10 Secret Video Game Mechanics That Let You Mess With NPCs
3. Mind Control and Slave Collars - Fallout 3
Fallout 3's introduction of a joinable slaver faction in Paradise Falls has created ample opportunities to roleplay an evil monster.
However, along with evil playthroughs comes the ability to absolutely break Bethesda's NPCs with the use of Paradise Falls' gadgets, a mind-control gun, and a good old-fashioned slave collar.
If you join the slavers of Paradise Falls, the group will at some point reward you with the Mesmetron, a ray emitter that can brainwash almost any human being in the game.
The slavers want you to use the gun to brainwash people into becoming slaves. However, you can secretly use it to stir some mayhem in the wasteland as well.
To introduce some chaos, you need to mesmerize a hostile NPC with the gun, then put a slave collar on them, and finally offer to remove the collar from them with your science skill.
The NPC will be so grateful about you saving their life (and so brainwashed to forget you did this to them in the first place) that they will turn into your ally. Permanently, even when they respawn.
Now you can make raiders attack each other on the spot, create armies of loyal allies, and generally break the status quo of any Fallout 3 settlement.
Yep, working as intended.