I always keep him alive. Save scumming like a motherfucker to do it because combat is a merciless bitch in the OGs and I actually need him to do work.

Exact opposite reason I save scum like a motherfucker in FO2: "Who the fuck gave Vic grenades and a machine gun?! Asshole keeps killing me!"

[–] setsneedtofeed@lemmy.world 10 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

By the end game areas, I am surprised you still find Dogmeat being useful, and especially so much that he's important to combat planning.

[–] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 9 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

He's hella fast and can knock dudes down pretty easy, effectively taking them out of the fight for a round or two.

He's less useful in 2 but more because Marcus, Suilek and the super computer robobrain are just OP af.

[–] setsneedtofeed@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Yeah, but I'm thinking of multiple super mutants in a room. I'm not sure how you keep Dogmeat from dying. You'd basically have to alpha strike to keep him from being shredded in the crossfire by any of the minigun fire directed at you.

FWIW, I mostly commonly solo with a high luck, high AP sniper build with a Special Edition BB gun. It can fire three times a turn and not uncommonly one-hit kills super mutants. Even then I get a little return fire back which I assume would shred Dogmeat.

[–] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 6 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

You can talk your way out of literally every non-random combat scenario in the first game, so it's actually not really a problem. Barely an inconvenience. By the time I get to the rooms of super mutants, which are basically just where The Master is, I'm suave enough to just talk my through everyone, including The Master himself lol

Plus, with Power Armor I can just get aggro from everyone so nobody attacks anyone but me, using a rocket launcher or something to blow up half the enemies in the room as my first action. And then of course, save scumming when the damn dog just runs into a wall of bullets.

My favorite thing about FO1 is the fact you can beat it without fighting, so that's generally how I play. Though sometimes I like playing a dumbass, too.

[–] setsneedtofeed@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Though sometimes I like playing a dumbass, too.

Can you elaborate? Are all combat playthroughs the dumbass way?

[–] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

No, playing a character with 3 or less INT. Your dialogue completely changes to just grunts lol

[–] setsneedtofeed@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Oh yes. That's totally different. I once did a 1 INT run. My character was too dumb to gamble, even with mentats.

[–] Klear@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

I played with 1 INT 10 Luck once. Found the Alien Blaster right outside the vault. It carried me the whole game.

[–] Jesus_666@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

Exact opposite reason I save scum like a motherfucker in FO2: "Who the fuck gave Vic grenades and a machine gun?! Asshole keeps killing me!"

I mean, Ian in FO1 is also deeply in love with burst-firing SMGs at enemies standing right next to the player. The OG Fallouts are very consistent in this regard.

[–] Filthmontane@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

The amount of times either Vic or Sulik burst fired someone to pieces and I had to reload was infuriating.

[–] Iheartcheese@lemmy.world 26 points 2 weeks ago

I never take him with me. He's a house doggy.

[–] ryven@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 2 weeks ago

I didn't have trouble keeping him alive until I reached what I think is the second half of the game and could no longer keep myself alive, so it kind of didn't matter at that point.

I should play it again with a combat capable character and see if I can finish it. I was playing a talky doctor who didn't meet the strength requirement for any decent guns...

[–] EditsHisComments@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks ago

I can't even keep me alive in Fallout 1

[–] fxomt@lemm.ee 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I don't remember why, but i actually had to intentionally kill him at the end in the church.

[–] setsneedtofeed@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

In FO1 you can't push companions or tell them to move. If they block you in somewhere sometimes you end up stuck.

[–] fxomt@lemm.ee 3 points 2 weeks ago

Actually it was something else weird enough.

I think I was trying to kill someone in stealth but the fucker kept alerting him by biting and there was no way to make him stay. So I killed him.

Fo1 is amazing but too buggy lmao

[–] ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

I don't get it. Why does he die in the last panel?

[–] setsneedtofeed@lemmy.world 30 points 2 weeks ago

[–] RoidingOldMan@lemmy.world 15 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

His head fell off.

[–] lemmyng@lemmy.ca 9 points 2 weeks ago

That's not very typical, I'd like to make that point.

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 12 points 2 weeks ago

Funny.

But, also, Dogmeat can not be kept alive in Fallout 1 without glitching. Even if he survives combat throughout the game (which has permadeath) he's scripted to walk into a trap in the final encounter, and even if you glitch him to safety he still dies canonically.

[–] CarbonatedPastaSauce@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

Yes, I beat the game with Dogmeat in my party the whole time in one of my playthroughs (not the first one).

So. much. reloading.

[–] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I usually use console commands to make dogmeat essential

[–] setsneedtofeed@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

In Fallout 1?

[–] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

My mistake, no.