Fallout 76 Cryptid location guide: lore & tips

Fallout 76 is home to a variety of mutated mythical monsters called Cryptids, taken from West Virginian folklore. Here’s a guide to monster hunting in Fallout 76.

While Fallout 76 got off to a shaky start upon release, subsequent updates have improved the game. The developers have also realized that by leaning into the game’s lore and setting, they can take advantage of local folklore to tell some truly terrifying post-apocalyptic horror stories.

There are more than just radroaches and ghouls stalking the West Virginian Wasteland. Here’s what else players may encounter.

---

Contents

• The Beast of Beckley
• Flatwoods Monster
• The Grafton Monster
• Mothman
• Sheepsquatch
• Snallygaster
• Wendigo

---

The Beast of Beckley

This monster is based on an actual myth told over campfires in the West Virginian woods. The legend goes that the Beast resembles a giant white wolf with four eyes capable of “shredding bears” with her teeth and claws.

In Fallout, the Beast survived nuclear war but has mutated and become even more fearsome, as have her now grown-up pups. The Beast appears in the quest Unsolved: Death and Taxidermy, where the player follows clues to an unsolved killing, eventually coming face-to-face with the Beast.

Her den can be located in Appalachia near Janelle’s camp and the Hornwright air purifier site 04. However, following the quest is the best way to find the creature, as this triggers her appearance. Be warned, the Beast and her pups are instantly hostile.

Flatwoods Monster

This thing is just otherworldly and creepy as hell. The Flatwoods Monster is a strange mash-up of technology and biological matter. It glows purple and floats above the ground like it’s wearing some kind of jetpack. It also wears a dome over its large brain of a head with big purple eyes and what could be a gas mask on underneath.

You can first hear about the monster by speaking to the Wandering Storyteller who had a frightening encounter with it. The lore behind the Monster is that it is extra-terrestrial in origin, although it could also be a pre-war experiment gone wrong. It could then have been exposed to radioactive material and mutated until it became even less human in appearance and nature.

The Flatwoods Monster has no fixed spawn points, but it can appear during the Daily Quests, Queen of the Hunt and Making Sacrifices. The creature will become hostile if the player gets too close. It will also teleport around the map and regenerate health.

Be careful because the Flatwoods monster can mind control NPCs, enemies, and even other legendary cryptids that happen to be nearby. They’ll glow purple and turn hostile. If you flee from battle, the monster will simply disappear in a flash of light. Although even if you defeat him, he may spawn again later.

The Grafton Monster

This hulking Beast is another cryptid out of West Virginian folklore. The creature is said to be spotted by motorists at night or by hunters in the vast West Virginian woods. In Fallout 76, he’s an experiment gone wrong who escaped confinement. His mutation has spiraled out of control in the wasteland, making him even more monstrous than before.

He’s not associated with any particular quests but can be encountered in various locations throughout Fallout 76. During the Grafton Day event, he can often be found nearby Grafton itself. He can also appear as a boss during the Project Paradise event.

Other spawning locations are the Charleston Trainyard, The Charleston Capitol Building, Hemlock Holes, and the garden between the Whispering Resort and the nearby golf club. When you do eventually come face-to-face with him, don’t underestimate his speed. This guy may be big, but he’s also fast.

Mothman

Mothman may be the most famous cryptid in West Virginian mythology. He’s also been the subject of Hollywood films. However, Mothman isn’t a savage beast like most entries on this list. In fact, Mothman is often depicted as intelligent, sentient, and well-meaning. He often comes with grave warnings about some upcoming apocalyptic event, which is where his story begins in Fallout 76.

The original Mothman from legends is referred to as the Wise Mothman in Fallout. We’ve even produced a separate guide, covering his quest in more detail. But smaller Mothmen also appear in the game and can be hostile towards the player. These spawn sporadically and if they have red eyes, will likely attack the player if they get too close.

• Read More: Fallout 76 Nuke Codes

Sheepsquatch

While this sounds like it could be a character from Rick and Morty, it’s actually a mythical monster of West Virginian folklore. The creature is described as a bipedal yeti-like creature with a ram’s skull for a head, complete with large horns and cloven hoofs. This is exactly what it looks like in Fallout 76.

In the game’s lore, the creature is the same mythical monster as above, pre-dating the war and continuing to exist in the West Virginian wasteland as if the bombs never dropped. He can be hunted down in-game – but be careful that he doesn’t end up hunting you instead.

Sheepsquatch can only be encountered randomly in the Forest during the Project Paradise and Free Range events. They fight a lot like Deathclaws, so don’t take them lightly. Enter combat with them tooled up and ready for battle.

Snallygaster

The Snallygaster looks like something out of Resident Evil rather than a Fallout game. In folklore, the creature is a hybrid between a bird and a reptile. Fallout 76 sticks with this idea, but also makes them skinless to add another layer of gross.

While most cryptids in Fallout existed before the bombs dropped, the Snallygaster is a product of genetic experiments, not unlike the Super Mutants. Naturally, it escaped and is on the rampage in the wasteland. It also spawned lots of little Snallygaster babies, so that’s nice.

The monster can be found hanging around Toxic Larry’s Meat ‘n Go, while some of its spawn can be found in Charleston, between Hornwright Industrial HQ and the Capitol Building. Basically, they are usually found near highly toxic or irradiated areas, adding another layer of danger to the encounters.

They are immune to rad and poison damage and can even deal this damage to the player. Therefore, keeping one’s distance is advised. It’s often wise to aggro them and encourage them to fight on your terms, where they no longer have the terrain advantage.

• Read More: Fallout 76 crossplay guide for Xbox, PS5, & PC

Wendigo

These are absolutely terrifying and slightly remind us of the Witch from Left 4 Dead. Wendigos have become quite prominent in popular culture in recent years. In fiction and folklore, Wendigos used to be human but turned into twisted monsters due to their greed or other sins. They are thought to be associated with the vampire myths from Eastern Europe somehow, but the Wendigo is a very North American monster in origin.

In Fallout 76, their origin is left ambiguous. They could be the monster of legend or simply another mutant inhabitant of the wasteland. They’re likely a highly mutated ghoul, as their shrieks can attract feral ghouls to support them in combat. They also fight in a similar way to ghouls, although Wendigos are much larger and more powerful

Unlike most creatures on this list, Wendigos are regular enemies based on a cryptid rather than an elusive boss or quest character. They can usually be found stalking around the Wendigo Cave in the Savage Divide of Appalachia. This location offers another clue to their origin. However, they can also be found in similar areas across the map.