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It can be difficult to rescue Kent during The Silver Shroud mission in Fallout 4. That may be due to not utilizing the correct gear or knowing what to say to exact fear in Sinjin's men when the time comes. However, it could also be due to the fact that back in the day, there was a common glitch impeding the optional objective from the very start of the mission.
It's a shame, really. Kent Connolly is probably the nicest Ghoul you'll ever meet out in the wastelands, and it has gutted many players throughout the years to accept his demise. But no longer. Regardless of what's got you hung up, this guide covers the best methods for getting Kent out of Sinjin's grasp alive.
Updated September 23, 2023, by Sean Murray: Looking for how to save Kent in Fallout 4? We got you covered. This guide has been refreshed with improved formatting and more breakout tips to make saving Kent Connoly easier than ever.
Pacifying The Raiders
You can skip negotiations and remain in the elevator to use the pacifying tactic if you have the Pacification Perk.
This can be a difficult tactic to pull off, so if you take this route, be sure to make a save point before heading down the last elevator.
Starting with the raider on the left, get them in your gun's sight and select the option to pacify. The raider to the right seems to be the most fickle target to pacify. According to Cheng Teoh on YouTube, the trick is to wait a few seconds after pacifying the first, though that doesn't make it a guarantee. After the first two are pacified, Avery should be a cinch.
You could attempt to pacify Sinjin as well, but that would be a complete gamble with the odds stacked high against you.
To take care of Sinjin, you'll want to either inhibit him using the Syringer Rifle or slow down time with a consumable such as the Jet or Buffjet. Then you'll want to use quick-firing precision guns like the Overseer's Guardian or Good Intentions.
Just be sure you can unload headshots in quick succession because he will pop one in Kent if you don't take him out in the first couple of shots.
Impersonate The Shroud
This seems to be the most achievable tactic for most players. You'll need to be wearing the full Silver Shroud Costume found at Hubris Comics. The dialogue will trigger soon after exiting the elevator, so to get the best vantage point, you can slow down time using consumables and quickly hop up on the crates to the right to gain a straight shot at Sinjin.
The Dialogue options you'll need to choose are as follows.
- Speak As Shroud
- Intimidate As Shroud
- Threaten As Shroud
This is where time is really of the essence. As soon as Avery's dialogue cuts, you'll need to consume another Jet or Buffjet to slow down time, then open the VATS, and aim for successive headshots on Sinjin with the most accurate and quick-firing gun in your arsenal.
Sinjin will immediately put one through Kent's noggin after cursing his men for fleeing, so it's imperative that you act as soon as you are able after the cut scene.
Be Extremely Charismatic
Instead of impersonating the Shroud, you may be able to convince Sinjin to point the gun at your character instead, using the "Kill me first" dialogue option instead of "Threaten as Shroud."
However, this requires maxed-out Charisma stats to be successful and will entail some swift maneuvers afterward as well. Max Charisma also allows you to attempt the option "Scare Sinjin's men," in which case you'll still need a quick trigger finger to take out Sinjin before he offs Kent.
General Tips For How To Save Kent
No matter which route you choose, there's a general checklist of stats and gear you'll want for this rescue mission.
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Gear |
Whichever gun you decide to use should have a minimum of 45 damage because the key is to hit hard and fast once you get to Sinjin. Snipers are preferred for their increased accuracy. Many players like to utilize the Power Armor for the heavy fire on the way down to face Sinjin. However, there's been a common bug correlating to the helmet upon entering the institution, which we'll cover in a minute. |
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Stats |
High Perception for accuracy when firing at VATS. A full Critical Hit Meter which you can charge up by hitting VATS on enemies during your trip down through the institution. |
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Consumables |
Mentats to boost your Intelligence and Perception stats even further. Psycho to boost your damage. Psychobuff to bolster your Strength and Endurance stats. Jet and or Buffjet for slowing time when you need to. |
How To Avoid The Targeting HUD Bug
There is (or was) a bug that causes the raiders to execute Kent as soon as you enter the institution. This is a glitch tied to the Power Armor Targeting HUD upgrade. If you're wearing this gear with the modded targeting upon entering the institution, it will, for some reason, trigger an alert from a Protectron to your left on the floor above.
This bug may have been sorted out in the official 1.5 patch, but just in case, we've included a couple of ways to avoid the glitch.
If you look up to the left immediately upon entering, you should see the Protectron and be able to take it out, which will take care of the glitch. The simpler solution is to unequip the helmet before entering the institution, in which case the Protectron should give you no trouble at all.
To be safe, it's advised you don't try to reequip the helmet throughout the quest before ensuring Kent's survival.