You’re trekking up Black Mountain, dodging boulders and getting peppered by sniper fire from a bunch of angry Nightkin. Most players are just there to fix a radio or kill Tabitha. But if you don't stop at the prison building, you’re missing out on the most underrated character in the Mojave.
Raul Tejada.
Voiced by the legendary Danny Trejo, Raul is a 200-year-old Mexican vaquero turned cynical mechanic. He’s sarcastic. He’s tired. He’s seen everything from the fall of Mexico City to the rise of the NCR.
Honestly, he’s probably the most relatable guy in the wasteland. While everyone else has a grand agenda or a revenge plot, Raul just wants to fix some pipes and maybe not get shot today. But underneath that "grumpy old man" exterior is a backstory that will genuinely break your heart.
Finding the Old School Ghoul
Getting Raul isn't exactly a walk in the park. You have to head to Black Mountain, which is basically the Super Mutant capital of the Mojave.
He’s locked in the prison building. To get him out, you’ve got two options. You can use a Science skill of 100 on the terminal (good luck with that early game) or just check the other terminal in the room. Entry 6 has the password.
Once he's free, he doesn't just thank you. He offers his services with a side of heavy sass. If you’ve ever wanted a companion who calls you "boss" while subtly mocking your every life choice, Raul is your guy.
Why his perks are actually broken
Most people grab Boone because he snipes everything before you even see it. Fair. But Raul Tejada offers something much more valuable for the long haul: Regular Maintenance.
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In Fallout: New Vegas, your gear breaks. Fast. Especially if you’re using high-tier stuff like the Anti-Materiel Rifle or any plasma caster.
- Regular Maintenance: Slows down weapon and armor degradation by 33%.
- Full Maintenance: If you finish his quest a certain way, this jumps to a massive 75%.
With that active, you can basically go an entire DLC without ever looking at a repair kit. It’s a game-changer for builds that rely on fragile, high-damage weapons.
The Tragedy of the Tejada Family
Raul isn't just a mechanic. Before the bombs fell, he was a rancher at the Hidalgo Ranch outside Mexico City. He was a crack shot with a revolver and a decent grease monkey.
When the Great War happened, his ranch survived. But the refugees didn't.
Raul and his father had to fight off starving mobs just to survive. Eventually, the ranch was burned down. His entire family—parents, grandmother, siblings—died in that fire. Only Raul and his sister, Rafaela, made it out.
They spent years wandering the ruins of Mexico. Raul eventually got radiation sickness, and while he was bedridden, Rafaela went scavenging alone. She never came back. Raul found her body later, and the rage that followed turned him into a legendary gunslinger for a while.
He eventually tried to leave the violence behind. He moved to Tucson (which he hates that people call "Two-Sun"), took the name "Miguel," and tried to live a quiet life. But the wasteland always finds a way to ruin things. He tried to protect a girl named Claudia who reminded him of his sister, and well... history repeated itself.
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That’s why he’s so cynical when you meet him. He feels like he’s failed everyone he ever loved.
Completing "Old School Ghoul" Without It Glitching
This is one of the most notoriously buggy quests in the game. To trigger it, you need to talk to three specific "old timers" while Raul is with you.
- Ranger Andy in Novac: Ask him about his life and his leg.
- Corporal Sterling: Usually at Camp McCarran, but if you've finished "Three-Card Bounty," he moves to Camp Forlorn Hope.
- Loyal at Nellis Air Force Base: The Boomers' lead mechanic.
The trick is that Raul needs to initiate dialogue after you talk to them. Sometimes you have to wait a few seconds or leave the building for him to "catch" you and start his monologue.
The Big Choice: Vaquero or Mechanic?
At the end of the quest, Raul asks you what he should do with the rest of his (very long) life. Your answers throughout the quest determine his ending and his stats.
The Vaquero Path:
If you encourage him to embrace his past as a gunslinger, he puts on his old outfit—complete with a sombrero and fringe.
- The Perk: He gets the "Old Vaquero" perk, making him 33% faster with revolvers and lever-action firearms.
- The Vibe: He becomes a beast with a .44 Magnum or the Ranger Sequoia.
The Mechanic Path:
If you tell him there's more honor in fixing things and helping people, he stays in his jumpsuit but upgrades it.
- The Perk: "Full Maintenance." This is the one that gives you that 75% slower equipment decay.
- The Vibe: He finds a sort of peace, accepting that he doesn't have to be a killer to be useful.
Honestly? Most players go Vaquero because the outfit is iconic. Seeing Danny Trejo’s character in a sombrero while he blasts Legionaries is just peak New Vegas.
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What Most People Get Wrong About Raul
A common misconception is that Raul is a "bad" combat companion compared to Boone or Cass. That’s just flat-out wrong.
Raul has a base Agility of 8. If you give him a high-end revolver like Lucky or a Hunting Revolver, he is incredibly accurate. Plus, because he's a ghoul, he's immune to radiation. You can bring him into the most toxic parts of the map—like the Vault 34 reactor or the Searchlight ruins—and he won't give a damn.
Another thing? He’s a free repair shop.
If you dismiss him to his shack (not the Lucky 38), you can pay him to repair your gear to 100%. Sure, it costs caps, but if you have a high Sneak skill, there’s a classic exploit where you can pickpocket your money back right after the transaction. It's a bit cheesy, but hey, it's the wasteland.
Why He Matters in 2026
With the Fallout TV show bringing millions of new fans to the franchise, people are looking back at New Vegas with fresh eyes. Raul represents something the newer games sometimes miss: the crushing weight of time.
He’s a living bridge to the pre-war world, but he doesn't talk about it with nostalgia. He talks about it with the exhaustion of someone who has been tired for two centuries.
If you're planning a new playthrough, don't just leave him in that room at Black Mountain. Bring him along. Give him some Sunset Sarsaparilla (he actually has unique lines for it).
Your Next Steps in the Mojave
To maximize your time with Raul, here is what you should do right now:
- Go to Black Mountain immediately: You don't need a high level if you're careful. Use a Stealth Boy to bypass the mutants if you have to.
- Hold off on talking to Ranger Andy: If you talk to the three old men before recruiting Raul, it can sometimes make the quest harder to trigger. Get the ghoul first, then do the tour.
- Decide on your build early: If you're using "Built to Destroy" as a trait, you need the Mechanic ending for Raul. That 75% slow-down on degradation practically cancels out the trait’s downside.
Raul Tejada isn't just a sidekick. He’s the heart of the Mojave's history. Just... don't expect him to be happy about the walking. His knees are killing him, boss.