I got a question about the followers AI:

1. every follower has his\her own default weapon that needs no ammo. lets say its a shotgun, for example. what if i give them a different shotgun - will they require shells for the none-default shotgun?

2. sometimes i see ammo in the followers' inventory. when did they pick that ammo up? because sometimes they loot bodies and sometimes they dont. what determines weather they look for ammo and stuff and when not?

thanks, if i have any clue

Some of the companions randomly pick up different items. In my experience, not all of them do. I'm not sure what determines when they do or don't loot bodies. I think that's likely just random. I haven't paid enough attention to determine whether they only take certain types of ammo or if it's any type.

If you equip a companion with a gun, you'll need to provide them with ammo, even if it uses the same ammo type as their default weapon. I've found that it's best to stick relatively close to their default weapons when equipping them. Piper and Nick use pistols, so I've equipped them with really good modded pistols. Cait and Hancock both use a shotgun, so I equipped them with fully modded advanced combat shotguns. MacCready uses a sniper rifle, so I equipped him with a fully modded .50 sniper rifle. In any case, you have to provide them with ammo if you're equipping them with non-default weapons. If they run out they'll switch back to their default weapon.

It's worth pointing out that Settlers (not companions) will have unlimited ammo for equipped weapons as long as you give them 1 round.

Companions only do not need ammo for their own default weapon regardless of whatever type it is. Whatever weapon you give your follower you will need to provide ammo for that weapon even if it uses the same type of ammo; naturally melee weapons do not use ammo.

For example, Piper's default weapon is a 10mm pistol. If I give her my Incinerating 10mm Pistol she will not use that weapon unless I give her 10mm ammo. Assuming I give her 100 rounds of 10mm ammo she will use the Incinerating 10mm Pistol. Once she run out of 10mm ammo she will default back to her default weapon.

When you pick up a weapon, you get the ammo it has in it in your inventory (a lot of people don't know that, so if you're short on ammo pick up weapons and then drop them). So when a companion happens to pick up a weapon (in my experience they do sometimes, but rarely) they'll pick up the ammo at the same time.

The default weapon of companions who use ranged weapons is a special version of the normal weapon. Using Piper as an example, she has a special 10mm Pistol. In the information for that specific weapon, the ammo type has been changed to Magical Companion Ammo, and the weapon has been marked as unplayable. The Unplayable bit simply ensures that it doesn't show up for looting, so you can't take it from her; she'll always have her basic 10mm pistol. The important point is the ammo type change. The default weapon she uses is 'chambered' for Magical Companion Ammo, not for 10mm rounds, so simply giving her a tricked-out 10mm pistol won't allow her to use it, as she doesn't have any 10mm rounds. Because of this, you have to actually give her 10mm rounds before she'll be able to use the tricked-out weapon you gave her.

I've noticed that there are different factors. Sometimes if their base weapon isn't getting the job done, they'll pick up something else and use it if ammo is available. Sometimes they even pick things weapons up if they have a relatively high value level. I was traveling with nick and he just so happened to be carrying a gauss rifle. No idea where he got it, and he never use it once.

some interesting points there.

its disappointing that you cant auto-loot ammo from dropped weapons. didnt know weapons contain ammo.

that's gonna change how i play now.... but in a bad way picking weapons and then recognizing them in the inventory so i can drop them will be horrid...

i wish one of the sorting category names was "new"....

If you loot all ammo from enemy I assume you also take all ammo.

If you can't reach enemy or weapon is placed you need the gun

Gave piper the alien blaster with 1 ammo, she used it up, so that doesn't always work.

Companions use up ammo normally just like you do. It's other NPCs that can fire forever off of a single round.

Ok but their default weapons must be unlimited?

Giving companions only 1 round NEVER works. They'll use that 1 round and then switch to their default weapon. You have to keep them stocked with a good supply of ammo for their equipped guns, if you've taken the time to equip them with different guns. I'm far enough along and have enough ammo that I can just give them huge stockpiles. I gave Piper 2000 of the 10mm rounds for the legendary 2-shot 10mm pistol I gave her. Cait has around 1500 shotgun shells for her advanced shotgun. MacCready has around 1000 of the .50 caliber rounds for his fully modded .50 sniper rifle. Curie has a legendary stunning super sledge though. She seems to work better with melee weapons. These are my four favorite companions, so I have them much better equipped than the other companions.

Giving -settlers- 1 round for their gun will give them unlimited ammo. This is only true for the settlers though, not for your companions.

Yes. There's a post above that thoroughly explains this.

Companion default weapons use special companion ammo which is infinite and does not show in inventory. All companion weapons use this ammo and no other weapon can use it. Therefore if you give your shotgun wielding companion another shotgun, you have to give him also ammo for it.

how da heck did you find that much ammo?!?


i barely have 200 bullets per type and im using a mod that makes enemies go down with less bullets (called "better locational damage")....

You can rename the weapons you personally use at the weapons crafting bench. I labeled mine, based on the inventory slot they are in:

1 10MM

2 Shotgun

3 Sniper Rifle

etc.

This way, you always know what weapon is new, when you pick it up. Plus, you can only ever carry so many weapons at one time.