Fallout 4 best Power Armor ranked and all locations

Here are the best Power Armor sets in Fallout 4 and where to find them

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Bethesda.

Looking for the best Power Armor in Fallout 4? Power Armor in Fallout 4 not only provides optimal style when exploring the massive RPG , but also makes you stronger, able to carry more weight, land without fall damage and gives you more protection against the dreaded RADS.

As such an intrinsic part of the Fallout 4 experience, we’ve gathered a list of the best Power Armor sets you can find both early and late game. We’ve also provided the Power Armor locations and a rundown of how to repair your armor set to help set you on your way to success.

In this guide:

• Fallout 4 best Power Armor ranked
• All Power Armor locations in Fallout 4
• Power Armor spawn rates explained
• How to repair and modify Power Armor

Years on, Fallout 4 remains one of the most popular RPGs on PC.Watch on YouTube

Fallout 4 best Power Armor ranked

We’ve organised a ranked list of the worst to best Power Armor in Fallout 4. This is based on several factors such as the best to get early on in the game, the best for damage resistance, energy resistance and more.

Nearly all Power Armors will have a baseline radiation resistance of 1,050 (unless buffed with custom pieces). As such, Power Armor is essential when exploring places with high radiation levels where RAD -X isn’t going to cut it.

Damage resistance, of course, dictates how much damage you can take before the structural integrity of the armor is compromised. Energy resistance refers to the amount of damage the armor can take against energy weapons. Keep an eye on this stat if you’re going into synth territory.

We’ve also listed where to get each Power Armor set in the game with map locations and instructions on how to repair it.

5. Raider Power Armor

Raider Power Armor pieces can be gathered from defeated Raiders. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Bethesda.

• Damage Resistance: 500.
• Energy Resistance: 250.
• Item HP: 350.

The Raider Power Armor is objectively the weakest in Fallout 4 but is plentiful throughout The Commonwealth. You’ll often be able to collect pieces off of Raider commanders and it has that ‘apocalypse chic’ look if that’s what you’re after.

It can be easy to write off Raider Power Armor because of its initial weak stats. However, you can massively boost it with the right upgrades like Tessa’s Fist. This is a unique arm piece that can be found on Tessa in Quincy Ruins and provides additional damage resistance, energy resistance, and unarmed damage.

How to get Raider Power Armor

You can pick up pieces of Raider Power Armor from most Raider leaders. For a full set, defeat the Raider boss outside of Vault 88 in the quarry, outside the Revere Beach Station or the Dunwich Borers. Otherwise, you can retrieve a set from inside the Cave within the Glowing Sea.

Acquiring the Overboss Power Armor required thre Nuka-World DLC. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Bethesda.

Additionally, if you have the Nuka-World DLC there is an extremely strong variant of this armor called the Overboss Power Armor which has added electricity and a damage resistance of 1220. You can get the set by defeating Overboss Colter .

4. T-45 Power Armor

The T-45 Power Armor is the most recognisable set in the Fallout franchise. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Bethesda.

• Damage Resistance: 500.
• Energy Resistance: 310.
• Item HP: 450.

The T-45 Power Armor is a reliable and iconic Power Armor suit in the Fallout franchise. Although it’s technically one of the weakest of the bunch, it’s incredibly easy to obtain in an early playthrough . It’s also a common set in the game, making it a great option for players still getting their bearings and experimenting with their first Power Armor set.

Models range from A to F and a fully upgraded suit can get you up to 1100 damage resistance , 910 energy resistance and 1050 radiation resistance. We recommend using this suit from levels 1-10 until you find something a bit sturdier like the T-51 set.

You can upgrade the T-45 beyond the usual modifications with the Piezonucleic power armor torso piece. This is a piece of kit that may spawn within the Cambridge Polymer Labs and will increase the player’s Action Point regeneration rate.

How to get the T-45 Power Armor

You can get the T-45 Power Armor set within the Museum of Freedom basement. You’ll naturally accrue it as part of the When Freedom Calls questline where you first meet Preston Garvey.

3. T-51 Power Armor

The T-51 has the most variant models and custom paint jobs in Fallout 4. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Bethesda.

• Damage Resistance: 740.
• Energy Resistance: 490.
• Item HP: 720.

Speaking of the T-51 , it is the perfect midline Power Armor to prioritise getting once the T-45 loses its shine. The T-51 isn’t too taxing to upgrade and is essentially the T-45 but slightly better in most stats.

Like the T-45, the Piezonucleic power armor torso piece can be fitted to the T-51 for added AP regeneration.

How to get the T-51 Power Armor

You can get a full set of the T-51 Power Armor at the Robotics Disposal Ground , far to the northwest on The Commonwealth map. The armor will be standing dormant next to the Vertibird crash site.

The Nuka set is a new model whereas the Vim set is a paint theme you can apply to any T-51 units. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Bethesda.

There is also a Nuka-themed T-51 set that came with the Nuka-World DLC and a custom T-51 Vim! themed paint job that arrived with the Far Harbor DLC.

The Nuka T-51 set is fully upgraded whilst also giving the player a +3 in Agility. It also has a unique Nuka-theme that cannot be replicated anywhere else. If you want this set for yourself, you can get one within the Nuka-Cola Bottling Plant in the Nuka-World DLC map.

The Vim! T-51 Power Armor paint is a unique skin for any T-51 set and is themed around the Vim! soda brand. This Power Armor paint came with the Far Harbor expansion and can be found within the Vim! Pop Factory within the Ambassador terminal . When applied, it will give you a +1 to Strength. There is also a ‘Refresh’ green variant found on the same terminal that will give players a +1 in Agility when applied to a T-51 model.

2. T-60 Power Armor

The T-60 has the most unique modded parts you can add to a model. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Bethesda.

• Damage Resistance: 900.
• Energy Resistance: 645.
• Item HP: 990.

The T-60 Power Armor has great stats across the board and is highly customizable. There are various modification pieces you can collect across The Commonwealth, most notably the Honor and Vengeance T-60 legs that can be bought from Proctor Teagan on The Prydwen. These modified legs can bounce 10% of melee damage back on foes and give a bonus to AP regeneration.

Likewise, you can get a unique torso piece for the T-60 which gives a 20% reduction in AP cost whilst using V.A.T.S. This piece is called the Exemplar’s T-60c and can be found by competing the ‘Duty or Dishonour’ Brotherhood of Steel quest.

Lastly, you can get a Visionary’s T-60c helmet to complete the ensemble, which increases AP regeneration and both damage and energy resistance. This piece can be acquired after completing the ‘A Loose End’ Brotherhood of Steel quest. With all of these unique pieces, it is the most customisable Power Armor set in the game.

How to get the T-60 Power Armor

The easiest way to get a T-60 Power Armor set is by purchasing one from Rowdy , at the Atom Cats Garage , north of the Quincy Ruins and east of Vault 95.

Of course, this can be costly so you may wish to steal a set instead. You can also steal a set from the repair bay in the Prydwen. Again, this is risky and you can end up angering both factions.

There is also a variant T-60 set that came with the Automatron DLC. It’s called the Tesla T-60 armor and provides a bonus to damage dealt by energy weapons (5% per armor piece equipped). You can get this unique set from Ivey at the Fort Hagen hangar which requires you to complete the ‘Headhunting’ quest.

1. X-01 Power Armor

The X-01 Power Armor is the strongest model in Fallout 4. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Bethesda.

• Damage Resistance: 1220.
• Energy Resistance: 790.
• Item HP: 1260.

As of writing, the X-01 Power Armor is the best set in Fallout 4. With high damage and energy resistance, this can be further modified up to a damage resistance value of 1820 and an energy resistance value of 1390 .

As such, the set is fairly rare in Fallout 4 but worth the time and patience to get if you want to be equipped with the best Power Armor in The Commonwealth.

How to get the X-01 Power Armor

As of writing there are no guaranteed spawn spots for the X-01 Power Armor in the main game. Instead, you’ll have to travel to the following spots for a random chance of receiving a full set.

Note, your chance of finding the set will increase if you are at a higher level when you first discover these locations (level 28 plus).

• The East Boston Police Station: West of the police station and inside a cage on the main barge.
• 35 Court: A house within the Financial District. The set will be inside a secret chamber on the rooftop, accessible via a red button. Watch out for the Assaultron and Sentry Bot guarding the area.
• South Boston Military Checkpoint: Southeast of Diamond City. The armor is inside a cage on the western side of the building, locked via an expert-level Terminal.

The Quantum X-01 Power Armor is one-of-a-kind and can only be found within the Nuka-World DLC. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Bethesda.

If you want an even more powerful version of the X-01 Power Suit, with a unique Nuka paint scheme that cannot be replicated, look to the Quantum X-01 . This Power Armor set came with the Nuka-World expansion and can be found within the Star Control building in the Galactic Zone of Nuka-World.

The Quantum X-01 comes fully upgraded and has a unique AP refresh buff when all pieces are equipped at once.

All Power Armor locations in Fallout 4

Below we’ve detailed all guaranteed Power Armor spawn points across The Commonwealth, Far Harbor and Nuka-World maps of Fallout 4.

Here are all the guarenteed Power Armor spawns in Fallout 4.

1. T-60 Power Armor (without helmet): Atom Cats Garage. Southeast in the Commonwealth.
2. T-60 Power Armor (full set): Aboard the Prydwen within the repair bay.
3. T-45 Power Armor (without helmet): Within the Mass Bay Medical Center (Radiology Ward).
4. T-51 Power Armor (full set): Outside of Vault 88 in the quarry. Will spawn on a raider, must kill to acquire it.
5. T-45 Power Armor (without helmet): On a Gunner commander in Quincy Ruins.
6. Raider Power Armor (full set): Inside the Cave within the Glowing Sea.
7. T-45 Power Armor (full set): Within the Museum of Freedom in Concord.
8. T-45 Power Armor (without helmet): At the Robotics Disposal Ground.
9. T-45 Power Armor (without helmet): At the Hub City Auto Wreckers. Usually being worn by the Gunner commander so you’ll have to defeat them first.
10. T-51 Power Armor (can either be a full set or pieces): Inside a truck within the Federal Ration Stockpile.
11. Raider Power Armor (can either be full set or pieces): Worn by a Raider outside the Revere Beach Station.
12. Raider Power Armor (can either be full set or pieces): Worn by a Raider by the Dunwich Borers.
13. Raider Power Armor (can either be a full set or pieces): Worn by a Raider wielding a Rocket Launcher near Lexington, outside Switchboard.
14. Vim! T-51 Power Armor: Located inside the Vim truck, north of the National Park visiter’s Center.
15. Vim! T-51 Power Armor: Inside the Vim! Pop Factory (third floor).
16. Nuka-themed T-51 Power Armor (full set): Inside the World of Refreshment in Nuka-World.
17. Overboss Power Armor (full set): Defeat Overboss Colter to gain this armor set.
18. X-01 Power Armor (partial set): Requires access to an expert-level lock.
19. X-01 Power Armor Power Armor (full set): On the western road within a military truck.
20. X-01 Power Armor (Mk.III set): Behind a locked door. Requires you to hack into an expert-level terminal.
21. Quantum X-01 Power Armor (full set): Inside the Star Control building in the Galactic Zone. Requires you to find all 35 Star Cores to get.

Power Armor spawn rates explained

Listed above are all the guaranteed spawns of Power Armor in Fallout 4. There are plenty of other spawn spots in the game that are randomised. The type of armor you can find there depends on your level when you first entered the area. For this reason, if you’re hunting for a rare Power Armor set, you’re better off exploring high-threat areas when you’re at a higher level (28+).

We’ve detailed below which Power Armor sets are likely to spawn based on level:

• T-45 Power Armor: Levels 1-10.
• T-51 Power Armor: Levels 10-18.
• T-60 Power Armor: Levels 18-27.
• X-01 Power Armor: Levels 28 and over.

As a rule of thumb, if you’re after an X-01 Power Armor set, you’re better off exploring mid-high threat areas of The Commonwealth like Fort Strong when you are at least level 28.

How to repair and modify Power Armor

You can modify, repair and paint Power Armor at a Power Armor Station. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Bethesda.

Now you have the Power Armor of your dreams, you’ll need to know how to repair it as it inevitably takes damage in battle. All Power Armor units will have an item HP meter that determines how much damage they can take. When this falls, you’ll need to dock your armor at a Power Armor Station .

There, you can select ‘Craft’ which will take you to a menu where you can add modified parts to your armor, apply a custom paint job or repair pieces in return for some materials. You can get materials by recycling junk at any workshop.

These Power Armor stations are dotted around The Commonwealth, but the first you’ll likely encounter is located at the Red Rocket truck stop. You can also build Power Armor Stations at any of your settlements when you gain the Local Leader perk (rank 2) and the Armorer perk in the Strength skill tree.

If you want to get the most out of your Power Armor, also consider investing in the Nuclear Physicist perk in the Intelligence tree which will give you extended use of Fusion Cores before they are depleted.

That rounds off our guide to the best Power Armor in Fallout 4 and all Power Armor locations in the game. For more Fallout 4 tips and tricks, see our guide to the best Fallout 4 mods or see our building guide for tips on creating the best sanctuaries in the Commonwealth.

Fallout 4

PS4 , Xbox One , PC , Nintendo Switch 2

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All 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints and where to get them

These areas have the highest chance of giving you Blueprints

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Looking for more Arc Raiders Blueprints? It’s a special day when you find a Blueprint, as they’re among the most valuable items in Arc Raiders. If you find a Blueprint that you haven’t already found, then you must make sure you hold onto it at all costs, because Blueprints are the key to one of the most important and powerful systems of meta-progression in the game.

This guide aims to be the very best guide on Blueprints you can find, starting with a primer on what exactly they are and how they work in Arc Raiders, before delving into exactly where to get Blueprints and the very best farming spots for you to take in your search.

We’ll also go over how to get Blueprints from other unlikely activities, such as destroying Surveyors and completing specific quests. And you’ll also find the full list of all 75 Blueprints in Arc Raiders on this page (including the newest Blueprints added with the Cold Snap update , such as the Deadline Blueprint and Firework Box Blueprint), giving you all the information you need to expand your own crafting repertoire.

In this guide:

• What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?
• Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes
• Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders Blueprints obtained from quests Blueprints obtained from Trials Best Blueprint farming locations

What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?

Blueprints in Arc Raiders are special items which, if you manage to extract with them, you can expend to permanently unlock a new crafting recipe in your Workshop. If you manage to extract from a raid with an Anvil Blueprint, for example, you can unlock the ability to craft your very own Anvil Pistol, as many times as you like (as long as you have the crafting materials).

To use a Blueprint, simply open your Inventory while in the lobby, then right-click on the Blueprint and click “Learn And Consume” . This will permanently unlock the recipe for that item in your Workshop. As of the Stella Montis update, there are allegedly 75 different Blueprints to unlock - although only 68 are confirmed to be in the game so far. You can see all the Blueprints you’ve found and unlocked by going to the Workshop menu, and hitting “R” to bring up the Blueprint screen.

It’s possible to find duplicates of past Blueprints you’ve already unlocked. If you find these, then you can either sell them, or - if you like to play with friends - you can take it into a match and gift it to your friend so they can unlock that recipe for themselves. Another option is to keep hold of them until the time comes to donate them to the Expedition.

Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes

Below is the full list of all the Blueprints that are currently available to find in Arc Raiders, and the crafting recipe required for each item:

Note: The missing Blueprints in this list likely have not actually been added to the game at the time of writing, because none of the playerbase has managed to find any of them. As they are added to the game, I will update this page with the most relevant information so you know exactly how to get all 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints.

Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders

Below is a list of all containers, modifiers, and events which maximise your chances of finding Blueprints:

• Certain quests reward you with specific Blueprints .
• Completing Trials has a high chance of offering Blueprints as rewards.
• Surveyors have a decent chance of dropping Blueprints on death.
• High loot value areas tend to have a greater chance of spawning Blueprints.
• Night Raids and Storms may increase rare Blueprint spawn chances in containers.
• Containers with higher numbers of items may have a higher tendency to spawn Blueprints. As a result, Blue Gate (which has many “large” containers containing multiple items) may give you a higher chance of spawning Blueprints.
• Raider containers (Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, Medical Bags, Grenade Tubes) have increased Blueprint drop rates. As a result, the Uncovered Caches event gives you a high chance of finding Blueprints.
• Security Lockers have a higher than average chance of containing Blueprints.
• Certain Blueprints only seem to spawn under specific circumstances: Tempest Blueprint only spawns during Night Raid events. Vulcano Blueprint only spawns during Hidden Bunker events. Jupiter and Equaliser Blueprints only spawn during Harvester events.

Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, and other raider-oriented container types have a good chance of offering Blueprints. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blueprints have a very low chance of spawning in any container in Arc Raiders, around 1-2% on average. However, there is a higher chance of finding Blueprints in particular container types. Specifically, you can find more Blueprints in Raider containers and security lockers.

Beyond this, if you’re looking for Blueprints you should focus on regions of the map which are marked as having particularly high-value loot. Areas such as the Control Tower in Dam Battlegrounds, the Arrival and Departure Buildings in Spaceport, and Pilgrim’s Peak in Blue Gate all have a better-than-average chance of spawning Blueprints somewhere amongst all their containers. Night Raids and Electromagnetic Storm events also increase the drop chances of certain Blueprints .

In addition to these containers, you can often loot Blueprints from destroyed Surveyors - the largest of the rolling ball ARC. Surveyors are more commonly found on the later maps - Spaceport and Blue Gate - and if one spawns in your match, you’ll likely see it by the blue laser beam that it casts into the sky while “surveying”.

Surveyors are quite well-armoured and will very speedily run away from you once it notices you, but if you can take one down then make sure you loot all its parts for a chance of obtaining certain unusual Blueprints.

Blueprints obtained from quests

One way in which you can get Blueprints is by completing certain quests for the vendors in Speranza. Some quests will reward you with a specific item Blueprint upon completion, so as long as you work through all the quests in Arc Raiders, you are guaranteed those Blueprints.

Here is the full list of all Blueprints you can get from quest rewards:

• Trigger Nade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Sparks Fly”.
• Lure Grenade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Greasing Her Palms”.
• Burletta Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Industrial Espionage”.
• Hullcracker Blueprint (and Launcher Ammo Blueprint): Rewarded after completing “The Major’s Footlocker”.

Alas, that’s only 4 Blueprints out of a total of 75 to unlock, so for the vast majority you will need to find them yourself during a raid. If you’re intent on farming Blueprints, then it’s best to equip yourself with cheap gear in case you lose it, but don’t use a free loadout because then you won’t get a safe pocket to stash any new Blueprint you find. No pain in Arc Raiders is sharper than failing to extract with a new Blueprint you’ve been after for a dozen hours already.

One of the best ways to get Blueprints is by hitting three stars on all five Trials every week. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blueprints obtained from Trials

One of the very best ways to get Blueprints is as rewards for completing Trials in Arc Raiders. Trials are unlocked from Level 15 onwards, and allow you to earn rewards by focusing on certain tasks over the course of several raids. For example, one Trial might task you with dealing damage to Hornets, while another might challenge you to loot Supply Drops.

Trials refresh on a weekly basis, with a new week bringing five new Trials. Each Trial can offer up to three rewards after passing certain score milestones, and it’s possible to receive very high level loot from these reward crates - including Blueprints. So if you want to unlock as many Blueprints as possible, you should make a point of completing as many Trials as possible each week.

Best Blueprint farming locations

The very best way to get Blueprints is to frequent specific areas of the maps which combine high-tier loot pools with the right types of containers to search. Here are my recommendations for where to find Blueprints on every map, so you can always keep the search going for new crafting recipes to unlock.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Dam Battlegrounds

The best places to farm Blueprints on Dam Battlegrounds are the Control Tower, Power Generation Complex, Ruby Residence, and Pale Apartments . The first two regions, despite only being marked on the map as mid-tier loot, contain a phenomenal number of containers to loot. The Control Tower can also contain a couple of high-tier Security Lockers - though of course, you’ll need to have unlocked the Security Breach skill at the end of the Survival tree.

There’s also a lot of reporting amongst the playerbase that the Residential areas in the top-left of the map - Pale Apartments and Ruby Residence - give you a comparatively strong chance of finding Blueprints. Considering their size, there’s a high density of containers to loot in both locations, and they also have the benefit of being fairly out of the way. So you’re more likely to have all the containers to yourself.

Buried City

The best Blueprint farming locations on Buried City are the Santa Maria Houses, Grandioso Apartments, Town Hall, and the various buildings of the New District . Grandioso Apartments has a lower number of containers than the rest, but a high chance of spawning weapon cases - which have good Blueprint drop rates. The others are high-tier loot areas, with plenty of lootable containers - including Security Lockers.

Spaceport

The best places to find Blueprints on Spaceport are the Arrival and Departure Buildings, as well as Control Tower A6 and the Launch Towers . All these areas are labelled as high-value loot regions, and many of them are also very handily connected to one another by the Spaceport wall, which you can use to quickly run from one area to the next. At the tops of most of these buildings you’ll find at least one Security Locker, so this is an excellent farming route for players looking to find Blueprints.

The downside to looting Blueprints on Spaceport is that all these areas are hotly contested, particularly in Duos and Squads. You’ll need to be very focused and fast in order to complete the full farming route.

Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios

Blue Gate

Blue Gate tends to have a good chance of dropping Blueprints, potentially because it generally has a high number of containers which can hold lots of items; so there’s a higher chance of a Blueprint spawning in each container. In my experience, the best Blueprint farming spots on Blue Gate are Pilgrim’s Peak, Raider’s Refuge, the Ancient Fort, and the Underground Complex beneath the Warehouse .

All of these areas contain a wealth of containers to loot. Raider’s Refuge has less to loot, but the majority of the containers in and around the Refuge are raider containers, which have a high chance of containing Blueprints - particularly during major events.

Stella Montis

On the whole, Stella Montis seems to have a very low drop rate for Blueprints (though a high chance of dropping other high-tier loot). If you do want to try farming Blueprints on this map, the best places to find Blueprints in Stella Montis are Medical Research, Assembly Workshop, and the Business Center . These areas have the highest density of containers to loot on the map.

In addition to this, the Western Tunnel has a few different Security Lockers to loot, so while there’s very little to loot elsewhere in this area of the map, it’s worth hitting those Security Lockers if you spawn there at the start of a match.

That wraps up this primer on how to get all the Blueprints in Arc Raiders as quickly as possible. With the Expedition system constantly resetting a large number of players’ Blueprints, it’s more important than ever to have the most up-to-date information on where to find all these Blueprints.

While you’re here, be sure to check out our Arc Raiders best guns tier list , as well as our primers on the best skills to unlock and all the different Field Depot locations on every map.

ARC Raiders

PS5 , Xbox Series X/S , PC

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