You've probably seen that iconic bobbing head on a desk and felt that tiny hit of dopamine. It's the classic Fallout experience. But here's the thing about the Fallout 4 bobblehead map: it isn't just a checklist for completionists. These little plastic Vault-Tec guys are basically permanent "cheats" baked right into the Commonwealth, giving you stat boosts and perk upgrades that don't go away.
Getting them all? That’s a different story. Some are sitting in plain sight, like the one in Concord that everyone finds in the first twenty minutes. Others? They’re tucked away in nightmare-fuel locations like Dunwich Borers or locked behind multi-stage side quests that you might never start.
If you're tired of squinting at low-res map screenshots, let's just break down where these things actually are and why some of them are a total pain to grab.
The S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Stat Boosters
Most people want the stat bobbleheads first. They give you a flat +1 to a base attribute. Pro tip: if you wait until your stat is already at 10 to pick one up, you can actually hit 11. It's the only way to "overclock" your character naturally.
Perception
This is the "gimme." You’ll find it in the Museum of Freedom in Concord. When you’re in the room with Preston Garvey and the other settlers, just look on the desk near the broken terminal. You basically can't miss it unless you're playing with your eyes closed.
Strength
Go to the Mass Fusion Building. It’s right in the middle of downtown Boston. This one is high up. You’ll find it perched on the metal structure overlooking the lobby. Honestly, it’s a bit of a trek if you aren't ready for a vertical firefight, but the carry weight boost is worth the ammo.
Intelligence
The Boston Public Library is a mess of Protectrons and Super Mutants. Head to the mechanical room on the northwest side of the building. The bobblehead is sitting on the control console. It’s a nice +1 to XP gains, basically, because higher intelligence means faster leveling.
Charisma
This one is "quest-locked." You can’t just walk into Parsons State Insane Asylum. You have to start the "Secret of Cabot House" questline by finding Edward Deegan (usually hanging out in the Dugout Inn or Bunker Hill). Once you’re finally inside the asylum during the quest, look on the desk in Jack Cabot’s office.
Endurance
Way down south at Poseidon Energy. This place is crawling with raiders. You want the central office area. It’s sitting on a desk near a terminal. Watch out for the named Raider boss "Cutty" who likes to make things difficult.
Agility
This is tucked away on the Wreck of the FMS Northern Star. You have to walk all the way out to the very tip of the ship's bow. It's sitting on a small wooden platform. Don't fall off.
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Luck
Spectacle Island is a bit of a hike—or a swim. On the southern end of the island, there’s a green tugboat. Inside a locker, you’ll find the Luck bobblehead. Just be ready for the Mirelurks; they don't like guests.
The Skill Bobbleheads: Combat and Utility
These don't increase your stats, but they give you unique perks. Some of these are actually more powerful than the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. ones depending on your build.
Repair
This is a big one for Power Armor users. It makes Fusion Cores last 10% longer. It’s at the Corvega Assembly Plant. You have to go all the way to the roof and follow the blue catwalks to the very end of the spherical tank structure. It’s sitting on a crate.
Science
Head to Malden Middle School, which is secretly Vault 75. You’ll find it in the basement level, in a room overlooking the combat simulation area. It gives you an extra guess when hacking terminals, which is... okay, I guess? Useful if you’re lazy.
Sneak
Go to Dunwich Borers. It’s a creepy quarry in the northeast. You have to go deep—past the raiders and into the ghoul-infested tunnels. It's on a small table right next to the Station 4 terminal. This makes you 10% harder to detect.
Explosives
Found at Saugus Ironworks. You have to fight through the "Forged" raiders. In the blast furnace room where you fight Slag, it’s sitting on a control panel behind him. This boosts your explosive damage by 15%.
Barter
Longneck Lukowski’s Cannery. It’s on the upper catwalks in the main canning room, inside the office. It gives you 5% better prices. Not a game-changer, but every cap counts when you're buying Gauss Rifle ammo.
Lock Picking
Inside the Pickman Gallery. This place is unsettling. Head to the very bottom where Pickman is being confronted by raiders. The bobblehead is on the floor next to a flaming trash can.
Speech
You get this during the main quest "Unlikely Valentine." It’s in Vault 114 (Park Street Station). It's sitting right on the desk in the Overseer's office where Nick Valentine is being held. It gives all vendors 100 more caps, which is great for offloading junk.
Medicine
Inside Vault 81. You have to complete a few chores to get the "Hole in the Wall" quest. Once you're in the secret part of the vault with Curie, the bobblehead is on a desk in her lab. It makes Stimpaks heal 10% more.
Why the Fallout 4 Bobblehead Map is Deceptive
If you just look at a map with 20 dots, you’re going to get frustrated. The game world is vertical. A dot on a map might mean "on the roof" or "three levels underground in a sewer."
Take the Small Guns bobblehead. It's in Gunners Plaza. The map says it's in the building. Easy, right? Wrong. You have to fight through a literal army of high-level Mercenaries, then you need a Master-level lockpicking skill (or the recording studio key) to get into the room on the ground floor where it’s sitting on a desk.
Then there's the Melee one. It's at the top of Trinity Tower. You have to ride a series of slow-moving elevators while being shot at by Super Mutants. It's in the cage with Strong and Rex. If you don't look behind you before getting back in the elevator, you'll miss it and have to make the whole trip again.
Essential Gear for the Hunt
You can't just run out at level 5 and grab all of these. Some areas are high-threat zones.
- Hazmat Suit or Lead-Lined Armor: Essential for getting the Luck bobblehead on Spectacle Island or navigating the Glowing Sea (though no bobbleheads are directly in the Sea, some are close).
- Master Locksmith and Hacker: You will be locked out of at least three bobbleheads (Small Guns, Science, and arguably Charisma via the quest) if you don't have the skills or the right companions.
- Power Armor: Especially for the Corvega and Saugus Ironworks runs. Those raiders have Molotovs and they aren't afraid to use them.
Final Tactics for Your Collection
If you're looking to maximize your character, don't just grab them as you see them.
Think about your build. If you're a melee player, prioritize the Strength bobblehead and the Melee one from Trinity Tower early. If you're struggling with resources, the Barter and Speech ones will save your economy.
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Also, build a Bobblehead Stand in your main settlement. It's under the "Furniture" tab in the workshop menu. You don't lose the stat bonus when you put them on the stand. It keeps your inventory clean and, honestly, looks pretty cool when you have the whole set glowing under some spotlights.
Once you have the full set, you'll notice a massive difference in how the game feels. That extra 25% critical damage from the Energy Weapons or Big Guns bobbleheads turns "bullet sponge" enemies into much smaller problems.
The next step is to head to Sanctuary or Red Rocket, open your workshop menu, and build that display stand so you can actually track which ones you're still missing. Check your Pip-Boy under the "Data" and "Stats" tab if you've forgotten which bonuses you've already unlocked.