Ghouls have been a staple of the Fallout series since time eternal. These creatures either have all their faculties intact, maintain some semblance of sanity, or have completely lost everything that made them human. Regardless of how they're depicted in the series, there's no denying that ghouls are quite compelling and a joy to interact with in any capacity.

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Most of the ghouls that players interact with in Fallout 4 are feral and are out for the player's head. While these enemies may seem weak, they're still quite threatening in a group, especially for those at lower levels who encounter them. Players should always be ready to tackle ghouls of all shapes and sizes, but those looking to simply learn more about them will be pleasantly surprised regarding the information on offer. These Fallout 4 creatures have some interesting caveats and properties that a lot of fans may not be aware of.

6 Ghouls Are The Only Enemy Whose Limbs Get Outright Severed After Being Targeted

A Visceral And Satisfying Approach That Rewards Players For Using VATS

VATS is a huge part of what makes combat even more cinematic and enjoyable in Fallout 4. Crippling an enemy's limbs is a viable strategy as long as players are accurate enough to hit specific parts of an enemy's body. In most instances, a foe's limb will be rendered unusable when players reduce its health to 0, but ghouls react differently here.

Crippling a ghoul's limb causes said body part to be completely dismembered, making for a gory and satisfying sight. Players can use this to shoot out a charging ghoul's legs, removing them and forcing the creature to a slow crawl. This will allow players to focus primarily on dealing with other nearby enemies before they return their attention to the ghoul and finish it off for good.

5 Ghouls Are More Aggressive And Vicious In Fallout 4 Than Any Other Game

They Have Special Animations Where They Throw Their Entire Body Towards The Player

A great change in Fallout 4 is the fact that enemies are dangerously vicious in their movements, boasting a broader moveset that makes them more daunting to take on in combat. Players who consider ghouls to be some of the weaker foes that can be encountered in every Fallout game will find their presence in Fallout 4 to be a welcome change.

Not only do they charge at a breakneck pace towards the player, but they also have the tendency to savagely fling their entire being towards the player while attacking. This is extremely unnerving and can cause players to lose their focus, especially if they're being mobbed by a large pack of these terrifying creatures.

4 The Ghoulish Perk Causes Them To Become Friendly

This Can Only Be Seen At The Perk's Higher Levels

The perk system in Fallout 4 is something that has been criticized by the masses for simplifying the franchise's intriguing role-playing systems. It's a more dumbed-down system in comparison that ends up feeling rather superficial, even if Bethesda has done its hardest to make these perks as engaging as possible.

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A great example of this can be seen in the Ghoulish perk, which causes players to heal up their lost HP whenever they're irradiated. This may not be an appealing perk for many, but the third rank of this perk certainly adds a unique dynamic to Fallout 4. Because of the player's ghoulish trait, some feral ghouls will be friendly to the Sole Survivor. It's a nice touch that many players will appreciate as long as they ignore the truncated and disappointing nature of Fallout 4's perk system.

3 Glowing Ones Can Reanimate Downed Ghouls

These Variants Should Always Be The Player's First Priority In Any Combat Encounter

Glowing Ones are special versions of ghouls who have been irradiated to the point where they're literally glowing with radiation. Suffice it to say, these foes are really tough, and players should be wary of their abilities, including a move that will take the Sole Survivor by surprise during a tense combat encounter.

Players who spent a lot of time and effort trying to kill the ghouls in a pack containing a Glowing One will be disheartened to see this souped-up enemy using its powers to revive its brethren. This makes it even more necessary for Fallout 4 players to take out these glowing monstrosities before focusing on the regular ghouls. Failing to do so can needlessly add to a player's frustration.

2 Ghouls Have A Special Execution Animation That Is Very Rare

Most Players Don't Get Killed By Ghouls Enough To Trigger This

Regardless of how terrifying ghouls may be when they come out of nowhere, there's no denying that these enemies don't end up posing too much of a threat, especially at later levels. A player can tear through their health bars with powerful weapons without breaking a sweat.

As a result, most people aren't aware that ghouls actually have a unique animation that may trigger if the Sole Survivor is near death and being attacked by this enemy type. In a show of monstrous agility, a ghoul will jump on top of the player's neck, fatally biting them in the process. This is a rare animation that can be witnessed sometimes if a poor NPC ends up being the victim of a ghoul's brutal attack.

1 The Sole Survivor's Pre-War Neighbors Can Randomly Appear As Wandering Ghouls

A Cool Addition That Makes Exploration Feel More Personalized

The introductory segment of Fallout 4 is arguably the most cinematic introduction in the series to date, setting the foundation for a story that will cause the Sole Survivor to move heaven and earth in a bid to find their abducted son. Their relatively peaceful life in the neighborhood is upended for good, with them having no idea if their neighbors survived this nuclear blast.

However, if a player explores long enough, their odds of finding out what happened to their neighbors will increase. During their travels, the Sole Survivor can stumble upon a group of named feral ghouls. Keen-eyed players will recognize the names of these creatures to be those of the people who inhabited the Sole Survivor's neighborhood. It's a nice little touch that showcases the twisted fate that awaited those unfortunate enough to experience the bombs dropping.

Fallout 4

Platform(s)

PC , PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S

Released

November 10, 2015

Developer(s)

Bethesda

Genre(s)

RPG , Action