Yao Guai (Fallout 3)

The Yao Guai are a species of mutant bears and are some of the strongest, fastest, deadliest creatures you can expect to come across in Fallout 3.

In Chinese, Yao Guai (妖怪) simply means "monster". In mythology, they are physical incarnations of the spirits of mistreated animals, or fallen divine animals. During gameplay, there is evidence that there were Chinese soldiers who actually made it to the American mainland during the Great War (for example, the different Chinese weapons available in the game, the remains of Chinese soldiers, the Chinese Remnant in Mama Dolce's and the Chengs living in Tenpenny Tower), so it is possible that its Chinese name comes from this influence.

Although generally found alone, Yao Guai -- when found in pairs -- seem to exhibit a gentle, familial bond toward one another, provided they do not feel threatened by the observer's presence.

Yao Guai do not like any other Wasteland animals or people, as they attack nearly any other animals or people they encounter, including Deathclaws. A single Yao Guai can easily kill Dogmeat, and has an excellent chance of wiping out a party of Raiders.

Three Dog's advice on Yao Guai is simply: "Don't feed them".

Strategy
A Yao Guai encounter is very dangerous, they are very strong and very fast, and are probably outclassed by only the infamous Deathclaw. Although not even close to the threat, Yao Guai attack similarly to Deathclaws, via running pounces and slashes, so Yao Guai tend to be a good form of practice before Deathclaws begin to appear. They have really high Perception, so don't be surprised if they sense you from far away, even if you aren't in their line of sight. They are also surprisingly sneaky, so you might be walking the Capital Wasteland and suddenly get jumped from behind by one. They attack by slashing and biting you, and they can also do pounce attacks.

Using V.A.T.S., it's a good idea to target their legs from afar, as this will severely hamper their mobility and ability to pounce. You should use strong long-range weapons to take down Yao Guai (the Dart Gun is effective in this manner, as it cripples both legs on a successful hit). If you manage to secure a sniper rifle, it's a very good idea to snipe them from a crouching position from afar, so that you can get a sneak critical bonus. A sniper rifle in decent condition and a good Small Guns skill can kill a Yao Guai with one shot. Luckily, Yao Guai are solitary creatures, so it's pretty rare to face more than one at a time. Like Deathclaws, Yao Guai are very dependent on their mobility to be a danger; a single Dart Gun shot will leave them vulnerable to any type of incoming fire, even a N99 10mm Pistol.

If they get to medium range, and you are using a single shot weapon, e.g hunting rifle, switch to a close combat weapon, such as a shotgun (any sort) or a ripper. In my experience, Yao Guais are best attacked with automatics, as, mentioned above, crippling legs.

If you are ambushed by a Yao Guai and must fight it in close combat, aim for the creature's head with a combat shotgun in V.A.T.S.

After obtaining the Animal Friend perk, they will no longer attack you or your party unless provoked. They can even fight for you after you get the second rank, which can be very helpful due to their strength. Even without obtaining the second rank of the perk, the Yao Guai are hostile towards a number of other troublesome enemies.

Loot
Yao Guai corpses contain the Yao Guai Meat, which not only carries a respectable health benefit but also grants the player a damage bonus for a short period of time, making its use as a hybrid of a healing item and the drug Psycho.

Appearances

 * Yao Guai appear only in Fallout 3.