Fallout 76 Update Making Perk Card Changes

Key Takeaways

• Fallout 76’s Gleaming Depths update brings significant changes to popular and underperforming Perk Cards.
• Bethesda aims to boost underperforming cards’ interest and ease of use by altering ranks and effects.
• Mixed reactions online show concern over certain changes but hope for perks like Cap Collector to improve.

Bethesda announced that the next update to Fallout 76 will bring with it a number of “substantial” changes to various in-game Perk Cards. The update, titled “The Gleaming Depths,” will launch in December 2024 alongside Fallout 76 Season 19.

Despite negative reviews that criticized Fallout 76 for its attempt to pivot the beloved franchise in the direction of persistent online live service play, the game survived its rough launch. In the years since, numerous updates and feature additions, from interactable NPCs to improvements to the in-game events, have cultivated a dedicated audience that loves building characters, assembling camps, and earning loot in the post-apocalyptic Appalachian wilderness.

Based on a reveal from developer Bethesda, the upcoming Gleaming Depths update might shake things up for a few players by bringing significant balance-related changes to some popular and not-so-popular Fallout 76 Perk Cards. In Fallout 76, Perk Cards substitute for the skills and perks that defined Fallout 4‘s gameplay, injecting a sense of randomness to character progression (since the cards are acquired from packs rather than simply selected after leveling up) and allow players to build powerful character setups specialized in different tasks.

Fallout 76 Perk Card Changes Improve Both Popular and Underperforming Cards

According to Bethesda’s post, the goal behind the changes to the Fallout 76 Perk Cards is to boost “underperforming” cards and make them “more interesting” and easier to add to a player’s build. Some of the Perk Cards that will change include Perks like Adamantium Skeleton, Bullet Shield, Evasive, Cap Collector, and more. The majority of changed cards will have fewer Fallout 76 Perk Card ranks needed, making them easier to simply slot into a character build without having to worry about upgrading them to receive their best effects. Other planned changes include alterations to the card effects, including which stats they scale with. For example, Adamantium Skeleton will become a 1-rank Perk Card, and its new effect reduces damage taken to limbs, scaling with a player’s Endurance. Meanwhile, the Batteries Included Perk Card will its ranks reduced, allowing players to gain a more dramatic amount of weight reduction for energy weapon ammo.

Online reactions to the changes were mixed. One player complained that changes to the Lone Wanderer perk make it “useless” for their existing solo builds, as its effect now scales based on Charisma. Others were hopeful about the changes. One user remarked that Cap Collector, which was once regarded as one of the worst perks in Fallout 76, might become easier to slot in thanks to needing fewer ranks, having an expanded scope of effect, and scaling the cap rewards with Luck.

Fallout 76 The Gleaming Depths Perk Card Changes

Adamantium Skeleton

• Ranks reduced from 3 to 1
• New effect: Limb Damage Reduction effect now scales with Endurance

All Night Long

• Ranks reduced from 3 to 1
• Rank 1 Perk Point cost increased from 1 to 2
• New effect: The positive effects of pre-war alcohol last twice as long

Batteries Included

• Ranks reduced from 3 to 2
• Rank 1 now offers 45% weight reduction
• Rank 2 now offers 90% weight reduction

Bloodsucker

• Ranks reduced from 3 to 1
• Moved from Charisma to Endurance
• Rank 1 gains the effects of the former Rank 3 effect
• Healing bonus increased from 150% to 200%
• Additional effect: Benefits now also apply to Cannibal

Bullet Shield

• Moved from Strength to Endurance
• Added a 4th rank.
• New effect: 5% chance per rank to Deflect ranged attacks for 6 seconds when firing a heavy weapon.

Cannibal

• Ranks reduced from 3 to 1
• Increased the healing received and hunger restored at Rank 1

Cap Collector

• Ranks reduced from 3 to 1
• Now applies to containers and corpses, not just Cap Stashes
• New effect: The amount of Caps found scales with Luck

Evasive

• Ranks reduced from 3 to 1
• New effect: Now increases Evade Chance based on Agility

First Aid

• Ranks reduced from 3 to 1
• Now affects Stimpak Diffuser
• New effect: Stimpak healing scales with Intelligence

Four Leaf Clover

• Ranks reduced from 3 to 1
• New effect: Misses in VATS contribute to the Critical Meter based on Luck

Hard Bargain

• Ranks reduced from 3 to 1
• Rank 1 now grants +7 Charisma while bartering with NPCs

Iron Stomach

• Now also increases Energy Resistance

Junk Shield

• Ranks reduced from 3 to 1
• Now works while in Power Armor
• Additional effect: Now also scales with Luck

Lifegiver

• Ranks reduced from 3 to 1
• New effect: Improves HP gained from Endurance

Lone Wanderer

• Ranks reduced from 3 to 1
• New effect: AP Regen and defense bonus based on Charisma

Natural Resistance

• No longer increases Energy Resistance

Night Eyes

• Removed requirement for the time of day

Ordnance Express

• Ranks reduced from 3 to 2
• Rank 1 now offers 45% weight reduction
• Rank 2 now offers 90% weight reduction

Pharmacist

• Ranks reduced from 3 to 1
• New effect: Radiation healing scales with Intelligence
• No longer required to craft Disease Cures or Water Filters

Professional Drinker

• Ranks reduced from 3 to 2

Ricochet

• Ranks reduced from 3 to 1
• New effect: Now increases Deflect chance based on Luck. Deflect grants a chance to reflect 100% of the damage of ranged attacks back to the attacker and reduces the damage you take from the attack by 50%. Deflect chance receives a bonus while wearing Heavy Armor or Power Armor (+50% multiplier). While in Power Armor, the amount of damage reflected is doubled (200%).

Serendipity

• Ranks reduced from 3 to 1
• New effect: Now increases Evade Chance while under 30% life, based on Luck. Evade provides a chance to avoid all incoming damage from direct attacks. Evade can happen once every second and the cooldown is now increased by armor. Please note, Evade cannot happen when over encumbered or while in Power Armor.
• Armor increases Evade cooldown at the following rates:
  • Light Armor: +0.1 second per piece
  • Medium Armor: +0.2 seconds per piece
  • Heavy Armor: +0.4 seconds per piece

Starched Genes

• Ranks reduced from 2 to 1
• Moved from Luck to Endurance
• Rank 1 now provides the benefits of the former Rank 2

Thru-Hiker

• Ranks reduced from 3 to 2
• Moved from Agility to Endurance
• Rank 1 now offers 45% weight reduction
• Rank 2 now offers 90% weight reduction