The Commonwealth’s wasteland is a treacherous and tough place to live in, and yet people have ways to make it work. From becoming raiders and mercenaries to leading powerful underground factions towards the glory of the new post-apocalyptic world, NPCs ofFallout 4never fail to impress with how tough they are.
Female NPCs, in particular, are absolutely incredible in this game. Bethesda not only included women of various ages but also of diverse backgrounds. Although it could be argued the female Sole Survivor is undoubtedly the strongest woman in the wasteland, these NPCs make for great runner-ups.
Updated on Aug 11, 2025, by Ritwik Mitra:Fallout 4 is a game that is blowing up right now following the immense success of the Fallout TV series, with the next-gen update compelling players to dive into this game once again. With Lucy becoming a fan-favorite character courtesy of her amazing portrayal in the TV series, fans love the idea of strong women in this series that help convey the savage nature of the wasteland and what people must do to surprise. Fallout 4 is full of strong and entertaining female characters who are pretty memorable and will leave a lasting impression on fans.
13Chancer
The Leader Of A Small Raider Gang
There’s no denying that raiders are the scum of the earth in theFalloutseries. However, that shouldn’t take away from the fact that the people who have toiled in these lawless groups have earned respect out of their strength to lead certain groups and help them scavenge as many resources as possible while braving the dangers of the Commonwealth.
This is something that people like Chancer are familiar with, making it clear that she’s one of the many raider leaders who’s proven her worth in the heat of battle. While her encounter with the Sole Survivor will probably lead to her demise, that shouldn’t discount her strength in the slightest.
12Ronnie Shaw
A Minutemen Veteran
The Minutemen might be a dead faction at the beginning of the game, but the Sole Survivor can bring it all back with the help of Preston Garvey, as well as Ronnie Shaw. She’s one of the original Minutemen and can be first met at the Castle when the faction captures another locationduring the quest Old Guns.
She’s not the kindest lady to speak to, but she’s seen a lot in her life and doesn’t trust easily. Although she refused to help her fellow Minutemen at Quincy, she’s still a veteran of the faction and extremely dedicated to the cause.
11Madison Li
Madison Li is a character that has been seen in a variety ofFalloutgames. FromFallout 3toFallout 4, as well asFallout Shelter, she’s become a bit of a staple in recent years. A scientist with excellent skills and unparalleled intelligence, she’s been around to know more about the world than anyone else, and,in the latest game, works for the Institute.
Madison Li is one of the NPCs who looks out mostly for herself and has changed factions depending on what her own interests are. Chasing after her own goals is an admirable trait, especially in a world where factions often force loyalty upon others. Despite that, she’s a bit of an antagonist in the game depending on how one looks at things.
10Curie
A Synth With A Heart Of Gold
Curie is one of the best companions inFallout 4, with many people considering her to be the best companion to interact with in the game. Her story is a fascinating one, with this Miss Nanny joins the player after a quest that introduces players to this robot, with their adventures instilling a sense of wonder into Curie.
Eventually, she wishes to experience life as a human and requests the Sole Survivor to help her attain a human body. What follows is a memorable chain of events ending with Curie finally occupying the body of a human-like synth and enjoying the smaller things in life after escaping her mechanical cage.
9Fahrenheit
John Hancock’s Bodyguard
Goodneighbor is full of pretty tough characters. It’s the place where everyone who doesn’t fit anywhere else goes to, in order to find their own crowd. With very few rules, chaos is bound to break loose at any point, which is why someone like Fahrenheit deserves all the respect.
She’s Hancock’s right hand and probably manages things more than the game gives her credit. She singlehandedly protects Hancock’s storage during the Big Dig quest and doesn’t take crap from anyone. Plus, if she can deal with Hancock on a daily basis, it just goes to show she’s among the most down-to-earth people in the entire game.
8Desdemona
The Leader Of The Railroad
For a faction leader, Desdemona doesn’t tell much about herself. Itfits the appearance of the Railroad, however, to remain quiet about one’s past. What’s known for sure is that she was voted into her current leadership fair and square, after working for the Railroad for a year or so.
Desdemona might not be the most relatable character in the game, but she’s done a lot for the Railroad and the synths. Most importantly, she’s developed a ton of security protocols for the Railroad to ensure their missions go smoother. It can’t be easy, leading a faction that has to remain as silent and secretive as possible.
7Mags Black
The Leader Of The Operators In Nuka-World
In theNuka-World DLC, there are quite a few tough raiders the Sole Survivor gets the chance to rub elbows with, and one of those is Mags Black of the Operators. She leads the group with her brother William, but it’s clear she’s the one who wears the pants.
Mags was actuallyonce a resident of Diamond City, and she came from a well-off family. However, following an embarrassing incident, Mags was exiled from the city and moved to Nuka-World with her brother. She’s come quite a long way and has become very hardened by the raider life. Even now, all she cares about is making a profit.
6Piper Wright
A Journalist Who Isn’t Afraid To Get Her Hands Dirty
Upon first arriving at Diamond City, Piper Wright comes across as the Sole Survivor’s closest thing to a best friend. She’s loud and stubborn, always chasing after the truth in order to publish it in her very own newspaper Publick Occurrences.
Piper’s desire for the truth is rooted in her difficult past. After dealing with her father’s murder and exposing the intentions of a raider group, she’s become obsessed with revealing the truth to the people and giving them the power to decide what’s right and what’s wrong. It’s certainly not the easiest job in the Commonwealth.
5Captain Olympia Avery
The Leader Of Far Harbor
Few have had a life as long and as burdensome as Captain Avery, especially when one discovers that the real Captain Avery is actually buried in a secret grave under the Vim! Pop Factory. It’s truly a tragedy, one that would make any player absolutely despise DiMA.
Captain Avery witnessed the island turn into the foggy mess that it is now and saw how it forced her people to flee to the small town of Far Harbor. Having the strength to still lead her people and keep her cool is admirable to say the least, even if she’s but a synth replica. In fact, her death is a tragic extension of her story, and incredibly unfair towards her.
4Proctor Ingram
After joining the Brotherhood of Steel and finishing the first act of the main quest, the player will be allowedon the Prydwen, where they’ll meet Proctor Ingram among other NPCs. Ingram is a special one, however, because she’s through quite a bit while still alive.
Ingram doesn’t actually have her legs anymore, since she fell during a battle from great heights and had her legs crushed in her power armor. After amputation, she’s permanently stuck in a power armor suit, though she remains as dedicated as ever despite the suffering she went through.
