Fallout: New Vegas/Bestiary

Feral Ghouls
Feral Ghouls are humans that have been incredibly irradiated and somehow survived. The process of transformation has sent them insane. If they notice a human they emit a high-pitched moan and attack.

Strategy

Feral Ghoul - Two headshots from most guns, or a solid hit from a melee weapon will take them down easily, but keep your distance if you are a low level.

Feral Ghoul Roamer - The Roamer is a lot faster, does more damage, and takes more damage than the regular ghoul. The best way to deal with these is to cripple the legs and attack the head from a distance.

Feral Ghoul Reaver - Reavers are very, very fast and powerful so crippling their legs is paramount. They are also armored so the head will take most damage.

Glowing One - Glowing Ones have a dangerous radiation attack they use if you get too close, so keep your distance. Cripple the legs then go for the head.

Feral Trooper Ghoul - Trooper Ghouls are like Roamers, except they sometimes attack with knives. Use the Roamer strategy.

Glowing Trooper Ghoul - These are armored Glowing Ones and are really dangerous. Stay well away, cripple its legs, and as always go for the head.

Vault Security Officer - These are the same as Glowing Trooper Ghouls. Use the same strategy.

Vault 34 Overseer - The Overseer is very difficult. He has very high HP and the same attacks as the Glowing Ones. You should deal with the turrets in his room first, as they deal lots of damage, then cripple the Overseer's legs and arms, then focus all your attacks on his head.

Super Mutants
Once human, now horribly mutated. Super Mutants are by and large insane, but retain speech and are able to use firearms and melee weapons.

Strategies

Super Mutant - Super Mutants are thick-skinned and coming armed with a variety of weapons, so they are a challenge. If they wield a melee weapon, you should cripple their legs to slow their advance, while if they hold a gun, target the gun in VATS to make them drop it. Then just deal as much damage as possible, as they take the same damage everywhere.

Nightkin - Nightkin are Super Mutants that can turn invisible. They should be dealt with similarly, with the proviso that if they turn invisible, you need to attack them outside of VATS to make them targetable.

Bloatfly
Bloatflies are a mutated insect that travels in groups of four or five.

Strategies

Bloatfly - The Bloatfly is one of the weakest enemies in the game. They generally won't attack unless you get close, and do so by firing small projectiles at you. They do weave around in the air, so it's easiest to kill them in VATS.

Cazador
Cazadors are mutated insects, possibly evolved from paper wasps. They tend to appear in swarms. Try and stay away from them if you are a low level. Bring Antivenom.

Strategies

Young Cazadors - These are the weakest kind of Cazador. They don't do a great deal of damage individually, but tend to come in groups and you can get overwhelmed quickly. By crippling the wings, you can slow them down enormously and make them easier to hit. They should go down without too much hassle.

Cazadors - Dangerous. Cazadors are very fast, have high endurance and have a fast-acting poison. They also come in groups. If you come across them, always cripple the wings of every member of the group first. Once the wings are crippled, they will walk towards you at a much slower rate, and mines are effective. They can take a lot of punishment.

Legendary Cazador - There is only one Legendary Cazador. It is much larger than the others, has twice as much health, and a great deal of attack power. You should cripple its wings to make it a lot slower. Again, once crippled, mines are effective, but be careful as there is not a lot of room for maneuvre.

Fire Ant
Fire Ants are Giant Ants that breathe fire.

Strategies

Worker Fire Ant - Worker Fire Ants are fairly well armored, but susceptible to attacks to their heads and antennae. If you cripple their antennae, they will become Frenzied and attack anything close by. Keep your distance to stay out of range of their fire breathe.

Soldier Fire Ant - Soldiers are the same as the workers, except double the size and power. Keep out of their range, try to cripple their antennae and focus your attacks on the head.

Giant Ant
These are ants that have mutated to somehow more than 10 times the size. They tend to come in groups of two or three.

Strategies

Giant Worker Ant - Slightly armored, but easily frenzied if you cripple their antennae, so they can be turned against each other. Attack the head.

Giant Soldier Ant - Bigger than the Worker, more heavily armored and packs more of a punch. Cripple the antennae then go for the head. If you have a lot of HP or Stimpaks, they are weak to melee attacks.

Giant Ant Queen - There is one Giant Ant Queen. She is at a relatively high level and has a lot of defense, so kill any other ants nearby and focus your attacks on her head.

Giant Mantis
Giant Mantis are evolved from the Preying Mantis. They tend to live in places with plant life.

Strategies

Giant Mantis Nymphs - You can step on these to kill them. They are the weakest creature in the game.

Giant Mantis - They can deal a reasonable amount of damage, but have low defense, so almost any weapon will be adequate to kill them.

Giant Mantis Female - The same as the regular Giant Mantis, just a bit more powerful. Being insects, they are vulnerable to being frenzied when you cripple their antennae.

Radroach
Radroaches are cockroaches mutated to a giant size. They like living in populated areas, and are popular as a source of food.

Strategies

Radroach - They are very weak and easily killed by any weapon.

Radscorpion
Evolved from Scorpions, the Radscorpion comes in many forms. All have poison, with the effectiveness of the poison depending on the species. Bring Antivenom.

Strategies

Small Bark Scorpion - Physically the weakest of the Radscorpions, but has a potent poison, so keep your distance.

Small Radscorpion - Has a weaker venom than the Bark Scorpion, but has a tougher exoskeleton. Weak to melee weapons, but watch out for the venom - if you are a low level explosives are the quickest way to kill them.

Radscorpion - A bigger version of the Small Radscorpion, and tougher and more powerful as a result. They often come in groups of two or three, so lay down mines as they come towards you and attack them from a distance.

Bark Scorpion Hunter - Similar to the Radscorpion except with a much more potent venom that does more damage and clouds your vision. Keep your distance at all costs, lay down mines (although be careful as if it's close to you it may jump over them to attack you), and attack using energy or explosive weapons.

Giant Radscorpion - Very heavily armored and has a strong attack. Cripple its legs to slow it down and its tail to slow its attack.

Radscorpion Queen - The Queen is enormous and quite dangerous. Cripple the legs first, then the tail and claws, then use mines and attack from using energy weapons or explosive.

Bighorner
Bighorners are mutated bighorn sheep and can be found wherever farms are or were. The ones in towns are docile, and wild ones are not hostile unless you approach their young.

Strategies

Malnourished Bighorner Calf - These are very weak, and easily beaten by any means, however they are usually accompanied by stronger Bighorner.

Bighorner Calf - Like the Malnourished, only physically stronger. Still easily taken out, just watch out for the stronger Bighorner that tend to be nearby.

Bighorner - Bighorner have a charging attack that does quite a lot of damage and sends you flying off your feet, so keep your distance. They have little defense, so aim for the head and hope for a critical.

Bighorner Bull - Big and physically imposing, but they are vulnerable to critical hits to the head. They often come in herds and have a very powerful charging attack so make sure not to get surrounded.

Brahmin
Brahmin are cattle with two heads and a staple of post-apocalypse food. They are often used like packhorses. Very occasionally you can run across a mad Brahmin in the desert who is hostile.

Strategies

They take less damage in the head than anywhere else, so attack the limbs or torso. Fire-based weapons work wonders.

Centaur
Centaurs are monsters, for lack of a better term. They are created from many types of animals, including humans. They often accompany Super Mutants.

Strategies

Centaur - Centaurs have two attacks. The first is a long-distance radioactive projectile and the second, if you get up close, is that they use their three tongues as whips. It is best to attack from afar so it is easy to dodge their spit. Do not use explosives or fire-based weapons, as they will increase the size of the explosion and it is easy to get caught in it.

Evolved Centaur - Evolved Centaurs are vastly stronger than the unevolved ones. They are slower, do more damage and take a lot more punishment before going down. Attack from afar using high DPS weapons, and keep weaving so as to avoid their projectiles. Crippling the tongue may also help as then it will not be able to distinguish friend from foe.

Giant Evolved Centaur - There is one Giant Evolved Centaur, located at The Devil's Throat. It is surrounded by several Evolved Centaurs, and it very tough to beat. Use defense-penetrating bullets of the most powerful weapon you have, try to cripple its tongue and head, and stay as far away as you can.

Coyote
Coyotes are likely one of the first creatures you will encounter. They come in packs, but if you keep your distance they will not attack.

Strategies

Coyote Pup - Small and weak, these are easily taken out even at level one.

Coyote - They come in packs, but their head is very weak and if shot while lunging, it will usually result in a critical hit.

Coyote Den Mother - Generally found with Coyote Pups, there are only a few. They will only attack if you attack their pups. Attack them in the head.

Coyote Alpha Male - The strongest Coyote, but is still weak enough that only really low-level characters will have difficulty with. As with the others, go for the head.

Dog
Dogs are just like they were before the war. They come in several different breeds, depending on who owns them, if at all, but all are dealt with in the same way.

Strategies

As with Coyotes, they are not of a particularly high level and can easily be killed if attacked in the head. Watch out for their bite and, if wild, their packmates.

Giant Rat
Larger than usual rats, Giant Rats are usually not hostile unless you get too close.

Strategies

They come in three varieties, Giant Rat Pup, Giant Rat and Unnaturally Large Sized Rodent. They can all be dealt with easily and swiftly by attacks to the head.

Mole Rat
Mole Rats are fairly common and quite weak, so are often used as a source of food for poorer survivors.

Strategies

Mole Rats often come in groups of two or three, with a pup or two, and are easily handled by crippling the head.

Nightstalker
A combination of Coyote and Rattlesnake, the Nightstalker is a formidable foe, not least because they travel in packs. They often attack at night and have a strong poison. Bring Antivenom.

Strategies

Nightstalker - They hunt in groups and are fast. While travelling, use Cateye to aid in spotting them. Try to keep your distance as their attack is strong and can poison. They are weak to a shotgun blast to the head.

Nightstalker (Jacobstown) - These are only found in the area around Jacobstown and are the same as regular Nightstalkers except they have the ability to turn invisible. To target them in VATS, you must deal damage to them to force them out of invisibility.

Den Mother - Very strong and fast, avoid unless you are a high level. Cripple her legs first, then focus on dealing damage to her head, and keep your distance.

Legendary Nightstalker - Very dangerous. If you are not level 20, three attacks from this beast can kill you. It may help to have the Animal Friend perk, so it will not be hostile until you attack. Cripple its legs, deal with the other Nightstalkers around it then focus all of your attacks on its head. Stay alert and keep out of its range.

Spore Carrier
These are humans infected by fungus and are found in Vault 22. They are found in patches of greenery and often appear to materialise out of nowhere.

Strategies

Spore Carrier Runt - The weakest of the Spore Carriers, these can be easily despatched by headshots, but be careful as they have a fairly strong attack.

Spore Carrier - Fire, fire, fire. Use this and they will go down without a fight. Be aware of those that may spawn behind you.

Spore Carrier Brute - They are quite strong and tough, but as with the Carrier, very weak to fire.

Spore Carrier Savage - Savages can blow themselves up dealing damage and radiation, but tend to use their formidable melee attack. Vulnerable to fire, but keep your eyes peeled because they can sneak up on you.

Spore Plant
Reminiscent of a venus fly trap, the Spore Plant is only found in Vault 22.

Strategies

They can bite you with their jaws, or spit acid at you from a distance. It is very weak to fire.

Gecko
These geckos have evolved to walk upright permanently, and can often be seen running around in groups hunting Radroaches and other insects. There are three different breeds.

Strategies

Gecko - The weakest breed. Comes in youth and adult forms, as well as regular and hunter types. They are not very dangerous and can be dispatched by attacks to the head or belly.

Golden Gecko - Golden Geckos have been exposed to high amount of radiation, and give off radiation when they attack. They are not very physically powerful, but their hides are tough. Headshots all round. Their hides, once tanned, go for a high price.

Fire Gecko - Fire Geckos are aggressive, fast, and powerful. Their primary attack is to breathe fire, which does a lot of damage, and they tend to come in groups, so if you aren't careful you can be taken out before you even realise what attacked. Atomic Cocktails and Fire Ant Nectar are good at reducing the damage. Use any weapon except explosive and fire-based weapons.

Legendary Fire Gecko - A much more powerful version of the Fire Gecko, you have to be a very high level if you want to survive. Lay into it with whatever you have, use Atomic Cocktails and Fire Ant Nectar, and cripple its legs to slow it down.

Lakelurk
Lakelurks hang around anywhere with water - a location with dozens is Lake Mead. They attack by firing sonic waves at you.

Strategies

Lakelurk - Lakelurks can do a lot of damage but are easily taken out with attacks to the head. Watch out for groups.

Lakelurk King - The King is the same as the Lakelurk, except bigger and with double the HP. There is only one, in the Camp Guardian Caves, and once killed will send all other Lakelurks into a frenzy, attacking each other.