Surviving Encounters With Fallout 4’s Far Harbor Monsters

Far Harbor throws some pretty challenging creatures at a Sole Survivor. It isn’t like Fallout 4 is an easy game. We’ve certainly encountered daunting challenges in the game. I made the mistake of sounding the siren in Lynn Woods when I was at level 10. It attracted three Deathclaws to the abandoned town, and I had to “nope” my way out of there. Far Harbor doesn’t throw you into anything so hazardous, but the radioactive fog and stronger and faster than average enemies aren’t entirely pleasant prospects.

You get your first look at the Gulpers and Anglers the second you arrive in Far Harbor. You’re asked by Avery, the town’s mayor, to aid in the defense. At this point, you’re safe. You’re on the high ground, aided by multiple NPCs, and even though the Anglers’ flaming projectiles can still reach your perch, you’re never in any immediate danger. They’re the most common of the new enemies you’ll encounter.

Of the notable enemies, I’ve seen more Gulpers in this Fallout 4 add-on than anything else. They’re the bane of my existence, even more so than other new creatures like the Angler, Fog Crawler, and Hermit Crab. The reason being, targeting them in V.A.T.S. is a nightmare. They’re so fast that you can’t get a good lock on them. If you have a gun, you need to be accurate and far enough away to try and pick them off. If you have aiming issues, maybe try going with a melee weapon. I tended to use the Fish Catcher, a new weapon sold in Far Harbor, against these guys. It’s slow, but deals lots of damage and the Gulpers are going to be in your face anyway.

If there were more than two, I’d just run for cover. It’s very easy to be overwhelmed by Gulpers, with their speed, and you want to have the terrain in your favor when they gang up on you. More often than not, I’d see one or two Gulpers with some Mirelurks, but you may run across more. Especially since they’re found near water and there’s lot of water on the island.

Call me crazy, but I actually preferred to face Anglers. Mainly because they’re easy to spot. They stick to watery areas, usually with Lure weeds. They’ll wait for you to find them, but it’s easy to pick them out. They’ll show up in V.A.T.S., so bring it up whenever you see the glowing plant. While it does have a rather deadly fireball attack that can set your Sole Survivor on fire, which it isn’t afraid to use often, it’s also relatively easy to cripple. I suggest taking out the legs first, maybe with Hitman’s Overcharged Institute Rifle, which you get from finishing The Arrival quest, has decent 92 damage output, and can deal 10% extra damage while you aim. They’re really susceptible to damage. Though honestly, most guns are pretty effective. Especially since they’re rather easy to spot, so you can properly position yourself before a fight.

The other two major enemies, Fog Crawlers and Hermit Crabs, are more dangerous. They’re also rather uncommon. Fog Crawlers are the easiest to detect and the ones you’re most likely to see. I found one near the Children of the Atom’s Nucleus during the Visions in the Fog quest. The other decided it needed to be at Dalton Farm during Blood Tide. These guys are huge, like Deathclaws, and deadly, like Deathclaws.

So, handle them the same way you would a Deathclaw. Head for high ground, to try and get out of its reach. Especially since it’ll leap in the air for one attack and basically pound the ground. Have frag grenades and pulse grenades at the ready. Maybe even be in your Power Armor. Bomb the bugger and shoot at its legs, and you’ll be fine. If you have enough room in your inventory, use the Beaver Creek Lanes’ bowling ball hurling The Striker, which has a 50% chance of crippling legs, to make quick work of these guys. They look scarier than they really are.

The Hermit Crabs are as rare as unicorns in Fallout 4’s Far Harbor. I’ve only seen one. It was near the Oceanarium. They are distinctive. Their shells are Lobster Grill Family Restaurant trucks. So, if you see a Lobster Grill truck, be wary. The one I encountered was already out of its shell and ready to rumble. Fortunately, they’re slow. I laid down some frag, plasma, and pulse mines, then scurried out of range to fire on it with one of my favorite guns and pelt it with more bombs. Don’t bother hitting the shell. Go for the legs and head. Maybe even use a harpoon gun, like the Defender’s Harpoon Gun you get from completing the Mariner’s sidequest in Far Harbor, since it ignores 30% of an enemy’s damage and energy resistance.

Compared to these four folks, the rest of Far Harbor’s foes are nothing. Ghouls? We beat them on an hourly basis. Wolves? They’re basically hounds. Trappers? We met them last year when they were called Raiders. Fallout 4’s Gulpers, Anglers, Fog Crawlers, and Hermit Crabs are the only things that’ll go bump in the night, and you’ll be able to take care of each one if you’re careful.

Fallout 4 and the Far Harbor add-on are immediately available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC.