Fallout 76 Power Armor

Power armor is a unique form of external armor in Fallout 76.

Overview
Power armor is not equipped in the usual sense of the word – it is a separate world entity that is entered from the back - the armor unfolds, the operator steps in, and then seals around them. To enter power armor, simply use an empty suit. To exit, hold down the use key (E by default on PC, A on Xbox, and X on PlayStation). The power armor also replaces the standard HUD with its own heads-up display, including a compass and gauges for hit points, action points, radiation, the remaining number of fusion cores available, and an ammunition counter.

The power armor suit is made out of six individual components: the helmet, torso, two arms, and two legs, worn over a power armor frame. The damage the player takes is reduced by a flat 7% per piece on the frame, while the radiation damage reduced by 15% per piece, so a full set reduces damage by 42% and incoming radiation by 90%. Damage and radiation resistance provided by each piece is then applied to the remaining amount, making power armor one of the best sources of protection.

Each component can be swapped out and the suit can be as unified or as jigsaw as the player wants it to be. In combat, damage is tracked individually per piece and it is possible for them to be damaged to the point of shattering, requiring them to be repaired. Pieces can be Favorited for quick swapping, however the chassis cannot.

Power armor also requires a charged fusion core for its operation and consumes the charge at a steady rate whenever the player is moving. The rate at which the fusion core runs out of charge increases drastically if one sprints in it or otherwise uses up Action Points. If the charge runs out and there are no replacements, movement speed is greatly reduced and the player cannot perform power attacks, fast travel, or sprint. However, it will protect against fall damage regardless of charge. The helmet-mounted flashlight will also continue to work.

Summary

 * Advantages
 * Provided by the chassis itself, regardless of equipped armor pieces:
 * Immunity to fall damage
 * Immunity to limb damage
 * Increased STR (up to 11 if below 11)
 * Equipped power armor parts are weightless
 * Equipped weapons no longer penalize movement speed
 * +7% damage reduction per equipped piece (42% total) - reduces incoming damage by a flat percentage (no radiation damage)
 * +15% Radiation damage reduction per equipped piece (90% total).
 * Head-mounted directional flashlight (if wearing a power armor helmet).
 * Increased waterbreathing by several minutes.
 * Helmet prevents contracting airborne and waterborne hazards.


 * Disadvantages
 * Power armor requires at least one fusion core to function properly. Without one, you are unable to sprint, power attack, or fast travel.
 * Movement and V.A.T.S. attacks will drain the equipped fusion core.
 * Power armor disables the bonuses from all equipped armor and apparel, including backpacks.
 * Unarmed weapons cannot be equipped while in power armor.
 * Cannot use crafting stations or furniture while power armor is equipped.
 * When underwater, the operator can only move at a walking pace.
 * Wearing power armor without a power armor helmet prevents the use of the flashlight.
 * Certain perks are restricted.

Perks
Does not work or redundant in power armor:

Only works in power armor:
 * Electric Absorption
 * Full Charge
 * Pain Train
 * Power Armor Reboot
 * Power Patcher
 * Power Sprinter
 * Stabilized

Bugs

 * Entering/exiting power armor may break reload effects from perks: Ground Pounder, Lock and Load, Scattershot and the reload speed legendary effect.
 * Unequipping and reequipping the perk and/or weapon will correct the issue.

Variants
Power armor consists of multiple armor parts attached to an underlying chassis. Each part has a level requirement, meaning player characters cannot enter a power armor chassis equipped with parts higher than their own level. Empty power armor chassis, however, hold no level requirement.

Power armor pieces can be mixed on a given chassis. The only advantage of a matched set is with Excavator power armor, where a full set raises carry capacity by 100, and with the Strangler heart power armor, which grants acid damage to all armed attacks and makes nearby enemies take acid damage. To exit a power armor chassis, one must press and hold the "inspect" button ("E" on PC, "X" on PS4, or "A" on Xbox One).

Comparison
Each power armor plays a slightly different role and is intended less as a straightforward progression than a tactical choice, balancing the cost of repairs against the protection. The basic frame provides 60 damage resistance against Physical, Energy and Radiation damage.
 * Raider: Second lowest protections, appears at very low levels (minimum lvl 15)
 * Excavator: Lowest protection, bonus to mining yields, +100 carry capacity when equipped as a full set
 * T-45: Low to average protections to all types
 * T-51: High ballistic and energy resistances, but the lowest radiation protection
 * T-60: High balanced protection
 * Ultracite: High ballistic protection, good energy, and radiation protection
 * X-01: High energy and radiation protection, good ballistic protection
 * T-65: Highest ballistic and energy protection, very good radiation protection

Base frame


The base power armor chassis are the basic frames required for all power armor types. Their primary function is to mount power armor pieces but they also provide protection. Below level 15, an empty chassis provides higher resistances than any available armor but decreases speed and agility. Unlike other types of power armor, empty chassis have no level requirement.

Raider power armor


Raider power armor is a makeshift suit made from salvaged materials and scrap metal. It offers Damage Resistance, Energy Resistance and Radiation Resistances slightly lower than T-45 power armor. Raider power armor holds the lowest level requirement, requiring the player character to be at least level 15 to equip.

Excavator power armor


Excavator power armor was designed to protect miners while increasing productivity. When a full set is worn, carrying capacity increases by 100. It has the lowest Damage and Energy Resistance of the power armor models, but provides more Radiation Resistance than raider, T-45 and T-51 armors. Excavator armor requires the player character to complete Miner Miracles and be at least level 25 to craft and equip the armor. Unlike for other power armor variants, the jet pack modification is unavailable for the Exacavator torso.

T-45 power armor


T-45 power armor was the first version of power armor to be deployed in battle. It offers slightly greater Damage, Energy and Radiation Resistances than raider power armor. T-45 armor requires the player character to be at least level 25 to equip.

T-51 power armor


T-51 power armor was the standard issue of power armor for the Army's armored infantry. It provides the highest Damage and Energy Resistance, but has poor Radiation Resistance, putting it at a disadvantage in nuclear strike zones. T-51 armor requires the player character to be at least level 30 to equip.

T-60 power armor


T-60 power armor was originally designed to replace the T-51 model. It offers good Damage, Energy and Radiation Resistances. T-60 is one of the easiest models to repair, requiring only commonly found materials. It requires the player character to be at least level 40 to equip.

X-01 power armor


X-01 power armor was developed as experimental armor by the Enclave. It has the highest Radiation Resistance and one of the highest Energy Resistances. However, it offers lower Damage Resistance than the T-51 and ultracite models. X-01 armor requires the player character to be at least level 40 to equip and can only be crafted.

Ultracite power armor


Ultracite power armor was developed by the Brotherhood of Steel from T-51 power armor. It offers one of the highest Damage Resistances, rivaling T-51, but Energy and Radiation Resistances are lower than X-01. Ultracite armor requires the player character to be at least level 50 to equip.

Strangler heart power armor


A set of ultracite power armor that has been completely overrun by strangler vines and other flora. When the full set is equipped, the wearer gains the strangler heart set bonus, which adds acid damage to all armed attacks and makes nearby enemies take acid damage. It has identical damage resistance and energy resistance to standard ultracite armor, however it currently has the highest rad resistance. Strangler heart requires the player character to be at least level 40 to equip.

T-65 power armor


A set of power armor used by the remnants of the pre-War Secret Service in Appalachia. It offers the highest Damage, Energy and Radiation Resistances. T-65 requires the player character to be at least level 50 to equip.

Level availability
The table below lists the power armor models that can be found for each level.

Paint
Power armor parts can be painted with paint schemes, found either in game or bought from the Atomic Shop. Some are specific to certain armor models, while others are available for multiple. Paint schemes can be used indefinitely and are applied at a power armor station. Typical prices for Atomic Shop paints are 800 atoms for a single armor paint and 1,400 atoms for paints that can be applied to multiple armors.

The following paint schemes can be found in-game:
 * T-51 Nuka-Cola paint - A bright red with white trim and the Nuka-Cola logo emblazoned across the chest and shoulders. Found in TNT Dome #3 of Black Mountain Ordnance Works.
 * T-51 prototype steel mill paint - A standard T-51 helmet with thick steel plating attached all across the front. Can be found in a locked room in Grafton Steel Underground, and can only be obtained during the Fun and Games quest.
 * T-60 Brotherhood of Steel paint - Multiple variants, slightly black paint with a rank emblem on the left forearm. Found as a random rewards for turning in technical documents in the repeatable side quest Forbidden Knowledge.
 * X-01 Nuka-Cola Quantum paint - An understated two-tone blue with a discrete Nuka-Cola Quantum emblem. Found in TNT Dome #7 of Black Mountain Ordnance Works after finding a series of keys and keycards. Added in patch 1.1.0.8.
 * X-01 military paint - A simple matte green paint. Purchased from the MODUS production terminal.
 * X-01 prototype paint - Black with pronounced yellow trim and highlights. Default paint when X-01 armor is crafted; standard dark gray paint available without plans.
 * X-01 scorched paint - Rare Daily Ops reward.

Locations
Four power armor types can be found at power armor locations:


 * Raider power armor - Available in level 15, 25, 35 and 45 versions.
 * T-45 power armor - Available in level 25, 35 and 45 versions.
 * T-51 power armor - Available in level 30, 40 and 50 versions.
 * T-60 power armor - Available in level 40 and 50 versions.

Three power armors are quest related:
 * Excavator power armor - Can be crafted in level 25, 35 and 45 versions. Plans are obtained during the side quest Miner Miracles at Garrahan Mining Headquarters.
 * Ultracite power armor - Can only be worn at level 50 or above but can be obtained earlier. A full set is given for completing Belly of the Beast in the main questline. Plans to craft the armor can also be obtained from Taggerdy's terminal at Fort Defiance after the quest.
 * X-01 power armor - Can be crafted in level 40 and 50 versions. Plans are given after completing Officer on Deck at the Whitespring bunker in the main questline.

Graph comparison

 * Note: Hover over each bar for detailed information on the armor's level. Numbers inside the bars denote the level of damage resistance. For information on how the game calculates damage resistance, see this article.