Fallout 3 Message Board  

True, but through the entire game, you won't be at levels 1-5.

Depending on your skill set and installed DLC, you have different options for dealing with them.

A small guns-based character should use Lincoln's Repeater, Ol' Painless, or the Victory Rifle. This is if you don't have any DLC.

If you have the Operation: Anchorage DLC, your best bet is the Guass Rifle. If your skill set is melee, Jingwei's Shocksword can do the trick, if used in conjunction with the Chinese Stealth Suit.

If you've been to the Pitt, the Metal Blaster can do good damage, or use the Mauler/Man Opener if you're a melee character. If you'd prefer to sneak, the Perforator does in the range of 60 damage, so a few V.A.T.S. hits would be a good idea.

If you have Broken Steel, use Dogmeat. He levels with you, and his health multiplies with level. At level 30, he can survive 10 mini-nukes before going down. His attack also levels up high. He's a viable option vs. Deathclaws.

If you have Point Lookout, use the Bio-Gas canister. Throw one, back up, and wait for it to explode. After it does, when the Deathclaw is in the gas cloud, fire a laser weapon into the cloud. The explosion should do some good damage.

From Mothership Zeta, a good idea is the Captain's Sidearm, or the Alien Disintegrator. Or, if you can find one, use the Drone Cannon. It's a big gun, but using it right can take out a DeathClaw pretty easily.

Bug Guns characters have the option of the Burnmaster, Eugene, or any variations of the Gatling Laser. The Miss Launcher can do a good job as well, if you know how to use it. Or you can use nukes, with the Fat Man or the Experimental MIRV. Ammo for these is limited, and you might want to save them for Behemoths.