Ghoul Update for Fallout 76: Key Details

Fallout 76 Season 20, dubbed "The Ghoul Within," is now live, introducing an exciting new feature: players can transform into Ghouls and explore the radiation-infested wasteland of Appalachia like never before. This major update, detailed in a Bethesda article from March 18, brings a host of ghoul-related features, mechanics, and new cosmetics to enhance your C.A.M.P.

Unleash the Ghoul Within

The journey to becoming a Ghoul starts with the "Leap of Faith" questline, which leads players to a new part of the Savage Divide. Here, you'll meet new characters who assist in your Ghoulification process. As a Ghoul, you'll gain exclusive abilities such as Glow and Feral, along with access to 30 new Ghoul-specific Perks, known as "Gherks."

The Feral ability revolutionizes your gameplay by replacing the conventional hunger and thirst stats with a Feral meter. Depending on the meter's level, you receive different boosts. However, if the meter hits 0%, you'll experience dramatic changes: "+150% Melee Damage, and lose -5 Endurance, -99 Charisma, -30 Max HP, -20 Max AP, -300% Hip-fire Gun Accuracy & V.A.T.S. Accuracy."

On the other hand, the Glow ability lets you consume radiation, granting immunity to diseases and mutations, and literally makes you glow. This ability not only increases your maximum health and heals damage but also enhances your Ghoul-exclusive Perks.

There are 28 Perks to choose from, plus two new legendary Perks designed specifically for Ghouls. Note that Ghouls won't have access to Perks related to Hunger, Thirst, and Chem Resistance, as these are irrelevant to their new form.

A Day In The Life of A Ghoul

Embracing life as a Ghoul makes navigating the wasteland easier, thanks to the Gherks and new abilities. However, be prepared for some factions, like the Brotherhood of Steel, to react hostilely, potentially locking you out of certain quests. Fortunately, a new NPC named Jaye can provide disguises to bypass these restrictions and access blocked content.

If the Ghoul lifestyle isn't for you, you can revert to being human via the Character Screen. This is a one-way process, though; you can't redo the Leap of Faith questline. However, you can purchase a Ghoul Retransformation for 1000 Atoms if you change your mind later.

Level 50 Character Boost and Season 20 Patch Notes

The Season 20 update also introduces a Level 50 Character Boost, available for 1500 Atoms. This boost is perfect for both newcomers and veterans, allowing immediate access to multiplayer features like Daily Ops and Public Events, as well as some story content.

Alongside the Ghoul transformation and character boost, the patch includes numerous bug fixes and balance adjustments, including improvements to accessibility, combat, and weapon damage. Bethesda has also announced an upcoming update, "The Big Bloom," scheduled for April 29, as part of their season calendar.

Since its rocky launch in November 2018, Fallout 76 has seen continuous updates, culminating in the current Season 20. The game now boasts a "Mostly Positive" review status on Steam, with 76% positive reviews. Fallout 76 is available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC.