You're wandering through the Commonwealth, minding your own business, when suddenly a massive armored airship—the Prydwen—roars overhead like a mechanical god. It’s one of the most iconic moments in Bethesda’s history. If you’re looking to fallout 4 join the brotherhood of steel, you probably want that sweet T-60 power armor or maybe you just like the idea of stomping through the wasteland with a Gatling laser and a sense of moral superiority. But honestly? Getting in isn't just about following a map marker. It’s about timing, specific quest triggers, and making sure you don't accidentally turn them hostile before you even get a chance to salute.
The Brotherhood isn't just a club; they're a paramilitary force with a very "join or get out of the way" attitude. You can actually meet them way earlier than that big blimp arrival, and if you're playing on Survival mode, joining them early is basically a necessity for the Vertibird signal grenades alone. Walking across the Glowing Sea is a nightmare. Flying over it? Much better.
Making First Contact at Cambridge Police Station
Most players find the Brotherhood by accident. You’ll be picking up a stray radio signal called "Military Frequency AF95" near College Square. Listen to it. It’s a distress call from Paladin Danse, a man whose voice sounds like it was carved out of granite. He’s pinned down at the Cambridge Police Station by a swarm of feral ghouls.
Go there. Help him.
Once the ghouls are dead—and there are a lot of them, so bring plenty of 10mm ammo or a decent combat knife—Danse will give you the once-over. He doesn't trust you yet. Why would he? You're just a vault dweller with weird hair and a Pip-Boy. He’ll ask you to help him on a mission called Call to Arms. This is your "audition." You’ll head to ArcJet Systems to find a deep range transmitter.
Here is a pro tip that people usually miss: let Danse do the heavy lifting. In the engine core room of ArcJet, you can actually trigger the engine test and fry a whole room of synths while Danse stands right in the middle of the flames. He survives because his power armor is basically a tank. It’s a great way to farm fusion cells from the dead synths without wasting your own resources. After the mission, Danse offers you his support and his legendary laser rifle, Righteous Authority. This is the moment you officially become an Initiate.
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The Prydwen and the Point of No Return
You might think you’re "in" once Danse gives you that rifle. You aren't. Not really. You’re a local recruit, a contractor. To truly fallout 4 join the brotherhood of steel and get the full perks—like the ability to board the airship and start the main faction quests—you have to wait for the main story to catch up.
You have to kill Kellogg.
Once you exit Fort Hagen after that brutal showdown, the Brotherhood arrives in force. It’s a scripted event. If you already helped Danse at the police station, he’ll tell you to meet him back there. He’ll then take you up to the Prydwen in a Vertibird. This flight is one of the coolest visual sequences in the game. You see the ruins of Boston from a perspective you can't get anywhere else.
On the ship, you’ll meet Elder Maxon. He’s younger than he looks, obsessed with "cleansing" the Commonwealth, and wears a coat that every player secretly wants to loot. Once you listen to his speech and meet the crew—Proctor Ingram, Proctor Teagan, and Knight-Captain Cade—you’re officially a Knight. They give you a free set of T-60 power armor. Seriously. It’s just sitting there in a docking bay waiting for you.
Why the Brotherhood Might Actually Be the Bad Guys
It’s easy to get swept up in the cool tech. But look closer. The Brotherhood in Fallout 4 is a lot different than the group in Fallout 3. They aren't the "saviors of the wasteland" anymore. They’re tech-religious zealots.
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If you like Nick Valentine or Hancock, be prepared for some awkwardness. The Brotherhood hates non-humans. They want to wipe out synths, ghouls (even the non-feral ones), and super mutants. If you bring Nick Valentine onto the Prydwen, the soldiers will hurl insults at him. It’s uncomfortable.
There’s also the "Feeding the Troops" missions from Proctor Teagan. He’ll ask you to "procure" crops from local settlements. He doesn't care if you pay for them or just intimidate the farmers into giving them up. It’s basically a protection racket. If you’re playing a "good" character, this might make your skin crawl. You have to decide if the firepower is worth the moral baggage.
Essential Tips for New Recruits
Don't just rush the main quest. There are things you can only get by being thorough within the faction.
- Scrivener Haylen and Knight Rhys: They give "radiant" quests (Quartermastery and Cleansing the Commonwealth). They’re repetitive, but they take you to locations you might otherwise miss. It’s easy XP and caps early on.
- The Jetpack: You can't just buy a jetpack for your power armor. You usually have to reach the rank of Sentinel, which happens very late in the Brotherhood's main questline.
- Vertibird Signal Grenades: Buy these from Proctor Teagan. Even if you don't like the Brotherhood's politics, these grenades are the only way to "fast travel" in Survival mode. Throw one, wait for the bird, and hop in. You can even use the mounted minigun while you fly.
- Legendary Gear: Teagan sells some of the best unique items in the game, including "Honor" and "Vengeance" (T-60 leg pieces) once you hit certain ranks.
One thing people get wrong is thinking you’re locked into the Brotherhood forever once you join. You aren't. You can play all the factions against each other for quite a while. You can be a member of the Railroad, a General in the Minutemen, and a Knight in the Brotherhood all at the same time. The game will clearly warn you when a specific mission will make another faction permanently hostile. Usually, this happens during the quest "Tactical Thinking." If you start that, the Railroad is going to hate you forever.
Dealing with Paladin Danse’s Secret
Without spoiling too much for those who haven't finished the "Blind Betrayal" quest, your relationship with the Brotherhood will eventually hit a massive speed bump. It involves Danse. It’s widely considered the best written quest in the game because it forces you to choose between the Brotherhood’s strict code and your personal loyalty to a friend.
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If you want the "best" outcome, you’ll need a very high Charisma stat. Wear a suit, drink some Gwinnett Ale, or pop some Grape Mentats before you go into that final confrontation. Saving Danse while staying in the Brotherhood is possible, but it’s a tightrope walk.
Joining the Brotherhood is the easiest way to feel powerful early in Fallout 4. Between the T-60 armor and the vertibird transport, the wasteland becomes significantly less terrifying. Just keep your eyes open. The more you talk to the scribes and soldiers, the more you realize that their "peace" comes at a very high price for the people already living in the Commonwealth.
To get the most out of your recruitment, focus on these steps immediately:
- Head to Cambridge Police Station as soon as you feel comfortable fighting ghouls (usually level 10-15 is plenty).
- Complete "Call to Arms" with Danse to get Righteous Authority. This laser rifle has the "Lucky" effect, which doubles critical hit damage and fills the crit meter faster—it's a beast for VATS builds.
- Finish "Reunions" (the Kellogg quest) to trigger the arrival of the Prydwen.
- Talk to Danse again to get the "Shadow of Steel" quest, which gets you onto the airship.
- Secure your T-60 armor from Proctor Ingram immediately upon being promoted to Knight.
Once you have the armor, take it to a power armor station and upgrade the plating. The Brotherhood gives you the basic Knight paint job, but you can eventually unlock more as you climb the ranks. If you're looking for a specific playstyle, the Brotherhood is perfect for heavy weapons and "tank" builds. If you prefer stealth and silenced pistols, you might find their loud, clanking approach a bit annoying.
The Commonwealth is a big place, and the Brotherhood is just one way to handle it. They provide the most stability, but they also demand the most obedience. Decide early if you're okay with taking orders from a 20-year-old with a scar and a fancy coat, or if you'd rather carve your own path through the rubble.