They go down pretty easy with a few sneak shots with the sniper rifle. But oh my when four of them surprise you, I am still wiping Boone's blood off my boots.
Yup, that's what happened to me. Just minding my own business walking down the road when I hear Boone, "He's mine". I turn around and here come 4 Deathclaws from over a hill. I had seen the red ticks on the compass, but could not see them. Oh well, Boone's blood cleaned off well from my dead body!