Does Joining the Railroad Affect the Brotherhood? A Deep Dive into Fallout 4 Faction Dynamics
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Yes, joining the Railroad does ultimately affect your relationship with the Brotherhood of Steel in Fallout 4. While you can initially maintain positive relations with both factions, the core ideologies and endgame goals of the Railroad and the Brotherhood are fundamentally incompatible, leading to an inevitable conflict. Your choices and actions while progressing through their quest lines will determine the precise nature and timing of this conflict.
Navigating the Faction Frenzy: How Relationships Sour
The Railroad is dedicated to freeing synths and ensuring their rights, viewing them as sentient beings deserving of freedom. The Brotherhood of Steel, on the other hand, views synths as abominations – a threat to humanity that must be eradicated. This ideological clash sets the stage for a tense and volatile relationship.
Initially, you can participate in quests for both factions. You can even become a full member of both the Railroad and the Brotherhood, enjoying the benefits of both sides. However, a point of no return will eventually arise. Certain quests will force you to choose between supporting the Railroad’s mission to protect synths and supporting the Brotherhood’s mission to destroy them.
When you’re given a quest to build a device for the Brotherhood or the Railroad, you’ll need to choose which side to do it with. Choosing to do the quest with the Railroad can damage your relations with Paladin Danse, and potentially make him hostile, depending on where you are in his personal questline.
Once you commit to a specific endgame faction (Railroad, Brotherhood, or Institute), you will likely be tasked with eliminating the other factions. If you side with the Railroad, you will eventually be required to destroy the Institute and the Brotherhood of Steel. Siding with the Brotherhood has similar, though mirrored, consequences.
Avoiding the Inevitable: The Minutemen Solution
The only way to complete Fallout 4 while keeping both the Railroad and the Brotherhood of Steel alive and friendly is to pursue the Minutemen ending. This requires careful planning and a specific sequence of actions:
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Focus on the Minutemen Questline: Prioritize establishing settlements and completing quests for Preston Garvey.
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Join the Brotherhood and Railroad: Participate in their early quests, but avoid any missions that involve directly attacking or undermining the other faction.
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Progress with the Institute: Advance the Institute questline up to the point where you are forced to make a definitive choice between them and the other factions.
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Trigger the “With Our Powers Combined” Quest: By reaching a certain stage in both the Institute and Minutemen questlines, you’ll unlock a quest that allows you to side with the Minutemen to destroy the Institute, leaving the Railroad and Brotherhood intact.
This path is complex and requires precise timing. Missing a step or making the wrong choice can lock you out of the Minutemen ending and force you to choose between the other factions.
Consequences of Choosing Sides
Ultimately, siding with the Railroad guarantees the destruction of the Brotherhood of Steel, unless you specifically choose to pursue the Minutemen ending as described above. This will result in:
- Permanent Hostility: The Brotherhood of Steel will become permanently hostile towards you.
- Loss of Companions: Paladin Danse, if he is still alive, will likely become hostile or leave your service, depending on his personal questline.
- Changes to the Commonwealth: The Brotherhood’s presence in the Commonwealth will be eradicated, altering the landscape and the political dynamics of the region.
FAQs: Understanding the Railroad-Brotherhood Conflict
Can I be a member of both the Railroad and the Brotherhood of Steel simultaneously?
Yes, you can be a member of both factions simultaneously for a significant portion of the game. However, this is temporary. Eventually, their conflicting ideologies will force you to choose a side.
What happens to Paladin Danse if I side with the Railroad?
This is a complex situation tied to his personal quest, Blind Betrayal. If you complete Blind Betrayal before turning on the Brotherhood, Danse will become hostile towards you when you start attacking the Brotherhood, and you will no longer be able to use him as a companion.
Can I complete the Brotherhood ending without killing the Railroad?
No, not unless you pursue the Minutemen ending described earlier. The standard Brotherhood ending requires the destruction of the Railroad.
Can I side with the Railroad and not destroy the Brotherhood?
No, not in the standard Railroad ending. The Railroad’s endgame requires the complete eradication of the Brotherhood of Steel. However, the Minutemen offer a way to complete the game without destroying the Railroad.
What is the most peaceful ending in Fallout 4 regarding the Brotherhood and Railroad?
The Minutemen ending is the closest you can get to a peaceful outcome, as it allows both the Railroad and the Brotherhood of Steel to survive, with only the Institute being destroyed.
Are the Railroad and Brotherhood of Steel enemies from the start?
No. They become enemies depending on your actions and the quests you choose to complete. You can initially interact with both factions peacefully.
Does Danse hate you if you side with the Railroad?
It depends on your choices and where you are in the Blind Betrayal quest. If you complete his personal quest before destroying the Brotherhood, he will become hostile to you when you take actions against the Brotherhood.
Can you do the Brotherhood ending without killing the Railroad?
No, not without pursuing the Minutemen ending and carefully managing your quest progression with all factions.
Can you side with the Railroad and not destroy the Brotherhood?
No, not in the standard Railroad ending. Choosing the Railroad path almost certainly means war with the Brotherhood. Again, the exception is the Minutemen ending.
Is it better to join the Institute or the Railroad regarding the Brotherhood?
From the Brotherhood’s perspective, neither is good. Both the Railroad and the Institute are enemies of the Brotherhood. The Institute and Railroad are at the opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to their relationship with the Brotherhood of Steel.
Can the Minutemen and Brotherhood coexist?
Yes. The Minutemen are generally neutral and can coexist with almost any faction. This is why they are crucial for achieving a peaceful resolution.
What happens if I tell Desdemona I’ll side with the Railroad?
You remain a member of the Railroad, and you progress further down their quest line. This confirms your commitment to their goals.
How do you keep the Brotherhood and Railroad alive?
By pursuing the Minutemen ending and carefully avoiding quests that force you to attack either faction. This requires strategic gameplay and precise decision-making.
Should I destroy the Dark Brotherhood or join them?
The information is incorrect. The Dark Brotherhood is from the Elder Scrolls series. In Fallout 4, whether to join the Brotherhood of Steel or destroy it is a moral and strategic choice with significant consequences for the Commonwealth.
How does the Railroad destroy the Brotherhood?
The Railroad steals a Vertibird and uses it to assault the Prydwen, the Brotherhood’s airship. The player, along with Railroad operatives, fights through the Prydwen, eliminating the Brotherhood leadership and ultimately destroying the airship.
Understanding the intricate relationships between the factions in Fallout 4 is crucial for shaping the Commonwealth’s future. The choices you make will determine the fate of the Railroad, the Brotherhood of Steel, and the synths they seek to control or protect. For further insights into gaming and its impact, explore the Games Learning Society and GamesLearningSociety.org.