Even if you have played previous Fallout games and consider yourself an experienced player, the fourth installment can still impress you with its strong and dangerous creatures. If encountering them doesn't challenge you, at the very least it will make you sweat. In this guide, we've compiled the top 5 powerful enemies in Fallout 4 that you might encounter in the open world. Let's delve into their features and combat tactics with each creature. 

Yao Guai

Visually, the Yao Guai resembles a mutated brown bear with ulcers and abscesses on its body. Its behavior is similar to that of a wild bear - aggressive, attacks on sight, and deals a lot of damage, especially with front paw attacks.

In the game, there are several types of Yao Guai. The most dangerous is the Dusky Yao Guai. It appears at later stages of the game when the player has sufficiently leveled up. It is almost impossible to encounter it at the start. The Dusky Yao Guai's level grows along with the player's level after reaching 76 LVL.

All types of Yao Guai are found in the Commonwealth, Nuka-World and on The Island - that is, literally all over the game world. The higher your level, the stronger the subtype you will encounter. Specifically, in the Commonwealth, there is a high chance of encountering the Dusky Yao Guai.

You will frequently encounter Yao Guai. As soon as the creature sees you, it will immediately attack. The best combat strategy is long-range shooting if you spot the mutant in advance. There are no special secrets or techniques. Just try not to get too close, otherwise, you'll lose a large portion of HP from just a few hits. The mutant's attacks are fast, making it hard to dodge. 

Sentry Bot

The Sentry Bot is a heavy combat robot that is especially dangerous in the early stages of the game. It is most often encountered in the Commonwealth, less frequently in Nuka-World. The problem is that the Sentry Bot spawns without being tied to the player's leveling. It will always be powerful regardless of the player's level, so there is no balance here. 

Like all robots, the Sentry Bot is vulnerable to energy weapons. The worst scenario is if you encounter a Sentry Bot equipped with a minigun and a launcher. In this case, you definitely won't stand a chance without powerful armor. The version of the Sentry Bot with a rocket launcher, which fires over an area, is the least common. It can be found in the south of the Commonwealth.

Like Yao Guai, the Sentry Bot is especially dangerous up close. It's best to keep your distance, but this is still not the most effective tactic - the creature damages at any range. If you get too close, the robot will stun you and kill you at the same moment if your armor is penetrated. 

However, the Sentry Bot has a weakness. After a long series of attacks, it will stop and reboot. The creature stops and starts releasing clouds of steam. This is the moment to attack its weak spots, which the player can exploit. It's best to shoot at the back area. As soon as you notice that the robot is returning to its previous state and starts twitching - run away, otherwise, you'll immediately catch a series of powerful attacks. 

Quantum Scrapbot

Ordinary Junkbots, which appeared in the Automatron DLC, are dummies that do not wield weapons and cannot damage the player. However, the Quantum Scrapbots are as powerful as the Sentry Bot. Their level grows along with the player's level after 52 LVL. Their durability also increases, making the scrapbot incredibly resilient. They can be found everywhere in the Commonwealth. 

Again, there is no special combat tactic here. The only right option is - under no circumstances get close to the Quantum Scrapbot or try to tank it. This is a fatal mistake. The bot's damage is too high, and up close, it will destroy even the most durable armor in seconds. Arm yourself with long-range weapons, find a secure spot, and shoot until you destroy the creature.

Assaultron

The Assaultron is another extremely dangerous robot. Its model is more human-like, unlike the Quantum Scrapbot and Sentry Bot. Assaultrons deal less damage, but don't be fooled, as they can be more dangerous than their counterparts. 

The Assaultron is the most active and aggressive robot, which will try to attack at the first opportunity. This isn't a huge, barely moving machine like the Sentry Bot, but a nimble and mobile creature. This is its main threat.

An inexperienced player's encounter with an Assaultron can be deadly. Firstly, it rarely attacks alone. Usually, you will encounter a group of several creatures or other opponents. Assaultrons are extremely fast, can jump back from player attacks and swiftly counterattack. Avoiding and dodging are necessary. Also, Assaultrons charge a laser, which deals significant damage. They may miss, but if they hit, there's a high chance that you'll get one-shotted. 

Some variants of the model are missing legs or arms. In the first case, the creature will crawl and try to catch up with you. The laser is still active, but it's much easier to dodge. An Assaultron without arms cannot grab you with its claws and deal additional damage, but it still runs fast. 

Assaultrons can be found in large numbers at Hesters Consumer Robotics, in the Nucleus Command Center, at the Mass Fusion Building, Easy City Downs, and other places. There are many locations - finding them will not be a problem. 

Deathclaw

Of all the large enemies, the Deathclaw is encountered most frequently. It is one of the most dangerous creatures in the game, which can often be found in the Glowing Sea. 

The creature is truly terrifying. Essentially, it is a huge horned snake with powerful front paws, which you'd better not come into contact with. Like with other strong enemies, the same tactic works with the Deathclaw - range attacks. If you approach the Deathclaw without power armor, you're dead. There's virtually no chance of survival. In battle, do not choose energy weapons - they will be the least effective. 

The most dangerous type of the creature is the Mythic Deathclaw. At high levels of leveling, it will appear most frequently. It has 1360 HP, and this value will grow after reaching level 91. The only weak spot of the creature is the legs. If you can shoot off the Deathclaw's legs, consider that you've won. 

If you don't know which weapon to choose for fighting powerful enemies, read our guide with a selection of the best pistols in Fallout 4.