All about Mutations in Fallout 76: How to get and remove them
[Update 13th June 2025] Changed mutations & starched genes perk
Here at Nuka Knights, we usually discuss mutations as a matter of course since most people know them inside out. Here is an article with all the information for reference and links.
HOW DO YOU GET MUTATIONS?
You get mutations either randomly through radiation you are exposed to or specifically by taking mutation serums. You can make these serums yourself using the corresponding serum recipe (available at Modus in the Whitespring Bunker (Science Terminal) from around 17.500 Caps) or buy them from other players. Immediately after you have consumed a mutation as a serum, the negative effects are suppressed for 1 hour. The mutation then works as intended with all positive and negative effects. By taking Rad-X you temporarily suppress the effects of your mutations. Diluted Rad-X does not suppress the mutations.
HOW DO YOU KEEP THE MUTATIONS?
Basically, you lose individual mutations again, for example if you take RAD Away. Therefore, from level 30 onwards you can equip the “Starched Genes” perk card in Endurance (in Luck before 2025) and keep your mutations. With this perk you no longer mutate randomly and keep the mutations you activated with serums. If you want to get mutations again at random, you can unequip the card. In addition to "Starched Genes", you should also always equip "Class Freak" (from level 46) to reduce the negative effects of the mutations by up to 75%.
HOW DO YOU REMOVE CERTAIN MUTATIONS?
If you want to remove individual mutations, you can't do it specifically. You can only remove random individual mutations and then take the ones you want to use again as serum. To do this, get all the mutations that you want to use after the action as a serum, then temporarily unequip the “Starched Genes” card from your skills. Now you can take RadAways to lose one random mutation per RadAway. When the desired mutation has been removed, equip "Starched Genes" again and take the serums whose mutations you had to remove again.
THE FOLLOWING MUTATIONS EXIST IN FALLOUT 76
The effects are described in more detail in PipBoy in the left tab under Effects. Here is a list of all effects:
- Adrenal reaction [changed]
Positive:
You do more damage per kill while on a Kill Streak (Max 10). Your max health is reduced.
Negative:
-50 Max TP (without Class Freak)
-12 Max TP (with Class Freak 3*)
Builds:
All build variants - Bird bones [changed]
Positive:
Boosts sneaking and increases AP. Reduces strength and increases risk of limb damage.
Negative:
-4 Strength (without Class Freak)
-1 Strength (with Class Freak)
Builds:
Heavy & Sniper Builds - Carnivores
Positive:
More benefits from meat buffs, reinforced by "odds by the dozen." e.g. Squirrel Stew +XP
As well as no diseases from raw meat.
Negative:
No benefits from plant-based buffs
Builds:
All - Chameleon
Positive:
Invisible while standing still or crouched when not wearing armor or "weightless" armor (all pieces).
Negative:
Does not work with most armor.
Builds:
Full Life Sniper with Weightless Armor - Eagle eyes
Positive:
Critical Damage +50%, +4 Perception
Negative:
-4 Strength (without Class Freak)
-1 Strength (with Class Freak 3*)
Builds:
Commando / Single Shot Sniper & Pistol Builds - Egghead
Positive:
+6 Intelligence
Negative:
-3 Strength, -3 Stamina (without Class Freak)
-0.75 Strength, -0.75 Stamina (with Class Freak)
Builds:
Anyone who wants to level up faster and doesn't mind 0.75 less strength - Electrically Charged
Positive:
Chance to hit the opponent with electric shocks during melee attacks
Negative:
A small portion of the damage can be dealt to the player.
(Barely noticeable with Class Freak)
Builds:
Primarily melee, but can help all builds - Empathy
Positive:
Teammates (including yourself) take less damage. For optimal use, you must equip Class Freak and play on a team.
Negative:
You take more damage without a team.
Builds:
All. You just always have to open a team or join a team (as is common practice). - Grounded
Positive:
Energy resistance +100
Negative:
Energy damage -50% (without Class Freak)
Energy damage -12.% (with Class Freak)
Builds:
All builds that don't play energy weapons. - Healing Factor
Positive:
+300 non-combat health regeneration
Negative:
-55% chem effects (excluding Class Freak)
-13.75% Chem Effects (with Class Freak)
Builds:
All, especially bloodstained, for example to weaken the effect of diluted Rad-Aways - Herbivores
Positive:
More benefits from plant-based buffs, boosted by “Strange in Numbers.” e.g. cranberry sauce +XP, More Critical Damage from Blight Soup, better AP Acceleration from Company Tea
As well as no diseases from raw plants.
Negative:
No benefits from meat buffs
Builds:
All - Herd Mentality
Positive:
+2 to all SPECIAL stats, in the team
Negative:
-2 to all SPECIAL values, without team
Builds:
All - Marsupial
Positive:
+20 carry capacity, +jump height
Negative:
-4 Intelligence (without Class Freak)
-1 Intelligence (with Class Freak)
Builds:
All - Plague Walkers
Positive:
Poison aura scales with your diseases
Negative:
Diseases don't heal themselves
Builds:
Anyone who doesn't mind the side effects of the diseases - Scaly skin
Positive:
+50 damage and energy resistance
Negative:
-50 action points (excluding class freak)
-12.5 action points (with class freak)
Builds:
All - Speed Demon
Positive:
+20% movement speed, +20% faster reload
Negative:
+50% more hunger and thirst when moving (without class freak)
+12.5% more hunger and thirst when exercising (with class freak)
Builds:
All - Talons
Positive:
Strikes deal +25% more damage and cause bleeding
Negative:
-4 Agility (without Class Freak)
-1 Agility (with Class Freak)
Builds:
Unarmed melee builds - Twisted Muscles [changed]
Positive:
Your melee attacks deal more damage and have increased limb damage. The accuracy of your guns is reduced.
Negative:
Weapon Accuracy -50% (without class freak)
Weapon Accuracy -12.5% (with Class Freak)
Builds:
All melee builds - Unstable Isotope
Positive:
Medium chance of irradiating the opponent with melee attacks
Negative:
Minor damage is dealt to the player when irradiated
Builds:
All
CONCLUSION
Mutations are very beneficial for all builds. You can now think about which mutation suits your build best. In the list above you will find a build recommendation for each mutation.
See also: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Fallout_76_mutations
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