You've seen it. That shimmering, gold-plated, diamond-encrusted hunk of pre-war gaudiness that makes the standard Pip-Boy 3000 look like a calculator from a thrift store. Getting the Pimp-Boy 3 Billion in Fallout: New Vegas isn't just about the aesthetics, though let’s be real, the aesthetics are 90% of the draw. It's a badge of honor. It tells the Mojave that you didn’t just finish a quest; you navigated the buggy, tangled web of Freeside politics without breaking the game.
Most players stumble into the Mick & Ralph’s shop in Freeside early on and notice Mick complaining about the Omertas. He’s annoyed. He's losing business because the big shots at the Gomorrah casino stopped buying his "special" inventory. This is your hook. But if you just run into the Strip and start shooting, you’ll never see that gold plating. You have to be precise.
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The Omerta Problem: Where Most People Fail
The biggest hurdle to getting the Pimp-Boy 3 Billion is the quest "How Little We Know." This is notorious. It’s one of the most fragile scripts in the entire game, even years after release and dozens of community patches later. If you complete this quest the "wrong" way—specifically by siding with the wrong bosses or failing to talk to Mick at the exact right moment—the dialogue option for the reward simply vanishes.
Basically, you need to find out what Big Sal and Nero are planning. You'll spend a lot of time talking to Cachino, a guy who is somehow both incredibly sleazy and your only ticket to the gold.
Here is the thing: do not complete "How Little We Know" by just killing everyone. While that technically finishes the quest, it doesn't solve Mick’s supply chain issue. You need a diplomatic solution, or at least one that keeps the business relationship between the Omertas and Mick intact. You're looking for the outcome where you help Cachino take down the bosses.
Step-by-Step Through the Gomorrah Filth
First, go to Mick. Talk to him. If you don't have the initial conversation where he mentions the Omertas have stopped buying from him, the quest flag might not set correctly. Once he’s vented his frustrations, head to the Strip.
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Inside Gomorrah, you’ll meet Cachino. He’s a creep. You need to find his journal, which is tucked away in a desk in his room. You can pick the lock or pickpocket the key. Once you have it, confront him. Don't just turn him in to the bosses yet. You want to use that leverage to make him work for you.
Eventually, you'll be tasked with finding out what the bosses, Big Sal and Nero, are up to. This involves dealing with Troike and Clanden. Honestly, Clanden is a monster. Most players enjoy killing him or ruining him, and you can do that, but focus on Troike first. Troike is the one who knows about the weapons.
Dealing with the Weapons Shipment
To get your hands on the Pimp-Boy 3 Billion, the "weapons" part of the quest is vital. You need to convince Troike to destroy the shipment of guns the Omertas are hoarding. You can use Speech (usually a check of 70) or find a way to blackmailed him using his contract in Big Sal's safe.
Once the guns are blown up, go back to Cachino. He’ll take you to see the bosses. This is the climax. You’ll be in a room with Big Sal and Nero. You have a choice here. To ensure you get the reward, you need to side with Cachino and kill the two bosses.
- Tell Cachino you're ready.
- Wait for the signal.
- Paint the walls with Big Sal and Nero.
- Talk to Cachino afterward and make sure he’s taking over.
The Hand-Off and the Wild Wasteland Glitch
Now, the moment of truth. Go back to Freeside. Walk into Mick & Ralph's. If you did everything right, you should have a new dialogue option. You tell Mick that the Omertas have "new management" and will be buying from him again.
Mick will be ecstatic. He reaches under the counter and hands you the Pimp-Boy 3 Billion.
There is a weird quirk if you have the "Wild Wasteland" trait. In some versions of the game, a disco-style track will play when you equip it. Also, be aware of the "leaning" glitch. Sometimes, if your character is female or using certain armor mods, the Pimp-Boy sits at a weird angle on the wrist. It’s annoying. If it happens, you can usually talk to Mick again to swap back to the regular model and then back to the gold one to reset the animation.
Why This Quest Breaks
New Vegas is a masterpiece of branching narratives, but "How Little We Know" is its Achilles' heel. If you start the quest through the NCR (For the Republic, Part 2) or House (The House Always Wins IV) before talking to Mick, the scripts can get tangled.
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I’ve seen dozens of forum posts from people who killed Big Sal before ever talking to Troike. If you do that, the quest skips the "supply line" check. Mick won't acknowledge that you helped him. You're stuck with the rusty 3000 model forever. Well, unless you use console commands, but where’s the fun in that?
If you're on PC, the command is player.additem 00116362 1 followed by player.equipitem 00116362. But use that as a last resort. Getting it legit feels way better.
Actionable Next Steps for the Wasteland
- Check your Speech skill: Ensure it’s at least 70 before entering Gomorrah, or have some Meeting People magazines and Mentats ready to boost it.
- Save often: Create a "hard save" before you enter the Strip for the first time in a playthrough. This quest is the most likely to bug out in the entire game.
- Talk to Mick FIRST: Do not even step foot in Gomorrah until you've had the conversation with Mick about his "special" inventory being snubbed.
- Verify the Bosses are Dead: After the gunfight in the office, make sure the quest log updates specifically saying you've helped Cachino take over. If it says you failed a certain sub-objective, reload.
Once you have it, remember that the Pimp-Boy 3 Billion stays with you through the DLCs. Whether you're in the Sierra Madre or the Big Empty, you'll be the flashiest person in the wasteland. Just don't expect the extra bling to help your Sneak skill. It doesn't, but looking that good is worth the risk of being spotted.