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Best mods in Fallout 4
- The best mods in Fallout 4 overhaul key components of the game. Armorsmith Extended improves armor modding while Full Dialogue Interface removes the guesswork behind dialogue.
- The Unofficial Fallout 4 Patch is essential to clear out most game-breaking bugs.
- The Bleachers and its sequel are story expansions build by the modding community.
- Point Lookout is a Fallout 3 DLC that’s been fully ported to Fallout 4.
- BodySlide And Outfit Studio and LooksMenu offer more customization options.
While Fallout started as a CRPG with impeccable storytelling, Bethesda switched to the first-person perspective but retained the franchise’s sense of exploration and depth. Starfield might not have set the world ablaze but the Fallout show’s positive reception might lure you into old Fallout 4 territory. Here are the best mods to make your return worthwhile.
Best Fallout 4 mods essential for a first playthrough
We’ve picked out 25 mods for you to sample in Fallout 4. If you want more comprehensive overhauls of the game, you’ll find them closer to our best picks. But don’t discount the minor UI and visual mods either as they can have a meaningful impact on your experience.
25. Equipment and Crafting Overhaul (ECO)
Crafting is pretty significant in Fallout 4 and the game offers a decent degree of customization. The Equipment and Crafting Overhaul mod by Dank Rafft takes things to the next level. With new parameters to customize and buffing workbenches, you can create all kinds of equipment that weren’t in the base game. It can take some tinkering but it’s worth checking out.
24. Better Companions – All In One
Companions are an important part of Fallout 4 and this mod from techprince makes them even more effective. With neat customization options like unlimited ammo and unbreakable power armor, they’ll become vastly superior to their old selves in combat. Try the Better Companions mod to guarantee a smooth time as the Sole Survivor in the Commonwealth.
23. Vivid Fallout
Players weren’t too impressed by the official High Resolution Texture Pack, so Hein84 improved Fallout 4’s visuals further with their Vivid Fallout mod. With detailed landscapes that drastically improve nearly every environment in the game, it’s a must-have Fallout 4 mod.
22. Better Settlers
There’s a good chance you’ve run into the same NPC in a different settlement already. This is due to a shallow pool of settler characters that the game picks from. Thom293’s Better Settlers mod brings 230 more settlers into the game, keeping things varied with better AI and other enhancements. It might not change your whole Fallout 4 playthrough but it does eliminate one of the minor flaws of the vanilla Fallout 4 experience.
21. Enhanced Lights and FX
Fallout 4’s lighting isn’t particularly great at showing off its details and textures. Anamorfus’ Enhanced Lights and FX mod aims to rectify this with more atmospheric lighting and a negligible impact on performance. It’s a great way to improve the game’s graphics without pushing your system.
20. Darker Nights
What better way to boost immersion than to make nights pitch black? The Darker Nights mod from unforbidable does just that, making night encounters even more fearsome. Light sources will play a bigger role in the game now. Try this at your peril.
19. Start Me Up
Modder TinyManticore decided to spice up the familiar intro with their Start Me Up mod. This changes the intro to a custom background, complete with dialogue tailored to your chosen backstory. It’s a neat change that will greet you whenever you enter the game.
18. Lowered Weapons
Keeping your weapon lowered outside combat will feel familiar to most FPS players. But Fallout 4 didn’t have this feature at launch, making you aim your rifle at every pebble on the road. The Lowered Weapons mod by lesma666 implements this to enhance immersion. With almost 4 million downloads, it’s among the more popular mods on Nexus Mods for the game.
17. Sim Settlements
In Fallout 4, settlers tend to develop their surroundings only after the player intervenes and helps them with a specific problem. User kinggath figured that settlers needed to be more autonomous and worked on the Sim Settlements mod. This makes settlers more independent. Letting them build objects and improve their lives makes a noticeable impact on the game. It also immerses you into a setting that doesn’t treat you like a savior.
16. Homemaker – Expanded Settlements
NovaCoru’s Homemaker – Expanded Settlements mod expands the game’s settlement building. New objects and build sets give Fallout 4’s customization a new breath of life. It’s worth tinkering with to find brand-new creations. And with over 4 million downloads, you’re bound to find other creations worth drawing inspiration from.
15. Fallout 4 – Texture Optimization Project
Another visual enhancement mod, the Texture Optimization Project mod from torcher helps Fallout 4’s aging graphics. With enhanced textures, players can look forward to improved materials, buildings, environments, and characters.
14. Fallout 4 HD Overhaul
While the game’s graphics weren’t great for its time, they’re even more of an eyesore in 2024. Fortunately, luxor8071 created the Fallout 4 HD Overhaul mod that improves the resolution of nearly all the game’s textures. This might not turn the game into an absolute stunner but is a good step in the right direction. Some buildings and environments will look noticeably better with this mod.
13. Improved Map With Visible Roads
While the Pip-Boy’s map was a novel way of navigating the world, there’s no denying that its lack of major landmarks made travel a chore. mm137 comes in to save the day with their Improved Map With Visible Roads mod, letting you access a detailed version of the map. You can even see roads on it.
12. True Storms
While Fallout 4’s weather can get boring at times, the True Storms mod from fadingsignal aims to fix that problem. With new weather effects like dust storms and radiation rains, the game’s visuals change a great deal with the weather. You can even tinker with settings like ghoul horde attacks during radiation storms. Over 6 million players have used this to alter their game’s weather systems.
11. The Eyes of Beauty Fallout Edition
While Fallout 4’s visuals aren’t great, its lifeless faces can age the game even further. Lograam aka Gabriel Mailhot decided to fix that with The Eyes of Beauty Fallout Edition mod. Realistic eyes can make a huge difference and while they might stand out a little, they make the world more approachable. Starfield wasn’t exactly a looker either so it’s a good thing this mod exists. Judging by the 5 million downloads, eyes can certainly make a difference.
10. Everyone’s Best Friend (Dogmeat and Companion At the Same Time – No Console – No Hack)
That lengthy title does a good job of explaining what Valdacil wanted to accomplish. The Everyone’s Best Friend mod lets you bring another companion in addition to the endearing Dogmeat. This means that you can finally bring another human or robot along for your playthrough to fight foes.
9. LooksMenu
Players looking for an overhauled character creator, look no further. LooksMenu from Expired6978 does just that, letting you save custom presets and make unique characters. With new facial features, the original Fallout 4 experience is greatly enhanced with these personalization options.
8. BodySlide And Outfit Studio
Designed by Ousnius and Caliente, the BodySlide And Outfit Studio mod for Fallout 4 gives you an easy way to gain modder-grade outfit customization. With unique BodySlide sliders, animation weights, and mesh edit options, you can drastically alter how bodies and outfits look. It’s well worth tinkering with to get your ideal fit. Over 6 million players downloaded this, meaning that your dream outfit might have already been created.
7. Place Anywhere
What if you could access Fallout 4’s Workshop Mode anywhere? That’s the premise of TheLich’s Place Everywhere mod. This lets you customize the entire world of Fallout 4, letting you generate some unique scenarios with your newfound freedom. Buildings restricted to specific terrain can now be moved to other locations. You can even move workbenches and power armors around. If you’ve been trudging about in a massive suit, here’s how to exit Power Armor in Fallout 4.
6. Fallout 4 – Point Lookout
Fallout 3 fans will remember the game’s excellent Point Lookout DLC thanks to its interesting plot arcs and objectives. The Capital Wasteland Team ported over the entire DLC to Fallout 4 with its Point Lookout mod. It’s a towering achievement, one far larger in scope than most modding efforts. It’s a testament to Bethesda’s great modding support and the sheer dedication of its playerbase.
5. The Bleachers – A Diamond City Story
While Fallout 4’s massive expansions can take a while to clear, more content is never a bad thing. And while mods can feel out of place in the game’s narrative, The Bleachers – A Diamond City Story from MunkySpunk slots right in. It introduces a new district filled with stories to take part in and characters to meet. It even received a sequel.
4. The Fens Sheriff’s Department – Bleachers 2
If The Bleachers blew your socks off in Fallout 4, its sequel does so much more. With bonus voice-acted quests, a whole new storyline, weapons, and even an ending, there’s a lot to look forward to in The Fens Sheriff’s Department – Bleachers 2. NovaCura has done an incredible job, helping create one of the best gaming mods in recent memory.
3. Unofficial Fallout 4 Patch
Created by the Unofficial Patch Project Team, this Unofficial Fallout 4 Patch mod focuses on taking down bugs. With most of the game-breaking bugs and annoying performance issues out of the way, you’ll be able to explore the game without any unwanted detours. Over 7 million players have downloaded this mod to make their lives easier.
2. Armorsmith Extended
A total overhaul of the armor modding system is no small feat. But creator Gambit77 promises even more with their Armorsmith Extended mod, with 10 million downloads. Clothes are moddable now, complete with improved Ballistic Weave mods and other improvements. There are 16 major improvements listed on the mod page. It’s easily among the most comprehensive mods for Fallout 4.
1. Full Dialogue Interface
Not being able to see exactly what you would say is an annoying frustration in an RPG where choices matter. Single-word descriptions fail to do justice to the conversations you’d have in the game. While the choices weren’t outright misleading, it’s nice to know what replies you could have said. That’s why Cirosan and shadwar decided to work on the Full Dialogue Interface mod, letting you see exactly what you’re going to say, as god intended. With over 6 million downloads, they’re not alone in this line of thinking.
Fallout 4 best mods FAQs
Can PC Game Pass players use mods in Fallout 4?
While they can use some mods, not all mods are supported.
Can Xbox players use mods in Fallout 4?
Yes, some mods are supported on Xbox consoles too.