Fallout 76

72 Achievements

1,580

171-215h

Xbox One

Xbox Series

Steel Brethren

Complete “The Catalyst”

4.05%

How to unlock the Steel Brethren achievement in Fallout 76 - Definitive Guide

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TrueAchievements

10 Jul 2021 12:50

The Catalyst is a main quest in Fallout 76, introduced in the Steel Reign update. It is the final quest in the main Steel Reign questline. To gain access to this quest you must first complete the quests "Welcome to the Neighborhood", "Forging Trust", "Mother of Invention", "Field Testing", "Disarming Discovery", "Property Rights", "Supplying Demands", "Over and Out", "The Best Defense", "A Knight's Penance", "Missing Persons", "Out of the Blue", and "A Satisfied Conscience".

Below is a guide for each quest

•Welcome to the Neighborhood

•Forging Trust

Quick Walkthrough
- Speak to Russell Dorsey
- Speak to Knight Shin
- Listen to Knight Shin's conversation
- Speak to Knight Shin
- Speak to the petitioners (0/4)
- Report to Knight Shin
- Activate the scanner
- Quest Complete

Detailed Walkthrough

The quest starts automatically upon entering the vicinity of Fort Atlas. The first objective is to speak with Russell Dorsey, who is standing near a tent. After asking him about speaking with the Brotherhood leaders, he freely admits that he is the wrong person to speak to and hints towards Knight Shin, who is located inside the fort's interior.

After entering the interior through the double doors, the Vault Dweller is witnessing the conversation between Paladin Rahmani and Knight Shin, during which she tasks him with taking care of the civilian petitioners.

The next objective is to talk with Shin. Telling him about Dorsey results in Shin asking if the Vault Dweller wants to join the Brotherhood, to which there a several replies (Yes, Maybe, Lie or a Charisma +4 speech check). Regardless of the choice, the next test is about following orders. One is then tasked with speaking to the four civilian petitioners that are present in the interior. Shawn is complaining about Brotherhood personnel confiscating his belongings, Art wants to trade surplus produce of his farm for protection against raiders, Doc Blackburn is looking for supplies that are hard to come by and Tally wants to aquire some "big shiny guns".

Upon returning to Shin and telling him about each petitioner's inquiry, it becomes clear that he has no intention to deal with any of them, no matter what answers are chosen. He then congratulates for passing the test and promises to mention it in his report to Paladin Rahmani, though he advises to "lose those soft, civilian instincts" for the future.

His final advice is to look for Scribe Valdez further ahead inside the building. Activating the scanner will give access past the laser grid, conclude the quest and automatically start Mother of Invention.

Video:

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Forging_Trust

•Mother of Invention

Quick Walkthrough
- Speak to Scribe Valdez
- Enter the Fort Atlas substructure
- Wait for Scribe Valdez
- Speak to Scribe Valdez
- Learn about the ATLAS Project
- Collect ATLAS documentation (#/#)
- Speak to Scribe Valdez
- Run a diagnostics check
- Test the release valve
- Examine the wiring
- Speak to Scribe Valdez
- Extract components from the ATLAS machines (#/#)
- Extract the induction coil from the ATLAS machine core
- Extract the mysterious component
- Speak to Scribe Valdez
- Quest Complete

Detailed Walkthrough

The quest starts automatically after the previous one completes. Scribe Valdez is located on the upper level of the fort, overlooking the main ATLAS device. She will reveal that she does have some work she needs done: The bowels of the observatory have not been thoroughly inspected and she could use the dweller's help in investigating the substructure. After accepting the assignment, she will ask the player character to head on into the substructure and meet her there.

Inside the substructure, she will explain that the goal is to find documentation that can shed light on the state of the project and its mission. An Intelligence 4+ option allows for remarking that reading the plan is the first step of any good work, which she agrees with (and remarks that good work ethic like that is a way to ingratiate one with her).

To complete this assignment, the player character has to locate three parts of the ATLAS decommission reports:

On the cart just down the corridor immediately after descending the ruined staircase.
By the skeletal remains near the core.
On the work table behind the core.

After delivering them to Valdez, she will remark on the state on the project and reveal a portion of what the facility was doing before the War, before catching herself. With Charisma 8+, the player character can convince her to reveal the whole truth and learn about the atmospheric experiments. The scribe will then ask for help performing a hardware inspection on the facility.

The release valve will trigger an explosion when turned, the wiring at the base of the ATLAS core is chewed through by rodents and spawns a horde of them, while the diagnostics terminal offers a breakdown of the status: Core processing unit is defunct, intake valves are ruptured, ion focus is misaligned, and the induction loop has a flux disruption detected. The scribe will summarize the damage in the after-inspection talk, and ask questions as to their status. Correctly answering will earn points with her towards a positive recommendation.

After the pop quiz, she will ask the dweller to extract some components for analysis at the lab. These are:

Ion focus, located at the base of the machine. Requires Agility 8+ to remove intact by detaching all the cables and taking out the whole thing in one go.
Pressure gauge, in the upper chambers, mounted on a yellow machine. Requires Strength 4+ to remove the screws and fight through the rust.
CPU, in the upper offices. Requires Intelligence 8+ to perform a proper CPU ejection procedure on the terminal.

Once all three are collected, Valdez will ask for one other component: The induction coil at the base of the ATLAS device. Once removed (cutting both or one of the wires), a mysterious component will pop out. The player character can either remove it by gently lifting it out, swapping it for something heavy, or remove it using the player character's equipped weapon as a lever.

ATLAS security finally takes notice when that component is removed and a group of robots - Protectrons with a pair of Robobrains - attacks. After defeating them, all that remains is to talk with Scribe Valdez. She will assess the state of components (if recovered through attribute checks, they are in the best possible shape), and will be surprised at recovering the mysterious component: An Ultracite power cell that provided the ATLAS device with all the power it needed to operate. She will give the player character her letter of recommendation to pass to Paladin Rahmani, access to a terminal with recovered ATLAS logs, and a custom weapon, the Fact Finder.

Video:

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Mother_of_Invention

•Field Testing

Quick Walkthrough
- Speak to Paladin Rahmani
- Go to Lewis & Sons Farming Supply
- Speak to the Putnam family
- (Optional) Recruit Marty
- (Optional) Recruit Colin
- Go to Orwell Orchards
- Located the source of the Ghoul attacks
- Enter the bunker
- Speak with Marty/Colin
- Clear the Ghouls from the bunker
- Speak with Marty/Colin
- Report to Paladin Rahman
- Quest Complete

Detailed Walkthrough

The quest begins automatically after completing the mission in the ATLAS substructure. The first step is talking to the Paladin, who will now decide to test the dweller's capacity to work without direct supervision by dealing with a feral ghoul infestation in the southwestern part of the Forest. This would also help establish the Brotherhood as a beneficial presence in the area, rather than just another self-interested force. It's also possible to use Charisma 4+ to inquire about an additional reward. Rahmani will note that initiation is its own reward, but give a single Stimpak as encouragement.

Since the precise location of the nest is unknown, she will direct the player to Lewis & Sons Farming Supply, where the Putnam family lives inside a renovated barn, repurposed as the Putnam residence. Entering the barn will startle the Putnams, but after explaining the player is with the Brotherhood, George will lower his gun and the undisputed family leader, Carol, will invite the player to talk. The whole family gathers at the lounge, including Marty and Colin. In the course of the conversation, Carol will reveal that she has reported the ghoul infestation to the Brotherhood when it was passing through. Both of her sons will express interest in joining the Brotherhood, causing a small headache for Carol. They can't pin-point the origin of the infestation, but will mention the bulk of the sightings as originating from the highway up to Flatwoods, usually in the hills surrounding the Orwell Orchards.

Once again it is possible to use Charisma check 4+ to inquire about an additional reward. Carol will brusquely refuse due to the Brotherhood affiliation of the dweller, but George will hint at the dangers of radiation and give a single dose of anti-radiation chems, Rad-X or RadAway. Through an optional objective, one of the Putnam sons can also be recruited for the Brotherhood, with Colin being the brain and Marty the muscle. If either one of them is recruited, they will assist the dweller during the next part of the quest.

Either way, the Putnams will agree that wiping out the ghouls would be beneficial for the entire region and definitely earn the Brotherhood some good will. Upon reaching the Orwell Orchards, the task at hand is to head into the basement of the Orwell family home and gain access to the Orwell Orchards bomb shelter. Once inside, the objective is to eliminate all marked feral ghouls. If either Colin or Marty were recruited, they can be given a pep talk before heading further into the bunker as well as a debrief speech after the ghouls are taken care of.

Returning to Fort Atlas and Paladin Rahmani, the Vault dweller can then turn in the quest for their reward, most notably the promotion to probationary Initiate. Recruiting Colin will also reward the unique plasma gun Mind Over Matter, while recruiting Marty will instead reward the unique super sledge The Farmhand.

Video:

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Field_Testing

•Disarming Discovery

Quick Walkthrough
- Quest started
- Spoke to Rahmani
- Spoke to Jennie
- Accepted quest from Jennie
- Entered Dagger's Den
- Looted key
- Entered Throne Room
- (OPTION 1)
Peaceful Resolution
(Bribed Dagger
- (OPTION 2)
Violent Resolution
(Killed Dagger and Lieutenants)
- (OPTION 2)
Violent Resolution
(Killed Dagger and Lieutenants)
- (OPTION 1)
Gave no weapons
- (OPTION 2)
Gave some weapons
- Return to Paladin Rahmani
- Quest Complete

Detailed Walkthrough
The quest begins with travelling to the Retreat and locating Jennie Brown in the upper levels. She will be quite welcoming and suggest that the player talk to the other denizens of the Retreat in order to gather information about Dagger and her gang. There are three villagers to talk to spread out among the upper levels and each will offer a tidbit of information and some background on how Jennie Brown put the village together.

One will mention that the Dagger's hideout is somewhere to the southwest and that they have been doing weekly "collections" of tribute from the village.

Another will mention the raiders having access to special rocket launchers that could level the entire village.

Finally, another will explain that Dagger has been causing traders to avoid the Retreat, cutting into the trading prospects.

After talking to them, speaking with Brown again will advance the quest. She will explain that she wants to preserve her tightly knit family and asks for Dagger and her crew to be wiped out. Dagger's Den is located to the southwest, beyond Berkeley Springs, with the entrance surrounded by improvised fortifications (which have to be navigated or jumped over with the Marsupial mutation or a jetpack). Inside, the first order of business is to wipe out the Blood Eagles in the caves and then gain access to the throne room. It is locked, but the key is just nearby, in one of the shacks overlooking the entrance in the eastern cave chamber.

Dagger will not attack at first, but she will immediately start dialogue once approached. She will threaten and boast, as usual, and it is perfectly possible to attack her immediately. She is flanked by a pair of her lieutenants, both armed with Gatling lasers, but little in the way of armor. Alternatively, the player can strike a deal with her and bribe her. In the first case, both the Brotherhood weapons cache and the Retreat's supplies can be recovered (a surviving lieutenant will attack upon exiting the throne room, clad in a power armor frame and random raider power armor pieces). In the latter, Dagger will give a Hellstorm missile launcher from her supplies and return the Retreat's supplies.

At this point, all that is left is returning to Jennie Brown and handing her the Retreat's supplies. It is also possible to give her a launcher from the Brotherhood's cache, although she does not ask for it. Once that is done, all that is left is returning to Paladin Rahmani to report back. She will be found in the middle of receiving a report from Knight Shin. The report will reveal that several crates marked with the Brotherhood's insignia fell into the hands of the Crater raiders. Shin will recommend immediate recovery, but Rahmani is cautious about openly attacking the Raiders.

Their attitude when reporting back will depend on the choices. If the player opted to kill Dagger and the Blood Eagles, Rahmani will be concerned about the loss of life, but Shin will agree that it was the right choice. On the other hand, if the player chose to bargain, the paladin will receive the news with satisfaction, but Shin will be rather displeased. Finally, the question of Hellstorms: If the player chose to give Jennie a launcher, Rahmani will be cautiously optimistic that the villagers can now defend themselves, but Shin will be furious - due to reasons that will be made clear in due time. On the other hand, Shin will complement the player's judgment if they choose to return the launchers, while Rahmani will express concern about the Retreat's ability to defend itself without the weapons.

Either way, the next step is recovering the Brotherhood's property from the hands of raiders.

Video:

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Disarming_Discovery

•Property Rights

Quick Walkthrough
- Speak to Knight Shin about the Raiders
- Secure the Raider storeroom
- Interrogate Pierce
- Speak to Knight Shin
- Speak to Pierce at the Crater
- Speak to Sheena
- Load Sheena's Holotape into a Brotherhood terminal
- (Optional) Consult Scribe Valdez about the situation
- Return the holotape to Sheena
- Report to Knight Shin
- Quest Complete

Detailed Walkthrough

The quest begins immediately after reporting back from the Retreat. Knight Shin will explain that he will gather a squad to recover the stolen weapons and his philosophy: Hit the raiders hard, secure the weapons, and interrogate any survivors to prevent them from seeing the Brotherhood as easy prey. The Vault Dweller from Vault 76 can ask for a refresher, especially the kind of weapons they are supposed to secure, and Shin will be somewhat annoyed by what he sees as negligence (although explain that he will not put that on the Scrolls, since he has no time).

After receiving the briefing, the first objective is to head to the makeshift vault, located due east of Cobbleton farm. After entering it, the Brotherhood supply crates are found immediately in the entryway. Entering the main chamber will trigger conversation with Pierce, who will mock the Brotherhood right in the face of Knight Shin. The knight will make a half-hearted attempt at intimidation, evidently looking forward to a shoot-out with the Raiders.

Pierce will instead turn to the "forward scout" and engage in conversation. One can elect to use either Perception 8+ or Charisma 8+ to talk him down, either by pointing out his hopeless position or appealing to his sense of self-preservation. However, if the Vault 79 raid has already been completed by siding with the Raiders, one can choose to tell Pierce how they helped during the raid. But, if the Dweller chose to take all of the gold bullion for themselves at the end of the Vault 79 raid, Pierce will refuse to listen. Shin will generally appreciate not compromising with the Raiders and wiping them out but will balk at negotiating with them. If engaging in combat, the fight itself is relatively easy, as Shin comes with a near full set of T-51b power armor, though Pierce will survive at the end, wounded.

Shin will order Pierce be let go, once he realizes that Pierce - surrendered or not - will not reveal where the weapons came from, unless he is allowed to return to the Crater. After the Raider leaves, Shin will issue new orders to follow through on the meeting (and chastise the Dweller for not revealing their association with Crater, if Wastelanders was completed on the Raider side). Pierce will be found at the Crater war room, hidden in a broken-off piece of the station due north of the main encampment, with Sheena and Burke.

Pierce will refuse to negotiate if the Raiders were attacked rather than let go. In that case, Sheena will make the offer in his stead. Either way, they offer to trade intel for intel: Use a holotape with malware that will download Brotherhood roster, patrol data, and other vital information for use by the Raiders to set up ambushes or evade patrols, and gain information on the weapons' origin in return. The Dweller is free to refuse.

Otherwise, the new goal is to load the holotape onto Valdez's terminal at Fort Atlas. One can inform Scribe Valdez of the situation, and she will propose loading it up with fake data she created in case someone unauthorized accessed her files. When loading Sheena's holotape onto her terminal, it will display the option to download either the real or dummy files.

Either way, the final step is to just head on over to the war room and hand the holotape over. Sheena will reveal that the weapons do not have a single source: Some came from Settlers that the Raiders killed, while others came from a group of fellow bandits from the west, at least as far as Ohio. These bandits claim that they "acquired" them from a group of people in power armor and collected a helmet with a bullet through the visor as a trophy.

Knight Shin is the final stop of the quest. He will commend a thorough investigation - learning that the weapons have multiple sources, whether the Raiders were passing through Crater or a permanent warband there, and learning that Foundation is also in possession of these weapons. He can be asked about the Knight's helmet. This will disturb Shin, as he reveals that the expedition lost two members on the way: Knight Thornberry, who returned to Lost Hills, and Knight Connors, who was killed in action. The idea of the Raiders retaining Connors' helmet as a throphy disturbs him. He will not reveal how Connors died nor where the Brotherhood lost the Hellstorms in the first place.

Shin will refer the player to Paladin Rahmani for instructions on how to contact and negotiate with Foundation. The quest concludes at this point.

Video:

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Property_Rights

•Supplying Demands

Quick Walkthrough
- Report to Paladin Rahmani about Foundation
- Go to Foundation's Supply Room
- Speak with Gloria Chance
- Ask Gloria Chance about the weapons
- Go to the weapon testing site
- Investigate the weapon test site
- Listen to the "Weapon Demonstration" Holotape
- Find out where "Mike" went
- Find the Terminal Password
- Investigate Kerwood Mine
- Talk to Mike Tiller
- Find a way to reach the weapons
- Find the Back Tunnel Key
- Unlock the Back Tunnel Door
- Reach the weapons
- Deal with Mike Tiller
- Kill Mike Tiller
- Collect the weapon cache
- Return to Foundation's Supply Room
- Talk to Gloria Chance
- Negotiate a deal with Foundation
- Report back to Paladin Rahmani
- (Optional) Talk to Shin
- (Optional) Collect a Hazmat Dive Suit
- (Optional) Search for sunken valuables (#/#)
- Quest Complete

Detailed Walkthrough
Paladin Rahmani briefs the initiate on their assignment. The goal is to make contact with Gloria Chance, the manager of Foundation's supply room, then verify the presence of Hellstorm missile launchers and recover them, while also negotiating a trade deal: Food and water in return for what the Brotherhood's Expeditionary Force can offer. If questioned further after receiving the orders, she will explain that forming close bonds with like-minded people is necessary for the Brotherhood's standing, as is the recovery of the Hellstorms, due to the firepower they represent and their close association with the Brotherhood, due to the crest placed on them.

Before departing, the player can also approach Knight Shin for more information. He will explain that the priority is getting the Hellstorms back. If the trade deal is mentioned, he will be disappointed, but remind the player of the Chain that Binds. More importantly, the player can use Perception 5+ to ask for his opinion and Shin will finally relent and explain that he believes the absolute priority is recovering the launchers and that the Brotherhood should focus on self-sufficiency, rather than trade deals.

Gloria is located at the Foundation supply room, at the southeastern edge of the settlement. When talked to, she will assume the player is about the Blamco Mac & Cheese shipment. The player can lie and say that they are there for a pre-payment to the tune of 2 500 caps, or correct her. Either way, the conversation can go in a variety of directions, depending on the attitude: Either Rahmani's recommended, diplomatic stance, or Shin's preferred hardline demands. Naturally, the settlers will appreciate being diplomatic.

Gloria and her husband, Tad Chance, will explain that they have recently purchased several Brotherhood weapons with the faction's insignia on them and that the settler guards have taken them to the East Mountain lookout tower for testing and exercises. That's the next stop. Gloria will ask that the player keep in mind that these weapons are Foundation property and cost them quite a bit, though that has no bearing on the immediate goal.

The tower will be short on living settlers, but rich in their pieces. A large crater just south of it is filled with pieces of unfortunate guards, with a luckily intact body and Brotherhood shipping crate next to it. A holotape called Weapons demonstration tells the whole story of the incident: Mike Tiller did not understand the concept of trigger discipline and fired a missile into the group of settlers gathered around to record instructions for the launchers at Ward's request.

Mike is nowhere to be found. To locate him, the player has to use his terminal at the base of the tower. To unlock the "secret" section, the password holotape from Mike's bag leaning against the cinder blocks near the terminal is required. The third entry will point to the nearby Kerwood Mine. Mike will be found inside the miner staging area, behind a barred door, and will be of little help. The player has to navigate the mine and reach him, through the rear chamber. The door to the back tunnel is locked and requires a key, found in a blue filing cabinet at the bottom of the main elevator shaft.

The weapons are found together with Mike. It's possible to just shoot him where he stands, but talking to him allows the player to confirm that his clumsiness in handling a military-grade weapon has caused the deaths of all the guards at the lookout tower. If spared, he will ask to be allowed to take the weapons to Foundation and return them to Gloria and Tad, who are the only people he trusts. The player can use Strength 8+ to intimidate him, Perception 10+ to persuade him that he'll just blow himself up on the way, or lie with Charisma 5+ that he'll be considered a murderer and should flee. Or just shoot him.

Either way, Gloria is the last step in the quest. Tad will insist that the weapons be returned to the Foundation, while his wife will be a lotmore reasonable. The player can, of course, either give Foundation the weapons back or exchange them for Brotherhood protection. If the player confiscates the weapons, they can offer payment - 1 000 or 2 500 caps - to cover the difference and ensure food shipments to Fort Atlas.

Alternatives include:
•Using Strength (2+ if Mike was killed, 4+ if the weapon cache was taken or 6+ if Mike brought it back) to strongly suggest that they both hand over the weapon and contribute food to the Brotherhood.
•Using Perception 8+ to point out that the lack of discipline is a problem, not weapons, and provide training in exchange for the Hellstorms, surplus food, and intel on unusual weapons,
•Intelligence 8+ to establish that the weapons are simply too dangerous for the Foundation to have around.

Once the decision is made, all that remains is returning to Paladin Rahmani. She'll be found discussing the strategic situation with Knight Shin and their reactions depend on the outcome:

•If the player did not confiscate the weapons, both Shin and Rahmani will be absolutely furious.
•If the weapons were confiscated, Shin will be jubilant and Rahmani satisfied.
•If the player demanded supplies from Foundation, Rahmani will be furious and issue no reward for the mission.
•If the player promised training in return for the weapons, food, and intel, Shin will be happy to oblige, considering Foundation as a proxy against Crater. Rahmani will be wary of the idea of militarizing Foundation and escalating conflicts in Appalachia.
•If the player offered Brotherhood protection in exchange for the weapons, Shin will be extremely disappointed at making the order into a philanthropic organization, but Rahmani will actually appreciate the chance to demonstrate its benevolence to the locals.
•If the player did not secure a trade deal, Rahmani will be gravely disappointed, but Shin will appreciate it, as it forces the Brotherhood to rely on itself and avoids entangling it in local conflicts.

Either way, the quest completes and the initiate is sent for Scribe Valdez.

Video:

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Supplying_Demands

•Over and Out

Quick Walkthrough
- Speak to Scribe Valdez
- Listen to Scribe Valdez's report
- Speak to Scribe Valdez
- Locate the transmitter facility
- Find a way inside of the facility
- Enter the transmitter facility
- Explore the facility
- Escape the deadly gas
- Explore the facility
- Find the keycard
- Explore the facility
- Clear out the Scorched
- Explore the facility
- Register your handprint
- Return to the lobby
- Regroup with the Brotherhood
- Access the mainframe
- Defeat SODUS
- Speak with Paladin Rahmani
- Install the Ultracite battery cell
- Check on Paladin Rahman
- Quest Complete

Detailed Walkthrough

The quest begins with a request to send Scribe Valdez up to meet Knight Shin and Paladin Rahmani, as they finally have the time to talk with her. Valdez will explain that she could never quite get a time slot, but will relish the opportunity. Upon meeting the paladin in the command center, she will explain that she has found a lead to complete the primary directive and reestablish contact with Lost Hills and the Elder Council.

Rahmani will reprimand Valdez that she did not order such an operation, leading Valdez to apologize and explain she did it of her own initiative. Shin will confront Rahmani over her outright refusal to establish communications, to which she will reply that her priority was re-establishing the Brotherhood in Appalachia as a force of action. Shin will stop short of openly defying her authority. To appease him, the paladin will order the player character to investigate the signal and locate the transmitter.

Scribe Valdez will elaborate, explaining that the goal is a low-frequency transmitter that can send messages even through mountains and oceans (tech used before the War to contact submarines). While she agrees that the transmitter is quite likely severely damaged, she hopes to use the freshly reengineered ultracite cell recovered from Atlas' substructure to supercharge it and send a message to Elder Maxson. The player character is sent to investigate the Enclave research facility underneath Transmission station 1AT-U03 in the Forest. The station has been heavily modified to accommodate Steel Dawn and now features a handprint scanner and an elevator to the facility.

Upon entering, the player character is greeted by a computer named SODUS. It will immediately enter dialogue once approached and welcome the visitor, while listing off tasks that are being completed. Explaining the goal of the visit will result in SODUS adding it to her long list of tasks, estimating 14 300 hours to completion. If the player character completed Officer on Deck, they can invoke the general's privileges. SODUS will oblige, prioritizing the task and cutting the wait time to just under 6 600 hours. There is no other recourse than to explore the facility. The AI will list off tasks and invite the player character to explore, starting with a decontamination arch that spews radiation. The goal lies on the other end of the biological research facility and it will become clear on the way that SODUS is not functioning well: It will "erroneously" open up holding cells containing test subjects left over from the Enclave's research projects, up to and including a leveled deathclaw at the end, in the chamber where the Enclave was studying strangler plants. The door to the further reaches of the facility requires the holding cell card held by Wes, an Enclave scout slumped against the deathclaw's holding cell doorframe.

The living quarters of the facility are filled with unruly residents, as SODUS puts it: Unique scorched wearing the tattered remains of their Enclave uniforms. After fighting off three waves of them, with SODUS thinly veiling its desire to see the player character killed, the area is clear and can be freely explored. The announcement boards show the deteriorated state of SODUS, displaying commands from the AI, which boil down to HURT VISITOR. The commons give way to the residential sector, the officers' quarters and eventually the command center, where the scorched facility commander is present, in a suit of deteriorated X-01 power armor. After dispatching them, the communications terminal at the lowest bank will reveal that while a transmitter is present, all communications have been routed through the mainframe. To advance, the player character must register their handprint with the terminal and scanner in the adjacent room, which will grant access to the mainframe chamber.

Back in the lobby, Paladin Rahmani and Knight Shin appear to complete the mission and activate the transmitter. Upon entering the mainframe chamber, however, SODUS reveals that she has uploaded herself to a sentry bot (a legendary 3-star XB-55), which must be defeated with the paladin and knight's assistance. Upon killing the sentry bot, Rahmani will approach the transmitter and order the player and Shin to install the ultracite battery in a power console in a secluded chamber opposite the robot assembly unit. To install it, the player character has to talk to Shin, who will confide in them that he does not believe the paladin has the Brotherhood's best interest at heart - and then ask them to go check up on Rahmani while he installs the cell.

The paladin will use this opportunity to explain her plan and her own misgivings about the elders and establishing communications with the West. An incident occurred where the Expeditionary Force used recovered Hellstorm missile launchers to arm a civilian militia in order to defend a settlement from raiders. Rahmani's plan failed: The town was destroyed, the launchers fell into the hands of raiders, spreading over the wasteland, and Knight Connors was killed in action. Shin took both the failure and his mentor's death hard, becoming rigid and unbending, obsessed with discipline and order. Shin also believes that the Brotherhood should remain focused on it's original purpose, the procuring and protecting of pre-war technology, and dislikes Rahmani's willingness to make long-term commitments with factions outside the Brotherhood.

As a result, Rahmani believes that he would confess to the failed operation immediately, if given the chance, and force the elders to denounce the Expeditionary Force, strip it of its titles, and wipe out the tenuous foundation they have established.

The player character has three options: Ally herself with Rahmani, stand with Shin, or declare that they have loyalty to neither. Rahmani will be jubilant with the first choice, displeased with the second, and disappointed with the third, reminding the player character that having a stake in one's destiny requires finding allies. Regardless of the decision made, the paladin will destroy the transmitter with her war glaive, much to Shin's dismay. Shin will attempt to challenge her authority and declare her a renegade, but Rahmani will remind him that his authority does not reach far: initiates recoil in fear at his sight, and she is not actually betraying the Brotherhood, but saving it from itself.

Before the two can come to blows, an alarm sounds: Fort Atlas is under attack. Both the knight and the paladin return to the Fort, to protect the initiates, and resolve their problems later - although for Shin, this is a foregone conclusion. The quest then concludes, leading to the next and final quest of Steel Dawn, The Best Defense.

Video:

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Over_and_Out

•The Best Defense

Quick Walkthrough
- Speak to Scribe Valdez
- Reinforce the Brotherhood barricade
- Speak to Scribe Valdez
- Reach the Super Mutants' entry point
- Plant bombs on Super Mutant entry points (0/4)
- Retreat to a safe distance
- Watch the fireworks
- (Optional) Use the elevator to return to the surface
- Speak to the Brotherhood upstairs
- Quest Complete

Detailed Walkthrough
The quest is the culmination of the Steel Dawn quest line. Upon arriving inside Fort Atlas, Scribe Valdez is busy reporting to Shin and Rahmani about the situation: Super mutants have blown a hole through the substructure and are pouring into the facility, with the initiates holding the line as best they can. Upon talking to her (and venting frustrations about being the only initiate to pull their weight, which has the rare distinction of making Rahmani, Valdez, and Shin take offence), the next goal is to bolster the barricade in the substructure.

Down below, the barricade and the initiates are holding the line in between mutant attacks. Valdez will explain that the attacks have been occurring in waves for several hours, and the situation is a war of attrition they cannot afford. Rahmani will propose taking the fight to the enemy, to which Shin reacts poorly, considering it a suicide mission. However, when Valdez explains that she has explosive charges prepared as a last resort, which can be repurposed as sealing charges to collapse enemy points of entry, he reconsiders. However, he demands that the player character place the explosives, he receive the detonator, and Valdez remain to hold the barricade.

Rahmani agrees to his price to hold the Brotherhood together a while longer, which causes Valdez to recoil - but she quickly agrees and focuses on helping the wounded and marshalling the initiates. What follows is a long gauntlet through the caverns and mines below Fort Atlas, with Rahmani and Shin providing fire support and bantering. They are both very effective tanks and fire support, particularly Rahmani with her Gatling laser. On the way, they will comment on the player' character's choices in preceding quests, such as dealing with raiders and Pierce. The venture terminates in a large excavation chamber, where one has to find four entry points and place Valdez' bombs on the support girders. These are located in mining tunnels and will continue to spawn super mutants as long as they are active.

Once all four are placed, one simply has to retreat to the overlook in the chamber and wait for Shin to blow the charges. Once that is done, all that remains is returning to the Fort Atlas main area. Rahmani, Shin, and Valdez will be in the command center. The scribe will be shocked when Rahmani's actions and destruction of the transmitter are revealed to her. However, due to the appearance of the super mutant threat, Shin will reluctantly agree that unity is necessary and agree to cooperate until the threat is destroyed - at which point, he will promise to deal with the oath breaker and restore the Appalachian chapter to its proper course. Once the dialogue is over, the Steel Dawn quest line ends and all three can be interacted with to receive insight into their attitude.

Video:

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/The_Best_Defense

•A Knight's Penance

Quick Walkthrough
- Russell Dorsey reports super mutant attacks across the region
-Rahmani and Shin ask player to round up some initiates for a mission
- Go to Uncanny Caverns
- Search for evidence of super mutants, then a way to pass the blockade
- Shin is arrogant and tells his subordinates to squeeze through a hole
- Decide how to remove boulder
- Find evidence of super mutant berserkers
- Shin mourns his star pupil
- Rescue Initiate Hewson
- Shin uses an exploit to body block a bomb, mutants attack
- Find the Pip-Boy
- Show it to Shin and go home

Detailed Walkthrough

For the first objective go to Fort Atlas and talk to Russel Dorsey. He will inform about news about the attack of Super Mutants coming from all over the Appalachia. He will ask you to inform Knight Shin and Paladin Rahmani about the super mutant attacks. Knight Shin will ask you to brief Initiates Norland and Hewsen to come along on a mission with him and you to track Super Mutants Talk to the Initiates and ask them to report to Uncanny Caverns, which is at the southwest portion of the map as shown in the picture below.

Enter the Uncanny Cavern where you will find Knit Shin along with the two Initiates. Talk to Knight Shin and follow him. Kill the Mirelurk Killclaw that you will find in the cavern and then talk to Knight Shin again and then keep following him further deep into the cavern. Further ahead you will find a few Floaters. Defeat them and speak with Knight Shin who will tell you that floaters are usually found with Super Mutants, so mutants must be nearby.

Search for a Way Through

Your next objective is to examine objects to find a way through. You will find a rockslide at a corner blocking your path as shown in the picture below. A little bit on the right of the rockslide, collect the shovel half-buried into the ground (See the picture below). Further right you will find a crevice on the wall as shown in the picture below.

Interact with the three objects and then report to Knight Shin. He will tell the two initiates to squeeze through the crevice and scout ahead. You have to go and clear the rocks from the path. Interact with the rockslide and then use the shovel to move the rocks.

Defeat the super mutants behind the newly opened path and then proceed ahead with Knight Shin. A little ahead you will find the dead body of Norland with Initiate Hewsen nowhere to be seen around. Follow the trail to find a hidden crevice further ahead on the left side. Interact with the cervice to go inside.

In the new area, you will find Initiate Hewsen who has triggered a trap. Knight Shin will jump over the trap and absorb the blast. Now you will be attacked by many super mutants. After eliminating the super mutants you will have to search for information on the super mutants.

Follow the objective marker to search for the information on super mutants. In the highlighted area you will find a damaged Pip-Boy at a corner as shown in the picture below.

Your next objective is to take the damaged Pip-Boy to Scribe Valdez at Fort Atlas. This will complete the mission and start the next mission ‘Missing Persons’.

Video:

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/A_Knight%27s_Penance
https://gamerpillar.com/a-knights-penance-fallout-76-steel-r...

•Missing Persons

- This quest begins in Fort Atlas.

- Once here, you will have to head inside and move up the mezzanine floor. You will meet Scribe Odessa Valdez on this floor.

- Interact with her. She will ask you if you are available to help her.
- She will communicate to you her concern for Marcia and her associates, who have left towards foundation but not returned.
- You will be asked to go and look for her and her associates.
- Valdez will then direct you to go downstairs and speak to Maximo. Maximo is Marcia’s brother.

- Despite Maximo’s worst fears for his sister, he does not have any helpful information. He will ask you to speak to Ramirez.

- While Ramirez might initially act nonchalant, further questioning will reveal that Marcia has gone to the Raiders Camp with her associates to join the war party.
- After speaking to Ramirez, you will have to head to the said camp located in Crater in the north.

- Upon heading inside the camp, you will meet Marcia and Pierce. They will be discussing about Sheena and Burke. Sheena and Burke are believed to have gone to the AMS camp, but they have not returned from there.
- Both Marcia as well as Pierce will be wary of you because of your association with the Brotherhood of Steel.
- You need to convince both of them to join you in the search for Burke and Sheena.
- Now, the three of you need to head to the AMS Headquarters. This is located right in the middle of Watoga.
- Here, use the elevator to go to the second floor. Here, you will speak to Marcia, after which you will be told to go to the third floor. Use one of the cylinder elevators to do so.
- You will need to battle a few robots and mercenaries on this floor.
- Head back to the elevator after eliminating the said robots and mercenaries.
- You will be tasked with searching for clues to find Burke and Sheena.
- You will find Burke’s Dove necklace while looking for clues.

- Now, look for the body of a raider lying against a railing.

- You will now have to find a note on the floor written by Sheena. This note will be labelled as a Hastily Written Note.

- After speaking a little more with Marcia, head to an area that looks like a lobby.
- Here, you will need to find a way to open the door.
- Use the Facilities Terminal. Select Hellcat Terminal and click on Open Door.

- Once the door opens, search for the mercenary Kit. He will be located in a holding area.

- Kit will unleash a number of robots and mercenaries to kill you. Eliminate these before proceeding to kill Kit himself.
- After you kill Kit, you will receive a letter signed with the letter B.

- Head to Kit’s holding area and look for the key to the AMS basement.
- Use a cylinder elevator to go to the lobby. In the lobby, you will find a door that leads to the AMS basement lab. Enter it.
- Kill the Hellcat mercenaries you will encounter inside, after which you will hear Burke and Sheena’s distant yells.
- Enter the room that the sounds lead to. Here you will find Sheena and Burke locked up in jail cells.
- Use the computer in the cell to unlock the cell doors.

- After freeing Burke and Sheena, you will have to try Marcia to stay with the Brotherhood.
- After completing this conversation, Marcia will tell you to speak to Scribe Valdez to decipher who B is in the letter you found earlier.
- You will need to head back to Fort Atlas. After speaking to Valdez, she will direct you to speak to Romani.
- This is the end of the Missing Persons quest, and the beginning of the Out of the Blue quest.

Video:

Credit: https://gamertweak.com/missing-persons-fallout-76/

•Out of the Blue

•A Satisfied Conscience

For the first objective, talk to go to Paladin Rahmani at Fort Atlas. You will be informed that Scribe Valdez has cracked the encryption on the damaged Pip-Boy that you found in Uncanny Cavern. The Pip-Boy came from Vault 96, where the abductees might be hidden and where Dr. Blackburn is doing his experiments. Your next objective would be to investigate Vault 96. Vault 96 is at the southeast portion of the map as shown in the picture below.

Enter Vault 96 and talk to the surviving Hellcat mercenary that you will find upon entering. The survivor will inform you about the presence of Blood eagles inside the vault who attacked and killed the mercenaries. Next, follow the objective marker to reach the terminal and activate the emergency transponder to signal Valdez.

Valdez will unlock the door to proceed further. Go straight downstairs where you will find a bunch of Blood Eagles. After you have defeated Blood Eagles, Dr. Blackburn will contact you through the intercom and ask you to leave immediately. The door to reach Dr. Blackburn is locked and you will need to find the keycard to open it.

Your next objective will be to collect three clues from the Mainframe Wing. Follow the objective market and collect FEV Research Log #22. Another clue is a note named ‘Vault 96’ (See picture below). The third clue is the error entries in the terminal the objective marker will lead you to.

Next you have to open the door to the reactor wing. You can either interact with the terminal near the door or Short-Circuit the terminal fusebox to open the reactor wing door. Defeat the Blood eagles inside the reactor wind and collect the two clues. One of the clues is FEV Research Log #38 and the other is a note named ‘Breakthrough’.

Your next objective is to open the Cryonics wing. Upon interacting with the door you will be contacted by a Blood Eagle, Tally Lang. She will inform you that they are overrun by robots and will ask for your help. In return, she will offer to give you Vault Security Keycard that opens all the doors inside Vault 96. Accept the deal and she will open the door.

Once you have defeated the robots, talk to Tally lang. Here you can peacefully take the keycard or attack and kill the remaining Blood eagles.

After you have the keycard, your next objective is to collect three clues from Cryonics Bay. One clue is FEV Research Log #57. Another clue is a note named ‘Corpse Disposal’. The final clue is a note named ‘Reminder: Supplies’. All three clues can be tracked using the objective marker.

Next use the Security Keycard to open the door to the Research Wing. You have to find three clues inside the research wing. One of the clues is FEV Research Log #112. For another clue read all the files on the terminal highlighted by the objective marker. The final clue is a note named ‘Snallygaster’.

Inside the Research wing defeat the Glowing Snallygaster. Nearby you will find prisoners inside test chambers. Follow the objective marker to reach the terminal that unlocks the test chamber. The prisoner will inform you that Dr. Blackburn has been doing experiments on them.

Next follow the objective marker to reach Overseer’s office door and interact with the security card reader. The keycard won’t work. Disable the hydraulics in the utility room to open the locked door. Go upstairs and confront Dr. Blackburn. Capture Blackburn to complete the mission.

Video:

Credit: https://gamerpillar.com/a-satisfied-conscience-quest-fallout...

•The Catalyst

For the first objective, talk to the Brotherhood Leadership at Fort Atlas where Doctor Blackburn is being interrogated. Dr. Blackburn will inform that his associates are continuing the experiments in a laboratory hidden beneath West Tek Headquarters. Head to West Tek Research center at the location as shown in the picture below.

Enter the West Tek Research Center and make your way towards the Research wing. You will have to face multiple super mutants on your way. Interact with Dispensary lab access terminal, which is next to a locked door leading to the objective marker. The terminal will tell you that Dispensary Lab is restricted to authorized personnel and that you will need to go to the upstairs control room to gain access. This will update the objective marker to the control room.

Follow the objective marker to reach the control room. You will have to fight a lot of super mutants on the way. Interact with the control room terminal and open the door to the Dispensary Lab. Inside the dispensary collect the West Tek Research Wing access code.

Follow the objective marker and use the Research wing access terminal to open the door to the research wing. Inside you will have to fight many super mutants. Defeat them and then call the elevator to access Dr. Blackburn’s West Tek Laboratory.

After you reach the laboratory, defeat the Hellcat mercenaries. Now Paladin Rahmani and Knight Shin will join you accompanied by Dr. Blackburn. Regroup with the Brotherhood and follow them to Dr. Blackburn’s associates. Use Strength 8, Endurance 8, or Intelligence 4 to convince the associates to stop releasing FEV on the population.

Dr. Blackburn will inform you that the associates cannot stop the distribution process since it requires a code which only Dr. Blackburn knows. He will go inside where the associates are and betray the brotherhood and test the sample on himself. Drop through the hatch to reach the experiment area. Witness the experiment and see Dr. Blackburn turn into a monster. Next, you have to defeat him. You will be accompanied by Rahmani and Knight Shin during the fight. They will help you to defeat Dr. Blackburn.

After defeating Dr. Blackburn go to the Scientists’ viewing chamber to deal with the associates of Dr. Blackbur. Paladin Rahmani and Knight Shin will again be at loggerheads on how to deal with the associates. Rahmani will ask to take the scientists to Fort Atlas and make them work under the Brotherhood whereas Knight Shin will ask for the execution of the scientists.

Side with Paladin Rahmani

If you decide to side with Paladin Rahmani, Knight Shin will refuse to serve the Fort Atlas anymore that threaten to go and inform the elders about the decision. At this point, you can choose to attack Knight Shin or let him go.

Go back to Fort Atlas for the ending of the Brotherhood of Steel storyline. Paladin Rahmani will inform everyone that Knight Shin has left the Appalachian Brotherhood and confer you with the title of Knight-Errant. At this point, you will have the option to flirt with Paladin Rahmani and Scribe Valdez. You can also talk to Russel Dorsey and Hewsen. After you have done talking to everyone, speak with Rahmani to complete the mission

Video:

Credit: https://gamerpillar.com/the-catalyst-quest-fallout-76-steel-...

10 Jul 2021 12:50

7 Comments

This has to be one of the best and in-depth guides I have ever seen. AND I've seen a lot of them! This quest series is quite lengthy and I just finished it. Not too hard just lengthy. Probably 6-10 hours worth depending on if you digest all the dialog options and thoroughly search buildings and areas.
Well done!

By Car56 on 31 Jul 2021 17:22

Okay I full on agree with Car56, this is one of if not the best in-depth guide!! Thank you so much for doing this busterfrosty

By PagedFuture103 on 06 Aug 2021 23:34

Out of the Blue mission glitched on me where Aries unlocks the door; but, it didn't open. Seems it's a common enough issues that I found my answer quickly. You can glitch through the door. Took a couple of tries using this guys video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cytEOs_27c&ab_channel=M...

Went to the next mission and the door from the Mainframe Chamber into the where you open the door for the Mainframe Wing was glitched closed. Glitched myself through again. Very useful.

By DcupsOfJustice on 10 Oct 2021 02:43

Congratulations on the incredible work and effort put into creating this guide. Thanks for the contribution.

By RayffeSilva on 02 Feb 2023 04:38

completed the quest and the achievement didn't pop :(

By battle drone 47 on 04 Nov 2023 00:48

Very nice guide.

By Avatar o Apathy on 03 Jun 2024 23:16

I can't even get this to start. I'm at Fort Atlas, have spoke to Russell Dorsey and nothing. Went inside and can't even find the next person.

Update : Had to wait until I got a 2nd character to level 20 and start the quest line again

By FoolsAndKings on 26 Jul 2023 19:55

View all 7 comments Show less comments

busterfrosty

TrueTrophies

10 Jul 2021 23:18

•Forging Trust

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Forging_Trust

•Mother of Invention

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Mother_of_Invention

•Field Testing

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Field_Testing

•Disarming Discovery

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Disarming_Discovery

•Property Rights

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Property_Rights

•Supplying Demands

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Supplying_Demands

•Over and Out

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Over_and_Out

•The Best Defense

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/The_Best_Defense

•A Knight's Penance

Your next objective is to take the damaged Pip-Boy to Scribe Valdez at Fort Atlas. This will complete the mission and start the next mission ‘Missing Persons’.

Video:

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/A_Knight%27s_Penance
https://gamerpillar.com/a-knights-penance-fallout-76-steel-r...

•Missing Persons

- This quest begins in Fort Atlas.

- Once here, you will have to head inside and move up the mezzanine floor. You will meet Scribe Odessa Valdez on this floor.

- Despite Maximo’s worst fears for his sister, he does not have any helpful information. He will ask you to speak to Ramirez.

- Now, look for the body of a raider lying against a railing.

- You will now have to find a note on the floor written by Sheena. This note will be labelled as a Hastily Written Note.

- Once the door opens, search for the mercenary Kit. He will be located in a holding area.

- Kit will unleash a number of robots and mercenaries to kill you. Eliminate these before proceeding to kill Kit himself.
- After you kill Kit, you will receive a letter signed with the letter B.

Credit: https://gamertweak.com/missing-persons-fallout-76/

•Out of the Blue

•A Satisfied Conscience

Video:

Credit: https://gamerpillar.com/a-satisfied-conscience-quest-fallout...

•The Catalyst

Video:

Credit: https://gamerpillar.com/the-catalyst-quest-fallout-76-steel-...

10 Jul 2021 23:18

busterfrosty

TrueSteamAchievements

10 Jul 2021 00:00

•Forging Trust

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Forging_Trust

•Mother of Invention

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Mother_of_Invention

•Field Testing

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Field_Testing

•Disarming Discovery

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Disarming_Discovery

•Property Rights

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Property_Rights

•Supplying Demands

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Supplying_Demands

•Over and Out

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Over_and_Out

•The Best Defense

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/The_Best_Defense

•A Knight's Penance

Your next objective is to take the damaged Pip-Boy to Scribe Valdez at Fort Atlas. This will complete the mission and start the next mission ‘Missing Persons’.

Video:

Credit: https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/A_Knight%27s_Penance
https://gamerpillar.com/a-knights-penance-fallout-76-steel-r...

•Missing Persons

- This quest begins in Fort Atlas.

- Once here, you will have to head inside and move up the mezzanine floor. You will meet Scribe Odessa Valdez on this floor.

- Despite Maximo’s worst fears for his sister, he does not have any helpful information. He will ask you to speak to Ramirez.

- Now, look for the body of a raider lying against a railing.

- You will now have to find a note on the floor written by Sheena. This note will be labelled as a Hastily Written Note.

- Once the door opens, search for the mercenary Kit. He will be located in a holding area.

- Kit will unleash a number of robots and mercenaries to kill you. Eliminate these before proceeding to kill Kit himself.
- After you kill Kit, you will receive a letter signed with the letter B.