Fallout 4 - How many types of deathclaws are there?

fallout-4

In Fallout 4, how many types of Deathclaw variants are there, and what are the different abilities they use to attack you?

There are 8 different variants of deathclaw, and the abilities and attacks they use are mostly shared among them. Much more information can be found via the Fallout Wiki. The appearance of one of the variants is based off player level, though the wiki reports that higher-leveled variants are more likely to appear when the appearance of a deathclaw is scripted, as opposed to just running into one at complete random.

Attacks and Abilities

Claws

To perform a standard attack, deathclaws use their claws. These attacks can hit for large amounts of damage, but are still slow enough to make out maneuvering them a feasible defense strategy. The deathclaw performs these attacks in two forms, a regular and a heavy attack. The approximate damage changes with each variant, but heavy attacks do twice the amount of a regular attack.

Shockwave

When the deathclaw initiates combat, they will stomp the ground, and generate a shock-wave. If I remember correctly, the shock-wave is only an issue if you are standing to close to the Deathclaw, at an early level or without power armor.

Headbutt

The deathclaw may headbutt you with it's horns, which do not do as much damage as standard attacks, but will throw you off balance if hit.

Grappling

This is the most lethal attack. If you are below a certain amount of health¹, the deathclaw can pick you up and impale you with it's claws. Unless you are in power armor, this is a one-hit kill. If you are in power-armor, the attack will instead drain your AP.

Throwing Sand

The deathclaw may pick up and throw some sand. This will not do any damage, but can make it more difficult to land attacks.

Jumping and Climbing

More of an inability than an ability, but definitely worth mentioning in context of combat. Deathclaws can only climb or jump obstacles through scripted events. That means that you might see a Deathclaw climb or jump during a scripted event, but a randomly encountered deathclaw will not be able to climb obstacles or jump gaps in order to reach the player. As a result, the player can use this inability to their advantage, to put distance between them and the deathclaw where the deathclaw could not possibly reach them.

Radiation Field

The only ability not shared among all deathclaw variants. When fighting a glowing deathclaw, players will take radiation damage of 5 rads per second, while in close proximity to the deathclaw.

Variants

Variants of deathclaw

Standard Deathclaw

This is the first deathclaw you will likely come across. While being the weakest of the variants, they are just as much of a threat, given that the player can come across one of these guys at a very early level.

Console ID: 0001db4c
Lowest approximate level: 22
Approximate health pool: 510+
Damage resistance: 100
Energy resistance: 250
Radiation resistance: Immune
Poison resistance: 250
Rewarded experience: 35
Regular attack damage: 60

Alpha Deathclaw

Differentiated by their rusty colour and raised horns, the alpha deathclaws are a tougher variant of the standard deathclaw.

Console ID: 001423a7
Lowest approximate level: 31
Approximate health pool: 800+
Damage resistance: 150
Energy resistance: 300
Radiation resistance: Immune
Poison resistance: 250
Rewarded experience: 48
Regular attack damage: 75

Glowing Deathclaw

Differentiated by their glowing, radiated scales, these guys do radiation damage as well as traditional damage.

Console ID: 001423a8
Lowest approximate level: 41
Approximate health pool: 1000+
Damage resistance: 200
Energy resistance: 350
Radiation resistance: Immune
Poison resistance: 250
Rewarded experience: 64
Regular attack damage: 90

Deathclaw Matriarch

Considered tougher than a regular deathclaw, but not as tough as an alpha deathclaw, these deathclaw start appearing instead of regular deathclaw once the player has hit a certain level.

Console ID: 001423a9
Lowest approximate level: 41
Approximate health pool: 760+
Damage resistance: 225
Energy resistance: 375
Radiation resistance: Immune
Poison resistance: 250
Rewarded experience: 80
Regular attack damage: 105

Savage Deathclaw

You will likely first come across a savage deathclaw during a side mission in the Museum of Witchcraft, but they do start spawning as random encounters, at higher levels. They look identical to a deathclaw matriarch, but with a broken horn.

Console ID: 001423aa
Lowest approximate level: 61
Approximate health pool: 910+
Damage resistance: 250
Energy resistance: 400
Radiation resistance: Immune
Poison resistance: 250
Rewarded experience: 96
Regular attack damage: 120

Albino Deathclaw

An albino deathclaw looks similar to a regular deathclaw, but with paler skin, and much higher combat capability.

Console ID: 001423ab
Lowest approximate level: 71
Approximate health pool: 1060+
Damage resistance: 275
Energy resistance: 400
Radiation resistance: Immune
Poison resistance: 250
Rewarded experience: 112
Regular attack damage: 135

Chameleon Deathclaw

The chameleon deathclaw initially looks like a sandy-skinned regular deathclaw, but changes colour during combat.

Console ID: 001423ac
Lowest approximate level: 81
Approximate health pool: 1210+
Damage resistance: 300
Energy resistance: 400
Radiation resistance: Immune
Poison resistance: 250
Rewarded experience: 129
Regular attack damage: 150

Mythic Deathclaw

Not including legendary deathclaw, these are the toughest deathclaw you will encounter. Their level scales with the player, ensuring they will always be high enough past the player to be listed with a skull.

Console ID: 001423ad
Lowest approximate level: 91
Approximate health pool: 1360+
Damage resistance: 300
Energy resistance: 400
Radiation resistance: 250
Poison resistance: 250
Rewarded experience: 200
Regular attack damage: 175

_{¹Reports suggest this is a specific amount of health, rather than being a percentage of health, which would scale with the players level. As a result, the deathclaw is a lot more likely to one-hit kill a lower level.}