Nothing's more iconic to the Fallout franchise than the classic power armor, which has been around for ages. It was bound to make a comeback in the franchise's fourth installment, where some of its mechanics were changed to balance things out. That also included the introduction of the fusion core, an important item that was also pushed into Fallout 76.
The fusion core is primarily known as an item that powers a power armor, allowing players to use jet packs and run while wearing one. However, it can also be found as a source of energy in generators and various robots around the Commonwealth. It's also used as ammunition for a specific type of weapon. Here's all the unexpected things many fans may not have known about this small but very powerful item.
10 You Can Pickpocket Them
As already mentioned, fusion cores power up power armors, which means that any enemies or even allies who happen to be wearing a power armor will be carrying one in their inventory. With the Pickpocket perk, players can challenge themselves to steal these fusion cores straight from any NPCs who wears them.
What happens as a result is quite amusing. NPCs will usually step out of their power armor automatically when they've lost their fusion core,even when the player hasn't been caught in the act. It's certainly one way to getting a bunch of fusion cores, but risky at best.
9 Sentry Bots Are The Best Source
It's not just power armor wearing NPCs that have fusion cores, but also a bunch of robotic enemies. One famous enemy, the sentry bot, is well-known for sometimes carrying up to two fusion cores at a time. As such, once it's defeated the player can loot the fusion cores off its corpse.
Sentry bots are not exactly the most common enemies in the game, but players desperate for fusion cores shouldn't shy away from a battle against one of these sturdy, surprisingly fast-moving robots. That said, be careful when killing them, as they have a bad tendency to explode when dying.
8 They're Used As Ammo By One Weapon
To be more precise, fusion cores act as ammo for three weapons in the game: any regular gatling lasers, as well as two unique variations of the gatling laser. Final Judgment is a unique weapon which can be acquired during the Brotherhood of Steel quest line from Elder Maxson.
Alternatively, visit Nuka-World and start the Armoral Combat quest, during which an enemy dubbed as the rogue knight will be wielding Aeternus, a unique gatling laser variant. These are all heavy weapons, so make sure to invest in some perks to get the maximum benefit out of them.
7 They're Weightless, Usually
Fusion cores are a bit of a necessity for anyone traveling in the Commonwealth. When coming across one it's wise to pick it up immediately, even if the player isn't particularly seduced by the idea of a power armor build. There are some quests and some enemies that just require a strong power armor to deal with.
Moreover, fusion cores are considered weightless, so carrying a bunch of them should be no issue. Players wanting to really challenge themselves, however, can change the game to Survival difficulty, where each fusion core weighs 4 points, essentially limiting the amount they can carry.
6 They've Been Used For Self-Destruction
Fusion cores primarily power up whatever mechanism they're used in, but they also have other purposes that most players may have never even expected. During the Lost Patrol quest of the Brotherhood of Steel questline, one of the more unorthodox uses of fusion cores is unveiled.
Apparently, some Brotherhood of Steel members would purposefully detonate their power armor's fusion core when outnumbered or faced with certain death. This is to ensure that the enemy can't get their hands on a full of set functional power armor.
5 They Don't Last For That Long
No matter how incredible fusion cores are said to be, they're actually quite annoying to deal with. They seem to run out extremely fast. In fact, just 20 minutes of jogging at a normal pace will completely drain a fusion core, which translates into 10 hours of in-game time.
This calculation doesn't take into account all the other activities that players will perform while in power armor, including jet pack usage, attacks, and other actions that drain AP. This significantly drains the fusion core's durability, which can make it all a pain to track, especially when the player doesn't have a ton of them.
4 They're Hard To Come Across
The rarity of fusion cores has been the subject of debate among Fallout fans for some time now. While some believe the item is much more common than it was initially implied during the teasers of Fallout 4, others find them to be quite a rarity still.
In general, finding them in the wild can be a bit tricky. Even in ammo boxes where they occasionally appear, it can be unreliable to find them. The best way to discover one is to look for these large generators around the Commonwealth, which will usually have a fusion core inside.
3 Companions Have Infinite Charge
Although the player will need a good stock of fusion cores to get through their adventures in the Commonwealth, it's an entirely different tale for their companions who are much less reliant on the fusion core charge. In fact, they're simply not affected by it.
The best example of this is probably Paladin Danse, who enjoys an infinite fusion core charge. No doubt this was done to simplify gameplay mechanics, but it's also reassuring to know players don't need to worry about gathering fusion cores for their travel companions as well.
2 They Can Be Targeted In V.A.T.S.
There will undoubtedly come a time and place where the player will encounter enemies that also wear power armor. In fact, those who end up siding with the Railroad will eventually have to deal with Brotherhood of Steel fighters, who are properly geared up for battle.
Luckily, the power armor has one weakness, which is the fusion core itself located at the back. While in V.A.T.S., a player can even target the fusion core specifically to cause an explosion and force the enemy out of their armor instantly. It's a devastating attack, but requires the player to be behind their enemy.
1 Do This To Get The Most Out Of Them
If the draining of fusion cores is a constant headache with no end in sight, not to worry. There's a few easy ways to make the drain much less significant and life inside a proper power armor suit so much more bearable for players who consider it a key part of their character build.
First, head over to the Corvega Assembly Plant. At the very top of the plant, next to the blue sphere and on top of a crate with a lantern, there's a Repair bobblehead, which increases the duration of fusion cores by +10%. To boost things even more, make sure to unlock the Nuclear Physicist perk to its final level to get the maximum benefit from each fusion core.