Mole rat (Fallout 3)

Mole rats are creatures found in the Capital Wasteland in 2277.
==Background==
Mole rats are mutated rodents that are much larger than their ancestral species prior to the Great War. They have survived as a species by burrowing underground where the soil protected them from direct nuclear explosions. However, they were still greatly mutated by the subsequent radioactive fallout, increasing their size and aggression. A number of people in the wastes have been known to train and keep them as pets.
==Characteristics==
===Biology===
Mole rats exhibit no signs of increased intelligence when compared to those alive pre-War. Their incisors show increased enamel and dentin growth, making them razor-sharp. In addition to increased aggressiveness, they are also highly resistant to pain. They are generally found in packs of three to four, but are occasionally encountered in pairs or even by themselves. They are often witnessed standing on their hind legs and sniffing the air, allowing them to smell any approaching predators. They occasionally scratch at the ground, attempting to dig a burrow.
===Gameplay attributes===
Mole rats are very aggressive but may retreat if severely outmatched. They fight for their food by biting at their prey with their large incisors. When attacking, mole rats charge towards their opponents and have a long melee range, with the ability to lunge several feet towards their opponent.
Mole rats are usually hostile unless the Lone Wanderer has the Animal Friend perk. They will fight alongside them in battle if they have the second rank of the perk, but not against other animals.
==Variants==
===Mole rat===
==Locations==
* Found throughout the Capital Wasteland.
* Found in Point Lookout.
==Notable mole rats==
* Pumpkin
==Notes==
* Moira Brown noted in her computer terminal that mole rats can be domesticated, but only after de-clawing, de-teething, and a lobotomy,Megaton terminal entries#Can Mole-Rats be domesticated? although the existence of both Pumpkin and Snuffles from Fallout: New Vegas disprove this hypothesis.
* A group of raiders can be found hosting mole rat races on the mole rat race track.
* When a mole rat is hit by the repellent stick, its head will explode after approximately three seconds, regardless of where the hit is made on its body. A second hit makes it blow up immediately.
* Several mole rat decorations can be found throughout the wasteland. For example, a mole rat skin rug can be found on the Duchess Gambit.
* Mole rat meat is dropped once a mole rat is killed. When combined with wonderglue, this item can be used to create mole rat wonder meat.
* An Enclave field research terminal at a small outpost west of the Temple of the Union summarizes Enclave observation and testing of mole rats. The researcher states the they most closely resemble a larger species of heterocephalus glaber (naked mole-rat). Aside from the size increase, they note that mole-rats have similar intelligence to pre-war ancestors, likely due to their small brain. The incisors have increased dentine and enamel growth, which has led to mole rats having incredibly sharp teeth. The last observation noted is the extremely low level of substance P found in test subjects, which give mole rats a high tolerance to pain. The researcher suggests taking skin samples to further study this specific trait of mole rats, but a more advanced lab would be necessary for that. There is an error in the research notes, as the taxonomic classification lists the subject's family as bathyergidae, but naked mole-rats belong to the heterocephalidae family in reality.Enclave field research terminal entries, Field Entry: Molerat
* A giant mole rat, a very large mutation of the mole rat, capable of carrying a human was designed by Adam Adamowicz but never made it into the game.
==Appearances==
Mole rats appear .
==Sounds==
* Mole rat attack
==Gallery==
MoleratCA1.jpg|Mole rat concept art by Adam Adamowicz
MoleratCA2.jpg
MoleratCA3.jpg
Meat.png|Mole rat meat
FO3 yao guai meat.png|Mole rat wonder meat
Mole_rat_rug.jpg|Mole rat rug on the Duchess Gambit
Pumpkin FO3.jpg|Ryan Brigg's mole rat pet, Pumpkin
Big mole rat in the RobCo Facility.jpg|Big mole rat in the RobCo facility (1.25 times normal size)
GiantMoleratCA1.jpg| Giant mole rat with a human rider concept
GiantMoleratCA2.jpg| Giant mole rat concept
==References==
Category:Fallout 3 creatures
Category:Mole rats
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