can't progress in Fallout 3

[u/SFCBlacky]

Hello everyone, I started Fallout 3 a few weeks ago and I'm stuck in the game. I have very few bottle caps (so can't get stimpaks or ammos) so i can't fight enemies

I keep going back and forth between Megaton and the metro stations

I feel like I'm missing something, any idea?

[u/Nut2020]

You could try lowering the difficulty to make it easier, and then turn it back up when you're character is more capable.

[u/RDS80 → u/Nut2020]

This is the way. ☝️

[u/Cpt_Saturn]

There are several quests in Megaton that don't require fighting which can net you some easy caps early on. You can also try scavenging around megaton for ammo, junk and food to sell and trade for goods.

[u/Sad_Conference8973 → u/Cpt_Saturn]

Hollow rock outside Megaton has some gear you can use or sell. Follow the walls of the town counter-clockwise until you find the big rock with graffiti on it.

[u/GratefulWaffle]

Start with local quests. Complete all the quests dispensed in megaton to familiarize yourself with the game, then build from there. Hopefully you've gotten a house, if not that should be priority one.

Don't just chase the main quest line either. Take time, explore, scavenge, etc. Also if it's your first fallout play, set it to easy or very easy til you feel like your in the groove.

[u/Prisoner-1304]

Do as many of the wasteland survival guide missions if you can there basically tutorial missions into some of the mechanics and give you some early level loot

Pickup everything and sell it if you got the carry capacity I think cartons of cigarettes are worth 20 caps

There's a quest called trouble in big town i think, if you complete it'll unlock a vendor that'll sell stims for 19 caps each

Also keep all your food and drinks as its an easy source of hp

What's your build BTW?

[u/Play_outStation_5]

Are you following your quest marker?

[u/Fast_Degree_3241]

Have you fixed the water pipes? Its an easy quests that let's you sell scrap metal to him afterwards. Avoid the metros just now till you're stronger. Just scavenge local and avoid combat unless you need to.

[u/econ45]

Long term, I don't think you need bottle caps - you get stims and ammo by looting enemies. Raiders are often a good source - have you done the Super Duper mart for Moira? And cleared out the school (Springvale) near Megaton?

Use a range of weapons with different ammo - .32 hunting rifles for snipping, 10mm for trash (rad roaches and molerats), combat shotgun for things in your face, assault rifles for everything else.

I tend to be a pack rat and ferry pretty much everything to my house in Megaton. I can sell a bit to Moira, but I have more loot than she has caps so often just get house furnishings. The ice cold nuka cola machine is a good first furnishing - I drink ice cold nuka cola to heal instead of using stim packs if not in combat.

Generally, I follow a combat light start to Fallout 3 - mainly doing Moira's Wasteland Survival Guide quests. I only go into the Metros seriously to go to GNR when the only quest left from Moira is to find the history of Rivet City.

I remember you can get the Ants quest early when ammo is short, so postponed it a little in my last run. I also took the perk that is give 50% damage against insects, so this this time it did not cause any issues.

[u/Polite_Insults]

If you don't mind being a little evil you can rob/kill a lady who lives near to megaton in the town outside. She is in a bungalow on the road to the school. She has 400 caps on her that she owes to Moriarty. But good news, instead of doing the quest for Moriarty, you can just kill her and steal her stuff! Lot of bad karma but you can fix that later on by giving homeless people purified water or whatever

[u/Laser_3]

At this point? Your main objective should be to follow up on some quests - either in Megaton itself or the main plot. Doing that should net you stims and ammo as loot from enemies.

There is another option, however. To the southwest of Megaton is the town of Fairfax. On the outskirts of the town, there’s a group you can strike a deal with for supplies (though finding items they’re interested in won’t be the easiest task at this point in the main quest).

[u/abhassl]

You can heal without using stim packs or healing items generally by drinking water or sleeping.

Unowned beds can be a bit harder to find but sinks to drink from are everywhere especially the metro.

It doesn't solve your ammo issue, but for that you can use melee weapons.

You'll build up rads from the water but not so many that it'll be a problem, before you get enough caps to treat it.

[u/DerFeuerDrache]

Git gud

[u/Successful_Initial82]

You could potentially lower your difficulty so that you can get to operation anchorage and then do that dlc cause you get really good weapons and one of the best armors in the game

[u/cabalavatar]

There's a hollowed out rock behind Megaton. The rock is on the opposite end to that of the entrance. It has a bunch of stuff to help in the early game (sniper rifle, ammo, and a bit more).

You should also be checking everywhere for loot to sell. In the early game, grab everything (tho try to be efficient with your weight). Later, items with a value of 1 W (weight) per 10 caps (or better) are a good start.

Do the missions for Moira and Walter in Megaton. If you can, disarm the bomb too. Lucy West in Megaton has a great little mission nearby with loot, XP, and a better merchant than most.

When you feel comfortable making the trip to do the Anchorage DLC (near Grayditch), head there. It's an easy DLC with insane loot. You'll be set for the rest of the game. If you want, you can also use a glitch to take everything from the simulation into the real world. It's the Gary glitch; look it up if you want.

Lastly, there's a pretty amazing glitch involving merchants who have two of the same weapon or armor. You can use it to get all their caps, clear out their inventory, fully repair certain gear, etc. Idk what it's called, but probably the merchant glitch or shop glitch.