Recommended Order to Play Fallout 3 DLC
If you want to get the most powerful gear to aid the main quest along with logical story flow in Fallout 3, I recommend playing the DLCs in this order:
- Operation Anchorage
- The Pitt
- Broken Steel
- Point Lookout
- Mothership Zeta
Why Play Operation Anchorage First
Operation Anchorage sends the player on a military virtual reality simulation with an Alaska battlefield setting. By completing this storyline, you‘re rewarded with the best armor in Fallout 3 – the indestructible winterized T-51b power armor, along with unique tesla armor upgrades. This glitched power armor never degrades so you can wear it for the rest of the game.
Since Operation Anchorage unlocks such overpowered gear so early on, it should be played first to give you an advantage for the rest of Fallout 3‘s main quest.
The Pitt‘s Melee Weapon Rewards
The Pitt brings the player to a hellish Pittsburgh steel yard landscape filled with slaves, raiders, trogs and moral dilemmas. By finishing this intense industrial dungeon and making a difficult leadership decision for The Pitt, you‘ll obtain three uniquely powerful melee weapons:
- Auto Axe – High tech battle axe dealing 73 damage
- Steel Saw – Revved up chainsaw dealing 62 damage
- Man Opener – Hooked machete dealing 52 damage
Plus steel ingots for high value crafting only found here. Go to The Pitt second to snag these melee rewards after the winterized power armor.
How Broken Steel Alters the Ending
Broken Steel changes the default ending of Fallout 3 so you can keep playing after finishing the main quest line by increasing the level cap from 20 to 30. This lets your character continue to improve skills and perks. Broken Steel also unlocks new areas like Adams Air Force Base to fight the game‘s most difficult enemies for fantastic loot.
I recommend playing Broken Steel third so you can get the most playtime out of your powered up character. The gear you earned from Operation Anchorage and The Pitt will also make the epic final mission against the Enclave more achievable.
Point Lookout for Late Game Enemies
The Point Lookout DLC brings eerie new enemies like tribal conjurers and swamp lurks that utilize poison damage making them difficult to face early on. With your enhanced power armor and melee options from the earlier DLC content, Point Lookout‘s challenging enemies will be more feasible to conquer. Plus unique gear rewards like a scoped lever-action rifle, double barrel shotgun, and more await you in the backwater island location.
Battle Aliens with Max Stats in Mothership Zeta
Mothership Zeta concludes Fallout 3 with the most epic DLC storyline, providing a fitting climax for your wanderer‘s journey. You‘re abducted by aliens face off against menacing extraterrestrial forces using otherworldly weapons you unlock like the shocksword and alien blaster pistol.
By completing the previous DLC content, your power armor, melee weapons, levels, and perks will all be maxed out – making storming the mothership and confronting the alien captain as climatic as possible on your road to saving the Capital Wasteland.
By playing the Fallout 3 DLCs in the order of Operation Anchorage, The Pitt, Broken Steel, Point Lookout, and finally Mothership Zeta – you‘ll power up your character with gamebreaking gear first, fight logically progressing late game enemies, extend your playtime, and end on an unforgettably epic note.
I highly recommend all Fallout 3 fans give this DLC order a try for the ultimate Wasteland adventure! What was your favorite DLC experience? Let me know in the comments!
