Is there any real advantage to befriending the Powder Gangers? There are definite drawbacks of course (ie wiping out Goodsprings and losing it as a place for trading and healing). I was thinking mainly like further into the game, do they ever play a major role in the story? I'm siding with Caesar's Legion and I'm really not worried about my Karma, but I am worried about losing places to trade since I won't be on good terms with the NCR.

you can offer to kill ringo, then sneak kill joe cobb and his men (cobb has a stealth boy). This allows you to gain unlimited good karma with the PG, and doesn't turn Goodsprings hostile (all that will be gone is Ringo) See this : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WP4Bq3EFwhg

as far as the benefit of befriending the PG there is one quest i know of, and it involves killing NCR so you may like to do that, given your your with Caesar

Major role in the story? No. (they do have quests and such, but I don't consider it major impact stuff)
Trade? Um...well, imo, no on that too.

no real advantage. you can still do one quest or quests for them even if you were hostile to them in goodsprings. just don't kill any more on the way to the prison. two other quests you can do for them don't involve the prison.

No real advantage. I suppose you could utilize this as a chance to wipe out the Powder Gangers by helping the NCR retake the facility. Otherwise, I don't think you can get the quest that leads to that ending.



Also, there's this glitch/bug/loophole that gets you extra perks if you don't mind spending a lot of time on it.

Does this glitch/bug/loophole work on the patched PS3 version? Perks, as in multiple, how many are we talking? What's a lot of time? and last but not least, HOW?

might not work with patched version, so i have heard. and it does take a lot of time, hours.

How to do it:
It's here on the forums...
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1141992-28-perks/

Will it work on the patched PS3 version?
It should. Not sure about the latest patch (haven't played in a couple days, but has the new one been released yet?) I did get it to work just a week or so ago.

How many perks?
You'd get 14 with the first part of the glitch, and then another 14 for the second part, I think.

Time involved?
Lots = hours, potentially, of continually clicking dialogue options. DON'T DO THIS IF YOU'RE IMPATIENT!

You can became friendly with PG even if you help Goodsprings. If you do it right, they should be friendly by the time you finish guests for Ediee. You don't have to upset NCR either by the way. There are few advantages but they are minor:

One more trader. Among more useful things he sells are grenade rifles, 40mm grenades and metal armour/helmets.
One more medic.
You can receive free dynamite, pistol and rifle powder each few days. Not in any great numbers however.
PG patrols will not attack you.

Actually you can kill Ringo for Cob and still trade at Chets as long as you don't get him involved, also i believe you can get a hefty discount but it probably involves a skill check.

If you do the quest for Ringo, and pass the speech check with Chet (I think it's 25 Barter just like the "good" version), he will give you leather armor again, and remain friendly after the Powder Gangers take over - and the discount he offers is on par with the discount Trudy gave on her food/drink goods, which is nearly listed price, making him one of the better merchants to deal with although he will run out of money faster since he is paying you more per item.