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Deathclaws are some of the most frightening creatures ever encountered by settlers in the Capital Wasteland. Their speed and ferocity are matched only by the size of their claws...Fallout 3 loading screen

Deathclaws are creatures living in the Capital Wasteland in 2277. They are a large, agile, and strong species of mutant Jackson's chameleon[1] and are far more common in the Capital Wasteland than on the West Coast despite the more desolate, barren and desert-like characteristics of the wasteland.

Background[]

Deathclaws are found throughout the Capital Wasteland, creating nests, where eggs are found.

A squad of Brotherhood Outcasts were attacked by deathclaws, resulting in the deaths of every soldier except for one, who would later take on the name Branchtender Linden as a member of the Treeminders.[2]

The Enclave performed cybernetic mind-control experiments on deathclaws in the Capital region, in an attempt to create expendable and perfectly obedient soldiers.[3]

Characteristics[]

Biology[]

Deathclaws have a hunchbacked humanoid build, with a reptilian head and limbs. Their build gives them incredible speed and strength in close combat, making them an extreme threat at all times. Deathclaws lay eggs in dark, sheltered locations and are 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.

Gameplay attributes[]

Deathclaws are one of the fastest and most powerful creatures in the game. They are not, however, found in many areas around the Capital Wasteland, so their impact on where and when the Lone Wanderer travels is limited.

Variants[]

Deathclaw[]

Deathclaw

A regular deathclaw, with all of the characteristics and attributes described above.

Name (Form ID)StatisticsBehaviorAbilitiesItems
Deathclaw
0000CF9A
000C3280
00031E29
Level
12
Experience Points
?
Perception
8
Hit Points
500
Damage Resistance
0%
Aggression
Very aggressive: Will attack enemies and neutrals on sight.Icon requiredIcon requiredIcon optional
Confidence
Foolhardy: Will never flee or avoid anyone.Icon requiredIcon requiredIcon requiredIcon required
Gamebryo AI attributes#Assistance
Helps friends: Will help friends and allies.Icon requiredIcon required
Attack
Melee (100 Damage)

Enclave deathclaw[]

Enclave deathclaw

Enclave deathclaws only make appearances as Enclave camps begin to appear. Many of these camps are likely to house mind-controlled deathclaws in cages, which are just the same as regular ones, with the exception that they will not attack Enclave forces. The domestication units on their heads can be targeted and crippled, which will frenzy them. Enclave deathclaws may also be dropped off from Enclave Vertibirds, along with Enclave soldiers and sentry bots.

During the quest The American Dream, a deathclaw can be seen in a cage in Raven Rock. This deathclaw has not yet been fitted with the mind-control device and can be released from captivity with a Lockpick skill of 50. When released, it will attempt to kill anything in sight (excluding its liberator) until it runs out of other enemies to fight. It will then proceed to attack the Lone Wanderer.

During the quest Shock Value, if one receives Scribe Vallincourt's deathclaw control scrambler, the Enclave deathclaws will act as temporary followers, but if they are led too far from the transmitters of the Enclave outpost where they were stationed, their heads will explode.

Name (Form ID)StatisticsBehaviorAbilitiesItems
Deathclaw
000BCC4D
0001CF72
000AA836
xx00946B
Level
12
Experience Points
?
Perception
8
Hit Points
500
Damage Resistance
0%
Aggression
Very aggressive: Will attack enemies and neutrals on sight.Icon requiredIcon requiredIcon optional
Confidence
Foolhardy: Will never flee or avoid anyone.Icon requiredIcon requiredIcon requiredIcon required
Gamebryo AI attributes#Assistance
Helps friends: Will help friends and allies.Icon requiredIcon required
Attack
Melee (100 Damage)
Deathclaw Broken Steel
xx00223C (follower)
Level
12
Experience Points
?
Perception
8
Hit Points
500
Damage Resistance
0%
Aggression
Very aggressive: Will attack enemies and neutrals on sight.Icon requiredIcon requiredIcon optional
Confidence
Foolhardy: Will never flee or avoid anyone.Icon requiredIcon requiredIcon requiredIcon required
Gamebryo AI attributes#Assistance
Helps nobody: Will not help anyone.Icon optionalIcon optional
Attack
Melee (100 Damage)

Locations[]

Notes[]

  • Deathclaw corpses contain a deathclaw hand, a component which can be used in creating a deathclaw gauntlet.
    • Looting the hand will not alter the appearance of the dead deathclaw, and hands can be retrieved even if the deathclaw's arms were gibbed in death.
    • A single deathclaw hand can be found in the cellar of the trapper's shack at Point Lookout, in a cooler with other meat.
  • Deathclaws are classified as "abominations," and are therefore not affected by the Animal Friend perk.
  • With Broken Steel installed, random encounters with deathclaws occur far more often. At higher levels, deathclaws can be commonly seen traveling in pairs.
  • Crippling a deathclaw's leg slows it down and also prevents it from using its leaping attack, thus decreasing its combat effectiveness. Crippling a deathclaw's leg also slows it down more noticeably than most wasteland creatures, because deathclaws are bipeds rather than quadrupeds.
  • If the player remains hidden at the Enclave outpost near Dukov's Place, the Enclave deathclaw will usually go berserk and attack the Enclave soldiers, even without the deathclaw control scrambler.

Appearances[]

Deathclaws appear in Fallout 3 and in the Fallout 3 add-on Broken Steel.

Bugs[]

  • PCPC Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Xbox 360Xbox 360 Deathclaws occasionally fly off into the sky in a physics engine glitch. They can still be targeted and killed in V.A.T.S., which will result in their dead body flying across a large amount of land.[verified]
  • PCPC Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Xbox 360Xbox 360 A deathclaw may spawn inside the Regulator HQ and attack everyone. It will continue to spawn in this manner after the first time this happens.[verified]
  • PCPC Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Xbox 360Xbox 360 When using the deathclaw control scrambler, it is possible for them to not follow the player, but die automatically.[verified]
  • Xbox 360Xbox 360 A deathclaw may spawn inside Tenpenny Tower and attack everyone. It will continue to spawn in this manner after the first time this happens.[verified]
  • PCPC Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Xbox 360Xbox 360 A deathclaw may spawn inside Megaton and attack everyone. However, the deathclaw will not be hostile towards the player.[verified]
    • PCPC This problem can be fixed by removing the deathclaw from the game with console commands.

Sounds[]

  • Forward attacking deathclaw

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. Joseph: "Well, let's see... Deathclaws appear to be mutated Jackson's ChameleonsIn-game spelling, punctuation and/or grammar, the horned variety. There are a lot of similar characteristics 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."
    (Joseph's dialogue)
  2. Lone Wanderer: "Dying? How awful! What happened to you?"
    Branchtender Linden: "I was a Brotherhood of Steel Outcast. We had a deep patrol out here, looking for some tech and then got jumped by some Deathclaws. They shredded everyone else and left me bleeding to death. If it wasn't for Oasis and Bloomseer Poplar, I'd be dead right now. Honestly, I've never seen anything like this place... it's beautiful. It's a shame only a few people will ever get to see it."
    (Branchtender Linden's dialogue)
  3. Raven Rock terminal entries; delivery terminal, Note Regarding Recent Delivery
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