If you’re tired of playing vanilla Fallout and instead want to turn it into a gritty snowy survival sandbox, then the Fallout 4 Frost mod is just for you.
As a total conversion mod, it strips all vanilla quests and NPCs from the game and introduces its own. Here’s how you can get it running.
How to download and install the Fallout 4 Frost mod
Pre-installation steps
The Frost mod works best when you build a load order around it, as it says on its Nexus Mods description page. In other words, you’d be dealing with game-breaking issues if you tried to drop Frost into your already long load order. So, it’s better to start on a clean slate.
You need a clean installation of Fallout 4 (along with all of its DLCs except the High Resolution Texture Pack) downgraded to the pre-Next Gen Update state. You can use the Simple Fallout 4 Downgrader tool to do this easily.
Next, use a mod manager like Mod Organizer 2 or Vortex and set it up to handle your Fallout 4 modding.
If you were already playing a downgraded version of Fallout 4 with mods via Mod Organizer 2 or Vortex, I’d suggest starting off with a new profile and building a second load order around Frost.
Installing dependencies
Now that you have MO2 or Vortex set up, you need to install the following utilities before installing the mod:
- Fallout 4 Script Extender (F4SE) build 0.6.23 (Download link)
- Address Library for F4SE Plugins (Download link)
- Buffout 4 (Download link)
- Mod Configuration Menu (Download Link)
- Backported Archive 2 Support System (Download link)
- Unofficial Fallout 4 Patch (Download link) [Note: the latest version of this mod is for the Next Gen update, so you’d want to download an older version: 2.1.5. The download link provided here leads you to that.]
Installing the Frost mod and its patches
Now, you’re finally ready to download the Frost mod for Fallout 4. Head to its Nexus download page and install the “FROST (BA2 Version)” file through your mod manager, as you did with the prior utilities.
Next, you need to install a handful of essential patches for Frost before you’re done. Install these mods in the following order:
- Frost Official Updates (Redux) (Download link)
- FROST Plus (Download link)
- FROST UFO4P Compatibility Patch (Download link)
- FROST – It Snowed (Download link)
- FROST Cell Fixes (FCF) (Download link)
With all that done, your plugin load order should look like this:
- Fallout4.esm
- DLCRobot.esm
- DLCworkshop01.esm
- DLCCoast.esm
- DLCworkshop02.esm
- DLCworkshop03.esm
- DLCNukaWorld.esm
- Unofficial Fallout 4 Patch.esp
- FROST.esp
- RedsFrostFixes.esp
- aFrostMod.esp
- FROST – UFO4P Patch.esp
- FROST – It Snowed.esp
- FCF_Main.esp
- FCF_Previsibines.esp
Now, you’re finally done with the setup. To boot up your game with mods, remember to always run it via F4SE through your mod manager.
Tips for playing the Fallout 4 Frost mod
Frost turns Fallout 4’s relatively wholesome Boston into a hardcore survival wasteland. If you think the base game’s Survival Mode was hard, Frost will almost make you wish for a nuclear winter.
General survival
- Gear Up: The surface world is harsh. Don’t venture out without a gas mask—radiation is deadly. Unlike the base game, RadAway is exceptionally rare and doctors are hard to come by as well.
- Prioritize Needs: Stay warm, hydrated, and fed. Stock up on purified water and cook your food (the Hunter perk helps gather meat). Sleep heals broken limbs and infections. In this regard, getting a few settlements up and running feels like the way to go.
- Embrace Stealth: Enemies are tougher and ammo is scarce. Treat encounters much more tactically. I’d recommend avoiding fights when possible, especially early on in your playthrough. If you absolutely have to fight, try to sneak and snipe from a distance.
- Be Resourceful: Loot everything and craft what you can’t find. Consider scrapping weapons and armor for components. You have very limited carry weight though, so make use of the Scrap Kit when you can. This will make all your junk items lighter.
- Shelter from Storms: Radstorms are brutal. Find cover or head into an indoor location immediately when one hits.
Combat tactics
- Master Blocking: Blocking is crucial in Frost. Learn the timing and use it effectively, especially against feral ghouls.
- Go for the Head: Many enemies are weak to headshots. Shotguns are great for this in close combat, but use ammo wisely. Remember both your enemies and you aren’t bullet sponges.
- Don’t Be Greedy: Take your shots carefully and retreat when needed. One wrong move can be fatal. In essence, you have to unlearn the more arcade-ish combat of Fallout 4 and employ a tactical approach in combat.
Perk picks
- Charisma is King: Consider investing in Charisma for Party Boy (better chem effects) and higher trading potential.
- Focus on Survival: Perks like Scrounger, Local Leader, and Cap Collector can make a big difference.
- Consider Sanity: Low sanity can lead to hallucinations. Invest in perks that help maintain it (like Idiot Savant) if it becomes a problem.
