Fallout 4: Should You Choose The Brotherhood or The Railroad?

Fallout 4

By Marc Santos

Published May 9, 2024

The fate of the Commonwealth in Fallout 4 largely hinges on which faction the player decides to support. While all groups claim to have only the best in mind for the people of the wasteland, their definition of good might not be agreeable to everybody.

The Brotherhood of Steel and the Railroad might be less apathetic than the Institute (the de facto evil faction of Fallout 4), but their ambitions are still questionable for the most part. If you're wondering which of these two factions has the better moral high ground, or if you're simply curious as to which group offers the best perks, here's an overview of both of them.

The following contains spoilers for the Brotherhood and Railroad endings of Fallout 4.

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Should You Join The Brotherhood Or The Railroad in Fallout 4?

fallout-4-robobrain-brotherhood-steel-battle

It's possible to be a member of all factions, but players will eventually need to commit to one side or find a way for the groups to co-exist.

The source of the conflict between these two factions lies with the Synths, robots created and designed by the Institute that can pass off as real humans. This means that apart from possible gear rewards, players will have to decide which faction to choose based on how they feel about the Synths and the Commonwealth in general, as the survival or destruction of these bots may have an impact on daily life in the wasteland.

Joining the Brotherhood of Steel

Brotherhood of Steel T-60 power armor in Fallout 4

Players who join the Brotherhood of Steel will gain access to their armory, which includes conventional ballistic firearms, advanced energy weapons, and one of the best Power Armor models in Fallout 4: the T-60. Do enough quests and you'll also get the ability to call in Vertibirds.

Story-wise, the Brotherhood's victory over the Institute and the Railroad will lead to the destruction of both factions, and all Synths will either be destroyed or hunted down. Members of the Brotherhood will occupy checkpoints all across the Commonwealth, and it is implied that the people will have to suffer under their totalitarian rule.

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Joining the Railroad

Fallout 4 Deacon Railroad Johnny D Companion

The Railroad's technology isn't quite at the same level as the Brotherhood. They may not have top-of-the-line equipment, but joining them is the only way to get the Deliverer, one of the best pistols in Fallout 4. You'll also get access to a constant supply of Stealth Boys and the Ballistic Weave mod, which greatly enhances the defenses of a piece of armor.

Out of all the factions, the Railroad is arguably the most morally-upright. All they want is freedom for all sentient Synths. However, this doesn't mean that there are no consequences in doing so. Not all citizens of the Commonwealth welcome Synths, and letting the robots run free means more situations like the one with Kyle and Riley in Diamond City may happen.