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Other Ghoul Guides
Ghoulvolution - Glow Meter Explained
Your Glow Meter functions as a second health bar and a fuel tank. When you take damage or certain perk cards active, the green and grey striped bar decreases, and only radiation can refill it.
Stimpaks will not restore your health until your Glow Meter is completely gone, leaving you with only your primary health bar.
Unlike the Feral Meter, the Glow Meter has no fixed value. This is because it overlays your health bar, which can vary in value depending on your Endurance and any Perk Cards that increase your maximum HP.
You do not need a full Glow Meter to function as a Ghoul, and there are no penalties for having an empty Glow bar. However, many Ghoul Perk Cards will not activate without Glow, and most rely on it to power their abilities and buffs, making a full Glow Meter beneficial.
How Glow is Lost
Any item or effect that normally removes radiation—such as chems, environmental effects, or CAMP items like the Rad Shower—will instead remove Glow.
Glow can also be reduced by taking damage or when used as fuel by certain perk cards.
How Radiation Resistance Affects the Glow Meter
Radiation resistance controls how much radiation you absorb, which directly impacts how fast your Glow Meter refills. Your armor, underarmor, mods, legendary effects, and perk cards all influence your Rad Resistance.
High Rad Resistance → Absorb less radiation, Glow Meter refills slower.
Low Rad Resistance → Absorb more radiation, Glow Meter refills faster
What Increases Rad Resistance?
Armour
Power Armor reduces radiation by 90%.
Armour is the biggest source of Rad Resistance.
If you want to go Hard Core Ghoul, look for Body Armour with 0 Rad Resistance. Keep in mind that damage and energy resistance hit diminishing returns after 350, so non-meta or less popular armour might now be a viable option.
If you don’t want to swap armor or don’t like the look of low-Rad Resistance sets, you can use Perk Cards to reduce Rad Resistance or increase Rad intake:
Breathe It In – Lowers Rad Resistance by 50, 100, or 150 depending on rank.
Glowing Gut – Increases radiation from irradiated food and drinks by 100%, 200%, or 300%.
Rad Specialist – Increases Rad intake by up to 50% when wearing a full matching armor or Power Armor set.
Underarmour
Provides 5 to 15 Rad Resistance based on type.
Downloadable graphic can be found here.
The best for Ghouls is Shielded Raider Underarmor since it gives 0 Rad Resistance and buffs Perception, Agility, and Luck (helping accuracy, AP regen, and VATS crit meter).
Mods & Legendary Effects
Some armor mods add Rad Resistance.
Perk Cards & Legendary Perk Cards
Some perk cards add Rad Resistance.
Food Buffs
Nuka-Cola Orange
Cola Perk Bubblegum
Chems
Glowing Blood Pack – 75 Rad Resistance
Irradiated Blood Pack – 75 Rad Resistance
Rad-X – 200 Rad Resistance
RadShield – 300 Rad Resistance
Alcohol Buffs
Lead Champagne – 100 Rad Resistance
Vintage Lead Champagne – 100 Rad Resistance
Lead Champagne Mimosa – 100 Rad Resistance
Other Sources
Lunchbox Bonus (Antacids) – +10% Radiation Resistance
Scout’s Life 1 – Reduces Rad ingestion by 30%
Tesla Science 6 – +15 Rad Resistance
Karma Syringe – +25 Rad Resistance
CAMP Ally: Maul – +20 Radiation Resistance
How to Refill Your Glow Meter
Food and Drink
The easiest way to refill your Glow Meter is to equip Glowing Gut and consume one of the three highest-rad foods below.
If you don’t have room under Endurance for multiple perk cards, prioritize Glowing Gut over Chem Diet. Your Feral Meter takes 2 hours to empty and there is no shortage of chems out in the wasteland.
A full list of food and drink and their rads can be found here.
Item | Radiation Base | Glowing Gut Rank 1 | Glowing Gut Rank 2 | Glowing Gut Rank 3 |
Acidic Gulper Venom | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 |
Nuclear Wastewater | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 |
Toxic Goo | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 |
CAMP Items
Foundry Smelter – 125 rads
Blood Transfusion Pump – 140 rads
Radioactive Barrel – 30 rads
Asteroid – 30 rads
Toxic Waste Pile – 30 rads
Undetonated Bomb – 30 rads
Environmental Sources
Grafton Dam
Fissure Sites (run along the edge and stress everyone out)
Nuke Zones
Strangler Heart Acid Cloud
Radiation Rumble tunnels (Emmett Mountain Disposal Site)
Eviction Notice generator
The Pitt
Rivers and lakes
Other Sources
Gamma Gun – 50 to 125 rads
Radium Rifle – 30 rads
Nuka Grenade – 125 rads
Mutations
If you have the Herbivore mutation, plant-based dishes, and Teas won’t give you rads
If you have the Carnivore mutation, meat-based dishes won’t give you rads
Turning into a Ghoul will not affect your other mutations
Glow-Related Perk Cards
Feral Rage
SPECIAL:
Legendary Perk Card
Perk Card Description
When Feral, all Glow perk abilities cost less Glow.
Rank 1: When Feral, all perk cards that use Glow will consume 20% less Glow.
Rank 2: When Feral, all perk cards that use Glow will consume 30% less Glow.
Rank 3: When Feral, all perk cards that use Glow will consume 40% less Glow.
Rank 4: When Feral, all perk cards that use Glow will consume 50% less Glow.
Note:
Your Feral Meter must be empty/at 0% for this perk card to activate.
Below are the penalties for being in a Feral state, so keep that in mind when deciding if this perk card is right for you and your build:
Feral Meter: 0% (Starving/Empty)
+150% Melee Damage
-5 Endurance
-30 Max HP
-99 Charisma
-20 Max AP
-300% Hip-fire Gun Accuracy & V.A.T.S. Accuracy & Range
Card Rank and Cost:
1/2/3/4 - 50/100/150 Perk Coins
Level unlocks
Level 50
Calculator
Not Required
Image of new perk card:
Bomb Scientist
SPECIAL:
Intelligence
Perk Card Description
Using Glow enhances the damage of your thrown grenades.
Base Effect:
Rank 1 – Using 50 Glow, your thrown grenades deal +20% more damage.
Rank 2 – Using 50 Glow, your thrown grenades deal +35% more damage.
Rank 3 – Using 50 Glow, your thrown grenades deal +50% more damage.
With Feral Rage Equipped
Feral Rage reduces the Glow consumption based on rank but only activates when the Feral Meter is at Starving/Empty.
Feral Rage Rank 1 – Thrown grenades consume 40 Glow.
Feral Rage Rank 2 – Thrown grenades consume 35 Glow.
Feral Rage Rank 3 – Thrown grenades consume 30 Glow.
Feral Rage Rank 4 – Thrown grenades consume 25 Glow.
Card Rank and Cost:
1/2/3
Level unlocks
Level 80
Calculator
Not Required
Image of new perk card:
Brick Wall
SPECIAL:
Strength
Perk Card Description
When your Glow is high, you become immune to staggering attacks.
Rank 1 – When you have 180 Glow or higher, you are immune to staggering attacks.
Card Rank and Cost:
Rank 1 - 2 Points
Level unlocks
Level 100
Calculator
Not Required
Image of new perk card:
Glowing Criticals
SPECIAL:
Luck
Perk Card Description
When your Glow is high, gain bonus critical damage in VATS.
Rank 1 – While at 180 or more Glow, gain +20% critical damage in VATS.
Rank 2 – While at 180 or more Glow, gain +35% critical damage in VATS.
Rank 3 – While at 180 or more Glow, gain +50% critical damage in VATS.
Card Rank and Cost:
1/2/3
Level unlocks
Level 100
Calculator
Not Required
Image of new perk card:
Glowing Gut
SPECIAL:
Endurance
Perk Card Description
Irradiated food and drink grants increased rads.
Rank 1 – Irradiated food and drink grant 100% more rads.
Rank 2 – Irradiated food and drink grant 200% more rads.
Rank 3 – Irradiated food and drink grant 300% more rads.
Note:
If you have the Herbivore mutation, vegetables and plants will not provide radiation.
If you have the Carnivore mutation, meat and carnivore dishes will not provide radiation.
Toxic Goo and Toxic Water are now buffed by this perk card.
Card Rank and Cost:
1/2/3
Level unlocks
Level 80
Calculator
Not Required
Ghoulvolution - Food Radiation List for Glow Meter
Image of new perk card:
Glowing One
SPECIAL:
Charisma
Perk Card Description
Holding large amounts of Glow provides Glow to nearby Ghouls on your team.
Rank 1 – When holding 180 or more Glow, you provide 6 Glow per second to nearby Ghoul teammates within a 15-foot radius in both public and private teams.
Rank 2 – When holding 180 or more Glow, you provide 12 Glow per second to nearby Ghoul teammates within a 15-foot radius in both public and private teams.
Card Rank and Cost:
1/2
Level unlocks
Level 50
Calculator
Not Required
Image of new perk card:
Hyper Reflexes
SPECIAL:
Agility
Perk Card Description
When your Glow is high, gain a chance to evade damage. (Does not work while wearing Power Armor.)
Rank 1 – When your Glow is 180 or higher, gain a 10% chance to evade damage. (No Power Armor)
Rank 2 – When your Glow is 180 or higher, gain a 15% chance to evade damage. (No Power Armor)
Rank 3 – When your Glow is 180 or higher, gain a 20% chance to evade damage. (No Power Armor)
Card Rank and Cost:
1/2/3
Level unlocks:
Level 100
Calculator
Not Required
Image of new perk card:
Jaguar Speed
SPECIAL:
Agility
Perk Card Description
You now sprint faster when your Glow is high.
Rank 1 – You sprint 10% faster when you have 200 or more points of Glow.
Rank 2 – You sprint 20% faster when you have 200 or more points of Glow.
Note: Movement speed caps at 120%, so if you are already running Speed Demon, this perk may not provide additional benefits.
Card Rank and Cost:
1/2
Level unlocks:
Level 60
Calculator
Not Required
Image of new perk card:
Mad Scientist
SPECIAL:
Intelligence
Perk Card Description
Energy weapons consume a small amount of Glow per attack to deal increased damage.
Base Effect
Rank 1 – Energy weapons consume 5 Glow per attack for +10% damage.
Rank 2 – Energy weapons consume 5 Glow per attack for +15% damage.
Rank 3 – Energy weapons consume 5 Glow per attack for +20% damage.
With Feral Rage Equipped
Feral Rage reduces the Glow consumption based on rank but only activates when the Feral Meter is at Starving/Empty.
Feral Rage Rank 1 – Energy weapons consume 4 Glow per attack.
Feral Rage Rank 2 – Energy weapons consume 3.5 Glow per attack.
Feral Rage Rank 3 – Energy weapons consume 3 Glow per attack.
Feral Rage Rank 4 – Energy weapons consume 2.5 Glow per attack.
Conditions:
The player must be a Ghoul.
The player must have at least 5 points of Glow.
The player must be using an energy weapon.
Gun-bashing does not trigger this effect.
Card Rank and Cost:
1/2/3
Level unlocks:
Level 60
Calculator
Not Required
Image of new perk card:
Rad Specialist
SPECIAL:
Intelligence
Perk Card Description
Increases environmental radiation intake when wearing armor or power armor, with the effect doubling if wearing a matching set.
Rank 1 – Increases radiation intake by 15% on armor and power armor, doubled if wearing a matching set (30%).
Rank 2 – Increases radiation intake by 20% on armor and power armor, doubled if wearing a matching set (40%).
Rank 3 – Increases radiation intake by 25% on armor and power armor, doubled if wearing a matching set (50%).
Matching Set:
Body Armour - Left Arm, Right Arm, Torso, Left Leg, Right Leg (Scout Armour also needs to be matching, it can not be a mix of Forest, Urban, Solar, etc)
Power Armour - Helmet, Left Arm, Right Arm, Torso, Left Leg, Right Leg
Card Rank and Cost:
1/2/3
Level unlocks:
Level 70
Calculator
Not Required
Image of new perk card:
Radiation Power
SPECIAL:
Endurance
Perk Card Description
Uses a small amount of Glow per hit to deal bonus damage to targets.
Base Effect:
Rank 1 – Uses 5 Glow per hit to deal 10% bonus damage.
Rank 2 – Uses 5 Glow per hit to deal 15% bonus damage.
Rank 3 – Uses 5 Glow per hit to deal 20% bonus damage.
With Feral Rage Equipped:
Feral Rage reduces Glow consumption based on rank but only activates when the Feral Meter is at Starving/Empty.
Feral Rage Rank 1 – Uses 4 Glow per hit.
Feral Rage Rank 2 – Uses 3.5 Glow per hit.
Feral Rage Rank 3 – Uses 3 Glow per hit.
Feral Rage Rank 4 – Uses 2.5 Glow per hit.
Card Rank and Cost:
1/2/3
Level unlocks:
Level 50
Calculator
Not Required
Image of new perk card:
Radioactive Strength
SPECIAL:
Strength
Perk Card Description
Uses Glow to deal increased damage with power attacks and gun bashing.
Base Effect:
Rank 1 – Uses 50 Glow to deal 50% more damage with power attacks and gun bashing.
Rank 2 – Uses 50 Glow to deal 100% more damage with power attacks and gun bashing.
Rank 3 – Uses 50 Glow to deal 150% more damage with power attacks and gun bashing.
With Feral Rage Legendary Perk Card Equipped:
Feral Rage reduces the Glow consumption based on rank but only activates when the Feral Meter is at Starving/Empty.
Feral Rage Rank 1 – Uses 40 Glow
Feral Rage Rank 2 – Uses 35 Glow
Feral Rage Rank 3 – Uses 30 Glow
Feral Rage Rank 4 – Uses 25 Glow
Card Rank and Cost:
1/2/3
Level unlocks:
Level 80
Calculator
Not Required
Image of new perk card:
Rad-Reaver
SPECIAL:
Perception
Perk Card Description
Dealing damage with a non-automatic melee weapon grants a small amount (39 points) of Glow.
Card Rank and Cost:
Rank 1 card - 2 points
Level unlocks:
Level 100
Calculator
Not Required
Image of new perk card:
Science Monster
SPECIAL:
Intelligence
Perk Card Description
When you have Glow, gain bonus damage for 10 seconds upon taking damage.
Rank 1 – While you have Glow, gain 5% bonus damage for 10 seconds upon getting hit.
Rank 2 – While you have Glow, gain 10% bonus damage for 10 seconds upon getting hit.
Rank 3 – While you have Glow, gain 15% bonus damage for 10 seconds upon getting hit.
Note:
You must have at least 1 point of Glow for this perk to activate.
Card Rank and Cost:
1/2/3
Level unlocks:
Level 100
Calculator
Not Required
Image of new perk card:
Hey there, I'm Kat, also known as Duchess!
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