A beginner in Fallout 76: What junk items should you keep?

One of the most horrifying things you’ll encounter as a newcomer to Fallout 76 is being perpetually over-encumbered. While it’s tempting to pick up every item you come across, your stash is limited to 2000 pounds, and that will get filled up more quickly than you expect. So, what items are useful to pick up as a low-level character in Fallout 76?

Items to repair your gear in Fallout 76

Of utmost importance will be those items that you can scrap for components to repair your weapons and armor. Up until level 15, you’ll first use Wood, Leather, or Raider Armor and eventually Metal. For the most part, your weapons will likely be a pipe pistol/rifle, regular pistol/rifle, a melee weapon, and maybe a laser pistol/rifle.

All these items require Adhesive to repair, and it will be your most valuable junk item for a while. Keep an eye out for any form of Duct Tape, Wonderglue, Handmade Glue, and Vegetable Starch. Grab it all up.

Steel is your second most important junk item, as it’s used to repair most of the gear you’ll be sporting through your teens and beyond. It can easily be found from a range of items, so you’ll likely never find yourself running short. However, some items have a better weight-to-yield ratio and are more plentiful.

Screenshot by Destructoid

Screenshot by Destructoid

Screenshot by Destructoid

The items listed below include the variations you’ll come across in post-nuke Appalachia. For example, both Wonderglue and Sealed Wonderglue yield Adhesive. The lists are also not exhaustive; these are the items you’ll encounter most often while wandering around. Bold lettering indicates a junk item that yields multiple useful components.

Other junk you’ll want to hold onto are Screws, Cloth, Rubber, and Leather for armor repairs; Lead for some melee weapons like pipes; Copper if you’re using pipe pistols/rifles; Springs for your shotgun and laser pistol/rifle; and Crystal, Plastic, and Circuitry for your laser weapons as well.

For Wood, Leather, Raider, and Metal Armor repairs

Screenshot by Destructoid

Screenshot by Destructoid

Screenshot by Destructoid

For weapon repairs

What else should I keep in Fallout 76 as a lower level player?

Generally, you want to keep around 100 each of these important junk items, and you’ll be fine keeping 50 of everything else. Any excess can be sold. Also note that other than Aluminum and Lead, bulking doesn’t decrease the weight of your items. You will need to bulk items, which require Plastic, to sell them to vendors, though.

Screenshot by Destructoid

Screenshot by Destructoid

Screenshot by Destructoid

Similarly, you don’t have to hold onto every meat, flower, and plant that you come across. Use it to make food for the experience, then sell most of it to a vendor. Much of it will spoil anyway. You will happen upon enough Sugar Bombs, Canned Dog Food, Nuka-Cola, and other such goodies in Fallout 76 to keep your hunger and thirst satiated. Grilled Radstag is also a good dish to keep on hand for its carry-weight boost. For extra security, carry a small pile of any Soup and some Tea, and you’ll be good to go.

You likewise don’t need to hold onto every healing item or chem that you find. Carry a handful of Rad-X along with 15-20 Stimpaks, and keep a similar amount in your Stash. Through level 20 or so, you won’t be getting hurt that much, even if you wander into areas you probably shouldn’t, and most of the radiation you take will come from eating/drinking.

Now that you’ve cleaned up your backpack and stash, you can go back to merrily picking up everything you see.

Destructoid is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy