Fallout 76 Power Armor

Power armor is a type of armor

Overview
Power armor is not equipped in the usual sense of the word. It is a deployable world object that is entered from the back: the armor unfolds, the operator steps in, and then the armor seals around them. To enter power armor, simply activate (E by default on PC, A on Xbox, and X on PlayStation). To exit power armor, hold down the activate button. The player may only access their own chassis and unowned ones which spawn around the game world. Power armor replaces the standard HUD elements 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. It also offers a lightweight "Quick Boy," as the Pip-Boy and its animations are not accessible.

Attached onto a power armor chassis, the power armor suit is comprised of six individual components: the helmet, torso, two arms, and two legs. The damage the player takes is reduced by a flat 7% per piece on the frame, while the radiation damage is reduced by 15% per piece, so a full set reduces damage by 42% and incoming radiation by 90%. Damage, energy and radiation resistance provided by each piece is then applied to the remaining amount, making power armor a potent source 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, except headgear when no power armor helmet is equipped.
 * Unarmed weapons cannot be equipped while in power armor.
 * Crafting stations and furniture cannot be used 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
The following perks are only active while wearing power armor: The following perks are inactive while wearing power armor:
 * Electric Absorption
 * Full Charge
 * Pain Train
 * Power Armor Reboot
 * Power Patcher
 * Power Sprinter
 * Stabilized

The following perks are made superfluous by the advantages of power armor:
 * Adamantium Skeleton
 * Aquaboy/Aquagirl
 * Goat Legs
 * Rad Resistant

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. 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).

Power armor pieces may be mixed on any given chassis, however certain armors will grant bonuses when equipped as a set.
 * Excavator power armor: a full set raises carry weight by 100; both arms equipped doubles ore mining yield.
 * Strangler heart power armor: a full set grants acid damage to all armed attacks and makes nearby enemies take acid damage.
 * Hellcat power armor: each part of a set reduces the damage from ballistic attacks by 2%, up to a total of -12%.
 * Union Power Armor: a full set increases Poison Resistance and carry weight.

 

Modifications
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.
 * Paint

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-51b 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 reward 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-51b power armor - Available in level 30, 40 and 50 versions.
 * T-60 power armor - Available in level 40 and 50 versions.

Four 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.
 * Hellcat power armor - Can only be crafted for level 50. A full set and plans are given for completing The Catalyst in the Steel Reign questline.

Level availability
The table below lists the levels at which specific power armor models may be found or crafted.

Bugs

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

Comparison
Each power armor plays a slightly different role and is intended less as a straightforward progression than an economic choice, balancing the cost of repairs against the protection. The bonuses and stats provided by the power armor chassis are active regardless of what armor is equipped over it.