Fallout 76's new Burning Springs bounty hunt mechanics explained

while playing Fallout 76Players essentially have two different games wrapped into one experience. There is traditional result RPG content that is best enjoyed on its own, which sees players completing quests, reading documents and lore, and discovering landmarks around the Appalachia map. And then there's the multiplayer part, which sees players completing PvP, trading, or public events over and over again. There are dozens of public programs Fallout 76Not to mention mutated variants, new ones are constantly coming to the title through updates. Bounty hunts seem to be loved by both types Fallout 76 players, as they will cater to both playing styles.

Game Rant just got to chat Fallout 76 Creative director John Rush and production director Bill Lacoste talk about everything coming to Burning Springs, from beloved television character The Ghoul to new villain The Rust King and more. During that discussion, the mechanics of bounty hunting were covered in detail, with fans now having a clear idea of what to expect from the activities handed down by Walton Goggins' irradiated gunslinger. And based on Bethesda's description of the feature, it certainly sounds like it's going to live up to the hype.

How Bounty Hunts Work in Fallout 76's Burning Springs Update?

Fallout 76 Players will find bounties at The Last Resort, a location within Highway Town. These repeatable activities are delivered by The Ghoul, so players can expect lots of fun dialogue as they take on tasks to find dangers within post-apocalyptic Ohio. There are two types of bounties, the first form cannot necessarily be said to deal with a ghoul with busy work, because he has big fish to fry. After reaching Highway Town and finding the solution, players will be able to engage with GRUNT hunts. Players will have an “abundance” of these brilliant quests, ensuring various goals as they collect constant XP, Legendaries, and Caps.

While these basic GRUNT hunts can keep single players busy, they're looking for a more challenging experience. Fallout 76The multiplayer mechanics can involve head hunts. As explained by Rush, these bounties will take everything players have to accomplish.

“For the more adventurous among us, a hard contract can either be found during successful grunt hunts or purchased directly from the ghoul. These are called 'head hunts'. A 'head hunt' is a special bounty hunting contract—a public event, where everyone within earshot can participate. The main target is as tough as they come, and players can't go it alone!

Currently, it's unclear how common the drop rate will be for these stronger bounty hunts or how much it will cost to purchase them from The Ghoul, but having two ways to access HEAD hunts should guarantee they pop up consistently on the map. Players want to do this often, Bethesda shared that there will be many rewards if users can successfully defeat the most dangerous people in Burning Springs Roaming.

In addition to the head hunt, two traditional public events will appear in the new region of Appalachia. These are Gearin' Up, which sees players defend the Deathclaw as the Beastmaster prepares for battle, and Sinkhole Solutions, which will see players pulling bugs like stingwings and radscorpions out of a sinkhole.

How bounty hunts try to be as rewarding as possible in Fallout 76

LaCoste shared the ultimate goal Fallout 76 “Expanding the different ways players can build loadouts and engage with the game” is to continue, specifically highlighting the addition of legendary modes. Fallout 76Kill Ghoul characters and streak bonuses. Bounty Hunts strives to add depth to character creation in addition to caps, XP, and weapon/armor drops, with players having the “chance” to gain several new modes for both humans and ghosts. As explained by John Rush:

“Complete 'Head Hunts' give our bounty hunters the chance to earn one of dozens of unique, new modes that benefit human and ghost playstyles alike.”

Many new modes are coming Fallout 76 In Burning Springs, it seems very likely that at least some of the additions will be meta drops that players grind for. Fortunately, that grind doesn't seem like it'll be all that difficult because variety is the name of the game when it comes to bounty hunting. Each victim will randomly appear in “one of twenty preset, customizable locations”, with Rush also highlighting that there are “dozens” of unique contract targets as well as different gang members that can accompany them. With so many possible combinations, bounty hunting will feel fresh for a long time, and it will be a while before players encounter every possible enemy.

Whether players are grinding out basic GRUNT hunts to build their cap stash, or watching the map like a hawk for someone to trigger a head hunt so they have a chance at a new mode, this bounty system looks to cater to casual and hardcore players alike. And while it's the highlight of this content update thanks to The Ghoul's involvement, players also have new lore to discover, quests to complete, and characters to meet, ensuring that Burning Springs will keep them busy for hours.