Fallout walkthrough This article contains information on how to progress through the main plot of " Fallout " . For a list of all the side quests , see " Fallout " quests . Character Creation . Upon starting a new game , you can choose to either play as a pre - created character or create a customized character . The three pre - created characters are Max Stone , Albert Cole , and Natalia Dubrovhsky , each with their own gameplay preferences . If the player instead chooses to create their own character , they may choose to edit the following features : Leveling up . When enough Experience Points are gained , the Vault Dweller will level up . The immediate effect is gaining a set of skill point s to improve your existing skills . Also , every 3rd level , or 4th with the Skilled trait , the Vault Dweller gains a perk to further improve themselves . The maximum level that can be reached is 21 . Find the Water Chip . With Vault 13 in danger of running out of water , the Vault Dweller has 150 days to find a replacement water chip . After exiting the rat - infested cave entrance of Vault 13 , the Vault Dweller is free to explore the wastes of New California . The only known destination is Vault 15 , due east of 13 . Along the way , they will encounter the town of Shady Sands , which contains a rope needed soon and the location of the Hub needed for later . Getting to Vault 15 ' s command center requires getting past even more rats , now accompanied by pig rat s and mole rats , as well as using ropes to get down to the second then third level . Upon getting to the bottom , they will discover the room is totally destroyed , but will gain 500 XP . With Vault 15 no longer being an option , the Vault Dweller must travel to the Hub to find other options . By speaking with Martha Rastello or buying a holodisk from Mrs . Stapleton , the Vault Dweller learns of a possible chip at Necropolis . Heading to the city and navigating it by sewers , they learn of the ghoul s living in the city , led by Set . They also encounter their first super mutants guarding the Watershed . After dealing with them and navigating through Vault 12 , the Vault Dweller successfully obtains the water chip and must return to Vault 13 . Note : The next two quests can be completed in any order . Destroy the Mutant leader . Realizing the threat these super mutants pose on Vault 13 , the Vault Dweller must find a way to get rid of them . The leader of the super mutants , the Master , operates underneath the Cathedral , which can be found through exploration or being marked by Katja in the Boneyard . To gain access to the underground portion , you must collect either collect a COC badge from a random member then another one from Morpheus himself , lockpick both doors , or convince Morpheus to take you to the Master directly . If the third option is not chosen , you must fight through several units before finally reaching the Master . To defeat the Master , the Vault Dweller can either talk with him , fight him , or activate the nuke hidden in the fourth level . Talking him down requires either a Speech check or Vree ' s autopsy report from Lost Hills , while activating the nuke requires a Science check or the nuke key from Mariposa . If fighting him , they must beware his Gatling lasers and psychic abilities , which can be countered by the Mental Block perk or the psychic nullifier . No matter what , the nuke will then be armed , requiring you to flee the map before it detonates . Destroy the source of the Mutants . With a super mutant army preparing to invade the region , the Vault Dweller must destroy them at their source to save the Vault . To accomplish this , you must make your way to the Mariposa Military Base , west of Vault 13 . The super mutants guarding the entrance can be dealt with either through combat , by tricking them using a radio , by infiltrating the building with a set of robes , or by enlisting the help of the Brotherhood of Steel from Lost Hills . If the robes are used , they will take you straight to the command room , otherwise alarms will trigger upon entering the building . Triggering the alarms , results in having to fight through super mutants and getting past yellow and red force fields . Yellow force fields can be temporarily disabled with a Repair check while red force fields must be wrong through while taking some damage . At the deepest parts of the base , you will encounter Lieutenant , leader of the base , and his guards . After dealing with him , set the base to self destruct and flee the map before it detonates . Vault 13 . With both the Master dead and Mariposa destroyed , the Vault Dweller will return to Vault 13 , resulting in the ending of the game playing .