The Statistics here are taken from FCS. Skills will be multiplied by the racial multiplier. Players should also be aware that non-player characters also level up while fighting.
The player can take the Dust King's bounty early on by hiring Mercenaries as bodyguards from the nearby Waystation. The Mercenaries can defeat the King and his guards (lockpicking the gate helps limit the amount of time Mercenaries are being shot by the turrets) within the one-day contract, and the player can collect his bounty for profit and strong early-game equipment. It is suggested to do this in the morning to give plenty of time before Dust Bandit patrols return and reinforce the tower.
On occasion, the bandit forces inside the tower won't be aggroed by your party when fighting the guards outside. It's possible to fight just a part of the group, retreat to heal, rinse and repeat. As none of the bandits carry bandages, cutting weapons are extremely useful.
Trivia
The Dust King was able to spawn as a Shek in previous versions of the game.
Dust King has an exceptional World State condition whereby it requires him to be killed, and ONLY if he is killed to work. Unlike many other characters, which could also be achieved if they are imprisoned. This implies that his faction is strong and/or loyal enough to function normally without its leader.
