Most areas have static enemies which respawn over time… except for ‘indoor’ creatures, which typically do not respawn. However, there are certain spots on the world map where random beasties spawn. Sometimes these can make for curious encounters… typically one type of monster fighting another, or a Deathclaw mauling a Wastelander, or Radscorpions attacking Wastelanders… Anyways, these are the random enounters I’ve found.

Ants

A pair or trio of Giant Ants will be around a radioactive barrel.

Ants and a Giant Radscorpion

Several Giant Ants and a Giant Radscorpion will be duking it out. The Scorpion will easily win.

Ben Canning

A beggar named Ben Canning will ask you for some water. If you give him some, he’ll start showing up in regular rotations along with the merchants, although he doesn’t seem to offer anything.

Brahmin Walking

Two Brahmin will wander about.

Chinese Commando

You’ll get a message that your Pip-Boy 3000 has discovered a Chinese Radio Beacon. In the area you’ll find a Dead Chinese Commando, who has some minor loot on him.

Dead Scavenger (Fat Man)

You’ll find a dead Scavenger with some interesting loot, namely a Fat Man and a Mini Nuke.

Dead Scavenger (Merchant)

You’ll find a dead Scavenger with a full inventory of loot that they would normally sell.

Deathclaw and Brotherhood Outcasts

You’ll find three Brotherhood Outcasts fighting a Deathclaw.

Deathclaw Gauntlet

Schematic - Deathclaw Gauntlet

You’ll find a Deathclaw standing over a dead Wasteland Settler who has in his possession a Schematic - Deathclaw Gauntlet .

Dog Pack

You’ll find a pack of Vicious Dogs who have killed a Wastelander.

Enclave Soldier

You’ll find an Enclave Soldier out in the Wasteland. Kill him and take his sweet gear.

Firelance

An alien object will explode in the sky, showering the area with a number of Alien Power Cells and the Firelance pistol… a type of Alien Blaster. I don’t know exactly how many rounds fall, but I’ve picked up 21 before.

Ghoul Wastelanders

You’ll find a trio of lazy Ghouls keeping warm around a fire. They’ll talk about the Underworld, and mark it on your map.

Hit Squad

A trio of Hitmen (Talon Company Mercenaries) will attack you. You’ll get this encounter if you displease Mister Burke. For the record, killing him displeases him. Okay, pretty much doing anything except blowing up Megaton deispleases him. Big baby.

Hunters

A Hunter (or Hunters) will try to take down some form of animal, usually a Giant Ant, Vicious Dog, or Yao Guai.

Mad Brahmin

You’ll find two Mad Brahmin, which are hostile. Kill them for their delicious steaks. There’s no such thing as Mad Brahim disease, right? Whatever, like you’re going to live long enough for something like that to kill you, anyways.

Massacre at Megaton

This encounter only occurs once you have the Broken Steel expansion installed. A group of Megaton Settlers will try and wrangle some extra water from the Brotherhood of Steel. If you let things go as they will, the Brotherhood of Steel will open fire on the Megaton Settlers. If you talk to the Brotherhood of Steel before things get nasty you’ll have a chance to succeed at a Speech check. You’ll gain some karma for preventing the massacre. If you talk to the Megaton settlers, on the other hand, you can succeed at a Speech challenge and convince them that this isn’t worth getting shot over-or you can promise to aid them if things get rowdy. The former choice will get you some karma. Note that you can actually make both Speech checks, if you talk to both sides.

Mugger Mel

A man named Mel will try to rob you with a Sawed Off Shotgun. You can use Speech or a variety of S.P.E.C.I.A.L. checks to get him to back off.. he’s not a very good mugger, you see. His name is Mel, what did you expect?

Laszlo Radford

You’ll find a man in leather armor by the name of Laszlo Radford. He’ll try to smite you with a Railway Rifle. By the way, this is a good place to get a Railway Rifle if you’re too lazy to make your own.

Oasis Merchant

A merchant will babble about the Wasteland having life, then he’ll die. He’ll have a note on him talking about the Oasis.

Outcast Patrol

You’ll find a group of Brotherhood Outcasts patrolling the Wastes.

Protectron Scavenger

You’ll find a Scavenger looting the remains of a Protectron. He’s very possessive about it, and if you try to loot it, he’ll turn hostile. The one I encountered also had a Yao Guai pet.

Radroach Feast

You’ll find some Radroaches near a dead Wastelander. The Wastelander had a surprisingly diverse inventory.

Raider Bomb

A person will come up to you and tell you some Raiders strapped an explosive to them. You’ll get an attempt to disarm it, and if you fail the Wastelander will explode. Ouch.

Raider Initiation

A group of Raiders will be beating up another Raider as part of some kind of initation ceremony. This seems to frequently (but not exclusively) occur outside of Super-Duper Mart.

Rude Landmines

You’ll find a number of landmines that cannot be disarmed.

Sam Warrick

All you need to know about Sam Warrick is that he’s got a Sniper Rifle, and he’s fond of shooting at you.

Scavenger and Mr. Handy

A Scavenger with a malfunctioning Mr. Handy will be standing around. If you talk to the Scavenger and have a high enough Repair skill he’ll give you some Mentats. You can then either repair the robot, or disable it. He’s not happy if you break his robot, but you can try to lie your way out of trouble. If you repair the robot he’ll give you two Energy Cells. Wee…

Scavenger and Pet

You’ll come across a Scavenger and his pet dog or Yao Guai. They’ll sell you stuff. One will offer to sell you a Nuka-Cola Quantum for 100 Caps. A Speech check can reduce the price to 50 Caps, however. Note that this

will also get you the map marker for Girdershade.

Scavenger and Pets

You’ll come across a Scavenger, hit pet dog or Yao Guai, and his Brahmin. They’ll also sell you stuff.

Slaver Envy

If you bring a bunch of slaves back to Paradise Falls you might get this encounter. A group of rival slavers decides to try and kill you for impressing Eulogy. Babies just can’t handle any competition.

Slave Escort

You’ll find a slaver leading a group of slaves. If you talk to the slaves they’ll ask you to take their collar off, which you can do for some karma if you’ve got a high enough Science . This will, of course, cause the slaver to go hostile.

Super Mutant and Raider Shootout

Between the Farragut West Metro Station and the Anchorage Memorial you will encounter three Raiders (on the eastern shore). After a while two Super Mutants will arrive on the western shore and start shooting at all

humans (including yourself).

Uncle Leo

You’ll find an unarmed and non-hostile Super Mutant by the name of Uncle Leo, who will tell you a bit about Super Mutants.

Vault Emissary

If you completed the quest “Trouble on the Homefront” by siding with Amata, you’ll encounter Susie Mack wandering around. She’ll say she’s trading on behalf of the Vault, and if you’re nice, she’ll give you two Purified Waters.

Wasteland Doctor

You’ll find a Wasteland Doctor, who will heal you up for a price.

Wasteland Junkie

A Wastelander will be warming himself by a fire, and will offer to sell you chems.

Wasteland Schemers

A group of Wastelanders will be scheming together. If you talk to them, they’ll tell you about a place called Oasis, and will try and kill you.

Wasteland Survivor

You’ll encounter a character who has read your Wasteland Survival Guide. If you mention that you helped write it, they’ll thank you. Wee.

Wasteland Survivor Fanatic

A Wastelander will approach you and tell you about the wonders of the Wasteland Survival Guide you helped author, and enthusiastically tell you about how this book is the salvation of the Wasteland. They’ll even give you a copy.

Wastelanders and a Deathclaw

Three Wastelanders are getting attacked by a Deathclaw. If you help them, one of the Wastelanders will give you the coordinates to an area on your world map. For me it was the “Mirelurk King’s Treasure Chamber” located in the Rock Creek Caverns.

Wastelander and Dogs

A Wastelander will be found dead, with a number of dead dogs nearby, and one live Vicious Dog. The Wastelander will have a Wastelander Note on him, and John’s Key, which opens a lock in the Scrapyard, north of the Bethesda Ruins.

Wastelanders and Enclave Eyebot

You’ll find some Wastelanders standing around while an Eyebot merrily broadcasts its propaganda. They’re distrustful of the Eyebots.

Wastelander and a Radscorpion

A Wastelander will be fighting a Radscorpion.

Wastelander and Radscorpions

You’ll find a trio of Radscorpions around a dead Wastelander.

Wastelanders Playing with Landmines

A pair of Wastelanders will talk about-and try to defuse-some landmines. It ends badly for them.

Water Fight

A pair of Escaped Slaves and a pair of Ghoul Wastelanders will be arguing over a fridge of water. If you can’t succeed at a Speech challenge with one side they’ll end up fighting. The fridge contains ten bottles of Purified Water.

Water Scorpion

A trio of Wastelanders will be harassed by a Giant Radscorpion. There’s a fridge nearby, which contains eight bottles of Purified Water. The Wastelanders will offer to give you some if you kill the Radscorpion.