Why Fallout 76's Single Meta-Build System Needs to Change Now

The ongoing development and support for Fallout 76 has brought numerous changes, but one build has remained the most dominant in the game. While Bloodied builds boast immense power, the game could benefit from a more diverse selection of viable endgame builds. Bloodied builds are essentially glass cannons that excel in utilizing the best of all other builds available in the game. This is due to their unmatched high damage output, which no other build in the game can consistently match. In order to maintain balance, it would be wise for Fallout 76 to consider boosting other builds to bring them up to par with the formidable Bloodied builds.

Why Bloodied Builds are the Uncontested Meta in Fallout 76

When it comes to legendary weapon effects in Fallout 76, the Bloodied effect reigns supreme in terms of damage output. It boasts the highest damage modifier for every weapon and weapon type in the game, with only a few exceptions. Unlike other legendary effects that can only offer up to a 50% increase in damage, Bloodied can provide up to a whopping 95% increase in damage. While the Instigating effect can deal double damage to full-health enemies, it's only effective during the initial attack on a target. Bloodied, on the other hand, is not only the highest percentage increase in damage, but it also has one of the simplest conditions to meet for utilizing the legendary effect. As players' health decreases, Bloodied becomes more effective, which means that by reducing their maximum health with radiation, players can consistently stay within the optimal health range for the Bloodied effect.

The Adrenal Reaction Mutation complements the Bloodied legendary weapon effect exceptionally well. As the player's health decreases, Adrenal Reaction lowers their max health while increasing their damage, just like Bloodied. Although they originate from different sources, players can combine them without any issues. Furthermore, the Nerd Rage perk from the Intelligence attribute provides yet another damage boost when the player's health is low, resulting in a triple-stacked damage buff that no other builds in Fallout 76 can match. This is one of the reasons why Bloodied builds are superior to the competition.

In addition, Bloodied builds have the advantage of incorporating other builds by utilizing Unyielding legendary armor. While not essential, Unyielding armor maximizes the potential of incorporating stealth and VATS critical hit builds onto a Bloodied build. By boosting Perception, Agility, and Luck, players can remain undetected for longer periods and use critical hits with greater frequency and accuracy.

Bloodied builds in Fallout 76 offer an impressive array of exclusive components and the added benefit of utilizing universal consumable buffs like chems, food, and drinks. This versatility makes them a true jack of all trades in the game, allowing players to experiment with a variety of loadouts and maximize their damage output with top-tier weapons. While the low health requirement of these builds carries some risk, the rewards are unmatched, highlighting a problem with other builds in the game that lack permanent stackable buffs, low-damage legendary effects, and highly situational windows of opportunity. It would be beneficial for Fallout 76 to consider giving other builds the Bloodied treatment in the future to provide players with additional endgame options.

Fallout 76 is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.