In this blog post, you will learn how to collect Perk cards and level-up your character in Fallout 76! But first, here’s a quick intro to the game.
Gamers are an opinionated bunch of people, but we think us gamers can all agree that Fallout is one of the best video franchises ever. And even if you don’t actually like any of the Fallout games, I’m sure you’ll love the great ads made to promote them. The gameplay of Fallout is pretty awesome, but personally, we really dig the game’s post-apocalyptic and retro-futurist themes. And yeah, a lot of us were already secretly playing Wasteland on our school computers back in the day.
Fallout 76 is another great addition to the franchise – if only because nobody was actually expecting it! Fallout 76 introduced the online play and a new rewards system, which we’ll be talking about in a bit. If you don’t know anything Fallout yet, here’s a quick primer about the popular franchise.
Welcome to the World of Fallout
Fallout is an extremely successful RPG/shooter franchise. Fallout explores – well, the fallout of nuclear war. The various Fallout games jump around various timelines, but they always tackle how people survive in this environment – usually by seeking safety in shelters called Vaults.
Sure, there are already lots of games with post-apocalyptic settings (many of which were even inspired by Fallout), but Fallout is notable for having the right blend of grimness and humor.
Fallout 76 is the earliest game in the Fallout timeline. It takes place soon after the nuclear war, so a lot of the locations and structures will be somewhat familiar to players. In terms of gameplay, Fallout 76 is the biggest Fallout game ever made. It’s even bigger than its predecessor, Fallout 4.
But the most important thing about Fallout 76 is that you play it online. It’s a survival game, and players can cooperate with (or fight against) other players.
Everyone’s S.P.E.C.I.A.L.
At the beginning of the game, you’ll have a set amount of points to allocate to your character’s various traits, namely strength, perception, endurance, charisma, intelligence, agility, and luck (S.P.E.C.I.A.L., get it?). During the course of the game, players get to go on quests or complete missions. Just like in other RPGs, you gain experience points as you play. Once you hit certain thresholds, you get to level-up. Each time you level up, you can increase one of your character’s stats by one point.
That system is standard in all Fallout games, but in Fallout 76, you also get a random “Perk card” each time you level-up. You can equip your character with these Perk cards, depending on your immediate needs. There are hundreds of cards in the Fallout 76 Perk cards list.
The Anatomy of Fallout 76 Perk Cards
Perk cards provide buffs and bonuses to a specific stat of your character. The letter on the lower-left of the card will tell you its relevant trait. For example the Perk card “Traveling Pharmacy” has the letter S at the corner, meaning it is, of course, a Strength card. Once equipped, the card gives your character the corresponding buff. For example, the aforementioned Travelling Pharmacy card lets your character carry more chems and Stimpaks.
The upper-left corner of the card shows a number, which is the card’s rank. You can equip any number of Perk cards for a trait, provided the total rank of the cards doesn’t exceed the level of that trait. For example, if your character has Strength level 15, you can equip any number of Perk cards whose ranks total 15 points. Sometimes, a Perk card will have a lock symbol. That means your character hasn’t reached the appropriate level on the relevant trait to use the card.
There’s a Fallout 76 level cap for each trait, which is 50 points. But while your stats will no longer increase, you will continue to earn Fallout 76 cards even after you’ve reached and exceeded that cap.
How to Level-Up Your Perk Cards
In Fallout 76, your character isn’t the only thing that can move up levels. Even Perk cards can level-up. When you get duplicate Perk cards, you can “combine them” into a single card, which offers even greater buffs. But take note, the rank of the new card will also increase accordingly.
How to Get Perk Cards in Fallout 76
Unlike loot boxes in other games, you can’t purchase Perk cards (although you can share them with other players, which is one of our favorite Fallout 76 tips and tricks). You will earn a pack of Perk cards each time you level-up, starting at level 4. Once you go past level 10, you will earn a pack of Perk cards every 5 levels.
Each pack has 4 random Perk cards (collectible card game players will be familiar with this model) and a stick of “gum.” For you young ‘uns out there, packs of trading cards used to come with a stick of bubble gum (which was usually stale and rock-hard by the time you opened the pack). But since you can’t actually gum through your computer, the “gum” you get on Perk card packs contain jokes (our favorite: “Worst helicopter pilot ever? Got cold so he turned off the fan”).
How to Share Perk Cards in Fallout 76
As mentioned a while ago, you can share Perk cards. Once your character reaches at least Charisma 3, it can share Perk cards with members of your team. Your Charisma needs to be at least three times the rank of the card you want to share. For example, if you have Charisma 6, you can share cards with rank 2, or lower. This is a great incentive to cooperate with other players, instead of trying to kill everyone else (which you can – Fallout 76 allows you to launch nukes!).
Fallout 76 Level-Up Fast: The Only Technique
There are no legit ways to cheat with leveling-up or acquiring additional Perk cards. So the best way to level-up fast, is to play, and play a lot! The more you play, the faster you will go up the ranks. There’s no magic potion that will increase your level without you having to put in the time and effort. It’s just not possible, and any site that tells you how to do that is most likely a scam, so beware!
