Deathclaw (Fallout)
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 | For an overview of deathclaw variants in the Fallout series of games, see deathclaw. |
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The Deathclaw is the most evil thing to rise out of the ashes after the war. Some say it's a powerful ghost from the war that haunts the land. It's no ghost, it's as real as you and me. It's 20 feet tall with teeth as big as your arm. It's some kind of demon that found its way here when the world was engulfed in fire.
”— Beth's dialogue file, FalloutDeathclaws are mutated creatures in Fallout and Fallout 2. They are a large, agile, and strong species of mutant horned Jackson's Chameleon.[1]
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Background
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The deathclaws were originally created before the Great War by the government to replace humans during close-combat search-and-destroy missions. They were derived from mixed animal stock and then refined by the Master, using genetic manipulation. The resulting creature is almost unbelievably fast and powerful.[2]
Around 2161, deathclaws were still mysterious and legendary creatures to many inhabitants of southern California. They could only be found in the Boneyard at the Warehouse, with a mother living there, one in a former deathclaw's nest and around the Hub, sometimes attacking caravans or travelers. Later, as the deathclaw population grew and really spread across the continent, the deathclaws stopped being perceived as legendary beasts, and started to be seen just as another dangerous creature.
CharacteristicsEdit
BiologyEdit
Deathclaws have a hunchbacked, bipedal reptilian build with long humanoid arms. They stand roughly nine to ten feet tall, with a thick and resilient hide, powerful muscles, and twelve-inch-long, razor-sharp claws that can kill almost any other creature in only a few swipes; hence their name. They have an excellent sense of smell and hearing, though their eyesight is poor. Their build gives them incredible speed, agility and strength in close combat, making them an extreme threat. Though they were originally mutated chameleons, they have lost the ability to camouflage themselves.
Deathclaws are very aggressive, territorial, and carnivorous. They typically live in small packs of around eight to twenty members led by an alpha male, who is the only one allowed to mate with the females. Deathclaws are oviparous, with the eggs typically laid in dark, sheltered locations and fiercely guarded by their mother. Young deathclaws reach maturity under the care of their parents, following them closely until they are old enough to fend for themselves.
Although they do not have vocal cords, they can growl and shout, and some seem to be able to mimic human speech much the same as a parrot does. However, normal deathclaws aren't intelligent enough to be capable of real speech.
Interestingly, deathclaws do not sharpen their claws on nearby objects, instead preferring their own nails to do the sharpening. The Lone Wanderer or Courier can witness this behavior while sneaking up on a deathclaw.
Gameplay attributesEdit
In Fallout, a deathclaw first appeared in a mission to find missing caravans: while the deathclaw was not responsible for the caravan disappearances, as some had believed, evidence in its lair did lead to the correct solution. Deathclaws had also established a nest in the abandoned warehouse district of the Boneyard, obstructing traffic between the Gun Runners and potential trading partners and making any scavenging in the area very hazardous and deadly.
- Fallout
- Deathclaws are not affected by the Animal Friend perk.
- The deathclaw located in the Deathclaw's Lair has 250 HP and grants 1000 XP.
- The Mother deathclaw located in the basement of the Deathclaw Warehouse in the Boneyard has 320 HP and grants 1500 XP.
- Fallout 2
There are two varieties of deathclaw in Fallout 2. One is the regular variety, like those found in Fallout. These are found in random encounters across the wasteland, often in groups of two to five, sometimes including young and baby deathclaws.
The other variety of deathclaw are the intelligent deathclaws occupying Vault 13, the experiments of the Enclave, mentioned above. Goris, the son of the Vault 13 pack leader Gruthar, is also a recruitable companion.
VariantsEdit
DeathclawEdit
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A regular, adult deathclaw. In Fallout, a group needs to be exterminated in the Boneyard.
| Name (Proto ID) | Statistics | DT/DR | Abilities | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Deathclaw 00000007 00000008 |
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Deathclaw spawnEdit
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Baby deathclaws, found with the mother deathclaw.
| Name (Proto ID) | Statistics | DT/DR | Abilities | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Deathclaw spawn 00000085 |
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Mother deathclawEdit
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One of the toughest deathclaws, the mother deathclaw raises the deathclaw spawn. In Fallout, one must be killed to stop the deathclaws from respawning.
| Name (Proto ID) | Statistics | DT/DR | Abilities | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Mother deathclaw 00000275 |
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Tough deathclawEdit
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The toughest deathclaw in Fallout 2.
| Name (Proto ID) | Statistics | DT/DR | Abilities | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Tough deathclaw 00000245 |
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AppearancesEdit
The deathclaw appears in both Fallout and Fallout 2. The tough deathclaw version appears only in Fallout 2.
GalleryEdit
ReferencesEdit
- ↑ Joseph (Ocjoseph.msg) in Fallout 2 says:
- "Well, let's see... Deathclaws appear to be mutated Jackson's Iguanas, the horned variety. There are a lot of similarities still present, but an even greater number of differences. The mutation factor is quite high. This species is highly intelligent, about the equivalent of an eight-year-old, with some individuals reaching human normal level. Their learning capacity is very high and they are capable of abstract thought and reasoning."
- "Well, let's see... Deathclaws appear to be mutated Jackson's Iguanas
- ↑ Deathclaws being genetically engineered before the Great War and later refined by the Master is mentioned in the Fallout 2 Official Strategies & Secrets strategy guide, written by Fallout 2 lead designer, Matt Norton, as well as in Fallout Tactics. It is unknown why the Master would genetically manipulate the deathclaws and then not use them at all for his purposes.
