Look, let’s be real for a second. You aren't just hunting for these little plastic Vault-Tec mascots because they look cool on a stand in Sanctuary. You want that sweet, sweet +1 to your SPECIAL stats or those specific combat perks that make a Survival mode run actually survivable. But the Commonwealth is a mess. It’s huge, irradiated, and half the time, the bobblehead fallout 4 locations you’re looking for are tucked under a desk or sitting on a crate in a room you walked past three times already.
Hunting them down is a rite of passage. If you've played any Bethesda game, you know the drill, but Fallout 4 makes you work for it. You can't just stumble into some of these. Some are locked behind high-level quests or deep inside buildings that require a ridiculous amount of ammo to clear out. It’s a grind. A fun one, sure, but a grind nonetheless.
Why These Stat Boosts Actually Matter for Your Build
Don't just grab them at random. Seriously. There is a specific mechanical reason to wait on certain bobbleheads if you are trying to "min-max" your character. See, if you pick up the Strength bobblehead when your Strength is already at 10, it pushes it to 11. That is permanent. If you pick it up when your Strength is at 5, you just go to 6. You can never get to 11 if you grab it too early.
It’s a bit of a meta-gaming headache.
Most people don't care that much, but if you’re trying to build the ultimate wasteland god, timing is everything. Beyond the SPECIAL ones, the utility bobbleheads—like Lockpicking or Repair—give you passive buffs that save you a massive amount of frustration over a 100-hour playthrough.
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The SPECIAL Seven: Where the Power Is
Let's talk locations. You need to know where to go before you waste three hours wandering around the Glowing Sea.
Strength: Mass Fusion Building
This one is a nightmare if you’re low level. You’ll find it in the Mass Fusion Building, specifically perched on the metal statue high above the lobby. You’re going to be fighting Gunners. Lots of them. They have high ground, they have lasers, and they generally hate you. Honestly, bring a Power Armor suit for this one because the verticality of the fight makes you an easy target.
Perception: Museum of Freedom
Basically everyone gets this one first. It’s in Concord, right where you meet Preston Garvey. It’s sitting on a desk in the back of the room where the survivors are holed up. If you missed this, I don't know what to tell you. You were probably too distracted by the Deathclaw outside.
Endurance: Poseidon Energy
This is a slog. Poseidon Energy is filled with Raiders and turrets. You need to head to the central office area. Look for the bobblehead on the desk near the terminal. It’s a drab, metallic mess in there, so keep your eyes peeled for that yellow Vault Boy suit.
Charisma: Parsons State Insane Asylum
You can't just walk in here. You have to start the "Special Delivery" quest line in Bunker Hill, which leads to the "The Secret of Cabot House" quest. Only then do you get access to the interior. The bobblehead is on the desk in Edward Deegan’s office. It’s one of the most gated bobblehead fallout 4 locations in the game.
Intelligence: Boston Public Library
The library is a war zone between Protectrons and Super Mutants. Go to the northwest corner of the building. In the mechanical room, you’ll find it sitting on a console. Fun fact: the library is also a great place to turn in those overdue books for tokens, so kill two birds with one stone.
Agility: FMS Northern Star
Go to the very front (the bow) of the wrecked ship. It’s sitting on a small wooden platform right at the edge. Be careful; the Raiders here aren't the problem so much as the vertigo and the awkward collision physics that might send you sliding into the ocean.
Luck: Spectacle Island
You have to swim. Or use Power Armor and walk along the bottom. On the southern end of the island, there’s a green boat. Inside a locker, you’ll find the Luck bobblehead. Watch out for the Mirelurk Queen that spawns nearby; she’s a total pain if you aren't prepared for the poison damage.
Utility Bobbleheads: The Unsung Heroes
While everyone obsesses over stats, the utility bobbles change the game's mechanics.
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The Repair Bobblehead is a massive priority. It’s at the very top of Corvega Assembly Plant. Corvega is a maze. It’s easy to get lost in the catwalks, but you want to find the highest point on the exterior roof. It increases your Fusion Core duration by 10%. If you live in Power Armor, this is mandatory.
The Small Guns Bobblehead is located in Gunners Plaza. It’s on the broadcast desk. Gunners Plaza is essentially a fortress, so don't go in there guns blazing unless you have the stimpaks to back it up. The 25% critical damage boost to ballistic weapons is arguably the best combat buff in the game.
Then there’s the Explosives Bobblehead at Saugus Ironworks. You’ll find it behind Slag (the boss) on a control panel. This place is hot. Literally. You’re walking on grates over molten metal while being shot at with flamers. It’s intense.
Hard-to-Reach Locations and Common Mistakes
A lot of players struggle with the Sneak Bobblehead. It’s in Dunwich Borers. This place is creepy. It’s deep underground, it’s full of Ghouls, and it has those weird flashbacks. You’ll find the bobblehead on a small table next to a lantern near the "Station 4" terminal. People often miss it because they're too busy panicking about the darkness and the whispering.
Another tricky one is the Barter Bobblehead at Longneck Lukowski’s Cannery. It’s in the upper office area. You might think you can just grab it and leave, but the quest involving the "potted meat" there is definitely worth finishing while you're on-site.
Don't forget the Medicine Bobblehead in Vault 81. You have to give up a bit of health (permanently, if you aren't careful with the quest choice) to get through the secret section of the vault, but having Stimpaks heal 10% more is a lifesaver in the late game. It’s on a desk in Curie’s lab.
A Note on Bobblehead Displays
Once you collect these things, don't just leave them in your inventory. They weigh nothing, but they're useless if you lose track of which ones you have. Build the Bobblehead Stand in your main settlement. It’s under the Furniture > Shelving tab in the workshop menu. Seeing a full rack of 20 bobbleheads is one of the most satisfying sights in the game. Plus, it helps you track which of the bobblehead fallout 4 locations you still need to hit.
The reality is, you'll probably get about 10 of these naturally just by playing the main story and major side quests. The other 10? They require a specific hunt.
Your Actionable Checklist for the Hunt
If you’re ready to actually finish your collection, stop wandering aimlessly. Follow this flow to be efficient:
- Check your current stats. Note which SPECIAL stats are at 10. If they are, go grab those bobbleheads immediately to hit 11. If they are at 9, decide if you want to use a level-up point to hit 10 first.
- Clear Corvega Assembly Plant. It’s an early-game area but easy to skip. Get that Repair bobblehead so your Fusion Cores last longer right from the start.
- Trigger the Cabot House quest line. Talk to Edward Deegan. He hangs out at the Dugout Inn in Diamond City or the Third Rail in Goodneighbor. You need this for the Charisma bobblehead.
- Stock up on Rad-Away. Several of these locations (like Poseidon Energy or the trek to Spectacle Island) will melt your health bar if you aren't managed.
- Look down. Seriously. Bethesda loves putting these things on the bottom shelf of a desk or tucked behind a crate. If you’re in a boss room and you don't see a bobblehead, you probably just haven't looked under the table yet.
Grab your Pip-Boy, check your ammo count, and get moving. Those perks aren't going to unlock themselves.