Glow of the Ghoul Update: Expected Changes for 18th March 2025 (Patch 58)
The next update and the next season 20 are just around the corner. Likely on March 18th, 2025 the Glow of the Ghoul update for Fallout 76 will be released and will bring numerous new features, the playable ghoul, a new seasonal event, a season dedicated to the ghoul, new game mechanics, new locations, new perks and much more.
Index:
- The playable ghoul & new quests
- Ghoul perk cards
- Changed perk cards
- Changed Legendary Effects
- Legendary mods scrapping
- Power armor preview and bonus
- Fusion Cores & Plasma Cores in Ammobox
- New event: The Big Bloom
- New locations
- Buffs & balancing
- New mechanic: Onslaught
- Glowing bobbleheads
- New season 20
- New Atom Shop items
- PTS patchnotes
The playable ghoul & new quests
With this update, it will be possible to play Fallout 76 as a ghoul. This means that you will then be completely immune to radiation, even benefit from it, be healed by it, and above 100% health you will receive "glow" from radiation. This glow is the basis for your buffs and perks.
First of all, you are always a human when you walk out of the vault. From level 50 it is then possible to complete the quest "Leap of Faith" and "A Fresh Pair of Genes", where you can become a ghoul.
It is also possible to become a human again; you can simply select the corresponding option in the character menu. However, this step back will probably only be possible once for free.
Preview graphics and entries in the PTS data have already shown via datamining that a "re-ghoulification" is to be offered in the Atom Shop. It is not possible to see at what price. There are also entries for a "level 50 boost" via the Atom Shop. This is primarily intended to enable quick access to the ghoul quests for new characters. However, additional character slots do not seem to be planned.
So it is best to think carefully about which character you want to become a ghoul with. Being a ghoul has advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages:
- Immunity to radioactive radiation
- "Glow" through radiation (over 100% HP)
- "Feral" state can bring advantages through ghoul perks
- New ghoul perks
- Significant resistance ability
- Strengthening of chems through ghoul perks
- No hunger or thirst, instead "Feral" state
- Improvement of weak point hits through ghoul perks
- Improvement of critical hits through ghoul perks
- More specials when a ghoul is in the team through ghoul perks
- etc.
Disadvantages:
- "Feral" state can cause disadvantages, can be improved with chems.
- No bloodied build possible
- Radiation is used for healing, so it does not remain as it does as a human. This means that you cannot keep your HP at a bloodied level.
- No permanent advantages from Unyielding Armor
- Without a disguise, you cannot enter the interior of Crater, Foundation, Vault 79, or Fort Atlas or fast travel there. You can get the disguise from Jaye Vo in Radiant Hills
- Power armor or any bandanas or similar do not currently count as disguises
- Significant charisma deductions (-10 without a disguise)
- As a result, you get bad prices from vendors as a ghoul and have disadvantages in some dialogues.
Possibilities as a ghoul
Basically, the ghoul is definitely an alternative to a bloodied build, as it also offers many advantages and can simply withstand significantly more. However, this will not convince you if your main goal is XP farming and you always play with the maximum XP buffs. The ghoul cannot offer you that.
For full-life players, the ghoul is an even more interesting alternative, as it also has full life and an additional bonus due to its "glow".
The "glow" can be easily controlled with toxic goo. Put toxic goo on the quick wheel and use it whenever your HP bar is no longer glowing (especially in combat) to refill the bonus. With the "Glowing Gut" perk, you get 198 RADs from a portion of toxic goo, which fills your glow bar by more than half.
The "Feral" state is displayed via a new bar on the right side of the screen. The fuller the bar, the less feral your ghoul character is. If the bar is empty, you are "feral". A bit confusing, actually it should be shown the other way around. So always use chems to make sure your bar is full, unless you prefer to play feral.
- Above 80%: you gain +3 Strength, +3 Endurance, +30 Max HP
- Above 60%: you gain +15 Max HP
- Above 40%: you lose -1 Endurance and -5 Max HP
- Above 20%: you lose -3 Endurance, -15 Max HP, -10 Max AP
- At 0%: you gain +150% Melee Damage, and lose -5 Endurance, -30 Max HP, -20 Max AP, -300% Hip-fire Gun Accuracy & V.A.T.S. Accuracy (a few people on the team have been known to call it Ghoulzerker or Ghoularian Mode)
Whether you prefer to play feral or with a clear head depends on the perks you use for it. The legendary perk "Feral Rage", for example, requires that you are as feral as possible and then uses less glow. The perk "Chem Diet", however, improves the effect of your chems by up to 75% if you are not feral. I think it makes more sense not to be feral based on the perks.
Which build you want to play as a ghoul is entirely up to you. Basically, you can play any build. Commando, melee build or heavy weapons are no problem. People have also often asked about power armor, here I would also say that it is not a problem, as I always absorbed the radiation on the PTS through food. Radiation from the environment is too low to fill your glow with it. However, if you want to rely on more radiation absorption from the environment (e.g. with the "Breathe It In" perk), you should not play in power armor. If you also incorporate the new "Onslaught" mechanic into your build, you can easily, for example combine single-shot rifles and single-shot pistols.
See: "Onslaught" mechanic
Videos about the playable Ghoul
Ghoul Perk Cards
Ghoul Perks Article
Changed Perk Cards
- Arms Keeper
- Ranks reduced from 3 to 2.
- Rank 2 increased to 75%.
- Increased rank 1 bonus from 25% to 50%.
- Now applies to all weapons, except grenades.
- Awareness
- New Effect: Gain more VATS accuracy based on PER.
- The effect of seeing weaknesses in VATS is now tied to having at least 10 PER.
- Barbarian
- Ranks reduced from 3 to 1.
- New Effect: Gain Damage Resistance based on your STR. Doubled when not wearing armor.
- Hazmat Suit no longer grants the unarmored bonus.
- Fix some cases where the DR would not update after unequipping armor.
- Bodyguards
- Ranks reduced from 4 to 1.
- New Effect: Gain Damage & Energy Resistance based on your CHA per teammate.
- Can Do!
- Ranks reduced from 3 to 1.
- New Effect: Find more packaged food based on LCK.
- Cap Collector
- Reduced chance of extra caps from 100% to a chance based on your LCK that ranges from 20% to 85%.
- Added an additional chance to occur based on your LCK that ranges from 20% to 85%.
- Can now apply to NPC loot.
- Increased the amount of loot found per LCK.
- Concentrated Fire
- No longer grants limb targeting. This is now acquired by having at least 5 PER.
- Fixed the damage bonus not increasing per shot.
- The per shot effects are now limited to 20 stacks.
- Crackshot
- Now works with all small guns.
- Demolition Expert
- Ranks reduced from 5 to 3.
- Rank 2 increased from 20% to 40% Explosive Damage.
- Rank 3 increased from 30% to 60% Explosive Damage.
- Fixed an issue where Demolition Expert was increasing Turret damage instead of Home Defense.
- Demolition Expert is no longer required to craft explosives.
- Field Surgeon
- Moved to INT.
- Gun Fu
- Fixed an issue where Gun Fu was doing much more damage than intended.
- Increased the damage buff from 10, 30, 60 to 30, 60, 90.
- Good With Salt
- Ranks reduced from 3 to 2.
- Rank 1 now reduces spoilage by 45%.
- Rank 2 now reduces spoilage by 90%.
- Guerrilla
- New Effect: Each rank adds ranged damage to close enemies.
- Guerrilla Expert
- Ranks reduced from 3 to 1.
- Rank 1 now costs 2 Perk Points.
- New Effect: Gain +1% reload speed per Onslaught stack with ranged weapons, +3 max stacks.
- Guerrilla Master
- Ranks reduced from 3 to 1.
- Rank 1 now costs 3 Perk Points.
- New Effect: Gain +5% damage to close enemies per Onslaught stack with ranged weapons, +5 max stacks.
- Gunslinger
- New Effect: Each rank adds ranged damage to weak spots.
- Lowered weak spot bonus damage from 10/15/20 to 6/9/12.
- Gunslinger Expert
- Ranks reduced from 3 to 1.
- Rank 1 now costs 2 Perk Points.
- New Effect: +1% ranged weak spot damage per Onslaught stack, +3 max stacks.
- Gunslinger Master
- Ranks reduced from 3 to 1.
- Rank 1 now costs 3 Perk Points.
- New Effect: Gain Onslaught stacks over time and spend them on attacks, +10 max stacks.
- Removed the weak spot bonus, which is now found on the expert version.
- Gun Runner
- Now works with any ranged weapon.
- Fixed movement speed bonus not applying.
- Home Defense
- Now correctly increases Turret damage.
- Damage bonus is +50/75/100%.
- Inspirational
- New Effect: You gain more XP. This effect scales with CHA. -10 Max AP per Rank.
- Ranks reduced from 3 to 1.
- Increased self XP gain per CHA.
- Must now be in a team to gain the effect.
- Ironclad
- New Effect: Armor provides 5% more protection per rank. Double if wearing a matching set.
- Ranks reduced from 5 to 3.
- Now increases all resistances.
- No longer increases stats on Backpacks or Underarmor.
- Lead Belly
- Ranks reduced from 3 to 1.
- New Effect: Less Rads from food & drink based on END.
- Modern Renegade
- Now works with all small guns. (Rifles, Shotguns, Pistols)
- Chance to cripple has been replaced with increased limb damage.
- Reduced the limb damage bonus at rank 1 from 50% to 25%.
- Mr. Sandman
- Removed the “at night” requirement.
- Pack Rat
- Ranks reduced from 3 to 2.
- Rank 2 increased to 75%.
- Increased rank 1 bonus from 25% to 50%.
- Packin’ Light
- Ranks reduced from 3 to 1.
- New Effect: Your Action Points regenerate faster when not encumbered.
- Pharma Farma
- Ranks reduced from 3 to 1.
- New Effect: Find more healing chems based on LCK.
- Added an additional chance to occur based on your LCK that ranges from 20% to 85%.
- Can now apply to NPC loot.
- Increased the amount of loot found per LCK.
- Portable Power
- Ranks reduced from 3 to 2.
- Moved from INT to STR.
- Rank 2 increased to 75%.
- Increased rank 1 bonus from 25% to 50%.
- Rad Resistant
- Ranks reduced from 4 to 1.
- Rank 1 now costs 2 points.
- New Effect: Gain Radiation Resistance based on your END.
- Rejuvenated
- Increased bonus at Rank 1.
- Rank 2 now has an additional bonus while not heavily irradiated.
- Scrounger
- Ranks reduced from 3 to 1.
- New Effect: Find more ammo based on LCK.
- Dev Note: All 3 “searching” Perks have a chance based on LCK to grant a bonus item in certain contexts, such as a medical box or ammo box. In addition, these Perks increase the quantity found from all regular loot sources based on LCK.
- Added an additional chance to occur based on your LCK that ranges from 20% to 85%.
- Can now apply to NPC loot.
- Increased the amount of loot found per LCK.
- No longer increases the quantity of explosives found.
- Spiritual Healer
- New Effect: You regenerate health. This effect scales with CHA. -10 Max AP per Rank.
- Ranks reduced from 3 to 1.
- Must now be in a team to gain the effect.
- The effect now shows up in the Pipboy Effects correctly.
- Strong Back
- Ranks reduced from 4 to 1.
- Rank 1 now costs 2 Perk Points.
- New Effect: Gain more carry weight based on your STR.
- Tank Killer
- Now works with all small guns.
- Tenderizer
- Ranks reduced from 3 to 1.
- Rank 1 now costs 2 points.
- New Effect: Each attack makes your target take 0.1% increased damage.
- Dev Note: Each player using Tenderizer contributes to a stacking effect that does not expire and caps out at 100% increased damage. This does not work in PvP.
- Traveling Pharmacy
- Ranks reduced from 3 to 2.
- Rank 1 increased to 45%.
- Rank 2 increased to 90%.
- Wrecking Ball
- Ranks reduced from 3 to 1.
- Moved from INT to STR.
- New Effect: You deal +100% damage to objects and can damage your own C.A.M.P. objects.
Changed Legendary Effects
- Safecrackers
- New Effect: +1 Lockpick and +1 Hacking skill
- Cavalier's
- (Weapon) Fixed a bug causing this mod to increase damage taken instead of reducing it.
- (Armor) Now grants -5% Damage Taken while sprinting.
- Sentinel's
- Now grants -5% Damage Taken while standing still.
- Pounders
- Reworded for Onslaught and fixed an issue with the stack limit.
- +10% Damage per Onslaught stack, +10 max stacks.
- Arms Keeper's
- No longer applies to grenades.
- Furious
- Reworded for Onslaught.
- +5% Damage per Onslaught stack, +9 max stacks.
- This effect is now considered Onslaught (+5% damage per stack, +9 max stacks) and stacks with the new Gunslinger and Guerrilla Perks.
- Onslaught description: Each consecutive hit against the same target grants a stack of Onslaught. All stacks expire once 10 seconds have passed or the player hits a new target. Players have an initial limit of 0 and can increase this through Perks and Items. The effects granted per stack can also be modified by Perks and Items.
- Onslaught is a temporary name
Legendary Mods scrapping
Until now, legendary mods in Fallout 76 could either be used (i.e. mounted on a weapon or armor) or sold (to other players or to vendors for less than their value). This is now changing. Starting with this update, you can scrap the legendary mods and receive legendary modules depending on the stars and a 1% chance of learning the mod.
- 1 Star: 3 Legendary Modules
- 2 Star: 6 Legendary Modules
- 3 Star: 12 Legendary Modules
- 4 Star: 24 Legendary Modules
Power Armor Preview
Previously, you could only see your power armor in the inventory (Pip-Boy or storage box) as a chassis. So you always had to rename different chassis if you wanted to tell them apart. Now you can see the complete power armor with all parts in the preview in the inventory and differentiate them much better.
New Bonus
A power armor chassis now grants you +10 strength as soon as you get in. This means you can carry significantly more in power armor regardless of the legendary mods.
Carrying capacity = base of 150 + (strength * 5)
The new power armor chassis therefore grants you an additional +50 carry capacity.
Fusion Cores & Plasma Cores in Ammobox
Previously, you couldn't store your Fusion Cores and Plasma Cores in the Fallout 1st Ammo Storage Crate. Now you can store Fusion Cores and Plasma Cores there if they are 100% charged. Not above and not below. So if you have charged your cores to 100% with a Fusion Core Charger or Plasma Core Charger, you can now put them in the Fallout 1st Ammo Storage Box.
New Event: The big Bloom
The Ghoul update also brings the release of the new seasonal event "The Big Bloom". The event is a colorful, flowery event between Skyline Valley and Cranberry Bog. New enemies, a new boss and of course new rewards await you there.
The event takes place at the new location "Susan's Cabin". This is on the border between Cranberry Bog and Skyline Valley and is also a new protected / demilitarized zone in which no nuclear missile impact zones can be placed.
The first event period is: April 29th - May 13th, 2025
Article about the Event incl. all Rewards
New Locations
This update brings 6 new locations. 5 of them can be found in northeastern Appalachia. You will also be taken there in the ghoul quests.
- Point Repose
- Radiant Hills
- The Bullengrube
- Old Danielson Cabin
- Hillside Cavern
One location is located between Skyline Valley and Cranberry Bog. The new event "The Big Bloom" takes place there, and it's a nuke protected zone.
- Susan's Cabin
Video with new Locations
Buffs & Balancing
Combat Balancing
Many pistols have been modified to incorporate the damage that they’d deal via perks (pre-update Gunslinger and Guerrilla) into their base damage, since those perks no-longer offer a pistol-specific increase to damage. In addition, some pistols have received a further increase to their base damage.
- Pipe Gun
- Pipe Revolver
- Pipe Bolt-Action
- Laser Gun
- Ultracite Laser Gun
- Plasma Gun
- Enclave Plasma Gun
Weapon Damage Changes
- 10mm: 29 -> 45
- 44 [Revolver]: 72 -> 132
- Alien Blaster: 37 -> 59
- Black Powder Pistol: 216 -> 347
- Crusader Pistol: 35 -> 56
- Circuit Breaker: 40 -> 64
- Salvaged Assaultron Head: 62 -> 95
- Western Revolver: 84 -> 157
- Gamma Gun: 60 -> 85
- Gauss Pistol: 115 -> 195
- Single Action Revolver: 82 -> 184
- Pipe Revolver: 70 -> 85
Weapon AP Cost Changes
- Pipe Gun: 21 -> 13
- Note: This weapon no longer has reduced AP cost from automatic receivers.
- 10mm: 20 -> 15
- Note: This weapon no longer has reduced AP cost from automatic receivers.
- Circuit Breaker: 20 -> 16
- 44 [Revolver]: 35 -> 20
- Alien Blaster: 20 -> 17
- Crusader Pistol: 20 -> 16
- Combat Shotgun: 35 -> 18
- Western Revolver: 35 -> 22
- Double-Barrel Shotgun: 30 -> 26
- Cold Shoulder: 30 -> 28
- Gauss Pistol: 35 -> 18
- Plasma Gun: 25 -> 16
- Enclave Plasma Gun: 25 -> 18
- Gamma Gun: 30 -> 18
- Pipe Revolver: 25 -> 16
- Gunther’s Big Iron: 35 -> 30
- Gauss Shotgun: 35 -> 24
- Laser Gun: 25 -> 16
- Pump-Action Shotgun: 35 -> 20
- Single-Action Revolver: 35 -> 24
- Ultracite Laser Gun: 25 -> 14
Weapon VATS Critical Damage Multiplier Changes
- 10mm: 2.0 -> 2.5
- Note: Only while semi-automatic.
- Circuit Breaker: 2.0 -> 2.75
- 44 [Revolver]: 2.0 -> 2.75
- Alien Blaster: 2.0 -> 2.25
- Black Powder Pistol: 2.0 -> 2.75
- Crusader Pistol: 2.0 -> 2.5
- Single-Action Revolver: 2.0 -> 2.75
- Salvaged Assaultron Head: 2.0 -> 3.0
- Western Revolver: 2.0 -> 2.75
- Gamma Gun: 2.0 -> 2.75
- Gauss Pistol: 2.0 -> 2.75
- Pipe Bolt-Action: 2.0 -> 2.75
- Pipe Gun: 2.0 -> 2.5
- Note: Only while semi-automatic.
- Pipe Revolver: 2.0 -> 2.75
Weapon Sneak Damage Multiplier Changes
- 10mm: 2.0 -> 2.5
- Alien Blaster: 2.0 -> 2.25
- Crusader Pistol: 2.0 -> 2.5
- Pipe Bolt-Action: 2.0 -> 2.75
- Pipe Gun: 2.0 -> 2.5
New mechanic: onslaught
This update brings a new mechanic that can buff your damage enormously. Under the name "onslaught" you can now find some new perk cards. Or rather changed perk cards. The Gunslinger and Guerrilla perks have all been completely changed and now only serve the "onslaught" mechanic. Revolvers and pistols have been buffed accordingly so that you can now use them with more damage without perks. See: Buffs & Balancing
- Onslaught is basically a situation in which the player lands hits on one or more opponents. Onslaught is not limited to one opponent.
- The new legendary "furious" mod serves as base.
5% Damage per Onslaught stack, +9 max stacks - The damage is stacked during onslaught. "Furious" delivers the first 9 stacks, i.e. 45% bonus damage.
- The perk card "Gunslinger Expert": another +3 stacks
- The perk card "Guerrilla Expert": another +3 stacks
- And the perk card "Guerrilla Master": another +5 stacks
- This gives you a maximum of 20 stacks. You get +5% buff per stack, so with 20 stacks you get a total of 100% damage bonus.
- One stack is added for each hit in onslaught up to the maximum of 20.
- One stack is deducted for each second without further hits.
- The stack counter is displayed on bottom right as status icon
In boss fights or events you can often maintain the 100% bonus permanently.
Reverse onslaught
The perk card "Gunslinger Master" reverses the stack function and adds another 10 stacks. This means that when selecting the perks, the stacks are no longer counted up when a hit is made, but they count up automatically (1 per second) until the maximum of 30 is reached. One stack is then deducted for each hit on an opponent. However, a stack is added every second. This is particularly suitable for single-shot rifles and pistols. With 30 stacks you have a damage bonus of 150%.
onslaught is not limited to one build
If you want to use these perks, you are not limited to one build. This mechanic works in every build with every type of weapon. You should just combine the perks sensibly, then all options are open to you.
There is also no restriction, so the rush mechanic can be used by both humans and ghouls.
Known weapons, that use onslaught now
- Railway Rifle: Ticket to Revenge
- Furious, Rapid, Lightweight, 2x Ammo Capacity
- Quest: Seeking Shelter
- LMG: Red Terror
- Furious, Hitman`s, Swift, 2x Ammo Capacity
- Event: Dangerous Pastimes
- Flamer: Boiling Point
- Furious, Basher`s, Swift, Pyromaniac`s
- Raid: Gleaming Depths
- Submachine Gun: Elders Mark
- Furious, Rapid, Swift
- Event: Beasts of Burden
- Revolutionary Sword: Commander`s Charge
- Furious, Rapid, Agility
- Survival Mode 2019 (Cut)
- Power Fist: Face Breaker
- Furious, Heavy Hitter`s, Strength
- Quest: A Knight`s Penance
- Baseball Bat: Molerat Bat
- Furious, Steady, Strength
- Event: Seismic Activity
Video with some clear examples
Glowing Bobbleheads
In addition to the known bobbleheads, there are now also glowing bobbleheads. These are even more rare than the normal bobbleheads in Appalachia. The spawn points are the same. However, they have no other advantage. The effect of the glowing bobbleheads is the same as with the normal ones.
The new glowing bobbleheads are also available from the "Mystery Bobblehead Boxes". The chance of receiving one is slightly lower than that of a normal bobblehead, but much higher than the one chance of finding a glowing bobblehead in Appalachia. If you want to collect the glowing bobbleheads, better hunt the mystery bobblehead boxes (e.g. from the Raid).
Here are a few examples of the glowing bobbleheads
New Season 20
The next season will of course also be dedicated to the Ghoul and has some interesting rewards in store for you. The Season 20 preview has been very well received by most people so far.
Here are a few examples of the season 20 rewards, you can find the full gallery below.
Article with all Rewards of Season 20
New Atomic Shop Items
Datamining Articles with new Atomic Shop Items
Datamining Videos with new Atomic Shop Items
PTS Patchnotes
The patch notes of the Ghulvolution PTS for Patch 58 can be found summarized in this article.
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