Fallout 4 is a video game that elicited a lot of mixed reactions when it launched. Bethesda's stellar world design and entertaining gameplay made the game a blast to play through for most loyal fans. Still, the poor dialogue and simplified RPG systems didn't sit right with people who were fans of the series' deep role-playing options.

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Still, there are many reasons why players should check out Fallout 4 if they love this post-nuclear apocalypse series, with the Fallout TV show doing a great job of showcasing the IP's strengths. One of the toughest enemies in the series that didn't make an appearance in the show (well, not a direct one, at least) are Deathclaws, with their presence in Fallout 4 being mired in a ton of mystery that a lot of players aren't aware of. Most players are likely familiar with the dangers that come with encountering a Deathclaw in Fallout 4, but there is actually much more to learn about these terrifying creatures than some would initially expect.

6 Deathclaws Were Almost Not Going To Be A Part Of The Game

They Were Added Quite Late Into Development

Given that Deathclaws have been a part of every Fallout game to date, it's downright unfathomable to think that this legendary enemy wouldn't be a part of Fallout 4. However, according to Jonah Lobe, a designer on Bethesda's payroll, the addition of this tough foe didn't occur until quite some time into development.

The idea of playing through a Fallout game that doesn't have a Deathclaw would not have sat well with many long-time fans of the series. Thankfully, the company pivoted on this idea and decided to add this creature to the title after all, with this monster playing a central role during the first few hours of a player's journey across the vast post-apocalyptic wasteland of Fallout 4.

5 The Journey Of The Designer Who Made The Deathclaw Model Is Fascinating

Jonah Lobe Was Planning To Leave Before Designing The Deathclaw

Jonah Lobe is one of the creature designers who helped a lot of Fallout's mutated enemies come to life, such as the mole rat, bloodbugs, and Super Mutants. When the decree came that no work needed to be done on the Deathclaw, Jonah took it upon himself to design the creature's model in his spare time. In his mind, there was no way that a Fallout game would be complete without this monster.

After making 70% of this model, Jonah decided to roll the dice and show the model to Todd Howard, who had a positive reaction and greenlit the completion of said model. This served as a huge source of motivation for Jonah, who was initially planning to leave Bethesda before Fallout 4 would even ship.

4 The Deathclaw Vs. Power Armor Fight Was Meant To Take Place At The End Of The Game

Changes In Development Turned It Into An Introductory Minuteman Quest Instead

One of the major reasons why Todd decided that Deathclaws would be a part of Fallout 4 was because he wanted the monster to feature in a climactic confrontation near the end of the game, where players would don Power Armor and take this powerful foe on. Those who know the game inside-out are likely aware of where this is going.

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For some reason, this plan was scrapped, with the focus on the Institute meaning that this battle would have to be placed somewhere else. To the chagrin of most hardcore fans, this bombastic set piece was added near the start of the game, which cheapened the allure of both the Power Armor and Deathclaws in the eyes of many.

3 The Monster's Claw Strikes Sound Like The Werewolf's Attack From Skyrim

A Small Yet Notable Similarity

There's nothing wrong with recycling certain aspects of a game, especially with AAA game development taking longer and longer as hardware continues to reach new heights of power. Cutting corners is acceptable as long as it's not too noticeable, so it's easy to see why a lot of people didn't pay attention to the sound a Deathclaw makes when it attempts to attack the Sole Survivor with its claws.

Of course, hardcore Bethesda fans recognized this sound effect to be the same one that players will hear when a Werewolf attacks in Skyrim. It's a recycled asset that is hard to discern and doesn't take away anything from the quality of Fallout 4. If anything, Bethesda was wise not to invest extra resources in creating unique sound effects for such a minor aspect of the game when they already had something else that suited the creature so well.

2 There's A Friendly Deathclaw In The Game

This Creature Can Be Permanently Friendly If The Player Places Its Egg Back In Its Nest

Players who explore every nook and cranny of Fallout 4 will find themselves enjoying a unique interaction with a Deathclaw that they've never experienced before in the game. If players inspect the Museum of Witchcraft as part of the quest "The Devil's Due," they'll find a Deathclaw Egg during the course of this exploration.

If they decide to bring this egg back to the mommy Deathclaw, they'll discover a friendly variant of this creature lingering around, patiently waiting for the player to drop the egg in her nest. Backing out at the last second will lead to this Deathclaw becoming hostile, so players should either be ready for a confrontation or just help this creature out and place its egg back where it belongs. The latter option is arguably the best.

1 They're Smart Enough To Dodge Grenades

These Monsters Can Display Surprising Levels Of Intelligence

Most people who assume that Deathclaws aren't all that smart will be surprised to know this fact. Not only does this monster know how to overwhelm its prey with numbers, but it's also well aware of the dangers an explosive grenade houses.

So, if a Sole Survivor chucks a grenade at them to level the playing field, they may be surprised to find out that these monsters have the capacity to completely dodge the projectile and the ensuing blast. Players won't have too much time to marvel at their intelligence, however, especially when a hostile Deathclaw decides to charge toward the Sole Survivor in an attempt to tear them apart. Even so, the fact that they are able to dodge explosives like this adds some depth to the creatures and encourages players to ponder how they evolved to obtain this degree of intelligence.

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