Friendly Deathclaws in Fallout 4: Taming the Untamable
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In the irradiated wasteland of Fallout 4, few creatures inspire as much fear and respect as the Deathclaw. These apex predators are known for their immense strength, razor-sharp claws, and relentless aggression. But what if I told you that, under certain circumstances, you can actually have a friendly Deathclaw? A Deathclaw that fights alongside you, defends your settlements, or simply chills out in a cage waiting for your command? While not exactly “friendly” in the traditional sense, these tamed or pacified Deathclaws become invaluable assets to any resourceful Sole Survivor. They essentially become allies, shifting from terrifying foe to powerful, if somewhat unpredictable, companion or protector.
How to Befriend a Deathclaw: Perks and Methods
Turning a Deathclaw into an ally in Fallout 4 isn’t a straightforward process. It requires specific perks, careful planning, and a bit of luck. There are two primary methods to get friendly Deathclaws, each with its own quirks and limitations:
1. The Wasteland Whisperer Perk: Pacification
This method involves using the Wasteland Whisperer perk, located within the Charisma skill tree. This perk allows you to pacify certain creatures, including Deathclaws, and issue commands to them. Here’s the breakdown:
- Perk Requirement: You need to invest 3 perk points into the Wasteland Whisperer perk. Rank 3 allows you to pacify creatures such as the Deathclaw. As the article states, you can do this at level 49.
- The Process: Once you have the perk, aim your weapon at a Deathclaw and press the interact button (“X” on Xbox, “Square” on PlayStation, “E” on PC). A command prompt will appear, allowing you to attempt pacification.
- Success Rate: The success rate isn’t guaranteed and is influenced by your Charisma stat and the Deathclaw’s level. You might need to try multiple times before you succeed.
- Limitations: Pacified Deathclaws have limitations. They tend to stay where they are pacified and aren’t that useful as companions because they will lose their pacification when you zone. It works best if you are only roaming in the current area.
- Practical Uses: Good for the Glowing Sea or similar locations where zoning will not be as much of a problem.
2. The Animal Friend Perk: Random Encounters and Camp Guardians
This method is less direct, but it allows you to potentially recruit Deathclaws found during random encounters to act as guards at your settlements. It involves the Animal Friend perk:
- Perk Requirement: Requires rank 3 of the Animal Friend perk.
- The Process: With rank 3 you have a chance to tame random animals, Deathclaws being one.
- Success Rate: It will vary by chance.
- Limitations: It can only be found in random encounters.
- Practical Uses: This method will give you guardian animals at your settlement for protection.
3. The Wasteland Workshop DLC: Capture and Tame Creatures
This method, unlocked by the Wasteland Workshop DLC, offers a more controlled way to acquire Deathclaws, albeit with limitations.
- Requirements: You must have the Wasteland Workshop DLC installed.
- Building the Cage: Construct a large Deathclaw cage at one of your settlements. You’ll also need a power generator to power the cage and a beta wave emitter.
- Luring the Deathclaw: The cage is baited, and you simply wait. Eventually, a Deathclaw (or other creatures, depending on the bait) will wander into the cage.
- Taming the Deathclaw: Activate the beta wave emitter. This should tame the Deathclaw, making it friendly to you and your settlers.
- Limitations: Tamed Deathclaws in cages can still break free and wreak havoc. Their “friendliness” is also somewhat conditional; they’re more like pets than true companions.
- Practical Uses: A source of settlement defense, but requires constant maintenance and monitoring.
Deathclaw Quirks and Considerations
Even with a “friendly” Deathclaw, there are several important things to keep in mind:
- Aggression: Tamed Deathclaws may still exhibit aggressive behavior toward other creatures or even settlers, particularly if provoked.
- Combat Prowess: They are extremely powerful combatants, capable of decimating most enemies with ease. However, they can also attract unwanted attention from stronger foes.
- Pathfinding: Deathclaws can sometimes have difficulty navigating indoor environments or complex terrain.
- Maintenance: Keeping a Deathclaw happy (or at least non-hostile) may require specific resources or attention.
Deathclaws in “The Devil’s Due” Quest
There is a unique situation regarding a friendly Deathclaw in the quest “The Devil’s Due”. In this quest, when you return the Deathclaw egg, the Deathclaw guarding the nest is scripted to be permanently friendly to the player character and their followers. This only applies as long as the nest is not interacted with after the egg is returned. This is a rare scripted exception to the usual rules of Deathclaw behavior. This is a specific, and unique, instance where a Deathclaw is guaranteed to be friendly due to the game’s scripting.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Friendly Deathclaws
Here are some frequently asked questions to further illuminate the topic of friendly Deathclaws in Fallout 4:
1. Can you get a Deathclaw companion without the Wasteland Whisperer or Animal Friend perks?
No, not generally. The Wasteland Whisperer or Animal Friend perks are the primary methods for pacifying or taming Deathclaws. The “Devil’s Due” quest provides one exception.
2. What level do I need to be to get the Wasteland Whisperer perk?
The article does state this, as you are able to get it at level 49. The prerequisite for the Wasteland Whisperer perk is having a Charisma stat of 9.
3. Can I have multiple Deathclaw companions at once?
Officially, no. Fallout 4 typically allows you to have only one human/ghoul/robot companion at a time, or Dogmeat and one other. Pacified or tamed Deathclaws don’t count towards this limit, but keeping multiple controlled simultaneously would be challenging due to their individual AI and potential for aggression.
4. Can I dress up my Deathclaw companion?
Unfortunately, no. You can’t equip armor or clothing to them.
5. What is the strongest type of Deathclaw in Fallout 4?
The Mythic Deathclaw is the strongest variant, boasting 1,360 hit points and high resistance to physical and energy damage. Encountering one is a serious threat, even for high-level characters.
6. Can a Deathclaw be romanced in Fallout 4?
While Fallout 4 offers romance options with several companions, Deathclaws are not among them. Your relationship with a Deathclaw will remain strictly professional (or perhaps a little less professional if it’s trying to eat you!).
7. What’s the best weapon to use against a Deathclaw if I can’t befriend it?
The article suggests the anti material rifle, the minigun, and the sniper rifle with AP rounds. These weapons provide high damage output and armor penetration, crucial for taking down a Deathclaw quickly.
8. Will my settlers attack my tamed Deathclaw?
If you’ve successfully tamed a Deathclaw using the Wasteland Workshop DLC, your settlers should recognize it as friendly. However, glitches can occur. If the Deathclaw acts aggressively towards settlers, they will likely retaliate.
9. Can I move a pacified Deathclaw to a different location?
Not easily. Pacified Deathclaws tend to stay in the area where they were pacified. Moving them requires a lot of patience and involves luring them very slowly, which can be impractical over long distances.
10. Are there any console commands to instantly tame a Deathclaw?
Yes, you can use console commands on the PC version to force a Deathclaw to become friendly. The article provides this command using the deathclaw code which is 0001db4c. You can input player. placeatme 1db4c 5 which spawns five deathclaws on top of you.
11. Does the difficulty level affect the chances of taming a Deathclaw?
No, the difficulty level primarily affects the damage you deal and receive. It doesn’t directly impact the success rate of taming or pacifying creatures.
12. Can I tame a Deathclaw in Survival Mode?
Yes, all methods of taming Deathclaws are available in Survival Mode. However, the added challenges of Survival Mode (increased enemy damage, disease, etc.) make the process significantly more difficult and risky.
13. Does having a high Charisma stat increase the chance of successfully pacifying a Deathclaw?
Yes, a higher Charisma stat generally improves your chances of succeeding at speech checks and pacification attempts. Investing in Charisma is recommended if you plan on using the Wasteland Whisperer perk.
14. What happens if my tamed Deathclaw dies?
If your tamed Deathclaw dies, it’s gone for good. There’s no way to revive it (unless you use console commands). This is a very valid reason to reload a save in some instances.
15. How do I know if I’ve successfully tamed a Deathclaw during a random encounter using the Animal Friend perk?
The game will give you a notification indicating that you’ve successfully tamed the creature. You’ll then have the option to send it to one of your settlements to act as a guard.
Conclusion: The Power and Peril of a Deathclaw Ally
Having a friendly Deathclaw in Fallout 4 can be a game-changer. Their immense power makes them invaluable allies in combat, and they can provide excellent defense for your settlements. However, taming and managing these creatures requires careful planning, the right perks, and a healthy dose of caution. Just remember, even a “friendly” Deathclaw is still a Deathclaw, and they should be treated with respect and a healthy amount of distance.
Exploring the mechanics of creature taming and AI in games like Fallout 4 offers valuable insights into game design and player interaction. To learn more about the educational aspects of gaming and how games can be used for learning, check out the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org.