Fallout 4 Explained: The Commonwealth Bank Story

A Deep Dive Into Lost Money, Lost Power and One Very Broken America

If you have explored enough of Boston’s ruins, you know that every building in Fallout 4 hides a slice of pre-war life frozen in ash. The Commonwealth Bank is one of those locations that feels small at first but quietly tells a tragic story of greed, panic and the final heartbeat of the financial world before the bombs fell.

This location is often skipped because it is not tied to a major quest. Yet for lore hunters, scavengers and players hungry for environmental storytelling, this place is a gold mine. Literally and figuratively.

Let’s explore what lies inside.

Story and Lore

The Commonwealth Bank reflects the last days of pre-war Boston when financial institutions saw the world collapsing but tried to keep pretending everything was fine. Terminals inside reveal anxious messages between bank staff. Offices are left mid-shift. Security routines are half-finished. Someone clearly abandoned everything the second the sirens screamed.

Fragments of lore you uncover:

1. The bank manager’s panic.
A terminal log shows the manager arguing with regional HQ about increased withdrawals. People were scared. Rumors of war were everywhere. The manager tries to calm employees with corporate optimism that feels painfully hollow in hindsight.

2. The suspicious vault upgrades.
Another log hints at rushed installations of new vault security equipment. Why? Because wealthy clients were demanding “war safe” storage for bonds, cash and valuables.

3. Staff tension before the bombs.
One employee complains about long hours and frightened customers. The staff knew something was wrong. The bank was trying to keep the illusion of stability while the world edged toward collapse.

4. What never made it out.
Stacks of pre-war money lie scattered, untouched for two hundred years. It is a perfect snapshot of a society that thought money could shield it from destruction. Spoiler: it could not.

This tiny location becomes more haunting when you realize everyone inside probably thought they had time left. They didn’t.

Secrets You Can Uncover

Secret 1: Hidden safe with pre-war loot
Behind the manager’s office is a locked safe containing caps, pre-war money, ammo and sometimes a rare modded weapon depending on level scaling.

Secret 2: Wall cracks hiding loot
Some rubble areas hide behind a cracked wall you can slip past. This is where you often find military grade duct tape or advanced crafting components.

Secret 3: Random legendary spawn
The basement area has a high chance of spawning a legendary ghoul or raider. It is a tight space so be ready to fight fast and close.

Secret 4: Desk drawers with story clues
Check the tiny drawers. Many players rush and miss them. They contain old keys, staff memos and extra caps.

Walkthrough: Step By Step Guide

Entry Floor
You enter into the lobby where two or three ghouls usually lurk behind broken counters. Clear them first to avoid a swarm later.
Loot the terminals here to read staff logs and get your lore fix.

Office Wing
Turn right into the employee offices.
Expect one glowing one or feral ghoul variant.
Check every desk. Pre-war money piles well for vending machine ammo purchases later.

Manager’s Office
The locked door requires advanced lockpicking. Inside is the main safe and the more interesting lore entries.
Look for a holotape on the desk. Some spawns include unique recordings that tie to pre-war financial panic.

Basement Access
Go down the cracked stairway at the back of the building. This area is claustrophobic.
Clear feral ghouls fast before they swarm.
Look for a side room with crafting junk and potentially a chem stash.

Final Vault Area
Below the basement is the small vault chamber.
This is where you find the heaviest pre-war money stacks and sometimes a legendary hostile patrolling.

Loot everything. You earned it.