What would the wasteland be without Ghouls? They are a staple of the Fallout franchise with ever-growing stories and appearances, and next year, you finally get the opportunity to play as one in Fallout 76. While planning your ghoulish counterpart, it’s the perfect time to look back at the best Fallout has had to offer in the way of plots and characterization for our almost faceless friends. Here are our Top 10 Fallout Ghouls.
#10. Gob (Fallout 3)
It seems fitting that one of Fallout’s saddest ghouls lands at number ten. Poor Gob is enslaved and treated like dirt by the town of Megaton and its inhabitants, for something he has no control over. Feeling sorry for ghouls isn’t uncommon, but being greeted by one who radiates (no pun intended) fear without any snark or bravado, that’s quite a different thing.
Gob is scared but helpful, giving you the small bits of information he feels he can offer without incurring backlash from his boss. But all is not lost; maybe someone can free him from his life of servitude.
#9. Rotface (Fallout: New Vegas)
Now we have Rotface, the name itself speaking volumes about this homeless Ghoul’s self-perception. Living on the streets of New Vegas, Rotface is a source of gossip, offering his tidbits for a few caps. He even throws in a 2-for-1 deal for newcomers!
Despite his circumstances, he manages to maintain a sense of humor and doesn’t seem to mind his misfortune. When visiting the area, a stop by Rotface is a no-brainer for intel.
#8. Set (Fallout)
Taking it way back now to 1997 with our next ghoul! ‘Set’, leader of the ghoul community Necropolis. Power-hungry, controlling, and demanding obedience, Set is not a very nice man. However, what he lacks in people skills, he makes up for in interesting interactions and is a great introduction to ghouls who refuse to sit down and take it from an unfeeling wasteland.
It also helps that he has an incredible voice, provided by famed Winnie the Pooh voice actor Jim Cummings. I think that’s “killer reason” enough to put Set, the twisted “king” of Necropolis, on the list.
#7. Bobbi No-Nose (Fallout 4)
The mobster moniker, dirty dealings, and Oceans 11-type heist are all makings for a top-tier Fallout quest. Throw in a heavy dose of shady, behind-the-scenes secrecy, and Bobbi No-Nose becomes one of the best ghouls you just aren’t sure if you can trust to be on the level.
But even if you don’t trust her, the player gets to fully decide her fate, changing your interactions going forward. Bobbi ‘knows’ what she wants and is willing to make enemies to get it. You get to decide if you’re one of them.
#6. Oswald Oppenheimer (Fallout 4, Nuka-World DLC)
Magic in the wastelands? That’s what glowing Oswald the Outrageous wants the player to believe when attempting to breach Kiddie Kingdom in Nuka-World. Using smoke and mirrors (and a heavy dose of radiation) to deter visitors, Oswald has been waiting in Nuka-World for over 200 years, believing his feral friends to simply be sick and in need of a cure. A sad end for someone whose profession was entertainment.
Glowing ghouls with their minds still intact are rare in the Fallout universe, but there are a few, making Oswald’s glow unique enough. However, his way of keeping the player from reaching him makes for a strange, fun, and oddly supernatural feeling quest. He also has a terrific tophat.
#5. Desmond Lockheart (Fallout 3, Point Lookout DLC)
Desmond is rude and mean but surprisingly helpful. For a price.
After tracking down Calvert Mansion’s resident ghoul, the player is thrown straight into a firefight, mirroring the chaos Desmond brings to the table with his dialogue. No interaction with him is without insult, but if you choose to see the humor, it can be some of the best back-and-forths for the player and can lead to some pretty useful loot.
Just don’t expect him to say thank you.
#4. Dean Domino (Fallout: New Vegas, Dead Money DLC)
What is interesting straight away about Dean Domino, the ‘King of Swing’, is his smooth, crooning voice. Untouched by the affliction that radiation has imposed upon him. It isn’t often you speak with a ghoul who doesn’t have the famous gravelly tone, and unlike Desmond, it makes his initial threats seem just a little bit more sinister.
The character has a very full storyline and background for the player to uncover throughout the DLC, and the ultimate reveal of his wrongdoings solidifies his place in your mind as a ghoul who feels they have nothing to lose.
#3. Jason Bright (Fallout: New Vegas)
The second glowing ghoul on the list but the one who made a big impact with players – Jason Bright – leader of the Bright Brotherhood – is, for all intents and purposes, a cult leader. He is intelligent and charismatic and will do what it takes to save his flock – traveling with them on a rocket to the Far Beyond, a haven for ghouls.
Despite his request for help dealing with the Nightkin, a request, if not done carefully, could lead to a massacre, Jason Bright seems like a gentle ghoul who truly believes in his doctrine and visions. He has certainly left a lasting impression.
And who’s to say they didn’t reach the Far Beyond after all?
#2. John Hancock (Fallout 4)
Mayor, companion, and even potential romance if you so wish, John Hancock has become a fan favorite with his deep backstory and dry sense of humor. When the player gets to know him, Hancock opens up about his hurt at the hands of his brother and later himself (turning him into the ghoul we know and love) and his defiantness to protect those who reside and play nice in Goodneighbor.
From what it may lack in some ways, Fallout 4 did not skimp on storytelling with its companions, and Hancock has one of the richest stories to date.
He’s a keen fighter, a lovable rogue, and a snazzy dresser, and certainly would have been number one had our next ghoul not been an option!
#1. Harold (Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout 3)
For the characters in Fallout, I feel it is safe to say that Harold has the biggest transformation, which appears in the form of a leafy ghoul in Fallout, a ghoul with branches in Fallout 2, and a fully formed tree in Fallout 3. His mutation, like Hancock’s, is unique in the wasteland, having been infected by a parasitic tree mutation he lovingly refers to as Bob – or Herbert when trying to ‘annoy’ him.
The ability to encounter Harold in all three games is a very nice touch put in by the developers. It adds a pleasant little easter egg for players to find, and when you do, it is like coming across an old friend. However, finding him in his final stage of transformation is certainly a shock!
Despite Harold’s jovial nature in Fallout 3 while rooted in Oasis, he is ready to say goodbye to the world of the wasteland. But, with most tasks handed to the player, his fate is ultimately in your hands.
Honorable Mention: Chris Haversam (Fallout: New Vegas)
If Chris believes he is a ghoul, despite all efforts to convince him, who are we to tell him otherwise?
You might have to wait until next year to give yourself a ghoulish makeover, but why not check out the new Fallout 76 expansion now and see how they’ve continued to flesh out Appalachia with Skyline Valley?
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