Each Fallout 4 Companion offers special CompanionPerks to players who journey alongside them. Companion Perks allow players to gain special abilities by maxing out relationship levels with Companions, typically through performing actions that Companion appreciates, through Companion Quests, and sometimes through pursuing a romantic relationship.
The Best Companion Perk[edit]
While all Companion Perks are useful in some circumstances, it's hard to argue with McCready's incredible Killshot bonus in V.A.T.S, which requires no special conditions to activate. Not only is the Perk useful, but a bug with McCready's power that frequently bolsters ALL headshots to 95% probability greatly increases a player's potential lethality.
To get McCready's appreciation, you'll need to make decisions that make him happy. He likes violence and loves watching you steal and break into locked areas, but he's not a big fan of cruel behavior or attacks on the innocent. Keep talking with him as you adventure. Eventually, he'll ask for help with a couple of things and your relationship will max out.
Preston's ability is very helpful against enemy mobs, and Deacon and Danse's bonuses are always useful. Curie's healing ability can rescue you from a tight spot, and X6-88's extra defense never hurts.
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There’s something big arriving this week which can make or break Bethesda’s attempts to craft a massive online wasteland — Fallout 76. The game will eventually have its own curated mods (unlike the ones that users have recently made). I know everyone’s hoping that mod support for Fallout 76 will be extensive simply because Bethesda’s games have often been an amazing playground for modders. That’s what brings us to this feature — the best Fallout 4 mods of all-time.
I’ve chosen one to three mods for each category from the Fallout 4 Nexus website (although there are also some honorable mentions). These mods have enriched my playthroughs; with ESP merging I was actually running the game with 250 mods. I’ll also explain why I think a certain mod is head and shoulders above the rest, though that doesn’t do any disservice to other creators. Lastly, I did not include any mods which lean heavily on NSFW content (sorry CBBE).
Note that all images used in this article are from their respective creators. Download crack age of empire 3 walkthrough.
Armor and Clothing
HN66 Sirius 12 Assault Suit by Humannature66
Humannature66’s armor set redefines cool and stylish as you adventure in Fallout 4’s wasteland. Rather than look like a scraggly scavenger, your Sole Survivor looks like a member of a highly-advanced mecha strike team. Think of it like you just ransacked The Institute or the Brotherhood of Steel and came away with a bunch of insanely eye-catching stuff. And yes, before you ask, there’s a sexier version too. Because why not?
Pampas armor set by Ralfetas
While I did say that there won’t be anything that’s quite NSFW, some slightly sexy armor sets and bodysuits would still apply. The Pampas set by Ralfetas works in this regard. Yes, it does have armor pieces that border on making female characters sexier (they are for CBBE, after all), but it’s still fairly fitting and not too skimpy (or “slooty” as Fallout 4 players might call it). There’s also the more fan-servicey and slightly NSFW Fortaleza set.
Eli’s Armor Collection Remade by Elianora
If the two examples above weren’t lore-friendly enough for your tastes, then Elianora’s creations might interest you. Her clothing designs and mash-ups are impeccable. They actually fit how a normal civilian might dress today (or during 2076, assuming you found some retro clothing). It’s perfect for players who do want custom outfits without necessarily being too outrageous.
Honorable Mentions
Power Armor
T-49 Armor of the Storyteller by Unoctium
Hands down a work of genius, Unoctium brought Shoddycast and YouTube favorite The Storyteller and his memorable Power Armor in Fallout 4. Yes, this download actually includes The Storyteller, and all his jabs and quips, as well as his eyebot EDNA.
TES-51 Skyrim Power Armor by EdibleGrenade12
One of the cooler additions to Power Armor mods happens to take inspiration from another Bethesda game — The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. This creation by EdibleGrenade12 has gorgeous details and even comes with its own loading screen image.
Honorable Mentions
Weapons
ACR-W17 by N7R
There are a number of awesome realistic and fictional weapon mods in Fallout 4. However, I do believe the ACR-W17 might be the best of the bunch. That’s because of N7R’s implementation of a progression system. The ACR-W17 is fully customizable, and new attachments would be unlocked depending on how often you use the weapon. For instance, you could have additional medkits strapped on the weapon itself, which heals you for an amount.
Remote Explosives by Fadingsignal
Sure, you can throw your grenades or molotovs and wait for them to explode, but what if you can plan ahead and place your remote-detonated explosive traps around your settlements? How about sneaking around a raider camp and placing mini nukes while patrols are unwary? Fadingsignal lets you do just that in this mod that makes combat more dynamic.
Crossbows of the Commonwealth by TrickyVein
Fallout 4 Fully Voiced Companion Mods
Some weapons recreate or modify existing archetypes. Others, like the Crossbows of the Commonwealth mod by Trickyvein, completely change your style of play. They’re weapons that are perfect for a stealthy run. Be careful if you miss or if you’re trapped in a firefight, though, because crossbows are a pain in the ass to reload.
Honorable Mentions
Companions
Heather Casdin by LlamaRCA
Heather Casdin is far and away one of the best companion mods ever made for any game — period. The character has a ton of voice lines and even has a unique affinity and quest system. As you progress through the game, Heather tells you of her tragic story, eventually opening up to you as you kill more synths or drink some of her herbal concoctions.
Ellen the Cartographer by Guicool
Another brilliantly made companion is Ellen the Cartographer from Guicool. She’s voiced by none other than Potastic Panda (Ambriel companion from Skyrim). While Ellen does follow the vanilla system, it’s done in such a refreshing way that you truly feel that she’s part of the base game.
Amazing Follower Tweaks by Dheuster
No matter how many new companions you might download, you’ll ideally need a companion system to manage all of them. Amazing Follower Tweaks (AFT) is perhaps the best mod that can do that. It doesn’t just allow you to use multiple companions, it also adds a plethora of options like setting their outfits, poses, home locations, and even automatically clean and build settlements. AFT basically has the functions of many other companion management mods and then some. It’s also “mod-friendly” in that it internally checks if certain companions might “break” their scripts.
Honorable Mentions
Overhauls And Makeovers
FROST Survival Simulator by Naugrim04
FROST completely changes the way anyone plays the game. That’s because it’s a unique survival simulation set in the Fallout 4 world. Say goodbye to most NPCs and questing in general, because now your only objective is to survive for as long as possible.
Atomguard by Galejro
Atomguard brings something that fans of Skyrim‘s Dawnguard DLC might love, and that’s the ability to play as a bloodthirsty vampire. Your playthrough will be completely different. It’s not just because of new quests and locations, but because you’re out for the living. You can even raise the dead. Oh, and you’ll also get to see Serana again.
Honorable Mentions
Visual Improvements And Immersion
Vivid All-in-One by Hein84
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Vivid All-in-One is a mod that changes how Fallout 4 looks with all the options available upon installation. From the landscape to the vegetation, to even the weather, the mod has it all. The best thing about it is that you no longer need to install existing mods separately.
DECENT ENB by Zyd232
Although there are a number of ENBs and reshades out there that truly make for a photorealistic experience, DECENT ENB was always my choice. It does its job well, which is making the wasteland look more vibrant and scenic while also not letting performance take a major hit.
Honorable Mentions
Technical And UI Improvements
Unofficial Fallout 4 Patch by the Unofficial Patch Project Team and Arthmoor
Was there ever any doubt that this would be an absolute necessity? Bethesda games are notorious for having lots of bugs and technical issues. The Unofficial Fallout 4 Patch tends to correct many of those.
Mod Configuration Menu and HUD Framework by Registrator2000, and the Fallout 4 Script Extender
When Fallout 4‘s Creation Kit initially released, a number of downloads tend to be wonky. Then came improvements in the form of the Fallout 4 Script Extender (F4SE), which allowed modders to go beyond what the game normally allowed them to do. Meanwhile, the Mod Configuration Menu (MCM) has a number of mods that continue to use it. Their settings can be changed using MCM as opposed to using the console or having a Pipboy tape.
Honorable Mentions
Settlement And Crafting
Sim Settlements by Kinggath
To say that Sim Settlements is an amazing mod would be to do it a disservice. It’s a mod that could’ve been an actual paid DLC in its own right. That’s because of the painstaking work that Kinggath has done to revamp what settlement building and management can be like. The mod is so massive, with multiple updates and add-ons, that it ended up with its own section in the Nexus website as well.
Armorsmith Extended by Gambit77
Armorsmith Extended is one of the must-have downloads for any Fallout 4 playthrough. That’s because of the sheer number of changes it does to your crafting needs. Before, whether you were a modder or a regular player, creating your own armor in Fallout 4 could be a bore. With Armorsmith Extended, most armor pieces are now visible on your character (even Super Mutants can wear accessories). It’s made the most out of character models in that multiple slots are available for various attires.
Better Settlers by Thom293
Let’s face it, how many times do you end up seeing the same bland faces looking at you to save them from raiders or ghouls? How many times does Preston tell you that a settlement needs your help, only to see Joe and Jane Schmoe again? With Better Settlers, you can have 240 new folks that can populate your settlements with a variety of customization options. Yes, they can even have distinct hairstyles based on makeover mods that you have.
Honorable Mentions
Quests And New Locations
Atomic Radio and Tales from the Commonwealth by Kris Takahashi
If I didn’t have this mod, I would feel that my Fallout 4 playthrough was just a bit, well, sadder and emptier. That’s because Tales of the Commonwealth fleshes out the wasteland with new and interesting characters. You could be exploring the outskirts of Diamond City, or watching the riverside, and you’d encounter unique NPCs that give you side quests. You’d also meet new companions, and there’s even a radio station included.
Fusion City Rising by Recluse and Thuggysmurf
Once you’ve finished your Fallout 4 playthrough there’s nothing left to do. Maybe you’d like to do some side quests and whatnot, but nothing’s ever the same. With Fusion City Rising, you’ve got something to look forward to during the late game experience. It adds multiple new locations, quests, factions, and even three new companions. You can also check out the follow-up from Thuggysmurg called Outcasts and Remnants.
Honorable Mentions
Grab These Fallout 4 Mods![]()
And there you have it, folks. These are the mods that have served me well in multiple Fallout 4 playthroughs. With Fallout 76 coming out, maybe you’ll find the time to enjoy it. Or maybe not. If it’s the latter then perhaps you’d go back to Fallout 4 and try out some of these mods.
As mentioned up top, I used to run the game with 250 mods active — although I did learn to merge ESP files just to be below the limit. Although I regretfully could not list everything even if I wanted to, all of these creations (and more on the Nexus, Moddb, and the Creation Club) are a labor of love for the talented people that made them.
Are there any other mods that you’ve enjoyed over the years? Let us know.
Discussion with my friend seemed to indicate that I was probably totally insane for suggesting something like this, but she's not a modder and really, neither am I.
Background:
Fallout 4's companion system has become increasingly personal. and all the characters seem to actually be more human, having opinions on the player and liking/disliking the player's choices. as such making new companion characters for the game that can have the same depth, might prove more daunting, and less rewarding as the new companions may become flat compared to the interact-able and interesting characters around them. as such the modder's workaround of adding a new companion or character on the fly may be a cop out, in exchange for the bigger possibility that I feel is necessary.
in another forum I talked about the possibility of re-voicing a character's vanilla lines, so as to provide extended content as that character for a mod. and I admit I feel veritably insane for doing so. but this opens a new interesting world of possibilities if implemented correctly. if a community voice actor were to voice the entire vanilla lines of a character and do so with good quality, they could then provide additional content to any mod maker who wants a companion or character to interact with their mod. for example, if a mod-maker made an abandoned amusement park, and the voice actor re-voicing the companion was on board with it, the companion would now act like the mod was there, talking about specific things that go on in that mod. this would make the mods incredibly immersive.
The Problems:
1-Voice Actor Fatigue
1A. The Voice actor would likely have to voice hundreds of mods.
1B. Official DLC's would have to be re-voiced as well, if selected character had lines (Nick in far Harbor?)
2-Compatibility
2. If more than one actor completed this process, mods using different voice actors might become incompatible until the voice actor did their lines (or possibly never if the VA quit)
3-nonusers
3. There would in most cases seem to need to be two or more versions of a mod, for those not using specific voice replacers
4- Lore Friendly?
4. Voicing the characters would have to mean that there should be a cannon across all mods using them. Deacon can't say that he was lying about going to the capitol wasteland in one mod, then actually have in another (well, Actually it's Deacon so.Bad example?)
The Workarounds
1- Besides vanilla dialogue, which has no real workaround a batch of community designed lines could be made allowing for semi-generic 'Got another Quest for you' or the like lines from characters.
2- if it's possible, we hold a voice actor hunger games. (kidding) making it so that the community votes on the best voice actor to play the part, but I imagine this should be a very serious thing. for people who would put in job like hours on doing this.
3- No fix.
4- Some kind of Community 'Accepted lore?' on character development?
Projected Benefits
1- Character
1a-Characters that are deeper, possibly with more Dialogue than ever before
1b- Characters can interact in more profound ways with mods,
1c- mods involving romancing of the characters can now go in more depth, and sound better than a spliced together recording
2- Story
2a- Alternative story-lines and endings could be made using voice replacers. and in this way could revolutionize what the limits of modding are.
2b- mods could be increasingly lore friendly and immersive as companions mention something they've heard about, meaning no more one time quest giver NPC's.
TLDR: Get community Voice actors to re-voice the game. for reasons.
When Fallout 4 mods first started appearing on the Nexus, there wasn’t much to try as far as mod companions. Most were unvoiced and silent. So imagine everyone’s excitement when Heather Casdin, made by the author of the extremely popular Willow mod for Fallout New Vegas, appeared.
A little background there… I’d had mixed feelings about Willow back in the days of New Vegas. While technically what that mod did was far beyond any other companion mod on the Nexus, I felt a bit like Willow’s quests overshadowed my own at points. As some others pointed out, she also seemed (to me) a bit too clean, cute, and girly to believably be surviving in a desert wasteland. It was clear llamaRCA (the author) put a lot of work into the mod and I commend that, but I found I preferred other companion mods like Niner and Delilah more.
But Fallout 4 is a different game, and Heather Casdin, I hoped, would be a different experience.
– Features –
One look at the Nexus page for Heather and it’s clear that llamaRCA put the same commitment forth in making this mode as she did with Willow. The intro text states “over 1200 lines of dialogue” for starters, which far exceeded anything else on the Nexus upon release.
Some other notable distinctions:
Once again, Heather Casdin is the most technically robust companion on the Nexus. And since she can be used alongside any other companion in the game, and will interact with them (and comment about them) she fits right into the world easily. The mod is totally self contained. Heather uses CBBE as a custom body, but it will work whether you have CBBE installed or any other body mod.
– Story and Impressions –
Given my earlier comments about Willow, I’ll say right up front that I find Heather to be a much more believable person in this world.
Without spoiling anything as it relates to her quests, her parents were from the Brotherhood of Steel and she’s survived for years as a merchant selling medicine and goods she creates herself. And if you’ve been wondering given the last name, it does seem she’s related to Protector Casdin from Fallout 3.
Heather has a much more cynical, aggressive attitude toward raiders and the Institute than other companions, and especially compared to Willow. She’s kind enough that she makes sense with a ‘good’ player character, but also bloodthirsty enough to fit with a more ruthless play through.
The voice recording quality is pretty solid, though there are certain bits (like when she melee attacks and lets out a grunt) where the mic distorts and makes it clear she’s a mod. However, these are seldom and in general I think the author did a great job as a singlular modder without a whole recording team like Bethesda had.
The voice acting itself is decent. It isn’t as compelling as Piper or Nick Valentine generally, but also isn’t so flat or bad that your attention is drawn to it. Some of her taunts against mutants are funny. Heather makes a lot of comments in a lot of locations, which makes her more immersive than vanilla companions because she reacts to so many things that happen.
Early game I loved a line she said after Sturges tells us he needs our help getting through a door to a fusion core.
She says, “They expect us to believe… that that guy can’t hack a terminal?” It’s especially funny because Sturges is in the middle of hacking a terminal when you first meet him, right before that dialogue happens.
Her default laser rifle is a little overpowered if you pick her up early game. This didn’t bother me though since you can equip her with anything else and it will also have infinite ammo. Giving her a basic 10mm pistol instead makes her viable without overshadowing the player early on, for example. Give her any gun and a little ammo and it will be infinite for her, which further expands the range of options.
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Speaking of recruiting her, I like that the mod adds a “Heather Console” as a craftable item. This means while first arriving in Sanctuary in the beginning you can build this computer terminal and set her to hired without having to travel all the way to where you normally find her. (Role play it like she was in Sanctuary and you met her there.)
Note that doing this will bypass her normal dialogue when you meet her, so I recommend it for repeat play throughs and not your first time. Still, I think that’s a great feature and I haven’t seen that implemented with any other companions. Otherwise, you can find her near the cemetery in the middle northern area of the map.
Heather Casdin also features an optional romance path during her quest line. That’s fairly fleshed out and more “complete” than vanilla companion romances — you can even give her your spare wedding ring and she’ll acknowledge it. What I also like that the author has done is given clear dialogue options where if you’re role playing that your character is still grieving their spouse and not ready to romance someone else, it’s set up clearly for you to say so.
One minor gripe her is that it’s actually part of the dialogue that your character has to at least seem apprehensive about romancing her at first when she asks if you’re still in love with your former spouse. If you were looking to role play that your character has dealt with the grief and put it behind them, you can’t simply say that. Still, a small thing.
– Heather’s Compatibility –
I’ve used this mod on and off in various play-throughs since its release. As someone who is always experimenting with new mods and removing old ones, my games are more prone to crashes than others. And yet I rarely experience any issues period, and none that I can trace back to this mod.
As far as I can tell the mod works with basically any weapons, armor, or body mod. None that I’ve seen conflict with the area that this mod designates as Heather’s bunker.
The only time I’ve had an issue is with another mod causing Heather’s radio quest early on not to play, but that was corrected by setting Heather’s mod to load later in the list. The mod author also notes a compatibility issue with Better Companions by Tech Prince.
– Heather Casdin, Final Verdict –
I’ve replayed Fallout 4 many times, and can say that since trying Heather Casdin she ends up on a lot of my play throughs. Even if I only travel with her for awhile and I ultimately trade her out, she fits so well into the world she makes sense as at least part of my character’s journey. She seems like a character that belongs in the wasteland, and believably survives within it.
She’s a complicated woman who has has to overcome some hardships that have left her vengeful and cynical, which I find refreshing against brighter and bubblier companions like Piper, Curie, or Deacon. Heather acts like someone who’s seen some stuff in her time, a survivor looking for someone she can rely on.
Heather’s quests seem to align with yours pretty well, and it’s a good partnership where (without spoiling much) you’re both after Kellogg. I didn’t feel like her quest overshadowed mine like I did before in New Vegas with Willow, which I think is a nice improvement.
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Did I mention she’s a merchant? Dialogue menus allow you to trade with her like a normal companion ORRRR open a shop interface where you can buy and sell with her. Handy for when you’re lugging a lot of loot you’re going to sell anyway – you have a walking shop with you anywhere as long as she has the caps for what you’re unloading.
Also, I personally hate hacking terminals in the game, so her ability to handle that for me is super useful.
I’d give Heather an A. Very well developed, great tie-ins to the world, custom quests, and tons of dialogue that shows growth from New Vegas’ Willow. The author put a lot of work into this, and it shows.
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