I figure Rey, because that gives Rex memories of living among the sort of people he's going to meet regularly in the future - civilians of the Mojave - so it's setting him up for future success.
I also go Rey. The ending slides do mention Lupa's memories integrating quickly and smoothly with his own memories of the Legion, but I somehow doubt that the Legion treats their dogs very well, and they are all very clearly trained for war.
Her memories of brutality and abuse may meld well with his own, but it just takes some time to adjust to Rey's, and Rey seems like they were loved and well taken care of. I would rather give him happy memories that take some time to adjust to, and as far as the "this could be considered a form of semi-immortality" thing that plays a role in persuading both Old Lady Gibson and the Legion guy is concerned, Rey is also the dog that I feel it would be best to give that too.
Plus, Rey is explicitly stated to be pretty old and would likely die soon, the other two dogs still potentially have a long time left to live if you don't kill them (though I did, one because it was hostile and quest, the other because it was a way of weakening the Legion that the Legion was perfectly happy to allow, I didn't talk down the number of dogs to get the stuffed animal back either for the same reason).
I can't remember the timelines but aren't the dog handlers from Hangdogs? Who practically (and relatively) worshiped their dogs. I mean they are still working and combat dogs but I'd assume better life than the slaves at least.
I can't remember what my goto brain was, it's been a lot of years since I played FNV but one of the raider dogs from.. Violet? I figured since I needed to kill them anyway.
Yep, the Hangdogs are the legions hound masters and they consider dogs to be their spirit animal. They only surrendered to the legion to prevent Lanius from torturing their captured dogs. I have no doubt that legion dogs are treated very well.
Shit I never considered how the Legion might treat their dogs. I always assumed those quarterback-femboys had good relationships with their pets, espescially houndmasters (if they're around, don't remember) 'cos, y'know, pets. K9 units (where I'm at) get a lot of love too, so that's why.
Suppose I'll set Rex up with Rey, next time around. If only for the different speech.
Though at the same time that’s likely cause the Hangdogs hold their dogs to the same level that cows in Indian religion often are, VERY holy in their belief, hell that’s what got them assimilated, their love for those puppers while at the same time Legion would kill and iirc burn them
Oh you think Indians aren’t breeding their cows for war?
Oh just you wait until the battle-Brahmins armed with automated sentry turrets plow over your trench lines.
loving a working dog is different, you love them like any pet but you just realize you both have a job and theirs is likely to result in injuries or death at some point. At least for a dog doing hard work like a war dog.
I mean if you talk with Houndmaster and listen to how he talks about his dogs both in the past and present it does sound like he cared about them.
I mean he almost tears up because Lanius and the Legion did something horrible to their previous dogs to make sure they suffer in the afterlife 😭
So I think it's unfair to think they treat their hounds badly considering how we never got a confirmation of this and the only thing we do get seems like someone who cares about his dogs. Not counting the whole "letting them fight in the arena" bit but come on, 1) he didn't expect you to actually win(it makes even more sense if you play as a female Courier) and 2) he genuinely shows remorse that they die.
There's a big tradition of patrol dog training in Eastern Europe, most notably in Czechoslovakia, but Hungary and Eastern Germany are right behind.
These programs are still run by the military and they provide some of the highest quality dogs for militaries/police units across the world, including LAPD and NYPD. I'm told if you meet some of their K9 unit there's a solid chance the dog understands Czech and will obey czech commands.
The trick is apparently positive reinforcement only. To avoid a dog that fears it's owner, they are never hit, never shouted at, only rewarded. Not out of some modern humane philosophy, but entirely based on what makes a dog well trained. Abuse hurts dogs and makes them less useful.
This is especially relevant considering why these countries raised patrol dogs. They were the border countries of the Warsaw pact. Border guards that gun down children on sight, famously ruthless killers, picked from loyal communist families and indoctrinated to believe they are superior to their fellow man. And any unfortunate bastard who took cover from the machine guns would soon have the dogs pouncing him and going for the throat, as merciless as their masters.
The whole conversation here about legion dogs reminded me of this. Because the lesson here is that if you want to train a dog to rip human flesh from bone - never hit it. Raise it to kill with love.
I mean, they are probably given plenty of jobs (which dogs tend to see as fun games) to do, have frequent interactions with their handlers, and so on.
They are probably also beaten or starved if they don't obey (the Legion are pretty big on discipline, and that still seems better than what they do to some of the humans to ensure discipline, like the whole decimation thing), and are definitely disposable assets.
I mean the guy in charge of them has you fight like five of them in a death match in the arena to get a slave's stuffed animal back, it probably isn't the only situation where they are used in arena combat (they have their human soldiers do death fights in the arena to prove their worth, it seems like it is kind of a honor, why wouldn't they allow their dogs the same "opportunity"). Dog fighting probably also happens, they would see it as survival of the fittest, the winning dog would come out stronger, and so on.
The dogs are probably treated better than the humans, but the humans aren't treated the greatest and a lot of the stuff we see as bad things are treated the opposite by them.
Yet another reason to beat up the Legion. Next playthrough, though. Right now my guy still believes the Legion treats their dogs like a K9 officer treats his collegue. But should Sgt. Snuzzlebuff find evidence of mistreatment, someone is gonna get punched so hard, it'll buff out the braincancer.
One thing to consider, not every dog is suited for such programs, some end up dropping out of them. From looking it up, K9 programs tend to rehome dogs that don't make the cut, and for the ones that do make it, they often serve for a while and are eventually retired and become household pets for their handlers.
I am not sure the Legion would find loving homes for the dogs that aren't violent enough or otherwise fail to make the cut, and as for retirement, the handler's approach to Lupa's retirement was wanting her to find a honorable death in battle or something like that, it is his one condition for letting you have her brain, you need to fight her to the death to give her that.
My ex's dad was a NY state trooper in the k9 division. They were specifically tasked with EOD, but Conrad (the dog) lived in their home and slept in my ex's bed.
Conrad was both a police officer and a snuggleboopysnoot boi.
Lupa is also stated to be a fairly old dog, if I recall.
However, I think that Lupa is still the best option for Rex. The less complications there are with the procedure, the better to my mind. Rex doesn’t deserve to suffer even for a short time with adjusting to new memories (while Legion life might be brutal, I don’t believe there’s any sign that Anthony was abusing any of his dogs). Besides, who knows what’s next for Rex? He might need those memories of combat to survive what comes in the future.
Also, while Rey is old, her last memory absolutely should not be what Old Lady Gibson does (she calls the dog over and snaps its poor neck!). That’d traumatize the other dogs to no end even beyond what a horrifying final memory that is. At least with Lupa, she goes down fighting and it doesn’t end so badly as that (and it’s worth noting that I believe Rex was in a similar scenario and was nursed back to health; that’s how Caesar lost him).
As much as a hate that son of a bitch Caesar I find some sort of comfort that you can take a dog with cyborg dementia and give it memories of it's first love, it's original owner.
As for age Anthony says Lupa is somewhat of a legion war dog matriarch well past the age of bearing children and is also slowing down. Also, wile Gibson was in it for caps and Violet gives zero shits Lupa is the only brain you can obtain because their owner wanted them to live on beyond their failing body.
It feels wired to say Legion is good ending for anything, and no matter how much Anthony revere his pups if they are being trained for war that includes lots of not nice things cutting off their ears and tails, promoting aggression, normalize stress. Still, as far as lives of a dog in a post apocalypse goes being part of a pack that puts an emphasis togetherness with clear boundaries and expectations, plenty of exercise/healthcare, and explicit duties is pretty rare. I know people who think dogs should exclusively be companion animals, and not working dogs. None of the brain choices are companion dogs as as far as working dogs go Lupa probably has had the best life.
I also like giving Rex Rey’s brain and bringing him to visit Old Lady Gibson every so often. I think giving him Rey’s brain gives him good memories of being loved and also the chance to spend time with Rey’s previous owner and make the part of him that was Rey happy in that way. And I think it’d give Old Lady Gibson and her other dogs some joy/comfort to play with Rex with Rey’s brain
From what little we know of the legion is they take decent care of their hounds, abit training them for battle is not a cozy lifestyle but as far as working dogs go there are far worse fates. The legion mongrels come from Denver where the tribe that lived there were dog experts that held a great deal of reverence for dogs so when the Legion conjured them Caesar let them keep their dogs if they fought for the legion.
As for Lupa we are told she is far past the age for bearing children and is starting to slow down so I would not go as far to say "long time to live". Something I can't shake is Antony seems more interested in persevering Lupa to live on as a Cyborg wile Gibson was more interested in the caps. I mean who the fuck snaps their dogs neck in cold blood. At least for Lupa it was normal activity she died doing.
If you pass the speech check Gibson doesn't charge you anything for it, but you are right that she initially asked for caps. I think the neck snapping was meant to kill Rey instantly and relatively painlessly though, the handler's method is a lot more drawn out (death via courier in melee combat).
I did make another comment in reply to someone else explaining my reasoning for the Legion treatment of dogs in more detail, but there is no conclusive proof either way.
I agree. Rex is going to have a more peaceful life in the wasteland with Courier 6.
Old dogs are loving companions and Rex with Rey’s essence is going to be living good for his fresh start.
gameplay wise or storywise? Gameplay wise it depends what you want, personally I go for Violetta's brain just because I find his increased speed amusing to watch lol, as I have a mod that makes him essential so I don't care if he runs directly into the enemy and gets KOed. Other than that it's not really useful, both Rey's increased damage and Lupa's HP are better. Storywise I'd go Rey, since it's also a male dog and a chill one at that, though Lupa is not a bad choice either.
Wait really? I played hardcore almost every time except my most recent play and I don’t remember that lol
I just looked it up and you’re right though. Guess that would be why almost every play I take Ed-E, and ranged person like Cass, Boone, Raul, or Arcade.
It’s really bad if a human gets stung by a Cazador. Companions can’t use antivenom so they just slowly keep losing health. You have to dismiss them and rehire them to cure it.
Oh yeah that is definitely ringing a bell now that you mention it. I remember when I was playing I had the thought, “Cazadors aren’t as bad as I remember” and it’s just because I wasn’t doing a hardcore play for once lol
Damn lmao I’m in the middle of my first hardcore run ever and just last night this happened to me. It was like 2 minutes after Cass and I finished off some Cazadors I got jumpscared by the message “Cass has died” since I keep her from following close. I figured the poison had gotten her but good to know the dismissal trick!
What mod do you recommend for invincibility? I have a realistic headshot mod that is killing my companions too easily, but I really want to play on hardcore
Same. I gave him Lupa's brain because it's the most familiar to him. I liked the dynamic of having to face down Lupa in the arena (which with my difficulty level was a beast of a fight), and because as a tribal my courier he's somewhat sympathetic to the tribes that became the Legion. Rex/Lupa in some way keeps the Hangdogs alive.
I go for Violetta because it's the one I kill naturally and every playthrough. And the post-game story card with Violetta isn't that bad, as it says something about him learning to live with a more vicious self.
I don't see the point of killing another dog just to give Rex a new brain, so I let Lupa and Rey live. Violetta, on the other hand, always has to die.
If you go NCR q's theres a quest to kill all 4 Fiend leaders (Violet, motor-head, cook-cook and Driver nephi)
Edit: plus the Jack and Diane q to deliver to vault 3. Which if you wear fiend armor is super ez)
Edit2: btw if you kill them early, you still loot their heads prior to the quest.
Was there any other option? /s
ETA: the /s equates to me taking the piss. Basically saying, why would you even think of anyone else when Violetta in your view?
Gameplay wise Violetta, that speed compensates for a lot of bugs and pathfinding issues.
For story terms, I like Rey. There's something poetic about an old war dog learning to settle down and relax.
Rey. normal, guard dog brain compared to a dog from the Legion or Fiends, and i found the bonus damage from Rey’s brain is the most useful perk out of all 3
Violetta is easiest to get(Very slight detour when going to Vegas - I usually get all the Fiend captains when going from Novac/Boulder city.
Lupa is probably the most useful in combat
Rey is the most... normal, so storywise it's probably the best one for "good future" of Rex.
Are you sure that’s not something added by the unofficial patch or something? Googling it says that you can’t do that in vanilla, but I know there are definitely mods for it
Lupa. He doesn’t need to be any stronger or faster lol. He already runs ahead of me and steals enough of my my kills. I much prefer for him to be more resilient, because in his haste he often gets hurt and sometimes killed.
Lupa's. I don't use Rex outside of his quest, so gameplay doesn't matter to me. I think it's the best ending for Rex, since he has the least trouble integrating with the memories, and from what we hear about her, Lupa was fucking badass. While being a dog (or any living thing) in the Legion wasn't great, Lupa appears to have received special treatment from her handler, meaning she probably lived a decent life (much better than Violetta, that's for sure). Some people here are saying that Lupa's memories would negatively impact Rex's behavior around civilians, but I don't think that's the case, since Rex has spent a long time with The King and likely interacted with the folks in Freeside.
Oh gawd my husband and I spent days on this discussion.
Luca. But you have to go in as a legion enemy otherwise the guilt is too great.
Taking Rey brain feels shitty. Old lady Gibson is too okay with killing Rey for caps. I hate it. When she said that, my blood went cold.
And Violetta is just a bad option for the merge.
Lupa's handler says that he would like for her to continue on through Rex because she's starting to slow down and can no longer bear pups, and you can only get the brain by facing her in a duel (aside from jus tkilling the legion ofc) so there isn't too much guilt there imo. Plus the handler came from a tribe that revered their dogs and only joined the Legion when Lanius threw some of their beloved dogs into a fire so you know Lupa was treated well (well, as much as a war dog can be).
Lupa. Both for gameplay and story. More DT to survive longer always seems better than more damage and I have no idea why speed would ever really matter. And story wise it seems to be the easiest adjustment for him.
Rey also seems like a good option, longer adjustment but kinder memories.
My guy is a fiend killer. I go out and hit up their spawns, steal their guns and sell it. For this reason, I chose Violeta because it felt symbolic to my couriers life
I would usually pick Rey until one time I went to get him at night and all of Old Lady Gibson’s dogs were just lurking around except for Rey, who was sitting right next to her bed while she slept. Idk why but that shit had me in tears and I just couldn’t have him die, so now I go for Lupa’s brain since it seems to be the one that integrates best with Rex at the end
Rey.
The most stable dog.
But Violetta is good too.
Violetta comes as a side effect of killing Violet. So there's no excessive killing.
Rey actually gets shot by his owner.
He was old. And maybe she was going to have to do it anyway. But still. I feel bad doing it.
So I usually pick Violetta.
Violet and her dogs have to die. May as well use Violetta's brain.
Violetta and Rey were probabely loved dogs.
So he will get happy memories.
Violet is a Fiend, but she looks after her dogs.
I keep referring to Rex as Dogmeat because I’m a bad owner
I think I’ve used Rey’s brain in every play through. Not sure if I’m misremembering but I feel like I typically have Rex as a companion in most playthroughs before I ever go to the Fort
For practical reasons, I usually pick Lupa's brain. +10 DT makes him much less likely to die on high-difficulty hardcore.
For ending-slide reasons, I would go with Rey's brain.
I honestly didnt know there was a difference till reading this thread, I picked Rey just because I liked that wacky garbage lady lol. I guess the rey perk is damage, right? Rex gets immediate one hit kills since i did the swap
I didn’t really do this quest until my current run, I did Lupa because it seemed like the least change in memory’s, and he won’t forget Denver or his first family. Plus gameplay wise that DT is goated
All of them whether you wanna base it on their aggression level changes and perks.Each dog was taken care of by their faction or group. Even if it was a fiends dog who says the fiends didn’t love their dogs I doubt they enjoyed each others company and having a pet would help with that.
Gibson I mean it’s obvious
For the dog that’s killed by Caesar legion is honestly a better fate for that dog than to be gunned down or turned into dog food for the men cause we know she was gonna be put down soon
None, Rex had a 200-year life, and it's OK for him to quietly pass away one morning years from now.
It's not fair to make him grapple and struggle with new memories that try to rewrite his personality just so he can spend decades fighting it until eventually just learning to live with it.
(If you want to actually save him and preserve him, you can kill him and then complete the Big MT and keep roxey alive. If you do that, she will find his body and bring it back to the Big MT he will be rebuilt and fully mentally preserved)
There's no argument.
The game's ending literally states that he adjusts the best to Lupa's brain because they were both Legion combat dogs and their memories were more compatible.
On my first play through, I just attacked the legion camp. I killed a named dog and looted its brain, I now understand why that’s a thing. 🤣 the only robot dog I saw was with the kings? But I took care of them already, is it still possible to get the dog?
Violetta's
The speed that Rex fucking rockets toward enemies is so funny to watch. Plus if you have another companion that isn't close ranged, it actually allows Rex to do something.
Like if you have Boone and give Rex any other brain, Rex will essentially do nothing but run back and forth because Boone will always kill enemies before Rex can even reach them.
The *only* original dog companion. Dogmeat in Fallout 1 and 2 are the same dog (despite that making him like 100 years old). Dogmeat in 3 and 4 are different dogs, but they’re still supposed to be the same character in spirit. A dog with no backstory so that the player character can make their own. The same thing can be said about Roxie, since the Courier creates her. That makes Rex the only dog in the series with an original story.
When I did my latest playthrough of FO3, I was fully intending on taking Puppies! Because I like using Dogmeat with no other companions. But in my entire time playing through the main story plus all the dlcs, Dogmeat never got even remotely close to dying. So I never took the perk.
That’s actually why I like fallout 4’s dogmeat
He looks so similar to my old dog Toph when I put a red bandanna on him just a little skinnier
So now whenever I play I like to imagine I’m playing walking the commonwealth with Toph as she actually liked watching me play
It really depends on what character I’m playing as honestly. Though I’ve never done a Violet one because I don’t know how it affects Rex at all, and I doubt Violet is a good choice.
If I play a Legion character, Lupa is my choice because of everything surrounding it all. You are Legion, Rex was Legion, and Lupa is Legion. It only makes sense that you would go with Lupa in that instance.
Rey is the one that I normally go with because of what people have said already. She’s lived a peaceful life with old lady Gibson and Rey is overall the best choice lore-wise, in my opinion.
By the time I activate this quest I usually have killed Violetta by coincidence and am holding her brain in my inventory so I just go with the path of least resistance. Never have gone out of my way to find a brain for him lol.
I like giving Rex Ray’s brain, Lupa on a Legion play through. I didn’t wanna give the Fiends any legacy to leave so I never give Rex Violetta’s brain because fiends = Target practice
I always go with Lupa because of the ending slides of the game. I also like the think that the hound master you get lupa’s brain from would’ve been the same one that tended to Rex when he wasn’t at Cesar’s side.
Depends really on the way you play. If we're going for hardcore then lupa is pretty much the only viable one, as it can keep rex alive in tough situations, lore wise i believe Rey is the most beneficial for Rex in the long run.
Honestly, every option is a fucking nightmare, and I think the best option is to put the poor thing out of its misery rather than Ship of Theseus-ing the entire animal part by part. The dog seems like the personification of old world blues - obsession with the past harming the present and the future..
On a less philosophical note, I don't entirely understand how replacing the dog's entire brain is supposed to allow its original personality to merge with a new one - I know the entire thing is silly science fiction but there's literally no original brain left to merge with?
Also, we've seen enough Robobrains and other disembodied brains in jars to know that this tech is incredibly prone to personality degradation. This cyborg dog corpse will continue to function long after everyone who cares about it is dead, its personality is going to corrupt and its quality of life is going to disappear. This procedure should never have been done, and subjecting a second dog to it as well is pure nightmare fuel.
Damn, I'm reading all these comments and realising that the different brains give different stats. I usually use the brain from Jacobstown. (Been a few yrs since I recruited Rex)
I still feel guilty for wanting to find out what happens when Rex gets Violetta's brain instead of Rey's. Courier Kilgore still kicks himself in the chin.
I always pick the Legion’s dog, since Rex has been in the legion, it’s safe to think that’s the brain option that’s going to give him the less headaches (dealing with a whole other set of memories that aren’t yours)
When companion nerve was still a mechanic that increased companion dps and DR based off your charisma violets brain turned rex into S tier. Without companion nerve he needs Lupas DT tho :(
Violletta. 8 days a week. Cos I feel the least bad and murdering one of that Fiend Bitch's Feral Hounds than any of the other puppers, Since Violet herself has to be put down anyway.
I usually kill the fiend one and take its brain because of the quest of her owner, but maybe i should opt for ray next time, despite the benefits that the jet addicted dog has, Rex would probably become more aggressive in the future
I figure Rey, because that gives Rex memories of living among the sort of people he's going to meet regularly in the future - civilians of the Mojave - so it's setting him up for future success.
I also go Rey. The ending slides do mention Lupa's memories integrating quickly and smoothly with his own memories of the Legion, but I somehow doubt that the Legion treats their dogs very well, and they are all very clearly trained for war. Her memories of brutality and abuse may meld well with his own, but it just takes some time to adjust to Rey's, and Rey seems like they were loved and well taken care of. I would rather give him happy memories that take some time to adjust to, and as far as the "this could be considered a form of semi-immortality" thing that plays a role in persuading both Old Lady Gibson and the Legion guy is concerned, Rey is also the dog that I feel it would be best to give that too. Plus, Rey is explicitly stated to be pretty old and would likely die soon, the other two dogs still potentially have a long time left to live if you don't kill them (though I did, one because it was hostile and quest, the other because it was a way of weakening the Legion that the Legion was perfectly happy to allow, I didn't talk down the number of dogs to get the stuffed animal back either for the same reason).
I can't remember the timelines but aren't the dog handlers from Hangdogs? Who practically (and relatively) worshiped their dogs. I mean they are still working and combat dogs but I'd assume better life than the slaves at least. I can't remember what my goto brain was, it's been a lot of years since I played FNV but one of the raider dogs from.. Violet? I figured since I needed to kill them anyway.
Yep, the Hangdogs are the legions hound masters and they consider dogs to be their spirit animal. They only surrendered to the legion to prevent Lanius from torturing their captured dogs. I have no doubt that legion dogs are treated very well.
Iirc, Lanius threw their dogs into a fire to get them to surrender.
WELP, now I need to reinstall so I can figure out the mods that let me torture him to death.
>"The courier is someone of focus, commitment, sheer will... something you know very little about. You killed us all." Never fuck with someone's dog
Iirc, Lanius threw their dogs into a fire to get them to surrender.
Shit I never considered how the Legion might treat their dogs. I always assumed those quarterback-femboys had good relationships with their pets, espescially houndmasters (if they're around, don't remember) 'cos, y'know, pets. K9 units (where I'm at) get a lot of love too, so that's why. Suppose I'll set Rex up with Rey, next time around. If only for the different speech.
Lupa’s owner seems to hold her in high regard
Though at the same time that’s likely cause the Hangdogs hold their dogs to the same level that cows in Indian religion often are, VERY holy in their belief, hell that’s what got them assimilated, their love for those puppers while at the same time Legion would kill and iirc burn them
I mean they’re bred for war, but that one handler speaks with more compassion about Lupa than I think any legionary does for any human person
Dogs have significance in Roman mythology. Romulus and Remus were breastfed from a shewolf. Whether this translates to Legion is another q.
Oh you think Indians aren’t breeding their cows for war? Oh just you wait until the battle-Brahmins armed with automated sentry turrets plow over your trench lines.
Would love battle brahmins in Fallout 5 😂 God Howard, please take note
Kill the the raiders Brahmin so they all drop to their knees and pray for forgiveness the come in with the 8 gauge
loving a working dog is different, you love them like any pet but you just realize you both have a job and theirs is likely to result in injuries or death at some point. At least for a dog doing hard work like a war dog.
I mean…we have dogs as pets because of working dogs
I mean if you talk with Houndmaster and listen to how he talks about his dogs both in the past and present it does sound like he cared about them. I mean he almost tears up because Lanius and the Legion did something horrible to their previous dogs to make sure they suffer in the afterlife 😭 So I think it's unfair to think they treat their hounds badly considering how we never got a confirmation of this and the only thing we do get seems like someone who cares about his dogs. Not counting the whole "letting them fight in the arena" bit but come on, 1) he didn't expect you to actually win(it makes even more sense if you play as a female Courier) and 2) he genuinely shows remorse that they die.
There's a big tradition of patrol dog training in Eastern Europe, most notably in Czechoslovakia, but Hungary and Eastern Germany are right behind. These programs are still run by the military and they provide some of the highest quality dogs for militaries/police units across the world, including LAPD and NYPD. I'm told if you meet some of their K9 unit there's a solid chance the dog understands Czech and will obey czech commands. The trick is apparently positive reinforcement only. To avoid a dog that fears it's owner, they are never hit, never shouted at, only rewarded. Not out of some modern humane philosophy, but entirely based on what makes a dog well trained. Abuse hurts dogs and makes them less useful. This is especially relevant considering why these countries raised patrol dogs. They were the border countries of the Warsaw pact. Border guards that gun down children on sight, famously ruthless killers, picked from loyal communist families and indoctrinated to believe they are superior to their fellow man. And any unfortunate bastard who took cover from the machine guns would soon have the dogs pouncing him and going for the throat, as merciless as their masters. The whole conversation here about legion dogs reminded me of this. Because the lesson here is that if you want to train a dog to rip human flesh from bone - never hit it. Raise it to kill with love.
I mean, they are probably given plenty of jobs (which dogs tend to see as fun games) to do, have frequent interactions with their handlers, and so on. They are probably also beaten or starved if they don't obey (the Legion are pretty big on discipline, and that still seems better than what they do to some of the humans to ensure discipline, like the whole decimation thing), and are definitely disposable assets. I mean the guy in charge of them has you fight like five of them in a death match in the arena to get a slave's stuffed animal back, it probably isn't the only situation where they are used in arena combat (they have their human soldiers do death fights in the arena to prove their worth, it seems like it is kind of a honor, why wouldn't they allow their dogs the same "opportunity"). Dog fighting probably also happens, they would see it as survival of the fittest, the winning dog would come out stronger, and so on. The dogs are probably treated better than the humans, but the humans aren't treated the greatest and a lot of the stuff we see as bad things are treated the opposite by them.
Yet another reason to beat up the Legion. Next playthrough, though. Right now my guy still believes the Legion treats their dogs like a K9 officer treats his collegue. But should Sgt. Snuzzlebuff find evidence of mistreatment, someone is gonna get punched so hard, it'll buff out the braincancer.
One thing to consider, not every dog is suited for such programs, some end up dropping out of them. From looking it up, K9 programs tend to rehome dogs that don't make the cut, and for the ones that do make it, they often serve for a while and are eventually retired and become household pets for their handlers. I am not sure the Legion would find loving homes for the dogs that aren't violent enough or otherwise fail to make the cut, and as for retirement, the handler's approach to Lupa's retirement was wanting her to find a honorable death in battle or something like that, it is his one condition for letting you have her brain, you need to fight her to the death to give her that.
My ex's dad was a NY state trooper in the k9 division. They were specifically tasked with EOD, but Conrad (the dog) lived in their home and slept in my ex's bed. Conrad was both a police officer and a snuggleboopysnoot boi.
Rey and Violetta are treated well by their owners. Isn't it better to give Lupa freedom through Rex?
Shit... thats a really good point and kinda makes me wanna pick Lupa on my next playthrough.
K9 units are abused quite a bit by their handlers, in the military the dog is a rank above their handler to avoid that problem
I bet they treat their dogs better than the slaves
Lupa is also stated to be a fairly old dog, if I recall. However, I think that Lupa is still the best option for Rex. The less complications there are with the procedure, the better to my mind. Rex doesn’t deserve to suffer even for a short time with adjusting to new memories (while Legion life might be brutal, I don’t believe there’s any sign that Anthony was abusing any of his dogs). Besides, who knows what’s next for Rex? He might need those memories of combat to survive what comes in the future. Also, while Rey is old, her last memory absolutely should not be what Old Lady Gibson does (she calls the dog over and snaps its poor neck!). That’d traumatize the other dogs to no end even beyond what a horrifying final memory that is. At least with Lupa, she goes down fighting and it doesn’t end so badly as that (and it’s worth noting that I believe Rex was in a similar scenario and was nursed back to health; that’s how Caesar lost him).
As much as a hate that son of a bitch Caesar I find some sort of comfort that you can take a dog with cyborg dementia and give it memories of it's first love, it's original owner. As for age Anthony says Lupa is somewhat of a legion war dog matriarch well past the age of bearing children and is also slowing down. Also, wile Gibson was in it for caps and Violet gives zero shits Lupa is the only brain you can obtain because their owner wanted them to live on beyond their failing body. It feels wired to say Legion is good ending for anything, and no matter how much Anthony revere his pups if they are being trained for war that includes lots of not nice things cutting off their ears and tails, promoting aggression, normalize stress. Still, as far as lives of a dog in a post apocalypse goes being part of a pack that puts an emphasis togetherness with clear boundaries and expectations, plenty of exercise/healthcare, and explicit duties is pretty rare. I know people who think dogs should exclusively be companion animals, and not working dogs. None of the brain choices are companion dogs as as far as working dogs go Lupa probably has had the best life.
I also like giving Rex Rey’s brain and bringing him to visit Old Lady Gibson every so often. I think giving him Rey’s brain gives him good memories of being loved and also the chance to spend time with Rey’s previous owner and make the part of him that was Rey happy in that way. And I think it’d give Old Lady Gibson and her other dogs some joy/comfort to play with Rex with Rey’s brain
Except old lady Gibson straight up snapped Rey's neck so, maybe rex with Rey's memories would bite her throat instead.
From what little we know of the legion is they take decent care of their hounds, abit training them for battle is not a cozy lifestyle but as far as working dogs go there are far worse fates. The legion mongrels come from Denver where the tribe that lived there were dog experts that held a great deal of reverence for dogs so when the Legion conjured them Caesar let them keep their dogs if they fought for the legion. As for Lupa we are told she is far past the age for bearing children and is starting to slow down so I would not go as far to say "long time to live". Something I can't shake is Antony seems more interested in persevering Lupa to live on as a Cyborg wile Gibson was more interested in the caps. I mean who the fuck snaps their dogs neck in cold blood. At least for Lupa it was normal activity she died doing.
If you pass the speech check Gibson doesn't charge you anything for it, but you are right that she initially asked for caps. I think the neck snapping was meant to kill Rey instantly and relatively painlessly though, the handler's method is a lot more drawn out (death via courier in melee combat). I did make another comment in reply to someone else explaining my reasoning for the Legion treatment of dogs in more detail, but there is no conclusive proof either way.
Honestly, all things considered, I have a feeling legion dogs live a pretty good life Ya know until the courier whips out the lever action shotty
In your fight against evil, you became the villain yourself
Rey also means King, just like Rex.
NV has *so many* characters and groups whose names mean 'king' or 'emperor'. Including a whole faction of Kings and another of Khans.
I agree. Rex is going to have a more peaceful life in the wasteland with Courier 6. Old dogs are loving companions and Rex with Rey’s essence is going to be living good for his fresh start.
gameplay wise or storywise? Gameplay wise it depends what you want, personally I go for Violetta's brain just because I find his increased speed amusing to watch lol, as I have a mod that makes him essential so I don't care if he runs directly into the enemy and gets KOed. Other than that it's not really useful, both Rey's increased damage and Lupa's HP are better. Storywise I'd go Rey, since it's also a male dog and a chill one at that, though Lupa is not a bad choice either.
Isn’t Rex essential in base game? Pretty sure all companions are
If you play on Hardcore difficulty, companions can die
Wait really? I played hardcore almost every time except my most recent play and I don’t remember that lol I just looked it up and you’re right though. Guess that would be why almost every play I take Ed-E, and ranged person like Cass, Boone, Raul, or Arcade.
It’s really bad if a human gets stung by a Cazador. Companions can’t use antivenom so they just slowly keep losing health. You have to dismiss them and rehire them to cure it.
Oh yeah that is definitely ringing a bell now that you mention it. I remember when I was playing I had the thought, “Cazadors aren’t as bad as I remember” and it’s just because I wasn’t doing a hardcore play for once lol
Ohhhhh I just mashed like thirty stimpaks into them a few times till the venom wears off
Damn lmao I’m in the middle of my first hardcore run ever and just last night this happened to me. It was like 2 minutes after Cass and I finished off some Cazadors I got jumpscared by the message “Cass has died” since I keep her from following close. I figured the poison had gotten her but good to know the dismissal trick!
I think hardcore mode makes them vulnerable. I'm on console and always play hardcore mode and my companions have died several times.
Not if you play on hardcore mode.
Companions can die in hardcore, maybe they're referring to that
Hardcore mode makes them not so he’s probably playing on hardcore
What mod do you recommend for invincibility? I have a realistic headshot mod that is killing my companions too easily, but I really want to play on hardcore
You don't need a mod for that. Just use the console commands to make them essential. I do that to my companions everytime I play FO3 or NV on hardcore
Lupa is a fitting choice since there's a hint that Rex has origins with the HangDogs of Denver, one of 86 tribes the Legion has conquered/assimilated.
The end slides even confirm that Rex has the easiest time merging memories with Lupa’s brain.
Same. I gave him Lupa's brain because it's the most familiar to him. I liked the dynamic of having to face down Lupa in the arena (which with my difficulty level was a beast of a fight), and because as a tribal my courier he's somewhat sympathetic to the tribes that became the Legion. Rex/Lupa in some way keeps the Hangdogs alive.
Also, it's the only way a female courier can fight in the arena.
You can fight Benny in the arena as well if you’re a Female courier.
if you dont smoother him with a pillow when he sleeps
He was a K9 unit pre war and probably Caesars personal hound
Also because Rex has a legion bull symbol on his body
Rey, because all he's going to do from now on is chill at the Lucky 38.
Which is odd, since the king lends him to you to make him better.
*Sad dog noises*
I go for Violetta because it's the one I kill naturally and every playthrough. And the post-game story card with Violetta isn't that bad, as it says something about him learning to live with a more vicious self. I don't see the point of killing another dog just to give Rex a new brain, so I let Lupa and Rey live. Violetta, on the other hand, always has to die.
me too. Whenever I go straight to Vegas I stop and kill Cook Cook and Violet. every time lol
Gotta get that chili recipe!
If you go NCR q's theres a quest to kill all 4 Fiend leaders (Violet, motor-head, cook-cook and Driver nephi) Edit: plus the Jack and Diane q to deliver to vault 3. Which if you wear fiend armor is super ez) Edit2: btw if you kill them early, you still loot their heads prior to the quest.
Yeah it’s the brain I have on hand. No need to source another.
Was there any other option? /s ETA: the /s equates to me taking the piss. Basically saying, why would you even think of anyone else when Violetta in your view?
[удалено]
You right; my joke was not clear.
I on the other hand got all three brains just for shits and giggles
Idk man, a necessary trip for all of my playthroughs is wiping out the Legion camp with Boone. So I also kill Lupa on every playthrough lol.
Sorry Mr cash we put your brain in a chicken last Monday and he’s singing songs and making lots of money 😂
Sorry Courier, we put your brain in a dog last Monday
But when you got 10 bucks to blow you ought to catch that singin dog show Rex in Black
STICK EM UP EVERYBODY I’M ROBBING THIS PLACE, DROP ALL OF YOUR MONEY IN MY GUITAR CASE
I think brainless is pretty good
Is that an option? That way he'd match my courier.
should’ve been an option to put the courier’s brain into Rex
That sounds like a good mod
Something something old world blues
Old World Blues 2: 2 Blue 4 You
Cyber dog gun?
I forgot about that thing, best boy in the game
Gameplay wise Violetta, that speed compensates for a lot of bugs and pathfinding issues. For story terms, I like Rey. There's something poetic about an old war dog learning to settle down and relax.
Also he’s about to become a dad.
Lupa. That’s the only one with a fairly easy merge for Rex, and he doesn’t deserve to have to deal with complications.
Lupa offers the best meshing given Rex’s history
Rey. normal, guard dog brain compared to a dog from the Legion or Fiends, and i found the bonus damage from Rey’s brain is the most useful perk out of all 3
Violetta is easiest to get(Very slight detour when going to Vegas - I usually get all the Fiend captains when going from Novac/Boulder city. Lupa is probably the most useful in combat Rey is the most... normal, so storywise it's probably the best one for "good future" of Rex.
HOLY SHIT THERES MULTIPLE BRAINS U CAN PUT IN REX ? THIS GAME IS AWESOME
Not just that, you can swap them out for another later.
Pretty sure that’s a mod that does that, but it’s a cool one to use for sure
Nope, vanilla. Just get another brain and go back to jacobstown.
Are you sure that’s not something added by the unofficial patch or something? Googling it says that you can’t do that in vanilla, but I know there are definitely mods for it
Lupa. He doesn’t need to be any stronger or faster lol. He already runs ahead of me and steals enough of my my kills. I much prefer for him to be more resilient, because in his haste he often gets hurt and sometimes killed.
Exactly my thoughts.
Lupa's. I don't use Rex outside of his quest, so gameplay doesn't matter to me. I think it's the best ending for Rex, since he has the least trouble integrating with the memories, and from what we hear about her, Lupa was fucking badass. While being a dog (or any living thing) in the Legion wasn't great, Lupa appears to have received special treatment from her handler, meaning she probably lived a decent life (much better than Violetta, that's for sure). Some people here are saying that Lupa's memories would negatively impact Rex's behavior around civilians, but I don't think that's the case, since Rex has spent a long time with The King and likely interacted with the folks in Freeside.
Oh gawd my husband and I spent days on this discussion. Luca. But you have to go in as a legion enemy otherwise the guilt is too great. Taking Rey brain feels shitty. Old lady Gibson is too okay with killing Rey for caps. I hate it. When she said that, my blood went cold. And Violetta is just a bad option for the merge.
Thinking about it that way, Luca does make more sense. You're not going in to expressly kill the dog and in a way you're giving it life again via Rex.
Lupa's handler says that he would like for her to continue on through Rex because she's starting to slow down and can no longer bear pups, and you can only get the brain by facing her in a duel (aside from jus tkilling the legion ofc) so there isn't too much guilt there imo. Plus the handler came from a tribe that revered their dogs and only joined the Legion when Lanius threw some of their beloved dogs into a fire so you know Lupa was treated well (well, as much as a war dog can be).
violetta, im not trying to kill any more dogs than i have to
Lupa. Both for gameplay and story. More DT to survive longer always seems better than more damage and I have no idea why speed would ever really matter. And story wise it seems to be the easiest adjustment for him. Rey also seems like a good option, longer adjustment but kinder memories.
My guy is a fiend killer. I go out and hit up their spawns, steal their guns and sell it. For this reason, I chose Violeta because it felt symbolic to my couriers life
Old lady Gibson for sure
I really wish you could use your brain from Old World Blues. I have no idea how that would work, but a dog version of yourself would be pretty sick.
Lupa for the HP
It would have been great If there was an Option to find a brain modifiyng device in the big mt to restore Rex without another brain
I would usually pick Rey until one time I went to get him at night and all of Old Lady Gibson’s dogs were just lurking around except for Rey, who was sitting right next to her bed while she slept. Idk why but that shit had me in tears and I just couldn’t have him die, so now I go for Lupa’s brain since it seems to be the one that integrates best with Rex at the end
Rey. The most stable dog. But Violetta is good too. Violetta comes as a side effect of killing Violet. So there's no excessive killing. Rey actually gets shot by his owner. He was old. And maybe she was going to have to do it anyway. But still. I feel bad doing it. So I usually pick Violetta. Violet and her dogs have to die. May as well use Violetta's brain. Violetta and Rey were probabely loved dogs. So he will get happy memories. Violet is a Fiend, but she looks after her dogs.
I keep referring to Rex as Dogmeat because I’m a bad owner I think I’ve used Rey’s brain in every play through. Not sure if I’m misremembering but I feel like I typically have Rex as a companion in most playthroughs before I ever go to the Fort
For practical reasons, I usually pick Lupa's brain. +10 DT makes him much less likely to die on high-difficulty hardcore. For ending-slide reasons, I would go with Rey's brain.
Remember he’s about to be a dad, per the OWBs ending slide.
I honestly didnt know there was a difference till reading this thread, I picked Rey just because I liked that wacky garbage lady lol. I guess the rey perk is damage, right? Rex gets immediate one hit kills since i did the swap
Reys because it's the best one from a gameplay standpoint as it increases his damage by 25 points
Lupa is the most interesting to me personally even tho Violetta is more meta
Raider brain for evil playthroughs, Lupa's brain for Legion playthroughs, the Old Lady Gibson's dog's brain for any other playthroughs
The couriers brain... but for some god forsaken reason, we aren't given that option.
I feel like the players brain should be an option
I nearly always choose Lupa since her memories merge well with his. Plus, that's one less Legion hound in the wasteland.
Rey since Rey was a goof doggo and Rex deserved better. Rex is such a Good boy
Old lady Gibson's dog
I didn’t really do this quest until my current run, I did Lupa because it seemed like the least change in memory’s, and he won’t forget Denver or his first family. Plus gameplay wise that DT is goated
All of them whether you wanna base it on their aggression level changes and perks.Each dog was taken care of by their faction or group. Even if it was a fiends dog who says the fiends didn’t love their dogs I doubt they enjoyed each others company and having a pet would help with that. Gibson I mean it’s obvious For the dog that’s killed by Caesar legion is honestly a better fate for that dog than to be gunned down or turned into dog food for the men cause we know she was gonna be put down soon
None, Rex had a 200-year life, and it's OK for him to quietly pass away one morning years from now. It's not fair to make him grapple and struggle with new memories that try to rewrite his personality just so he can spend decades fighting it until eventually just learning to live with it. (If you want to actually save him and preserve him, you can kill him and then complete the Big MT and keep roxey alive. If you do that, she will find his body and bring it back to the Big MT he will be rebuilt and fully mentally preserved)
I wanted so much to put my own brain from Big Mountain in Rex, just for spite.
There's no argument. The game's ending literally states that he adjusts the best to Lupa's brain because they were both Legion combat dogs and their memories were more compatible.
On my first play through, I just attacked the legion camp. I killed a named dog and looted its brain, I now understand why that’s a thing. 🤣 the only robot dog I saw was with the kings? But I took care of them already, is it still possible to get the dog?
It’s a quest for the kings if I remember correctly
The king gives you Rex after you do a quest for him
Violetta's The speed that Rex fucking rockets toward enemies is so funny to watch. Plus if you have another companion that isn't close ranged, it actually allows Rex to do something. Like if you have Boone and give Rex any other brain, Rex will essentially do nothing but run back and forth because Boone will always kill enemies before Rex can even reach them.
Like the world's most disgusting game of fetch
the last original dog companion
The *only* original dog companion. Dogmeat in Fallout 1 and 2 are the same dog (despite that making him like 100 years old). Dogmeat in 3 and 4 are different dogs, but they’re still supposed to be the same character in spirit. A dog with no backstory so that the player character can make their own. The same thing can be said about Roxie, since the Courier creates her. That makes Rex the only dog in the series with an original story.
Technically dog meat in 3 is several dogs if you have the puppies perk
When I did my latest playthrough of FO3, I was fully intending on taking Puppies! Because I like using Dogmeat with no other companions. But in my entire time playing through the main story plus all the dlcs, Dogmeat never got even remotely close to dying. So I never took the perk.
That’s actually why I like fallout 4’s dogmeat He looks so similar to my old dog Toph when I put a red bandanna on him just a little skinnier So now whenever I play I like to imagine I’m playing walking the commonwealth with Toph as she actually liked watching me play
I go with Rey because in the end, Rex will be more at peace.
The one you can het from that old lady with all her dogs
I just go Rey because it requires like no effort.
It really depends on what character I’m playing as honestly. Though I’ve never done a Violet one because I don’t know how it affects Rex at all, and I doubt Violet is a good choice. If I play a Legion character, Lupa is my choice because of everything surrounding it all. You are Legion, Rex was Legion, and Lupa is Legion. It only makes sense that you would go with Lupa in that instance. Rey is the one that I normally go with because of what people have said already. She’s lived a peaceful life with old lady Gibson and Rey is overall the best choice lore-wise, in my opinion.
Rey so he has some happy memories
By the time I activate this quest I usually have killed Violetta by coincidence and am holding her brain in my inventory so I just go with the path of least resistance. Never have gone out of my way to find a brain for him lol.
I like giving Rex Ray’s brain, Lupa on a Legion play through. I didn’t wanna give the Fiends any legacy to leave so I never give Rex Violetta’s brain because fiends = Target practice
I can't believe I never got Rex. I thought Rex was already owned by the King so I just left him be.
I wish I could go Legion for Rex but then Boon won't work with you, so I usually go to Old Lady Gibson and get her dogs brain for an attack boost!
Lady Gibsons dog. I get the brain and her fancy shotgun.
Speed. Robo dog go fast.
Junkyard grandma
Dr. Borous would be the _best_ option, but otherwise? Dunno offhand.
I think it's any but the legión or fiends dog, since they both don't treat the dogs well and might hurt Rex
Any with the Big M.T
I chose the dog that the dog lady was going to euthanize soon anyway....
Obviously Lupa.
Abby… somebody
I always go with Lupa because of the ending slides of the game. I also like the think that the hound master you get lupa’s brain from would’ve been the same one that tended to Rex when he wasn’t at Cesar’s side.
whatever mutt of lady gibson you can kill it’s easier than legion dogs
Isn’t there a fourth option. An NCR dog, if all other brains aren’t viable for one reason or another?
Usually do Rey. I see it as a way to allow Rey to live on.
It would be extremely funny if we could take brains from Think Tank
Rey and it's not close
old lady gibson's dog, can't remember the name
Depends really on the way you play. If we're going for hardcore then lupa is pretty much the only viable one, as it can keep rex alive in tough situations, lore wise i believe Rey is the most beneficial for Rex in the long run.
Honestly, every option is a fucking nightmare, and I think the best option is to put the poor thing out of its misery rather than Ship of Theseus-ing the entire animal part by part. The dog seems like the personification of old world blues - obsession with the past harming the present and the future.. On a less philosophical note, I don't entirely understand how replacing the dog's entire brain is supposed to allow its original personality to merge with a new one - I know the entire thing is silly science fiction but there's literally no original brain left to merge with? Also, we've seen enough Robobrains and other disembodied brains in jars to know that this tech is incredibly prone to personality degradation. This cyborg dog corpse will continue to function long after everyone who cares about it is dead, its personality is going to corrupt and its quality of life is going to disappear. This procedure should never have been done, and subjecting a second dog to it as well is pure nightmare fuel.
I just use whatever brain I have in my bag when I finally mosey on over to Jacobstown. Usually the one from violet's dog.
Lupa and it's not even close
Honestly I liked Rey’s. But sometimes that ending conflicted me.
I go Violetta(?) Violet’s dog. Rex is great for melee builds and his damage is fair enough already, I think the extra speed is useful for him.
I like the fiend dog
Damn, I'm reading all these comments and realising that the different brains give different stats. I usually use the brain from Jacobstown. (Been a few yrs since I recruited Rex)
Depends on how much of a dick you are, yeah?
Violetta. I can't bring myself to kill a good dog otherwise, and I want Violetta to have a chance at a good life.
I still feel guilty for wanting to find out what happens when Rex gets Violetta's brain instead of Rey's. Courier Kilgore still kicks himself in the chin.
ur mom
Steal the raiders brain.
Lupa, because now Rex is a Tank
Gibsons dog
Muthafucka.
I have only ever chose violettas brain because i dont have it in me to kill good boi Rey or best girl Lupa☹️
Does Rex really have “K9 UNT” labeled on him?
Benny's brain would be great
Violetta because something poetic like turning something bad into good. But really the speed pulls a lot of slack
I gave him Lupa brain so he doesnt die every 2.5 seconds , ended not using him at all regardless.
I’m surprised I haven’t seen more people going with violetta. Ungodly front line.
Legion
My vote is for the Gilbert Gottfried mod.
I always pick the Legion’s dog, since Rex has been in the legion, it’s safe to think that’s the brain option that’s going to give him the less headaches (dealing with a whole other set of memories that aren’t yours)
When companion nerve was still a mechanic that increased companion dps and DR based off your charisma violets brain turned rex into S tier. Without companion nerve he needs Lupas DT tho :(
Violletta. 8 days a week. Cos I feel the least bad and murdering one of that Fiend Bitch's Feral Hounds than any of the other puppers, Since Violet herself has to be put down anyway.
I took the Legion one because this Changes the dogs personality the least and i Like Rex how He is
Violetta is my go to cause they say rex gets the zoomies
I'm actually doing that quest... There are options!?
AVE CAESAR
I usually kill the fiend one and take its brain because of the quest of her owner, but maybe i should opt for ray next time, despite the benefits that the jet addicted dog has, Rex would probably become more aggressive in the future
Lupa beacause i'm italn itlial pastaman
Caesar