There was a fight in one of my settlements so I went to investigate. I found the corpse of one of my settlers wielding an institute pistol (I am pretty sure I do not put it there XD).

Other people reported finding "sinth components" in some of their dead settlers or provisioners. Also some settlers are killed by companion or guards for no apparent reasons. So, Can your settlers or other npc actually be abducted and replaced by sinths? Does anyone know if this is true? Is the institute invading my settlements?

That would be cool if it is true. =)

PD. Also, ?Can you detect sinths via the awareness perk? The suspicius ones will have 10 energy resistance even they have only rags for wear.

maybe they were always synths. I've heard it too can't confirm or deny it.

Maybe it was some synth who was trying to escape and find a new life for themselves.

And your settlers were simply overcome with fear and doubt, so they destroyed any hope this synth had of finding refuge and peace in your settlement.

How does this make you feel?

Proper syntax for your title would be as follows: "Can your settlers be replaced by Synths?" To which I would reply: "would you even know if they were?" But as it stands I will answer thusly: "What?"

I've had the same thing. Dead settler with synth component and institute gun. I was trying to work out what was going on when dogmeat bit his leg off.

As it is more or less the correct words arranged creatively, rather that text short hand, I will assume its a person with english as a second language brave enough to write on a forum to ask a question. I will restrict myself to answering their questions and perhaps adding a corrected version of what they were trying to say - without being a [censored] about it.

Sorry I did not think of second languages but back to the topic the only way to find if a settler has been replaced is to pickpocket to check to see synth components, kill them and search their bodies, or check the institute database if they are important characters. The only way to stop all synths is to shut them down in the institute with the director's access codes.

Take a look at the spoiler policy please.

This is in the spoiler subforum

Now I feel like I missed out on quite a bit my first play through... I restarted after Father died.

So spoilery question.... does it ever come out WHY the Institute is replacing people with Synths? Social experiment or quality control or what is the deal there. Because my son had me convinced me that they only had the noblest of intentions.

It gets better. Not only do you get synth infiltrators but you can also get brahmin synth infiltrators also carrying institute weapons.

Why do they have Brahmin synths as infiltrators? Because Science! Moo I say...

Synth brahmins in Boston, synthetic Boston brahmins. For Science!