Be a good neighbor in Fallout 76’s Wastelanders update

In the build-up to the Wastelanders update, which is set to get revealed on Feb. 4, Bethesda is teasing out some new elements to the game. The one on the docket today is a reputation system that’ll play along with two new factions previously announced.

In a blog post, developers break down the system, which will allow you to build up a reputation with both the Settlers and the Raiders (the two new factions). There are several ranks, including Hostile, Cautious, Friendly, and Ally.

“When you first meet the Settlers and Raiders, they will be hesitant to include you, a newcomer, in their affairs. The more you do to help a faction by offering information, taking down their enemies, and completing quests, the more you will prove you’re someone they can rely on and your reputation with that faction will increase,” the post read.

As you rank up your reputation (or if you choose to), you’ll get access to certain rewards, including new vendors from that faction that can sell you faction-specific items.

The post also promises that how much you rank up depends on the quest or task you complete. Story quests equate to more points, for example, compared to daily quests.

This isn’t the first time a Fallout game has had a reputation system. A lot of the previous games used a faction system and allowed you to either increase or decrease your reputation with them, which would then influence your interactions with them and the quests you can complete. It’s probably best implemented in Fallout: New Vegas, which we will remind you, is not a Bethesda game.

The most interesting thing about this reputation system is how detailed it seems to be. We don’t have information on what reputation quests will entail, but considering there are seven total ranks, it feels like a complex system. At the very least, it’ll take you a while to get all the way up to Friendly.

In a previous post, Bethesda introduced the Settlers and the Raiders, two new factions that are joining the game in the Wastelanders update. The Settlers are described as “hard-working and industrious,” but are strangers to the area while the Raiders are territorial and think of Appalachia as home.

The new update, which was announced back in 2019 and was subsequently delayed in October, will be free for all existing players.