“You've heard of the Sierra Madre Casino. We all have, the legend, the curses. Some foolishness about it lying in the middle of a City of Dead, a city of ghosts buried beneath a blood-red cloud... a bright, shining monument luring treasure hunters to their doom.”— Father Elijah, Dead Money intro
Dead Money is the first DLC for Fallout: New Vegas, developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Bethesda Softworks.
Narration
“You've heard of the Sierra Madre Casino. We all have, the legend, the curses. Foolishness about it lying in the middle of the City of the Dead, buried beneath a blood-red cloud. A bright, shining monument luring treasure hunters to their doom.
”— Father Elijah, Dead Money intro
The world's most famous stars and entertainers were invited to its Grand Opening. An invitation was a sign of... exclusiveness.
The opening was supposed to symbolize a road to a brighter future, not just for the world... ... but for all who came to its doors. A chance for anyone to begin again. Except - the Sierra Madre never opened.
”— Father Elijah, Dead Money intro
Synopsis
Dead Money is set in the Sierra Madre, an opulent and extravagant resort that would have been the greatest casino in the west, had it ever been opened. The bombs fell before the grand opening gala event, and the Sierra Madre froze in time, its state of the art security system locking the place up tight. Nothing could get in, and none of the guests could escape. The security holograms then activated and the once glorious event turned into a slaughter. After many years, the climate control and air conditioning systems within the facility began to spit strange toxins into the surrounding city, causing a red cloud to form over the area - which proved lethal to anyone who tried to explore the city. Only a mysterious group called the Ghost People survived to call the city home. Trapped inside Hazmat Suits, they wander the streets, never speaking to their victims, instead only capturing them alive and dragging them away to the depths of the city deep within the Cloud. The Sierra Madre attempted to send out a distress signal on the day of the War, but the system did not broadcast an alert signal, having been hooked up to the gala event to broadcast adverts for the casino, so help never came.[1]
And so the Sierra Madre faded from memory, only occasionally being seen in posters across the wastes, until it took on mythic ghost story status, a supposed "City of Gold" in the wasteland where all the treasures of the Old World were rumored to be held.
The Sierra Madre is a place in the wastes, with travelers risking their lives to find it. After the fall of HELIOS One, Father Elijah, formerly an elder of the Mojave Brotherhood of Steel, set out to find new weapons to eradicate the NCR, and in the process, he discovered the Sierra Madre. In doing so, he lured others, including the Courier, to the resort, forcing them to navigate the hazards of the Madre and play the pawns in his game to crack open the casino's vault, long since lost to time. If the Courier wished to escape this hellish place, they would have to be clever, and use their new allies as Father Elijah did.
Characters
Mentioned-only
Creatures
Items
Apparel
Consumables
Weapons
Weapon mods
World objects
Miscellaneous items
Locations
Main article: Sierra Madre
| Image | Name | Cell ID |
|---|---|---|
|
Abandoned BoS Bunker | SLBoSBunker (exterior) SLBoSBunkerINT (interior) |
|
Campanas del Sol | NVDLC01ETPlayerGala |
|
Cantina Madrid | NVDLC01Restaurant |
|
Executive Suites | NVDLC01Suites |
|
Medical District | NVDLC01ChristineArea |
|
Puesta del Sol | WestTown (PdS north) WestTownSouth (PdS south) |
|
Puesta del Sol Switching Station | NVDLC01Gala02 |
|
Residential District | NVDLC01DeanBuilding |
|
Ruined Building | NVDLC01WTNorth |
|
Ruined Cafe | NVDLC01WTMid |
|
Ruined Store | NVDLC01WTSouth |
|
Salida del Sol | NVDLC01ETPlayerGala (Campanas) NVDLC01ETNorth (north) NVDLC01ETSouth (south) NVDLC01ETDogGala (switch. station) |
|
Salida del Sol Courtyard | NVDLC01ETNorth |
|
Service Route | NVDLC01WTTunnel |
|
Sierra Madre | NVDLC01fountain |
|
Sierra Madre Casino | NVDLC01Lobby NVDLC01Casino NVDLC01Restaurant NVDLC01Theater NVDLC01Suites NVDLC01Vault |
|
Sierra Madre Lobby | NVDLC01Lobby |
|
Sierra Madre Vault | NVDLC01Vault |
|
Tampico | NVDLC01Theater |
|
Villa | NVDLC01fountain |
|
Villa Clinic | NVDLC01ClinicMainFloor (main f.) NVDLC01ClinicBasement (bas.) |
|
Villa Police Station | NVDLC01PoliceStation NVDLC01PoliceStationBasement |
Quests
Perks
Regular Perks
| Image | Name | Level | Requires | Ranks | Effects | FormID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
And Stay Back | 10 | Guns 70 | 1 | 10% chance to knock an enemy down while using a Shotgun. | xx00F218 |
|
Heavyweight | 12 | Strength 7 | 1 | Halved weapon weight when the weapon is over 10 Pounds. | xx011468 |
|
Hobbler | 12 | Perception 7 | 1 | 25% increased chance to hit an opponent's left and right legs in V.A.T.S. | xx011469 |
|
In Shining Armor | 1 | Repair 20 Science 70 |
1 | None (see bugs) | xx00F216 xx00F217 (eyewear) |
|
Junk Rounds | 1 | Luck 6 Repair 45 |
1 | Able to create ammunition from Scrap Metal, Tin Cans and the appropriate ammunition casing. | xx00FB6A |
|
Light Touch | 1 | Agility 6 Repair 45 |
1 | +5% Critical Chance, enemies suffer -25% crit chance. (Only while wearing light armor). | xx00E87B |
|
Old World Gourmet | 1 | Endurance 6 Survival 45 |
1 | +25% addiction resistance, +50% snack food health bonus, some types of alcohol provide health. | xx00F96F |
Companion Perks
| Image | Name | Companion | Effects | FormID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
In My Footsteps | God | +10 to Sneak and inability to set off traps | xx013B26 |
|
Ravenous Hunger | Dog | Dog will prevent unconscious Ghost People from resurrecting | |
|
Signal Interference | Christine Royce | +50% time to escape signals | xx008A2E |
|
Unclean Living | Dean Domino | Temporary cloud protection, take 25% less damage | xx008A2F |
Special Perks
| Image | Name | Requires | Ranks | Effects | FormID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Coin Operator | Dialogue with Christine, PER ≥ 6, INT ≥ 6. | 1 | Can craft Sierra Madre Chips at a workbench | xx01039B |
|
Elijah's Ramblings | Keep holomessage from Elijah after Veronica unlocks it | 1 | +50% melee weapon critical damage | xx00D4A9 |
|
Ghost Hunter | Speech options with Dog | 1 | Ghost People are outright killed much faster and more efficiently. | xx01039A |
|
Sierra Madre Martini | Dialogue with Dean Domino | 1 | Unlocks the Sierra Madre Martini recipe. | xx01039E |
Honest Hearts Perks
Regular Perks
| Image | Name | Level | Requires | Ranks | Effects | FormID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Eye for Eye | 20 | 1 | +10% Damage for each Crippled Limb | xx00B2F4 | |
|
Fight the Power! | 10 | 1 | +2 Damage Threshold and +5% Critical Chance against any non-player character wearing NCR, Legion, or Brotherhood of Steel faction armor | xx00F67C | |
|
Grunt | 8 | Guns 45 Explosives 20 |
1 | 25% more damage with 9mm and .45 Auto Pistols and SMGs, Service Rifles, Assault and Marksman Carbines, Light Machine Guns, Frag Grenades, Grenade Rifles and Launchers, and Combat Knives | xx00F677 |
|
Home on the Range | 8 | Survival 70 | 1 | Able to sleep at Campfires to restore health. | xx00B2F3 |
|
Sneering Imperialist | 8 | 1 | +15% Damage and x1.25 V.A.T.S. to-hit chance to those of raider, junkie, and tribal "races" | xx00F67B | |
|
Tribal Wisdom | 8 | Survival 70 | 1 | -50% Limb Damage from Animals, Mutated Animals, and Mutated Insects +25% Poison Resistance The ability to eat Mutated Insects in Sneak mode |
xx00F679 |
Companion Perks
| Image | Name | Companion | Effects | FormID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Quiet As The Waters | Waking Cloud | -3 Perception for White Legs | xx00B2F7 |
|
The Way of the Canaanite | Joshua Graham | Any .45 Auto Pistol has half spread and is twice as likely to score critical hits | xx00B2F5 |
|
Well-Stacked Cairns | Follows-Chalk | In any summit of Zion, all nearby map markers are revealed and grants +3 Perception for three minutes | xx00B2F6 |
Old World Blues Perks
Regular Perks
| Image | Name | Level | Requires | Ranks | Effects | FormID | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Atomic! | 20 | [[Endurance] (Fallout: New Vegas)|Endurance]] 6 | ranks =1 | effects =+25% Movement and Attack Speed, +2 ST and DT while in an irradiated area AP Regen based on current RADs |
formid =xx008011 | |||
|
Implant GRX | 30 | Endurance 8 | 2 | Turbo boost | xx009D48 xx009D4A (item) | |||
|
Mile in Their Shoes | 20 | Survival 25 | 1 | +1 PE, +5 Poison Resistance, +5 Sneak after consuming Nightstalker Squeezin's. | xx009619 | |||
|
Them's Good Eatin' | 20 | Survival 55 | 1 | All living creatures killed by the Courier have a 50% chance of having Thin Red Paste or Blood Sausage on them. | xx0098C9 |
Special Perks
| Image | Name | Requires | Ranks | Effects | FormID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Big Brained | Brainless perk | 1 | Head cannot be crippled +10% DT +10% chem addiction resistance |
xx0015BBA |
|
|
Brainless | Initial dialogue with Doctor Klein | 1 | Head cannot be crippled +1 (5%) DT +25% chem addiction resistance |
xx0098BE |
|
Cardiac Arrest | Heartless perk | 1 | +50% to poison resistance, -50% chance to get critical hits from robots, and bonus healing with certain items. (see Bugs) | xx015BBB |
|
|
Heartless | Initial dialogue with Dr. Klein | 1 | Poison immunity, -50% chance to get critically hit by robots, and minor bonus healing with certain items. | xx0098C2 |
|
Reinforced Spine | Spineless perk | 1 | +2 Strength +2 DT |
xx015BBC |
|
|
Spineless | Initial dialogue with Doctor Klein | 1 | Torso can no longer be crippled +1 Strength +1 DT |
xx0098BC |
|
Stealth Suit Mk II | Complete the last challenge of Project X-13 | 4 | none, see Bugs | xx00E845 |
Challenge Perks
| Image | Name | Challenge | Ranks | Effects | FormID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DNAgent | Dog Run I - Dog Gone Dog Run II - Who let the ... Dog Run III - Snake Skins |
1 | +10% damage against Nightstalkers | xx009617 |
|
DNAvenger | Caza-Death Dealer | 3 | +(10/20/30)% damage against Cazadores | xx00DA28 |
Implant Perks
Doesn't count against the Endurance limit of original implant perks.
| Image | Name | Requires | Ranks | Effects | FormID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Implant C-13 | 8000 Caps | 1 | +10% passive damage bonus against Cazadores. | xx009616 |
|
|
Implant M-5 | 10,000 Bottle Caps | 1 | +20% crouched movement speed | xx009614 |
|
|
Implant Y-3 | 12000 Bottle Caps | 1 | Removes radiation when drinking from an irradiated water source | xx009615 |
|
|
Implant Y-7 | 20,000 Bottle Caps | 1 | Health and AP bonus through the consumption of food. | xx00961A |
Lonesome Road Perks
Regular Perks
| Image | Name | Level | Requires | Ranks | Effects | FormID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ain't Like That Now | 50 | Evil or Very Evil Karma | 1 | 25% faster AP regeneration 20% attack speed increase Karma reset to 0 Immunity to critical hits |
xx00A749 |
|
Alertness | 12 | 1 | While crouched and motionless, you gain +2 Perception. | xx00C252 | |
|
Broad Daylight | 36 | 1 | +15 to Sneak while the Pip-Boy light is active | xx00A6DF | |
|
Burden to Bear | 30 | Strength 6 Endurance 6 |
1 | +50 lbs. carrying limit | xx00C250 |
|
Certified Tech | 40 | 1 | More loot on robots destroyed by the player and potential +1% critical hit chance to robots (see bugs) | xx00A6DE | |
|
Irradiated Beauty | 22 | Endurance 8 | 1 | Sleeping removes all rads on normal mode/Removes 100 Rads on Hardcore Mode | xx00C255 |
|
Just Lucky I'm Alive | 50 | Neutral Karma | 1 | +50% critical hit damage Immunity to critical hits +4 Luck for three minutes if a fight has ended with less than 25% health |
xx00C24F |
|
Lessons Learned | 26 | Intelligence 6 | 1 | +1% experience gain per level | xx00C256 |
|
Roughin' It | 28 | Survival 100 | 1 | Well Rested bonus when you sleep outside, even in an unowned bed | xx00C251 |
|
Thought You Died | 50 | Good or Very Good Karma | 1 | +10% damage +10 HP for every 100 karma points Karma reset to neutral Immunity to critical hits |
xx00C24E |
|
Tunnel Runner | 26 | Agility 8 | 1 | 25% increased moving speed while sneaking in light or no armor. | xx00C258 |
|
Voracious Reader | 22 | Intelligence 7 | 1 | Damaged books become blank magazines; can copy existing magazines into blank magazines | xx00C253 |
|
Walker Instinct | 18 | Survival 50 | 1 | +1 Perception and +1 Agility while outside | xx00C254 |
Special Perks
| Image | Name | Requires | Ranks | Effects | FormID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Dead Man's Burden | Launch nuclear missiles at both Caesar's Legion and the NCR | 1 | +1 SPECIAL point, Boomers and Powder Gangers Fame, Caesar's Legion and NCR Infamy | xx00C25A |
|
Divide Survivor | Stop the missile launch in the Divide | 1 | +1 SPECIAL point Brotherhood of Steel and Followers of the Apocalypse fame |
xx00C25C |
|
Lonesome Road | Do not release ED-E from the Maintenance and Storage area before entering Ulysses' Temple | 1 | With no companions: +10% damage, +10% V.A.T.S. hit chance | xx0500A6DC |
|
Marked | Kill three named Marked Men | 1 | +10% Damage vs Marked Men | xx00A6DD |
|
Scourge of the East | Launch the nuclear missiles at Caesar's Legion | 1 | +1 SPECIAL point, NCR Fame, Caesar's Legion Infamy | xx00C259 |
|
The Bear-Slayer | Launch nuclear missiles at the NCR. | 1 | +1 SPECIAL point, Caesar's Legion Fame, NCR Infamy | xx00C25B |
Companion Perks
| Image | Name | Companion | Ranks | Effects | FormID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Camarader-E | ED-E | 5 | See Gameplay | xx00A602 |
Gun Runners' Arsenal Perks
| Image | Name | Level | Requires | Ranks | Effects | FormID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mad Bomber | 6 | Repair 45 Explosives 45 |
1 | Create new hand explosives at work benches. | xx00092E |
See Also
Achievements/Trophies
| Image | Name | Requires | Points | Trophy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Assemble Your Crew | Recruit Dean Domino, Christine and Dog. | 20 
|
Bronze 
|
|
Cash Out | Confront Father Elijah in the Sierra Madre's Vault. | 30
|
Silver 
|
|
Having a Ball | Complete the Sierra Madre Gala Event. | 20
|
Bronze
|
|
Safety Deposit Box | Trap Father Elijah in the Sierra Madre's Vault. | 40
|
Gold 
|
|
Sierra Madre Souvenir Aficionado | Collect 500 Sierra Madre Chips. | 30
|
Silver
|
Challenges
| Image | Name | Task | Reward | Form ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
All For One | Save All Dead Money Companions | 100 XP | xx011F34 |
|
|
Assemble Your Crew | Recruit Dean Domino, Christine, and Dog and God | 100 XP Assemble Your Crew Achievement / Trophy |
xx011F2D |
|
|
Authority Issues | Alert Sierra Madre Holograms 20 Times | 50 XP | xx011F2B |
|
|
Big Winner | Use Sierra Madre Vending Machines 50 Times | 75 XP | xx0103B2 |
|
|
Cash Out | Kill Father Elijah | 200 XP Cash Out Achievement / Trophy |
xx011F30 |
|
|
Dead Man's Hand | Collect Sierra Madre Cards of the Dead Man's Hand | 100 XP | xx0134FB |
|
|
Dean's Secret Stash | Find Dean's 15 Secret Suitcases | 100 XP | xx011B27 |
|
|
Ghost Eater - Harvesters | Kill 10 Ghost Harvesters | 100 XP | xx0103B4 |
|
|
Ghost Eater - Seekers | Kill 10 Ghost Seekers | 100 XP | xx0103B5 |
|
|
Ghost Eater - Trappers | Kill 10 Ghost Trappers | 100 XP | xx0103B6 |
|
|
Having a Ball | Complete the Sierra Madre Gala Event | 100 XP Having a Ball Achievement / Trophy |
xx011F2F |
|
|
History's Sake | Read 8 Terminal Entries in the Sierra Madre | 100 XP | xx012FB3 |
|
|
Kiss of Death | Use 10 Poisons | 100 XP | xx010EB2 |
|
|
Loose Ends | Kill All Dead Money Companions | 100 XP | xx011F35 |
|
|
Safety Deposit Box | Trap Father Elijah | 200 XP Safety Deposit Box Achievement / Trophy |
xx011F31 |
|
|
Sierra Madre Souvenir Aficionado | Collect 500 Sierra Madre Chips | 150 XP Sierra Madre Souvenir Aficionado Achievement / Trophy |
xx0103B0 |
|
|
Sierra Madre Souvenir Collector | Collect 250 Sierra Madre Chips | 
|
xx01352D
|
|
|
The Whole Sad Story | Listen to Companions' and Elijah's Stories | 100 XP | xx012FB1 |
|
|
Things to Come! | Hear 5 References to Future Add-ons | 75 XP | xx012FB2 |
Notes
- Installing Dead Money raises the level cap by 5, as with all story add-ons.
- The point of no return is at the end of the bunker with the radio. The Courier can't leave the Sierra Madre until they complete the story.
- Companions cannot follow the player character to the Villa; they will be dismissed upon reaching the end of the hall.
- One can explore the Sierra Madre as much as they like after completing the story, but will not be able to return after leaving. You can return using console commands; using noclip with tcl through the radio at the Abandoned Brotherhood of Steel Bunker, one will find a "Door to Villa." Using that door will take the player character back to the Villa, with all the Ghost People still alive, holograms working, etc. One even gets to keep their items. One can also use player.moveto ref id to teleport any living companions, though they won't be approachable as they disappear after a certain point in the story.
- The player can still spend Sierra Madre Chips after returning to the Mojave Wasteland at a Sierra Madre Vending Machine in the abandoned BoS bunker. One can still turn in Cartons of Cigarettes, Packs of Cigarettes and items of apparel to receive more chips and buy cheap supplies. There is also a dropbox near the door, which provides a Complimentary Voucher (a value of 1,000 chips) and 100 chips every three days. The chips will stockpile: for example, after 6 days, there will be 2 complimentary vouchers and 200 chips.
- Fast travel cannot be used while inside the Sierra Madre.
- If playing in Hardcore Mode, the sleep meter does not advance, unless the Courier sleeps. There may be a considerable delay before this happens.
- All quest items will be kept, including items such as the Rebreather.
- A recipe for stimpaks can be found during one of the first quests, inside the Clinic.
- Once Dead Money is completed, the radio signal of the Sierra Madre will remain, but Vera Keyes has different dialogue at the end.
Behind the Scenes
Main article: Dead Money Developer Statements
- According to Jason Fader, Chris Avellone tasked the team with watching films that were "relevant to the story/design" of the add-on, including Lifeboat, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Cube and Battle Royale.[Dev 1] Avellone added that Cube played a "key part" in the add-on's design.[Dev 2]
- Chris Avellone wrote the Dead Money Design Breakdowns blog detailing the thought process behind design decisions that went into the game.[2]
- When asked if Dead Man's Hand was the original title for Dead Money, Chris Avellone stated that it was but that the rights couldn't be acquired. As a result, the name Dead Money was chosen instead.[Dev 3]
- A challenge named Dead Man's Hand is present in the add-on, requiring the player to collect two Sierra Madre Ace of Spades and 8 of Clubs cards, as well as one Queen of Clubs card. This card combination is a real life poker hand of the same name.
- According to Robert Lee, he came up with the name Dead Money for the DLC.[Ext 1]
- Avellone also said that Dead Money was survival horror experience centered on greed and human nature for themes. He stated: "in short, I wanted miracle items like Stimpaks to feel amazing again rather than cause players to shrug." According to him, Joe Sanabria worked with level designers to have the art and design reinforce each other which for Dead Money meant reinforcing isolation, terror, obscuring the player's view, claustrophobia, and greed, which was reflected in the decaying casino, companion personalities, and graffiti.[Ext 2]
- Pilot Studio worked on cover art for the add-on.[Ext 3]
- GDC 2012 Talk
Bugs
See also: Dead Money bugs
Gallery
A ghost person
Christine Royce
The Courier firing at a ghost person
A ghost person
A ghost person attacking
Dog and God
Dean Domino
Dog and God inside his cell at the beginning of the add-on
A hologram
Christine Royce
The Sierra Madre sign after the Great War
The Sierra Madre sign before the Great War
Cover art for Xbox 360
Steam banner
Logo used throughout Dead Money
Sierra Madre's casino before the cloud
Unused
Official trailer
Fallout New Vegas Dead Money DLC Trailer HD
References
- ↑ Courier: "What do you mean about the Sierra Madre broadcast?"
Dean Domino: "Well, Vera's beautiful voice doesn't run on casino power, exactly. Her broadcast is tied into the emergency broadcast signal for the Sierra Madre. You know, in case of attack? Well, guess what - the night of the Gala Event, the emergency signal went out all right. But because the broadcast had been hooked up to the Gala Event, instead of an emergency signal, you get Vera's voice on the radio. Great, huh?"
Courier: " So... it's not a invitation, it's a call for help."
Dean Domino: "Yeah. The Sierra Madre's last song, one only a few people are ever going to hear. A little sad, but what can you do?"
(Dean Domino's dialogue) - ↑ Obsidian Blog (Archived)
- ↑ Jason Fader: "Dead Money was all from the mind of the great Chris Avellone! He drew from some classic stories and could probably explain the origins of it better than I could. Sadly, I wasn't involved with that DLC too much (jumped over halfway through) since I still had stuff to wrap up on FNV/patch planning.
It was a really fun experience as Chris gave the team a neat homework assignment of watching movies that would be relevant to the story/design (Battle Royale, Cube, Lifeboat, Treasure of the Sierra Madre). I hosted a few movie nights for the team to watch some of these and it was a blast! :-D"
(Fallout: New Vegas Developer Statements; Jason Fader: Dead Money Inspiration, 2012 July 20) - ↑ Question: "@ChrisAvellone Knowing Cube helped inspire Dead Money just had me geek out all the more. Awesome."
Chris Avellone: "I fucking loved that movie, problems and all, but yes, it was definitely a key part of the Dead Money design."
(Fallout: New Vegas Developer Statements; Chris Avellone: Dead Money Inspiration, 2020 March 5) - ↑ Question: "@ChrisAvellone is it true that Dead Money was originally intended to be called "Dead Man's Hand" but had to use "Dead Money" due to copyright issues?"
Chris Avellone: "Yes. Bethesda assured us they could get Dead Man's Hand through. Then after trying, they assured us they couldn't get it. Then they said they could assuredly could get another name through, and that name was most assuredly Dead Money."
(Fallout: New Vegas Developer Statements; Chris Avellone: Dead Money Different Title, 2023 May 17)
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