The 70+ ‘Fallout 76’ Perk Cards You’ll Build Your Character With

Adam Mathew
Games Fallout
Games Fallout Xbox PlayStation PC Gaming

Ever since we visited The Greenbrier to play Fallout 76, we became hooked on Perk Cards (also, we were haunted by a ghost). What are these fandangle cards? Imagine if you will a cross between a usual unlockable perk in an RPG and a booster pack of Pokemon Cards. Upon levelling up you’ll be handed a five-card pack o’ randomised perks, plus you’ll get some gum and a crummy joke, too. Very soon after you unwrap your first pack, addiction will set in…

Typically, when you rip open a packet you can only pick one perk to make your own. That said, you’ll get handed a free wildcard perk at levels 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and every five levels after that point. Some weird things are going to come your way, and we’re here to give you an idea of which of the “hundreds” of Perk Cards (according to Bethesda) those things might be.

Eagle-eyed fans — us included — have been digging through the smorgasbord of Perk Cards found by players online, gathering precious new info. Here are the ones that stuck out to us for smart character builds…

Fallout 76 character attributes strength perception endurance
Your mum was right. You're S.P.E.C.I.A.L.

Strength Build

Get some stranth! Basically, Strength is a measure of your raw physical power. It affects how much you can carry and the damage output of any attitude-adjusters (read: melee weapons) you swing.

BANDOLIER: Weight of ballistic ammunition is 90% less.

BATTERIES INCLUDED: Weight of energy weapon ammo is 30% less.

BEAR ARMS: Weight of heavy guns is 40% less.

BULLET SHIELD: If you’re firing a gun you’ll receive +5% damage resistance.

EXPERT HEAVY GUNNER: +10 damage boost with non-explosive heavy guns.

EXPERT SLUGGER: Two-handed melee does +10% damage.

GLADIATOR: +20% damage bonus with One-handed melee weapons.

IRONFIST: Mutate into a disappointing Netflix Marvel series. (No, just +20% punch damage.)

PACK RAT: Junk weight reduced by 25% for filthy hoarders like you.

STURDY FRAME: Armor weighs 25% less than normal.

SLUGGER: +10% damage when using two-handed attitude-adjusters.

THRU-HIKER: Weight of food and drink is reduced by 30%.

TRAVELING PHARMACY: Weight of all chemicals reduced by 20%

Vaulters leaving the vault in Fallout 76
Be the ninja. You know you want to.

Perception Build

Perception affects your awareness of nearby enemies, your ability to detect stealthy movement, and your weapon accuracy in V.A.T.S. (aka the aimbot function that is incredibly OP right now).

BUTCHER’S BOUNTY: Search a corpse, get 40% more meat.

CONCENTRATED FIRE: Limb targeting with V.A.T.S.. Bonus accuracy and damage.

GREEN THUMB: 25% chance to loot twice as much flora.

NIGHT PERSON: Between 6 PM and 6 AM you get +1 INT and +1 PER.

PANNAPICTAGRAPHIST: Hear and audio cue when near magazine.

PERCEPTI-BOBBLE: Hear an audio cue when in range of a bobblehead.

PICKLOCK: Gain +1 lockpicking skill and the “sweet spot” is 10% larger.

REFRACTOR: Energy Resistance is +5

SNIPER: Longer breath control when aiming down scopes.

An old amusement park in the distance
Rolling in some power armour. Oh yeahhhh.

Endurance Build

Endurance is a measure of your overall physical fitness. If you’re not the slovenly type you’ll get higher total Health, greater resistance to disease, and less Action Point drain whenever you need to leg it.

AQUABOY: Ability to breathe underwater and not cop rads.

DROMEDARY: Drinks quench thirst +15%.

GOOD DOGGY: Munching down dog food is thrice as beneficial to you.

IRON STOMACH: Food found anywhere is 30% less disease ridden. Yum!

LEAD BELLY: Rads from food and drink are dropped by 30%.

PROFESSIONAL DRINKER: Chug booze, don’t get addicted

REVENANT: For 2 minutes after being revived you’ll do +25% damage.

SLOW METABOLIZER: Food satisfies hunger +15%.

THIRST QUENCHER: Drink whatever you want. Disease chance is down by 30%.

VACCINATED: Creature disease chance reduced by 60%

Charisma Build

Charisma is your ability to lead and help your teammates. Prices will be cheaper when you talk to merchants. Folks who are S.O.C.I.A.L. (not an actual acronym) can share higher point perk cards with their group.

BLOODSUCKER: You can heal 50% more from munging on some blood.

BODYGUARDS: Gain +8 damage resist for your pals (no bonus for you).

HAPPY CAMPER: While in camp or at a public workshop your hunger is 40% slower.

HAPPY-GO-LUCKY: When drunk you get +2 Luck.

HARD BARGAIN: Vendors give you mates rates.

INSPIRATIONAL: Gain 5% more XP while in a team.

LONE WANDERER: When being a loner you do get +10% AP regen.

PARTY BOY: Effects of alcohol are doubled. Awesome.

PHILANTHROPIST: When you eat or drink something you sate the team as well.

QUACK SURGEON: Hand a downed teammate booze to revive them.

SPIRITUAL HEALER: Reviving a buddy lets you regen health for a few seconds too.

SQUAD MANEUVER: In a team you’ll sprint 10% quicker.

STRANGE IN NUMBERS: The best facets of your mutation will be +25% stronger in a mutated team

TEAM MEDIC: Your Stimpacks will heal buddies by 50%.

Intelligence Build

This done measures how good yer thinkin’ machine is. In more practical terms it governs terminal hacking proficiency, the quality of items you craft, and how much scrap you can yield from junked items.

CONTRACTOR: Crafted workshop stuff costs 25% fewer resources.

EXOTIC WEAPONS: Allows you to craft exotic weapon mods.

FIRST AID: Stimpacks are 10% more effective when used.

GREASE MONKEY: Repair cost to Workshop items is 30% less.

LICENSED PLUMBER: Pipe weapons break 30% less often. Cheap to repair, too.

MAKESHIFT WARRIOR: Melee weapons are 30% less likely to brea on you.

MASTER HACKER: Gain +1 hacking skill, lockout reduced.

SCIENCE: Energy guns are now yours to create.

Agility Build

Reflexes and finesse, essentially. The more agile vault dweller receives a high number of Action Points in V.A.T.S. and can sneak like a greased up ninja.

BORN SURVIVOR: Auto mainline a stimpack if your health drops below 20%

DEAD MAN RUNNING: When your health is below 40% you sprint 10% faster.

DODGY: You can avoid 10% of each enemy attack by spending 20 AP

GOAT LEGS: Fall damage is reduced by 80%.

GUN RUNNER: When packing a pistole you’ll run 10% faster

GUNSLINGER: Pistols do +10% damage. Because you shoot with your heart, not your hand.

MARATHONER: Sprinting costs 20% less AP.

MOVING TARGET: While sprinting you do +15 Damage and resist Energy Damage too.

Luck Build

If you’re lucky you’ll get crit hits aplenty in any fight. Also, it will affect the durability and condition of items that you find. Basically, everything’s comin’ up Milhouse for you.

CAN DO!: When searching any box there’s a 50% chance to find a canned item.

LUCK OF THE DRAW: Landing a shot will come with a 10% chance to repair your weapon.

MYSTERY MEAT: Stimpacks create a ton of meat to eat.

MYSTERIOUS STRANGER: When using V.A.T.S the chance of The Mysterious Stranger appearing increases considerably.

PHARMA FARMER: While searching for junk there’s a 50% chance you’ll find chems.

SERENDIPITY: You get a 15% chance to avoid damage when you’re below 30% health.

SCROUNGER: +50% chance to find extra ammo.

STARCHED GENES: Stops the mutation mechanic dead in its tracks.

Adam Mathew
I've seen and played it all – from Pong on a black-and-white CRT to the 4K visuals and VR gloriousness of today. My only regret after a decade of writing and 30+ years of gaming: hitchhiking's no longer an option. My thumbs are nubs now.