Are you ready to wield the electrifying power of the Tesla Cannon in Fallout 76, Vault Dweller? This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about acquiring this formidable weapon and making the most of its unique capabilities. Let's dive in!
Step 1: Understanding the Tesla Cannon and Its Acquisition
First things first, let's get a handle on what the Tesla Cannon is and where it comes from. The Tesla Cannon is a powerful heavy weapon that discharges devastating electrical blasts, capable of hitting multiple enemies. It was introduced as a reward in a past Fallout 76 Season Scoreboard.
Initially a Seasonal Reward: The Tesla Cannon was primarily obtained through progression in a specific Season Scoreboard (Season 19, "Dread Island," for instance). This meant playing the game, completing daily and weekly challenges, and earning S.C.O.R.E. to advance through the ranks and unlock the weapon and its associated mod plans.
Post-Seasonal Availability: Like many Scoreboard rewards, the Tesla Cannon (and its plans) generally become available through other means after the season concludes. This is where most players will now find themselves looking to acquire it. It's not tradable, so you'll need to earn the plan yourself.
Step 2: Acquiring the Tesla Cannon Plan
Now that the initial season has passed, there are a few primary ways to get your hands on the Tesla Cannon plan. These methods generally involve Gold Bullion, a special currency in Fallout 76.
Step 2.1: Purchasing from Gold Bullion Vendors
The most straightforward way to acquire the Tesla Cannon plan is to purchase it from a Gold Bullion vendor.
Mortimer at Crater: Mortimer, the robot vendor located at Crater (the Raider settlement), is a key vendor for Gold Bullion items. You'll need to have a sufficient reputation level with the Raiders to access all of his inventory. The Tesla Cannon plan can be purchased from him for 750 Gold Bullion once you reach the Ally reputation rank with the Raiders.
How to Increase Raider Reputation:
Complete daily quests for the Raiders at Crater (e.g., "Vital Equipment," "Retirement Plan").
Participate in public events that award Raider reputation, such as "Moonshine Jamboree."
Make specific dialogue choices during main quests that align with the Raiders.
Regs at Vault 79: While Mortimer is the most commonly cited vendor for the Tesla Cannon plan, other Gold Bullion vendors like Regs inside Vault 79 might also have it in their inventory, although Mortimer is the primary one for Raider-aligned items.
Step 2.2: Checking Minerva's Rotating Inventory
Minerva is a special traveling vendor who offers a rotating inventory of rare plans, including some that are typically sold by other Gold Bullion vendors, but at a 25% discount.
Minerva's Schedule: Minerva's inventory and location change regularly. You'll need to keep an eye on community resources or websites that track her schedule to know when and where she will be selling the Tesla Cannon plan. Her possible locations include:
Foundation
The Crater
Fort Atlas
The Whitespring Resort
Patience is Key: Her inventory rotation means you might have to wait a while for the Tesla Cannon plan to appear. Checking her stock regularly is crucial if you're hoping to snag it at a discounted price.
Step 2.3: Daily Ops Rewards (Less Reliable, but Possible)
While less reliable than direct purchase, there's a chance to earn the Tesla Cannon plan as a reward from completing Daily Operations.
Random Drop: Daily Ops offer a variety of rare plans as potential rewards, and the Tesla Cannon plan can be among them. However, the drop is random, so there's no guarantee you'll get it quickly.
Repeated Runs: To increase your chances, you'll need to run Daily Ops frequently, aiming for Elder tier completion for the best reward odds.
Step 3: Gathering Gold Bullion
To buy the Tesla Cannon plan, you'll need a substantial amount of Gold Bullion. Here's how to accumulate it:
Step 3.1: Completing Public Events
Many public events, particularly the Wastelanders storyline events, award Treasury Notes.
Treasury Notes for Gold Bullion: These notes can be exchanged for Gold Bullion at gold press machines located at places like Foundation, Crater, and Vault 79. There's a daily limit to how many Treasury Notes you can convert (usually 400 Gold Bullion per day).
Recommended Events: Look for events like "Rad Rumble," "Line in the Sand," "A Colossal Problem," and "Encrypted."
Step 3.2: Weekly Faction Quests
Both the Raiders and Settlers offer weekly quests that award Treasury Notes. Completing these is a consistent way to earn Gold Bullion.
Step 3.3: Scoreboard Rewards
While the Tesla Cannon itself was a Scoreboard reward, the Scoreboards also often provide Gold Bullion as you progress through them, offering another avenue for earning this currency.
Step 4: Crafting and Modding Your Tesla Cannon
Once you have the plan, you can finally craft your own Tesla Cannon!
Step 4.1: Crafting at a Weapons Workbench
With the plan learned, head to any Weapons Workbench to craft the Tesla Cannon. You'll need the necessary crafting materials, which typically include:
Steel
Circuitry
Plastic
Crystal
And other common crafting components.
Step 4.2: Unlocking and Applying Mods
The Tesla Cannon truly shines with its various modifications. These mods can drastically change its functionality and effectiveness.
Acquiring Mod Plans: Similar to the weapon plan, Tesla Cannon mod plans were also originally part of the Season Scoreboard. After the season, they are generally available from the same Gold Bullion vendors (Mortimer, Minerva) or as rare Daily Ops rewards.
Key Mod Examples:
Direct Current Muzzle or Stock Assembly: These mods transform the Tesla Cannon to fire large explosions that deal massive direct hit damage and partial damage to nearby enemies. They also apply a debuff that reduces ballistic damage resistance by 20%. This is excellent for single-target damage and debuffing powerful foes.
Alternate Current Muzzle: This mod causes shots to arc between multiple nearby enemies, spreading damage equally. This is ideal for crowd control and tagging multiple enemies in events.
Experimentation is Key: The best way to find what works for you is to acquire the different mod plans and experiment with them to see which playstyle fits your build and needs.
Step 5: Building Around the Tesla Cannon
To maximize the Tesla Cannon's potential, consider optimizing your character's build.
Step 5.1: Perk Cards
Heavy Gunner Perks: As a heavy weapon, the Tesla Cannon benefits from the standard Heavy Gunner perk cards in the Strength SPECIAL tree, which increase its damage.
Explosive Perks (for Direct Current mod): If you're using the Direct Current mods, perks like Demolition Expert in Intelligence will significantly boost your explosive damage.
Science Perks: As an energy weapon, perks like Science, Science Expert, and Science Master (in Intelligence) will further enhance its damage.
Stabilized (Power Armor Users): If you use Power Armor, the Stabilized perk in Intelligence is a must-have, providing excellent accuracy and armor penetration for heavy weapons.
Step 5.2: Legendary Effects
Look for legendary Tesla Cannons with effects that complement your playstyle.
Quad: For increased magazine capacity, allowing for more sustained firing.
Two Shot: Fires an additional projectile, but with a slight accuracy penalty.
Vampire's: For health regeneration on hit, increasing survivability.
Anti-Armor: Ignores a percentage of the target's armor, great against tough enemies.
Explosive (legacy, not applicable to crafted Tesla Cannon): While some older Tesla Rifles could have the explosive legendary effect, the Tesla Cannon itself doesn't naturally roll with it, and it's generally considered a legacy effect on Tesla Rifles due to previous changes. The Direct Current mods provide the explosive functionality.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How to get the Tesla Cannon in Fallout 76 after Season 19?
You can primarily get the Tesla Cannon plan from Gold Bullion vendors like Mortimer at Crater, or from Minerva when she has it in her rotating inventory. It can also rarely drop from Daily Ops.
How to get Gold Bullion for the Tesla Cannon?
You can earn Gold Bullion by exchanging Treasury Notes at gold press machines. Treasury Notes are primarily earned from public events and weekly faction quests.
How to increase reputation with Raiders for Mortimer?
Complete daily quests for the Raiders at Crater and participate in public events that award Raider reputation, such as "Moonshine Jamboree."
How to find Minerva in Fallout 76?
Minerva's location rotates between Foundation, The Crater, Fort Atlas, and The Whitespring Resort. Check online resources or community trackers for her current and upcoming whereabouts.
How to get Tesla Cannon mods in Fallout 76?
Tesla Cannon mod plans were originally from the Season Scoreboard and are now typically available from Gold Bullion vendors (Mortimer, Minerva) or as rare Daily Ops rewards.
How to craft the Tesla Cannon?
Once you have learned the plan, you can craft the Tesla Cannon at any Weapons Workbench using various crafting materials.
How to make the Tesla Cannon explosive?
To make the Tesla Cannon explosive, you need to apply the "Direct Current Muzzle" or "Direct Current Stock Assembly" mods at a Weapons Workbench.
How to use the Tesla Cannon for crowd control?
Equip the "Alternate Current Muzzle" mod, which causes shots to arc between multiple nearby enemies, making it excellent for tagging and damaging groups.
How to improve Tesla Cannon damage?
Increase your damage by using Heavy Gunner and Science perk cards in your SPECIAL build, and seek legendary effects like Anti-Armor, Two Shot, or Quad.
How to check Minerva's inventory schedule?
There are various community-maintained websites and Discord servers that track Minerva's current and upcoming inventory and locations. A quick web search for "Fallout 76 Minerva schedule" should yield results.
Find out more about the Tesla Cannon and its best mods in this video:
