The world ofFallout: New Vegasis dangerous and unforgiving. There are many enemies that wish to eviscerate, melt, beat, and overall kill players. From chem-addicted raiders wielding chainsaws, golf clubs, and flamethrowers to coyote-rattlesnake hybrids that have the ability to turn invisible, the variety of foes that players will face is widespread.
Unless players are cautious, they could end up on the business end of a claw or gun barrel. Some opponents may not pose that much of a threat when they eventually cross paths with the player. However, other enemies inFallout: New Vegaswill definitely put up a fight, especially if one engages with them unprepared or at a lower level.
Updated on July 30, 2025 by Ritwik Mitra:New Vegas is one of the greatest role-playing games ever made, with many people considering it to be the greatest title in the Fallout series. With the TV show making waves right now, it’s easy to see why players would want to jump into a game that does justice to the unique nature of this post-apocalyptic world. However, while it may be an attractive prospect to jump into this title, players should keep in mind that some of the enemies in this game pack a serious punch and can wallop the Courier into the afterlife in no time if players aren’t careful. This is especially true if players encounter one of the many tough enemies in the Mojave that take no prisoners.
20Giant Radscorpion
A Huge Variant Of An Enemy That Stings, Poisons, And Kills The Courier In No Time
Radscorpions are some of the toughest enemies players deal with in everyFalloutgame, with their massive claws and poisonous stings posing a ton of problems for players, especially early on in these games.New Vegasis no exception here, so players may feel a sense of satisfaction after making some progress with their character taking out a radscorpion after a lot of struggle.
However, players riding this high will be in for a rude awakening if this victory makes them careless as they start hunting in radscorpion nests, only to come face-to-face with a massive variant of this enemy. The giant radscorpion will make quick work of players once they come into melee range, turning them into mincemeat in no time.
19Nightkin Master
The Toughest Variant Of These Special Super Mutants
The nightkin are special super mutants created by the Master in the firstFalloutgame to serve as members of their army. Following his demise, these super mutants were scattered all over, with the continuous use of Stealth Boys damaging their psyche for good. Players encounter both friendly and hostile nightkin during their adventures inNew Vegas, with the toughest variant of this enemy being a nightmare to deal with.
Nightkin masters are no joke, using their strength to bash the Courier’s face in if they’re not strategic enough while taking on these enemies. The courier should be at a relatively high level with powerful equipment to stand a chance against just one of these enemies, let alone several.
18Giant Cazador
A Massive Poisonous Existence That’s The Bane Of Everyone’s Existence
Some gamers whohave playedNew Vegasmay have decided to take the shortest route possible to head to the titular city in the distance. These players would be the victim of a rude awakening when they get attacked by a horde of Cazadors that will absolutely decimate them. It’s a subtle way for the game to tell the player that they aren’t meant to head in this direction, and should take the longer route to acquaint themselves with the world before entering this legendary city.
Regular cazadors are already a huge pain as is, but the giant variant is even tougher to deal with. These mutated mosquitoes are truly disgusting and can drain a player’s HP in no time flat if they aren’t prepared. The Courier should maintain their distance from these foes and pick them off with powerful weapons if they don’t want to be destroyed.
17Moe
A Unique Named Centaur That’s Pretty Harrowing To Deal With
Centaurs are pretty daunting enemies to take on inNew Vegas, and players should think twice before taking on these nightmarish creatures. Not only do they look horrifying, but centaurs can mob the player and whittle away at their health if they’re not prepared. Ranged attacks are paramount to defeating these enemies, but players should be wary of the irradiated saliva projectile that can hit for serious damage.
If the regular centaurs weren’t daunting enough as is, players could encounter an even tougher named version of this enemy called Moe in an unassuming crater on the way to Black Mountain. He and his group are responsible for killingnumerous Brotherhood of Steel paladins, whom players have to track down during the quest Still in the Dark.
16Giant Yao Guai
A Massive Mutated Bear That Can Rip And Tear Through The Courier In No Time
Honest Heartsis one of the many great DLCs released forNew Vegas,which helped establish this game as one of the bestFalloutgames ever made. There are many tough and unique enemies that players will encounter in this DLC. Among them, the yao guai is a particularly threatening mutated bear that can be quite scary to encounter in battle.
If this bear itself is daunting, then the giant yao guai will cause a player’s heart to leap into their mouth. This ferocious enemy takes no prisoners and can be intimidating to face off against if players don’t maintain their distance. Players should always have a long-range weapon that is accurate and hits for serious damage.
15Specimen 73
A Unique Cazador That’s About As Tough As One Would Expect
Old World Bluesis considered by many to be one of the greatest DLCs in video gaming history. The area of Big MT is full to the brim with major threats, with the area serving as the testing ground for the dreaded Cazadores present in the Mojave Wasteland.
Players can fight one of the strongest Cazadores in the game here, called Specimen 73. This quick monster hits like a truck and players should be armed to the teeth and have really good armor before even thinking about taking this enemy down.
14Radscorpion Queen
The Biggest Radscorpion In The Game
Radscorpions are some of the toughest monsters that have appeared across theFalloutgames, andNew Vegasis no exception here. These monsters can completely obliterate low-level players who don’t know what they’re getting into.
The toughest variant of this monster that players can encounter in the game is the Radscorpion Queen. This monster is the largest version of a Radscorpion inNew Vegasand will absolutely decimate players who might not be ready to tackle this abomination.
13Super Mutant Master
The Toughest Variant Of An Enemy Class That Can Be Tricky To Deal With
Super Mutants are one of the most iconic races inFallout, generally appearing as enemies with a few friendly ones present inFallout: New Vegas. The most powerful version of a Super Mutant in the game is the Super Mutant Master.
These imposing enemies use heavy weapons like the sledgehammer, minigun, and LMGs in combat to great effect.The Courier needs to be very careful while going against this foesince a lapse in judgment will lead to their health bars being eaten away in a flash.
12Giant Evolved Centaur
A Huge Centaur That’s No Joke
For players who encounter Moe, just wait for this enemy. The centaurs are some of the most horrifying enemies in theFalloutseries. Seeing these mutated monstrosities never ceases to be unnerving, and they look even more imposing with the graphical overhaul brought about byFallout: New Vegas.
As a result, it’s easy to see why the Giant Evolved Centaur can be so imposing to fight in the game. This hulking monstrosity is only present in one area in the game… which is one area too many in the opinion of manyFalloutfans.
11Ghost Of She
A Burning Yao Guai Encountered During A Hallucination
InHonest Hearts,roaming around Zion Canyon and negotiating with different tribes was a blast. However, enemies like the yao guai made many players question their decision to even embark on this adventure, to begin with.
One of the most unique yao guai encounters occurs during the quest Rite of Passage. Players encounter a unique yao guai called Ghost of She during a drug-fuelled trip, with this enemy being coated in flames and being able to duplicate itself in a fight where the Courier clearly hallucinates way more than they need to.
