Robot A robot is a machine that is capable of autonomously completing tasks . Depending upon the robot , these tasks may be simple or complex , and may require little human intervention or complete oversight . In the " Fallout " universe , robots had been constructed for many purposes , and many examples survived long enough to be a factor in the " Fallout " world . Some of the robots in the " Fallout " universe will attack on first glance ( protectron and robobrain ) but most of the robots will just aid you in battle and come across friendly . Robots had been constructed by pre - War society to fill all niches and occupations . From general - purpose utility droids to full - fledged military battle machines , robots could be found in almost any environment and function . Background . At the time of the Great War , robots were just making their appearance in the average suburban household , but the military still had the largest number of active robots . The robots that are still running are found in isolated former military bases or ones that have been restored by settlements with the sophisticated technology needed to keep them running . Programming . Typically , robots are equipped with a basic programming structure that dictates behavior and priorities . In most cases , these rules are effectively set in stone , and there ' s little the player can do to influence them . However , robots can also develop personalities . Whether this is an intended feature present from manufacturing or the cumulative result of centuries of poorly - attended operation is unclear . Some robots , such as the Nuka - Cola shipping foreman appear to have rather harsh personalities present from their first days of activation , while others , such as the protectron series seem to have little personality at all . At times , this personality seems to operate at odds with the fundamental core programming of the robot . Notable examples of this discontent include Cerberus , the Mister Gutsy robotic soldier that patrols Underworld . Despite programming to protect the ghouls of the city , Cerberus nevertheless admits quite freely that it detests the ghouls and , were it not for his combat inhibitor , would likely kill them all . Sawbones , resident medic at the Citadel , has an unhealthy interest in pain driven by his personality , while his programming states he is a medic . Many robobrain s , when fighting will say things like " They could have programmed me to love , to forgive ; but noooooo . " , or " Please believe me when I say I ' m not enjoying this . " . Robots can even exhibit finicky personalities , one such Mister Gutsy RL - 3 will exhibit distaste in anyone without neutral Karma . Even robotic butlers show contrary streaks , although these aberrations are less likely to cause grievous bodily injury . The butler present in the player ' s home in " Fallout 3 " is often overheard saying with a cheery voice " How can I serve you master ? " while muttering , " Not that I really want to . . . " a little while after . Robots are often pressed into emergency duty outside their normal menu of skills , although this meets with varying degrees of success . A general - maintenance Mister Handy will likely make a poor medic . It may also be noted that without proper supervision , robots may handle situations rather extremely . Metro protectron will kill an unarmed person if they do not have a ticket , on top of this they do not accept red pass or blue pass cards , meaning someone traveling on these lines may be attacked even with proper authorization . Another note is that the Factory protectron mentioned on a computer terminal in The Pitt killed all the workers when they refused to leave the mill and their jobs . Also , Milo the shipping foreman , a type II Mister Handy robot , had trapped a group of employees in a locked closet to die , and for very minor infractions ( taking a longer lunch break , for example ) . With this in mind it can be safe to say that robots of the " Fallout " universe do not follow , or if they do very loosely . It would seem that east coast robots have a naturally adverse attitude towards humans , or animated things in general - living or robotic , as all the robots feature a combat " inhibitor " meaning that the robots all exhibit an uncontrollable urge to kill , without the inhibitor anyway . Dealing with robots . While some robots in the " Fallout " universe are peaceful , most are following centuries - old programming — or newer programming — that classifies the player as a threat . To that end , effective anti - robot combat strategies are a must . Most robots are highly resistant to damage from conventional weapons . Bullets do not generally affect robots as severely as they do their organic masters , and militarized robots can generally shrug off grenade shrapnel . However , like all electronics , robots are vulnerable to the effects of an EMP , making pulse weapons the ideal choice for disabling a robotic enemy . Pulse grenade s , pulse mine s , and 12 gauge EMP shells are ideal for disabling a robot quickly , and though these munitions are typically expensive , they are much more efficient in a cost - for - effect frame of mind . Explosive weapons like missile launcher s or miniature nuclear weapons are effective , but more costly to use against robots . Players with sufficient Repair skills , or certain perks can disable inattentive robots , while players with sufficient Science skills can often find control terminal s that can shut down or reconfigure patrolling mechanical guards . Behind the scenes . A robotic perk , Cyborg , makes an appearance in " Fallout 3 " .