Level Check
Time is precious, wasteland wanderer. How long will Honest Hearts hold your attention? For the main quest, expect around 3 hours. If you seek every secret, it’s about 5.5 hours. Plenty of time to enjoy the irradiated landscape.
The game wants you to be at least level 10 before you explore Zion. Think of it as a bouncer for adventure. But if you’re daring, jump in earlier. Just don’t expect sympathy when Yao Guais chew you up.
Meet the Locals (Briefly): Honest Hearts Characters
Zion features characters, especially Joshua Graham, the Burned Man. He’s a fan favorite! But do not grow too fond. He disappears from Zion after the DLC’s last quest. Think of it as a limited-time companion situation.
The Unfortunate Caravan: Happy Trails? Not So Much.
Next, let’s discuss the Happy Trails Caravan. Spoiler alert: they do not have happy trails. If you want to save them, forget it. Their deaths are scripted. It’s as certain as taxes in pre-war America. You could eliminate every White Leg raider, but one will stay alive, guaranteeing the caravan’s fate.
Poor Jed Masterson, the caravan leader? His death is scripted and inevitable. And Ricky? Nope, no saving him. Just like with Jed, another will replace him in the scripted death line. Let’s also mention Stella. Her demise? Yep, scripted too. The whole caravan feels like a tragedy. Maybe call them the “Unhappy Trails Caravan.”
Choices and Consequences: Zion’s Moral Maze
Doom aside, Honest Hearts offers choices with gray shades. The big question? Save Zion or leave it? Generally, saving Zion is the ‘good’ choice. It smooths things over for everyone involved. Less bloodshed leads to prosperity.
Want the “best” ending? It involves defeating Salt-Upon-Wounds. Killing him in open combat feels more morally right than sneaky execution. Why? Joshua Graham regains his humanity while retaining military skills.
Then there’s Waking Cloud. Do you reveal her husband’s sad fate? Telling her the truth makes her angry at Daniel for secrets. But fear not! Ultimately, she forgives Daniel. Grief fades, life continues, and she even finds a new husband from the Dead Horses tribe.
If you spare Salt-Upon-Wounds, he becomes a “dim shadow” of his former self, suffering wasteland PTSD. He’s so weak his people are soon defeated after leaving Zion. Sparing him might feel merciful, but his tribe suffers anyway.
Good news: You can revisit Zion after finishing Honest Hearts. Zion remains open in the vanilla game after completing the DLC’s main quest. You can check in on Waking Cloud or just enjoy sightseeing again.
If you keep the baby calf you find, it will loyally follow you back to camp. Who doesn’t want a calf in the post-apocalypse? Just don’t name it “dinner.”
Questing in Zion: Paths and Paws
For quests, “Way of the Canaanite” fetches you Joshua Graham as a companion. Start either “Crush the White Legs” or “Flight from Zion”, and he joins your party automatically. It’s a deal – quest initiation and legendary companion together.
Sought a spooky quest? “Rite of Passage” has a job for you. Retrieve a paw from the Ghost of She. Head to the Ghost Den and defeat the ghostly She-creature for its paw. Just another day in the wasteland.
Factions and Latin Lessons: Decoding Malpais Legate
Curious about “Malpais Legate”? Ominous title, right? “Malpais” means “badlands” or “borderlands” in Latin. “Legate” means military officer or lieutenant. Together, Malpais Legate refers to the officer exploring uncharted territories for a nation. A wasteland real estate agent with a side of military authority. Who knew Latin helped in the apocalypse?
Vaults: A Fallout Staple (Except in Honest Hearts)
Now let’s shift talk to Vaults in Fallout. Vaults are part of the Fallout identity. Honest Hearts lacks vaults but they remain significant.
Vault 0: The Granddaddy of Them All
Vault 0, also called Calculator’s lair, sits in Fallout Tactics. Reach it via Cheyenne Mountain. It’s the prototype Vault, the first vault that led to others.
Vault 1: Midwestern Mystery
Vault 1 was near a Midwestern city, with an entrance on a cliffside close to town. Post-apocalyptic suburbia access? Sounds too good to be true… which often means it is!
Vault 13: The OG Fallout Vault
Vault 13 is the Vault from the original Fallout. The story starts in 2161, following the Vault Dweller from Vault 13. A high-tech shelter but also where many began their journey.
Vault 15: Diversity Experiment Gone Wrong
Vault 15, like other Vaults, contained a social experiment. This time? Gathering diverse people with different cultures and ideologies. What could possibly go wrong? (Everything, as usual.)
Vault 18: New California Beginnings
Vault 18, created by Vault-Tec, is among the San Bernardino Mountains. It marks the start of Fallout: New California. If you want a fresh start in a familiar place, Vault 18 welcomes you.
Vault 19: Khan Hostility Trigger
Vault 19 has a volatile population. If you upset the Khans by killing Papa Khan during “Why Can’t We Be Friends,” prepare for all vault occupants turning hostile. Play nice with him unless you want a Vault-wide riot.
Vault 21: Mr. House’s
Vegas Renovation
Vault 21 underwent changes. Mr. House sealed it off. He forced out the residents. Vegas real estate is tough in the apocalypse. Size matters more than people, so vault dwellers lost.
Vault 22: Fungal Fiasco and Zion Escapees
Vault 22 dwellers had respiratory issues. A major problem. They fled the vault to escape illness. Result? They ended up in Zion. Zion became the escape destination for vault dwellers with lung issues.
Vault 33: San Diego Shelter (Fallout TV Series)
Vault 33 gained attention from the Fallout TV series. It lies in San Diego. This vault is small, designed for six people. That’s exclusive real estate in the wasteland!
Vault 34: New Vegas Survivors and Sharecropper Dilemmas
Vault 34 in Fallout: New Vegas has surviving residents. They are non-ghoul. Alongside the Boomers and Chris Haversam, they are lucky. But should you help them? Save the Vault 34 dwellers, and Sharecroppers return to California. Choose wisely.
Vault 51: Appalachian Nuclear Winter Games
Vault 51 sits in the Forest region of Appalachia in Fallout 76. It hosted the Nuclear Winter game mode and is now explorable in Adventure mode. The vault transformed from battle arena to tourist spot.
Vault 69: The Bachelor (Vault Edition)
Vault 69. Quite a situation here. It hosted 999 female dwellers and one male. For reasons that spark curiosity. What do you think happened?
Vault 76: Appalachian Re-emergence
Vault 76 also lies in the Forest region of Appalachia. It’s another location in Fallout 76. West Virginia became valuable space for Vault-Tec.
Vault 87: Radiation Hotspot
Vault 87 is known for its intense radiation. The entrance has dangerous levels. It peaks nearly at 4,000 rads per second. Bring your Rad-X and possibly a hazmat suit. Or ten.
Vault 88: Settlement Builder’s Paradise
Vault 88 is a dream for builders. It’s the largest settlement for build space. Spectacle Island follows it. If you enjoy creating underground cities, Vault 88 is your canvas.
Vault 101: Three Games, Two Visits
Vault 101 appears in Fallout 3. It gets mention in Fallout 4 and 76. Access is limited. You may only enter Vault 101 twice. Make them count.
Vault 111: Cryo-Sleep Experiment
Vault 111 is dedicated to cryo-freezing. Researchers studied human reactions to long-term cryo-stasis. Spoiler: it involves waking up to chaos centuries later. Thanks, Vault-Tec!
Vault 420 (aka Vault 42): Hidden High Times
Vault 420, also called Vault 42, hides near the Lady Bird Johnston Wildflower Center. It’s surrounded by overgrowth, creating a jungle vault. The “420” reference? Not related to gardening.
Vault 666: Shelter’s Demonic Quest
Vault 666 is part of a quest in Fallout Shelter. The name suggests a unique experience. Expect spooky events.
Vault 713: Wizarding World Crossover?
Vault 713 has an odd mention. Someone tried to steal the Philosopher’s Stone. It’s stored in Vault 713 of Gringotts Wizarding Bank. Wrong universe? They might have diversified into magical artifacts.
Active Vaults: Are Any Still Kicking?
The big question: are any vaults still active in Fallout? Some vaults are lively, at least. But “active,” according to Vault-Tec’s original plan? That’s debatable. Many have major issues.
Vault Purpose: Experiments, Experiments, and More Experiments
The main purpose of Vaults? Not about altruism. Vault-Tec prioritized social experiments and research. Ethics were mere suggestions. As Wikipedia notes, they treated humanity like lab rats in fancy cages.
Vault-Tec Corporation: Wasteland’s Most Evil Megacorp?
Now, let’s discuss Vault-Tec itself. They aren’t exactly the heroes, are they?
Vault-Tec: Evil Incarnate?
Is Vault-Tec evil? They repeatedly appear on lists of evil corporations in games. So, yes, likely evil. Understatements exist.
Vault-Tec in Real Life? Thank Goodness, No.
Is Vault-Tec real? Thankfully, Vault-Tec is fictional. It’s a product of a warped universe. Vault-Tec Corporation, also known as Vault-Tec Industries, is a fictional defense megacorp. Phew, imagine dealing with that!
Vault-Tec Today: Defunct but Not Forgotten
Does Vault-Tec still exist? Nope. The company fell apart due to nuclear war. Their vaults? Many failed spectacularly. Surface dwellers? They’re not sending thank you cards; it’s more hate mail.
Why So Evil, Vault-Tec?
Why was Vault-Tec so evil? It goes back to those social experiments. They ignored saving people. All about data collection, no matter the consequences. Ruthless capitalism plus mad science equals wasteland chaos.
Refusing Vault-Tec? Good Luck With That.
What if you refuse Vault-Tec?? In Fallout 4, when the salesman arrives, you can refuse. He’ll ask you to rethink it. If you refuse again, the game forces paperwork anyway. Vault-Tec’s tactics are relentless.
Vault-Tec vs. The Enclave: Evil Showdown?
Is Vault-Tec worse than the Enclave? That’s debatable! Initially, Vault-Tec wasn’t “evil.” Some believe the Enclave corrupted the vaults, while Vault-Tec just went with it. So, Enclave might be more evil overall, but Vault-Tec enabled it.
Fallout Shelter Game Mechanics: Vault Management 101
Let’s shift to Fallout Shelter. Ever wanted to run your own vault? Here’s how!
Reviving Dwellers: Caps Cure All (Almost)
Dwellers meet unfortunate ends? Don’t worry! You can revive them with Caps. If they die inside your vault, click on them. For those who die while out, recall them first to revive. Caps work like a miracle cure.
Legendary Babies: Max Stats, Max Hope
Want legendary babies? Start with maxed parents. Both must be level 50 with max SPECIAL stats for a chance at legendary offspring. It’s not guaranteed, but high stats may run in the family.
Pregnancy 101: Vault Style
To expand your vault’s population, you must create families! To get pregnant in Fallout Shelter, find a living quarter with two dwellers. Love blooms even in desolation.
Want to boost pregnancy chances? One dweller needs at least Charisma 7. Charm matters even in vault life! After that, wait for magic. Pregnancies take 3 hours. Be patient, overseer.
Pregnant Dwellers Not Giving Birth? Vault Overcrowding Alert!
If pregnant dwellers delay births, check for space issues. They give birth within hours if happy and enough room exists. No space? Upgrade or add living quarters. Vault overcrowding is a real challenge.
Pregnancy Duration: Six Hours to Adulthood
Dwellers stay pregnant for how long? Their pregnancies last three hours. Then, they take another three hours to grow into adults. Total time from conception to adulthood is six hours!
Dweller Happiness: Food, Water, Jobs, and Love (Maybe)
A happy vault means happy dwellers. What influences happiness? Plenty! Lack of food, water, or power drops mood.
Dwellers should also match jobs with their highest SPECIAL stats. Happy dwellers work better. And maybe they won’t start a revolt.
Inbreeding:
Vault-Tec Approved (Not Really)
Can you inbreed in Fallout Shelter? Yes, you can. The game doesn’t call it “inbreeding.” You can breed related dwellers. Their offspring stats depend on parents’ SPECIALs. Wasteland eugenics is a thing. Vault-Tec likely does not mind.
Mysterious Stranger: Caps From the Shadows
Who’s that strange music? It’s the Mysterious Stranger! He appears in your vault and offers extra Caps. That’s a welcome boost to the vault economy.
Want to find him? Zoom out fully to get flat rooms. When the music plays, watch closely and tap him quickly when you see him. It’s like wasteland whac-a-mole, but with caps!
SPECIAL Stats: Beyond Ten?
Can SPECIAL stats exceed 10? Indeed! Stats train to a max of 10, but outfit bonuses can push them up to 17. Apocalypse fashion isn’t just for style; it gives stat boosts!
Dweller Aging: Time Flies (Even Underground)
Do vault dwellers age? Yes, though it’s slow. In-game, you select an age range (16-35) at creation. Lore-wise, dwellers could have long lives. But radiation, raiders, and radroaches may cut that lifespan short.
Fallout Shelter Ending? Spoiler: There Isn’t One.
Does Fallout Shelter have an ending? No. Common complaints cite depth issues, microtransactions, and the absence of an ending. It’s an endless vault management sim. Like real vault life, maybe?
Best Vault Dweller: Butch DeLoria – Tunnel Snake Ruler
Who’s the best vault dweller? It’s Butch DeLoria. He hails from Vault 101 and leads the Tunnel Snakes gang. In Fallout Shelter, he is a versatile legendary dweller. Tunnel Snakes reign supreme!
No New Dwellers? Vault’s Full, Mate!
Why are new dwellers absent? Most likely no space in your vault. Is there insufficient living areas or a cap at 200 dwellers? Pregnant dwellers won’t give birth, and no new arrivals will appear. Time to expand, overseer!
General Fallout Lore: Deep Dives
Ready for some Fallout lore nuggets? Knowledge is power in the wasteland.
Vault Boy’s Real-Life Inspiration: Cooper Howard?
Is Vault Boy based on Cooper Howard? The Fallout TV series hints yes. It suggests Vault Boy is modeled after actor Cooper Howard (Walton Goggins), the original Vault-Tec ad face before being replaced by the mascot. So, he’s part mascot, part failed actor?
FBI in Fallout? Keeping Tabs on the Wasteland?
Is the FBI in Fallout? The Federal Bureau of Investigation appears in Fallout, Fallout 4, and Fallout 76. Did they survive the war? Probably hiding in a secret government bunker, pulling strings. It’s the FBI, after all.
Vault Number Easter Egg: Call Vault-Tec!
Want to reach Vault-Tec? You can! Dial 213-25-Vault or 213-258-2858. Go ahead, call Vault-Tec. Find out what happens. (Spoiler: it probably won’t end well).
Who Nuked the US? The Great War’s True Culprit
Who caused the US nukes in Fallout? Tim Cain, Fallout co-creator, says China launched the first nukes in response to US bio-weapons experiments. China ignited the Great War. So, target China, not Vault-Tec this time.
True Villain of Fallout? Pick Your Poison.
Who is the ultimate villain in Fallout? It varies by game! The Master in Fallout 1, The Enclave in Fallout 2 and 3, Caesar’s Legion in New Vegas, The Institute in Fallout 4, and the Scorched Plague (Enclave-induced) in Fallout 76. Villains abound. Choose your favorite.
Scariest Place in Fallout? Dunwich Building of Nightmares
Dunwich Building in Fallout 3 is undeniably the scariest place. It has spooky vibes, eerie lore, and things that go thump in the radioactive night. Approach with caution.
Best Vault to be Buried In? Asking the Real Questions.
Burying place in the vault? A grim question, but it’s Fallout after all. Perhaps Vault 101? It’s relatively stable and often operational. However, burial might be the least concerning issue in a vault.
Lone Wanderer Still Alive? Vault 101 Life After Adventure.
Is the Lone Wanderer still present in Fallout 4?? For 19 years after Fallout 3, he stayed in Vault 101 unaffected. Then, in 2277, James vanished. Thus, Lone Wanderer’s fate is… open for interpretation. Maybe still wandering? Hence the name?
Other Fallout Oddities: Condoms and Jimmy Hats?
Your exploration takes a turn toward odd items in Fallout. Yes, apocalypse exists with strange remnants.
Condoms in Fallout? Vault-Tec Prepared for Everything (Almost).
Are there condoms in Fallout?? Yes! Myron in New Reno sells red ones. Blue ones are at Sierra Army Depot. Jenna in San Francisco stocks green and blue bits by the bulk. Vault-Tec: still ensuring protection after bombs fall. Those vault dwellers are clever.
Jimmy Hats? Same Question, Different Slang.
Are there Jimmy Hats in Fallout?? Jimmy Hats are simply slang for condoms. Refer to “condoms in Fallout” above. Yes, Jimmy Hats exist in the wasteland!
Other Terms: Vaults of Various Kinds
Let’s clarify some vault-based terminology now!
Doomsday Vault: Real-World Seed Bank
A doomsday vault? It refers to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway. It stores seeds for global food preservation. It’s not linked to Fallout but echoes apocalypse themes.
FBI Vault: Info Dump for the Curious
The FBI vault? It’s the FBI’s electronic Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) library. Digital copies of FBI documents are accessible publicly. This isn’t about nukes, more likely about government secrets.
Secret Vault: Digital Privacy Fortress
A secret vault? They protect your private digital data. Data on your computer can be locked with passwords. It ensures digital privacy rather than shielding you from nuclear fallout.
Ave True to Caesar: Legion Loyalty Oath
A common greeting is Ave true to Caesar. This is a greeting in Fallout associated with the Legion and means “hail and live by Caesar’s law.”. Roman Empire vibes come alive, with more radiation and fewer togas.
Why Malpais? Badlands by Another Name
Mentioning Malpais? Spanish explorers dubbed those rugged lava fields as “El Malpais,” meaning “badlands” or “bad country.”. It’s an origin of geography, not strictly tied to Fallout but sets an atmosphere.
Slang for Condoms? A Wasteland Lexicon
The slang for condoms?? “Rubbers,” “prophylactics,” “French letters,” “rubber johnnies.” That’s your wasteland vocabulary lesson for today. You’re welcome.
You made it! A deep dive into Honest Hearts along with broader Fallout lore and vaults. Now go forth and explore… and don’t forget to pack some condoms as backup.
If you’re curious about starting your DLC adventures, check this helpful guide on Fallout New Vegas DLC start locations and level requirements. Safe travels (not those Happy Trails caravan kinds)!
