In Fallout 4, you’ll often have to break down junk into parts, as it’s otherwise challenging to gather various rare materials in industrial quantities for further settlement development and upgrading weapons and armor.
What counts as junk?
In the game, junk refers to anything that practically can’t be used elsewhere:
Items found in locations—like an old fan, a billiard ball, a glass flask, and so on. The list is endless. They have a separate tab in the Pip-Boy. Junk in settlements in the form of old cars, broken furniture, damaged trees, and so on. Both types are needed solely for the purpose of eventually converting them into resources for further use.
Where and how to break down
Since we have two types of clutter, they need to be broken down in slightly different places.
Through the workbench
In Fallout 4, junk collected during travels across the Commonwealth can and should be broken down at a red workbench called “Workshop,” available in any inhabited settlement where building is possible.
To break down into components, do the following:
- Approach the workbench.
- Press R (for more details).
- Press the T button, which allows you to automatically unload all the junk into the Workshop.
While you are in the settlement where the unnecessary items were dropped, when building and upgrading gear, it will automatically be broken down into its components.
Outside of a settlement, the main character cannot break down junk into components.
If a component (like oil, for example) is needed in another settlement, you must return to the workbench where you previously unloaded everything and retrieve an item containing that oil (like a paint can). Only after that, with the item in your inventory, return to the needed settlement.
Such maneuvers must be performed until the “Local Leader” perk is leveled up, allowing you to connect settlements with each other and use the common junk found in all of them. This perk becomes available if your Charisma level is 6.
Manually
There is a type of unusable items in the settlement, such as old cars, broken furniture, etc., that also qualify as junk and therefore can be dismantled into resources.
The following sequence of actions is required:
- Hold down V, which allows you to enter Workshop mode.
- Approach the item that will be dismantled. If it highlights in yellow, it’s definitely junk.
- Press R.
- A window will appear with information about which resources will be obtained after dismantling.
- Press Enter if everything is satisfactory.
After this, the components of the dismantled item are automatically added to the Workshop of that particular settlement, until the “Local Leader” ability is learned.
Remember, this method works only in places where the hero has a specialized workbench for building, not all areas of the Commonwealth.
Conclusion
In conclusion, managing junk in Fallout 4 is an essential aspect of gameplay that enhances the settlement building and equipment upgrading experience. Understanding the different types of junk and the specific processes for dismantling them – whether through automatic or manual means at the Workshop—is crucial for efficient resource management. The ability to dismantle junk not only helps in clearing clutter but also provides valuable resources necessary for construction and customization. Players must strategically use these resources to develop their settlements and improve their gear. The implementation of the “Local Leader” perk further optimizes resource management, allowing for a more interconnected and resource-efficient network of settlements. Thus, mastering the art of handling junk in Fallout 4 not only improves gameplay but also deepens the player’s engagement with the game’s complex building mechanics.
