I guess you can call the power armor a Fallout’s mascot (after the VaultBoy of course). When you Google Fallout you will find posters, wallpapers with the guy in giant armor, that’s power armor. And in Fallout 4 you can also get yourself one of those bad boys without exception. On the other hand, managing and taking care of it can be a hustle. So I present you a Fallout 4 power armor guide!
Types of Power Armor
There are a few sets of power armor in Fallout 4. You can mix parts from different models if you don’t have all of the same ones. We will not go through the locations or specs of those power armors, just the basics that you need to know.
On your adventure, you may stumble on different parts or the full sets of armor. You can take parts from the dead armor pilots but you can’t take the armor off and pilot it. You may also find vacant armor that you can add to your collection. The rarity of those depends on your level so don’t kick off running in the very beginning trying to find the best suit.
The game gives you your first armor very early on, and you can start switching parts right away. To make it simpler, here’s how it works: the base of the armor is the frame, on the frame you can switch the helmet, torso, arms, and legs.
Acquiring First Power Armor
To get your first power armor just follow the main questline “Out of Time”. It is the only one as soon as you get out of the Vault so you can’t miss it.
The quest at some point will lead you to Concord which is a small town not far away from the starting location. Go in town and look for a firefight, you will find people in the building fighting off raiders. Help them out and follow the quest instructions.
The quest will now be called “When Freedom Calls”, but it’s still gonna be the only quest in your log.
While getting ready for the second wave one of the survivors tells you that there is a military helicopter that is crashed on the top of the building you are in. And that bird carries a power armor. Which is exactly the tool you need to fight big groups of raiders.
The quest will have you retreiving a fusion core which is a fuel for the armor (just like the ARC reactor for Iron Man) and then using it to power up the armor itself. Even though you have a lot of fighting ahead, you just secured yourself your first power armor in Fallout 4.
Using the Power Armor
The power armor makes tougher, faster and even neglects fall damage. There’s not much to know when it comes to using the power armor. The visuals of the HUD and the PipBoy are now different but interface wise everything remained the same.
You can get in the suit by pressing “E” and get out of it by holding “E” key. When moving keep an eye on your fuel levels. The fusion core has limited energy and you will have to recharge it or find a new one to optimally use your power armor. Without the core you can still move around but much slower as not the suit is just a dead weight. Imagine carrying that much metal on yourself.
If you decide to leave your suit you will have to come back to get it. No teleportation or quick summoning. On a good note, all of your power armor suits are marked on the minimap to easily locate them.
Repairing/Maintaining the Power Armor
As every piece of machinery, power armor also needs to be taken care of. Apart from replacing fusion cores make sure to consistently repair damaged parts and upgrade them if you can.
Any kind of work with the power armor (except for replacing the fusion core) requires a workshop with appropriate workbenched and tools. Those can be found out in the world or built in your settlement. In the early game, the first workshop you will encounter is the Red Rocket Workshop which is a petrol station on the way to Concord.
In the space that looks like a garage you will find all the tools you need. There are many things you can do witth each part of the armor – upgrade, repair, install different mods and add attachments. So make sure to use it and keep your power armor in good shape.
