Doctor Rasmussen Decision Guide: Kill vs. Spare in “A Most Extraordinary Specimen” Quest

Inez’s companion quest “A Most Extraordinary Specimen” throws one of those classic RPG moral dilemmas at you: Do you let your companion take revenge on someone who arguably deserves it, or do you convince them to take the pragmatic route that might lead to greater good down the line?

Doctor Giles Rasmussen isn’t exactly sympathetic. You’ve just fought through his secret grafting lab on Cloister, discovered evidence of horrific experiments on unwilling patients, and now he’s standing there trying to justify it all with the “greater good” defense. Inez wants him dead for what happened to her friend Trooper Ortiz. You have the power to let that happen—or stop it.

Here’s the kicker: This isn’t just about roleplaying morality. Your choice here has tangible mechanical consequences that affect Inez’s combat effectiveness, unlocks different grafting upgrades, and even determines whether you get access to a completely separate follow-up questline.

Let’s break down both outcomes so you can make an informed decision.

The Setup: Finding Doctor Rasmussen in the Hidden Lab

Before we dive into the choice itself, here’s the context:

After receiving a distress signal from one of Inez’s contacts, you’re sent to investigate a secret grafting laboratory on Cloister. As you explore, the full horror of what’s been happening here becomes clear—this wasn’t just medical research. Rasmussen has been conducting unauthorized, dangerous experiments on patients who trusted him.

When you finally confront him, he doesn’t deny what he’s done. Instead, he tries to rationalize it: the sacrifices these people made were necessary to advance grafting technology that will save countless lives in the future. It’s utilitarian ethics at its most morally bankrupt.

Inez, understandably, wants to put a bullet in him. The question is whether you’ll let her.

Important note: Make sure you’ve checked the terminal in the room with the body in the tank before this confrontation. This unlocks critical dialogue options that make convincing Inez much easier.

Outcome 1: Killing Doctor Rasmussen (The Revenge Route)

If you side with Inez’s desire for vengeance and let her kill Rasmussen, here’s what happens:

What You Get:

Mechanical Augmentation for Inez:

• Allows Inez to use her companion ability more frequently
• Cooldown reduction for her special skill
• Useful in extended combat situations

Doctor’s Keycard:

• Loot from Rasmussen’s body
• Grants access to previously locked areas of the lab
• Lets you collect any remaining loot and research materials

Immediate Closure:

• Inez gets revenge for Trooper Ortiz
• She feels satisfied with the outcome
• The quest wraps up cleanly with no loose ends

The Drawbacks:

Let’s be honest: The Mechanical Augmentation is the weakest of the three possible upgrades you can get for Inez from this quest. Reducing ability cooldowns is nice, but it doesn’t fundamentally change how you use her in combat. If you’re optimizing your companion abilities and builds, this is the upgrade you want to avoid.

More importantly, killing Rasmussen cuts off access to a follow-up questline that takes you to new locations and provides additional story content. You’ll never meet Willard Konnen, VP of Experimental Operations at Auntie’s Choice, and you’ll miss out on the “Half-Truths in Advertising” quest that sends you to Praetor.

When This Choice Makes Sense:

• You’re roleplaying a character who values justice over pragmatism
• You don’t care about min-maxing companion upgrades
• You want Inez to have emotional closure
• You’re not concerned about accessing every quest in the game

Outcome 2: Sparing Doctor Rasmussen (The Pragmatic Route)

Convincing Inez to spare Rasmussen requires more work, but the payoff is significantly better.

Debunking the Speech Check Myth:

Despite what you might read elsewhere, you do NOT need Speech level 17 to spare Rasmussen. There’s a specific dialogue path that lets you achieve this outcome without any skill checks at all, as long as you’ve done your homework in the lab.

The Exact Dialogue Path (No Speech Check Required):

Follow these responses in order during the confrontation:

1. “Nice try. We found records that prove he underwent surgery here.”
   • (Only appears if you checked the terminal with the body in the tank)
2. “What were you trying to do with Ortiz and the others?”
3. “Got any proof of that?”
4. “Enough about you. Show me one good thing you’ve done for other people.”
5. “Do you have a graft that could help Inez?”
6. “This could be your way to prove yourself. Let’s at least hear him out.”
7. “His research could help so many others. The good might just outweigh the bad.”
8. “This is a personal choice, Inez. I’ll stand by whatever you decide.”

Critical: If you deviate from this dialogue sequence, Inez may kill Rasmussen regardless. The only way to guarantee success outside this path is to pass the Speech 17 skill check on the final dialogue option—but if you follow the steps above, you don’t need it.

What You Get for Sparing Rasmussen:

Two Superior Grafting Parts:

1. Ursopod Grafting Part
   • Reduces incoming damage when Inez’s ability is active
   • Defensive upgrade that improves survivability
   • Best for players who use Inez as a tank or frontline fighter
2. Mantiqueen Grafting Part
   • Summons a Mantiswarm hive for crowd control
   • Excellent for dealing with groups of enemies
   • Best for players facing multiple opponents regularly

You get to choose one of these when you return to Ethel’s Lab on Paradise Island. Unlike the Mechanical Augmentation, both of these upgrades meaningfully change how Inez functions in combat.

Follow-Up Questline:

After fitting the graft, Ethel Tinsley reveals that Willard Konnen, VP of Experimental Operations at Auntie’s Choice, wants to speak with you. She gives you her keycard to access Head Office Tower on the ACS Undisputed Claim.

When you meet Konnen, he grants you the quest “Half-Truths in Advertising,” which takes you to Praetor for a mission briefing. This is entirely new content that you’ll miss if you kill Rasmussen.

Additional Context:

Ethel also clarifies that she would have never approved of Rasmussen’s methods, distancing herself from his unethical practices while acknowledging the potential value of his research when conducted properly. This conversation adds nuance to the faction politics between Auntie’s Choice and independent researchers.

Which Grafting Part Should You Choose for Inez?

If you spare Rasmussen, you’ll need to decide between the two grafting upgrades:

Ursopod Grafting Part (Defensive):

Choose this if:

• You frequently send Inez into direct combat
• You’re playing on higher difficulties where damage mitigation matters
• Your own character is ranged and you need Inez to hold aggro
• You want her to survive longer in extended fights

Mantiqueen Grafting Part (Offensive):

Choose this if:

• You face large groups of enemies regularly
• You value crowd control over raw survivability
• Your playstyle involves dealing with multiple threats simultaneously
• You want more active combat abilities rather than passive defense

Personally, I lean toward the Mantiqueen option for most builds. Crowd control is universally useful, whereas damage reduction only matters when Inez is getting hit—which you can often avoid through positioning and tactics. But if you’re struggling with companion survivability, the Ursopod upgrade is perfectly viable.

For more thoughts on optimizing your entire party composition, check out the complete companions guide.

The Recommended Choice: Spare Doctor Rasmussen

From both a mechanical and content perspective, sparing Rasmussen is objectively the better choice for most players.

Why this matters:

✅ Better companion upgrades – Either the Ursopod or Mantiqueen graft is superior to the Mechanical Augmentation

✅ Additional quest content – You unlock “Half-Truths in Advertising” and gain access to new story material

✅ More flexible – You choose from two upgrade options instead of being locked into one

✅ Faction implications – Keeps Rasmussen alive to work with Ethel, which has minor reputation effects

✅ Content completionism – Essential if you’re aiming for 100% achievement completion

The only real argument for killing Rasmussen is pure roleplaying preference. If you’re committed to playing a character who prioritizes emotional justice over strategic advantage, that’s completely valid. The Outer Worlds 2 respects that choice—it just makes sure you understand you’re trading mechanical benefits for narrative satisfaction.

Common Questions & Troubleshooting

“I can’t get the first dialogue option about records. What did I miss?”

You need to interact with the terminal in the room containing a body in a tank. This is in the lab before you reach Rasmussen. If you rushed past it, you’ll need to backtrack or reload a save.

“Inez killed him even though I followed the dialogue path. What happened?”

Make sure you’re following the EXACT sequence listed above. Even small deviations can result in Inez choosing violence. If you skipped any steps or chose different options earlier in the conversation, it can lock you out of the peaceful resolution.

“Is the Speech 17 check easier than the dialogue path?”

No. The Speech check is harder for most players because it requires significant skill point investment in a social stat. The dialogue path works regardless of your build, making it the more accessible option.

“Can I change my mind about which graft to choose later?”

No. Once you select a grafting part at Ethel’s Lab, you’re locked into that choice for the playthrough. Choose carefully based on your combat style.

Related Companion & Quest Guides

Since “A Most Extraordinary Specimen” is a companion quest with faction ties, these resources will help you navigate related content:

Companion Guides:

• All Companions Recruitment Guide – Locations & Abilities
• Pets Guide – How to Get, Unlock & Change Companions

Choice & Faction Guides:

• Inez Graft Choice – Raptidon Skeleton vs Crabble
• Aunties Choice vs Order Ascendant – Trust Guide
• All Factions Guide – How to Join & Reputation
• Kaur vs Milverstreet Choice – Fairfield Decision

Other Major Choices:

• Pinching Pupa – Wentworth vs Bradford Choice
• Vox Relay Choice – Fairfield vs Westport Space
• Savannah’s Journal Location & Uses Guide

Character Build & Progression Resources

If you’re thinking about the Speech skill investment or optimizing your character for dialogue checks:

• Best Starting Builds Guide
• Best Traits Ranked – Complete Tier List
• All Perks Complete List & Requirements
• All Backgrounds & Traits Guide
• Negative Traits Guide – Best & Worst

Final Thoughts: Revenge vs. Results

“A Most Extraordinary Specimen” is one of those companion quests that really tests your priorities as a player. Do you value immediate emotional payoff over long-term strategic advantage? Are you willing to work with morally compromised individuals if it leads to better outcomes?

The game doesn’t judge you either way, but it does reward thorough exploration and careful dialogue navigation. If you took the time to investigate the lab properly and read the terminals, you’re rewarded with the information needed to make a more informed argument to Inez. If you’ve invested in social skills, you get a safety net in case you mess up the dialogue sequence.

What I appreciate about this quest is that both choices feel valid from a roleplay perspective. Killing Rasmussen is emotionally satisfying and morally defensible—he’s a monster who tortured people in the name of progress. But sparing him opens doors (literally, in the case of the follow-up quest) that make your journey richer.

For most players, especially those who care about accessing all content or optimizing companion performance, sparing Rasmussen is the smart play. Just make sure you check those terminals before the confrontation, follow the dialogue path carefully, and choose the grafting upgrade that matches your combat style.

And if you’re doing a second playthrough? That’s when you can let Inez have her revenge and see how the alternative plays out.

More Outer Worlds 2 Quest Guides:

• Otto’s Lock Puzzle Solution – Free Market Station
• Order Initiate Scavenger Hunt Puzzle Solution
• Commander’s Safe Key Location – How to Open
• Kaur’s War Chest Location & Keycard Guide

Collectibles & Exploration:

• Science Adventures Quarterly Magazine Locations
• Cloister Excogitation Logs & Sojourners Chapel Locations
• Golden Ridge Mural Locations – Tramicular Stations
• Praetor Lightning Towers – Grounding Stations Locations

Beginner Resources:

• Beginners Guide – Tips & Tricks
• What to Do First Guide
• How Long to Beat – Main Missions & Playtime
• Max Level Cap Guide
• How to Get More Weapon Slots
• Increase Max Health Guide