Ulysses Ford



Ulysses Ford worked as a family physician for over thirty years and retired about a year ago. When the outbreak hit, he ran into Darlene Lumpkin as the two were fleeing San Antonio. When a traffic jam mired the highways and a group of undead started attacking the motorists, they were able to save Harold Kyun and Isobel Dee before fleeing. When you meet him, Ford is the leader of this other group, and - while not totally interested in joining up with you - interested in trade.

Recruitment
Ford can be recruited with Darlene Lumpkin, Isobel Dee, and Harold Kyun. Your first chance to recruit them is if you agree to their food exchange, and the meeting goes off well - if you have a Negotiation skill of 8 or more, you'll be able to successfully ask Ford and his team (including Harold and Isobel) to join you. If the player wasn't able to recruit Ford then, he and Darlene will show up later and ask to join the Shelter. Don't shoo them off, and they'll join up.

Events

 * On Day 48, Ford will show up at the Shelter gate asking to trade 40 food supplies for 50 medical supplies. If you have a Negotiation skill of 4 or more, you can talk him down to 30. The next day, head to the location he calls out, and peacefully make the trade. Before he leaves, ask them to return with you. If you have a Negotiation skill of 8 or more, you'll be able to get him to consider it; follow up with asking him to give you a chance, and he'll agree to join. If you don't have that skill, just be polite, and he'll leave for the moment.
 * If you weren't able to get Ford to join up earlier, on day 58 he'll return with Darlene, hurt and asking to be let into the Shelter.
 * The second day Ford is in the Shelter, he'll come up to you and admit he doesn't want to be a leader anymore, and wants to focus on being a doctor.
 * If Ford has been in the Shelter for nearly a month, he'll say people seem to be showing signs of post-traumatic stress disorder, and suggests treating them with Soothinium. If you refuse, he'll lose a significant amount of Mood. If you agree, he'll gain some Mood. If you talk to him in the Shelter with the 6 bottles of Soothinium, he'll take them and gain some Mood, and the Shelter will get a Morale boost of 50.
 * If you've met Jefferson Claude, the militia leader, Ford will caution you not to attack them.
 * If Darlene is killed, Ford will ask to give her a funeral. You can either spend parts (if you have them), earning him a Mood boost, or if you have Negotiation of 5 or above, say the parts can't be spared but that she can hold a service, resulting in a Mood boost. If you refuse any kind of service, he suffers a medium Mood penalty and walks away.

Special Requests
Luxury Items Upgrade
 * Coffee Beans
 * Medical Marijuana
 * Infirmary

Stats

 * See also Ally Stats.

Survivors develop their skills over time, these stats represent their starting point.

Ford almost immediately maxes out his Medical skill, then puts points into multiple skills across the board, especially Science, Leadership, and Survival. His stats focus on Perception, Agility, and Vigor.

Traits
Initial
 * Doctor: "Ford's extensive medical expertise allows patients to heal 20% faster when he's working the Doctor job the Shelter."
 * Medical Authority: "Ulysses is such a respected medical professional that his experience grants the Shelter an additional 3 Morale per day."
 * Intensive Care: "This ally enjoys having an infirmary in the Shelter, and will gain a one-time Mood boost after it is completed."

Play Style
Although his medium damage and high Horror threshold make him decently survivable in the field, his traits and high Medical score make him perfectly suited to hanging out in the infirmary as a doctor.

Ulysses will react negatively to killing neutral survivors.

Trivia

 * Age: 65
 * Hometown: San Antonio, TX
 * Subleader Supported: Vic
 * Shelter Location: First floor, infirmary
 * Ford is one of the few survivors who do not seem to get sick.
 * Ulysses Ford is another one of the characters referred to primarily by his last name.
 * Ford's visual reference is actor Peter Fonda (most specifically in his role in Ulee's Gold)

Originally you had to bring food to the encounter, but in the final game release you did not have too. Reason was obvious: you couldn't take food with you from the shelter. Hence you do not need to worry about taking any food with you. Just go to the encounter.