How to become a Ghoul in Fallout 76
The latest Fallout 76 update, Ghoul Within, allows you to become a skinless abomination, fueled by radiation, should you wish to walk that path. Whether you admire Delita from Final Fantasy Tactic’s lack of a nose or simply wish to do something new in FO76, it’s incredibly easy to unlock this feature. You don’t have to do it on the character you complete the quest for — the ability to become a Ghoul will be unlocked for your entire account.
After speaking to Bill LaCoste about Ghouls in Fallout 76, I have to admit, I was pretty excited to check it out for myself. It is, after all, the first time a player can become a Ghoul in any of the Fallout games. If you want to learn how to take part in this new adventure, here’s what you need to know.
How to turn your Fallout 76 character into a Ghoul
The first step is the easiest — or hardest — step to become a Ghoul in Fallout 76. You need to be level 50! You can just buy a Level Boost if you have the spare Atoms, or just grind it out. You may already be there, too. Once you are level 50, you will automatically pick up the quest The Leap of Faith.
First, open your Pip Boy and listen to the Distress Signal. This will lead you to the next step of the quest, Find the Wounded Scavenger. They can be found at The Whitespring Resort, so fast travel or hike there, and walk inside. Follow the quest marker, and you’ll find Leamon Price.
He was attacked by Raiders, and when he went to speak to a Medic, he learned he had a terminal illness — Radiation poisoning. After a chat with him, ask about the Radio Broadcast to push the quest forward.
The Medic will inform both of you about a “radiation specialist” up in the mountains. Offer to meet him up north and help him out, and that will put you on the next step to becoming a Ghoul in Fallout 76. Next, head north to Hillside Cavern. It’s unfortunately about as far northeast as you can go on the map.
If you can fast travel up there, that’s great. You can also go from Fort Atlas — unfortunately, I haven’t explored that part of the map yet so I just had an incredibly long, dangerous journey ahead of me. Make sure you pack plenty of bullets and healing items. I died several times trying to get here — mostly due to Scorchbeasts — so take care of this part of the Ghoul process in Fallout 76. If you're strong enough to beat them, they could drop the blueprints for a Radium Rifle though.
Enter the Hillside Cavern, and after a few moments of wandering through caves, you’ll see a ghoul holding Price at gunpoint. Be calm with him, and after a bit more dialogue, Parthenia will show up and defuse the situation. After a bit more conversation, Parthenia will ask you to get some Irradiated Ore, so agree to help her with her situation. Price will give you a key to his place. The location you need to get to is Emmett Mountain, but if you haven’t been there, you can just travel to Whitespring Resort and hike to the mountain. It won’t be very far away, either.
Head in from the east and hoof it quickly to the entrance. Asher will already be here, fighting irradiated ghouls, so help him take them out. Having some RadAway/RadX will certainly aid you here. Speak to him after the fight and tell him you have the key. Open the door and head into the next area.
To progress with the quest, speak to Madeline Keene, a local scavenger. She will show up in the room with you. After some back and forth, you can attempt to save her from being killed, provided you have 8+ Strength or Charisma. I used Strength to save her, but it’s not required. After the conversation, head back to the Hillside Cavern and speak to Parthenia.
From here, you just need to help Price decide if he wants to become a Ghoul as the final part of this Fallout 76 quest. Completing this will unlock A Fresh Pair of Genes, which requires you to speak to Parthenia about becoming a Ghoul in Fallout 76. You don’t have to accept it right now, either.
If you decide you don’t like it, you can cancel it out in the Main Menu one time only. Use the inhaler, head into the radiation chamber, and enjoy your new life as a Ghoul!
Should you become a Ghoul in Fallout 76?
I think there are certainly positives and negatives to being a Ghoul in Fallout 76. If this is your main character and is incredibly high-level, I still think it might be worth it to take the plunge and try it. If you don’t like it, you can revert from the main menu, so that’s a positive.
The immunity to radiation, new, exclusive perks, radiation healing, and the Glow/Feral meters make for a fresh, interesting experience. You do have to be careful around normal humans though. Certain factions won't treat you the same, now that you've . . . changed.
If you’re a fresh level 50, I think it’s even better to become a Ghoul. Most people I’ve spoken to prefer to have a fresh character, so they have fresh, new experiences as a Ghoul. There’s lots of fun potential roleplay, but in terms of pure game benefits, it’s a different experience, compared to being a regular human. Frankly, I think it’s worth dipping a toe into, but ultimately, it’s your choice.
Check out our other Fallout 76 guides and features
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