Mastering Power Armor: How to Get Trained in New Vegas

Why You Need Power Armor Training

The Mojave Wasteland in Fallout: New Vegas is a dangerous place. From rabid dogs to ruthless Raiders, and the ever-present threat of mutated creatures, survival is a constant struggle. But amidst the chaos, a beacon of protection and firepower emerges: Power Armor. These hulking suits of metal offer unmatched defense and the ability to wield devastating weaponry. But simply climbing into a suit of Power Armor won’t automatically transform you into an unstoppable force. Without proper training, you’ll find yourself clumsier, slower, and far less effective. Acquiring Power Armor Training is crucial for unlocking the true potential of these metal behemoths. This article provides a comprehensive guide to obtaining this vital skill, exploring the different factions that offer training and the paths you must traverse to earn it.

Let’s face it, Power Armor looks incredibly cool. The idea of stomping around the Mojave, impervious to bullets and wielding a Gatling Laser, is undeniably appealing. However, the game mechanics ensure that Power Armor isn’t just a free ride to invincibility. Without the necessary training, Power Armor can be more of a hindrance than a help.

The fundamental problem stems from how Power Armor affects your character’s attributes. Without training, wearing Power Armor significantly reduces your Agility. This translates to slower movement speed, increased action point cost for VATS attacks, and an overall feeling of sluggishness. Your reflexes are dulled, making you an easier target for enemies.

The consequences of this debuff extend beyond mere inconvenience. Reduced Agility negatively impacts your ability to effectively utilize weapons in VATS, and the heightened action point cost makes it more difficult to chain together critical hits. Furthermore, the chances of suffering a crippled limb become drastically more prevalent. This can lead to constant, frustrating repairs and diminished combat effectiveness. Ultimately, Power Armor without training turns you into a slow, lumbering target, drastically diminishing your combat prowess rather than improving it. In essence, if you plan on making a career of wearing Power Armor, it is an absolute necessity to acquire power armor training for your character.

Earning the Right to Wear the Steel

Fortunately, the Mojave Wasteland offers several avenues for acquiring Power Armor Training. These methods typically involve aligning yourself with specific factions and completing challenging quests. Let’s examine the two primary sources of Power Armor Training: the Brotherhood of Steel and the Enclave Remnants.

Seeking Guidance from the Brotherhood of Steel

The Brotherhood of Steel, a technologically advanced organization dedicated to preserving pre-War technology, offers one path to Power Armor mastery. To earn their respect and training, you must first interact with Veronica Santangelo, a potential companion you can find at the 188 Trading Post.

Veronica’s personal questline is intricately linked to the Brotherhood of Steel. By traveling with her and engaging in conversations, you’ll eventually uncover her connection to the organization and her concerns about its current state. This will lead you to the quest “Eyesight Blinded,” which involves investigating the Brotherhood of Steel’s bunker near Hidden Valley.

Successfully navigating the Brotherhood’s complex social dynamics and completing their tasks is crucial. You’ll need to demonstrate loyalty and competency to gain their trust. This often involves eliminating threats, retrieving lost technology, or undertaking dangerous missions within the confines of their heavily guarded bunker. As you complete the Brotherhood’s missions, you will increase Veronica’s affinity towards you.

The culmination of these efforts leads to the quest “I Could Make You Care,” where Veronica confronts Elder Elijah about the Brotherhood’s isolationist policies. The outcome of this quest determines whether or not you receive Power Armor Training. If you side with Veronica and successfully convince Elder Elijah (or remove him from power), she will impart her knowledge of Power Armor operation, granting you the coveted training perk. Siding with the Brotherhood in this case means more power armor locations for your character to scavenge, and more available repairs for your equipment, making this a very attractive option for Power Armor builds.

Turning to the Enclave Remnants

An alternative path to Power Armor Training lies with the Enclave Remnants, a scattered group of former Enclave soldiers who survived the destruction of their main base. To find them, you must recruit Arcade Gannon as a companion. Arcade is a skilled doctor with a troubled past, found in the Old Mormon Fort in Freeside.

Arcade’s personal quest, “For Auld Lang Syne,” delves into his history and his connection to the Enclave. By traveling with him and triggering specific encounters in the Mojave Wasteland, you’ll unlock dialogue options that reveal his former affiliations.

The quest culminates in a choice: either help the Enclave Remnants rejoin the fight for control of the Mojave or convince them to abandon their past and seek a peaceful existence. If you choose to support the Enclave Remnants and lead them into battle alongside the NCR at the Second Battle of Hoover Dam, Arcade will grant you Power Armor Training as a reward for your loyalty.

The choices you make during this quest have significant consequences for the Mojave Wasteland. Siding with the Enclave Remnants reinforces a faction with a controversial history, known for its ruthlessness and disregard for the lives of wastelanders. It is important to consider the moral implications of your actions before committing to this path. With the Enclave, your character has a better chance of acquiring certain power armor types, like Tesla Armor, meaning that this option can be a good choice for specialized builds.

Comparing the Training Methods

Both the Brotherhood of Steel and the Enclave Remnants offer Power Armor Training, but their approaches and implications differ significantly.

The Brotherhood of Steel’s method is generally considered easier to access early in the game. Veronica is readily available as a companion, and the initial Brotherhood quests are relatively straightforward. However, the Brotherhood’s rigid ideology and isolationist tendencies may not appeal to all players.

The Enclave Remnants, on the other hand, offer a more complex and morally ambiguous path. Arcade’s questline requires more time and effort to unlock, and the decision to support the Enclave Remnants carries significant ethical weight. However, this path may be more suitable for players who are drawn to the Enclave’s history and technology.

Ultimately, the choice between the two factions depends on your character’s values and your desired playstyle. A character focused on technology and tradition might align with the Brotherhood, while a character seeking power and control might find the Enclave more appealing.

The Brotherhood of Steel can be a better option if your character prefers to go solo, as a Brotherhood-aligned Courier can operate independently without the need to work with other factions. The Enclave Remnants are a better choice for characters who don’t mind working with other factions, as the Enclave is an outside influence to the political landscape.

Leveraging Power Armor Effectively

Once you have Power Armor Training under your belt, you unlock a whole new way to play the game. You’re now capable of wearing the best armor types the Mojave has to offer. Here is a quick rundown of a few of the best sets.

The Best Power Armor Sets

* T-51b Power Armor: This is the classic Power Armor, offering exceptional defense and a sleek design. Sets of T-51b Armor can be found in various locations, including the REPCONN Headquarters, and can be gained by completing certain sidequests.
* Remnants Power Armor: This is an Enclave-specific set, providing excellent protection and a unique look. This can be gained by completing the “For Auld Lang Syne” questline, when siding with the Enclave Remnants.
* NCR Salvaged Power Armor: An amalgamation of various Power Armor parts, but useful nonetheless. This armor can be found on dead NCR troopers, and provides moderate protection.

Effective Weapons for Power Armor

In addition to power armor, you will also want to find weapons that further synergize with your new style. A few to consider are:

* Gatling Laser: This is the go-to choice for heavy weapons users. This weapon shreds through most enemies with ease, and can be acquired fairly early in the game from various vendors.
* Plasma Caster: A Plasma based weapon, perfect for incinerating enemies. Powerful, though not the most accurate.
* Minigun: A heavy weapons platform that is great at dealing with crowds. This weapon can be acquired relatively early from a number of vendors.

Pair these sets with perks such as *Heavy Weapons Expert*, and *Pyromaniac* to completely maximize your character’s ability to lay waste to the wasteland.

Conclusion

Power Armor Training is not merely a perk; it’s a transformative skill that unlocks the true potential of Power Armor in Fallout: New Vegas. Without it, you’re just a lumbering target; with it, you become an unstoppable force. Whether you choose to align yourself with the technologically advanced Brotherhood of Steel or the morally ambiguous Enclave Remnants, the journey to Power Armor mastery is a challenging but rewarding one. Embrace the challenge, explore the factions, and master the art of wearing Power Armor. The Mojave Wasteland awaits, and with your newfound training, you’ll be ready to face any threat that comes your way. Now, go forth and conquer the wasteland, clad in the might of Power Armor!