How to Populate Your Vault: A Comprehensive Guide to Getting More Dwellers in Fallout Shelter

Expanding your vault is crucial for progress in Fallout Shelter. A larger population not only allows you to operate more rooms and generate more resources, but it also opens doors to new possibilities within the game. So, how do you get more people in your vault? The primary ways to attract and grow your vault population involve a combination of attracting outsiders and good old-fashioned breeding! Here’s a breakdown of all the methods:

1. Lunchboxes: Opening lunchboxes offers a chance to randomly gain a new dweller. These can be earned through quests, completing objectives, or by purchasing them with real money. While not guaranteed, lunchboxes are a great way to occasionally supplement your population.

2. Radio Room: Building a Radio Room allows you to broadcast a signal that can attract new dwellers to your vault. The more upgraded the room, and the more skilled your dwellers are in it, the more effective the signal will be at pulling in fresh faces.

3. Refugee Arrivals: Refugees randomly appear at your vault door throughout the game. These arrivals are more common during the early stages but will still occur sporadically as you progress. Always welcome these new arrivals, as they bring much-needed manpower and potential gene diversity!

4. Breeding Dwellers: The most consistent way to increase your vault population is through breeding. Pair male and female dwellers in Living Quarters, and after a waiting period, they’ll produce a new vault dweller. Making sure your dwellers are happy in the Living Quarters is critical to the success of this process.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Vault Dwellers

Let’s dig deeper into the nuances of vault dwellers with some common questions:

How do I keep my dwellers happy?

Dweller happiness is crucial for productivity and well-being within your vault. Here’s how to keep your dwellers smiling:

• Assign the right jobs: Match dwellers to rooms that utilize their highest SPECIAL stat. (Strength for Power, Perception for Water, etc.)
• Monitor health: Provide stimpacks to heal injuries and RadAway to remove radiation.
• Room placement: Make sure they’re not getting too far to travel to their assigned positions, putting them nearby the place they like to work will help their well-being.
• Rush Rooms Judiciously: Rushing rooms can boost happiness briefly after the initial bonus.

How do I make dwellers give birth?

To successfully have baby dwellers, follow these steps:

• Place a male and female dweller in the Living Quarters.
• Ensure both dwellers are happy.
• Make sure there is sufficient space in your vault; if no room is available, the dwellers won’t start to procreate. If needed, upgrade your existing Living Quarters or add new ones.

How often do new dwellers arrive?

New dwellers will typically come on their own (radio, refugees) every 6 to 12 hours. This can be impacted by things you do in-game. There are other ways to get more dwellers, such as time manipulation. Time manipulation is when you alter your device’s clock settings to speed up resource generation and attract new dwellers more quickly.

Why are my dwellers not arriving?

If you’re finding your vault isn’t growing, it’s often due to the lack of effort on your side to recruit. Dwellers don’t often appear on their own. You must actively use the Radio Room, send dwellers out on quests or breed dwellers to increase the population within your vault.

What happens when a dweller has 0 happiness?

While it might seem dramatic, dwellers at 0 happiness don’t do anything severe. They may not work to their full capacity, but they don’t commit suicide. Even with zero happiness, you still collect basic resources and can potentially earn a lunchbox after a week. So, don’t let dweller unhappiness scare you away from experimenting.

How long is a dweller pregnant in Fallout Shelter?

After becoming pregnant, a dweller will deliver her baby in three hours. During this time, the pregnant dweller can still work in the vault but cannot fight or tend to disasters. It is advisable to place them in a safe and secure area of the vault when disasters occur.

How can I get “super” babies?

“Super” or rare babies are the result of combining max stats. Breed parents with a combined SPECIAL of 122 or higher for a chance at a rare child. Parents with maxed SPECIAL stats (140) have the highest chance (around 6.6% for legendary and 13.3% for rare).

Do dwellers age and die of old age in Fallout Shelter?

No, dwellers do not die of old age. They will remain in your vault permanently unless they perish in combat or from other disasters within the vault.

Why is my dweller’s happiness stuck at 75%?

Dwellers placed in the wrong rooms typically hover around 75% happiness. Assign dwellers based on their highest SPECIAL stat to achieve optimal happiness. Once the dweller is around 90% you can rush the room for the additional 10%.

Can pregnant dwellers work?

Yes, pregnant dwellers can work and be equipped with outfits and weapons, but they cannot engage in combat. Keep them safe from dangers and keep them working at the same time.

What is the Mysterious Stranger in Fallout Shelter?

The Mysterious Stranger randomly appears in your vault rooms or elevators and plays a distinct sound when he arrives. Tap him quickly for a cap bonus, the speed of tapping will earn you a higher reward!

Are there any cheats in Fallout Shelter?

Yes, there are limited cheats in Fallout Shelter. These are not ways to get infinite resources. Primarily they are ways to manipulate the system (for instance, the aforementioned time manipulation method).

How do I know which room to assign my dweller to?

Check each dweller’s SPECIAL stats to find the ideal room. You can also drag them to different rooms to see the impact they have on the room’s production rating, allowing for easy adjustment based on performance.

Do dwellers heal over time?

Dwellers only heal gradually if their food supply is high. Stimpacks, leveling up, and RadAway are the other options to heal or clear radiation.

Can siblings breed in Fallout Shelter?

No, direct siblings cannot breed with each other. The game recognizes family relationships and prevents direct siblings from creating new vault dwellers. However, half-siblings can still breed as the game only recognizes the parent relation in the game.

Conclusion

Growing your vault’s population is the key to a thriving community in Fallout Shelter. By strategically using a mix of attracting new dwellers, breeding, and maintaining your vault’s resources, you will develop an effective team that can conquer any challenge. Experiment with the different methods, optimize your dweller assignments, and watch your vault flourish.