In addition to an extensive main questline with multiple endings, and the different quests associated with each of the game's many factions, Fallout 4 also features hundreds of side quests and miscellaneous tasks for players to complete. As a result, it is easy to see how players can pour hundreds of hours into its open world, constantly uncovering more stories as they go. While some quests may be obvious and placed in plain sight, others will require a little more exploration, often providing worthy rewards for doing so.
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The following quests are some of the less obvious side quests in the game, but each will provide players with unique rewards and memorable encounters. The addition of the Nuka World and Far Harbor DLCs have also given players two entirely new areas to explore alongside the Commonwealth.
Updated on May 17, 2024 by Andrew McLarney: With the resurgence in popularity of the Fallout series thanks to the live-action TV series, many players are either returning or approaching Fallout 4 for the first time. For both sets of players, the mysteries of the Commonwealth are out there to be uncovered, and some quests will require players to stumble upon them all by themselves. Not every quest is brought directly to the player or obvious to access, and many will come about purely as a result of exploration.
20 Atom Cats
This Wild Faction May Be Easy To Miss, But They Can Reward The Player With Some Unique Looks
- How To Start: Find the Atom Cats' Garage, located to the north of the Quincy ruins in the south-western corner of the map. Once there, speak to Zeke.
- Quest Rewards: Atom Cats Power Armor Paint, Zeke’s Jacket & Jeans, Atom Cats faction membership, +150XP
The Atom Cats are a faction obsessed with Power Armo r and for good reason because Power Armor’s awesome. It turns out the members of the Atom Cats are a bunch of softies and want the player to do something nice for a neighbor.
If you complete this important task and manage to rescue the Atom Cats from a Gunner attack you’ll be rewarded with a unique outfit. It’s honestly not that helpful in terms of gameplay, but it does look cool. You’ll also be on the good side of Fallout 4’s equivalent of a biker gang, so there’s that.
19 Trouble Brewin'
Players May Miss Out On This Quest Without Thoroughly Exploring Goodneighbour
- How To Start: Speak to Rufus Rubins at the Hotel Rexford in Goodneighbour, or find Buddy the Protectron at Shamrock Taphouse.
- Quest Rewards: Buddy The Protectron Companion, 200-400 caps, +200XP
There are tons of quests that players can miss hidden throughout Fallout 4 if they don't enter specific buildings or engage certain NPCs in conversation. Trouble Brewin' is a great example, as it's a quest that can only be started by speaking to an NPC at the Hotel Rexford, or finding a certain Protectron in a location called Shamrock Taphouse. Once players begin the quest, they'll be tasked with locating a Protectron named Buddy (unless they stumble upon him prior to speaking to the NPC at Hotel Rexford).
The quest is fairly straightforward, it's the reward that's pretty special. Players can opt to keep their hands on Buddy, a special drink-mixing robot that can then be sent to any of the settlements that a player has liberated, where he will remain and mix drinks (depending on what recipes the player finds).
18 Mystery Meat
This Hidden Quest Sheds Light On Some Of The Desperate Practises Of Wastelanders In The Commonwealth
- How To Start: Speak with Theodore at Longneck Lukowski's Cannery on the eastern edge of the map near the Kingsport Lighthouse.
- Quest Rewards: 50 caps, +200XP
Speaking of terrible things, players can encounter this quest at the Longneck Lukowski’s Cannery. Two entrepreneurs will be arguing over the viability of a product they’re trying to sell that’s making people sick. At first, everything seems on the up and up as you clear out a nest of Molerats that are causing the problem.
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Exploring the area will reveal there’s something else going on and investigating the source of the food poisoning will reveal something truly disturbing. No, it’s not the same situation as Soylent Green but it’s just as bad.
17 Find The Treasures Of Jamaica Plain
This Sunken Village Holds Many Secrets, Including One Of The Game's Strongest Melee Weapons
- How To Start: Either find Hadrians corpse (random Commonwealth encounter), Read the Jamaica Plain Flyer found in the infro desk at the Boston Airport or head directly to the basement in the Town Hall of Jamaice Plain.
- Quest Rewards: 2076 World Series Baseball Bat, Unique Pre-War Items (optional), 200-400 caps.
This is perhaps the most interesting hidden side quest as many players will assume it was a worthless endeavor while others will see it as one of the greatest quests and rewards in the entire game. There are a number of ways to kick off the quest and all take players to the treasure hoard said to be underneath the town hall in Jamaica Plain.
If you can survive the swarms of feral ghouls in the town itself, navigate the traps, turrets, and Protectron’s in the basement then you’ll discover the treasure waiting for there. Before you get frustrated at what you find, take a look at the unique baseball bat in the display and give it a few swings.
16 Last Voyage Of The USS Constitution
A Flying Galleon Crewed By Talking Robots - What's Not To Love?
- How To Start: Speak to the Lookout (Mr Handy robot) roaming the streets of Charlestown near the USS Constitution
- Quest Rewards: If player sides with Ironsides - Broadside (unique handheld cannon), Lieutenants Hat, Captain's Quarters personal room, 500 caps +450XP. If player sides with the Scavengers - 1,000 caps, +450XP.
This massive ship is visible right from the beginning but many players are unaware that they can actually go inside and explore it. Those that do discover its accessibility are often turned away by the number of tough enemies it takes to reach it and forget it ever existed.
Those who persevere are introduced to a fun quest given by a bot named Ironsides, who wishes to see the ship return to the ocean where it came from. For players wanting to do something a little outside the ordinary, this is the quest for them.
15 Pickman's Gift
This Secret Quest Requires Players To Decode A Series Of Paintings
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- How To Start: Listen to the "Message to Jack" holotape found on a raider's corpse in the Pickman Gallery.
- Quest Rewards: Pickman's Blade, Pickman's Key, +150XP.
Upon entering Pickman's Gallery, which is located just to the east of Cabot House, players will overhear some raiders who are searching for Pickman. Players will have to defeat the raiders in order to recover the holotape and begin the quest. Players will have to trace various clues in Pickman's paintings in order to locate him.
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When found, players will have to confront more raiders including a boss named Slab. Even if Pickman is killed during the gunfight, players can still complete the quest by retrieving the key from his body. Overall, it is a unique quest and one that is worth seeking out.
13 Special Delivery
A Family Of Mad Scientists, An Insane Asylum And A Mysterious Serum Set The Backdrop For This Side Quest
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- How To Start: Approach Cabot House or wait for Edward Deegan to approach the player at Bunker Hill, Goodneighbour or Diamond City.
- Quest Rewards: 150 Caps, +200XP, Cabot Family Questline
"Special Delivery" is the first in a series of quests pertaining to the Cabot family. Players may stumble upon Cabot House in the North-Eastern portion of the Boston ruins, which is guarded by a large Sentry Bot and has an intercom outside. Interacting with the intercom and convincing the occupants to open will trigger the quest, but if not, players will eventually be approached by their ghoul assistant, Edward Deegan, to begin the quest.
While "Special Delivery" itself is not a particularly remarkable quest, the unfolding mystery of the Cabot family over the three quests is one of the most interesting in the game, and will take players to the Parson's State Insane Asylum, a very unique location in the game.
11 The Great Hunt
The Mariner Is One Of Far Harbour's Toughest Residents, And She Has One More Job For The Sole Survivor
- How To Start: Complete Hull Breach Parts 1-3 (Far Harbour DLC) and speak to the Mariner again.
- Quest Rewards: Legend of the Harbour outfit, +300XP
In the Far Harbor DLC, players can encounter the Mariner who is obsessed with a mysterious cryptid said to be destroying any and all boats entering and leaving Far Harbor. The locals think she’s crazy but if players agree to assist her quest they’ll discover there really is a mysterious beast haunting Red Death Island, it’s just not what anyone was expecting.
After successfully vanquishing this monster you'll be presented with an interesting moral dilemma. Tell the truth and bring shame upon the Mariner or lie and see the townsfolk praise her as a hero.