The Bird Bones mutation is a mutation that players can acquire in the Fallout series of post-apocalyptic role-playing games. It first appeared in Fallout 76 and has carried over into later games in the franchise as well. The Bird Bones mutation confers both advantages and disadvantages to the player character by altering their physiology.
What are mutations in Fallout?
Mutations are special abilities or traits that the player character can acquire through exposure to radiation or mutagens in the Fallout universe. They provide unique bonuses and penalties that can help the player specialize their build and playstyle.
Most mutations are acquired by accumulating a certain amount of rads (radiation) and having RNG (random number generator) favor the player with a mutation. Some can also be acquired through serums crafted at chemistry stations by combining various ingredients.
Over 20 different mutations exist in Fallout 76 and Fallout 4, altering SPECIAL stats, giving new abilities like healing radiation, running faster, jumping higher, better stealth, and more. But all mutations also come with a drawback as well.
Effects of the Bird Bones Mutation
The main effects of the Bird Bones mutation are:
+4 Agility
The mutation increases the player’s Agility by 4 points. Agility governs several skills like sneak, action points, and weapon accuracy. Higher agility boosts these skills and also grants more action points for sprinting, using VATS, and bashing attacks.
-50% carry weight
While agility is increased, the mutation also reduces total carry weight by 50%. This significantly limits how much equipment and loot the player can haul around. Inventory management becomes much more important with this mutation.
Fall from heights slower
Characters with bird bones can fall from great heights more slowly and take less falling damage. This is useful for descending from tall buildings or cliffs safely.
+25 damage resistance
Bird bones also grant a +25 damage resistance bonus. This flat damage reduction helps raise defense against all attack types.
-1 Strength
On the downside, the mutation reduces base Strength by 1 point. Lower strength means weaker melee attacks and lower carry weight.
Effect | Magnitude |
---|---|
Agility Increase | +4 |
Carry Weight Decrease | -50% |
Slower Falling | Yes |
Damage Resistance | +25 |
Strength Decrease | -1 |
How to Acquire Bird Bones
There are a few ways to try and get the Bird Bones mutation:
Radiation Exposure
The primary method is by accumulating radiation exposure through engaging in combat, drinking irradiated water, sleeping near radioactive waste, etc. Once enough rads have built up, there is a random chance to develop a mutation each time additional radiation is taken. Bird Bones has roughly a 5% chance to trigger this way.
Serums
Crafting a Bird Bones serum at a chemistry station and taking it guarantees mutation. The serum recipe requires ingredients like blood packs, antiseptic, rubber, and pure cobalt flux.
Player Trading
Buying serums from vendor players is an option if lacking crafting materials. Many high level vendors sell popular serums like Bird Bones in the 300-500 cap range.
Drawbacks
However, there are some drawbacks to acquiring mutations:
– Random chance – Radiation doesn’t guarantee the desired mutation
– Temporary – Radiation mutations can disappear over time if rad levels drop.
– Serum crafting – Ingredients may be difficult to find for early game players
– Player trading – Serums can be expensive to buy from others
So players seeking out Bird Bones have to be ready to deal with frustration and costs. But the benefits are very rewarding for certain builds.
Ideal Character Builds
Here are some strong character builds that benefit from the Bird Bones perks:
Sniper
Higher agility, sneak ability, and falling protection help snipers that perch in high places and pick off enemies from a distance. Carry weight matters less since long range snipers travel light on ammunition.
Melee Fighter
The agility boost complements the high strength requirement of melee builds. Melee fighters close in on targets and deliver devastating critical hits, so agility helps land blows and evade counter-attacks.
Pistol/Rifle Gunslinger
Similar to snipers, pistol and rifle users thrive on high agility for accurate headshots. The drop in strength doesn’t affect ranged gunslingers, while agility powers up gunplay.
Acrobat
For players that enjoy jumping off high ledges and traversing the verticality of the environment, the reduced falling damage pairs wonderfully with high agility and action points.
Tips for Managing Bird Bones
Here are some tips to overcome the drawbacks of the Bird Bones mutation:
Strength Boosting Gear
Equip gear like power armor or legendaries that augment strength to counteract the strength loss. This helps boost melee damage and carry weight back up.
Carry Weight Perks
Invest in Strength perks like Pack Rat, Bear Arms, Bandolier, etc. that increase carry weight for certain item types. Also boost overall Strength.
Stash Weight
Frequently stop by the stash to unload junk, ammo, and gear to remain below the reduced carry capacity. Being over encumbered severely limits mobility.
Companions
Have a companion act as a pack mule for excess equipment and loot. They can fast travel while encumbered to deliver gear safely back to base.
Is Bird Bones Worthkeeping Forever?
For the right builds, Bird Bones can absolutely be a keeper mutation that remains useful throughout an entire playthrough rather than just being temporary.
The agility bonuses complement high DPS gunslinger and melee builds extremely well. And the utility from reduced falling damage is excellent QOL improvement for navigating the map’s mountainous terrain.
However, players need to commit to offsetting the carry weight and strength reductions by investing perks or acquiring boosting gear. And mutations that provide more universally desired bonuses like extra HP or damage resistance might take priority over Bird Bones’ specialized benefits.
How to Remove Bird Bones
If choosing to remove Bird Bones later on, there are a couple options:
Radaway
Using Radaway or visiting doctors have a chance to randomly clear mutations. However, this also risks removing beneficial mutations you want to keep.
Serum
Curing Serums can specifically eliminate individual mutations without touching other mutations. But these serums are expensive to craft or purchase from vendors.
Perks
Investing 2 points into the Starched Genes perk under Luck makes mutations permanent until you want them removed. This prevents accidental loss from Radaway or radiation.
Conclusion
The Bird Bones mutation in Fallout 4 and Fallout 76 provides a unique blend of advantages and disadvantages. Players seeking to maximize agility and action points for gunslinger or melee builds benefit tremendously from the agility boost and reduced falling damage.
However, the severe 50% cut to carry weight forces players to adjust gear and perks to compensate. And the randomized chance of acquiring it through radiation makes targeted mutation tricky. But the payoff can be worth the investment of perk points or buying serums.
Bird Bones stands out as one of the more creative and specialized mutations players can hunt down. The transformation into a bird-like physiology delivers some potent combat mobility at the cost of strength and encumbrance. But ultimately, the windswept freedom of gliding from great heights and unleashing agile attacks proves an alluring gameplay fantasy that this mutation fulfills.