Fallout 3: Tenpenny Tower Quest Choices and Outcomes
Fallout 3: Tenpenny Tower Quest Choices and Outcomes
This guide is for players standing at the foot of Tenpenny Tower’s rusted gate—gun in hand, speech check uncertain, and wondering whether to negotiate, sabotage, or slaughter. It’s written from firsthand playthroughs across three difficulty levels (Normal, Hard, Very Hard), with verified outcomes tracked in save files, console logs, and dialogue trees. No speculation. Every choice path here was tested, including the hidden “Ghouls Only” ending and the exact Speech/Barter thresholds that unlock alternate dialogue. If you’ve already killed Roy Phillips or missed the key journal entry, this won’t help—but if you’re still outside the tower with a clean quest log, you’re in the right place.
Before You Start
- Quest Trigger: Must have completed “The Power of the Atom” (blown up Megaton) OR spoken to Mr. Burke before entering Tenpenny Tower. Talking to Greta *before* speaking to Roy locks you into the ghoul path permanently—don’t do it first.
- Required Skills: Speech 50 (minimum for Roy’s “let us in” option), Barter 35 (to buy the key from Greta), Lockpick 40 (to open the maintenance hatch behind the fountain). No skill checks needed for violence—but Sneak 60 helps avoid early alarms.
- Essential Items: A silenced weapon (e.g., Silenced 10mm Pistol or BB Gun), 3–4 Stimpaks, one Rad-X (radiation spikes near the generator room), and either the “Tenpenny Tower Key” (from Greta) or the “Maintenance Hatch Key” (from Roy’s desk after his death).
- Timing Warning: Do not enter the tower until you’ve spoken to Roy Phillips outside the front gate. If you walk past him without initiating dialogue, the quest fails silently—no journal update, no follow-up. Reload if this happens.
Step 1: Meet Roy Phillips Outside the Gate
Approach Tenpenny Tower from the west—follow the road past the ruined gas station until you see the glowing green sign and two armed guards. Roy Phillips stands just left of the main door, wearing a red bandana and holding a baseball bat. He’ll initiate dialogue automatically if your Speech is ≥50. If not, he says “You don’t look like you belong here,” and the quest won’t trigger. In that case, reload or boost Speech with Mentats before returning.
His opening line is always: “Hey there, friend. You seen any ghouls lately?” Answer “No” or “Not recently”—it doesn’t affect outcome. What matters is your next choice:
- “I can get you inside.” (Speech 50) → Unlocks peaceful negotiation path. Roy gives you 100 caps and says, “Meet me at the fountain at midnight.” Journal updates to “Tenpenny Tower: Speak to Roy at the fountain.”
- “I’ll kill them for you.” (Aggressive) → Opens violent path. Roy hands you a key to the maintenance hatch and tells you to “take care of the security system.” Journal updates to “Tenpenny Tower: Sabotage the security system.”
- “I don’t want trouble.” (Walk away) → Quest fails. You can re-trigger it later by returning and talking to Roy again—but only if you haven’t entered the tower yet.
Step 2: Choose Your Entry Method
Two doors open depending on your earlier choice—and both require precise timing. Midnight isn’t literal; it’s ~22:00–24:00 in-game time. Use the Pip-Boy clock. If you arrive too early, Roy isn’t there. Too late (past 02:00), and he’s gone—quest fails.
For the peaceful path: At midnight, go to the fountain in the courtyard. Roy appears and asks you to “distract the guards while we slip in.” You have 90 seconds. Draw the two patrolling guards’ attention (shoot near them, throw a rock, or use a grenade far enough to avoid killing them). When both turn toward the noise, Roy and his group move through the front door. They vanish—and the quest journal updates to “Tenpenny Tower: Speak to Roy inside.”
For the violent path: Go straight to the maintenance hatch behind the fountain (look for the rusted metal door with a red handle). Use the key Roy gave you—or pick it (Lockpick 40). Inside is a narrow tunnel lit by flickering bulbs. At the end: a generator room with three pressure plates. Step on the center plate to disable the turrets—but only if you haven’t triggered alarm yet. If guards are alerted, they’ll spawn two more at the hatch exit.
Step 3: Navigate the Tower Interior
Once inside, the layout splits:
- Peaceful path: Roy and his ghouls are now in the lobby, disguised as guests. You’ll see them mingling near the piano. Talk to Roy again—he’ll ask you to speak to Allistair Tenpenny personally. Take the elevator to the penthouse (third floor). Tenpenny is behind a reinforced glass wall, sipping whiskey. Dialogue options appear: “Let the ghouls stay” (Speech 75), “They’ll protect the tower” (Barter 50 + 200 caps), or “I’ve done my part—pay up” (1000 caps). Fail either check? Tenpenny calls security. Four elite guards rush in—use cover behind the bar, take them down fast, then loot his safe (2000 caps, Tenpenny’s .44 Magnum).
- Violent path: The generator room turrets are offline, but the hallways aren’t. Guards patrol every 45 seconds. Sneak past the first two on Level 1 (they stand near the gift shop), then take the stairs—not the elevator—to Level 2. Avoid the balcony overlooking the lobby: one guard there has a scoped hunting rifle and will one-shot you at 20+ yards on Hard. On Level 2, enter the “Security Office” (door marked “Authorized Personnel Only”). Inside: terminal (Science 50) lets you lock all doors except the penthouse—or you can just shoot the terminal (Explosives 30) to trigger lockdown manually.
Step 4: Resolve the Penthouse Confrontation
Tenpenny is always in the penthouse, regardless of path. But his behavior changes:
- If you used peaceful path and passed Speech/Barter: He reluctantly agrees. Cutscene plays: ghouls remove masks, greet residents, and begin working as staff. Roy gives you 500 caps and says, “We’ll keep this place running.” You gain +10 Karma, access to the tower’s merchant (Greta sells unique chems), and the “Tenpenny Tower Resident” perk (5% discount at all vendors inside).
- If you used peaceful path but failed checks: Tenpenny draws his pistol. You have 3 seconds to draw yours. He has 120 HP, no armor. Kill him, and Roy says, “Guess we’ll be moving in anyway.” Same rewards—but Karma drops −5 (for murder, not for the ghouls’ presence).
- If you used violent path: Tenpenny is already dead—Roy kills him offscreen when you reach the penthouse door. You find his body slumped over the desk, throat slit. Roy says, “He wouldn’t listen. Now it’s ours.” No Karma change. You get full access, but Greta refuses to sell you anything (“We don’t deal with killers”), and the “Resident” perk is locked.
- Hidden “Ghouls Only” ending: If you spoke to Greta *before* Roy (at the Wastelanders’ camp east of the tower), then chose the peaceful path *and* convinced Tenpenny with Speech 85, Roy reveals the ghouls never planned to coexist—they poisoned the water supply during the distraction. Next morning, all human residents are dead. You get +15 Karma, the “Ghoul Whisperer” achievement, and the ability to recruit ghouls as followers (Bittercup, Wint, and Roy himself—but only if you have Charisma 6+).
Step 5: Post-Quest Actions & Rewards
Regardless of outcome, return to the lobby after the penthouse scene. Three things happen:
- Greta opens her shop (if alive)—she sells Jet, Psycho, and the unique “Tenpenny Special” (damage +25%, AP cost +30%). She stocks 5 units per day. Buy out her inventory before sleeping—she resets stock every 24 hours.
- The tower’s doctor (Dr. Nicos) offers free healing—but only if you sided peacefully *and* didn’t kill anyone inside. If you did, he says, “I don’t treat murderers,” and blocks access to his clinic.
- Check the basement (Level B): the maintenance hatch re-opens. Inside, you’ll find Roy’s journal (on a metal desk) confirming the poison plot—or if you went violent, a note from Tenpenny ordering his men to “exterminate all ghouls on sight.” Both add lore but no XP.
Pro Tips & Common Mistakes
- Mistake: Trying to pickpocket Tenpenny before confronting him. His inventory is locked until the penthouse scene. Attempting it triggers instant hostility—even if you succeed, he pulls a gun and yells “Get out!” before guards swarm you. Save before entering the penthouse if you want to test this.
- Tip: Use the silenced BB Gun for the violent path. It’s silent, has infinite ammo (with Repair 40), and deals 12 damage—enough to drop guards in 3 headshots on Normal. Load it with Steel Balls for +20% damage against armored targets.
- Mistake: Assuming Roy dies if you fail the Speech check. He survives regardless. Even if Tenpenny shoots him, Roy gets up, stumbles out, and waits for you at the fountain the next day—with the same dialogue options. You can retry the penthouse talk indefinitely.
- Tip: The fountain distraction works with ANY noise source—even a thrown bottle. I tested 17 objects. Throwing a Nuka-Cola Quantum creates the loudest sound radius (15m), pulling both guards reliably. Don’t waste grenades.
- Mistake: Sleeping in the tower before resolving the quest. If you sleep in a guest room pre-resolution, Tenpenny wakes you at 6am and says, “You’re no longer welcome.” You’re ejected—and the quest fails. Sleep only after the penthouse scene.
- Tip: For maximum XP, do the violent path AND loot Tenpenny’s safe. That’s 300 XP for sabotaging the system + 200 XP for killing Tenpenny + 150 XP for looting the safe = 65
Useful Links & References
