Deathclaw (Fallout 4)

Deathclaws are creatures found in the Commonwealth.

Characteristics
Deathclaws are tough and formidable melee combatants. Their appearance is also more detailed compared to their Fallout 3 and New Vegas predecessors, they have darker, scaled skin and longer horns and claws. Close inspection of their feet will reveal what appears to be a single enlarged toe claw on each foot, similar to prehistoric raptors. The Massachusetts deathclaws are more physically dynamic, showing abilities such as running on all fours when in combat, or climbing obstacles, behaviors never seen in the deathclaws of previous titles. Deathclaws can be found anywhere in the Commonwealth, but appear more frequently in the Glowing Sea.

Biology
Deathclaws are the result of a pre-War experiment that involved creating a mutation of the Jackson's Chameleon, along with several other species, to use as weapons on the battlefield. They are strong, agile predators that will attack the player character on sight. Their long and sharp claws are capable of inflicting great amounts of damage on the player character, sometimes deadly (hence their name).

Gameplay attributes
Deathclaws have the ability to instantly kill the Sole Survivor, by grappling the player character by the neck and shoving its claws into their chest. This maneuver sometimes fails and results in the player character being dropped instead.

The instant kill can also be nullified by wearing any type of power armor. Instead the deathclaw will grab the Sole Survivor and simply scratch, pummel or throw them as the armor in itself is too thick for the claws to penetrate. In addition, deathclaws deal heavily reduced damage to the Sole Survivor with the power armor.

The deathclaws are resistant to damage on their dark, scaled parts, leaving the belly as a weak spot which takes increased damage. However, it is not easy to actually hit this weak spot due to the fact that deathclaws usually charge at the Sole Survivor on four legs, leaving the belly well hidden. They can dodge from your gunshots, making them even more harder to kill.

Variants
The variant that you encounter is based on your level. Different variations become increasingly more common the higher your level is. Whereas you might expect to encounter a normal deathclaw you might encounter an alpha deathclaw if your level is high enough.

Savage deathclaw
A savage deathclaw may be found in Museum of Witchcraft.

Albino deathclaw
An albino deathclaw may be found in Lynn Woods.

Glowing deathclaw
A glowing deathclaw can be found on top of the Haymarket Mall.

Alpha deathclaw
An alpha deathclaw can be encountered by flipping the breaker at the top of the tower in Lynn Woods and the roof of Haymarket Mall(2 may spawn on the roof).

Also, one can be found hiding in a house in Robotics Pioneer Park. There is also another house with a terminal that can control four protectrons, making the fight slightly easier.

Another location for the alpha deathclaw is the Glowing Sea.

Deathclaw matriarch
A deathclaw matriarch can be found on top of the Haymarket Mall. Deathclaw Matriarchs are females, since the word Matriarch means a woman who is the leader of a family or tribe.

Legendary deathclaw
Any deathclaw in the game has a chance to be a legendary deathclaw. This includes the variants of deathclaw such as alpha or savage. They are easier to find in The Glowing Sea.

Locations
Deathclaws can be encountered anywhere in The Commonwealth, but some locations are more frequent deathclaw hunting grounds than others. Down below is a list of possible deathclaw locations.
 * A scripted deathclaw can be encountered in Concord after obtaining the T-45 power armor
 * All over The Commonwealth (as a random encounter)
 * As a common enemy in The Glowing Sea
 * On the top roof of Haymarket Mall
 * Two random encounters can be triggered by throwing the switch on top of the tower in Lynn Woods
 * One can be found guarding the entrance to Old Gullet sinkhole
 * A scripted deathclaw can be encountered in the Museum of Witchcraft
 * A matriarch deathclaw can be encountered just south of Capsized factory on the top of a hill
 * A deathclaw can be found in a tunnel off the gym area in the Boston Mayoral Shelter.
 * A Scripted event in the Boston Mayoral Shelter

Appearances
Deathclaws appear in Fallout 4.

Behind the scenes
The deathclaw model was made by Jonah Lobe.