To ensure the prosperity of a Fallout Shelter Vault, it is essential to recruit new Vault Dwellers who can contribute to the production of resources and the overall expansion of the underground community. These Dwellers play a vital role in the success of any Vault by working in various rooms to generate essential resources like food, water, and power. Fortunately, there are multiple effective methods to attract more Dwellers to join your society beneath the surface.
There are four primary ways to acquire new Dwellers: childbirth, radio recruitment, Lunchboxes, and quests in the wasteland. While childbirth may be the initial choice for players due to the starting population of twelve Dwellers in every Vault, expanding the population significantly requires attracting new residents from the wasteland through the radio and recruiting individuals via quests.
The simplest approach for players to increase their Vault Dwellers is by pairing a male and female Dweller in a living room to initiate childbirth. The duration of pregnancy for the female Dweller depends on the couple’s Charisma SPECIAL stat, lasting three hours in real-time, followed by an additional three hours for the child Dwellers to reach adulthood. However, assigning Dwellers to a living room restricts them from fulfilling other roles within the Vault, such as resource production.
Additionally, Dwellers can be dispatched to explore the wasteland and partake in quests to recruit new members. Quests offer valuable rewards like weapons, outfits, and pets, with the possibility of encountering legendary figures like Sarah Lyons from Fallout 3. These quests not only enhance the gameplay experience but also provide opportunities to expand the Vault’s population with unique and skilled individuals.