Actually, Tactics is canon, just in broad strokes. Specific details didn't happen the way portrayed, but the general events are confirmed canon. But yeah, an intellectual fighting his primal urges was exactly what I was thinking, but it's completely understandable that you wouldn't want an intelligent deathclaw as a PC. 

Edit: But Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel is 100% non-canon, and thank god for that. >:[