Bethesda Explains How Fallout 76's Wastelanders Reputation System Works

Fallout 76's big Wastelanders update is finally adding NPCs which means those characters will of course be grouped into different factions. If there are factions in a Fallout game, it means players can interact with them on different levels, and that means that the factions will develop their own ideas about the players. All these decisions and responses to players' actions will be funneled into a new reputation system similar to one that's appeared in past Fallout games and will determine what kinds of relationships players have with these factions.

So far, we only know of two different factions in Fallout 76: The Raiders and the Settlers. Raiders are the bad guys and Settlers are the good guys, but things are always a bit grey in Fallout games anyway, so you can align yourself with either group if you want.

Those familiar with the reputation systems in other Fallout games will know that the best way to get on a group's good side is to do what they want while opposing them will move your reputation in the opposite direction. Groups can be hostile towards you, neutral, or an ally with several different levels in between those ranks. Different actions move the reputation meter in different ways depending on what you've done and who it was done for.

"Whenever you gain reputation with a faction, you will receive a notification that shows how much reputation you earned," Bethesda said in its latest Inside the Vault post. "The amount of reputation you earn also depends on what you did to earn it. Completing a story quest, for example, will net you a large amount of reputation, while finishing a faction daily quest or making certain choices during conversations offer additional ways to gain some rep."

Two of the locations revealed alongside these factions include the Crater and the Foundation which belong to the Raiders and Settlers, respectively, and your interactions in those spots will change depending on how they view you. As they warm up to the player, they're more likely to do business with you. Those who really don't like you will most likely just shoot on sight.

It seems like a pretty standard version of the reputation system we've seen in past games, but it's just another part of the Wastelanders update that'll make Fallout 76 feel like a more traditional Fallout game. We don't yet have a release date for Wastelanders, but with more features being previewed the and update already in the hands of some testers, expect more news to come soon enough.