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Even without any pieces, a power armor frame provides a variety of advantages, like increased carry weight, greater melee damage and the elimination of falling damage.Fallout 4 loading screens

The power armor frame is the basic exoskeleton unit required for all power armor models in Fallout 4.

Background[]

The West Tek internalized servo system is the standard chassis for all power armor series. Powered by a back-mounted TX-28 micro-fusion pack generating 60,000 Watts of energy,[Non-game 1] the HiFlo hydraulics inside the frame increase the operator's strength and carrying capacity.[1] More importantly, it boasts a standard fusion core interface allowing them to be powered from any core found in the wasteland.[2]

Characteristics[]

The basis for all power armor suits, one can't wear power armor without stepping into the frame. Even without any pieces, a Power Armor frame provides a variety of advantages, like increased carry weight, greater melee damage and the elimination of falling damage.[3][4]

Any combination of power armor parts can be equipped on a power armor frame, which is a furniture object that does not exist in the inventory. A power armor station can be used to modify power armor components on a frame. Although the weight of worn apparel and armor is not ignored, any power armor segments attached to the frame are considered weightless.

The base frame provides 60 Damage Resistance, and Energy Resistance, but negates the effects of other apparel and armor worn underneath. It also sets the base Strength to 11, which can result in negative effects on carrying capacity.

Locations[]

There are only two empty power armor frames available in the base game (all other frames have power armor pieces attached). One is located at the Revere satellite array, in the northeast corner of array's dishes, in the dish array accessible by stairs. The other frame is inside the Atom Cats garage. All other power armor frames contain at least one piece of power armor; a full list of locations can be found at the power armor page.

When purchased from a vendor, the frame will spawn in the power armor station in the shop. The only exception is when purchasing from Atom Cats, which will appear outside the garage.

Frames that are empty, particularly those purchased from vendors, are also immune to the "Cell Reset" bug which can cause the loss of mounted power armor pieces on unattended power armor.

Although the player character can salvage power armor pieces, frames worn by non-player characters cannot be retrieved unless the non-player character leaves the power armor suit before dying (often can be a achieved by shooting at the fusion core at the back of the power armor suit and causing it to explode).

A special frame is worn by Proctor Ingram aboard the Prydwen, to represent her injuries and the use of power armor as, effectively, a prosthetic. She cannot be forced to exit the frame as she has a locked fusion core.

Vendors[]

Empty frames can be purchased from the following locations:

Notes[]

Elder Maxson, Knight-Sergeant Gavil, Paladin Brandis and Ivey all have a unique, named power armor frame.

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. Power armor specs: "The T-51b Powered Infantry Armor is designed with the latest passive defense features for both civilian and military disturbances. The back-mounted TX-28 MicroFusion Pack generates 60,000 Watts to power the HiFlo hydraulic systems built into the frame of the suit. Made of the latest poly-laminate composite, the T-51b shell is lightweight and capable of absorbing over 2500 Joules of kinetic impact. The 10 micron silver ablative coating can reflect laser and radiation emissions without damage to the composite subsurface."
  2. The Sole Survivor: "One good idea can make all the difference."
    Preston Garvey: "Sturges? Tell him."
    Sturges: "There's a crashed vertibird up on the roof. Old school. Pre-war. You might've seen it. Well, looks like one of its passengers left behind a seriously sweet goody. We're talking a full suit of cherry T-45 Power Armor. Military issue."
    The Sole Survivor: "What makes that Power Armor so special?"
    Sturges: "A West Tek internalized servo-system, that's what. Inside that baby, super is the new normal. You'll be stronger, tougher, resistant to rads. And... Get the suit, you can rip the minigun right off the vertibird. Do that, and those Raiders get an express ticket to Hell. You dig?"
    The Sole Survivor: "And I can use the minigun like a... rifle?"
    Sturges: "Don't see why not. It'll have a manual trigger. Just aim it at the bad guys, and do the ole' "spray and pray." Now, as for the armor... It's outta juice. Probably has been for a hundred years. It can be powered up again, but we're a bit stuck..."
    (Preston Garvey's and Sturges' dialogue)
  3. Fallout 4 loading screens: "Even without any pieces, a Power Armor frame provides a variety of advantages, like increased carry weight, greater melee damage and the elimination of falling damage."
  4. Fallout 76 loading screens: "Even without additional limb armor, a Power Armor frame still provides tactical advantages, like increased carry weight, greater melee damage and the elimination of falling damage."

Non-game

  1. Fallout: The Roleplaying Game Rulebook: "The standard armor frame is a West Tek powered exoskeleton. It draws power from a back-mounted TX-28 micro-fusion reactor, which is compatible with standard fusion cores (p.94). An armor frame cannot be modded."
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