Inspired by Fallout 4 terminals, the hacking mechanics in Fallout 76 resemble a lock-picking minigame. Players are tasked with deciphering a screen filled with random words and symbols to identify the keyword: The Terminal Code. Despite its seemingly simple premise, terminal hacking in Fallout 76 can prove challenging for beginners.
Hacking requires patience and a bit of skill to eliminate the dud words and narrow down the options to one or two without facing lockout times. Here’s a comprehensive guide on hacking terminals in Fallout 76 to help tackle this objective like a seasoned pro.
Updated by Mohsen Baquery on April 25, 2024
: This guide has been updated to include a new section (How To Level Up Hacking Skill), along with a revamped introduction and some new images.
Fallout 76: How to Get Legendary Cores
Legendary Cores play a big role in Fallout 76’s Legendary crafting system, and this guide details exactly where players can find them.
Fallout 76 Terminal Hacks, Explained
To hack a terminal in Fallout 76, players must select the correct code word from a list of random terms. Each hacking session allows players four attempts before temporarily locking them out for a few seconds. However, if players have all three Hacker perk cards equipped, this cooldown time will be reduced to 0 seconds.
In Fallout 76, ‘terminal hacking’ is a lockpicking mechanic for obtaining blueprints, notes, and Power Armor plans.
Terminals are categorized into four levels of lock complexity:
- Novice
- Advanced
- Expert
- Master
The difficulty of the hack increases as the terminal level goes up, with Skill 1 being the easiest and Skill 3 being the most challenging.
Quickest Way to Hack Any Terminal
In Fallout 76, hacking terminals is akin to a guessing game. While it’s impossible to guess the password with 100% accuracy on the first attempt, players can improve their odds by employing certain strategies. Clicking on connected [] {} <> () symbols can help narrow down the options by removing dud words or resetting tries.
Additionally, players can utilize the Likeness Score to expedite the process of unlocking terminals. The Likeness Score indicates how many letters of a wrong password are in the correct position. For example, if the incorrect code was “TEXT,” and the Likeness Score was 2/4 (two out of four), the correct answer might be “TEAM,” which shares two letters in common with the initial guess.
How To Level Up Hacking Skill
The Hacking Skill can be leveled up to Level 3 by equipping the Hacker, Expert Hacker, and Master Hacker perks. Each of these cards adds +1 to the Hacker Skill and decreases the terminal lock-out time by 33%, totaling to a reduction of 99%.
Another method to enhance hacking skill efficiency is by equipping the Master Infiltrator Legendary Perk. This card grants players +3 Hacking Skill points, eliminating the need for the three Hacker perk cards. Essentially, it serves as an all-in-one solution for hacking all terminals, regardless of their difficulty level.
To unlock Skill-2 and Skill-3 Terminals, players must equip two or three Hacker cards simultaneously. For instance, to hack a Skill-3 lock, they must have the Hacker, Expert Hacker, and Master Hacker cards equipped simultaneously (in any order).
Best Locations for Easy Terminal Hacks (Code Cruncher Trophy/Achievement)
The ideal locations for low-level terminal hacks are Camp McClintock, Landview Lighthouse, Mama Dolce’s, and the Wade Airport. In these POIs, players will find Level 0 terminals that require no Hacker card and can be easily hacked.
Players who want to unlock the Code Cruncher trophy or achievement must unlock at least 50 terminals. To do this, they can server-hop and revisit McClintock, Landview Lighthouse, Mama Dolce’s, and the Wade Airport to hack easy terminals in these locations.
Fallout 76
- Released
- November 14, 2018
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- How Long To Beat
- 34 Hours
