“The enigmatic and deadly mutant creatures known as Floaters store noxious gases in their floatation bladders, which allow them to move through the air in search of prey.”— Fallout 76 loading screens
Floaters are mutated creatures that are the product of experimentation with the Forced Evolutionary Virus.[Non-game 1] Floaters are known to be friendly toward super mutants and behave almost as domesticated hunting companions, similar to mutant hounds. Some floaters that encountered super mutants in the wilderness even began to follow the roving gangs.[1]
Characteristics[]
Biology[]
Floaters are large, soft-bodied invertebrates, named after the flotation sacs that allow them to hover in the air. Noxious, flammable gases are generated by the creature and stored in the large flotation bladders atop their heads, giving the creature its distinctive appearance and ability to hover.[2]
When killed, floaters bring their arms to their head and emit a loud shriek as the flotation sac violently expands. Upon rupturing, the explosion spreads volatile entrails in a circular radius, leaving a lingering pool for a short duration. The explosion causes either poison damage (green), cryo damage and slower movement (blue), or fire damage (orange). These explosions, especially from flamers, can potentially kill other targets very easily if they stand too close, especially if their health is low.
Gameplay attributes[]
Floaters primarily hunt using ambush tactics, burrowing beneath the ground and lying in wait for prey. They leave their long tongues sticking out of the dirt and emit a bright, colorful mist to attract curious prey. When provoked, the floater leaps out from under the ground with its mouth gaping open in an attempt to intimidate and startle the prey.
Elemental affinity[]
Appalachian floaters have developed elemental abilities. Floaters have either acidic-based, incendiary-based, or cryogenic-based capabilities, primarily stored in the sacs covering the body and limbs. This pus can be harvested and turned into volatile grenades, which, when thrown, emulate the dying explosion of a critically wounded floater.
Gnasher floaters are green in color and use acid-based attacks, releasing highly corrosive pus with every bite. Unlike other floater variants, gnashers cannot utilize ranged attacks and instead opt for melee combat. Flamer floaters are orange in color and are capable of long range fire-based attacks. Freezer floaters are bright blue in color and specialize in cryogenic attacks. Freezer pus is kept at low temperatures and can be sprayed at will in a large radius, causing damage to any technological parts it comes into contact with.
Variants[]
Floater flamer[]
A glowing, bright red variant with incendiary capabilities.
↑Super mutant 1: "Look at that smile. I think it like you! I know it ugly, but it friend." Super mutant 2: "It follow us here, but no attack, it need friend." Floater: "Gloooooorrrp! Bleghk?" Mutant 1: "What it say? I think it want to play." Mutant 2: "Or hungry. Maybe play with food like human?" (Super mutant dialogue)
↑Fallout 76 loading screens: "The enigmatic and deadly mutant creatures known as Floaters store noxious gases in their floatation bladders, which allow them to move through the air in search of prey."
