Unlocking the Secrets of the Prydwen - A Fallout 4 Guide - 33rd Square (2024)

As an avid Fallout 4 player, unlocking access to the Prydwen stands out as one of my most memorable gaming achievements. When that massive airship first drifted into view on the horizon, I was awestruck. I couldn‘t wait to get on board this floating fortress!

Of course, I quickly realized that actually reaching the Prydwen would be no easy feat early in the game. But the rewards of unlocking this unique player hub made it more than worthwhile when I finally set foot on the command deck.

In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll share expert insights and analysis for unlocking the Prydwen based on my own experience, so you can fully explore this iconic Fallout 4 location. Let‘s dive in!

Origins of the Prydwen

To appreciate the significance of this airship, it helps to understand its backstory. The Prydwen was constructed from scratch by the Brotherhood of Steel at Adams Air Force Base in the Capital Wasteland. It took nearly 7 years to complete!

Named after King Arthur‘s legendary ship from Celtic myth, this Zeppelin serves as a mobile base that allows the Brotherhood to rapidly transport personnel, supplies, and technology great distances.

With its vast array of defensive weaponry and intimidating presence, the Prydwen is pivotal in projecting the Brotherhood‘s power throughout the Wasteland.

Strategic Benefits of Access

From a player perspective, unlocking access to the Prydwen as early as possible provides major strategic advantages:

• Fast travel – Teleport instantly to the Boston Airport.
• Superior gear – Purchase powerful Brotherhood weapons/armor.
• Crafting stations – Utilize the Prydwen‘s workshops.
• Faction quest hub – Get unique, high-level missions.
• Skill books/bobbleheads – Grab special collectibles.
• Companions – Recruit Brotherhood-aligned followers.
• Vertibird transport – Unlock signal grenade supply.
• Resting area – Make the airship a home base.

Having this formidable fortress available helps increase your options, firepower, transport, and ability to take on dangerous enemies like Deathclaws.

So beyond story progression, there are tangible benefits to prioritizing Prydwen access.

How to Get on Board

Now let‘s get into the details of how to actually step foot on the Prydwen:

Trigger Arrival in Main Story

As mentioned earlier, the Prydwen won‘t appear until the Reunions quest later in the main story. This requires you to:

1. Speak with Nick Valentine and pursue Conrad Kellogg
2. Confront Kellogg at Fort Hagen
3. Exit Fort Hagen to trigger arrival scene

This initial appearance over the skyline is a scripted story event – the Prydwen won‘t be present before this quest.

Join the Brotherhood of Steel

After the arrival scene, the conventional way onto the Prydwen itself is by becoming a member of the Brotherhood of Steel:

• Complete Paladin Danse‘s quest Call to Arms
• Receive invitation to join the Brotherhood
• Tour the Prydwen in Shadow of Steel quest

This grants you access to the airship along with Brotherhood privileges.

Alternative Faction Methods

However, it is technically possible to reach the Prydwen through other factions:

• Minutemen – Use their vertibird signal grenades for transport.
• Railroad – Teleport or sneak aboard through backdoors.
• Institute – Teleport directly there or follow a companion.

That said, these can be unreliable or break certain quests. Joining the Brotherhood is simplest.

Unconventional Entry Approaches

You can also gain entry by:

• Glitches – Clipping through closed gates or barriers.
• Commands – Using PC console commands like coc PrydwenCommandDeck.
• Mods – Install mods that remove Prydwen restrictions.
• Attack – Fight your way on board, but all personnel become hostile.

These methods come with issues though, so use wisely!

Life Aboard the Prydwen

Once aboard, you‘ll find the massive airship separated into three main decks, stocked with equipment and manned by a 150-person crew.

Command Deck

The top level contains the bridge, Elder Maxson‘s quarters, and the armory. Key characters include:

• Elder Maxson – Young leader of the Prydwen expedition.
• Lancer-Captain Kells – Acts as executive officer and issues orders.
• Proctor Ingram – Chief engineer in charge of repairs.
• Proctor Quinlan – Head scribe managing records.
• Proctor Teagan – Logistics officer and quartermaster.

Main Deck

This midsection houses sleeping quarters, merchants, crafting stations and other amenities like:

• Power armor station
• Weapons workbench
• Armor workbench
• Chemistry station
• Cooking station
• Vertibird signal grenade launcher

Engineering Deck

The restricted lower level contains the nuclear reactor powering the Prydwen. Maintaining this level is critical!

Recommendations for Your Stay

Here are some tips to make the most of your time aboard the Prydwen as a Brotherhood member:

• Check in frequently with Lancer-Captain Kells to receive new quests or orders.
• Purchase mods and gear upgrades from Proctor Teagan‘s shop.
• Learn valuable crafting recipes from engineering Proctor Ingram.
• Study skill books in the crew library to boost XP.
• Grab unique loot like the admiral‘s medal from Maxson‘s quarters.
• Customize Brotherhood power armor at the deck‘s workbench.
• Use it as a free fast travel point when traversing the Commonwealth.
• Sleep in the crew bunks to gain the Well Rested XP bonus.

Notable Missions from the Prydwen

As your Brotherhood alliance progresses, some notable Prydwen-related quests include:

These missions let you further assist the Brotherhood while taking advantage of the airship‘s capabilities.

Comparison to Real-World Airships

It‘s also fascinating to examine how the Prydwen compares to actual hydrogen airships and zeppelins:

While not as colossal as real past airships, the Prydwen‘s ability to be constructed & operated in the post-nuclear wasteland is an incredible feat of engineering!

Consequences of Losing Prydwen Access

Unfortunately, conflict with the Brotherhood of Steel can soon put you at odds with the Prydwen as well:

• If you betray the Brotherhood, the entire crew becomes permanently hostile.
• Siding with enemy factions like the Railroad or Institute leads to lost access.
• Choosing to destroy the Prydwen with the Minutemen or Railroad fails Brotherhood quests.
• The ship has massive amounts of health, but can be taken down through sustained damage.
• Without the Prydwen, fast travel to Boston Airport is lost along with associated quests and gear.

So think carefully before making an enemy of the Brotherhood – the Prydwen is a powerful asset to lose!

Gaining Early Access to the Prydwen

While the Prydwen arriving during Reunions makes for great drama, some want to unlock access earlier. A few possibilities:

• Use console commands like coc PrydwenCommandDeck to teleport there immediately.
• Exploit glitches that let you go out-of-bounds to reach normally locked locations.
• Install mods that remove Prydwen restrictions.
• Travel alongside certain companions who are tied to the location.

However, these can disrupt quest progression. The Brotherhood questline method is still recommended for a smooth experience.

Closing Thoughts

Well, that covers everything you need to know about unlocking the secrets of the Prydwen! Here are some key takeaways:

• The Prydwen is an iconic mobile airship base constructed by the Brotherhood of Steel.
• It offers major strategic advantages as a player hub when unlocked.
• Triggering its arrival requires progressing the main story to Reunions.
• Joining the Brotherhood grants conventional access via Shadow of Steel.
• There are unorthodox methods of entry, but come with downsides.
• Make the most of your time aboard through quests and amenities!
• Conflict with the Brotherhood can compromise or cut off access.

I hope these insights from my own Prydwen experiences help you navigate unlocking this unique Fallout 4 location. Let me know if you have any other questions – I‘m always happy to chat more about one of my favorite gameplay achievements!

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