Fallout 4 mods
If you really want to change your game, check out our guide to the best Fallout 4 mods.
You summon any item or NPC from thin air, or make yourself immortal with a few Fallout 4 console commands and cheats. By pressing the tilde key (~), you can unlock the console, a gateway that lets you give yourself superpowers, spawn weapons and monsters, change your stats and attributes, speed up time, and complete the game with one tap of the Enter key.
Simply activate the console in-game, type the command you want, press enter and then close the console again and watch your command take effect. If the tilde button (left of the 1 key) doesn't work, try the apostrophe key. It seems to vary depending on the nationality of your keyboard settings.
Fallout 4 cheats and console commands
tgm — Good old god mode.
tcl — No collision. Walk through walls. Walk into the sky. Be free.
tfc — Activates free camera.
tfc 1 — Same as above, but freezes all animations. Great for screenshots.
tm — Toggles menus and UI on and off. It even stops you from seeing the console, so you'll have to press tilde and type tm again blind to get the UI back.
csb — Resets blood and damage effects.
fov [first-person FOV] [third-person FOV] — Change the FOV.
set timescale to [insert number here] — Speeds up or slows down time. The default setting is 16. 1 is realtime, 10,000 is crazy spectacular timelapse. Be sure to look when time's on fast forward because the sun and the moon actually bounce across the sky.
coc [cell id] – Teleports the player to an area.
- Example: coc RedRocketExt
Finding item and NPC IDs
For a lot of these commands, you'll need to know how to get the IDs of items, NPCs, as well as the names of locations and factions. With the console open, clicking on a character or item will show its ID. Additionally, many commands act on the targeted character—so, whoever you clicked on. Sometimes it can be tricky to get the right ID to pop up (it's easy to select yourself accidentally), so using free cam (tfc) can help. You can also look up commands and IDs..
help [item name] [0-4] — Searches items, characters, commands, and more. Use Page Up and Page Down to scroll. 0 searches for everything.
- Example: help 'attack dog' 0 would let you know that there's an NPC called 'attack dog' with the ID 000B2BF2. Make sure to use quotes when searching for two or more words.
coc qasmoke — This teleports you to a room with a number of boxes that contain every single item in the game. Surreal, but a good way to find item IDs. You can find an item ID by entering the console and clicking on the item in the game world with your mouse. It turns out that Dogmeat's real name is 0001d162.
How to change your character with Fallout 4 console commands
showlooksmenu player 1 — Reopens the character customization menu so you can change your look. You'll want to have your character's face centered on screen for this one.
player.setrace [race id] — Change your race (e.g. ghoul, mutant). Find race IDs with the help function, but beware of adverse side effects (most races just make it crash).
- Example: player.setrace GhoulRace
player.resethealth — Resets your health.
setgs fJumpHeightMin [insert number here] — Modifies your jump. Set it really high to vault over buildings like the Incredible Hulk. Warning, if you don't turn on god mode, the falling damage from your own jump will kill you.
tdetect — The AI won't detect you anymore. Steal to your heart's content.
player.modav [skill] [number] — Boost a skill by a numerical amount of your choosing. Eg. player.modav strength 10 will boost your strength by ten points. If there's a terminal you'd love to hack or an NPC you'd love to persuade, use this. However, if you want to unlock perks, use the next command.
player.setav [character variable] [number] — Sets a character trait to a new value. Unlike modav, this will unlock perks when you change your stats.
player.setav speedmult [insert number here] — The number you type in adds multiplier to your running speed, with hilarious consequences. Use in combination with god mode and the next command to go full superhero.
player.setlevel [insert number] — Boost your level to the number specified.
player/additem 0000000f [insert number here] — Adds bottlecaps equal to the number you specify.
player/additem 0000000a [insert number here] — Adds bobbypins equal to the number you specify.
player.additem [item ID] [number] — You may have noticed a pattern in the last two commands. Yes, you can add ANY item to your inventory this way as long as you know the item ID (see above for instructions for finding IDs).
How to manipulate NPCs with Fallout 4 console commands
tai — Turns AI off and causes everyone to stand still with a vacant look on their face.
tcai — Turns combat AI off. Brings peace to the world. Boring, boring peace.
killall — Kills everyone in the vicinity, apart from companions and any other characters deemed too vital to die. In that case they will slump down injured until you give them a stimpack.
kill [insert ID] — Kills the creature with the ID you supply. Type kill (0017fda3) now and wherever they are, the feral ghoul I tested this on will drop dead. Alternatively, click on an NPC with the console open and just type 'kill.'
resurrect [insert ID] — Brings the creature with the ID you supply back to life. Type resurrect (0017fda3) to bring the feral ghoul I tested this on back to life! He's having a torrid day. Alternatively, select a dead NPC with the console open and just type 'resurrect.' If you resurrect a headless NPC, be aware that they're going to remain headless.
recycleactor — Resets a character.
setscale [number from 1 to 10] — Makes you or your target HUGE. See the results in the picture at the top of the article.
sexchange — You'll never guess. Works on whoever is selected, though it may not have good results with unique characters.
getav CA_affinity — Get the affinity level of your current companion.
setav CA_affinity [number] — Sets your companion's affinity level to a number.
modav CA_affinity [number] – Adds a number to your companion's affinity level. Haven't noticed an effect.
unequipall — Unequip all items from the selected NPC.
How to change factions with Fallout 4 console commands
player.AddToFaction [faction id] [0 or 1] — Become allied with a faction. Alternatively, remove the 'player' prefix and this will affect the targeted NPC. 0 is friendly, 1 is allied.
- Example: player.AddToFaction 00028670 1 to become allied with bugs.
player.RemoveFromFaction [faction id] — Remove yourself from a faction. Alternatively, remove the 'player' prefix and this will affect the targeted NPC.
removefromallfactions — Removes the target from all factions.
setally [faction id] [faction id] [0 or 1] [0 or 1] — Make two factions friendly (0) or allied (1).
setenemy [faction id] [faction id] [0 or 1] [0 or 1] —Make two factions neutral (0) or enemies (1).
How to complete the game with Fallout 4 console commands
completeallobjectives [Quest ID] — Complete all current objectives in a quest.
resetquest [Quest ID] – Reset a quest.
completequest [Quest ID] — Complete a quest.
caqs — This completes every step of the primary quest, effectively completing the game for you. WARNING: Don't use it if you want to avoid spoiling the entire game for yourself.
Fallout 4 mods
If you really want to change your game, check out our guide to the best Fallout 4 mods.
You summon any item or NPC from thin air, or make yourself immortal with a few Fallout 4 console commands and cheats. By pressing the tilde key (~), you can unlock the console, a gateway that lets you give yourself superpowers, spawn weapons and monsters, change your stats and attributes, speed up time, and complete the game with one tap of the Enter key.
Simply activate the console in-game, type the command you want, press enter and then close the console again and watch your command take effect. If the tilde button (left of the 1 key) doesn't work, try the apostrophe key. It seems to vary depending on the nationality of your keyboard settings.
Fallout 4 cheats and console commands
tgm — Good old god mode.
tcl — No collision. Walk through walls. Walk into the sky. Be free.
tfc — Activates free camera.
tfc 1 — Same as above, but freezes all animations. Great for screenshots.
tm — Toggles menus and UI on and off. It even stops you from seeing the console, so you'll have to press tilde and type tm again blind to get the UI back.
csb — Resets blood and damage effects.
fov [first-person FOV] [third-person FOV] — Change the FOV.
set timescale to [insert number here] — Speeds up or slows down time. The default setting is 16. 1 is realtime, 10,000 is crazy spectacular timelapse. Be sure to look when time's on fast forward because the sun and the moon actually bounce across the sky.
coc [cell id] – Teleports the player to an area.
- Example: coc RedRocketExt
Finding item and NPC IDs
For a lot of these commands, you'll need to know how to get the IDs of items, NPCs, as well as the names of locations and factions. With the console open, clicking on a character or item will show its ID. Additionally, many commands act on the targeted character—so, whoever you clicked on. Sometimes it can be tricky to get the right ID to pop up (it's easy to select yourself accidentally), so using free cam (tfc) can help. You can also look up commands and IDs..
help [item name] [0-4] — Searches items, characters, commands, and more. Use Page Up and Page Down to scroll. 0 searches for everything.
- Example: help 'attack dog' 0 would let you know that there's an NPC called 'attack dog' with the ID 000B2BF2. Make sure to use quotes when searching for two or more words.
coc qasmoke — This teleports you to a room with a number of boxes that contain every single item in the game. Surreal, but a good way to find item IDs. You can find an item ID by entering the console and clicking on the item in the game world with your mouse. It turns out that Dogmeat's real name is 0001d162.
How to change your character with Fallout 4 console commands
showlooksmenu player 1 — Reopens the character customization menu so you can change your look. You'll want to have your character's face centered on screen for this one.
player.setrace [race id] — Change your race (e.g. ghoul, mutant). Find race IDs with the help function, but beware of adverse side effects (most races just make it crash).
- Example: player.setrace GhoulRace
player.resethealth — Resets your health.
setgs fJumpHeightMin [insert number here] — Modifies your jump. Set it really high to vault over buildings like the Incredible Hulk. Warning, if you don't turn on god mode, the falling damage from your own jump will kill you.
tdetect — The AI won't detect you anymore. Steal to your heart's content.
player.modav [skill] [number] — Boost a skill by a numerical amount of your choosing. Eg. player.modav strength 10 will boost your strength by ten points. If there's a terminal you'd love to hack or an NPC you'd love to persuade, use this. However, if you want to unlock perks, use the next command.
player.setav [character variable] [number] — Sets a character trait to a new value. Unlike modav, this will unlock perks when you change your stats.
player.setav speedmult [insert number here] — The number you type in adds multiplier to your running speed, with hilarious consequences. Use in combination with god mode and the next command to go full superhero.
player.setlevel [insert number] — Boost your level to the number specified.
player/additem 0000000f [insert number here] — Adds bottlecaps equal to the number you specify.
player/additem 0000000a [insert number here] — Adds bobbypins equal to the number you specify.
player.additem [item ID] [number] — You may have noticed a pattern in the last two commands. Yes, you can add ANY item to your inventory this way as long as you know the item ID (see above for instructions for finding IDs).
How to manipulate NPCs with Fallout 4 console commands
tai — Turns AI off and causes everyone to stand still with a vacant look on their face.
tcai — Turns combat AI off. Brings peace to the world. Boring, boring peace.
killall — Kills everyone in the vicinity, apart from companions and any other characters deemed too vital to die. In that case they will slump down injured until you give them a stimpack.
kill [insert ID] — Kills the creature with the ID you supply. Type kill (0017fda3) now and wherever they are, the feral ghoul I tested this on will drop dead. Alternatively, click on an NPC with the console open and just type 'kill.'
resurrect [insert ID] — Brings the creature with the ID you supply back to life. Type resurrect (0017fda3) to bring the feral ghoul I tested this on back to life! He's having a torrid day. Alternatively, select a dead NPC with the console open and just type 'resurrect.' If you resurrect a headless NPC, be aware that they're going to remain headless.
recycleactor — Resets a character.
setscale [number from 1 to 10] — Makes you or your target HUGE. See the results in the picture at the top of the article.
sexchange — You'll never guess. Works on whoever is selected, though it may not have good results with unique characters.
getav CA_affinity — Get the affinity level of your current companion.
setav CA_affinity [number] — Sets your companion's affinity level to a number.
modav CA_affinity [number] – Adds a number to your companion's affinity level. Haven't noticed an effect.
unequipall — Unequip all items from the selected NPC.
How to change factions with Fallout 4 console commands
player.AddToFaction [faction id] [0 or 1] — Become allied with a faction. Alternatively, remove the 'player' prefix and this will affect the targeted NPC. 0 is friendly, 1 is allied.
- Example: player.AddToFaction 00028670 1 to become allied with bugs.
player.RemoveFromFaction [faction id] — Remove yourself from a faction. Alternatively, remove the 'player' prefix and this will affect the targeted NPC.
removefromallfactions — Removes the target from all factions.
setally [faction id] [faction id] [0 or 1] [0 or 1] — Make two factions friendly (0) or allied (1).
setenemy [faction id] [faction id] [0 or 1] [0 or 1] —Make two factions neutral (0) or enemies (1).
How to complete the game with Fallout 4 console commands
completeallobjectives [Quest ID] — Complete all current objectives in a quest.
resetquest [Quest ID] – Reset a quest.
completequest [Quest ID] — Complete a quest.
caqs — This completes every step of the primary quest, effectively completing the game for you. WARNING: Don't use it if you want to avoid spoiling the entire game for yourself.
Fallout 4 is finally available to the general public, less than six months after the game was announced by Bethesda, and fans around the globe are rushing to uncover every secret they can uncover in the latest post-apocalyptic adventure from the studio.
Of course, some people are just wondering how they can set to work breaking Fallout 4 in the most hilarious ways. Fortunately, the community has already uncovered dozens of cheat codes for the PC version of the game ,which we can only imagine is mere months away from being overrun with all manner of mods and other player-designed content. In the interim, those looking for ways to push the bounds of what Bethesda meant for players to achieve in Fallout 4 can enjoy God Mode, no wall-clipping and all the other cheat codes we've come to expect from single-player first-person shooters.
To use any of these Fallout 4 cheat codes, simply launch the PC version of the game and press the ~ key on your keyboard to bring up the game's console menu. From there, activating a few (or a bunch) of Fallout 4 cheat codes is just a matter of typing in the necessary text and pressing enter. We've also included an (work-in-progress) list of item codes for the various objects that can be spawn using console commands.
So what sorts of cheat codes has the Fallout 4 community uncovered already?
Here's the full list:
Console Commands
God Mode - tgm
Toggle NPC AI On/Off - tai
Toggle NPC Combat Status - tcai
Enable NoClip - tcl
Reveal All Map Markers - tmm 1
Unlock Door/Terminal - unlock
Free-Roam Camera - tfc
Kill Target - Kill [NPC ID]
Kill All Local NPCs - KillAll
Resurrect NPC - resurrect [NPC ID]
Add An Item(s) To Your Inventory - player.additem [item code][desired quantity]
Spawn An Item Or NPC- player.placeatme [item/object code]
Teleport to Armory - coc qasmoke
Leave the Armory (h/t Bordeianu George) - coc sanctuaryext
Leave the Armory (h/t
Change Gender - sexchange
Change Jump Height - setgs fJumpHeightMin [number goes here]
Change Run Speed - player.setav speedmult [number goes here]
Change Scale - setscale [number 1-10]
Increase Bottle Caps - player.additem 0000000f [number goes here]
Increase Bobby Pins - player.additem 0000000a [number goes here]
Faster/Slower Time - set timescale to [number goes here]
Disable AI Detection - tdetect
Increase Your Level - player.setlevel [number goes here]
Increase A Stat - player.modav [skill][number goes here]
Auto-Complete Primary Quest - caqs
Item Codes
.308 Ammo - 0001F66B
.38 Ammo - 0004CE87
.44 Ammo - 0009221C
.45 Ammo - 0001F66A
.50 Caliber Ammo - 0001F279
10mm Ammo - 0001F276
2mm EC - 0018ABDF
5mm Ammo - 0001F66C
5.56mm Ammo - 0001F278
Abraxo Cleaner - 00059A71
Acid - 001BF72D
Addictol - 000518BB
Adhesive - 001BF72E
Adjustable Wrench - 0004D1F6
Aluminum - 0006907A
Anti-Freeze - 00060E73
Asbestos - 000AEC5c
Ballistic Fiber - 000AEC5B
Ball-Peen Hammer - 0004D1F3
Beer Bottle - 000211DD
Big Jim - 00000D3F
BlamCo Mac & Cheese - 0002FBE4
Bloatfly Larva - 00058AEA
Bloatfly Meat - 000330F4
Bloatfly Steak - 0004A151
Bloodbug Meat - 00074D0D
Bloodbug Steak - 0004693F
Blood Pack - 00052409
Bobbypins - 0000000A
Boston Bugle - 0001A4B9
Bourbon - 000366C4
Bottlecap - 0000000F
Brahmin Meat - 0004A13F
Brahmin Steak - 0004695A
Broadsider - 000FD11B
Bubblegum - 000330F6
Buffout - 00033778
Cannonball - 000FD11C
Canned Dog Food - 000BEA58
Carrot - 000F742E
Cat Meat - 000939B8
Ceramic - 000AEC5E
Cigarette Carton - 0005821A
Circuitry - 0006907B
Cloth - 000AEC5F
Coffee Pot - 000211CC
Concrete - 00106D99
Copper - 0006907C
Her conclusion: his evidence for the walls of Joshua was not compelling. Tasta stratology 320 kbps.
Cork - 000AEC60
Corn - 000330F8
Cram - 000330EE
Crispy Squirrel Bits - 000330FA
Cryo Cell - 0018ABE2
Cryolator - 00171B2B
Crystal - 0006907D
Dandy Boy Apples - 0002FBF7
Deathclaw Egg - 00046939
Deathclaw Egg Omelette - 0004693C
Deathclaw Meat - 00074D0E
Deathclaw Steak - 00101293
Deliverer - 000DC8E7
Dog Steak - 00046940
Dirty Water - 000366BF
Duct Tape - 0004D1FA
Economy Wonderglue - 0006C5AE
Empty Nuka-Cola Bottle - 0004835A
Energy Cell - 000C1897
Fancy Lads Snack Cakes - 000330B4
Fat Man - 000BD56F
Fern Flower - 000E34E9
Fiber Optics - 00069087
Fiberglass - 000AEC61
Flamer Fuel - 000CAC78
Flare - 001025AE
Fusion Cell - 000C1897
Fusion Core - 00075FE4
Gamma Round - 000DF279
Gear - 0006907E
Glass - 00069085
Gold - 000AEC62
Gold Watch - 00060E7C
Gourd - 000EF24D
Grognak's Axe - 00183FCD
Grilled Radroach - 0019797D
Gum Drops - 000330FC
Hot Plate - 00059ADB
Hubflower - 001C3FDC
Jet - 000366C5
Kellogg's Pistol - 000CE97D
Kremvh's Tooth - 0022576D
Lead - 000AEC63
Leather - 000AEC64
Lorenzo's Artifact - 002266FB
Med-X - 00033779
Melon - 000FAFEB
Mentats - 0003377B
Missile - 000CABA3
Minigun - 0001F669
Mini-Nuke - 000E6B2E
Mole Rat Meat - 00033101
Mole Rat Steak - 00046943
Mutfruit - 00033102
Noodle Cup - 00017C73
Nuclear Material - 00069086
Nuka-Cola - 0004835D
Nuka-Cola Cherry - 00048360
Nuka-Cola Quantum - 0004835F
Oil - 001BF732
Fallout 4 First Person View
Perception Bobblehead - 00178B5D
Pipe - 00024F55
Pipe Revolver - 0005BBA7
Pipe Wrench - 000D83BF
Plasma Cartridge - 0001DBB7
Plastic - 0006907F
Pork n' Beans - 000330F0
Potato Crisps - 000330F1
Psycho - 0003377D
Purified Water - 000366C0
Rad-X - 00024057
Radaway - 00023742
Razorgrain - 000E0043
Rubber - 00106D98
Screw - 00069081
Screwdriver - 0004D1F4
Shem Drowne's Sword - 00238734
Shotgun Shell - 0001F673
Shishkebab (Sword) - 000DA2FB
Silver - 000AEC66
Spray N' Pray - 00101E38
Spring - 00069082
Stealth Boy - 0004F4A6
Steel - 000731A4
Stimpak - 00023736
Sugar Bombs - 000330F2
Sweetroll - 000366BE
T-45 (Power Armor) Chest Piece - 00154AC2
T-45 (Power Armor) Helmet - 00154ABF
T-45 (Power Armor) Left Arm - 00154ABD
T-45 (Power Armor) Left Leg - 00154AC0
T-45 (Power Armor) Right Arm - 00154ABE
T-45 (Power Armor) Right Leg - 00154AC1
T-60 (Power Armor) Chest Piece - 00140C42
T-60 (Power Armor) Helmet - 00140C4A
T-60 (Power Armor) Left Arm - 00140C3D
T-60 (Power Armor) Left Leg - 00140C49
T-60 (Power Armor) Right Arm - 00140C45
T-60 (Power Armor) Right Leg - 00140C3F
Tarberry - 000d981D
Tato - 0009DCC4
Tin Can - 0001F90A
Toy Alien - 00059B2B
Toy Car - 00059B1C
Toy Rocketship - 00059B2A
Turpentine - 00059B1E
TV Dinner Tray - 00059B2C
X-01 (Power Armor) Chest Piece - 00154AC8
Music mod fallout 4. X-01 (Power Armor) Helmet - 00154AC5
X-01 (Power Armor) Left Arm - 00154AC3
X-01 (Power Armor) Left Leg - 00154AC6
X-01 (Power Armor) Right Arm - 00154AC4
X-01 (Power Armor) Right Leg - 00154AC7
Wonderglue - 00059B25
Wood - 000731A3
Zeta Gun - 002266FC
Additional item codes can be discovered by opening the console and using the Help command (help '[item name]' 0) to query different items. We'll also continue to update our list of item codes as new information hits the web.
***
We'll continue to update this list in the coming weeks, as more cheats and item codes are uncovered by the Fallout 4 community. Those interested in getting additional help with their Fallout 4 playthrough can also reference the rest of our Fallout 4 guides, including details on where to find fusion cores, magazines and all of the bobbleheads scattered throughout the Fallout 4 campaign.
Be sure to check back with iDigitalTimes.com for more Fallout 4 coverage, including multiple reviews of the massive open-world game, in the months following the Fallout 4 release date.
Fallout 4’s rich and varied landscape is built for lackadaisical roaming – the player character’s nicknamed the Wanderer for a reason. The experience isn’t about just racing through the main questline or finding the best gear, but assembling your own story from all of Bethesda’s tiny interlocking parts.
The Commonwealth is a harsh mistress, however, so we could all use some help – and none other than our grizzled survivor “Corbyn” has heeded your call. We’ve already covered the 12 key tips for beginners, so now it’s time for some more advanced instruction. Let’s really get those Super Mutants quaking in their boots.
1. VATS tricks
Fallout 4’s Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System (VATS) mechanic slows time down to a crawl, and allows you to target specific body parts of enemies – and displaying the chance of hitting them in a percentage. This is all many players use it for but there are several kinks to the way VATS operates that can make all the difference in a tight spot.
The obvious ones first: use VATS when your gun’s empty and, for the AP cost of that shot, you’ll get both the shot and a free reload. Critical hits build up over time in VATS and can then be stored until you want to use them – yes these do great damage, but much more importantly they’re guaranteed to hit even if your ‘normal’ shot only has a 1% chance. This is useful but in fights against enemies with specific weak points, such as the fusion core on power armour, save that Crit and zoom into VATS the second their model turns sideways – 1% chance is all you need for the shot that ends the fight.
But it doesn’t end there! One of the most useful functions of VATS is that your aim will be centred on any enemy you shot at after you’ve exited VATS. Think of this as at least one free shot and, thanks to the shonky enemy AI, usually many more – if they’re still alive after using VATS, just spam that trigger.
2. Fraggle Rock!
Messed up that grenade toss? Always throwing it just a second too late as the Raiders scarper? Worry ye not my wasteland friend, for there are two magnificent tricks to frags that will turn your throwing arm into the envy of Shane Warne.
First one is obvious when you think about it: a well-placed bullet will prematurely detonate your grenade. Hit the VATS button as soon as you throw and you’ll find you can target the grenade, though depending on its location your shot chance will be different (this is another great opportunity for using the guarantee of a Crit.) And boom – no more legs for your luckless foes.
The second trick, however, is even sneakier. A glitch in Fallout 4’s way of slowing down game time during VATS means that, if your grenade has landed and you then target and shoot an enemy using VATS, the grenade will explode during the VATS shots. That is, you don’t need to target the grenade at all – if it’s in the right place, just target the enemy in VATS and it will explode near-instantaneously.
3. Getting legless
This one can be a lifesaver for when you’re just out on a relaxing stroll and run into a randomly generated tough-as-nails Legendary enemy. Many of these enemies, after taking roughly half damage, will mutate into a tougher form and regain their lost health. What a joke.
The one thing that doesn’t regenerate, however, is limb damage. When fighting Fallout 4’s normal enemies you don’t really need to target limbs so much so it’s easy to forget about this tactic, but it is absolutely the core part of my strategy against Legendaries. If it’s a Legendary Super Mutant, where we’re worried about their weapon, focus on the arms – if they mutate, you’ve crippled the arm by that point and their accuracy’s dived. If it’s a Legendary Ghoul, blow off the legs, and then the mutated second stage can only look up in abject apology as you line up the combat shotgun.
4. Radical Stags
The greatest enemy in Fallout 4, the bane of every player, the most despicable sentence in the Commonwealth: “You’re carrying too much and can’t run!”
God I hate it. There are several common workarounds: load up your companion, use the Solo Wanderer/Dogmeat glitch and so on. But when you’re stuck in a lovely loot zone and just need that bit extra to get outdoors and fast-travel home, you want Grilled Radstag.
You see Radstags everywhere, usually in groups of two or three. Make a rule of slaughtering these defenceless creatures, and grilling them up at a cooking station – because it adds +25 carry weight. Eat that and you’ll feel the benefit for an hour, but why not wash it down with a bottle of alcohol (+10 carry weight) and have an extra 35 on your weight limit. Because no trinket should be left behind.
5. Sleep well
What do you mean you never sleep? True, you don’t really need to – but occasionally a nice rest is just what’s needed to heal up and see the sun again. One aspect of sleeping that is possible to overlook, however, is where the bed is.
Sleep in a bed that you own (in a settlement for example), or rent a room for the night and your character not only heals but gains a “Well Rested” bonus that gives 10% extra XP for eight in-game hours.
6. Sticky business
You could write a whole article about Fallout 4’s crafting system, but one thing everyone needs more of is adhesive. Luckily there’s a simple solution waiting in the cookery pot: have your settlements farm corn, mutfruit and tatos for subsistence. Perfectly respectable foods, but you can use these stores to pick the bottom option at a cooking stove and make Vegetable Starch – each one worth a whopping five adhesive.
7. Pick up named junk
This one’s simple to the point of obvious: you’ll sometimes come across otherwise standard loot that has a modifier in the name, for example “Rich Stanton’s beer”. This means it is an exceptional beer for an exceptional man or, in other words, a key item for a quest you haven’t yet picked up. So pick it up and, down the road, you’ll be able to hand in that quest immediately.
8. Hazmat and Hat
Two items of clothing I keep on me permanently are a Hazmat suit and a hat that grants +3 Charisma. The utility of the first is obvious: everywhere in Fallout 4 is more or less radioactive, and you’ll find some nasty spots. It’s not convenient to fetch Power Armour for every little cubbyhole, so a Hazmat suit just always makes life easier.
The hat I combine with some Grape Mentats (make at any cooking station) for when I need to sell a lot of gear or buy something big. Why not get your money’s worth?
9. Use it, don’t lose it
Advice from bitter experience: don’t just jump into the water willy nilly while wearing power armour. It sinks and, while most bodies of water in the game have a way out, some of them don’t and you’ll have to abandon it there. Also, don’t ever get rid of a companion wearing power armour by sending them back to a settlement – my snazzy Flames set is still out there somewhere.
Finally, don’t get out of it in a non-settlement area without removing the fusion core. Even if you can’t see any enemies. There’s nothing so humiliating as getting out to stretch your legs, waking up a nest of raiders, and watching open-mouthed as they hijack your beautiful suit.
10. Mystery Meat
OK, I said I wouldn’t be too specific but this is too good to pass up. On the far east of the Commonwealth (shown in the image) you can find Longneck Lukowski’s cannery. On entering you’ll see a short exchange between two characters and can then offer to help with a pest problem in the building.
This kicks off a short-but-sweet mission, but the reason it’s great to visit here is that there’s an office at the top of the building containing both the ‘Barter’ bobblehead – which permanently decreases buying prices by 5% – and an issue of Tales of A Junktown Jerky Vendor, which applies its own discount depending on how many copies you have. Basically you’re walking out of there after a 10-minute mission with everything in the Commonwealth 10% cheaper.
Bonus points: in the final confrontation, you can make your opponent surrender if you get them low enough, and make a very .. interesting choice. Oh, and do apply the earlier tips about Legendaries and frags when you’re exploring. Wouldn’t want to end up in a can now, would we?
11. Give them a Minute, man
The Minutemen are rather worthy and dull sorts, all about helping out one’s neighbour and looking out for each other. Blah blah blah, point me to the bad guys right?
Me too. But it’s worth zooming through the early Minutemen quests, which are all very easy, just to reach the point where you re-take a location called the Castle. First of all, when you’re doing the quests beforehand, take Preston as your companion – because completing each one depends on reporting back to him.
Take the Castle, go off and do something else, and soon enough someone will turn up looking for you. Go to see her and within 10 minutes you’ll bag a Fat Man portable nuke launcher, an absolute ton of ammo and a great armour set, and unlock artillery positions for every settlement.
12. And .. smile
Though I’ve loved much of my time with Fallout 4, it is a game filled with bugs and glitches that can – on occasion – really ruin your day. I’ve lost hours of progress through annoying problems with the save system, seen my companions fly into the sky and disappear, even failed a mission because of an NPC that decided to walk to the bottom of a lake.
But it’s worth remembering that, for all the frustrations it brings, the janky side of Bethesda games can have real charm too. Use Corbyn’s tips wisely, comrades, and enjoy these dancing Mirelurks.
- Fallout 4 review – spectacular, messy and familiar
- Fallout 4: the first 10 things to do in the apocalyptic wasteland