Fallout 76 Builds: build suggestions to get started and how to build the best character
As discussed in our Perk Guide for Fallout 76, you have to be deliberate about what you choose to slot your points into on level up when it comes to S.P.E.C.I.A.L stats. Since you only get points up to level 50, and each caps at 15, you wont be able to simply max out everything by leveling up enough times. Since the perks that you get on level up also line up with these stats, that means making sure not to waste points on abilities you don't actually need. At Level 50, you'll have had 56 points to spread among the seven stats.
Some planning ahead never hurt anybody, and after a dozen B.E.T.A hours, its become easier to see which abilities are more useful than others, even though that does also depend on playstyle. We've got a handful of possible builds listed here to highlight some of the possible directions to go with your level up selections.
Check out our Camp Guide if you're looking for some basic survival tips. For those looking to plan their builds ahead of time, take a look at our guide on Perks. You'll also need plenty of materials to craft the best weapons, and we've got a guide on key material locations, too.
Fallout 76 Builds: our best build suggestions for the best character
With each build shown here, it's important to know the S.P.E.C.I.A.L points necessary to equip the perk cards shown. So we make sure to give those to you at the top of each listed build.
Also important to note that since perk cards can be swapped out on the fly, some of these builds might min-max to the point where you are expected to not slot in situational abilities like Picklock and Hacker, but will have enough points in Perception and Intelligence respectively to have those abilities when you need them. Some builds might opt for convenience and keep them equipped regularly.
Fallout 76 - Melee DPS Build
There's a lot of reasons to focus on a melee build. You'll never have to worry about gathering or crafting ammo, for one thing, nor will you have to worry about switching ammo types if you decide to swap to a different weapon down the road. Just focus on some traits to increase damage like Gladiator (or Slugger, for two-handed types), along with some traits to make Power Armor even more useful. Power Armor increases your Strength, so it matches well melee. If you don't want to use Power Armor, you can swap out for similar perks like Ironclad (Endurance) and Barbarian (Strength). Lone Wanderer and Action Boy are some of the best general traits for a solo player, and should be heavily considered regardless of your build.
One common thing to remember also is to grab 1 level of each Gladiator, Expert Gladiator, and Master Gladiator gives you a slightly better return than putting 3 points into any one option (3x 10% rather than 1x 20%).
- Strength - 12
- Gladiator (I)
- Blocker (III)
- Incisor (III)
- Expert Gladiator (I)
- Master Gladiator (I)
- Martial Artist (III)
- Perception - 4
- Refractor (IV)
- Endurance - 3
- Adamantium Skeleton (III)
- Charisma - 9
- Lone Wanderer (III)
- Suppressor (III)
- Field Surgeon
- Intelligence - 9
- First Aid (III)
- Power User (III)
- Portable Power (III)
- Agility - 13
- Marathoner (III)
- Dodgy (II)
- Adrenaline (V)
- Action Boy/Girl (III)
- Luck - 6
- Serendipity (III)
- Ricochet (III)
Fallout 76 - Sniper Build
This is the opposite of above, focusing on dealing as much damage, and ideally from as far away as possible. We're stacking several rifle buffing perks like Tank Killer and the three Rifleman options. Action Boy and Lone Wanderer make their returns, as well as abilities to improve crits as well as Mysterious Stranger to improve the power of VATS. We've also got Covert Operative and Sneak to help you stay out of sight.
- Strength - 1
- Pack Rat (I)
- Perception - 14
- Concentrated Fire (III)
- Sniper (II)
- Rifleman (I)
- Expert Rifleman (I)
- Master Rifleman (I)
- Tank Killer (III)
- Long Shot (III)
- Endurance - 1
- Aquaboy/Aquagirl
- Charisma - 4
- Lone Wanderer (III)
- Intelligence - 6
- Gunsmith (V)
- Scrapper
- Agility - 15
- Gun Fu (III)
- Mister Sandman (III)
- Action Boy/Girl (III)
- Covert Operative (III)
- Sneak (III)
- Luck - 15
- Mysterious Stranger (III)
- Grim Reaper's Sprint (III)
- Psychopath (III)
- Tormentor (III)
- Critical Savvy (III)
Fallout 76 - Support Build
For those planning on playing with their friends for the majority of their time in Fallout 76, you don't have to focus on pure damage, and instead can anchor your team in a more support-style role. This role obviously focuses a lot in the Charisma stat, and can obviously use their high Charisma to share their perks as well. You'll have lots of healing focused traits like Dry Nurse and Team Medic. You'll also be able to craft lots of ammo for your friends and hold onto to excess gear with Ammosmith and Strong Back / Pack Rat. Lastly, Rad Sponge and Anti-Epidemic will help keep you're team out with rads and diseases.
- Strength - 7
- Pack Rat (III)
- Strong Back (IV)
- Perception - 5
- Picklock
- Expert Picklock
- Master Picklock
- Pannapictagraphist
- Fortune Finder
- Endurance - 4
- Aquaboy/Aquagirl
- Lifegiver (III)
- Charisma - 15
- Philanthropist (III)
- Team Medic (III)
- Friendly Fire
- Field Surgeon
- Rad Sponge (III)
- Anti-Epidemic (II)
- Healing Hands
- Intelligence - 7
- First Aid (III)
- Hacker
- Expert Hacker
- Master Hacker
- Scrapper
- Agility - 9
- Home Defense (III)
- Ammosmith (II)
- Escape Artist
- Sneak (III)
- Luck - 9
- Scrounger (III)
- Cap Collector (III)
- Dry Nurse
Fallout 76 - General Solo Build
This build is focused less on pure damage and more on being a generalist toolset to equip and require the least specialized equipment set, and holds onto generally useful perks like locksmith and aquabreathing, along with incoming damage reduction. We've got the three shotgun traits like Shotgunner and Skeet Shooter here based on preference, but you could replace these with a trait like Gladiator or Tank Killer if you use a different weapon, or not trait into a weapon choice at all and generalize even further. Of course, this build sits on all the necessary Picklock and Hacker perks you'll ever need.
- Strength - 11
- Sturdy Frame (II)
- Shotgunner
- Expert Shotgunner
- Master Shotgunner
- Barbarian (III)
- Scattershot (III)
- Perception - 10
- Picklock
- Expert Picklock
- Master Picklock
- Refractor (IV)
- Skeet Shooter (III)
- Endurance - 9
- All Night Long (III)
- Aquaboy/Aquagirl
- Ironclad (V)
- Charisma - 6
- Lone Wanderer (III)
- Field Surgeon
- Intelligence - 9
- Hacker
- Expert Hacker
- Master Hacker
- Gunsmith (V)
- Scrapper
- Agility - 5
- Action Boy/Girl (III)
- Ammosmith (II)
- Luck - 6
- Luck of the Draw (III)
- Ricochet (III)
Fallout 76 - Heavy Gunner Build
For those that want to do as much damage as possible, of course you're going to want the biggest guns, and Power Armor to boot. Stabilized is the backbone of this build, greatly improving Heavy Guns while in Power Armor. We've got all the possible Heavy Gunner perks stacked, along with damage boosts from Tenderizer and Bloody Mess. We've got Blocker, Bullet Shield, and First Aid to account for not being very mobile while using heavy guns -- you're going to take a few hits. One rank of Adrenaline is another good damage boost, and the improvements after one level we don't feel are worth the extra points.
Note that many of the perk cards used in this build have a high level requirement, so consider it more of an endgame suggestion rather than something you'd use within the first several hours.
- Strength - 15
- Blocker (III)
- Bullet Shield (III)
- Heavy Gunner (III)
- Expert heavy Gunner (III)
- Master Heavy Gunner (III)
- Perception - 1
- Fortune Finder
- Endurance - 2
- Rejuvenated (II)
- Charisma - 10
- Lone Wanderer (III)
- Suppressor (III)
- Tenderizer (III)
- Intelligence - 15
- Stabilized (III)
- Portable Power (III)
- Power Patcher (III)
- Power User (III)
- First Aid (III)
- Agility - 4
- Action Boy/Girl (III)
- Adrenaline (I)
- Luck - 9
- Luck of the Draw (III)
- One Gun Army (III)
- Bloody Mess (III)