Fallout 4 is the newest RPG by Bethesda, so it is, true to tradition, absolutely massive. In the tradition of Bethesda games like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 3, Fallout 4 features a staggeringly big world map to explore (the city of Boston, post nuclear holocaust, in this case), which is a sandbox littered with things to do and secrets to discover.
Bobbleheads:
Bobbleheads are like Vault Boy Amiibos. And just like Amiibos, you will have this irresistible, unplaceable urge to just… collect all of them. That’s because they’re not just aesthetic, they also help with your character building, as Bobbleheads improve one of your skills, or add to your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. points.
Yeah, figured that would get your attention. You want them now, don’t you? The video below should help you with that:
Books and Magazines:
Books in Fallout 4 let you level up a stat without wasting precious points on it. In other words, it is in your best interests to hunt down all the comics scattered around the world, to assist your character build.
That’s the good news. The bad news is that unfortunately, there aren’t a whole lot of known books in the world… yet. What this means, then, is that you can’t just hunt books as an alternative path to leveling your character. As it stands, there are simply not enough books in the game world for it to be viable.
A full list of books and magazines, what they do, and where to find them is provided below. Obviously, this list is not complete- this is just what we have been able to find so far. As and when we find more, we’ll update this portion of the guide.
Grognak the Barbarian: Critical Hits with unarmed and melee attacks permanently do +5% damage.
Find it in the kitchen counter of your old home in Sanctuary Hills.
It’s also in the Corvega Assembly Plant, next to the computer on the elevated platform you kill Jared on.
Robco Fun – Atomic Command: Unlocks the Atomic Command holotape game. You can find it in the Museum of Freedom, in the room with Preston and the refugees, on the table next to the working terminal.
Robco Fun – Pip Fall: Unlocks the Pip Fall holotape game. It’s in Fort Hagen, on the bottom level, in the same room where you fight Kellog, sitting on a table.
Robco Fun – Grognak the Barbarian: Unlocks the Grognak the Barbarian holotape game. Find it in The Memory Den, on the bottom floor where all the memory pods are kept.
Astoundingly Awesome Tales:
- Increases your AP by 5. This one is in Vault 114. You need to be on the lookout for this one: while following Valentine, you’ll find this seated inconspicuously on a crate on one of the lower floors.
- This one gives you +5% damage against Ghouls. Find it in the Crater of Atom, on the second floor of Mother Isoldes house.
- Gives you +5% damage with the Alien Blaster. It’s in Hubris Comics, on the top floor. Just find the room with the star on the door.
- Gives you +5% damage with the Cyrolater. Inside the Railroad HQ.
- Gives you +5% damage at night. This one is sitting in Outpost Zimonja, on the workbench.
- Increases damage to Super Mutants by 5%. Find this in the Podium in Trinity Plaza.
You’re SPECIAL: +1 to any attribute of your choice. It’s found in the baby’s room in your old home in Sanctuary Hills.
Picket Fences:
- Unlocks a new high tech light at settlement workshops. Find it in the Hardware Town, in the office area next to the unused terminal.
- Lets you build picket fences at settlement workshops. It’s in Beantown Brewery, next to the steamer truck, on the ground.
- Lets you build patio furniture at the workshop. This one is is in the Weston Water Treatment Plant, on the lower levels next to the facilities terminal.
Live and Love: Companions inflict +5% damage. It’s in College Square, on top of the safe next to the ticket booth.
Massachusetts Surgical Journal: Increases limb damage by 2%.
- It’s inside the Greater Mass Blood Clinic in the Fort Hagen Area, in the ticket booth behind the locked door.
- It is also in Greentech Genetics, on the third floor, in the northern most hallway, you can find this on a small end table.
Tesla Science: Energy weapons critical hit damage increased by 5%. Find it in Virgil’s Home in Rocky Cave.
Unstoppables: Gives you a 1% chance of avoiding all damage from an attack.
- In Westing Estate, on the bed.
- In Hurbis Comics, on the counter on the first floor.
U.S. Covert Operations Manual: Makes it more difficult for you to be detected while you are sneaking. Find it on the middle satellite on the Reverse Satellite Array.
Holotapes:
Holotapes in Fallout 4 let you play some old school games on computer terminals, which are almost always based on old school classic video games. The video games are some nicely designed minigames, and can prove to be quite addictive- and these all go a long way towards adding to the illusion of a real, lived in world, that Fallout 4 strives to build.
A full list of the five (so far) Holotapes within Fallout 4 follows below:
Red Menace: Found in Vault 111, at the Recreation Terminal. Just eject the Holotape. If you play the game on it, you get the Future Retro Achievement/Trophy.
Atomic Command: In the Museum of Freedom. It’s actually hard to miss, so you should be able to find it the first time you enter the Museum as part of the Freedom Calls quest.
Pipfall: You’ll get it as you do the Reunion mission in the game, inside the boss room.
Grognak the Barbarian and the Ruby Ruins: In the Memory Den in the Good Neighbor Settlement.
Zeta Invaders: Inside the office of Nick Valentine, in Diamond City.
Mini Nukes:
You know, the people of the Wasteland really did not learn from their current predicament, You’d think the nuclear war and the resulting fallout would make them rethink their stance on nuclear weapons. You’d be wrong, as the Mini Nukes are actually a fairly common weapon you can find throughout the Wasteland.
Below follows a list of all the locations where you should be able to find yourself a Mini Nuke.
Natick and Glowing Sea, Abandoned Shack
Go to the base of the main subterranean chamber to find a Mini Nuke and some other goodies.
Neighborhood; Charles Town, BADTFL Regional Office
In the upper level locker, you will find a wide array of materials including Mini Nuke.
Qunicy and Southern Commonwealth, Big John’s Salvage
This area contains a Mini Nuke as well a Fusion Core for your Power Armor.
Coastal Commonwealth, Boston Airport
In the Arrivals Terminal, search the upper floor above the workshop to find a Mini Nuke there.
Western Commonwealth, Boston Mayoral Shelter
Head over to the area and you’ll find the Mini Nuke (and Fat Man) on the main level.
Neighborhood; Charles Town, Bunker Hill
During the Faction Mission: The Battle of Bunker Hill, head to the interior of this area and find a Mini Nuke inside.
Neighborhood; Cambridge, C.I.T. Ruins
In the Neighborhood, you will find a Fusion Core and some ammo lying there.
Beacon Hill, Cabot House
Head over to the basement’s first level in the house to find a Mini Nuke as well as a Fat Man.
Esplanade, Charles View Amphitheater
Go to the amphitheater stage and find a Mini Nuke under one of the beds located there.
Quincy and Southern Commonwealth, Coast Guard Pier
You need to head over to the very center of the area’s exterior and find a Mini Nuke lying there along with some other goodies.
Neighborhood; Theater District, Combat Zone
It’s pretty hard to miss here, but you need to be careful in your approach of the area.
Coastal Commonwealth, Croup Manor
The Mini Nuke is outside- but this is a pretty risky area and absolutely should not be approached at low levels. The enemies in the area will wipe the floors with you.
Neighborhood; Theater District, D.B. Technical High School
Head to the first basement level and level one in the area in order to find a Mini Nuke as well as a Fat Man.
Neighborhood; The Fens, Diamond City
This is a relatively easy one to get- just head on over to the area, and grab it.
Coastal Commonwealth, Dunwich Borers
You need to head over to the basement level 3, which is underwater, to find three Mini Nukes lying there before surfacing. Just… make sure you don’t die in the process. Radiation sickness can be a bitch.
Coastal Commonwealth, East Boston Preparatory School
You’ll be able to find a Mini Nuke in the outside area of the school.
Western Commonwealth, Federal Ration Stockpile
Check the outside of the area to find a Mini Nuke as well as a Fat Man there. It’s one of the easier ones to find in the game, so go on ahead and grab it.
Western Commonwealth, Fort Hagen
Head inside the Command Center and search the Armory there to find a Mini Nuke as well as a Fat Man.
Coastal Commonwealth, Fort Strong
Head to the Fort Strong Armory and check the general’s desk in order to find a Mini Nuke there. Another couple of Mini Nukes can be found inside the Fort Strong sub-level.
Neighborhood; Financial District, Goodneighbor
Head inside ‘Kill or be Killed’ and find a Mini Nuke as well as a Fat Man there.
Neighborhood; Cambridge, Greenetech Genetics
This is a pretty large area, so it might take a while before you find what you are looking for, but there’s a Mini Nuke over here all right. You just have to be patient while you look for it. The good news is, there isn’t a whole lot of danger you could run into while you look.
Quincy and Southern Commonwealth, Gunners Plaza
You’ll find a Fusion Core on the first floor and another one on the second floor of the plaza.
Western Commonwealth, Jalbert Brothers Disposal
The Mini Nuke is inside a trunk inside the garage.
Coastal Commonwealth, Kingsport Lighthouse
You simply need to go inside, and sure enough, you’ll find a Mini Nuke there.
Lexington and Northwest Commonwealth, Lexington
Just before exiting the the Switchboard, make sure to pick up the Mini Nuke lying inside.
Coastal Commonwealth, Libertalia
Head inside the captain’s cabin in order to find a Mini Nuke there.
North-Central Commonwealth, Malden Center
It’s on the first bottom level and the first floor.
Neighborhood; Financial District, Mass Fusion Building
Go on over to the fifth floor of the building and find a Mini Nuke there.
Natick and the Glowing Sea, Mass Fusion Disposal Site
Search the large tire near the yellow digging machine to find a Mini Nuke inside. Also, take care to not die, as this area’s hard, even at higher levels.
Quincy and Southern Commonwealth, Mass Pike Tunnel West and East
Head inside the structure and find a Fusion Core as well as a Mini Nuke there.
Boston Common, Massachusetts State House
The Mini Nuke is located on the third floor of the building.
North Central Commonwealth, Outpost Zimonja
Find the plant located in the area, and head on inside of it to find a Mini Nuke.
Coastal Commonwealth, Prydwen
Check the weapons storage on the main deck- you’ll hit jackpot and find not one, not to, but up to five Mini Nukes in the area.
Quincy and Southern Commonwealth, Quincy Ruins
Head over to Gunners Freeway Stronghold and find a Mini Nuke near the theaters.
North Central Commonwealth, Revere Satellite Array
You will find a Mini Nuke as well as a Fat Man here, it shouldn’t be difficult.
Lexington and Northwest Commonwealth, Robotics Disposal Ground
Head over towards the east entrance to find a Mini Nuke there. The Fat Man, meanwhile, can be located near the northwest of the Sentry Bot. This is the easiest nuke in the game to find, you can’t mess this up if you tried.
Natick and Glowing Sea, Rocky Cave [Virgil’s Laboratory]
You need to head inside the lab in order to find a Mini Nuke lying there.
Coastal Commonwealth, Salem
The Mini Nuke is inside the church.
Natick and the Glowing Sea, Sentinel Site
The Mini Nuke is located on the ground level.
Quincy and the Southern Commonwealth, South Boston Military Checkpoint
There is a small secured area in the backside. Head on over to it, to find a Mini Nuke as well as a Fat Man.
Quincy and the Southern Commonwealth, Spectacle Island
Find a Mini Nuke on the ground floor and a Fat Man inside the green boat.
Neighborhood; South Boston, The Castle
Head inside the Castle in the South Boston to find a Mini Nuke as well as a Fat Man.
Boston Harbor [Waterfront], The Shamrock Taphouse
The Mini Nuke is on the second floor.
Lexington and Northwest Commonwealth, USAF Satellite Station Olivia
Just… go inside. It’s there.
Western Commonwealth, Vault 81
You simply need to head inside the Vault-81. That’s it. You’ll find it there.
Beacon Hill, Vault-Tec Regional HQ
It’s inside the bathrooms on the first floor.
Quincy and Southern Commonwealth, Warwick Homestead
The Nuke here is easy to pick up- getting to it without dying is what might get you killed. Be on the lookout, and try to avoid this place if you’re still in the lower levels.
Western Commonwealth, Wattz Consumer Electronics
Head over to the upper floor in order to find a Mini Nuke there.
Quincy and Southern Commonwealth, Wreck of the FMS Northern Star
It’s next to the terminal outside
Neighborhood; The Fens, Wreck of the USS Riptide
The Nuke is there, fairly easy to pick up; not too much danger around either.
Boston Harbor [Waterfront], Yangtze
The Nuke is on the second floor.