Fallout 76: Wastelanders is the third main update for Fallout 76 since its release. This update is a way for developers to introduce NPCs and NPC content to the game, something that they originally didn’t want to include in the base game. Set one year after the opening of Vault 76, the story plays out as many humans migrate to Appalachia to search for treasure that has been rumored to be hidden in the area. As people start to repopulate the area, players must make decisions as tensions rise and complete main quests. Alliances and reputation matters more than before, affecting resources and purchasable items.

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Along with new NPC factions, the update also introduces gold bullion, a new form of currency within the game which allows players to purchase new and unique items for their camp. In order to start farming gold bullion, players need to complete the Wastelanders main questline, Hunter for Hire. This quest helps the player become acquainted with the new factions of treasure hunters in the area, new currency, and new content. Charisma, perception, and strength can all help make this quest run smoothly. Once these quests have been completed, players can purchase gold bullion from Smiley. He can be found in the Wayward Bar. Players will also be rewarded with 500 gold bullion after completing the main questline.

How to Farm Gold Bullion in Fallout 76: Wastelanders

Fallout 76 Gold

There are two main ways to get gold bullion in the Wastelanders update. Players can purchase gold bullion from Smiley, or to collect treasury notes. While purchasing bullion is pretty straight forward, using treasury notes is a much more complicated process. Players can also exchange bullion with each other as needed if it works to their advantage. 

Smiley migrated to Appalachia with the sole intention of selling gold bullion to settlers. Smiley is pretty vague at how he obtained his gold bullion, but he’s more than happy to trade it to players for caps. When purchasing gold bullion from Smiley, there is only so much a player can buy a week. Due to his limited inventory, Smiley can only sell the player 300 gold bullion per in-game week. He will sell 50 gold bullions for 1000 caps. Smiley’s inventory will reset every Monday. If a player wants to purchase the maximum amount of gold bullion in one setting, they can clear out Smiley’s inventory with 6,000 gaps. 

Complete daily faction quests from the Settlers and Raiders, or public events, as this will reward players with treasury notes. Public events can grant players with two to four treasury notes depending on the difficulty of the event. Complete as many public events a day as possible, so that the maximum amount of treasury notes is met. Players will be informed of public events via notifications while they play. 

Once players have completed as many quests and public events as possible, they will walk away with pockets full of treasury notes. These treasury notes can be traded into a Gold Press Machine to earn gold bullion. For every treasury note traded into the machine, players can earn 10 gold bullion. If players have unlocked The Crater or the Foundation and reached Level 20, they can access the Gold Press Machine. 

Like Smiley, the Gold Press Machine has a limit to how much gold bullion it can give out to an individual a day. Each day, a player can get 200 gold bullion from the machine, meaning that they can trade in 20 treasury notes a day. This means that players can earn 1,400 gold bullion a week from the Gold Press Machine, and with Smiley’s inventory they can earn a weekly total of 1,700 gold bullion. 

The gold bullion that players have earned through this process can be used to purchase plans for weapons, mods, and armor. Players can purchase these plans from Regs, Mortimer, or Samuel, and more plans will be available depending on the reputation level of the player in the faction they’re purchasing from. Mortimer is a Mister Handy NPC, while Regs and Samuel are human NPCs. Regs can be found in Vault 79, Mortimer at The Crater, and Samuel at The Foundation. Mortimer’s plan availability depends on the player’s reputation with the Raiders, and Samuel’s plan availability depends on the player’s reputation with the Settlers. Regs will have the largest amount of items available. 

Because there is a limited amount of gold bullion, it would take close to a year for players to unlock every set of plans offered by Regs, Mortimer, and Samuel. This means that it is important for players to prioritize which plans will be most useful to them first, and which ones may help them complete quests and gather more treasury notes. 

If players find themselves swimming in gold bullion, they can sell it to players that have already reached their daily limit. While we don’t advocate for theft, players can also steal gold bullion from other players. Everything goes in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. 

Now that players have access to gold bullion and how it works, they can make the ultimate plan to maximize their weekly metallic income and to unlock new plans to create armor, weapons, and modify existing items in their inventory. If players have unlocked all of Regs’ plans, they should focus on building their reputation with the Settlers and the Raiders so that they can access more and improve their loadout.

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Fallout 76 is now available on PlayStation 4, Windows PC, and Xbox One.