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How to survive the Robot uprising in Fallout 76 - Elemental and Energy Resistance Explained

Updated: Dec 17, 2023


Image Credit: JustInspired on Twitter X.


In collaboration with Angry Turtle.


Angry Turtle's Youtube channel can be found here.

Angry Turtle's video version of this guide can be found here.

 

With special thanks to Souls, McLovin, and Mapex.


This guide will explain Energy, Fire, Poison, and Cryo attacks, and ways to reduce the incoming damage. You can either run and equip all of our recommendations, or you can pick and choose which items and buffs to run until you are happy with the results.


If you are reading this guide, then it is assumed that you know the basics about Player SPECIALS and Stats. If you do not, then it’s recommended to jump over and read this guide first and then come back.


In the last few months, there has been a lot of elemental damage rebalancing and bug fixing. This means attacks from Flamer Floaters and Mirelurk Queens to Robots and Turrets now hit hard. It also means that you can't just tank things anymore and instead, need to start looking into Reduction over Resistance.


Like most things in-game, Resistance works on a curve table. This means the higher your resistance, the less damage reduction you will receive in return. This is called diminished returns.


Let's start with 300 Energy Resistance - an attainable value through Leather, Secret Service Armour, or Power Armour. You get attacked by an Assaultron and she uses her Face Laser on you which is 150 Energy Damage. Insert a really complex maths formula here, and you will receive a reduction of 61.2% on all incoming damage.


Now let's go up to 350 Energy Resistance. To achieve 350 Energy Resistance, you will need to look into food buffs or equip max rank perk cards, on top of your body armour or power armour. This means that you may have to sacrifice some damage output perk cards just to fit these other perk cards into your build.


With your 350 Energy Resistance, you again get attacked by an Assaultron and she uses her Face Laser on you which is 150 Energy Damage. Insert a really complex maths formula here, and you will receive a reduction of 63.3% on all incoming damage.


So for an extra +50 Energy Resistance, you are only gaining an additional 2.1% reduction in all damage received.

The point of diminished returns for most resistance is 350.


You can choose to boost your Resistance to above 350. We have provided the information that you will need for this, below. But we recommend looking at other damage reduction options and alternatives instead.

 

Image credit:Fargassier on Twitter X.


Enemies and NPCs that use Energy and Electrical Attacks include:

  • Alien Blasters and Alien Disintegrators used by Alien enemies (not Toxic or Cryo)

  • Flatwoods Monster (Daily Ops and Adventure)

  • Mr Handys

  • Protectrons

  • Wall, Ceiling, and Floor Bubble Turrets

  • Sentry Bot Laser Gatlings

  • Laser Gun and Heavy Laser Gun Turrets

  • Robobrains

  • Mr Gutsy Laser Guns

  • Mothman - All attack types

  • Scorchbeast and Scorchbeast Queen scream attacks

  • Mirelurk King Sonic Attack

  • Assaultron and Imposter Lasers

  • Encryptid Pylon Conduit effect

  • Eyebot Laser Gun


Enemies and items that use Fire and Flame Attacks include:

  • Mr Handy Flamethrower

  • Sentry Bot Flamer

  • Angler “Vomit” (yes that is really what their attacks are called)

  • Protectron Flamer

  • Floater Flamer Fireball

  • Floater Flamer Breath

  • Floater Flamer Death Hazard

  • Fanatic Skishkebab

  • Fanatic Flamer

  • Melee Flaming Skishkebab

  • Molotov Cocktails

  • Incendiary Bullets

  • Fire Hazards - the burning veins in the Ash Heap, the burning ground during Encryptid Imposter, and the dropping ceiling debris during Earle A Colossal Problem.


Enemies and items that use Poison Attacks include:

  • Floater Gnasher Poison

  • Floater Gnasher Corrosive Poison

  • Mirelurk Hunter Spit Attack

  • Trog Acid Reflux

  • Trog Vomit Hazard (seriously who is naming these attacks)

  • Wendigo Colossus Poison Vomit

  • Floater Gnasher Death Hazard

  • Mirelurk Queen Spit Attack

  • Toxic Blood Daily Ops mutation

  • Danger Cloud Daily Ops mutation

  • Dr Blackburn Tantrum Poison Hazard

  • Sheepsquatch Poison attack

  • Toxic Alien Death Hazard

  • Stingwing Poison

  • Mirelurk King Poison damage

  • Glowing Angler Poison damage

  • Bloodbug Poison damage

  • Ultramite Mole Rats during the Seismic Activity event

  • Toxic and Acidic Gulpers during the Moonshine Jamboree public event

  • Thistle Poisonous Smoke

  • Pitcher Plant Poisonous Smoke

  • Sundew Grove Poisonous Smoke

  • Heart of the Swamp Strangler Heart Poison Smoke

  • Toxic Valley Poisonous Smoke

  • Scorchbeast and Scorchbeast Queen crop dusting


Enemies and items that use Cryo Attacks include:

  • Floater Freezer Death Hazard

  • Floater Freezer Icy Slow breath

  • Cryo Alien Death Hazard

 

Image Credit: JustInspired on Twitter X.


Below are Angry Turtle’s and Kat’s recommendations on how to survive against Energy and Elemental attacks.


Perk Cards


Ricochet rank 3

Gain a 18% chance to deflect back some of the enemies' ranged damage. (No PvP).


This perk card reflects 25% of incoming ranged damage back to the attacker. If you have a Vampire weapon equipped and this perk card procs, you will recover 2% of your HP as health.


Dodgy rank 3

Avoid 30% of incoming damage at the cost of 30 Action Points per hit from an enemy.


As long as you have 30 Action Points on your AP bar, this card will continue to proc. It's advised to equip Action Girl/Boy perk card and run an AP regen food buff to help keep your AP bar above 30 points.


Fireproof rank 3

Take 45% less damage from explosions and flame attacks.


Born Survivor

Rank 1 for Bloodied players

Rank 2 or 3 for Full Health players

Falling below 20%/30%/40% health will automatically use a Stimpak, once every 20s.

Use Stimpak: Diluted when running this perk card as it will chew through your stimpaks very quickly.


A full list of optional perk cards can be found here.

 

Legendary Perk Cards


Sizzling Style

Rank 1 to 4

+50/+100/+150/+200 Fire Damage Resist when wearing a matching set of armour.


You must have 5 matching pieces of Body Armour or 6 matching pieces of Power Armour for this card to work.

These can include:

  • 4 pieces of Covert, Forest, and Urban Scout Armour and either the Covert, Forest, Urban, or Vault 94 mask.

  • Thorn and Solar armour must be a full set, masks do not count.

  • 4 pieces of Marine armour and the Marine Helmet.

Funky Duds

Rank 1 to 4

+50/+100/+150/+200 Poison Damage Resist when wearing a matching set of armour.


You must have 5 matching pieces of Body Armour or 6 matching pieces of Power Armour for this card to work.

These can include:

  • 4 pieces of Covert, Forest, and Urban Scout Armour and either the Covert, Forest, Urban, or Vault 94 mask.

  • Thorn and Solar armour must be a full set, masks do not count.

  • 4 pieces of Marine armour and the Marine Helmet.

 

Image credit: Captain Mal Seventy-Seven on Twitter X.


Body Armour

If you run Body Armour, you may need to look at additional perk cards, mutations, and food buffs to bring your Resistance up to the 350 mark.


Notes:

Arctic Marine Body Armour offers a built-in Cryo Resistance but there are not enough Cryo Hazards or enemies to make it worth running.


Body Armour Mods


Asbestos lining torso mod.

+15 Fire Resistance


Polymer/Polished/Buttressed mods

Improved Damage and Energy Resistance


Optional

Ulta-Light Build

Greatly reduced weight and increased AP bonus.

The weight of the armour is reduced and adds 5 Action Points to your AP bar.


Custom Fitted

Sprinting takes less AP.

-10% Action Point cost while sprinting.


Muffled

Reduces detection from moving.

Ideal for sneak builds as it adds +15% Stealth while moving.


Note: If your body armour is broken, you will not receive the buffs and benefits from any body armour mods until your armour is repaired.


Power Armour

All Power Armour offers 7% damage reduction per piece equipped.

This caps at 42% damage reduction. It also stacks with other damage reduction gear, buffs, and perk cards.


Most Power Armour sets offer 350+ Damage and Energy Resistance so pick a set that suits your playstyle and build.


Note: Robots and Turrets are immune to poison damage so running Strangler for the poison damage will not help.


Power Armour Mods


Emergency Protocols

When a player is below 20% health, their speed increases by 25%, and incoming damage is reduced by 50%.


Reduces all types of incoming damage. The speed increase buff stacks with Speed Demon.


Alternative

Core Assembly

Increases Action Point refresh speed.

Buffs your AP Regen % and stacks with all other AP Regen buffs.


Kinetic Dynamo

Taking damage recharges Action Points.

20% of the incoming damage is returned to your AP Bar. Basically, it's an AP Refill buff. This stacks with other AP Refill buffs.

 

Underarmour


If you are struggling to hit the 350 Damage and Energy Resistance threshold then underarmour can be used to fill the gap, otherwise, pick the underarmour that most compliments your build or playstyle.

 

Legendary Prefixs


Overeaters

Full set

Increases Damage Reduction up to 6% as you fill your hunger and thirst meters.


Each armour piece gives 3% damage reduction for a full hunger bar and 3% damage reduction for a full thirst bar which equals to 6% damage reduction per piece. Caps at 30% damage reduction.


Use Perfect Bubblegum or Grandma Junko's Camp Ally buff (keep your food and drink bars filled for 60 minutes) to keep your bars filled with minimum effort.


Troubleshooters

Full set

15% less damage from:

  • Alien Drones

  • Automated turrets

  • Assaultrons

  • Eyebots

  • Liberators

  • Miss Nanny

  • Mr Gutsy

  • Mr Handy

  • Protectron

  • Robobrain

  • Sentry Bot

  • Vertibot/Veribirds

15% less damage per armour piece, caps at a maximum of 75% less damage.


Flame damage from Mr Handy's is reduced by Troubleshooter armour as they use the Creature Type Robot keyword.


Notes:

Hunters Legendary Prefix will not work with Anglers or Gulpers as they are missing keyword Actor Type Animal.


If your armour breaks, you will not lose the Legendary prefix or stat buffs.


Vanguard's can work here but keep in mind when you take damage, your Energy Resistance and Damage Resistance will drop plus the diminished returns on Energy and Damage Resistance after the 350 point.


If you choose to run Unyielding armour in a silo, we suggest using sneak and turning the turrets off. Alternatively, try and boost your ER to 550, take your health up to 40%, pop some food buffs, equip a vampire weapon and run all damage reduction perk cards.

 

Legendary rolls and stats

These stats are useful against DOT (Damage Over Time) and AOE (Area of Effect) attacks, such as Floater Death Hazards, Fire Hazards, and Scorchbeast Crop Dusting.


If you don't have room to run certain Perk Cards or don't want to use food buffs, then these stats can also be a good supplement or gap filler.


Poisoner’s

+25 Poison Resistance

This stat stacks with itself and with other buffs.


Fireproof

+25 Fire Resistance

This stat stacks with itself and with other buffs.


Warming

+25 Cryo Resistance

This stat stacks with itself and with other buffs.


Optional

Powered

Increases Action Point refresh speed.

 

Image credit: Captain Mal Seventy-Seven on Twitter X.


Weapons


Vampires Prefix

Restores 2% health to your HP bar, every time a shot hits an enemy.


This stacks with explosive weapons and shotguns. For example, if a shotgun fires 8 pellets and all 8 hit the enemy, then you will receive 16% health back.


When restoring health, the game looks at your Max HP, not how much health is on your health bar. The perk cards and food buffs mentioned in this guide have been recommended with this in mind.


If you are running the perk card Ricochet, and have a vampire weapon equipped, then you will receive 2% health back every time Ricochet procs.

 

Food Buffs


If you are going to run a Vampire weapon, then running Endurance, Max HP, and HP regen food buffs will help to maximise the amount of health returned back to you.


There is no cap or limit on your HP bar, it is only limited by the Endurance cap. Endurance caps at 100 points.

For each point of Endurance, your HP is increased by 5.

For formula for HP is: 250 + (END x 5)


If you want to increase your HP further, you can take alcohol and chem buffs on top of your food buffs. Because they are different categories ie food, drink, chem etc, they will stack.

If you are going to run the perk card Dodgy, then you will need to buff your Agility, AP Regen, and Max AP to keep your Action Point bar above 30. AP Refill food buffs can be helpful as well.

If you are struggling to hit the 350 Energy Resistance threshold then Energy Resistance food buffs can help to fill the gap.

There are limited Poison resistance options in game so you might need to look into running poison resistance food buffs. These stack on each other to increase your poison resistance.


Where to find and how to farm for Poison Resistance food buffs guide can be found here.

 

Camp Allys


Buff: Roast Proof - Reduces damage from fire, melee, and explosion by 10%

  • Flamer

  • Fire Hazard

  • Fire

  • Floater Flamer

  • Shishkebab

  • Molotov Cocktails

  • Incendiary Bullets

  • Heated Melee Mod

 

Image Credit: JustInspired on Twitter X.


Magazines

Magazines don't stack on themselves, but they do stack with other buffs and gear.


Astoundingly Awesome Tales

#8 Attack of the Metal Men

25% less damage from robots


#9 Have Dog, Will Travel!

+15 Poison Resistance


Grognak the Barbarian

#3 Jungle of the Bat-Babies

+15 Poison Resistance


Guns and Bullets

#1 The Future of Hunting

+15% damage against robots


Live & Love

#1 Life Long Best Friends

+10 maximum health when on a team


#9 I Married A Robot

Take 25% less damage from robots


Tesla Science Magazine

#1 Will robots rule the world?

25% less damage from robots


Unstoppables

#1 De-Capitalists

+5% chance to avoid damage from any enemy attack


#5 Visit the Ux-Ron Galaxy!

+30% chance to avoid energy damage

 

Mutations


Grounded

Positive: +100 Energy Resistance

Negative: -50% Energy Damage on weapons


Empath

Positive: Teammates take 25% less damage

Negative: Player (you) take 33% more damage

All of your teammates need to run Empath to make it worthwhile.


Herd Mentality

Positive: +2 to all your SPECIAL stats when you are on a team.

Negative: -2 to all your SPECIAL stats when you are running solo.

This card checks to see if the player is a member of a team and does not check for teammates. Therefore you can run solo on a public team and still receive the bonus to your stats.


Scaly Skin

Positive: +50 to your Damage and Energy Resistance.

Negative: -50 AP on your Action Point bar.

If you run Class Freak rank 3 then the negative is barely noticeable. Alternatively, you can run a Max AP food buff to replace the missing Action Points.


Speed Demon

Positive: Faster movement speed and 20% faster reload speed.

Negative: Your food and drink bar drains quicker. Perfect Bubblegum and Grandma Junko's Camp Buff ignore this debuff.

 

Image Credit: JustInspired on Twitter X.


Other Tips

Turn off the Turrets

If you have the patience, you can turn off the turrets before you enter each section of the silo. Full written directions can be found below, or a video version can be found here.


If you are low on resources, combine turning the turrets off with Robotics Expert rank 3. If the perk card procs, then the robot will be pacified for 60 seconds and will not attack you. Be careful when using this perk card as the button to hack the robots is the same button as the reload your weapon button.

How to turn the turrets off in a Silo

Terminal 1 location

Level 3 lock

From the elevator, turn South and walk forward until you get to the door marked "Bunks/Mess Hall". Turn left and walk over to the terminal.

Unlock the terminal and select:

Turret Control

Deactivate


Find a way past the Laser Grids, get the blue card etc.


Continue on until you get to the room with the Sentry Bot in it.

There are three things you can do here, either:

Get through the double door quickly OR

Destroy the two turrets at the double door OR

Turn off the turrets


Terminal 2 location

Level 1 lock

From the storage room door, face West and walk over to the Green forklift in front of you. Turn North and walk forward until you hit the curved wall. On your right will be a door. Turn and enter the room and look for the terminal on the desk.

Unlock the terminal and select:

Turret Control

Deactivate


Terminal 3 location

Level 3 lock

Keep going to the launch room. Run past the missile, turn left, and run up the stairs. Stop in the room at the top of the stairs. Turn right and walk to the end of the room. Turn right and unlock the level 3 terminal in front of you.

Select:

Turret Control

Deactivate

Kill the rest of the robots and launch the nuke like normal.


What does Remove Targeting Restrictions do?

The Turrets will turn on the Robots and attack them AND you. If you are really really struggling in the silos, then you can select "Remove Targeting Restrictions" and wait until the Turrets kill everything, and then "Deactivate" the Turrets.

 

Love food buffs?


Join us at Buffs n Brew, a group dedicated to food buffs and food buff farming.

 

Hi, I'm Kat or Duchess

I'm an Australian data miner who writes farming, event, and food buff guides for Fallout 76.

I believe that all knowledge and information should be free, which is why my guides will never be locked behind a paywall. However, running a website and photo and video editing software does not come cheaply.

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So, If you found my guides helpful, please consider buying me a ko-fi (coffee) using the link below.

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All monies go towards the tools for writing my guides and maybe for an actual cup of coffee or 3 ;)

Alternatively, share my guides with your fellow vault dwellers and help them to survive the wasteland.



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Rated 5 out of 5 stars.

Helpful as always 😊

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Glad it helped! I really enjoyed writing this guide, there was lots to test and figure out :D

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