In Fallout 76, ghouls have traditionally been part of many factions and even allies, as suggested by the lore and other Fallout media like the Amazon series where becoming a ghoul can happen through an injection. However, in the game, I find myself forced to wear a mask constantly, and many faction members treat my character hostilely just because I’m a ghoul. Given the history of ghouls being accepted in some groups and the existence of ghoul allies, what’s the in-universe reason behind factions acting like they hate me or don’t want to acknowledge me as a ghoul? Is there some lore justification, or is it just a game mechanic?
5 Answers
Honestly, a big part of this comes down to game development decisions. Bethesda didn’t bring back all the old voice actors to record special dialogues for ghoul characters in every faction and quest. Instead, they used the mask disguise mechanic as a kind of blanket fix. So while lore-wise there’s some racism against ghouls, a lot of the negative reactions feel more like a lazy way to handle voice acting limitations rather than deep storytelling.
From the developer side, they wanted to add consequences to being a ghoul beyond just looking different. The disguise system and restricted interactions enforce that consequence. It creates some interesting roleplay tension, but yeah, it feels like they limited the story potential by not giving more faction-specific ghoul dialogue or chances to earn trust as a ghoul party member. If there were more varied outcomes or quests influencing faction attitudes, it might feel less shoehorned.
Keep in mind Fallout 76 takes place much earlier in the timeline compared to other Fallout games where ghoul acceptance is better established. While some factions have ghouls within their ranks, those ghouls earned their place over time and trust. Your character as a newly turned ghoul is an unknown quantity to them. Plus, the game’s lore points out that many ghouls have violent histories or might turn feral at any moment, so factions treat new ghouls cautiously or with outright hostility.
Basically, in-universe, ghouls are still treated with a ton of suspicion because many can go feral unexpectedly, becoming dangerous mindless creatures. Factions view every ghoul as a potential risk since no one really knows what triggers the feral turn. So even if some ghouls have proven trustworthy and are accepted, most groups aren’t willing to gamble on new ones. It’s kind of like playing Russian roulette — surviving once doesn’t guarantee they want to keep risking it with you.
That makes sense, especially considering the risk of going feral is a pretty huge downside in the Fallout world, and it’s been a worry throughout the series.
On the lore side, ghouls are essentially post-humans who can live incredibly long lives but have the looming threat of turning feral without warning, which is terrifying to normal humans. Even when ghouls join factions, they often face discrimination or are only grudgingly accepted after proving themselves. Fallout 76 tries to capture this tension, but it does clash with earlier portrayals where some factions have ghoul allies living side by side. It feels like Bethesda is pushing a new narrative where ghouls are more stigmatized and feared, maybe to heighten the drama of playing as one.
Yeah, I figured the voice acting would be a big part of it. Still disappointing from a lore perspective though.