Fallout 76 Raiders or Settlers: Which Faction Should You Choose
Choosing between the Raiders of Crater and the Settlers of Foundation is one of the most significant story decisions players encounter in Fallout 76. Introduced during the Wastelanders update, both factions offer distinct story quests, unique character interactions, and valuable reputation rewards. Understanding how this choice affects your gameplay will help you decide which path best fits your playstyle.
Understanding the Fallout 76 Faction System
The conflict between the Raiders and Settlers revolves around control of Appalachia and the secrets locked inside Vault 79. While both groups share a common goal of surviving in the wasteland, their methods and ideologies differ drastically. Fortunately, making a choice does not permanently lock you out of interacting with the opposing faction.
Players can build reputation with both factions simultaneously by completing daily quests and story objectives. Raising your reputation status unlocks exclusive gear, settlement items, and powerful weapons from faction vendors. Consequently, deciding who to side with primarily impacts your immediate questline experience and how quickly you gain favor.
Why You Should Play Both Story Lines First
Before making your final choice for the vault heist, you should complete all prerequisite quests for both sides. Doing so maximizes your total experience points and grants essential equipment early on. Most notably, progressing the Settler questline unlocks the Chinese Stealth Armor plan for free, saving you significant gold bullion later.
Similarly, following the Raider story introduces memorable NPCs and grants access to exclusive weapons like the Slug Buster plasma rifle. Working with both groups up to the point of no return ensures you miss no story content. The game will explicitly warn you when a mission choice permanently selects a faction for the raid.
Comparing Rewards Between Raiders and Settlers
Siding with the Raiders gives players early access to unique weaponry like the Gauss Minigun and the ArmCo Ammunition Construction Appliance. Their questline tends to appeal to players who enjoy chaotic action and morally ambiguous dialogue choices. Siding with Crater also offers an entertaining narrative path during the vault raid.
Choosing the Settlers appeals to players who prefer a defensive, construction-focused playstyle and access to the Gauss Shotgun. Foundation offers a more hopeful narrative tone centered on rebuilding civilization across Appalachia. Both factions ultimately allow you to earn all available rewards over time through persistent daily quest grinding.
Making Your Final Heist Decision
When the final heist mission begins, your selected faction will accompany you into Vault 79 to secure the gold bullion. At the end of the raid, you must decide how to distribute the recovered gold among the factions. You can keep all the gold yourself, split it evenly, or give a larger cut to your chosen allies.
Keeping the gold maximizes your immediate currency but results in a small hit to your faction reputation. Sharing the gold boosts your standing with both groups, reducing the time needed to reach allied status. Ultimately, your choice should align with your preferred playstyle and desired reward timeline.