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Gametitle-FO76
Gametitle-FO76

The EX-17 Excavator suit,[1] commonly referred to as the Excavator power armor, is a set of power armor in Fallout 76. The armor requires the player character to be level 25 to equip or craft.

Background

Developed by Garrahan Mining Co. in collaboration with West Tek, the Excavator-class power armor was designed to protect miners from rockfalls and airborne contaminants while increasing the speed at which they could work. Despite being heavily advertised in Appalachia as the future of mining, the unit never entered full production[2] and only five suits were known to have been made.[1]

Created under the EX-17 Excavator Project, the armor's development was headed by Harold Frost, a service member for the United States Army Research Corps hired into the company by Vivian Garrahan in early 2075. The project made considerable progress at first, convincing Frost that he could potentially deliver a prototype within months.[3]

The suit soon ran into durability issues, with the arm units taking extra stress when mining bedrock, causing micro-stress fractures and sheared gear assemblies. By September 2075, the research team settled on using black titanium as an alternative material, being a strong ore native to Appalachia and having the necessary tensile strength to keep the arm components from damaging themselves. Although too expensive for the T-45 power armor due to the expense of the mining process, it was considered an acceptable choice for a corporate design.[4]

While using titanium solved the durability issues, the suit's extra weight made a more efficient reactor necessary. The team continued to experiment with new solutions as late as May 2076, but were already past specifications on the repurposed T-45 reactor, causing overheating and stability issues.[5]

The company eventually settled on developing an ultracite reactor, having the necessary power output and radiation signature for the project. In exchange for the patented ore's usage, Garrahan Mining Co. was required to make a decade-long commitment to Atomic Mining Services. After further experimentation and a near meltdown, the team managed to power the armor with the ore.[6] Pressured by AMS' reveal of Watoga and Hornwright Industrial Mining Company launching the auto-miner industrial robot line, the research team was forced to work around the clock for almost a month straight. By February 2077, the team was able to complete the project and unveil the suit to the press three months ahead of schedule.[7]

By April 3rd, three complete Excavator units were operational and proved the model to be a capable tool. A single suit operated by Bryce Garrahan was able to break the company's record for the amount of ore extracted in a single day, all without suffering maintenance issues. Much to the research team's surprise, Vivian challenged Hornwright Mining's auto-miners to a "man versus machine" ore-mining competition with the suits.[8] The challenge was a calculated risk, aiming to raise the profile of the company and the project while securing lucrative contracts in the increasingly automation-oriented Appalachia. Vivian was convinced the Excavator suits distinguished themselves with revolutionary mineral sensors and the "human drive" to win, despite uncertainty from a majority of the company.[9][10]

The event started on October 18, lasting the next 24 hours.[11] Due to interference from Hornwright-hired mercenaries, the auto-miners won by a margin of 1.85 tons (less than a single truckload) and were declared winners by the media. Hornwright capitalized on this tenuous victory and claimed it as an example of machine's superiority to man.[12]

Hornwright Industry's Auto-miners quickly became popular in Appalachia as the "talk of the region." Meanwhile, Garrahan's stock price drastically declined, allowing for a hostile takeover by Hornwright. Although Penelope Hornwright saw the Excavator armor as a "black titanium coffin," the company planned to apply the suit's mineral detection technology to their own auto-miners.[9][13]

The Great War ended the company's ambitions, leaving the Excavator Power Armor for various wasteland factions to recover,[9] namely the Responders' Fire Breathers Unit[14] and the residents of Vault 76.

Design

Led by by a member of the T-45 development team, Harold Frost,[4] the Excavator armor borrowed elements of the T-45 power armor, notably repurposing the model's reactor.[5]

The suit's parts were cast in black titanium to increase durability, as the extra punishment the arm units took when mining bedrock caused damage to the suit. The increased weight from the titanium caused overheating and stability issues with the suit's T-45 reactor.[5] To develop a more efficient power source, Atomic Mining Services were contracted to obtain their patented ultracite ore for use in an ultracite-based reactor.[6]

The Excavator power armor's arm technology increased mining yields,[15] while the helmet provided protection from hazardous mining conditions.[16] The helmet was also bolstered by Garrahan's patented "Ore Sniffing" technology used in the helmet sensors. Sensor calibration protocols were jealously guarded proprietary information and required registration interface with Garrahan's Mainframe at their headquarters.[1]

Characteristics

Metal Mining Bonus
Aluminum ore Yes
Black titanium ore Yes
Unrefined coal Yes
Copper ore Yes
Crystal ore Yes
Gold ore Yes
Iron ore Yes
Lead ore Yes
Silver ore Yes
Ultracite ore No
Uranium ore No

Excavator power armor has good Radiation Resistance. It has the poorest Damage and Energy Resistances of any power armor model at the same level but wearing a full set of Excavator power armor increases carry weight by 100. Wearing a partial set has no carry bonus. If a piece wears completely out, it is removed from the chassis, removing the carry bonus.

Registering the helmet is required to complete the Miner Miracles quest but has no effect on the use of the power armor or its special property: If the Excavator armor torso is worn, mining will produce four times the ore. The bonus is applied to the output and doesn't affect the number of times a vein can be mined, effectively quadrupling the output almost across the board.

The torso's bonus affects ore veins listed to the right. Ore deposits are not affected.

Crafting

Level Name Black Titanium Gear Glass Nuclear Material Oil Rubber Screw Spring Steel
Level 25 Excavator helmet 6 - 12 - - 13 10 - 17
Excavator torso 6 10 - 6 - 13 10 - 17
Excavator left arm 6 10 - - 9 - 10 - 17
Excavator right arm 6 10 - - 9 - 10 - 17
Excavator left leg 6 - - - 9 - 10 10 17
Excavator right leg 6 - - - 9 - 10 10 17
Total 36 30 12 6 36 26 60 20 102
Level Name Black Titanium Gear Glass Nuclear Material Oil Rubber Screw Spring Steel
Level 35 Excavator helmet 7 - 14 - - 15 12 - 20
Excavator torso 7 12 - 7 - 15 12 - 20
Excavator left arm 7 12 - - 11 - 12 - 20
Excavator right arm 7 12 - - 11 - 12 - 20
Excavator left leg 7 - - - 11 - 12 12 20
Excavator right leg 7 - - - 11 - 12 12 20
Total 42 36 14 7 44 30 72 24 120
Level Name Black Titanium Gear Glass Nuclear Material Oil Rubber Screw Spring Steel
Level 45 Excavator helmet 9 - 16 - - 18 14 - 24
Excavator torso 9 14 - 9 - 18 14 - 24
Excavator left arm 9 14 - - 13 - 14 - 24
Excavator right arm 9 14 - - 13 - 14 - 24
Excavator left leg 9 - - - 13 - 14 14 24
Excavator right leg 9 - - - 13 - 14 14 24
Total 54 42 16 9 52 36 84 28 144

Repair

Level Name Black Titanium Gear Glass Nuclear Material Oil Rubber Screw Spring Steel
Level 25 Excavator helmet 2 - 3 - - 4 3 - 5
Excavator torso 2 3 - 2 - 4 3 - 5
Excavator left arm 2 3 - - 3 - 3 - 5
Excavator right arm 2 3 - - 3 - 3 - 5
Excavator left leg 2 - - - 3 - 3 3 5
Excavator right leg 2 - - - 3 - 3 3 5
Total 12 9 3 2 12 8 18 6 30
Level Name Black Titanium Gear Glass Nuclear Material Oil Rubber Screw Spring Steel
Level 35 Excavator helmet ? - ? - - ? ? - ?
Excavator torso 3 5 - 3 - 5 5 - 7
Excavator left arm 3 5 - - 5 - 5 - 7
Excavator right arm 3 5 - - 5 - 5 - 7
Excavator left leg 3 - - - 5 - 5 5 7
Excavator right leg 3 - - - 5 - 5 5 7
Total 18 15 5 3 20 11 30 10 42
Level Name Black Titanium Gear Glass Nuclear Material Oil Rubber Screw Spring Steel
Level 45 Excavator helmet ? - ? - - ? ? - ?
Excavator torso 4 6 - 4 - 7 6 - 9
Excavator left arm ? ? - - ? - ? - ?
Excavator right arm ? ? - - ? - ? - ?
Excavator left leg ? - - - ? - ? ? ?
Excavator right leg ? - - - ? - ? ? ?
Total ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Armor parts

Level 25
Image Name DR HP Weight Value Upgrade components Base ID
Physical Energy Radiation
FO76 Excavator helmet Excavator helmet 24 24 35 ??? 10 49 N/A 0032E180
FO76 Excavator torso Excavator torso 42 42 59 ??? 15 113 N/A 0032E18A
FO76 Excavator left arm Excavator left arm 24 24 35 ??? 11 61 N/A 0032E182
FO76 Excavator right arm Excavator right arm 24 24 35 ??? 11 61 N/A 0032E188
FO76 Excavator left and right leg Excavator left leg 24 24 35 ??? 12 81 N/A 0032E185
FO76 Excavator left and right leg Excavator right leg 24 24 35 ??? 12 81 N/A 0032E187
Total 163 163 234 ??? 71 446 N/A ???
Level 35
Image Name DR HP Weight Value Upgrade components Base ID
Physical Energy Radiation
FO76 Excavator helmet Excavator helmet 30 30 45 ??? 10 49 N/A 0032E180
FO76 Excavator torso Excavator torso 51 51 75 ??? 15 113 N/A 0032E18A
FO76 Excavator left arm Excavator left arm 30 30 45 ??? 11 61 N/A 0032E182
FO76 Excavator right arm Excavator right arm 30 30 45 ??? 11 61 N/A 0032E188
FO76 Excavator left and right leg Excavator left leg 30 30 45 ??? 12 81 N/A 0032E185
FO76 Excavator left and right leg Excavator right leg 30 30 45 ??? 12 81 N/A 0032E187
Total 201 201 300 ??? 71 446 N/A ???
Level 45
Image Name DR HP Weight Value Upgrade components Base ID
Physical Energy Radiation
FO76 Excavator helmet Excavator helmet 36 36 55 ??? 10 49 N/A 0032E180
FO76 Excavator torso Excavator torso 60 60 91 ??? 15 113 N/A 0032E18A
FO76 Excavator left arm Excavator left arm 36 36 55 ??? 11 61 N/A 0032E182
FO76 Excavator right arm Excavator right arm 36 36 55 ??? 11 61 N/A 0032E188
FO76 Excavator left and right leg Excavator left leg 36 36 55 ??? 12 81 N/A 0032E185
FO76 Excavator left and right leg Excavator right leg 36 36 55 ??? 12 81 N/A 0032E187
Total 240 240 366 ??? 71 446 N/A ???

Armor modifications

Helmet

Torso

Arms

Legs

Locations

There were supposed to be five suits made, but there are no locations with existing Excavator power armor. The Excavator power armor can be crafted during the quest Miner Miracles after downloading its schematics from a terminal in Garrahan Mining Headquarters R&D section, which is on the left after coming through the main door. The terminal is located in a large room on a center table, where there are two power armor stations. Once crafted, pieces cannot be upgraded to a higher level. To obtain a higher level set, the player character must craft it. This can be done at any power armor station.

Plans for crafting mods can be purchased from vendor bot Greg in Grafton, vendor bot Chad in Camden Park or the Responders vendor in The Whitespring Resort.

Gallery

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Garrahan Mining Headquarters terminal entries; project manager's terminal, Excavation Armor Registration
  2. Fallout 76 loading screens: "Developed by Garrahan Mining Co., the "Excavator" class of Power Armor never saw full production, despite being heavily advertised in Appalachia as the future of mining."
  3. Garrahan Mining Headquarters terminal entries; project manager's terminal, GMC06122075-HF
  4. 4.0 4.1 Garrahan Mining Headquarters terminal entries; project manager's terminal, GMC09222075-HF
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Garrahan Mining Headquarters terminal entries; project manager's terminal, GMC05182076-HF
  6. 6.0 6.1 Garrahan Mining Headquarters terminal entries; project manager's terminal, GMC12242076-HF
  7. Garrahan Mining Headquarters terminal entries; project manager's terminal, GMC02032077-HF
  8. Garrahan Mining Headquarters terminal entries; project manager's terminal, GMC04302077-HF
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Excavator suit" - Final steps
  10. Garrahan Mining Headquarters terminal entries; Vivian Garrahan's terminal, Personal Diary - Entry 02
  11. Charleston Herald - Man vs. Machine
  12. Charleston Herald - Hornwright Wins!
  13. Hornwright Industrial headquarters terminal entries; Penny Hornwright's lab terminal, Log Notes 6.10.77
  14. Charleston Fire Department terminal entries; Fire Breathers master terminal, Excavator Armor
  15. Inventory description: "Increased mining yield when left and right arms are used in tandem."
  16. Inventory description: "Prevents damage and disease from airborne and waterborne hazards."
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