| “ | The Deathclaw is the most evil thing to rise out of the ashes after the War. Some say it's a powerful ghost from the war that haunts the land. It's no ghost, it's as real as you and me. It's 20 feet tall with teeth as big as your arm. It's some kind of demon that found it's way here when the world was engulfed in fire. | „ |
| ~ Beth regarding the Deathclaws. |
The Deathclaws are a race of Genetically modified predators in the Fallout-series. Having been created by the U.S. Military to be used in war as cheap weapons for mass slaughter. After the destruction of the United States during the Great War, they were capable of escaping their confines and would wander the mutated ruins of the U.S, becoming the new apex predator.
They are regarded as one of the most iconic and dangerous enemies of the entire Fallout franchise.
Appearance[]
Because they were created for battle purposes, this would be noticed in their appearance. Deathclaws are big, rough, and dangerous-looking predators. Being creatures that were made from mixing numerous animal species together, but the main source of their design comes from the Jackson’s Chameleon. The Deathclaws are as a result reptiles but walk on two feet and this causes them to tower over all humans and most creatures in the wasteland. Their height is around 8-20 feet (2,4-6 meters).
They don’t have a specific skin tone because it’s depended on the region they inhabit. In most cases they are more sandy and drab brown, but in places such as Massachusetts they are more stone-like grey. The bodies of the Deathclaws are covered in hard scales that protrude at some points from their bodies, either like spikes or rocks. This usually seen on their backs, causing their upper bodies to be hungover, but they balance it out by having a long and wide tail.
They get their namesake from their huge claws, which they use to kill and dismember any prey they happen to find. The hands of the Deathclaws are large and they use it to quickly swing across the air to take down enemies, they sometimes even grab their victims and then use their claws to finish them of. The legs are long and thick making them fast runners that have two sets of knees, one going forward and one going backwards. On their head are two separate horns extending from the left and right side. Similarly, to that of a goat. The mouths are large and rigid with numerous uneven yet sharp teeth. The eyes are small and lack irises but are capable of good sight. The color is either completely white or orange.
Behavior[]
Deathclaws are usually seen as lone predators that occupy a large amount of territory, and they protect it extremely violently. Acting very aggressive to any creature they stumble upon, even to other Deathclaws. Being just as ferocious as they were designed to be.
Despite appearing as being solitary creatures, Deathclaws are still considered pack animals, with the leadership being controlled by one pair of Deathclwas that are the alpha, one female and one male, along with a few others. If Deathclaws aren’t seen in packs they are assumed to be secluded females that try to create their own nesting grounds and attack other Deathclaws as a means to limit the competition.
In Fallout 2, the Enclave experimented on Deathclaws which resulted in them gaining intelligence. They can talk and even developed somewhat of a culture when they occupied Vault 13.
Variants[]
Deathclaw[]
The basic Deathclaw, standing taller than a human and possessing exceptional senses, alarming speed, and razor sharp claws that can easily tear most things, including armor, flesh and bone, apart in a matter of seconds and in Fallout 4 Deathclaws are given several new abilities, such as digging their claws into the ground to throw rocks with this ability returning in Fallout 76, and possessing 2 Insta-kill attacks one where the Sole Survivor is impaled on the end of their claws, or they go one step farther and decapitate their victim. However for all of their strengths they do have weaknesses such as by crippling their legs their speed is reduced giving you more breathing room, another significant weakness in Fallout: New Vegas is that Deathclaws are afraid of flares and will flee if one is shot at them.
Baby Deathclaw[]
Appearing in Fallout: New Vegas, these are incredibly young Deathclaws have lighter skin and shorter horns than the standard Deathclaws and they aren’t as strong as adult Deathclaws damage and health wise, but they make up for it with their speed being faster than an adult Deathclaw
Young Deathclaw[]
Appearing in Fallout: New Vegas, these are adolescent Deathclaws that are a significant step up from baby Deathclaws in both health and damage but aren’t as fast as babies.
Enclave Deathclaw[]
Appearing in Fallout 3, these Deathclaws have mind control devices fitted to their heads by the Enclave in an effort to turn them into weapons. However the devices are shown to fail from time to time resulting in the Deathclaw turning on the Enclave forces.
Blind Deathclaw[]
Appearing in Fallout: New Vegas, these Deathclaws, hence their name are blind, but what they lack in eyesight, they make up for with their heightened perception being able to easily detect the player just by noise alone.
Irradiated Deathclaw[]
Appearing in the Fallout: New Vegas DLC Lonesome Road, irradiated Deathclaws are only encountered in The Divide in a location known as Courier’s Mile. Irradiated Deathclaws, like all Deathclaws encountered in The Divide, level with the player meaning they will always be either even to or stronger than the player, however irradiating Deathclaws have zero defense, meaning that unlike most Deathclaws they take full damage from any attacks but they make up for this by being able to inflict radiation damage.
Deathclaw Alpha Male[]
Appearing in Fallout: New Vegas, alpha males are the patriarchs of Deathclaw packs, possessing darker skin with hints of red marks on their torso as well as bigger, darker horns and stand slightly taller than regular Deathclaws. Alpha males have more health and are significantly stronger than standard Deathclaws as well as having greater speed.
Alpha Deathclaw[]
Appearing in both Fallout 4 and Fallout 76, Alpha Deathclaws have horns that are curved more upwards and their skin is rust colored. These Deathclaws a step up from the standard Deathclaw in both games and are a bit more resilient than the standard Deathclaw.
Deathclaw Mother[]
Appearing in Fallout: New Vegas, Deathclaw mothers stand slightly taller than alpha males and have bluish gray skin with light faces and bellies and horns that are curved all the way back, mothers are the matriarchs of the Deathclaw packs and have more health, damage, and speed then even the alpha males.
Deathclaw Matriarch[]
Appearing in both Fallout 4 and Fallout 76, matriarchs are significantly stronger than alpha Deathclaws. Matriarchs have horns that are curved sideways and are more spaced apart, and their skin is a shade of purple with hints of yellow.
Legendary Deathclaw[]
A deadly beast that few in the Mojave Wasteland have seen and managed to escape and the few that tried to kill it were never seen again, the legendary Deathclaw appears as a significantly taller alpha male and is far stronger than any of the standard variants. The legendary Deathclaw is found in Dead Wind Cavern and is protected throughout the cave by several Deathclaws including one Deathclaw mother, and is located in the final chamber of the cave with the corpses of a squad of Brotherhood soldiers, next to one of them is the unique grenade machine gun, Mercy.
Glowing Deathclaw[]
Appearing in Fallout 4 and Fallout 76, the glowing Deathclaws are Deathclaws that have become highly irradiated and have developed bioluminescence with their skin being charcoal black with glowing green accents. Glowing Deathclaws have greater stats than the standard Deathclaws and have the added ability to deal additional radiation damage. In Fallout 76, glowing Deathclaws appear frequently in blast zones.
Scorched Deathclaw[]
Appearing in Fallout 76, scorched Deathclaws are Deathclaws that have been infected by the Scorched Plague, linking them to the Scorchbeasts’ hivemind, making them hostile to anyone and anything that isn’t infected, even uninfected Deathclaws.
Savage Deathclaw[]
Appearing in Fallout 4 and Fallout 76, savage Deathclaws are stronger than Deathclaw matriarchs and have a similar appearance except that their skin is a dust brown with hints of orange, and just like the matriarch it has sideways curved horns that are spaced apart, however the left horn has noticeably been broken off.
Albino Deathclaw[]
Appearing in Fallout 4 and Fallout 76, these Deathclaws have paler skin due to albinism and are far stronger than the standard Deathclaws and are extremely resilient being able to survive even a shot from the Mysterious Stranger’s gun.
Chameleon Deathclaw[]
Appearing in Fallout 4 and Fallout 76, the chameleon Deathclaw is by far one of the most dangerous types of Deathclaw the player can encounter, their bodies are standardly either bright red, bright blue or bright green, but these Deathclaws, hence their name have the ability to change the color of their bodies to easily blend into their surroundings such as stone gray on rocks or dark green in forests, and even sometimes they can turn almost entirely invisible making them all the more dangerous.
Mythic Deathclaw[]
Appearing in Fallout 4 and Fallout 76, the mythic Deathclaw is by far the strongest Deathclaw variant, although it doesn’t look much different from the standard Deathclaw aside from having faint bloodstains on its body, additional spines on its back, and a slightly darker hide. Similar to Deathclaws in The Divide, mythic Deathclaws level with the player, meaning that they will either be just as strong or stronger than the player character.
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