Mirelurk (Fallout 76)

Mirelurks are creatures found in Appalachia in 2102.

Biology
The crab-like mirelurk is considered both fearsome and formidable by wastelanders. Mirelurks are generally social with others of their kind, although they tend to be aggressive to other creatures and one another if one gets too close to another.

Most adult mirelurks appear to have a hardened carapace on their backs, which is suggested to be their primary defense mechanism. While their eyesight appears to be poor, mirelurks have an extraordinary sense of smell. After using their crab/spider-like legs and large claws to reach and catch prey, they use a smaller set of abdomen claws to strip their prey down to the bone within minutes. Most mirelurks grow remarkably fast, and the shelled-variant has been observed to reach maturity within weeks.

Gameplay attributes
The base variant of the mirelurk attacks exclusively with melee. They will get close, usually in a group of three or more and attempt to hit the player character with their large claws. They will duck into their hard shell as a way to block incoming melee damage. They do this often and it can become an issue if the player is being attacked from multiple sides, as when they turn to attack a different foe, the crouched mirelurk will leap up and attack almost instantly. They are vulnerable to explosives and headshots.

Mirelurk spawn and hatchlings are weak. They can be killed easily, especially with explosives. They are used mainly as a distraction.

Hunters are the next variant, with high mobility and melee damage. The lack of a hardened carapace means that they have slightly less protection, albeit protection that covers the whole body, meaning they are not nearly as vulnerable to headshots. They can also utilize a poisonous spit attack, similar to that of the mirelurk queen, but on a much smaller scale. This ranged ability means they will often hang back from the main pack and force you to have to run to them.

Next come the kings. These are highly agile and surprisingly well armored foes, that are almost always encountered nearby a mirelurk queen. Though usually alone, it is not uncommon to find more than one king at a mirelurk den. They will run up and swipe, as well as perform a powerful sonic blast attack from range, with a very high chance to stun. Their high HP pool and damage means that you should prioritize killing the kings over any other variant, minus the queen.

The queen comes last. She is huge, being the largest enemy you can encounter in game besides the Scorchbeast queen and behemoth. She will attack with powerful melee, and a very effective poison spit attack, which can blanket an entire area in a matter of seconds. They can also release mirelurk spawn like grenades, using them as a distraction while she kills the opponent. Being one of the few boss enemies, she is very difficult to kill. Her high armor and HP can make her a tough enemy for most players, however she is vulnerable to headshots.

Mirelurk hunter
This type of mirelurk has mutated from the local lobster population. They are significantly more resilient than regular mirelurks and gain the ability to spit acid at its enemies, as well as more powerful attacks. While the common mirelurk is vulnerable to headshots, the head of the mirelurk hunter is much stronger.

Mirelurk king
Mirelurk kings do not resemble the crab-like mirelurks, instead appearing to be heavily mutated frogs based on sounds they make and the webbing between their fingers and toes. They are very fast and can easily kill a low level player character in seconds.

Strangler mirelurk
A variant of the mirelurk, called as reinforcements for the strangler heart.

Locations

 * Five softshell mirelurks can be found at New River Gorge Resort.
 * About six softshell mirelurk on the stream west of Summersville.
 * Mirelurk hunters can be found at Hemlock Holes maintenance during a Defend Workshop event.
 * Mirelurk hunters can be found in Lake Reynolds.
 * Mirelurk spawns and kings can be found at Wendigo cave.
 * A mirelurk queen can be found at The Freak Show.
 * A mirelurk queen can be found in the water at Quarry X3.
 * A mirelurk queen can be found at Spruce Knob Lake, in the water.

Appearances
Mirelurks appear in Fallout 76.