Guide: How To Get Fallout 76 Hardened Mass

Hardened Mass is yet another important resource that players can find in the massive map of Appalachia. However, unlike Black Titanium and Fusion Cores, this is not simply found on random enemies or in treasure chests.

It is not an item that is used to craft usable items directly. It is a component that is mixed with multiple other ingredients at Chemistry Stations to turn raw flux into stable flux, which is then used for crafting recipes.

One of these recipes is for the Fusion Core, which is essential for operating Power Armor in the game. We extensively went over the process of getting these in our guide.

Be careful not to confuse this item with the Fusion Cores in Fallout 4 though. With that out of the way, let’s move on to procuring Hardened Mass.

How To Find Hardened Mass?

Unfortunately, there are no set locations or enemies in the game that will yield Hardened Mass. So if you wanted to find farming spots, we couldn’t help you even if we wanted to. This material is only found on dead creatures within Blast Zones.

For those who may not already know, these are not marked areas in Fallout 76. They are temporary biomes created as a result of the fallout from when a nuclear warhead is detonated. The resulting irradiated area is then known as a Blast Zone.

When a nuke is detonated on the server you’re playing on; you can rush into the Blast Zone created in its wake to collect a bunch of Hardened Mass. All you have to do is kill as many enemies as possible and loot their bodies before the area resets back to normal.

Each Blast Zone only has a two-hour time limit, so it’s recommended that you don’t waste time in reaching it. Because if you miss this opportunity, you’ll have to wait three whole hours before another bomb can be detonated on that same server.

But what if no one is launching a nuke on your server at all? What do you do in those situations? Well, you can always detonate one yourself.

How To Launch A Nuke In Fallout 76?

Follow these steps:

1. Join the Enclave Faction: Locate the Abandoned Waste Dump in the Mire region and join the Enclave faction.
2. Complete Enclave Main Quests: Progress through the Enclave main quests, including “Back to Basic” and “Officer on Deck,” to gain access to the Whitespring Bunker’s command center in the Savage Divide.
3. Secure a Nuclear Keycard: Obtain a Nuclear Keycard by completing the repeatable quest “Hide and Seek and Destroy,” available from the Whitespring Bunker.
4. Collect Launch Codes: Hunt down ghoul officers with radio packs on their backs to collect launch codes. Use a surveillance terminal within the Whitespring Bunker or websites like NukaCrypt to locate these enemies and decrypt the codes.
5. Decrypt the Launch Codes: Decrypt the launch codes either by yourself or using online resources like NukaCrypt.
6. Initiate the Final Quest: Mission: Countdown: Head to one of the missile silos: Site Alpha, Site Bravo, or Site Charlie, located in the Savage Divide. Depending on the silo you choose, you’ll need to complete the corresponding version of the “Mission: Countdown” quest.
7. Complete the Final Quest: Navigate through the silo, defeat powerful enemies, and reach the launch terminal. Input the target coordinates to launch the nuke.
8. Choose Your Target: Select the target location for the nuke, which will become the Blast Zone.
9. Launch the Nuke: Confirm the launch and watch as the nuke detonates, creating a Blast Zone in the designated area.
10. Collect Hardened Mass: Enter the Blast Zone and defeat enemies within it to collect Hardened Mass from their corpses. Gather as much as you can before the Blast Zone resets after two hours.

This has been eXputer’s Fallout 76 Hardened Mass guide. While you’re here, why not also check out our article on Nuclear Winter Rewards for the same game?