Fallout 76 has seen a massive surge in players following the release of the eponymous Prime Video TV show. As they begin their journey into the Wasteland's early days, new players will want to know which build to start with.
Like most other Bethesda role-playing games (RPGs), Fallout 76’s gameplay includes the creation of character builds. Building involves assigning points to S.P.E.C.I.A.L Perks relevant to their associated play styles.
Beginners may find this aspect of Fallout 76 challenging to grasp. Learning how each Perk affects everyone’s play style takes time, but we’re shortening that process by providing five recommended starting builds.
#5 - Energy Specialist
Undoubtedly, the Brotherhood of Steel is the faction to go to if you like slaughtering the Scorched with cool energy weapons, whose power and accuracy are more than ideal for working around your handicaps at low levels.
As an Energy Specialist, you’ll need to build up the basic perks of Intelligence and Perception. Intelligence unlocks the science-based perks you’ll need to mod your Energy weapons, while Perception makes you a sharper shooter in the medium and short ranges.
#4 - Slasher
Although the Bethesda-era Fallout games are, at their core, first-person shooters, they also offer countless opportunities for melee combat, like a true hack-and-slash RPG. Melee can be an exciting way to engage your enemies, but it can also be very challenging when you’re still at lower levels.
As a Slasher, you’ll need to focus on growing your stats in these basic Perks: Strength, Agility, Intelligence, Endurance, Luck, Charisma and Perception. You can supplement these by developing the inner-tier perks like Martial Arts and Gladiator.
#3 - Survivalist
The Survivalist is perfect for players who don’t find a focus on combat satisfying. Instead, this build focuses on developing the survival skills necessary to survive the Appalachian wasteland without fighting the Scorched and other beasts as much as possible.
As a Survivalist, you must invest heavily in the Intelligence and Scrapper perks while adding solid amounts of Endurance, Perception, Strength, and Agility for those occasions when you must shoot out of an exploration zone.
#2 - Chemist
In a way, the Chemist is the equivalent of a Healer in other role-playing games but with the added ability to fight. Chemists are great for players who like to create buffs for themselves and their party mates, an ability that requires a lot of Intelligence and a similarly named Perk in the Skill Tree.
Unlike Survivalists, Chemists generally fight when they both need and want to while armed with any gun they like, so you will want to raise your Strength, Perception, Endurance, and Agility accordingly.
#1 - Caravaneer
The Caravaneer excels at short-range gunfighting with shotguns. Its name most likely derives from the Caravan Guards seen in other Fallout games, such as Fallout 4.
Like the Slasher, it is a more complex build to create a play style due to its limited range, but it can be rewarding and satisfying, especially when you blow off your opponent’s face at close quarters.
Like any shooter build, you’ll want your S.P.E.C.I.A.L allocation to lean towards Strength, Perception, Endurance, and Agility. Shotguns require plenty of accuracy, so you’ll need to invest in the Scattershot and Skeet Shooter perks as soon as possible in your early phases.
We highly recommend these five starting builds for new players in Bethesda’s online multiplayer sequel to the Fallout franchise. It’s also ideal to jump into Fallout 76 now because it has just introduced a new chapter to the story titled “Atlantic City: America’s Playground.”