In the Fallout series, raiders act as the enemies that will attack the player as they explore the wasteland. Certain raider factions are able to be talked to, such as the Fiends in Fallout New Vegas or the factions that inhabit Nuka-World in Fallout 4. By talking to characters in the wasteland, reading notes, and completing quests, the player is able to discover a few interesting details about the raiders.
Certain DLCs focus on raiders, giving the player a look at what life inside of a raider settlement is like. It should also be noted, a few unexpected people are revealed to have once been raiders.
10 The Pitt Leader Was A Brotherhood Of Steel Member
In The Pitt DLC for Fallout 3, the player is able to meet the leader of the settlement, a man named Ishmael Ashur. By speaking to Ashur and looking at his armor, players are able to discover he was once a Brotherhood of Steel member. Ashur was left for dead when the Brotherhood came through The Pitt.
Ashur became the leader of the raiders in the area and formed a striving community – as long as someone was a raider. Players can choose to kill him or let him live at the end of the DLC, with the former option freeing the slaves of The Pitt.
9 Fiend Bounties Had Voiced Dialogue
Players can find a quest in Fallout New Vegas called Three-Card Bounty, which has them hunt down three Fiends. At one point in development, the player was supposed to be able to talk to them. Talking to these Fiends would reveal a bit of their background.
Driver Nephi was once a Mormon from Utah, Cook-Cook could be asked about his cooking, and Violet could talk about her dogs and her love for dogs. It would have been interesting to talk to a few Fiends, even if they would be killed a minute later.
8 Raiders Captured A Super Mutant Behemoth
In Fallout 3, players are able to find a Super Mutant Behemoth at the raider-controlled Evergreen Mills. Behemoths are some of the oldest Super Mutants found, making them more dangerous to fight. This makes it even more impressive the raiders could capture one.
The Behemoth is being kept in its cage by an electrical fence. Players are able to release it by destroying the generator powering the fence or by turning off a switch. This will cause the Behemoth to escape, attacking anyone in its path.
7 Raiders Can Be Enslaved
In Fallout 3, the player is able to capture enemies or innocent people and sell them to slavers. Raiders are no exception, as the player can stun them and sell them to Paradise Falls for a few quick caps. Players will still lose karma if they sell a raider, but it is an alternative to selling an innocent wastelander.
Stunning an enemy can have some unexpected side effects. There is a 30% chance an enemy will become frenzied, attacking anywhere nearby. There is also a 20% a stunned enemy's head will explode.
6 Pitt Slave Use To Be A Raider
During The Pitt DLC, players will help a Pitt slave named Wernher cause an uprising. By progressing through the DLC's story, players are able to discover Wernher was once a Pitt Raider. He was once the right-hand man of Ashur.
Wernher became a Pitt slave when he tried to stage a coup against Ashur. Wernher escaped, getting the player to help them cause the uprising. If Wernher is helped throughout the story, he will steal Ashur's infant daughter as a way to get back at him.
5 Fiends Have Unique Helmets
Fiends have three different types of helmets: A Fiend helmet, a Fiend battle helmet, and a Fiend warrior helmet. Each one comes with a different design, allowing players to differentiate between them. The way a helmet is decorated also changes depending on what type of helmet it is.
Despite having different names and appearances, they all grant the same bonuses. Each helmet offers +1 perception to the player, making the only real difference the way they look.
4 Trappers Driven Mad By The Fog
Trappers are the enemies found throughout The Island during the Far Harbor DLC for Fallout 4. These individuals were once normal hunters, but they were driven mad by the fog found on The Island. No matter what, Trappers will attack the player on sight.
Trappers do not taunt the player in combat, making them a bit different from the raiders found in Boston. Trappers can also be noted as wearing lobster traps and using harpoons, adding to their nautical theme.
3 A Raider Group Inhabits New Vegas Sewers
In Fallout New Vegas, a group of raiders called The Greasers can be found in the sewers of Westside. This is the smallest raider group and are the subject of a quest called "Someone To Watch Over Me." Players are tasked with getting rid of this group.
Players can choose to either kill them off or convince them to leave the area. No matter which choice the player goes with, this raider group is never seen again.
2 Raider Group Won't Attack If They See Valentine
While traveling through Boston with Nick Valentine, the player may be ambushed by a group of raiders. Before being attacked, the raiders will recognize Valentine and apologize. It would seem Valentine is in good standing with at least a few of the raiders in the Commonwealth.
After the encounter, the raiders will stand around and allow the player to pass by. This is one of the many reasons Valentine is worth keeping around as a companion.
1 Norwegian Raiders Can Be Found
Perhaps the saddest raider encounter in any of the games, players can find a few Norwegian raiders in Fallout 4. A Norwegian shipwrecked during the Great War, stranding a few foreigners in Boston. Because the crew couldn't speak English, they had to defend themselves, causing them to be considered raiders.
As players attack the crew, the crew can be heard asking the player what they want and pleading with them to leave in Norwegian. With the Sole Survivor not understanding their language, the player is given no choice but to kill them.