You’re wandering through the Commonwealth, minding your own business, maybe scavenging for some adhesive or trying to avoid a Deathclaw near the Glowing Sea. Then, it happens. A streak of blue light tears across the sky, followed by a distant, muffled explosion. If you aren't looking up at that exact second, you’d probably think it was just another day in the wasteland. But that crash is the only way to get your hands on the Fallout 4 alien blaster, a weapon that has basically become the stuff of urban legend for casual players. Honestly, it’s one of those items that makes you realize how much Bethesda loves hiding things in plain sight.
It isn't just about the damage numbers. It’s about the rarity. Most people assume you can just stumble upon it while following a quest marker. Nope. It doesn't work like that. You have to be at least Level 20 for the event to even trigger. If you're Level 19 and staring at the sky? Nothing. You'll just see clouds and radiation. But once you hit that level cap, the game basically rolls a metaphorical dice, and the UFO encounter goes live.
Where the Hell Did That Ship Crash?
Finding the crash site is a pain if you don't know the landmarks. It’s east of Oberland Station. If you’ve found the Beantown Brewery, you’re in the right neighborhood. Look for burning trees. The crash leaves a literal scar on the earth, a massive furrow of dirt and fire. But here’s the thing: the ship is empty. The pilot isn't there. You’ll see green blood—yeah, actual glowing green goo—leading away from the wreckage. Follow those splatters. They lead to a small cave nearby.
Inside that cave, you’ll find the lone survivor. He’s injured, but he isn't friendly. He will shoot on sight. This is a weirdly tragic moment if you think about it too hard—a traveler from another galaxy, light-years from home, only to crash in a radioactive dump and get finished off by a guy looking for scrap metal. Once you take him down, the Fallout 4 alien blaster is yours. Along with about 400 to 500 rounds of Alien Blaster Rounds.
That sounds like a lot of ammo. It really isn't.
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The Ammo Crisis and the Science Perk
Here is where most players get stuck. Those Alien Blaster Rounds? They’re finite. Once you shoot them, they’re gone. There is no vendor in the Commonwealth who sells them. You can't craft them at a standard chemistry station without very specific mods or DLC. So, you have a choice. You can treat the gun like a "boss killer" and only pull it out when a Mirelurk Queen is ruining your day, or you can get smart with the workbench.
If you have the Science! perk at rank four, you can actually modify the Fallout 4 alien blaster to run on standard Fusion Cells.
Does it lower the damage? Yes, slightly. Is it worth it? Absolutely. Fusion cells are everywhere. You can loot them from every dead Brotherhood of Steel soldier or Synth you find. Converting the gun makes it a viable primary weapon rather than a trophy that sits in a chest at Sanctuary Hills. A lot of purists hate doing this because the blue projectile changes slightly, and you lose that "authentic" extraterrestrial feel, but let’s be real: a gun with no ammo is just a very expensive paperweight.
Does the Alien Blaster Actually Hold Up in Late Game?
People debate this constantly on forums like r/fo4. On paper, the base damage looks incredible. It’s fast. The fire rate is high. The weight is almost negligible. It’s the perfect sidearm for a VATS-heavy build because the Action Point cost is tiny. You can pump out ten shots in VATS before your bar even looks empty.
But there is a catch. The projectile speed is slow. If you’re trying to snipe a moving target from a distance, you’re going to miss. The shots travel in a visible arc, which looks cool but makes leading your targets a nightmare. It’s best used at mid-to-close range.
Also, it doesn't benefit from the same variety of mods as the 10mm pistol or the Combat Rifle. You can't put a silencer on it. You can't change the grip to make it a rifle. It is what it is. In the early to mid-game, it’s a god-tier weapon. In the late game, especially if you’re playing on Survival difficulty, a fully kitted-out Plasma Pistol or a legendary Gauss Rifle will probably outclass it. But none of those look like a 1950s sci-fi prop, so they lose points for style.
The Nuka-World Connection
If you have the Nuka-World DLC, the story changes a bit. There’s another version of the gun called the Hubologist's Alien Blaster. You get it from a quest involving a group of people who are… well, let's just say they're very interested in outer space. It’s basically the same weapon but with a different skin and a slightly different backstory.
More importantly, Nuka-World actually provides a way to get more Alien Blaster Rounds. You can find them in the Galactic Zone or buy them from specific vendors if you jump through enough hoops. This solves the ammo scarcity problem without needing to convert the gun to Fusion Cells. If you’re a completionist, you’re going to want both versions anyway.
Common Misconceptions and Glitches
I've heard people say you can find the alien blaster by just wandering into the cave at Level 1. You can't. The cave is empty. The "trigger" is the crash event itself. If you haven't seen the ship fall, the alien simply won't spawn.
There's also a weird glitch where the green blood trail doesn't show up. If that happens, just look for the cave entrance directly north of the crash site. It’s a small, unassuming hole in a rock face. Don't overthink it.
- Trigger Level: 20 (Some report 15, but 20 is the most consistent).
- Location: East of Oberland Station, North of Vault 81.
- Ammo: Limited, unless modified for Fusion Cells.
- VATS Performance: Exceptional.
One thing that’s often overlooked is the "Legendary" aspect. Unlike other unique weapons in the game, the Alien Blaster doesn't come with a random legendary effect when you loot it from the alien. It’s always a standard Alien Blaster. However, if you’re playing with certain mods or if you happen to find a legendary version through very specific (and rare) world drops in later patches, it becomes arguably the best pistol in the game. Imagine an "Instigating" or "Two Shot" Alien Blaster. That’s enough to melt a Behemoth in seconds.
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Actionable Tips for Your Next Playthrough
If you’re planning to build a character around this weapon, you need to prioritize the right perks early on. Don't just dump points into Strength.
- Invest in Gunslinger: Since the blaster is a non-automatic pistol, the Gunslinger perk is your bread and butter. It increases the range and the damage significantly. By the time you hit rank five, you’ll be disarming enemies and breaking limbs with every shot.
- Science! is Mandatory: If you don't want to run out of ammo in ten minutes, you need Science! Rank 4. This requires a high Intelligence stat, so plan your starting SPECIAL points accordingly.
- VATS Perks: Because of the low AP cost, pair the blaster with "Concentrated Fire" and "Grim Reaper’s Sprint." You can essentially stay in VATS indefinitely, popping heads like bubbles.
- The Luck Factor: High Luck helps with Critical Hits. The Alien Blaster has a decent crit multiplier, and since you’ll be hitting often, you’ll be charging your crit meter incredibly fast.
Honestly, the Fallout 4 alien blaster is more than just a gun; it’s a reward for paying attention. It’s Bethesda’s way of saying "thanks for looking at the sky." It might not be the most practical weapon for every single encounter, but walking into a Raider camp and vaporizing everyone with blue lasers never gets old. It’s a classic for a reason.
Go to Oberland Station. Look for the fire. Follow the green blood. Just make sure you bring enough Rad-Away for the trip, because the cave isn't exactly the cleanest place in the world. Once you have it, decide early if you’re going for the Fusion Cell conversion or if you’re going to hoard those original rounds like they’re Gold Bars from the Sierra Madre. Both paths are valid, but only one lets you keep shooting past the first hour.