Like its predecessors, Fallout 76 has seen a massive player surge after Prime Video’s successful live-action Fallout series premiere. To help the new players, we've compiled an informative guide to walk them through their first steps in the Wasteland.
Undoubtedly, everyone loved the Fallout live-action adaptation that premiered on Prime Video a week ago. Aside from the dormant players, these also included newfound fans who wanted to try the older games.
With the current surge of new players for Fallout 76 in mind, we've compiled a list of tips to help them along the way to enjoying Bethesda's online live prequel to the Fallout game series.
Setting up your abode
Every player needs to set up their base, called a C.A.M.P., as soon after they start playing as possible. Having a base gives them a safe haven to return to when needed since it is a Fast Travel point they can get to for free.
There are hundreds of locations for potential C.A.M.P.s, but Camp McClintock is an excellent place to start. It is surrounded by fertile land you can farm for loot and experience, plus a bunch of free Mr Gusty robots for defence.
You should also set up a farm and a water purifier facility as soon as possible. These will give you passive income to finance your adventures and loot.
Explore the Wasteland
The Wasteland is where you put your skills to the test. You can choose to be adventurous, but you can also put that for later and use these tips instead for longevity:
Pick up any item you encounter so you can have many ingredients for crafting.
Use the survey towers to add markers and destinations to your map. It makes your exploration more efficient.
Use the Quickboy mode when you can. It adds the Pip-Boy screen to your heads-up display, which is useful when orienting yourself on the map.
Hunt for food. Animal meat is a restorative alternative for stimpaks.
Player interaction
As a newcomer, it can be scary to encounter a fully armed and armored Wastelander approaching you. However, except for a few toxic ones, players in Fallout 76 have a culture of welcoming newbies with gifts.
Don't hesitate to say “Hi!” to your fellow Wastelanders. They won't bite, and those who do won't let you get close without blasting away first.
Events are also a social undertaking in Fallout 76. Many of the timed challenges in public events are easier when you have a companion assisting you, so make friends whenever possible.
Dropped loot is another reason you want to attend public events. Some high-level players reject rewarded items, but some may benefit you as a beginner.
You can also join Public Teams. Participating in their activities earns you a higher amount of XP.
Weapon loadout
The Wasteland is a nasty place full of monsters and raiders ready to take your life if you don't defend yourself. Make sure to equip yourself with the best weapon you can find or craft!
Aside from range and firepower, weight is an important factor when managing your weapon loadout. The weapon should not take up too much weight because it will reduce the amount of loot you can carry.
Be sure to keep an eye on your ammunition as well. These also eat up your weight limit. Feel free to discard any excess ammo, which you can give other players as a gift.
Perk cards
Fallout 76 has a unique Perk Card system that lets you equip Perks instead of building them up intrinsically. This creates unique character builds that you can swap as necessary.
When you fully understand the perks, you can easily change attributes depending on what you want to do during the day. However, as a beginner, you will want to take note of these perk recommendations:
- You can carry more items when you equip the Thru-Hiker Perk as it lowers the weight of food, water, and alcohol.
- Equip the Concentrated Fire card to target your opponent's body parts. This is similar to the V.A.T.S. system in Fallout 3, Fallout 4, and New Vegas.
- The Super Duper Perk card makes the result 10-30% more powerful than the original recipe intends.
This is the best time for new players to join the Fallout 76 community. In addition to the Atlantic City: America's Playground update, the revamped Scoreboard now lets you accumulate points to buy event-exclusive rewards.