The many protagonists of the Fallout series are known for their actions across their respective corners of the wasteland. They are the central forces of change in the Fallout universe by virtue of being the player character - the one with the most agency at any given point. In this role, they've all gained a reputation for being the toughest individuals around.
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There are over 100 years of Fallout protagonists shaping the post-war world as the most fearsome and skilled people in comparison to every other character, but one question needs to be answered: how do these wasteland titans stack up against each other? How do their capabilities and accomplishments compare to one another? Here is a list ranking each of the major Fallout protagonists by their deeds and skills.
Updated April 22, 2024, by Gregory L. Gomez: The Fallout series is all about the player and their efforts to reshape the post-nuclear world. Whether that means joining certain factions, recruiting companions, or just doing random questlines, each protagonist in the franchise has their own story. Comparing these protagonists can be a fun exercise, as there are parallels between them in many ways, as well as deviations that make them unique. With that in mind, a few more entries covering some of the lesser known spin-offs of the Falllout franchise has been added to this list. The protagonists in these games have their own backstories, skills, and accomplishments that are comparable to the main game's protagonists in more ways than one.
8 The Initiate (Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel)
The Non-Canon Protagonists Of A Maligned Entry
- Region: West Coast
- Major Accomplishment: Defeat of Super Mutant Remnants (Non-Canonical)
The initiate is the customizable player character in Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel. This game has gone down in history as the game that killed Fallout, at least until Fallout 3 was released. The game itself is currently considered non-canonical, which means nothing they may have done with the lore has had any effect on the world. This makes the main character the least accomplished of all player characters by default.
In terms of skills, the Initiate is technically quite formidable, at least in theory. They can either be a human male tribal, a female orphan, or a ghoul mercenary from Set's crew in Necropolis. Each of these backgrounds comes with benefits in the Wasteland, nebulous as they are. The ghoul protagonist in particular, Cain, has benefits like immunity to diseases and an enhanced lifespan. Cyrus, the tribal, is rather strong as well as tough, while the orphan, Nadia, is nimble and skilled with guns.
7 Vault Dweller (Fallout 76)
A League Of Player Characters Banded Together
- Region: Appalachia
- Major Accomplishment: Preventing the Spread of the Scorch Plague
Of all player characters in the Fallout franchise, the one in Fallout 76 is unique in that they are part of an ensemble of protagonists. As a multiplayer game, every player is a canonical protagonist in their own right, working together to recolonize West Virginia and fight the scorched beasts, super mutants, raiders, and cryptids that have taken over the surface. Although many of these threats may have been dealt with by the Vault Dwellers, it isn't known how long they've lasted in the wasteland after the game takes place.
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Fallout 76 is itself a prequel to the main games, and none of them seem to reference anything that transpired. Given Appalachia's proximity to the Capital Wasteland, it would seem that Fallout 3 in particular would benefit the most from the Vault Dwellers' accomplishments. However, this doesn't seem to be the case, as it's still a dead and borderline inhospitable place. At most, it can be said that the Scorched did not spread to other parts of the East Coast.
6 The Lone Wanderer (Fallout 3)
A Vault Dweller For A New Generation
- Region: Capital Wasteland
- Major Accomplishment: Saving Project Purity
The Lone Wanderer is one of the least impressive of all the player characters when taken at face value. Despite being born in the wasteland, they grew up in Vault 101 for the first 19 years of their life, sheltered from the horrors of the outside world. Once they leave, they certainly pick up a few skills as they scour the ruins of the Capital Wasteland for their father. However, the Lone Wanderer isn't really faced with a serious threat that they're uniquely suited to take down, unlike some of the other protagonists.
When it comes to their wasteland accomplishments, the Lone Wanderer doesn't quite compare to their counterparts. Project Purity is somewhat of a footnote in Fallout's list of important events, and the destruction of the already weakened East Coast Enclave is mostly due to the Brotherhood of Steel's presence in the area. Colonel Autumn and President John Henry Eden just don't cut it as far as Fallout bosses are concerned.
5 The Sole Survivor (Fallout 4)
The Hero Of The Commonwealth
- Region: The Commonwealth
- Major Accomplishment: Defeating the Institute
Depending on whom the player chooses at the beginning of the game, the Sole Survivor is either a pre-war veteran of the Sino-American war or an aspiring lawyer. The former, Nate, is probably the more physically capable of the two in a post-apocalyptic setting, while Nora's strength lies in her intelligence (similar to one of the possible identities of Fallout 1's Vault Dweller). Much like the Lone Wanderer, however, they don't necessarily have that impressive a resume when it comes to wasteland accomplishments.
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It's also worth noting that, as pre-war humans frozen in time, the wasteland is fundamentally alien to them. Granted, they pick certain things up rather quickly, but it is a marked disadvantage in comparison to someone like the Courier, for example. That said, the Sole Survivor is able to potentially rack up a very large body count if both DLC expansions are taken into account. The Synth element is also more than the Lone Wanderer ever had to contend with, synth coursers especially.
4 The Warrior (Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood Of Steel)
The First Brotherhood Player Character
- Region: Mid-Western Wasteland
- Major Accomplishments: Winning The War Against The Calculator
Fallout Tactics is, admittedly, not exactly rock solid canon as of right now, though some of its elements have been referenced in other games and media. Bethesda has stated before that it considers the game "broad strokes" canon, which leaves the door open for the Warrior to be one of the more consequential protagonists in the series. Not only did they prove themselves to be a formidable soldier, eventually rising to the rank of general rather quickly, but hey were able to defeat the Calculator and its robot army.
In one possible ending, the Warrior merges with the Calculator and augments the mid-western Brotherhood with its resources. Another ending sees the robot's complete destruction, freeing the region from its tyranny. Either way it's sliced, the Warrior might just be a wasteland legend in their own right - if the game actually happened, that is.
3 The Vault Dweller (Fallout)
An Unlikely Hero At Precisely The Right Time
- Region: South West Coast
- Major Accomplishments: Defeating the Mutant Army + Saving Shady Sands
The Vault Dweller from Fallout 1 is easily the most powerful pre-war stock human seen thus far in the Fallout series. While they're technically disadvantaged in that they did not grow up in the California wasteland, the Vault Dweller enters it at an early enough time in the region's development that his (likely high) level of education is a major asset. On top of this, he proves himself extremely capable by being the main force behind the destruction of the newly created Super Mutant army. He even managed to engage both the Master and his lieutenant single-handedly and win.
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He would go on to found one of the West Coast's most consequential settlements in Arroyo, which would lead to the birth of the Chosen One. As far as his other accomplishments in the wasteland go, such as protecting Shady Sands from raiders, allowing it to grow into the extremely powerful New California Republic, and being the first known person to kill a deathclaw (let alone several) are also rather impressive. The Vault Dweller is rightfully remembered as a mythological hero of sorts by his descendants and future wastelanders.
2 The Chosen One (Fallout 2)
The Wasteland's Very Own Messiah
- Region: West Coast
- Major Accomplishment: Destruction of the Enclave + Saving Arroyo
As the great-grandchild of the original Vault Dweller, the Chosen One has a lot to live up to. Of the main Fallout protagonists, the Chosen One is one of two that actually grew up in the wasteland. The Lone Wanderer is wasteland-born but not raised. As such, they have especially acclimated to its conditions in ways that even their predecessor was not. Granted, the Chosen One grew up as a tribal and is almost certainly not as intellectually gifted as the Vault Dweller, they're likely much more resourceful. The Chosen One rivals their ancestor in terms of accomplishments and influence on the world.
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They're primarily responsible for defeating not only the Enclave when it was at its most powerful, but also the incredibly formidable Frank Horrigan, who is one of the most powerful mutants the wasteland ever saw. The Chosen One would go on to rebuild Arroyo into a major post-war metropolis as its elder, building on the Vault Dweller's work and healing the wounds left from when he was forced out of Vault 13.
1 Courier Six (Fallout: New Vegas)
A Mythological Figure In The Post-Nuclear Frontier
- Region: Mojave Wasteland
- Major Accomplishment: Determined The Fate Of Major Wasteland Factions
Few people in the wasteland, if any, have walked more of the wastes of former America than the Courier of New Vegas has. The Courier has traveled all the way from the Californian coast to the edge of Legion-controlled territory. They've been to New Reno, the Bone Yard, and even as far north as Montana and likely beyond. The Courier is essentially the Chosen One but without the tribal baggage and far, far more experience. Even two bullets to the head from Benny couldn't keep them down for long.
In addition to being one of the deciding factors in the Second Battle of Hoover Dam (essentially the deciding factor in the power balance of the whole region), Courier Six braved the toxic ruins of the Sierra Madre and the Big Empty, in time becoming the latter's protector and steward. His final confrontation with his fellow courier, Ulysses, at the heart of the Divide became the stuff of legend, with even its most dangerous creatures learning to avoid him either out of fear or respect. The Courier is a modern wasteland myth on par with the Vault Dweller, but twice as formidable.
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