 | For an overview of the topic, see energy cell. |
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The Energy Cell is a type of ammunition in Fallout: New Vegas.
Gameplay
Energy Cells are small, self-contained energy storage units often associated with one-handed energy weapons and act essentially as a very powerful battery or capacitor. They are the standard ammunition used by the majority of pistol-sized energy weapons, and as such are widely available across the Mojave Wasteland.
Production
Recycling
After firing, there is a chance that spent Energy Cells will turn into Drained Small Energy Cells. These are automatically placed in the player character's inventory. Drained Energy Cells can then be recycled back into usable ammunition at a Workbench.
| Materials: | Requirements: | Produces: | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Build/Scrapped at: Skill Level: Science: 10 | | Energy Cell (1) |
| Materials: | Requirements: | Produces: | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Build/Scrapped at: Skill Level: Science: 35 (actually requires 70)¹ Perk (Rank): | | Energy Cell (1) |
With the Honest Hearts add-on, Drained Small Energy Cells can also be recharged using a Fission Battery.
| Materials: | Requirements: | Produces: | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Fission Battery (1) | | Build/Scrapped at: Skill Level: Science: 45 | | Energy Cell (25) |
¹ Due to the Vigilant Recycler perk having Science 70 as a prerequisite, efficient recycling can not be made at the skill level set.
Conversion
Conversion (type)
Energy Cells can be converted into, and from, other energy weapon ammunition types (i.e. Electron Charge Packs and Microfusion Cells at a workbench, with the appropriate Science (Fallout: New Vegas) skill.
| Materials: | Requirements: | Produces: | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Build/Scrapped at: Skill Level: Science: 50 | | Energy Cell (1) |
| Materials: | Requirements: | Produces: | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Microfusion Cell (2) | | Build/Scrapped at: Skill Level: Science: 30 | | Energy Cell (3) |
Conversion (variant)
The player character can also combine partially charged cells together to make more powerful variants that improve damage and bypass more enemy DT but will burn out the weapon's components faster.
| Materials: | Requirements: | Produces: | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Energy Cell (3) | | Build/Scrapped at: Skill Level: Science: 30 | |
| Materials: | Requirements: | Produces: | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Energy Cell (5) | | Build/Scrapped at: Skill Level: Science: 70 | |
| Materials: | Requirements: | Produces: | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Energy Cell (3) | | Build/Scrapped at: Skill Level: Science: 40 (actually requires 70)¹ Perk (Rank): | |
¹ Due to the Vigilant Recycler perk having Science 70 as a prerequisite, none of the Optimized recipes can be made at the skill level set.
Weapons using this ammunition
Compliance Regulator- Laser Pistol
Laser Pistol (GRA)- Missing Laser Pistol
- Pew Pew
- Plasma Defender
- Plasma Defender (GRA)
- Plasma Pistol
- Plasma Pistol (GRA)
- Pulse Gun
Sonic Emitter- Sonic Emitter - Gabriel's Bark
- Sonic Emitter - Opera Singer
- Sonic Emitter - Revelation
- Sonic Emitter - Robo-Scorpion
- Sonic Emitter - Tarantula
Variants
Energy Cell, Bulk
Bulk Energy Cells are less potent than the standard version but are cheaper to purchase. The reduced charge results in only 85% of normal weapon damage and no Damage Threshold negation (standard Energy Cells negate 2 points), but also reduces the strain on the weapon as well, reducing weapon degradation rate to 85% of normal. The Bulk design also means a significantly reduced chance of recovering a Drained Small Energy Cell (only 20% compared to the standard 35%).
Energy Cell, Over Charge
This ammunition is more powerful than standard Energy Cells. It increases the damage output of weapons by 25% and has a -5 Damage Threshold effect on enemies (standard Energy Cells give -2 to DT), but degrades weapons 50% faster than normal and only has a 25% chance to recover a Drained Small Energy Cell (the normal recovery rate is 35%).
Energy Cell, Max Charge
This is the most powerful of the Energy Cell variants. Max Charge Energy Cells increase weapon damage output to 1.5 times normal and have an armor-piercing effect of -10 Damage Threshold, but causes weapons to degrade at 2.5 times the normal rate and Drained Small Energy Cells can only be recovered 10% of the time.
Energy Cell, Optimized
Added in the Gun Runners' Arsenal add-on, the Optimized Energy Cell causes 30% more damage, has an armor-piercing effect of -5 Damage Threshold and weighs only 60% of the weight of all other Energy Cells in Hardcore Mode. A Drained Small Energy Cell can be recovered at a higher rate than even standard ammunition (40%, up 5% from standard). The only drawback is a 10% increase in weapon degradation. It requires Vigilant Recycler and can only be crafted at a workbench. This type of Energy Cell is superior in all properties compared to Over Charged Energy Cells.
Energy Cell (Robot)
A variant used by NPCs such as Turrets.
Energy Cell (Turret)
A variant used by the Turrets in the Hidden Valley Bunker.
Energy Cell (Hologram) 
A variant used by the Hologram Beam NPC weapon.
Comparison
| Modifiers and Effects | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Type  | Weapon Damage  | Target Damage Threshold  | Weapon Condition  | Weapon Spread  | Bonus Effects  | Craftable  | Empty Casing % |
| Energy Cell, Standard | x 1 | - 2 | x 1 | x 1 |  | 35% chance | |
| Energy Cell, Bulk | x 0.85 | x 1 | x 0.85 | x 1 |  | 20% chance | |
| Energy Cell, Over Charge | x 1.25 | - 5 | x 1.5 | x 1 | | 25% chance | |
| Energy Cell, Optimized | x 1.3 | - 5 | x 1.1 | x 1 | 60% of standard weight | | 40% chance |
| Energy Cell, Max Charge | x 1.5 | - 10 | x 2.5 | x 1 | | 10% chance | |
Locations
General Loot
- When killed, Mister Gutsies and Protectrons will have small amounts on them.
- 200 Energy Cells are in the underwater section of the Magnetohydraulics Complex.
Containers
- SEC Ammo Box
- Two can be found in the Vault 11 living quarters.
- One can be found in the Casa Madrid Apartments.
- Two can be found inside the X-13 Research Facility, in the stealth testing labs.
- Four can be found in the X-42 Robo-Warfare Facility.
- SEC Ammo Box (Tier 1)
- One can be found in Victor's Shack.
- One can be found in Jean Sky Diving.
- One can be found in a caravan near Jean Sky Diving.
- SEC Enclave Crate
- One found on the first level of the Hidden Valley Bunker.
- One found inside the Silver Rush.
Other
- Hidden Valley Bunker - If the Courier gains Accepted status or higher with the Brotherhood of Steel, they will be approached by a BoS initiate telling them that they have placed recycled ammunition in a box at the bottom of the entrance stairs to the L1 area. The box will be replenished randomly with Energy Cells, Microfusion Cells, and Electron Charge Packs, providing a continuous supply of energy weapons ammunition.
- Extremely large numbers can be found in one of the boxes that appears during Caesar's Favor and Caesar's Hire (sometimes over 1800 can be found). The box that holds the cells only appears once reaching Idolized reputation with Caesar's Legion.
- Muggy can provide 50 a day once given the "Parts Production" upgrade.
- Once the Sonic Emitter has been upgraded, Doctor 8 will give 100 regular, Over Charge, and Max Charge Energy Cells.
ED-E can provide 20 Energy Cells a day after reaching rank 2 of the Camarader-E perk. This can be increased to 35 Energy Cells a day after passing a Repair 65 check through dialogue with him.
Notes
Despite their name, Energy Cells are abbreviated as "SEC" (Small Energy Cell) at workbenches. Additionally, the Drained Cell sometimes left behind and the Bulk ammunition box also adopts this trait, being called "Drained Small Energy Cell" and "Ammo Box, Small Energy Cell, Bulk" respectively.
Behind the scenes
Displacer Gloves and Zap Gloves have a visible Energy Cell inserted into the back of the gauntlet which presumably are the weapons' power sources, though no Energy Cells are required or consumed when using the weapons. This was intended to be a requirement but wasn't supported by the game's engine and wasn't implemented in time for release. This was mentioned by Joshua Sawyer in a Formspring post in relation to the Ballistic Fist.[Dev 1]
References
- ↑ Question: "Did you ever intend for the Ballistic Fist in Fallout: New Vegas to use shotgun shells as ammo?"
Joshua Sawyer: "I intended for several of the Unarmed weapons to use ammo, but we encountered some problems with implementing it. I would have liked to continue with it because I think ammo use/reloading could have helped distinguish those weapons in more interesting ways."
(Joshua Sawyer on Formspring (Archived)
Fallout: New Vegas Ammunition
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