Archer Build | Fallout 76
(QUICK NOTE: These Builds are usable but NOT updated past the Steel Reign update. Until I get a chance to update all the builds, these should be thought of as more of a build starter)
In Fallout 76, the weapon diversity seems to never end, and in a world of plasma flame shooting pistols and explosive energy based shotguns… sometimes using a bow is a way to chill out a bit. Bows aren’t necessarily good weapons, nor are they bad, it’s fairly average, but definitely usable! Here’s a build to help you build up your bow build in Fallout 76!
S.P.E.C.I.A.L.
Perk Cards (Solo)
Perk Cards (Team)
Legendary Perk Cards
NukesDragons has a FANTASTIC Fallout 76 Character Builder, and if you’re looking to create a build concept BEFORE you go for the real thing, definitely check out:
Weapons
First off, acquiring a decent bow is probably a good thing when you are aiming for a bow build. Since bows aren’t fast firing weapons, but rather have a heavy power shot behind each, there are a couple legendary bows I’d recommend looking out for!
Here are some legendary suggestions that might interest you!
Legendary Main Effects:
- Bloodied : More Damage the Lower your Health it
- Junkie’s : More Damage the more Addictions you have
- Anti-Armor : Ignores 50% of your enemies Armor
- Instigating: Enemies at full health take double damage
- Two Shot : Fires 2 projectiles per 1 shot
Legendary Major Effects:
- +50% VATS Critical shot Damage
- +33% VATS Hit Chance
- 50% Limb Damage
- Explosive Rounds
Legendary Minor Effects:
- 25% Less VATS Action Point Cost
- 1 Agility
- 1 Luck
- 1 Perception
Armor
With a bow build, armor is totally up to you. There’s not really any massive benefit to wearing power armor (YET) with these kinds of builds, just because if you’re wanting to build up a legendary character you’ll go with regular armor, but once again choice is up to you!
Under Armor
Under Armor can be one of the most essential pieces to your build, simply because it adds so much straight up damage resistance and SPECIAL bonuses. Remember, you DO NOT receive under armor bonuses while in Power Armor, you will only get the benefits from the Power Armor itself.
The best one you’ll want to try and get is the Secret Service under armor providing:
- +15 Damage resistance
- +15 Energy Resistance
- +15 Radiation Resistance
With Shielded Lining:
- +4 Strength
- +2 Perception
- +4 Endurance
If you can’t get this under armor yet, which new players won’t for a good while, stick with any others you can get along the way, modding them with what you can! (Collect those plans!)
Regular Armor
When you’re going with regular armor in Fallout 76, especially with a bow build, the way to go is with Secret Service armor, which is purchased with Gold Bullion after completing the Wastelander’s main campaign. It provides an insane amount of armor, better than anything else, and the ONLY problem is that you need to buy it at the extremely expensive price and then HOPE you roll some good perks on it.
By the way, quick note, if you’re wanting to use a bloodied build with your Bow build (which is where Nerd Rage comes in handy, and damage goes crazy) you’ll want to definitely stick to either Unyielding or Bolstering if you’re dying a lot.
If you can’t get Secret Service armor just yet, don’t worry about it, as long as you have armor like Combat Armor, Brotherhood Recon, or Marine Armor. Speaking of perks, these are the ones you’ll want to look out for:
Legendary Main Effects:
- Unyielding
- Bolstering
- Vanguard’s
Legendary Major Effects:
- Any of the +1 to SPECIAL
- Powered
Legendary Minor Effects:
- 50% More durability
- Receive 15% less Limb Damage
- Ammo Weight Reduced by 20%
- Weapon Weight Reduced by 20%
- Food, Drink, and Chem Weight reduced by 20%
- Junk Weight Reduced by 20%
Power Armor
Just like regular Armor, Power Armor also has it’s “better” versions that are pretty much just superior to the rest. If you’re rocking Power Armor with a Bow build, you’ll want to get T-65. The T-65 Power Armor provides the absolute highest amount of damage resistances as possible, but also costs a fortune in Gold Bullion to purchase all the plans, so once again, use what you can. T-60, X-01, and Ultracite Power Armors are quite easy to come across just by completing the Enclave and Brotherhood questlines.
For Power Armor Mods (because you’ll definitely want to mod them to make them the best) you’re wanting to look for:
- Helmet: Internal Database – +2 Intelligance
- Targeting Hud – Highlights Living Targets
- Torso: Emergency Protocols – Benefits from being Bloodied
- Jet Pack is also helpful
- Arms: None of them will really help out a lot, don’t waste bullion
- Legs: Calibrated Shocks – Carry weight +50 per mod
Buffs
This is for those of you that enjoy going out and absolutizing maximizing the damage output you can deal with your builds. Little do a lot of folks realize, taking the right foods and drastically boost the performance of your build, making it beyond worth it to gather these quick items.
Food/Soup
- Grilled Radstag:
- Super Easy to make, increases Carry weight by +20
- Pumpkin Pie:
- Max Health +40
- Smoked Mirelurk Filets:
- +250 HP and +30 Carry Weight
- Blight Soup:
- Critical Damage +20%
- Megasloth Mushroom Soup:
- Critical Damage +20%
Drink
- Firecracker Berry Juice:
- +10% Critical Damage
- Hard Lemonade:
- +30 Max AP and +10 AP Regen
- Steeped Tea Thistle/Sweet Mutfruit Tea:
- Critical Hit +20%
Mutations
- Marsupial
- Carry Weight +20%, +Jump Height
- Adrenal Reaction
- Higher Weapon Damage the lower your HP
- Speed Demon
- +20 Faster Movement Speed +20% Faster Reload
- Eagle Eyes
- +25% Critical Damage and +4 Perception
Drugs
- Overdrive
- +15% Damage, +15% Critical Damage
- Pyscho
- +25 Damage Resistance, +15% Damage
- Pyschobuff
- +25% Damage, Strength/Endurance +3, Max HP +65
Magazines & Bobbleheads
Thing about Magazines is that there are SO MANY of them that is can make it difficult to pick and choose between them all, whereas Bobbleheads are quite a bit easier as there are FAR less.
Magazines:
- Guns & Bullets #3 – “Little Guns for the Ladies”
- +30% Critical Damage with Ballistic Guns
- Live & Love #2 – “Nuke-The-Man”
- +5% Damage when in a Team
- Tesla Science #7 – “U.S. Army Goes to Space”
- +30% Energy Gun Critical Damage
- Tesla Science #8 – “10 Number 1 Hits!!!”
- +15% Critical Damage
BobbleHeads:
- Small Guns
- +20% Damage with Small Weapons
- Energy Weapons
- +25% Damage with Energy Weapons (If you have the mod)
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