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The maximum amount of equipment your character can carry, in pounds.— in-game description, Fallout

Carry Weight is a derived statistic in the SPECIAL system.

Fallout, Fallout 2, and Fallout Tactics[]

The player character will become slower as more weight is put on. When they reach the maximum weight, they become completely weighed down and cannot move until the weight reduced.

For example, with a starting Strength of 5:

This is then reduced in a game-specific manner depending on perks and traits; the real formula for all three games includes the Strong Back perk; assuming SB is the player’s ranks in Strong Back:

The Pack Rat perk is not present in Fallout and the Small Frame trait behaves differently in Fallout Tactics from the other two games, giving a slightly different formula for each game:

Fallout[]

Strength is Strength score after modification (e.g. from drugs), SB is ranks in Strong Back (max 3), SF is 1 if the player has the Small Frame trait and 0 if they do not.

So, for example, with Strength 6, the Small Frame trait, and 3 ranks in Strong Back:

Fallout 2[]

Strength is Strength score after modification (e.g. from drugs), SB is ranks in Strong Back (max 3), PR is ranks in Pack Rat (max 1), SF is 1 if the player has the Small Frame trait and 0 if they do not. Other than the introduction of Pack Rat as a perk, this is identical to the formula used in Fallout.

So, for example, with Strength 6, the Small Frame trait, 1 rank in Pack Rat, and 3 ranks in Strong Back:

Fallout Tactics[]

Strength is Strength score after modification (e.g. from drugs), SB is ranks in Strong Back (max 3), PR is ranks in Pack Rat (max 1), SF is 1 if the player has the Small Frame trait and 0 if they do not. The big change between this game and Fallout 2 is changing Small Frame's penalty to count as a negative rank in Strong Back/Pack Rat, rather than a modification to how much carrying capacity Strength is worth.

So, for example, with Strength 6, the Small Frame trait, 1 rank in Pack Rat, and 3 ranks in Strong Back:

Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas[]

Movement speed is unaffected by one's carry weight until the weight of items carried exceeds the total carry weight, at which point one will become overencumbered and unable to run, jump or fast travel, with the exception of the Long Haul perk in Fallout: New Vegas.

Example: A starting Strength of 5.

Weight[]

Main article: Weight
  • Every added point of Strength increases weight limit by 10 lbs, including temporary bonuses added from chems, alcohol and apparel.
  • The maximum initial level is capped at 250 lbs without the addition of extra perks.
  • The Strong Back perk increases the limit by 50 lbs.
  • The Burden to Bear perk can increase this limit by another 50 lbs.
  • The Hoarder trait increases the limit by 25 lbs.
  • The NCR Courier duster increases carry weight by another 25 lbs.
  • In Fallout: New Vegas, the maximum amount of weight one can carry is 400 lbs.
  • Using the console command player.modav, carry weight can be increased to a maximum of 20,106 lbs.
  • With the Long Haul perk in Fallout: New Vegas, one can still fast travel while overencumbered.

Fallout 4[]

Movement speed is unaffected by carry weight unless overencumbered, and one is unable to run or fast travel, but can still jump.
Game settings for carrying capacity:

  • fAVDCarryWeightBase = 200.0
  • fAVDCarryWeightMult = 10.0

Notes[]

  • Strong Back increases carrying capacity by up to 50, and also counteracts some of the deficits of being overencumbered by offering the ability to run normally or even fast travel.
  • Lone Wanderer increases carrying capacity by 100 when not traveling with a companion (except Dogmeat).
  • Buffout and X-cell temporarily increase Strength by 2, giving 20 extra carry weight.
  • Any armor with the Fortifying modifier will increase Strength by 1, giving 10 additional carry weight.
  • Armor with the Pocketed misc mod adds 5 carry weight when equipped.
    • Chest armor with the Pocketed misc adds 10 carry weight instead.
  • Armor with the Deep pocketed misc mod adds 10 carry weight when equipped.
    • Chest armor with the Deep pocketed misc adds 20 carry weight instead.
  • Any power armor leg piece with the Calibrated misc mod adds 50 carry weight when equipped.
  • As of patch 1.5, the base carry weight in Survival mode is reduced to 75 lbs.
  • Mysterious serum temporarily increases Strength by 5, providing 50 extra carry weight.
  • With the addition of the Creation Club backpack, the max carrying capacity possible using chems and legendary clothing is 905 carry weight. Requires updating since the updated military backpack creation provides a max increase of 120.

Bugs[]

  • PCPC As of patch 1.6, companions may occasionally arbitrarily gain a much higher carry weight than they would be capable of under any other circumstances. Triggering this can be as simple as repeatedly engaging a trade with the companion, taking items from them, ending the trade, re-initiating a trade and giving items to them until one has determined the bug has occurred or not. Their ability to accept even more items in subsequent trades appears to also be random. This applies to humanoid companions and Dogmeat. [verified]
  • Playstation 4Playstation 4 Xbox OneXbox One Companions will pick up items when commanded to, even when overencumbered, making their carry weight essentially unlimited, so long as the items are first dropped and the companion is told to pick them up. [verified]
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