Deathclaws : Social behaviour and morphology of the wasteland's top predator

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  • Опубліковано 21 лис 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 310

  • @Squaresmoothbrain
    @Squaresmoothbrain Рік тому +509

    I like the "dragon of the waste" comparison cause it really feels like a legendary invincible beast you have no hope of defeating until you dawn your suit of power armor like a "knight of the waste" especially the first one encountered in fallout 4

    • @unnaturalhistorychannel
      @unnaturalhistorychannel  Рік тому +91

      That's a great analogy!

    • @rylanbrewer3320
      @rylanbrewer3320 Рік тому +2

      Malzeno is next

    • @BoisegangGaming
      @BoisegangGaming Рік тому +36

      Even then, Power Armor isn't an instant win button against them.
      I love that deathclaws don't need fancy radiation breath to be threatening, just their sheer strength and speed. They feel surprisingly realistic and grounded for fallout, which I think makes them even more fun.
      Plus, those death animations they have are terrifying.

    • @kingdamazo7266
      @kingdamazo7266 Рік тому +11

      ​@@BoisegangGaming Truly unsettling movements, barreling at you with their head down, claws ripping through the air as they attempt to slash you open

    • @asleepyb0i400
      @asleepyb0i400 Рік тому +4

      In F4, my character ate them for breakfast. Early on I got a wounding combat shotgun that completely obliterated everything in my path, including deathclaws. Whenever I was running low on radscorpion and deathclaw steaks, I took to the glowing sea to hunt them. I suppose my combat shotgun was the holy hand grenade lol.

  • @humanmess3659
    @humanmess3659 Рік тому +713

    There are stories they can mimic human voices. I wish they included that in game. It'd up the scare factor.

    • @unnaturalhistorychannel
      @unnaturalhistorychannel  Рік тому +214

      Would be cool like the bear from Annihilation - although some didn't like the idea it seems.

    • @NitewyndRain
      @NitewyndRain Рік тому +125

      Very likely they all have capability for speech (an intelligent bioweapon would need to be able to talk to their handlers after all). While they're not representative of every Deathclaw, the intelligent Deathclaws of Fallout 2, namely Goris, talk quite capably.

    • @Dinosaurianationazation
      @Dinosaurianationazation Рік тому +55

      @@NitewyndRain OH SHIT! THEY ARE SCALIE BAIT! Bitchin!

    • @robotrannicthesurprisingly9085
      @robotrannicthesurprisingly9085 Рік тому +60

      @@Dinosaurianationazation Utterly deranged sentence

    • @brockschannel3927
      @brockschannel3927 Рік тому +48

      @@unnaturalhistorychannel I want to point out that Savage Deathclaws have patches of gold scales like Matriarchs,so they could just be dominant females that lost their packs. Either to rival packs or something else.

  • @GrimDarkHalfOff
    @GrimDarkHalfOff Рік тому +105

    Because of the thumbnail I now want a 1950s sitcom parody death claw family

    • @unnaturalhistorychannel
      @unnaturalhistorychannel  Рік тому +42

      "Matriarch I'm home - you'd better not have burned the roast again!"

    • @mitchhaelann9215
      @mitchhaelann9215 Рік тому

      Disney beat you to it 30 years ago. ua-cam.com/video/2kpL73mLdgA/v-deo.html

    • @courier6402
      @courier6402 Рік тому +5

      Got to have the fallout protagonists be like nextdoor neighbors kids always geting in trouble

  • @Warrior-Of-Virtue
    @Warrior-Of-Virtue Рік тому +322

    The fact that it was possible for the Enclave to breed sapience into deathclaws makes me wonder if their evolution was already heading in that direction.

    • @zeropsaft
      @zeropsaft Рік тому +1

      If that is true fallout humans are utterly fucked

    • @chakatBombshell
      @chakatBombshell Рік тому +59

      In Fallout Tactics there are a small group of mutant sapient deathclaws that are smart enough to want to join your group for the betterment of their pack and because they're actually pretty down for saving the Wasteland from killer robots. So they are relatively easy to get along with when sapient from Fallout 2 and Tactics showing sapient deathclaws far prefer cooperation over competition with humans when the chance presents itself.

    • @abysswalker2594
      @abysswalker2594 Рік тому +15

      @@chakatBombshell hmmm maybe different tribes then from different states like death claws in fo3 where from Washington and not a lot of food in that place so becomes more aggressive to get more food and keep it probably the same or similar to nv

    • @sigmamaverick9215
      @sigmamaverick9215 Рік тому +7

      Their sapience was a result of FEV, not breeding or evolution. They simply mutated them further.

    • @Demicleas
      @Demicleas Рік тому +11

      @@sigmamaverick9215 speaking of since there's so much FEV everywhere for some reason considering super mutants exist everywhere on the east cost as well as west I'm surprised more deathclaw haven't stumbled into it and turned sapient. Heck maby they have but they haven't been discovered by normal humans yet. I mean in fallout 4 during the travels of the pridewin it was said that all they found during there voyage is ruins and super mutants everywhere. So who knows.

  • @pathfindersavant3988
    @pathfindersavant3988 Рік тому +247

    Deathclaw color changing may also be an adaptation to allow for better thermoregulation and resistance to the ambient radiation of the wasteland. We know that many species of reptiles do use chromatophores to alter skin tone to aid in thermoregulation, including arid dwelling lizards like Horned Lizards (Sherbrooke and Frost, 1989). When you take into consideration both how much harsher and arid the Wasteland is compared to its pre-war state, and how you als ohave to contend with ambient radiation permeating much of the water table, the use of pigments like melanin to help defend against such environmental hazards and also act as a signal towards the individual and its pack about how harsh the local conditions are is not too much of a stretch.

    • @unnaturalhistorychannel
      @unnaturalhistorychannel  Рік тому +70

      This is a good point - plus as relatively big animals too (dominant individuals especially) keeping cool would be fairly important.

  • @BlackReaper0
    @BlackReaper0 Рік тому +135

    The image of a bunch of deathclaws eating cazadors seems really nightmarish, those are the two most anxiety-inducing New Vegas enemies or me.

  • @flygonsarchives
    @flygonsarchives Рік тому +485

    Deathclaw ecology almost makes you wish for a nuclear winter.

    • @unnaturalhistorychannel
      @unnaturalhistorychannel  Рік тому +128

      A big iron on your hip will sort them out

    • @grendel8342
      @grendel8342 Рік тому +39

      you say this but having a macropredator to not only live along side but occasionally hunt (not to extinction, i'm talking reasonable hunting for food, hide, and the occasional trophy) would be a dream. Not only those either, we'd get a stabilizing ecosystem that we could experience first hand, to be apart of a rising ecosystem instead of a declining one would be a dream come true.

    • @zehkiel8018
      @zehkiel8018 7 місяців тому +1

      ​@grendel8342 Not to mention we've clearly shown they can be tamed or at least trained.

  • @Edujs23
    @Edujs23 Рік тому +76

    Nuclear exposure on media:
    Nuclear exposure irl: Cancer

    • @unnaturalhistorychannel
      @unnaturalhistorychannel  Рік тому +25

      One of the golden rules of science fiction

    • @chheinrich8486
      @chheinrich8486 4 місяці тому +2

      @@unnaturalhistorychannelat least the deathless isn’t a result of nuclear exposure but genetic engineering 😂, no wonder it’s so op

  • @elijahcafazzo-joyette8226
    @elijahcafazzo-joyette8226 Рік тому +83

    With their mating habits and social hierarchy, it definitely feels like Deathclaws would’ve been great at exhausting enemy resources and denying territory. You have a highly effective, territorial predator that can probably outhunt most natural animals and effectively lockdown areas with their numbers and cooperative behaviour. If you set them loose on enemy farmland or on an unguarded flank they’d probably be a nightmare to eradicate. Thats not even mentioning the Enclave’s mind-controlled Deathclaws.
    I hope they get a fair shake in the Fallout show. I really don’t want to see them slapped in the first episode just to assure people that, yes, this is a Fallout show. They deserve proper build up and narrative importance.

    • @mitchhaelann9215
      @mitchhaelann9215 Рік тому +17

      Honestly, I don't want them seen in the show at all. I want them hinted at, alluded to, and feared. Like the alien in the original Alien movie. The less you see it, the scarier it is.

    • @elijahcafazzo-joyette8226
      @elijahcafazzo-joyette8226 Рік тому +9

      @@mitchhaelann9215 That’s a fair hope too. I think it’d be really cool for the wasteland’s deadliest creatures to almost be mythologized, as if no one’s sure if some creatures even exist or if they’re just the jet-addled ramblings of some insane caravaneers. The characters hear strange sounds echo through the ruins and wastes, shapes moving and the sounds of gunfire rattling off in the distance. Instead of running at the noise half-cocked in want of XP and adventure like we might in the games, they decide its better to not find out what made those sounds and get gone before they themselves become part of the hellish soundscape permeating the wasteland.
      Though, I do think that point of mystery and strangeness is lost on a lot of productions today where they equate more to being. . . Well, more; where we instead try to make things as relatable, visually busy and congruent as possible.

  • @daniell1483
    @daniell1483 Рік тому +57

    Deathclaws have always been my favorite animals in the Fallout series. "Dragons of the wastes" is pretty spot on for description.

    • @keztannis6848
      @keztannis6848 Рік тому +3

      Fallout 76 completely invalidates that but I simply pretend that "Fallout game" doesn't exist.

  • @rustyshacklford245
    @rustyshacklford245 Рік тому +57

    Perhaps new England death claws are more bulky than their Mojave counter parts due to the availability of large beached marine life. Like a difference between a inland grizzly bear and a coastal Kodiak bear

    • @GreaterGrievobeast55
      @GreaterGrievobeast55 Рік тому +15

      Interesting notion! Though one must wonder why the west Virginian variants bulk is more like new englands than the mojave given it's still a state fairly inland. Admitedly though the coast isn't impossibly far to reach if whey were a more migrational sort. Though i think it's more likely the greater abundance of various prey items in the woods makes up for it

    • @baneofbanes
      @baneofbanes Рік тому +22

      @@GreaterGrievobeast55 Appalachia has a mostly healthy ecosystem supporting vast amounts of plant life, aka there are more herbivores to eat.

  • @souperion2509
    @souperion2509 Рік тому +59

    I always look forward to the end of these videos to hear him pronounce "Basu Gasu Bakuhatsu Bakumatsu."

  • @GhazMazMSM
    @GhazMazMSM Рік тому +160

    The original idea for the Deathclaw in the concept art was a furry, almost werewolf-like animal. Maybe in the genes for the Deathclaw they included canid DNA, that would explain their wolf-like family behavior.

    • @demongirlxox5857
      @demongirlxox5857 Рік тому +23

      I’d make sense as then they could be trained as such while still being powerhouses

    • @loupblanc7944
      @loupblanc7944 Рік тому +15

      True, heck the thing most likely as a tone of different animal DNA in it. I would not be surprised if some jackass snuck in some human DNA in it too.

    • @raultrashlord4404
      @raultrashlord4404 Рік тому +3

      goddamnit, the enclave had a furaffinity account

  • @zenebean
    @zenebean Рік тому +16

    Deathclaws manage to look iconic and terrifying while still looking like functional animals, high tier monster design. I do wonder why they went with Jackson chameleons as an origin point for these guys since they lack pretty pretty much any chameleon trait except the (very mutated) horns and the slight color change. Honestly they could have said these things are monster anoles or almost any lizard

  • @dillonpeterson66
    @dillonpeterson66 Рік тому +19

    Death claws are sometimes seen sharpening their claws, displaying some signs of intelligence, or at least that they have a sense of how important they're claws are

    • @cheese_man5105
      @cheese_man5105 7 місяців тому

      My dude most animals groom themselves and each other. It’s like the bare minimum of intelligence.

  • @windhelmguard5295
    @windhelmguard5295 Рік тому +6

    one interesting interaction i have witnessed is that yao guai attack death claws on sight and sometimes win the encounter, usually by throwing the death claw off balance in a continued and unrelenting assault, indicating that death claws fair poorly against enemies capable of repeated, high impact offence, to throw them off balance and to prevent them from regaining their footing.
    what makes this interaction especially weird is that large predators usually avoid conflict with anything large enough to pose a significant threat, so for yao guai and death claws to engage in combat, there has to be some evolutionary pressure driving them to do this.

    • @mitchhaelann9215
      @mitchhaelann9215 Рік тому +3

      Competition over food, or the Yao Guai's blind aggression towards everything that moves.

  • @robertmacfergus9288
    @robertmacfergus9288 Рік тому +19

    Regarding the horns there is suggestion that goat horns might be used in thermoregulation, this might also be the case for deathclaws.

    • @GreaterGrievobeast55
      @GreaterGrievobeast55 Рік тому +9

      That could explain their back spines too. Not too dissimilar to dimetrodons or stegosaurs.

  • @pyrrhusofepirus8491
    @pyrrhusofepirus8491 Рік тому +9

    I think the coolest thing I’ve been told of or read of the Deathclaws, is that in the early and middle days of the wasteland, they were myths, legends and stories told by madmen or scaremongers. A.K.A. The ones that survived.
    That’s somehow just so cool to me. Imagine playing a game, Fallout or otherwise, and there’s an extremely small chance that a Deathclaw or Werewolf or other such legendary beast will spawn. That’s just so cool and terrifying to me. Imagine a hunting game like that, wherein it’s otherwise normal with normal animals, but then a Werewolf comes barrelling out of the woods during a night hunt.

  • @Thesaurus_Rex
    @Thesaurus_Rex Рік тому +24

    My hypothesis on the rare color-changing deathclaws is that they're either a rare recessive gene or a dying breed from their creation. In military combat, having the deathclaws be able to communicate with each other by shifting colors could be advantageous, and it would be a means of communication that would take enemy units time to decipher (time they probably didn't have with a very large, very sharp reptile bearing down on them). It's possible it was introduced as a recessive gene so that only some deathclaws would possess it, and those that did could serve as communications relays for the rest of the pack. The feral breeds didn't require that form of communication, so the ones who had dull colors that blended in with their environments outperformed their more brightly-colored counterparts.

  • @BigChap117
    @BigChap117 Рік тому +13

    One of the more disturbing aspects of deathclaw anatomy is their ability for bipedalism. Sure, they can run on all fours, but they have the tendency to walk fully bipedally. This, a long with their pre-Fallout 4 skull shape and five fingered hands, would suggest a degree of human admixture.

  • @davyjones3755
    @davyjones3755 Рік тому +38

    I love how these things are surprisingly smart,and can be taught more difficult concepts such as money,religion,and how to speak different languages,and then there's just the basics animal minded wild ones,their talents are under used and under appreciated

    • @Broomer52
      @Broomer52 Рік тому +4

      I believe the more intelligent ones were a further mutation rather than something all Deathclaws can be. They’re still intelligent don’t get me wrong but they’re basically just bio engineered animals.

    • @davyjones3755
      @davyjones3755 Рік тому +4

      @@Broomer52 maybe it's like corvids,all are able to mimic sounds,but some are more intelligent then others, especially when domesticated

  • @TwoSevenX
    @TwoSevenX Рік тому +21

    The fact that the greatest tactician of Midwest branch of the BoS was a deathclaw likely means that sentience/sapience was inevitable, not a genetic ripple.

  • @BoisegangGaming
    @BoisegangGaming Рік тому +13

    I love the deathclaw design. While I can't say anything to their Difficulty, they really should be a threat to any human, even one in power armor or vehicles. They're a fun pastiche of mutant Apex predator concepts that is greater than the sum of their parts.

  • @jotunnraider
    @jotunnraider Рік тому +11

    So on the savage deathclaw, I actually think they are older females as the coloration and horn shape is more in line with matriarchs and in the devils due quest the mother is a savage deathclaw.

  • @theoneandonlymichaelmccormick
    @theoneandonlymichaelmccormick Рік тому +12

    Hot dog, I remember you talking about wanting to cover these a while ago.
    Glad you came around to it!

  • @hawkticus_history_corner
    @hawkticus_history_corner Рік тому +12

    Deathclaws have been frightening in every game, but Fallout 1s Deathclaws take the cake. The damn thing just *does not care* what you do to it. I had a good high powered rifle and a shotgun full of slugs. Rippped through everything up till that point of the game.
    Barely made the Deathclaw flinch.

  • @waywardwriterryu7185
    @waywardwriterryu7185 Рік тому +43

    Legit question, what’s your take on the art shift’s toll on the deathclaws? I know it was a point of contention in the fandom of how deathclaws went from a spindly nightmare creature to a more coherent animal and thus the subject of a lot of mods to “fix”, I personally think that while yes getting jumped by the og ones is more spooky and frightening the modern ones are more intimidating to look at beyond the first contact in a battle

    • @unnaturalhistorychannel
      @unnaturalhistorychannel  Рік тому +41

      Yeah, I think the newer ones just look more functional both as animals, potential bioweapons and mutants. Plus some of the very old artwork / graphics still potrays them as fairly bulky too.

    • @Broomer52
      @Broomer52 Рік тому +18

      Personally I like the new ones, they’re terrifying hulking monsters that you can read as both being fast and agile while also being strong enough to chuck a small car down the street. It’s just a more effective way of making a bio weapon animal because it looks like something that’d survive in the wasteland.

    • @sanemaniac7416
      @sanemaniac7416 Рік тому +19

      For me, they feel much more like actual animals in 4 than 3/New Vegas. In those games, they moved very robotically and just immediately homed in on you like a robot. Hope we get the familly structure of the Matriarchs and babies again in Fallout 5 in the new art style.

  • @JonahLobeDraws
    @JonahLobeDraws Рік тому +2

    Jonah Lobe here, creator of the F3 and F4 Deathclaws. Thanks for this breakdown of my work, I dig it!

    • @unnaturalhistorychannel
      @unnaturalhistorychannel  Рік тому +1

      Thank you so much for saying! Always means a lot when a creator sees my content, glad you enjoyed it!

  • @marxtheenigma873
    @marxtheenigma873 Рік тому +10

    A dream I had had a big monster that seemed to be in sort of a magic containing version of Fallout. Its a large bird like creature that disguises its approach by hiding in sandstorms/duststorms. From a distance it looks just like a vaguely bird shaped part of the storm. It was predating upon human settlements like a vacuum cleaner.

  • @chakatBombshell
    @chakatBombshell Рік тому +5

    I always enjoyed the deathclaws in fallout because it's always been pretty clear they are super smart and probably would be pretty good as trained weapons and newborn hatchling deathclaws could very likely be tamed and made friendly guard creatures.
    It's shown they are also smart enough to be peaceful towards someone returning an egg which shows a startling amount of intelligence and emotional capabilities.

  • @matteolucarelli4615
    @matteolucarelli4615 Рік тому +79

    I never played a Fallout Game but my brother did, so I learned of Deathclaws from him screaming in the next room. Been Qurious about them ever since you mentioned the chance of this video during the 2 years anniversary Q&A, I feel like having these non MH topics every now and then helps our interests branching out and could also be used to explain some biological aspects that couldn't be covered with the usual content (we do not really see much of family units in MH for example ...)
    I'm not usually the kind to ask for content, but would you consider giving a look at the creatures from the Gears of War or Metro franchises if you are familiar with them?

    • @unnaturalhistorychannel
      @unnaturalhistorychannel  Рік тому +26

      I do really quite like the creature design from both of those (love the locust obsession with vehicles, weapons, projectiles and tools so often being living things) although they might be a little difficult to tackle as a lot of them are more humanoid monsters. But never say never!

    • @Voc_spooksauce
      @Voc_spooksauce Рік тому +4

      @@unnaturalhistorychannel It would be amazing to see you explain how they work and details i missed or didn't read about them when playing the games!

    • @omage3457
      @omage3457 Рік тому +2

      I’d be curious how the Swarm would be interpreted as they derived from the Locust

  • @Broomer52
    @Broomer52 Рік тому +18

    Considering they’re designed for a war time setting the varying colors could be for camouflage on a battlefield, making them large and more effective ambush predators considering how Deathclaws love to charge from wherever they were hiding at their enemy. Claws for disemboweling and scaling surfaces, varying skin tones for camouflage, a shockingly solid mind for hiding themselves or other as well as a pack mentality would make them horrifically effective ambush predators and thus great super soldier mutants.

  • @captaint.tearex9279
    @captaint.tearex9279 Рік тому +11

    1:19
    Currently obsessed with your dry humour laugh.

  • @jamescampbell4416
    @jamescampbell4416 Рік тому +33

    I had no idea you were planning on making a video on these animals! Now im excited for any future additions to the fallout animals!

  • @NobodyDungeons
    @NobodyDungeons Рік тому +2

    Death claw packs are actually very similar to wolves in social structure. Additionally, in fallout 4 it appears that death claws live more solitary life styles.

  • @glasslaughter824
    @glasslaughter824 Рік тому +21

    Always thought Deathclaws would be a commhunter of ghouls, as they'd most definitely be easy to sniff out, acquire, and dispatch for consumption. I'd also think it would be an easy prey item due to the ghouls losing all sense of preservation when they become feral. However, deathclaws may avoid glowing ones.

    • @windhelmguard5295
      @windhelmguard5295 Рік тому +6

      we know from fallout 4 that ghoul meat will make humans sick and while i'm sure the digestive system of a death claw is stronger than a regular humans, my guess is that ghoul meat isn't preferred.
      another weird interaction is that death claws and yao guai will attack each other on sight.

    • @mitchhaelann9215
      @mitchhaelann9215 Рік тому +8

      Maybe, but there's not much meat on a ghoul. It's the same reason adult predators don't actively hunt humans. We just don't return enough nutrition to make up for the effort of hunting us. Lions and tigers only hunt/eat humans when they're sick and can't catch better prey.

    • @windhelmguard5295
      @windhelmguard5295 Рік тому +4

      @@mitchhaelann9215 that is not entirely correct, tigers will attack humans when given the chance and will even go out of their way to stalk and kill a specific human if they feel disrespected.
      sometimes they don't even eat the corpse, they just tear it to shreds to send a message.

  • @mitchhaelann9215
    @mitchhaelann9215 Рік тому +2

    Missing one major reason the Deathclaws could have developed their strong social groupings: Squad cohesion. If they were engineered for the purpose of being effective soldiers, then it stands to reason they would have been deployed in groups. A little bit of wolf or meerkat or bonobo to make sure they get along and bond with each other (and possibly their handlers) turns them from an isolated environmental threat (Basically re-inventing the crocodile) into a true apex predator. So their reproductive cooperation is probably an unintended side-effect of whatever was done to soldier them up. You'll notice you rarely if ever see Deathclaws fight each other in the wild. Not over territory or food or mating rights.

  • @migueljose5161
    @migueljose5161 Рік тому +21

    Covering Fallout creatures is something i was hoping you would do and i am glad you did

  • @alcyon7536
    @alcyon7536 Рік тому +36

    Been a while since your last non-MH video, this video is greatly appreciated! Question though, are you going to look into other fallout animals or is this a one off episode?

  • @WanderingWyverian
    @WanderingWyverian Рік тому +23

    Glad to see some Fallout content on the channel! Another one of my favorite franchises rife with topics for you alongside MH

  • @BruceWaynesaysLandBack
    @BruceWaynesaysLandBack Рік тому +3

    I only started feeling like playing Fallout games when I considered that the world isn’t “dead” or “ruined”, just changed. There is ecology and life. Embracing it and respecting it is the next steps. I should fire up Fallout 4 sometime…

  • @scorpiopede
    @scorpiopede Рік тому +2

    This was a fun topic to explore, I haven't yet got to try the Fallout games so I was not aware of their social behavior and a good job was done covering that. Very much looking forward to the next video based on that tease.

  • @octonomous1199
    @octonomous1199 Рік тому +3

    Fallout 4 wasn't always the best, especially when it comes to its writing. However it did come out on top in its environment and exploration. This can really be seen with Deathclaws who aren't just ravaging weapons but animals living in the wasteland. You have a few examples of stumbling onto them while they sleep, like outside Virgil's cave. Previously they only endlessly patrol areas like game enemies, even in caves or the Vegas quarry, places you would expect them to relax a little. Then there is also the random encounter of 2 Deathclaws fighting for territory, which always ends with the loser running away at low health instead of just a kill for the stronger one. And my favorite is a power plant and warehouse area home to a super mutant Behemoth. It's twice the size of a Deathclaw, but in this place 2-3 Deathclaws are not just attacking it but sort of probing for weakness. It's not just a video game what's stronger one Behemoth or two Deathclaws, the mutant is just bigger and stronger and will constantly drive them off, showing Deathclaw self preservation.

  • @chasedalton6579
    @chasedalton6579 Рік тому +6

    fantastic video. one thing I think you overlooked though is the difference between western and eastern Deathclaws. there's a significant difference in size and in the Commonwealth in particular they're much less social with reduced sexual dimorphism. it's to the point that I think they're probably 2 different species between the west and the east.

    • @chasedalton6579
      @chasedalton6579 Рік тому +2

      actually expanding on this, I think the symbiotic relationship between Mirelurks and Mirelurk Kings may prevent Deathclaws from occupying the same niche and living in large groups in the Commonwealth. while even young Deathclaws can kill most any Mirelurk and an adult can even kill Queens, the Mirelurk King's scream causes them to flee. this prevents them from operating in the same habitats or preying on Mirelurks. this means they are forced into less prey rich areas and cannot grow as large or live in groups like Deathclaws elsewhere. this likely combines with a degree of retained neotany to create the smaller, less dimorphic Deathclaws of the Capitol Wasteland and Commonwealth. it's also notable that while we encounter several adolescent and infant Deathclaws in New Vegas, none are present in the Commonwealth. indicating either extreme infant and adolescent mortality or very rapid growth in the Commonwealth. I hypothesize both. on the Island of Far Harbor there are almost no Deathclaws. it could be that the various predators present on the Island impose enough of a pressure on Deathclaws that the environment is not hospitable to them. or it could be that very few Deathclaws are able to reach the Island and no population can be established. the gulpers in particular would pose a great threat to altricial young like those we see in the Mojave. but it seems more likely that Deathclaws simply can't reach the Island in large enough numbers to establish a population as we see in the Divide that Deathclaws are able to survive even in areas where predators capable of very effectively hunting them are present.

  • @JohntheDoe572
    @JohntheDoe572 Рік тому +2

    So… my source of Monster Hunter ecology for my D&D campaign… is also going to be my source for Fallout ecology… for my eventual Fallout themed D&D campaign… you are my favorite person

  • @reallycantthinkofausername487
    @reallycantthinkofausername487 Рік тому +5

    I know literally nothing about Fallout, so when you said "Heavily derived from their Chameleon ancestors" I thought "Their *WHAT!?"*

    • @Bagelgeuse
      @Bagelgeuse Рік тому +2

      Same here. I know they're failed hybrid super soldiers, but chameleons?
      Damn, Rango was chugging that radioactive waste.

    • @mitchhaelann9215
      @mitchhaelann9215 Рік тому +1

      Yep. the Jackson's Chameleon, the goofy, derpy-looking triceratops-looking scaly meatloafs.

  • @lordrath9674
    @lordrath9674 Рік тому +3

    The "nuclear" family joke alone is worth double the likes lmao

  • @occultunknown6208
    @occultunknown6208 Рік тому +1

    This is a bit late and I don't know if I already messaged this but I feel like there is evolutionary differences between the Commonwealth, Capital Wastelamd and Mojave Deathclaws. With the Capital wastes Deathclaws they always looked incredibly stocky shorter tails and thinner abdomen to allow for faster movement and more agile hunting in the metro tun Els and destroyed city of the capital wasteland, also the lack if large prey items to hunt and large predators to compete against allowed for them to be much smaller. It's much the same with the Mojave Deathclaws but they have much longer arms and more muscular legs with a straight almost rigid tail much like a kangaroos that allows them to leap large distances without going off course, combined with a sandy coloration makes them great ambush hunters in the open terrain of the Mojave. The Commonwealth variant is the largest of the 3 that we've seen up close, the abundance of large prey items and smaller more numerous ones allow them to grow much larger in size, heavier claws to pierced both supermutant skin and mirelurk shells allow them to easily dominate the more numerous enemies that dot the Commonwealth. I also like that their rapes are much longer and broader with a higher degree of flexibility allowing them to traverse in both a terrestrial and semi aquatic environment.

  • @wanderer9994
    @wanderer9994 Рік тому +2

    I always dug the way fallout would integrate old school sci-fi trope styled creatures into its world, it makes it feel all the more authentic. As if walking into a 1950s B movie.
    The mirelurks, feral ghouls, and super mutants are the best examples, I think the death claws are bit more ambiguous in that regard. At least in the sense of direct references/ analogues. Although they are similar to to kaiju concepts as well as creatures like the tarrasque and the rancor from Star Wars

  • @1885win
    @1885win 7 місяців тому +1

    We want Fallout 2 Deathclaws to return! I would love to have one as a follower.

  • @TheMambojack
    @TheMambojack Рік тому +1

    Their intelligence is really high in the paper and pen RPG, they're even a playable race, they can talk trade and use weapons (althought with difficulty)

  • @mr.rathalos1155
    @mr.rathalos1155 Рік тому +1

    I’m very sad I wasn’t able to catch the notification for this but I’m really happy i found it now rather than later

  • @Wash-tq7ed
    @Wash-tq7ed Рік тому +3

    I can’t believe this, just yesterday I was thinking about how interesting it would be to watch you talk about Death Claws, it’s downright SPOOKY, can’t wait to watch the whole thing

  • @The_PokeSaurus
    @The_PokeSaurus Рік тому +4

    15:59 I know that feeling.

  • @davidegaruti2582
    @davidegaruti2582 Рік тому +2

    "Ok but why are they cameleons?"
    "Only ymir knows"

  • @cefirodewinter9086
    @cefirodewinter9086 Рік тому +1

    No way I just try Fallout 4 for the first time and you upload this xDDDD
    PERFECT

  • @the_bohemian4536
    @the_bohemian4536 Рік тому +5

    Amazing video once again!
    I Hope you do more videos on fictional Eusocial species. (Like Xenomorphs from Alien, Antlions/Headcrabs from Half Life, Arachnids from Starship trooper, Glyphids from DRG).

  • @abbewinter9249
    @abbewinter9249 Рік тому +2

    This came out just as I was booting up FO4 again. Perfect timing I'd say.

  • @InfinityOrNone
    @InfinityOrNone Рік тому +1

    You: "Top predator of the American Wasteland, Deathclaws-"
    Cazador: "Excuse me‽"

  • @chrishale7480
    @chrishale7480 Рік тому

    The “Devil’s Due” quest creeped me the fuck out. Well done, quite honestly.

  • @brockschannel3927
    @brockschannel3927 Рік тому +2

    I'm so happy you covered the deathclaws from fallout! I hope you'll cover more creatures and perhaps form an ecological chart for the wasteland's creatures.

  • @The-Black-Death
    @The-Black-Death Рік тому +1

    Never thought you'd make videos on stuff like this but I am all for it!

  • @waywardwriterryu7185
    @waywardwriterryu7185 Рік тому +2

    Always a good day when UHC branches to another franchise

  • @beastwarsFTW
    @beastwarsFTW Рік тому +1

    I've heard they have poor eyesight and half of their attacks are similar to rhino in that they attack anything that they think is a threat, while I'm not sure about the eyesight part I do think they attack people more out of fear then for food or malice, granted almost all humans have a weapon on them at all times and the world they live in is full of dangers so its warranted.

  • @BigBossMan538
    @BigBossMan538 Рік тому +2

    I’m down for further exploration of Fallout ecology. This was very interesting even though I never played a Fallout game!

  • @nathansassen6869
    @nathansassen6869 Рік тому +1

    Every other Thursday I get excited for these videos

  • @t-r-e-x452
    @t-r-e-x452 Рік тому +2

    wasn't expecting you to talk about Deathclaws. I mean you did bring them up in a Q&A. . .
    Quiros. Oh so next is the early Halloween special with the Monsters that were inspired by the OG's: Vampire, Werewolf, & Frankeinsten's monster.

  • @madprophet6891
    @madprophet6891 Рік тому +2

    Well this is a pleasant surprise. It would be interesting to see just how wide a net you can cast with these videos; even if some fall shorter in length compared to your usual fare, I'm sure many would love to hear your continued analyses on wasteland mutants or even more out-there creatures like the ecology of Pikmin predators.

  • @MegaGeewee
    @MegaGeewee Рік тому +1

    Having not seen the whole video yet, can't wait to see if you mention the dubiously canon talking deathclaws of Fallout 2

    • @MegaGeewee
      @MegaGeewee Рік тому

      Yeah, not surprised you never mentioned them. Fallout 2 is kinda stupid.

  • @laurentiuvladutmanea3622
    @laurentiuvladutmanea3622 Рік тому +2

    Cool video. I have a question, inspired by your mention of fantasy. Did you ever though of making video on DnD and Magic the Gathering creatures? Magic the Gathering especially, thanks to having some pretty cool creatures in the Lhurgoyf, the Kavu, and the popular creature, the Slivers. We may not have enough data on some of them, but I would like an eventual discussion on them.

  • @TheAntiAzdarcho
    @TheAntiAzdarcho Рік тому +1

    Day always gets better when you upload. Keep up the good work!

  • @dinogamer9133
    @dinogamer9133 Рік тому +1

    this guy is tracking exactly the games ive been playing

  • @praetorianrex5571
    @praetorianrex5571 Рік тому +4

    An unusual suggestion I have, but you you take a look at some power systems in fiction? Take for example Bending from Avatar, Stands from JoJo, and Visions from Genshin Impact: these systems are used by both humans and animals (real species and fictional ones). I suspect that for anyone to use these powers they must go through change and "rise above instinct", which presumably happens more often in humans than in animals. But what exactly would make animals go through behavioral changes?

  • @purplehaze2358
    @purplehaze2358 Рік тому +1

    As someone currently subscribed to Jonah Lobe, it was nice hearing him get name dropped in this video.

  • @Cernunno
    @Cernunno Рік тому +1

    I was not expecting a change in franchise but I'm all for it.

  • @xemiii
    @xemiii Рік тому +2

    I remember watching a vid forever ago about deathclaws and their variants despite not playing fallout games bc I thought they were pretty interesting, so it's cool to see them compared with real world ecology. It was prob nice that these things are genetically engineered, bc any nonsense anatomy can be waved off with "they were made to be this way" lol

  • @hollowjack3007
    @hollowjack3007 Рік тому

    Honestly what I find interesting is that even though deathclaws usually stay in packs there have been several times in the series that we see lone deathclaws that seem to want to be alone which is fairly interesting

  • @jacktar25
    @jacktar25 Рік тому

    This is awesome! I'd love to see you tackle more fallout creatures every now and then. But even if you don't this is a great video to watch and learn from, so thanks for the effort!

  • @Oscarthegecko
    @Oscarthegecko Рік тому +3

    You know your video is successful when there's an advertisment about ending world hunger. While I haven't played Fallout, I played The Witcher. I wonder about the ecology the Mythical Creatures in the game have

    • @mitchhaelann9215
      @mitchhaelann9215 Рік тому

      That's tricky, because of the Conjunction of the Spheres. TL;DR: In Witcher, most fantasy creates that the Witchers fight aren't native to that world. They exist in a multiverse. Wizards and witches conjure monsters from other worlds in other dimensions, but occasionally the entire world experiences a few hours of instability and people or monsters from other universes stumble across from their worlds into Geralt's. All the monsters are invasive species outside their natural habitats, struggling to adapt.

    • @Oscarthegecko
      @Oscarthegecko Рік тому

      @@mitchhaelann9215 yep. That's all the evidence i need for an ecology vid. That sounds JUICY with ecology. The idea of Human (as well Elf/Dwarf) Politics not caring about the environment kinda sounds like the United States [I.E. Pythons in Florida, except they are fire breathing Dragons, and the current 2023 Joe Biden re-election campaigns, but with Magic instead of Guns]

  • @gogglesesm9122
    @gogglesesm9122 Рік тому +4

    Dang I wanna play fallout 4 again now. Thanks for the amazing videos as always UHC

  • @bignelly9476
    @bignelly9476 Рік тому +2

    Very nice. Your descriptions of these fictional beasts are just as detailed as the MH monsters well done. Idk if you take recommendations I would suggest The Popodrome

  • @ravagerlizard9800
    @ravagerlizard9800 Рік тому +2

    My favorite enemies in the game!

  • @SpottedHares
    @SpottedHares Рік тому +1

    I really loved the sentient Death Claws from Fo2 and I really wish for them to make a return.

  • @overlordminigun6346
    @overlordminigun6346 Рік тому +1

    God damn I love how in depth you go! Hat’s off to you my man!!

  • @nikshah8928
    @nikshah8928 Рік тому

    Thoroughly enjoyed this one along with your other videos. Amazing work as always. I would definitely be keen to see you tackle other creatures in other fictional works.

  • @ridiculousnicholas4732
    @ridiculousnicholas4732 Рік тому +1

    A video about the Ragnar from the Invincible comics would be pretty interesting. Despite their few appearances they play a key role in the fate of the series.

  • @pauliusthemad3498
    @pauliusthemad3498 Рік тому

    Deathclaws as mentioned by others eventually developing sapience in good conditions is a neat concept, would be a good set up for something like small communities of ghouls or super mutants to coexist with deathclaws in areas that are generally too dangerous for those groups on their own.

  • @MisterDTwenty
    @MisterDTwenty Рік тому

    Working on a pen & paper Fallout campaign right now, great timing

  • @Marcin9200
    @Marcin9200 Рік тому +1

    Please make more video game creature ecology content, besides monster hunter.
    I would love to hear you talking about headcrabs or antlions from the half life saga.

  • @jacobmcallister486
    @jacobmcallister486 Рік тому

    The red eye crocodile skink actually does cooperative breeding

  • @lilvalko5096
    @lilvalko5096 Рік тому

    id love to see more stuff on fallout by you! deathclaw is such a wonderfully iconic creature from the series and truly i feel captures the eye of both fantasy and scifi lovers alike. keep up the good work

  • @Tyrexthecreaturedesigner
    @Tyrexthecreaturedesigner Рік тому

    I don’t know much about Fallout but Deathclaws are one of the coolest creatures I’ve ever seen

  • @LongBow-rg3vu
    @LongBow-rg3vu Рік тому

    Interesting little note, we are finding that some species of skink do actually live and function if family groups. Monkey-tailed Skinks and Crocodile Skinks are probably the best to look at. Would also be a good contender for the large osteoderms if they used crocodile skink DNA.

  • @Ed_man_talking9
    @Ed_man_talking9 Рік тому

    i think in the pre-bethesda era of fallout the Enclave made a breed of hyper inelegant death claws capable with comunicating with humans, they were given orders to eradicate the inhabitants of fallout 13 but our scaly friends decided it would be better to join forces with the vault dwellers. I know, it's not proven to be a natural talent of theirs but it's still a cool piece of lore i felt like sharing.

  • @blarpnarp
    @blarpnarp Рік тому

    ive had a bit of a fallout hyperfixation lately so this video came at a perfect time

  • @caldwellreuben3460
    @caldwellreuben3460 Рік тому

    Unexpected video but I now I want to see a series on this.

  • @TheKindofTiredSleepCantFix
    @TheKindofTiredSleepCantFix Рік тому +1

    Great video, I'd love to see a video on the ecology of Far Harbor or any of the other wasteland locations.

  • @ravenwitch5569
    @ravenwitch5569 Рік тому +1

    This was a great watch! Hopefully we can get a video about the scorch beasts from fallout 76?

  • @TheOriginalCrypticArchives
    @TheOriginalCrypticArchives 5 місяців тому

    Bro, I once heard of a since deleted fanfiction where the protagonist is a highly intelligent Deathclaw able to use human speech, preform more complicated tasks, and even use weapons.
    Imagining fighting something like that...

  • @andrewcrowley6331
    @andrewcrowley6331 3 місяці тому

    Fun fact: there’s a Fallout 4 creature called the “Gatorclaw” which is a possible variation/genetic offshoot of the Deathclaw. They were created by a lone scientist trying to breed the perfect guard animal to protect his personal food replicator from scavenging outsiders. To do this, he used several different DNA mixtures, possibly including the Deathclaws, but also a larger dose of Alligator DNA plus a hint of Super Mutant DNA. The resulting creature has the same general bodily structure as a Deathclaw, but a more crocodilian appearance which gives it its name. Unfortunately for the scientist, he quickly found the creatures far too aggressive and wild to control, and while trying to deactivate the cloning machine he was fatally wounded by the beasts. Luckily, he survived just long enough to warn other nearby survivors and beg them to find a way to turn off the machine before the Gatorclaws spread out of control, which eventually becomes a quest for the player. Also like Deathclaws, Gatorclaws can have a rare albino variant.