In the wilds of post-apocalyptic West Virginia, the rules of engagement are clear: survive or become scorched meat. And in Fallout 76, the game doesn’t hold your hand through quests, and the infamous Trade Secrets quest is no exception. As a result, many brave adventurers have found themselves scratching their heads and scouring Appalachia, trying to unlock and complete this quest.
Related: Is Fallout 76 down? How to check the Fallout 76 server status
How to unlock the Trade Secrets quest in Fallout 76
Unlocking the Trade Secrets quest in Fallout 76 is like cracking a vault of hidden knowledge.
- Follow the Overseer quest until you reach the point where you learn the secret of the mountain. It’s like being in on the juiciest gossip in the Wasteland. Once you’ve uncovered that mystery, the quest Overseer Overseen is in the bag.
- Next, you’ll need to sweet-talk the Foundation leader to get your hands on some drilling tools. It’s all about that charm and persuasion.
- Once you’ve got those shiny tools, the Trade Secrets quest will open up like a treasure trove of opportunities.
Fallout 76 Trade Secrets Quest
Completing Trade Secrets Quests takes some wit, cunning, and a little bit of luck.
How to get to Hornwright Estate in Fallout 76
Head over to the Hornwright Industrial H.Q. and search high and low for clues. Listen to the Motherlode control terminal broadcast and pay attention because you’ll need to hear the whole thing before your next objective pops up. Then, make your way to the infamous Hornwright Estate. Be warned — the security forces outside mean business, so come prepared for a fight.
How to get into the safe room in Hornwright Estate
Once inside the Estate, you’ll need to get into the safe room, but you won’t have the correct I.D. card.
- Hunt down an access keycard for the safe room gate. It can be found in two locations:
- At the Hornwright Industrial headquarters, on the C.E.O.’s desk.
- At the Hornwright summer villa, on the basement’s cart.
- Then, use the elevator to reach the top floor of the Estate and enter Penny Hornwright’s Terminal. You might need to do some snooping around and use your keen detective skills to find clues for the passcode, or if you’re feeling lucky, take a shot at guessing it with your high “Luck” level.
How to get the Experimental Pip-boy Schematic
Once you’ve cracked the safe room, get ready for a rendezvous with Penelope Hornwright herself.
- Listen to her conversation with Motherlode and talk to her to advance the quest.
- Then, she’ll send you on a new mission to Vault-Tec University to collect a Pip-Boy construction kit. Watch out for Campus Security robots.
- Once you’ve grabbed the Pip-Boy 2000 MK VI Kit from the table, fast-travel to the following location in Summersville.
- Inside a house indicated by the quest marker, you’ll need to obtain the Experimental Pip-Boy Schematic from the wall. It’s a race against time, so be quick and be on guard.
- Then, return with Penelope and have a chat with her. Depending on your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats, you might need to locate an Eyebot sensor module and a Robobrain interpolator to complete the quest.
- Fetch the parts back to Penelope, then head back to Foundation to speak with Paige and wrap up the quest.
