Fallout 3 Bobblehead Guide – How to Collect All 20 in Vault 101

The post-apocalyptic world of Fallout 3 is filled with countless treasures to find. From new weapons to unique hats, there are plenty of goodies to find and use to give your character an edge in battle. But one of the most useful and sought-after items is the bobblehead, which permanently increases a specific skill or attribute. Fortunately, it’s easy to collect all 20 of them – and get the Vault-Tec CEO achievement in the process.

There are several ways to obtain a bobblehead, depending on which quests you’re currently running in the game. The Medicine Bobblehead is a miscellaneous item that permanently improves your medicine skill. It’s located on James’ desk in his clinic inside Vault 101. It can be obtained during either Future Imperfect, Escape! or Trouble on the Homefront. The Medicine Bobblehead is also available in the supplemental downloadable content, The Pitt.

The Skill Bobbleheads are another set of items that can be collected to permanently increase a certain skill, ranging from the seven S.P.E.C.I.A.L attributes (which each bobblehead will increase by +1) to myriad other skills. They’re scattered throughout the game in various locations, each of which can be tricky to find – especially if the location is crawling with foes. Some, like the Strength Bobblehead at the Dunwich Building, are no-brainers to pick up and others, such as the Energy Weapons Bobblehead in Arefu, require a lot of luck to discover.

Of the total 20 bobbleheads, there are only a few that you’ll be unable to return for later, such as the Medicine Bobblehead at Vault 101 or the Strength Bobblehead at Arefu. But other bobbleheads, like the Barter Bobblehead at Evergreen Mills or the Energy Weapons Bobblehead in the Virulent Underchambers, can be picked up at any point.

Of the remaining bobbleheads, three are only available to collect before the player destroys Megaton during the Power of Atom quest: The Education Bobblehead in Lucas’ house, the Science Bobblehead at the National Guard Depot armory and the Strength Bobblehead in the Yao Guai Tunnels. If the player completes these before Megaton is destroyed, they will be able to pick up the missing bobbleheads at a later time. The other remaining nine can be found in the following locations: