Tribals are generally groups with a primitive age lifestyle (although some exceptions exist), with their own beliefs, culture, customs and sometimes with their own language. Their identity is determined by culture and lineage rather than by geography. Only humans have seem to become tribal. Tattoos are common as one of their traditions, generally used to signify honors, victories or status more than just decoration. Many tribal cultures include the domestication of dogs.
Joshua Graham describes tribes as "families of families". Tribes, for the most part, avoid living in pre-War ruins and instead settle in small villages or rural areas. Pre-War cities and settlements are usually, but not always, avoided and are often treated as taboo. They usually have a religious or mythologized worldview, in contrast to the more cynical and scientific views held by city-dwellers. As a result, they often venerate places like Vault 13 or Zion Canyon that are significant to their history. This mystical worldview and their disconnect from the pre-War world have led to tribals being underestimated or even mistreated as they often appear backwards and uneducated. Members of tribes such as the Boomers and New Canaanites that do not fit the stereotype are often not regarded as tribals at all and are exceptions with the standard definition.
- Arroyo tribe (2167-2242)
- Jackals (only remains in the Mojave Wasteland, obliterated by the NCR)
- Khans (later called New Khans in Fallout 2 eventually migrated to the Mojave Wasteland, last fully organized raider tribe that originated from Vault 15)
- Oregon's cannibals
- Primitive Tribe
- Vipers (only remains in the Mojave Wasteland, decimated by the Brotherhood of Steel)
- Beastlords (obliterated by the Midwestern Brotherhood of Steel in 2197)
- Brahmin Wood tribe
- Dirt Haven tribe
- Whachutu (Peoria tribe)
- The Kings
- Boot Riders (until 2274, after became the Chairmen)
- Fiends (Though only considered raiders, they share many tribal customs such as splintering into bands, some going cannibalistic, and wearing tribal related clothing)
- Great Khans
- Jackals ( A petty tribe of raiders heavily weakened by the NCR)
- Vipers ( A petty tribe of raiders heavily weakened by the Brotherhood of Steel)
- Slither Kin (until 2274, after became the Omertas)
- Mojave's cannibals (until 2274, after became the White Glove Society)
- Blackfoot (assimilated into Caesar's Legion)
- Crazy Horns Honest Hearts (wiped out by the White Legs, slavers, raiders, and prospectors)
- Cyrus' tribe (obliterated by the remains of the Master's Army sometime after 2162) Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel
- Daughters of Hecate/Hounds of Hecate Van Buren
- Dead Horses Honest Hearts
- Fredonians (assimilated into Caesar's Legion)
- Hangdogs (assimilated into Caesar's Legion)
- Hidebarks (assimilated into Caesar's Legion)
- Iron Lines
- Kaibabs (assimilated into Caesar's Legion)
- Lucius' Tribe (assimilated into Caesar's Legion)
- New Canaanites
- Painted Rock (assimilated into Caesar's Legion)
- Ridgers (wiped out by Caesar's Legion)
- Sorrows Honest Hearts
- Sun Dogs (assimilated into Caesar's Legion)
- Tar Walkers Honest Hearts (wiped out by by the White Legs, slavers, raiders, and prospectors)
- Twin Mothers tribe (destroyed or assimilated by Caesar's Legion)
- Twisted Hairs (assimilated into Caesar's Legion)
- Vulpes Inculta's tribe (assimilated into Caesar's Legion)
- White Legs Honest Hearts (prospect for assimilation into Caesar's Legion)
- 80s Honest Hearts
One tribal group appears in Fallout, located in southern California, the Khans. This band raider-tribals live their lifestyle on the mongol warriors. Two raider-tribal factions are also mentioned, the Vipers with their shamanistic nature and the Jackals with their savage and cannibalistic nature. They were both obliterated in time but their remnants appear in Fallout: New Vegas. They originated from Vault 15 with the Khans, and are culturally based upon early human cultures.
In Fallout 2, the Chosen One was born and begins his quest in the Arroyo tribe, as a tribal descendant of 