Health is an abstracted measure of how much damage the player character can sustain, and is one of the basic derived statistics in Fallout 76.
Calculation[]
Like in previous games, Fallout 76 determines the total health using the following health scaling formula:
This is a significant change from Fallout 4 because Endurance starts at 1 for every player character. There are two regular perks granting additional health: LifeGiver, granting up to 45 additional hit points, and Nocturnal Fortitude, granting up to 40, but only between 6 AM and 6 PM. The possible values are:
| Endurance | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hit points | 250 | 255 | 260 | 265 | 270 | 275 | 280 | 285 | 290 | 295 | 300 | 305 | 310 | 315 | 320 |
| Life Giver I | - | 270 | 275 | 280 | 285 | 290 | 295 | 300 | 305 | 310 | 315 | 320 | 325 | 330 | 335 |
| Life Giver II | - | - | 290 | 295 | 300 | 305 | 310 | 315 | 320 | 325 | 330 | 335 | 340 | 345 | 350 |
| Life Giver III | - | - | - | 310 | 315 | 320 | 325 | 330 | 335 | 340 | 345 | 350 | 355 | 360 | 365 |
Both of the perks are underpowered, as they modify health by a flat value, rather than a proportional one. As such, they adds only about 5% additional health per perk rank. They have a measurable impact when taken together, granting +85 health at nighttime, or +26%.
Note that Adrenal Reaction mutation reduces max HP by a flat -50, a full 20% at EN 1.
Restoring health[]
Health very slowly regenerates on its own. The main source of healing is consumables: They can be restored by using stimpaks of any kind or consuming foodstuffs, which confer a regenerative effect that takes a few seconds to complete.
Stimpak healing effectiveness is increased with the First Aid perk (up to +45%). The Born Survivor perk will automatically use a stimpak every 20s when falling under 20% health (40% at max level). The Auto-Stim Legendary mod will automatically apply a stimpak every minute if under 20% health.
Foodstuffs are affected by the Herbivore and Carnivore mutations, which double healing rates of respectively plant-based and meat-based meals (but render the opposite type useless). Good Doggy triples the effectiveness of canned dog food. The Cannibal perk allows for eating humans, ghouls, super mutants, and mole miners to restore health.
Consuming a dose of Buffout will immediately restore health (technically, it increases maximum hit points, but does so in a way that instantly adds health).
If not wearing any power armor, the player character will execute an injection animation, and the healing effect will only occur once the animation completes. They can move, but cannot attack or reload while the animation is taking place, which does make them vulnerable. Power armor instantly applies the effect, with minimal cooldowns, allowing for spamming the quick heal key (H by default), useful in Daily Ops.
Certain items, mutations, and perks affect healing rates outside combat (unless specified):
- The full set of Solar armor regenerates health for the character and teammates while it's above 60%,
- Armor with the Regenerating Legendary mod will apply a constant healing effect that slowly restores health,
- Weapons with the Vampire's Legendary mod restore 2% of health over 2 seconds per attack that hits an enemy,
- Solar Powered regenerates health during the day (6 AM to 6 PM),
- Storm Chaser regenerates health during the rain or rad storms.
- Homebody regenerates health while in a CAMP or workshop.
- Ghoulish restores health when taking radiation damage, at a 2.5/5/7.5 ratio (i.e. restores 2.5 HP per point of radiation damage). Radiation still reduces max health as normal.
- E.M.T. provides health regeneration for players even in combat, for up to 60 seconds. Spiritual Healer grants regeneration for up 10 seconds to the reviving player.
- Friendly Fire results in flame weapons restoring health to team mates (except for the Molotov).
- Healing Factor mutation triples health regeneration as long as the player character isn't starving. Chem effects are reduced by -55%, including stimpaks.
Health effects[]
Beyond just determining the amount of damage a player character can take, health also affects gameplay in other ways, depending on items and perks equipped. Note that effects that depend on missing health can be effectively fortified by leveraging the radiation damage mechanic, which lowers maximum HP - the game always takes the unmodified maximum into account when determining percentages.
- The Bloodied weapon effect increases a weapon's damage by up to 95%, proportionally to the amount of missing health.
- Bolstering Legendary mod effect grants up to +35 damage resistances, proportionally to missing health,
- Unyielding Legendary mod grants up to +3 to all SPECIAL stats except Endurance (+1 at <60%, +2 at <40%, at +3 at below 20%),
- Juggernaut's Legendary mod increases damage by up to 25%, proportionally to max health,
- Vanguard's Legendary mod grants up to +35 damage resistances, proportionally to max health.
- Serendipity perk grants an up to 45% chance to avoid incoming damage if under 35% health.
- Nerd Rage! grants up to +40 damage resistance, +20% damage, and +15% AP regen if under 20% health.
- Dead Man Sprinting increases speed by up to +20%, if under 50% health.
Death[]
Usually losing all Hit Points means death. Occasionally, the player is put in the downed condition upon losing all Hit Points. For the next 30 seconds, it is possible to be revived by another player (by Mysterious Savior or Power Armor Reboot, if equipped) at the cost of a stimpak.
The Scout's banner grants a single automatic revive, while the Life Saving Legendary mod grants a 50% chance to self-revive using a stimpak.