You've probably heard the rumors about a "god-tier" stealth weapon hidden behind a mundane-sounding quest. It’s true. In the irradiated ruins of Boston, Fallout 4 Special Delivery acts as the crucial gateway to some of the most powerful gear in the game. Most players stumble into this quest while hunting for the Railroad, but if you aren't paying attention, you might miss the entire chain that leads to the legendary Deliverer pistol.
It’s not just a fetch quest. It is the beginning of the Cabot House saga, a weird, Lovecraftian detour that feels wildly different from the rest of the Commonwealth's gritty, scrap-metal aesthetic.
Why Special Delivery is More Than Just a Quest
The quest itself is simple on paper. You meet Edward Deegan. He’s a ghoul wearing a clean suit—which is already a red flag in the wasteland—and he’s looking for "reliable" help. You can find him in a few spots like the Dugout Inn in Diamond City or the Third Rail in Goodneighbor.
Once you accept, you’re sent to Parsons State Insane Asylum to recover a stolen package. This is where most people get confused. They expect a massive shootout immediately. Instead, you're dealing with a bunch of low-level raiders who happened to steal the wrong crate from the wrong family.
The "Special Delivery" refers to a stolen shipment of mysterious serum. If you’ve played Fallout 3 or New Vegas, you know that "serum" usually means something terrifying or game-breaking. Here, it’s both. Jack Cabot, the man who hired Deegan, is obsessed with this stuff.
Finding Edward Deegan Without Losing Your Mind
Getting the quest to trigger can be finicky. Sometimes Deegan just isn't there. Usually, you need to be at least level 10, but I’ve seen him pop up earlier if you’ve cleared out enough raider camps.
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If he isn't appearing in the Dugout Inn, check Bunker Hill. He hangs out near the market. Talk to him. Don't be a jerk, or he might not give you the lead. Once he mentions his boss, Jack Cabot, you’re on the path. You'll head to the Cabot House in the Beacon Hill district. It’s the one house that looks like the bombs never dropped. It’s pristine. It’s creepy.
The Parsons State Insane Asylum Run
When you get to the asylum, don't expect to go inside right away. The main doors are locked tight. You’re looking for the raiders outside near the administration area.
- The Goal: Find Maria.
- The Loot: The Mysterious Serum.
- The Twist: You can actually use the serum on yourself.
But wait. If you use it, Jack Cabot will know. The serum gives you a massive +5 Strength boost and 50 Damage Resistance, plus it wipes out 36,000 Rads over time. It makes you a temporary god. Honestly, it's tempting to just keep it, but doing so can jeopardize your relationship with the Cabots later.
The Link to the Deliverer
Here is what many players get wrong: Fallout 4 Special Delivery is often confused with the Railroad questline because both involve secret deliveries and "packages." While Special Delivery is its own standalone story, you absolutely should do it alongside the "Tradecraft" quest.
Why? Because the Deliverer—a suppressed 10mm pistol with a massive bonus to VATS hit chance and reduced Action Point cost—is the best stealth weapon in the game. By completing Special Delivery and the subsequent Cabot quests, you gain access to the Lorenzo’s Artifact gun.
Imagine carrying both. You have the silent, precise Deliverer for picking off raiders, and the Lorenzo’s Artifact (a Gamma Gun mod) for literally blowing the limbs off enemies with telekinetic force. It's a broken combo.
Dealing with the Raiders at Parsons
The raiders at the asylum are led by a woman named Maria. She isn't particularly tough if you have a decent rifle, but the cramped quarters of the guardhouse can get messy.
- Approach from the north to avoid being flanked by the raiders on the roof.
- Use a grenade to clear the entryway; raiders love to hide behind the desks.
- Loot Maria’s body immediately to find the serum.
- Return to Cabot House.
Once you give the serum back (or lie about it), you trigger "Emogene Takes a Lover." This is the middle chapter of the saga. Most people think Special Delivery is the end. It's not. It's the hook.
What Happens if You Keep the Serum?
If you decide to keep the serum for yourself, you can lie to Jack. If your Charisma is high enough, you’ll pass the check. This allows you to use the serum during difficult fights—like taking on a Mirelurk Queen or heading into the Glowing Sea.
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However, Jack is smart. If you keep doing it, he’ll stop trusting you. The long-term rewards of the Cabot questline—specifically the Charisma bobblehead found inside the asylum during the final quest "The Secret of Cabot House"—are worth way more than a few vials of juice.
The Lore Behind the Delivery
The lore here is deep. We’re talking about ancient civilizations and aliens. Jack’s father, Lorenzo, found an artifact in the Arabian Desert in the 1800s. It gave him immortality but drove him insane. The "Special Delivery" you’re chasing is literally his blood.
The Cabots have been alive for over 400 years because they've been injecting Lorenzo’s blood. It’s dark. It’s weird. It’s exactly why Fallout 4 is still played today. You start by looking for a stolen box and end up deciding the fate of a pre-war immortal family.
Survival Mode Tips for Special Delivery
If you’re playing on Survival, this quest is a nightmare and a blessing.
- Weight: The serum has zero weight. Carry it.
- Rad Resistance: In Survival, radiation is a death sentence. The serum is better than Rad-Away because it doesn't give you the "Illness" debuff.
- Fast Travel: Since you can't fast travel, the trek from Cabot House to Parsons is long. Clear out County Crossing first so you have a place to sleep and save halfway.
Common Bugs to Watch Out For
Fallout 4 is a Bethesda game. It has bugs.
Sometimes, Edward Deegan will stay sitting in the Dugout Inn and never give you the quest. If this happens, try attacking a guard and yielding, or just wait 48 in-game hours. On PC, you can use the console command setstage 00022a00 10 to force the quest to start, but consoles don't have that luxury.
Another issue is the asylum doors. Do not try to glitch through them. You need the "Secret of Cabot House" quest active to properly enter the interior cells, or you’ll break the script and won't be able to finish the storyline.
Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
To make the most of the Fallout 4 Special Delivery quest and the gear that follows, follow this specific order of operations:
- Hit Level 10: Head straight to Goodneighbor or Diamond City to trigger Edward Deegan’s appearance.
- Boost Charisma: Wear a suit or drink a beer before talking to Jack Cabot. You can squeeze more caps out of him for the delivery.
- Save the Serum: Even if you want to use it, save at least one vial. If you side with Lorenzo at the very end of the questline (after Special Delivery), you get an infinite supply.
- Loot the Asylum: During the final part of this quest chain, look for the Charisma Bobblehead on Jack's desk inside the asylum office. It's one of the easiest to miss.
- The Deliverer Synergy: Once Special Delivery is done, immediately go to the Old North Church and start the Railroad quests. The stealth buffs you get from the Railroad, combined with the rewards from the Cabot family, will make your character nearly untouchable by the mid-game.
Don't just treat this as another entry in your quest log. The Special Delivery quest is your ticket to understanding the strangest corners of the Commonwealth. Whether you choose to help a desperate scientist or a mad immortal, the rewards are some of the most unique items ever put into a Fallout game. Get to the asylum, get the package, and decide what kind of survivor you're going to be.