Torn between The Brotherhood of Steel and The Institute

[RobotPrincessMachine]

SPOILERS MAY FOLLOW.

I play a science and technology based character so the Brotherhood of Steel and the Institute are the only two factions my character would be interested in joining. (Sorry Minutemen and Railroad. I'm a scientist not a hero). They are both tech-based factions, they both have scientists and engineers, and they both develop interesting technology. And their radiant quests both involve killing Feral Ghouls or Super Mutants for scientific research. But (SPOILER) They both cannot exist together endgame. Siding with either faction destroys the other. Meaning so much technology and research will go up in smoke. So really this question is not just which one is the best to side with but also which one is better kept alive.

The Brotherhood of Steel is an interesting faction to me. The only cons about the Brotherhood I see is that they have to be predjudice towards all synths including a good soldier serving in their ranks and that they have to take from settlers in order to feed their troops (in which I always pay them caps to make it fair). But besides that, they have a vast amount of technology. This technology is not all stolen either. They did build the Prydwen by themselves for six years and their power armor was built by themselves as well. This faction also contains scientists who study things that actually serve a purpose to the Commonwealth. They study about finding weaknesses of the wasteland monstrosities. They create an advanced form of Rad X. And most importantly they study about developing and recreating pre-war technology as well. This faction even has a giant robot on their team and I love robots. Being a fantasy nerd as well, I also like how their ranks are based off of the middle ages. And lastly, I like how in this faction I don't become their leader. A high ranking member who does medial tasks for little credit which is how I like it. (SPOILER) If I side with the Institute and destroy the Brotherhood of Steel, not only do we lose all of that technology and research, but everyone in this faction dies.

The Institute on the other hand is also one of my favorite factions. Of course being a science and tech nerd, the Institute seems like the perfect faction for my character. It does have more advanced technology and research than the BoS. Everything in the Institute is everything I dreamed of. It's clean, it's pretty, it's safe, it's hidden, and it's occupants are the most brilliant minds in the commonwealth. I ended up betraying the BoS and siding with the Institute during my first playthrough. When I restarted and tried to side with the BoS, I ended up siding with the Institute once again. After being in the Institute for so long, I just can't seem to distance myself from them. I even agree with the Institute's ideals of endangering a few lives just to better the future of mankind. With every disaster the Institute caused, I still am on their side. I can see that the reason why the Insitute is not helping the Commonwealth but only helping themselves right now because they don't want to risk any outsiders compromising their work. The Institute was never even supposed to be discovered. The only reason their cover was blown was because one idiot scientist sent a prototype synth to the surface without permission. If that didn't happen, the surface dwellers would be on better terms with the Institute. I know some things went bad with the kidnapping, the FEV virus, and worst of all creating human-like synths and treating them as machines. But I can ignore that as long as the Institute still plans to create a better future. Unless of course if they only mean THEIR future. Because they do owe the Commonwealth some compensation for the problems they have caused. Or maybe the Institute's motives are good but too difficult for us to understand. (SPOILER) If I side with any other faction besides the Institute, I blow up the whole facility and I create another glowing sea in the CIT ruins. Just like the BoS, I would feel horrible destroying all the tech here too. But at least some scientists make it out alive.

So long story short, I am having trouble deciding between the Brotherhood of Steel who have good research and technology and are helping the Commonwealth, or the Institute who have outstanding technology and research but may or may not help the Commonwealth.

[Sabaithal]

Understand that while some institute scientists may see the people of the surface as people who just need help, most see other humans as just expendable. Similar to the Enclave, the institute is somewhat xenophobic and views the people of the surface as just remnants that may need to be bulldozed to make way for the future. Likely the institute will have to show some leniency however, after all there is not enough people living there to repopulate humanity.

The BOS on the other hand don't really care much about those outside of their ranks either way. They are basically a faction attempting to hoard and secure valuable technology out of fear. Fear that another worldwide disaster caused by technology may occur. This drove them to be somewhat militaristic, hence their use in power armor. While they may not be humanity purists, they are still somewhat xenophobic. They shoot ferals and super-mutants on sight, and they don't like non-feral ghouls very much either. They don't have a plan for a better future, just to keep a worse one from coming about.

[MadMek]

Well, they're both pretty evil in my book, though the institute is definitely worse. But, since that doesn't seem to be your main concern, what it really comes down to is this: Would you rather have:

A: A giant robo-uncle sam that shoots lasers and throws nukes while yelling about communists.

B: Some synth gorillas.

The answer is clear to me.

[OutsidR]

I finished the game thusly... I am the general of the MM and also the highest rank attainable in the BOS ranks.... we both own the commonwealth, both fighting bad**s's...peace in Nuka World and also Far Harbor.... no RR or Instatute leftto mess with.

[Lucifer ★✬]

if you want to keep then together im pirtty sure theres a code you can type in when your doing the quest to destoy the other raction to skip it, makeing both still alive.

i know its true for the borther hood when they go and kill the railway. just look up the quest on the wiki, it prob tells you what do to

[red255]

if you want to talk evil there really is no comparison, the institute kidnaps people to turn them into super mutants and replaces the kidnapped people with synths who go on killing sprees.

What do you possible mean they are both pretty evil? I mean how is your moral compass wound to ...

oh do you think Synths are people? they aren't. no scientist would think such a thing either.

[AbsynthMinded]

There are no 'Good' factions to side with. Every Faction taken to the logical progression will ruin the commonwealth. Minutemen become the new Gunners, Institute becomes like BigMT, BOS become more like themselves and dictate everything to everyone (a la NCR/Legion).

They all suck. The FO4 Story in all, sucks.

[hyperspacecats]

i would personally go side with the institute, and sure they dont care much about humanity but neither do the brotherhhod of steel, plus siding with the institute makes your son proud of you, even if he is older than you are at that point

[Sabaithal]

Originally posted by AbsynthMinded:

There are no 'Good' factions to side with. Every Faction taken to the logical progression will ruin the commonwealth. Minutemen become the new Gunners, Institute becomes like BigMT, BOS become more like themselves and dictate everything to everyone (a la NCR/Legion).

They all suck. The FO4 Story in all, sucks.

You forgot the railroad.

[AbsynthMinded]

Originally posted by Sabaithal:

Originally posted by AbsynthMinded:

There are no 'Good' factions to side with. Every Faction taken to the logical progression will ruin the commonwealth. Minutemen become the new Gunners, Institute becomes like BigMT, BOS become more like themselves and dictate everything to everyone (a la NCR/Legion).

They all suck. The FO4 Story in all, sucks.

You forgot the railroad.

Because they are a specific point directive refugee group, having nothing to do with the future of the commonwealth. They are an annoyance to all sides, except the minutemen who do not acknowledge their existance. They would continue to be inconsequential. Probably developing into a extremeist group using ever more fierce gorilla tactics till they become just like the evil they claim to stand against, or die like the heroes they think they are. .

[jonnan.west]

Do you want Nazis-light or full 'Hydra, Hitler's mad science division' level evil?

[i am the mouse]

violent Tin cans or Smart tin cans? you decide.

[GoreTiger]

The Brotherhood, Easily.

I'm amazed after all these years that this is still even a debate.

[RobotPrincessMachine]

Originally posted by =(e)=KrayToast (GhidorahSquad):

The Brotherhood, Easily.

I'm amazed after all these years that this is still even a debate.

Well I have a different opinion on it. I'm not picking the faction based off of their moral standards. I'm picking the faction based on their usefulness to the Commonwealth and the rest of the world.

[Straybow]

BoS because you have already done the Institute twice, reading your thoughts though I can understand why. I think everybody has their favorite character type, if given the choice I usually go for some sort of extremist with a guilty conscience.

In regards to Fallout 4 my experience was the opposite as I came down on the side of the BoS the first time. Playing a new character for the Institute I realized that the character had functionally the same personality but just disagreed slightly on a few key points. In the end I got bored with the character type and abandoned the character instead choosing to be a self righteous jackass in charge of the minutemen (who was probably more morally sound then the previous two characters).

[spared_life]

In my base game I am friends to the minutemen, the BOS, the railroad, and the institution. It is at that point where one decision with any faction will tip the scale.
This is where I play but alternate future branches have been experienced. I suggest creating your own alternate branches that you can load to play anytime you question your decision.