Fallout 4 tosses you into the Commonwealth with nothing but your wits and a Pip-Boy. But scattered across the wasteland are 20 permanent stat boosts that separate scrappy survivors from legendary vault dwellers: bobbleheads. These Vault-Tec collectibles aren’t just shelf candy, each one permanently increases a S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stat or skill, stacking with perks and gear to push your build into god-tier territory.

Missing even one means leaving power on the table. Whether you’re min-maxing a stealth sniper or building a tanky melee brute, this guide covers every bobblehead location in Fallout 4, from the easiest grab in Sanctuary Hills to the nerve-wracking snatch in the Glowing Sea. We’ll break down exactly where to find each one, what obstacles stand in your way, and how to optimize your collection route.

What Are Bobbleheads in Fallout 4?

Bobbleheads in Fallout 4 are permanent stat-boosting collectibles manufactured by Vault-Tec before the Great War. Each of the 20 bobbleheads provides a unique, irreversible benefit that persists across your entire playthrough.

The collection splits into two categories:

• S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Bobbleheads (7 total): Each adds +1 to one of your core stats, Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, or Luck. These stack on top of your base stats and any points you’ve manually allocated, letting you exceed the normal 10-point cap.

• Skill Bobbleheads (13 total): Each permanently improves a specific skill or combat ability. Benefits range from +25% critical damage (Small Guns) to permanent vendor price improvements (Barter) to faster hack times (Science).

Unlike temporary buffs from chems or food, bobblehead bonuses never expire. Once you pick one up, the boost is baked into your character forever. They’re also account-wide in terms of display, you can showcase all 20 on a dedicated bobblehead stand in your settlement, assuming you’ve built one.

The Fallout 4 bobblehead system is one of the few ways to push stats beyond their typical limits, making them essential for power builds. A character can theoretically reach 11 in every S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stat by combining base allocation, the You’re S.P.E.C.I.A.L. book in your old house, and the corresponding bobblehead.

Why Collecting Bobbleheads Matters

Bobbleheads offer tangible, permanent upgrades that compound over the course of a playthrough. Here’s why tracking down all 20 should be on every player’s to-do list.

Build Optimization

Every extra point of Strength translates to more melee damage and higher carry weight. Each Perception bump improves VATS accuracy. Luck affects critical hit frequency and loot drops. Skill bobbleheads double down on specialization, grabbing the Sneak bobblehead makes stealth builds significantly more forgiving, while the Big Guns bobblehead turns heavy weapons into room-clearers.

Many advanced character setups rely on breaking the 10-point S.P.E.C.I.A.L. cap. For example, reaching 11 Charisma (10 base + bobblehead) unlocks maximum settlement happiness and better vendor prices without needing clothing buffs. Hitting 11 Intelligence accelerates XP gain beyond what any single perk can provide.

Trophy/Achievement Hunting

Collecting all 20 bobbleheads unlocks the They’re Action Figures achievement on all platforms (PC, PS4, Xbox One, and next-gen versions). It’s one of the more satisfying 100% completion milestones since it requires actual exploration rather than grinding.

Long-Term Progression

Bobbleheads are one-time pickups, but their benefits scale as your character grows. The critical damage boost from the Small Guns bobblehead becomes exponentially more valuable as you stack crit perks and legendary weapon effects. Grabbing the Intelligence bobblehead early supercharges your entire leveling curve, letting you unlock high-tier perks faster.

Some bobbleheads also directly impact quality of life. The Lockpicking bobblehead makes the lockpicking minigame easier by adding more time before the bobby pin breaks. The Barter bobblehead saves you caps on every single transaction for the rest of the game.

There’s no downside to collecting bobbleheads. Even if you’re running a roleplay build that doesn’t prioritize certain stats, the permanent boosts never hurt.

S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Bobblehead Locations

These seven bobbleheads boost your core stats. You can grab most of them early, but a few are locked behind main quest progression or high-level areas.

Strength Bobblehead

Location: Mass Fusion Building
Requirements: Main quest “Mass Fusion” or ability to access the building
Exact spot: Top floor, on the metal desk overlooking the main atrium

Mass Fusion is a late-game location tied to the Institute and Brotherhood storylines. If you’re with the Institute, you’ll visit during the quest “Mass Fusion.” Brotherhood players hit it during “Spoils of War.” If you’re going independent or Railroad, you can still enter via the building’s main entrance, just fight through the upper floors packed with feral ghouls and Gunners.

The Strength bobblehead sits on a desk in the executive suite at the top. It’s hard to miss if you’re following quest markers, but easy to overlook if you’re exploring blind. Check every desk on the top floor if you can’t spot it immediately.

Perception Bobblehead

Location: Museum of Freedom, Concord
Requirements: None (accessible from the start)
Exact spot: On the metal desk in the room where you first meet Preston Garvey

This is usually the first bobblehead most players find. When you rescue Preston’s crew from raiders and a Deathclaw in Concord, the Perception bobblehead is sitting on a desk in the room where Preston hands you the Laser Musket. It’s right next to the broken terminal.

If you skip Concord entirely, you can still return anytime. The museum remains accessible even if you ignore the Minutemen questline. According to coverage from IGN, this is one of the most commonly missed bobbleheads by players who rush through the opening sequence.

Endurance Bobblehead

Location: Poseidon Energy
Requirements: None, but expect heavy raider resistance
Exact spot: Metal catwalk above the main turbine room

Poseidon Energy is southeast of the map, near the Glowing Sea border. The building is crawling with raiders, including a few in power armor depending on your level. Clear the ground floor, then head upstairs and look for the catwalk overlooking the large turbine hall. The Endurance bobblehead is on a small metal desk at the end of the catwalk.

Bring some Rad-X if you’re exploring the surrounding area, Poseidon Energy sits on the edge of a radiation hotspot.

Charisma Bobblehead

Location: Parsons State Insane Asylum
Requirements: Accessible during “Special Delivery” quest or by lockpicking/hacking your way in
Exact spot: Jack’s office on the top floor, on the desk

Parsons Creamery in the northeast part of the map triggers the quest “Special Delivery,” which eventually leads you to Parsons State Insane Asylum. The Charisma bobblehead is in Jack Cabot’s office on the administration level.

You can also break into the asylum early if you have Lockpick 3 or Hacker 3. The front entrance has a Master-level terminal, and a side door has an Expert lock. Either route gets you in without starting the Cabot House questline. Exploring this area pairs well with hunting down unique weapon vendors scattered across the Commonwealth.

Intelligence Bobblehead

Location: Boston Public Library
Requirements: None, but Super Mutants infest the building
Exact spot: On a computer bank inside the mechanical room on the lower level

Boston Public Library is northwest of Diamond City. Enter through the main doors and fight your way down to the lower levels. The library is full of Super Mutants, including a Suicider or two depending on your level.

Once you reach the basement, look for the room with the large computer terminals. The Intelligence bobblehead sits on one of the terminal units near the center. This is one of the most valuable early-game grabs because the +1 Intelligence boost accelerates all future XP gains.

Agility Bobblehead

Location: Wreck of the FMS Northern Star
Requirements: None
Exact spot: On the metal desk in the captain’s cabin at the bow of the ship

The FMS Northern Star is a beached ship east of the Nahant Chapel, in the far northeast corner of the map. Climb aboard and navigate to the front of the ship. The captain’s cabin is a small room on the upper deck near the bow. The Agility bobblehead is on the desk inside, next to a steamer trunk with some decent loot.

There’s minimal enemy presence here, usually just a few mirelurks in the water nearby.

Luck Bobblehead

Location: Spectacle Island
Requirements: Activate the boat generator to drain the water: swim or fast-travel to the island
Exact spot: Inside the beached boat near the center of the island, on a wooden table

Spectacle Island is a settlement location far south of the map, accessible only by swimming or using a boat. Once you arrive, fight through the mirelurks and activate the generator in the shack to drain the flooded areas.

The Luck bobblehead is inside a wrecked boat hull near the center of the island, sitting on a small table next to a first-aid kit. This is one of the more out-of-the-way collectibles, so many players miss it until late in their playthrough.

Skill Bobblehead Locations

Skill bobbleheads offer targeted buffs that directly impact combat effectiveness, crafting, and resource management. Here’s where to find all 13.

Barter Bobblehead

Location: Longneck Lukowski’s Cannery
Requirements: Accessible anytime
Exact spot: On a small table in the metal catwalk office overlooking the main production floor

Longneck Lukowski’s is on the eastern edge of the map, north of Murkwater Construction Site. The cannery is part of a side quest involving suspicious meat, but you can loot the bobblehead without triggering the quest.

Enter the main building, clear out the feral ghouls, and climb the stairs to the office catwalk. The Barter bobblehead is on a desk next to a terminal. The permanent vendor discount stacks with Charisma perks, making this one of the best early grabs for players who trade frequently.

Big Guns Bobblehead

Location: Vault 95
Requirements: None, but Gunners hold the vault
Exact spot: On the radio desk in the living quarters, far back in the vault

Vault 95 is southwest of the map, near the Glowing Sea. The entrance is controlled by Gunners, and the interior is packed with more of them. Fight through the vault until you reach the living quarters section.

The Big Guns bobblehead sits on a desk next to a ham radio in one of the back rooms. It’s worth the trek if you’re running a heavy weapons build, the permanent damage boost applies to miniguns, Gatling lasers, missile launchers, and Fat Mans.

Energy Weapons Bobblehead

Location: Fort Hagen
Requirements: Main quest “Reunions”
Exact spot: On the desk in the command center kitchen, near the windows

Fort Hagen is a major main quest location where you confront Kellogg. The bobblehead is in the kitchen area of the command center, on a desk overlooking the exterior through large windows.

You can’t miss Fort Hagen if you’re following the main storyline. The Energy Weapons bobblehead is sitting in plain sight, so grab it before leaving. Players who favor laser rifles and plasma weapons will notice the damage increase immediately.

Explosives Bobblehead

Location: Saugus Ironworks
Requirements: None, but the Forged (raider faction) control the area
Exact spot: On the metal catwalk office overlooking the blast furnace

Saugus Ironworks is northeast of the map, near the coast. The Forged are a flamethrower-wielding raider gang led by Slag. Clear the exterior, then enter the main foundry building.

Climb to the upper catwalk office overlooking the furnace. The Explosives bobblehead is on a desk next to a weapon workbench. This permanently boosts grenade, mine, and explosive weapon damage, essential for demolition builds.

Lockpicking Bobblehead

Location: Pickman Gallery
Requirements: None
Exact spot: On the small table in Pickman’s safe room in the basement

Pickman Gallery is in the North End of Boston, east of the Old North Church. The gallery is part of a side quest involving the serial killer Pickman, but you can grab the bobblehead without engaging the quest.

Navigate through the raider-filled gallery into the basement tunnels. Eventually you’ll reach Pickman’s safe room. The Lockpicking bobblehead sits on a small side table. The permanent boost makes picking locks easier by giving you more wiggle room before breaking bobby pins.

Medicine Bobblehead

Location: Vault 81
Requirements: Complete “Hole in the Wall” quest or access the secret vault section
Exact spot: On the desk in Curie’s office in the secret vault section

Vault 81 is a functioning vault in the western part of the map. You’ll need to either donate fusion cores to enter or complete the “Hole in the Wall” quest, which opens access to the secret medical section.

The Medicine bobblehead is in Curie’s lab, on the desk. This is one of the few bobbleheads locked behind a quest, so don’t skip Vault 81 if you’re hunting collectibles. The permanent boost increases Stimpak healing by 10%, which stacks with the Medic perk.

Melee Bobblehead

Location: Trinity Tower
Requirements: None, but Super Mutants and a Behemoth guard the tower
Exact spot: On the small table in the cage at the top of the tower where Rex Goodman is imprisoned

Trinity Tower is impossible to miss, it’s the tallest building in downtown Boston. Fight your way up through waves of Super Mutants. At the top, you’ll find Rex Goodman trapped in a cage.

The Melee bobblehead is on a table inside the cage. Free Rex if you want to trigger his side quest, but the bobblehead is yours either way. The damage boost applies to all melee weapons, from knives to super sledges. Players building around melee-focused perks will want this as early as possible.

Repair Bobblehead

Location: Corvega Assembly Plant
Requirements: None, but raiders control the entire facility
Exact spot: On the metal catwalk overlooking the main assembly line, near a blue machine

Corvega Assembly Plant is west of Lexington, visible from a distance due to its size. It’s part of the early Minutemen quest “The First Step,” but you can raid it independently.

Fight through the raiders to the top floor. The Repair bobblehead sits on a catwalk overlooking the main factory floor, next to a large blue machine. The permanent boost grants +10% fusion core duration, which is invaluable for power armor users. This ties in nicely with strategies for exiting power armor efficiently when you need to preserve charge.

Science Bobblehead

Location: Malden Middle School
Requirements: None, but feral ghouls infest the building
Exact spot: On the machine in the basement lab near Vault-Tec lunchboxes

Malden Middle School is north of the map, near Malden Center. Enter through the main doors and clear out the ghouls. Head to the basement and look for the science lab.

The Science bobblehead is on a metal cabinet next to some Vault-Tec lunchboxes. The permanent boost grants one extra guess when hacking terminals, making the hacking minigame trivial.

Small Guns Bobblehead

Location: Gunners Plaza
Requirements: None, but Gunners heavily fortify the building
Exact spot: On the radio desk in the broadcast room on the top floor

Gunners Plaza is in the southeast part of the map, near Quincy. The building is a Gunner stronghold with heavy resistance, including power-armored enemies and turrets.

Fight to the top floor and locate the broadcast room. The Small Guns bobblehead is on a desk next to a ham radio. This is arguably the most impactful skill bobblehead, it grants +25% critical damage with ballistic weapons, which includes pistols, rifles, and shotguns. If you’re running a hunting rifle build, this bobblehead is non-negotiable.

Sneak Bobblehead

Location: Dunwich Borers
Requirements: None
Exact spot: On the small metal table near the broken statue in the deepest flooded chamber

Dunwich Borers is one of the creepiest locations in Fallout 4, a quarry in the far northeast. Descend through the raider-infested mine into the flooded depths. Bring Rad-X and Radaway, the deeper sections are heavily irradiated.

The Sneak bobblehead sits on a table next to a strange, otherworldly statue in the lowest chamber. The permanent boost makes you 10% harder to detect, stacking with Sneak perks to create near-invisibility.

Speech Bobblehead

Location: Park Street Station
Requirements: None
Exact spot: On the metal desk in the raider camp inside the station, near the Vault 114 entrance

Park Street Station is in downtown Boston, accessible from the surface or through various subway tunnels. Raiders control the station. Navigate to the camp area near the Vault 114 entrance.

The Speech bobblehead is on a desk in the raider encampment. The permanent boost grants a flat increase to all speech check success rates, making persuasion and intimidation dialogue options easier.

Unarmed Bobblehead

Location: Atom Cats Garage
Requirements: None
Exact spot: On the small metal table on the hood of the rusted car near the power armor stations

Atom Cats Garage is southeast of the map, near the coast. It’s a friendly settlement run by a gang of power armor enthusiasts. The bobblehead is sitting in plain sight on a car hood near the power armor repair stations.

There’s no combat here unless you aggro the residents. Just walk in, grab it, and leave. The Unarmed bobblehead boosts damage for fist weapons, power fists, and bare-handed attacks.

Tips for Finding Bobbleheads Efficiently

Hunting down all 20 bobbleheads doesn’t require a specific order, but some strategies speed up the process and minimize backtracking.

Mark Locations Early

As soon as you discover a location tied to a bobblehead, drop a custom map marker. Several bobbleheads sit in quest-locked areas like Fort Hagen or Vault 81. If you’re following the main story naturally, these will come up automatically. For non-quest locations, prioritize grabbing bobbleheads when you’re in the area for other reasons.

Use a Fallout 4 Bobblehead Map

Several fan-made interactive maps chart every bobblehead location with screenshots and detailed directions. Resources from sites like Twinfinite and Game8 offer filterable maps that let you track what you’ve collected. This is especially useful for completionists hunting the last few stragglers.

Grab Early S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Bobbleheads First

The Intelligence bobblehead at Boston Public Library should be a top priority. That +1 Intelligence accelerates XP gain for your entire playthrough, giving you more perk points earlier. Similarly, the Perception bobblehead in Concord is right on the main quest path, there’s no reason to skip it.

Timing the Intelligence Bobblehead with the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Book

There’s a trick for power-levelers: grab the You’re S.P.E.C.I.A.L. book in your old house in Sanctuary Hills before picking up the Intelligence bobblehead. If you allocate the book point to Intelligence, then grab the bobblehead, you’ll hit 11 Intelligence immediately. This max-stacks XP gain from the start.

Save Before High-Risk Areas

Locations like Dunwich Borers, Gunners Plaza, and Saugus Ironworks can be brutal at low levels. Manual save before entering these zones, especially if you’re under-leveled or low on supplies. There’s nothing worse than fighting through a Gunner stronghold only to die before grabbing the bobblehead.

Combine with Settlement Scavenging Runs

Several bobbleheads sit near valuable scrap locations. The Repair bobblehead at Corvega Assembly Plant is close to Red Rocket, a popular early settlement. Knock out both objectives in one trip to maximize efficiency.

Don’t Forget Quest-Locked Bobbleheads

Three bobbleheads, Medicine (Vault 81), Charisma (Parsons Asylum via Cabot House), and Energy Weapons (Fort Hagen during Reunions), are tied to quests. You can access Parsons and Vault 81 early with lockpicking or fusion cores, but Fort Hagen remains inaccessible until the main quest opens it. Plan accordingly if you’re chasing the achievement before endgame.

Check Every Desk and Shelf

Bobbleheads are small and easy to overlook, especially in cluttered interiors. When you enter a bobblehead location, slow down and scan desks, shelves, and terminals. Most are positioned on flat surfaces near notable landmarks (a terminal, a weapon bench, or a unique object).

Displaying Your Bobblehead Collection

Once you’ve hunted down all 20, you’ll want to show them off. Fallout 4 includes a dedicated Bobblehead Stand you can craft in any settlement.

Building the Bobblehead Stand

Open the Workshop menu in any settlement, navigate to Furniture > Miscellaneous, and craft the Bobblehead Stand. It requires basic materials (wood, steel, screws). The stand has four tiers with individual slots for all 20 bobbleheads.

As you collect bobbleheads, they’ll automatically populate the stand if it’s built in an active settlement. The stand updates in real-time, if you grab a new bobblehead, it appears the next time you visit your settlement.

Best Settlements for Display

Most players build the stand in their main base. Popular choices include:

• Sanctuary Hills: Your starting settlement and personal home base. The bobblehead stand fits naturally in your old house or a custom-built vault.
• Red Rocket: Smaller and more defensible, with enough space for a dedicated trophy room.
• Spectacle Island: If you’ve claimed the island as a settlement, it offers tons of space for elaborate builds.

Display Glitches and Fixes

Early versions of Fallout 4 had a bug where bobbleheads would fall through the stand or disappear. This was patched in version 1.3, but if you’re playing on an older build or experiencing issues, try:

• Rebuilding the stand in a different location.
• Picking up and replacing the stand manually.
• Fast-traveling away and returning to reset the settlement’s physics.

On PC, console commands can force the stand to repopulate if all else fails.

Alternative Display Options

If you don’t want to use the official stand, bobbleheads can be placed manually on shelves, desks, or custom furniture. This requires dropping them from your inventory and using the Workshop mode to position them precisely. It’s tedious but allows for creative displays in custom vault builds.

Achievements and Rewards for Collecting All Bobbleheads

Grabbing all 20 bobbleheads in Fallout 4 unlocks the They’re Action Figures achievement/trophy, worth 20 Gamerscore on Xbox and a Silver Trophy on PlayStation.

Achievement Requirements

You must personally pick up all 20 bobbleheads in a single playthrough. They don’t need to be collected in any specific order, and you can grab them across multiple sessions. The achievement pops as soon as you pick up the 20th bobblehead.

If you’re achievement hunting, keep a checklist. Missing even one means combing back through all 20 locations to figure out which you skipped.

Stat and Build Benefits

Beyond the achievement, collecting all bobbleheads grants your character:

• +7 total S.P.E.C.I.A.L. points (one per stat)
• +13 permanent skill bonuses

A fully decked-out character with all bobbleheads, the You’re S.P.E.C.I.A.L. book, and max perk investments can theoretically reach 11 in every S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stat. This opens build possibilities that aren’t accessible through normal leveling.

For example, a character with 11 Luck, the Critical Banker perk, and the Small Guns bobblehead can chain critical hits indefinitely in VATS. A melee build with 11 Strength, Rooted, and the Melee bobblehead deals absurd damage per swing.

No Gameplay Penalties

There’s no downside to collecting bobbleheads early or late. Grabbing the Intelligence bobblehead at level 5 accelerates your progression, but picking it up at level 50 still grants the permanent stat boost. The same applies to all skill bobbleheads, their benefits scale with your build and never become obsolete.

Integration with DLC

All bobbleheads are part of the base game. None of the DLCs (Far Harbor, Nuka-World, Automatron, etc.) add new bobbleheads or change existing locations. But, some DLC perks and gear synergize well with bobblehead boosts. For instance, the Nuka-World Ace Operator perk stacks with the Small Guns bobblehead for even higher crit damage.

Conclusion

Fallout 4’s bobbleheads are more than collectibles, they’re permanent power spikes that define how strong your character can become. Whether you’re snagging the Intelligence boost early to accelerate leveling or hunting down the Small Guns bobblehead for crit-stacking builds, every one matters.

The Commonwealth doesn’t hand out freebies, and bobbleheads are no exception. Some sit in plain sight in early-game areas: others require clearing Gunner fortresses or descending into irradiated nightmare fuel. But the payoff is worth it, permanent stat boosts that stack with perks, gear, and chems to turn your Sole Survivor into an unstoppable force.

If you’re serious about min-maxing or just want the satisfaction of checking off every collectible, make bobblehead hunting part of your exploration routine. Mark locations, plan your route, and don’t leave the Commonwealth until you’ve claimed all 20. The wasteland’s a lot more forgiving when your stats are maxed.