The factions hovering over the post-apocalyptic, retrofuturistic Commonwealth in Fallout 4 each have their own visions of the future, and not all of them are pretty. While all of them dream of a brighter future, not all of them are noble or morally correct.
The player's choice of faction will affect the ending of Fallout 4, but that's not all. Each group has its own theme, and players may benefit more by committing their efforts to one that resonates with their preferred playstyle. Here's an overview of each faction, including their goals and the benefits they provide to players.
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The following may contain spoilers for the endings and faction-related events of Fallout 4 .
Which Faction Should You Join In Fallout 4?
There are a number of factions that can affect your decision here. Do you want to maintain the moral high ground? Do you want to be stronger or gain access to a certain faction's vendors, equipment, and other perks? Or do you simply watch the world burn harder than it already has? To help you find an answer, we need to take a closer look at each faction.
You can join all the factions simultaneously, but you can only commit to two at most. If you want to see one questline all the way to the end, you will end up antagonizing the other factions.
The Minutemen
This is a neutral, altruistic faction with a single goal: unite and protect the Commonwealth. After rescuing Preston Garvey and doing a few quests for him early on, players will become the faction's leader. Unlike the other factions, joining the Minutemen will not lock you out of joining the others except the Raiders of Nuka-World.
The Minutemen don't play that big of a part in Fallout 4's greater story, but they'll always have your back. Joining them gives you the ability to call in Minutemen reinforcements and artillery strikes. However, their fighters are relatively weak compared to the rest of the factions.
The Railroad
All the Railroad wants is to liberate all the Synths from the Institute and provide them with better lives among humans. They are a stealth-oriented faction that focuses on subterfuge and sneak attacks, and they actively go against both the Brotherhood of Steel and the Institute. Supporting the Railroad leads to freedom for all Synths in the Commonwealth, though this might not necessarily be a good thing.
The Railroad is fantastic for players who want to make an infiltrator build in Fallout 4. Their vendors sell Stealth Boys and some of the best upgrades you can get for regular armor. They also give you weapons like the Deliverer and the Railway Rifle after completing certain quests.
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The Brotherhood of Steel
The Brotherhood of Steel is a militaristic faction armed with some of the finest gear in the wasteland. Their goal is the complete eradication of Synths, which means they'll be going after the Institute and the Railroad. This faction generally means well, although their radical views and heavy-handed, non-diplomatic approach to solving problems gives them a morally-questionable vibe.
Joining the Brotherhood of Steel gives you access to the awesome firepower of their faction. Completing quests for them will net you some strong energy weapons and some of the best suits of Power Armor in Fallout 4. However, expect to be forced to make some hard moral decisions. A good soldier always follows orders, after all.
The Institute
Known as the Boogeyman of the Commonwealth, the Institute is a high-tech faction that wants to bring peace and prosperity back to the wasteland. However, their regular use of unconventional and unethical methods suggests that they don't always have the best interest of the people in mind, as suggested by the Unversity Point massacre.
Becoming a member of the Institute gives you access to their unique energy weapons and equipment. You'll also be able to call in Synth allies, much like how you call Minutemen reinforcements. Victory for the Institute gives them a stronger presence in the Commonwealth. More Synths will start patrolling the wasteland, and it's implied that they'll be bolder when it comes to conducting unethical experiments on people.
Fallout 4
- Platform(s)
- PC , PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- November 10, 2015
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda
- ESRB
- M FOR MATURE: BLOOD AND GORE, INTENSE VIOLENCE, STRONG LANGUAGE, USE OF DRUGS
