Important takeaways
- Fallout 76's Gleaming Depths update brings significant changes to popular and underperforming perk cards.
- Bethesda aims to increase the interest and usability of underperforming cards by changing ranks and effects.
- Mixed reactions online show concern over some changes but hope that perks like Cap Collector will improve.
Bethesda announced that the next update to Fallout 76 will bring a number of “significant” changes to various perk cards in the game. The update, titled “The Gleaming Depths,” will launch in December 2024 Fallout 76 Season 19.
Despite negative reviews that criticized Fallout 76 for its attempt to swing the beloved franchise in the direction of persistent live online play, the game survived its rough launch. In the years since, many updates and feature additions, from interactable NPCs to improvements to the in-game events, have cultivated a dedicated audience that loves to build characters, gather camps and earn loot in the post-apocalyptic Appalachian wilderness.

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Fallout 76 Gleaming Depths Preview: A Raid That Requires Teamwork
Fallout 76 is getting ready to release its 21st major update, and Gleaming Depths will offer a challenging raid that requires teamwork.
Based on a reveal from developer Bethesda, the upcoming Gleaming Depths update could shake things up for a few players by bringing significant balance-related changes to some popular and not-so-popular Fallout 76 Benefit card. IN Fallout 76Perk Cards replace the skills and perks defined Fallout 4s gameplay, which injects a sense of randomness into character development (as cards are acquired from packs rather than simply being chosen after leveling up) and allows players to build powerful character sets specialized in different tasks.
Fallout 76 Perk Card changes improve both popular and underperforming cards
According to Bethesda's post, the goal behind the changes is to Fallout 76 Perk Cards are to boost “underperforming” cards and make them “more interesting” and easier to add to a player's build. Some of the perk cards that will change include perks like Adamantium Skeleton, Bullet Shield, Evasive, Cap Collector and more. The majority of changed cards will have fewer Fallout 76 The Perk Card ranks are needed, making them easier to easily put into a character build without having to worry about upgrading them to get the best effects. Other planned changes include changes to the card effects, including which stats they scale with. For example, Adamantium Skeleton will become a 1-rank Perk Card, and its new effect reduces damage to limbs and scales with a player's Stamina. At the same time, the batteries included in the perk card will be reduced, allowing players to gain a more dramatic weight reduction for energy weapon ammo.
Online reactions to the changes were mixed. One player complained that changes to the Lone Wanderer perk make it “useless” for their existing solo builds, as its effect now scales based on Charisma. Others were hopeful about the changes. One user noted that Cap Collector, once considered one of the worst perks in the Fallout 76, can be easier to deploy due to needing fewer ranks, having an increased range of effect and increasing rewards with Luck.
Fallout 76 The Gleaming Depths Perk Card Changes
Adamantium skeleton
- The rank decreased from 3 to 1
- New effect: Limb Damage Reduction effect now scales with Endurance
All night long
- The rank decreased from 3 to 1
- Rank 1 Perk Point cost increased from 1 to 2
- New effect: The positive effects of pre-war alcohol last twice as long
Batteries included
- Rank reduced from 3 to 2
- Rank 1 now offers 45% weight reduction
- Rank 2 now offers 90% weight reduction
Bloodsucker
- The rank decreased from 3 to 1
- Moved from Charisma to Endurance
- Rank 1 gains the effects of the previous Rank 3 effect
- Healing bonus increased from 150% to 200%
- Additional effect: The benefits now also apply to Cannibal
Bullet Shield
- Moved from strength to endurance
- Added a 4th ranking.
- New effect: 5% chance per rank to deflect ranged attacks for 6 seconds when firing a heavy weapon.
Cannibal
- The rank decreased from 3 to 1
- Increased healing and hunger restored to rank 1
Cap collector
- The rank decreased from 3 to 1
- Now applies to containers and corpses, not just Cap Stashes
- New effect: The amount of Caps found scales with Luck
Avoidance
- The rank decreased from 3 to 1
- New Effect: Now increases Evade Chance based on Agility
First aid
- The rank decreased from 3 to 1
- Now affects Stimpak Diffuser
- New effect: Stimpak healing scales with Intelligence
Four-leaf clover
- The rank decreased from 3 to 1
- New effect: Misses in VAT contribute to the critical meter based on luck
Hard bargain
- The rank decreased from 3 to 1
- Rank 1 now grants +7 Charisma when bartering with NPCs
Iron belly
- Now also increases energy resistance
Junk shield
- The rank decreased from 3 to 1
- Now works in Power Armor
- Additional effect: Now also scales with Luck
Life giver
- The rank decreased from 3 to 1
- New effect: Improves HP from stamina
Lone Wanderer
- The rank decreased from 3 to 1
- New effect: AP Regen and defense bonus based on Charisma
Natural resistance
- No longer increases energy resistance
Night eyes
- Removed time of day requirement
Ordnance Express
- Rank reduced from 3 to 2
- Rank 1 now offers 45% weight reduction
- Rank 2 now offers 90% weight reduction
Pharmacist
- The rank decreased from 3 to 1
- New Effect: Radiant Healing Scales with Intelligence
- No longer needed to craft disease cures or water filters
Professional drinker
- Rank reduced from 3 to 2
Ricochet
- The rank decreased from 3 to 1
- New Effect: Now increases deflect chance based on turn. Deflect gives a chance to reflect 100% of the damage from ranged attacks back to the attacker and reduces the damage you take from the attack by 50%. Deflect Chance gets a bonus when wearing Heavy Armor or Power Armor (+50% multiplier). In Power Armor, the amount of damage reflected is doubled (200%).
Serendipity
- The rank decreased from 3 to 1
- New Effect: Now increases Evade Chance while below 30% health, based on Luck. Evade gives a chance to avoid all incoming damage from direct attacks. Dodging can happen once per second and the cooldown is now increased with armor. Note that Evade cannot happen while overloaded or while in Power Armor.
- Armor increases the Evade cooldown at the following rates:
- Light Armor: +0.1 second per piece
- Medium Armor: +0.2 seconds per item
- Heavy Armor: +0.4 seconds per piece
Strengthened genes
- The rank decreased from 2 to 1
- Moved from Luck to Endurance
- Rank 1 now gives the benefits of the previous Rank 2
Through-walker
- Rank reduced from 3 to 2
- Moved from Agility to Endurance
- Rank 1 now offers 45% weight reduction
- Rank 2 now offers 90% weight reduction