In this guide we’ll show you everything there is to know about the Lost Hills bunker housing the Brotherhood of Steel.
Introduction
The Brotherhood is the place to go if you want the best the game has to offer. It is the only place of high-technology in the wastes. You can upgrade most of your primary stats by one (providing you do not mind the weeks of game time that it takes for each stat), and find the best armor in the game, which can be further upgraded in the Boneyard.
To gain entrance to the Brotherhood, talk to Cabbot on the Entrance map who is guarding the elevator down. He’ll give you the quest to find the Brotherhood Tape at the Glow, and put the Glow on your map for if it’s not already there. When you have the tape from level 1 of the Glow (see that area for details), return it to Cabbot for 2000xp and entrance into the Brotherhood. It may also be possible to pick the lock of the elevator using the Electronic Lock Pick you may have received from the Thieves Circle quest at the Hub. Once inside, everyone will assume that you performed the Glow quest whether you did or not.
Your main goal here is to get the Powered Armor and upgrade your primary stats, and get a little extra xp along the way.
Brotherhood Areas
- Entrance: a small exterior area with two guards and an elevator
- Level 1: where Talus and Michael are for equipment, and the gym is located
- Level 2: the doctor for stat increases and free healing is here
- Level 3: Kyle for the Power Armor repair quest, and Vree for a mutant lesson are here
- Level 4: General Maxson is here
For some quick brotherhood armor, talk to Talus in the gym on level 1 about equipment. He’ll send you to Michael out in the hallway to pick up Brotherhood Armor and three sets of ammo. He’ll also give you the quest to rescue the Brotherhood Initiate held captive in the Hub, for which the reward is Power Armor.
Brotherhood Quests
Here is a list of the significant quests in the Brotherhood of Steel, each with a brief synopsis containing at least one way to solve it. The remaining ways, and possibly other minor quests I will leave up to you.
Raise Your Stats
On level 2, find the doctor in the central area, and if you can spare the time and money, consider increasing up to five of your seven primary stats. He’ll also heal you for free.
- Strength costs 2k and takes three weeks to complete.
- Perceptions costs 4k and takes one week.
- Endurance costs 3k and takes one week.
- Intelligence costs 6k and takes three weeks.
- Agility costs 5k and takes three weeks.
Rescue the Initiate
Talk to Talus in the gym on level 1 to receive this quest. He’ll ask that you free the initiate being held captive in the Hub. Specifically, the initiate is being held in Old Town, which is east of the Downtown map. He is in the first building to your south as you enter the area, where three thugs are in the main room connected to the front door. As soon as you enter the door, the thugs will all attack you, so be prepared. After they’re dead, unlock the back door and talk to the prisoner there. He’ll thank you and you can return to the Brotherhood for your reward. Even if you already did this quest prior to meeting Talus, he will still recognize its completion.
For completing the quest, you’ll receive 1500xp plus one of the following: Laser Pistol, Powered Armor (if your karma is above 15), Rocket Launcher, or Super Sledge. However, Talus won’t give you the item himself. He’ll authorize you to pick it up from Michael just outside the gym. This is one way of getting a suit of Powered Armor. The other way is explained below and results in a smidgen of xp to boot.
Repair the Power Armor
On level 3, speak with Kyle in the workshop in the southeastern corner. Talk to him about the power armor he’s working on, and he’ll require a systolic motivator (aka a Small Piece of Machinery). There are two in the Brotherhood. One is in Rhombus’ room on level 1, and I’d only suggest this as a last alternative. The recommended approach is to talk to Michael the equipment guy on level 1 and yes, beg him for the part, unless your Speech is high enough so that a bluff option comes along, in which case that might save you some face.
Once you have the part, return to Kyle. He’ll give you a Deans Electronics for your Repair skill, and now you can attempt to repair the suit on the table. Use a Tool if you’re having trouble, or go buy and read more Deans Electronics from the Hub library. When you’re successful, you’ll earn 500xp, and you’ll gain a suit of Powered Armor (after picking it up from the floor). Now you’ll possibly have two sets! And Powered Armor will increase your Strength by three points, which should put you well over the threshold to wield any item in the game efficiently. Hurrah! You’re Rambo.
Also in the workshop, if you spoke to Vree in the library about weaponry, then you’ll be able to ask Knight Paul about his Laser Pistol. He’ll show it to you but not let you keep it, and he’ll suggest that Michael or Talus on level 1 might authorize you to receive one. However, neither of those characters has any dialogue for the topic. The only way for you to get Paul’s Laser Pistol is to steal it from him.
Watch the Combat Lesson
On level 1 in the Gym, your first time there, stay inside the room and listen to Thomas the instructor’s lesson for a maximum +5% to both Melee Weapons and Unarmed skills. It takes a while to get the full benefit, but you’ll receive 500xp for staying until you reach +5% on each skill, in 1% increments.
Speak with Vree
On level 3, talk to master scribe Vree in the library. Exhaust all of the conversation topics with her. When you ask Vree about holodisks and computer skills, she’ll unlock an automated course on a nearby terminal. When you use the terminal, you’ll gain +15% to your Science skill. When you ask Vree about mutations, she’ll give you Vree’s Experimental Disk, which will detail how the super mutants are sterile. This information will come in useful later in the game. When you ask Vree about radiation, she’ll give you Rad-X. You can also talk to Vree’s assistant Sophia. When you ask Sophia about the Brotherhood’s history, she’ll give you the holodisk Brotherhood History.
Survey the Northern Area
On level 4 is General Maxson in the first room you come to. Talk to him and he’ll ask that you scout out the north to find the source of the mutant threat. If you ask him about weapons, he’ll see that Mathia next to him offers you something useful: Laser Pistol, Power Fist, Ripper, Rocket Launcher, or Sniper Rifle.
Your task is simple. Move to the northwestern section of the world map and look for a likely unexplored green circle. Enter the circle, find out that it is the mutant Military Base, and return to the general. For this you will get 1500xp. Once you report your findings, Maxson will call a council of elders to discuss the matter. Now you may speak with them if you want some help infiltrating the Military Base.
Reinforcements for the Military Base
Only when you’re ready to begin the assault (or infiltration) of the Military Base, preferably after running through the Boneyard quests and upgrading your items, return to level 4 of the Brotherhood and speak with the elders who have convened in the northern room. 1500xp awaits for this. Suggest to them that you could use some a small strike team of their paladins and they’ll acquiesce. Now when you enter the Military Base, you’ll have three power armored reinforcements to help with the courtyard battle. Within the base itself, you’ll be on your own.
