In Fallout 76, Power Armor (referred to as PA) is an armored exoskeleton designed to shield the user from radiation and ballistic damage. The origins of Power Armor trace back to 2065 when the US military directed its technology units to construct one-person platforms capable of bearing heavy weaponry.
Following the Great War, Power Armor sets grew even more valuable, esteemed as rare military assets capable of aiding wearers in survival and facilitating active factions in reclaiming territory or combating mutants. Despite their widespread appeal, though, Power Armor sets remained elusive suits accessible to only a select few Appalachians. This guide is for players who want to find Power Armor for the first time or add more to their collection. It lists all the PAs in the game and gives quick tips on how to get them.
Updated May 13, 2024, by Mohsen Baqery: As more players are joining Fallout 76 servers, we've enhanced this piece to provide additional details on acquiring Power Armor sets. Specifically, we've included a new section dedicated to free Power Armors that newcomers can acquire without crafting or purchasing plans. Additionally, we've incorporated a comprehensive table listing all PAs’ locations along with brief descriptions on how to obtain them.
Fallout 76: The Best Power Armor
Players can find out which of the Power Armor sets in Fallout 76 is the best in terms of utility, resistance, and modification.
List of All Power Armors
Considering all the original and added ones, Fallout 76 has eleven Power Armors.
- Raider
- Excavator
- X-01
- T-45
- T-51b
- T-60
- T-65
- Ultracite
- Strangler Heart
- Hellcat
- Union
How to Get a Full Set of Power Armor for Free
Fallout 76 features three prefabricated sets of Power Armor: T-45, T-51b, and T-60. These free chassis can be found in the Watoga area, situated southeast of Appalachia. To acquire a complimentary set of T-45, explore the Watoga Municipal Center. For the T-51b Power Armor, search the environs of Central Watoga. To obtain T-60, venture into the southern regions of Watoga.
If the Power Armor chassis in these areas are empty, consider server hopping. This strategy enhances the chances of getting a complete set before other players claim it.
In addition to the three complimentary Fallout 76 Power Armor sets, the game has three quest-exclusive PAs (Raider, Excavator, and Ultracite) that players are assured of receiving upon completing specific missions. Upon finishing the Key to the Past quest, players obtain a set of Raider PA. After successfully concluding the Miner Miracles quest, they acquire the Excavator PA. Finally, by completing the Brotherhood of Steel questline, players unlock a complete set of Ultracite Power Armor.
How to Get All Power Armors in Fallout 76
While some PAs are obtained by completing quest lines, others are scarce items only available at specific merchant sites or traded for unique currencies like Gold Bullion. With that in mind, here’s how to get every Power Armor in Fallout 76.
|
Power Armor |
Location |
How to Get |
|---|---|---|
|
Raider |
Top of the World |
Complete the Key to the Past quest |
|
Excavator (EXC-17) |
Garrahan Mining Corporation |
Complete the Miner Miracles quest |
|
X-01 |
Whitespring Bunker |
|
|
T-45 |
Watoga Municipal Center, Vertibird crash site, Emergency Service rooftop, or High School rooftop. |
Loot the PA chassis in the Watoga area |
|
T-51b |
Central Watoga |
Loot the PA chassis in the area |
|
T-60 |
Southern Watoga |
Loot the PA chassis in the area |
|
Ultracite |
Abbie’s Bunker |
Complete the Brotherhood of Steel quest line |
|
T-65 |
Vault 79 |
Purchase its plans from Regs (6,900 Gold Bullion) |
|
Hellcat |
Vault 79 |
Buy from Regs or complete the Steel Reign quest |
|
Union |
Whitespring Resort |
Purchase the plans from Giuseppe Della Ripa |
Raider
As the only Power Armor available to players level 15 to 24, the Raider is an excellent choice for beginners. At max, it offers 341 resistance against all damage types, enough to get through the initial missions.
To get the Raider Power Armor, the player must either finish the Key to the Past quest at the Top of the World, find it through Random Encounters, or loot its parts at PA spawn locations.
Excavator
Also known as the EXC-17, the Excavator Power Armor has 400 Radiation resistance, 286 Physical damage reduction, and 260 Electrical damage decrease. But what makes it unique is its Mineral Ore perk: Minerals excavated with this PA quadruple.
To get the Excavator Power Armor, the player must retrieve its plans from the Garrahan Mining Corporation. For that, they could either complete the Miner Miracles quest or interact with the terminal at the corporation’s basement.
X-01
The X-01 Power Armor offers 398 Physical Damage resistance and 453 Radiation and Electrical Damage protection. It is a prototype PA that the surviving US military members created. But despite its flaws, X-01 is one of the best mid-tier PAs in Fallout 76.
To get the X-01 Power Armor, the player must join the Enclave and rank up to General. Only then can they download this PA’s plans from the Archival Terminal at the Whitespring Bunker.
T-45
Although the weakest model among other T-Series Power Armors, T-45 is a reliable choice for mining, exploring, and fighting. The PA gives the wearer 360 protection against all damage types, which is better than most low-tier suits.
To get the T-45 Power Armor, the player will need to either hunt treasure maps, loot PA part spawn locations, or server-hop and look for a complete chassis in Watoga Municipal Center, Vertibird crash site, Emergency Service rooftop, or High School rooftop.
T-51b
As one of the earliest PA models, the T-51b is not the strongest. At max, it has 454 Physical and Electrical resistance and 305 Radiation reduction. But thanks to its viability and low maintenance cost, the T-51b is considered one of the best low-tier Power Armors in Fallout 76.
To get T-51b, the player will need to server-hop and search central Watoga for a full chassis. But it’s also possible to get this PA’s plans in treasure maps.
T-60
As a U.S. Army infantry suit, T-60 is a rad-resistant Power Armor. It comes with a 415 Radiation resistance as well as 400 Physical Damage reduction and 370 Electrical Damage protection.
To get the T-60 Power Armor, the player will need to loot Level-3 containers or look for its premade chassis in southern parts of Watoga.
T-65
The T-65 Power Armor is the strongest among all T-Series models. It comes with a whopping 565 Physical resistance along with 470 Radiation and Electrical protection.
To get the T-65 Power Armor, the player will first need to unlock Vault 76 by beating the main quest line. Then they can purchase this PA’s plans from Regs for 6,900 Gold Bullion.
Ultracite
Famous for its anti-Scorch qualities, the Ultracite Power Armor was developed by the Brotherhood of Steel as a response to the Scorchbeast threats. At level 50, the PA gives 453 Physical protection and 393 Electrical and Radiation resistance.
To get the Ultracite Power Armor, the player must complete the Brotherhood of Steel quest line. (A premade chassis and a package of all Ultracite plans are rewarded to them upon beating this mission.)
Strangler Heart
Known as the most unique-looking PA in Fallout 76, the Strangler Heart is the most resilient suit against Radiation. Thanks to its modification with the Strangler Heart plant, this Power Armor comes with a whopping 500 Radiation resistance along with 453 Physical and 393 Electrical protection.
To get the Strangler Heart Power Armor, the player will need to purchase its plans for 6,900 Gold Bullion from Regs or Minerva.
Hellcat
Created by the Hellcat company, the Hellcat Power Armor specializes in ballistic damage protection. While all PAs have 42% resistance against this type of damage, the Hellcat has an extra 12% ballistic protection, making it the best option for PvP battles.
To get the Hellcat Power Armor, the player will need to either complete the Steel Reign quest line or buy its plans from Regs in Vault 79.
Union
Manufactured by the Pittsburgh Union in the Pitt, the Union Power Armor is a multipurpose suit with average protection and Carry Weight. At level 50, it offers 458 Physical resistance, 295 Electrical protection, and 265 Radiation reduction.
To get the Union Power Armor, the player will need to buy its plans for 4,800 Stamps from Giuseppe Della Ripa at the Whitespring resort.
What Is the Best Power Armor in Fallout 76
Power-wise, the T-65 is the strongest Power Armor in Fallout 76. But the Hellcat is a better option because (1) it’s free, and (2) it comes with an extra 12% ballistic damage resistance on top of the base 42%.
How to Steal a Power Armor Set
Fallout 76 prohibits players from stealing each other's Power Armor sets. The only scenario in which a player can obtain another's PA is if the owner willingly drops the item, effectively disowning it. As long as the owner retains possession of the suit, it remains secure.
