Shani: They’ll give you a good scorching, if you let them get close enough.
The Fireball is a fast, rolling, ball-shaped ARC unit most often encountered indoors. It attacks by spewing flames at anything it flags as a threat turning tight corridors and rooms into a furnace in seconds.
Combat behavior
Fireballs are dangerous because they combine speed with area denial:
- In an aggressive state, it rolls straight at you
- It then opens its front panel and unleashes a long flamethrower burst
- Getting caught in the stream deals serious damage
- If you ignite, you’ll take burning damage for a few seconds, even if it stops attacking or is destroyed
They become especially nasty when you meet them in groups or paired with Ticks, since the fire forces movement while Ticks punish panic.
Armor, core, and ammo effectiveness
Fireballs have two “modes” defensively:
1) Patrolling (closed panel)
- The outer shell is tough
- Light Ammo is ineffective and will bounce off
- You’ll want Medium or Heavy Ammo to reliably pierce it
- Alternatively, a hard-hitting weapon (e.g., Ferro/Anvil) can punch through
2) Attacking (open panel)
- Opening the front panel exposes an unarmored core
- The core is a weak point and can be destroyed by any weapon
- This is usually the easiest kill window if you can avoid the flame stream
How to avoid its attacks
- Shoot it before it attacks (catch it early, before it commits)
- Create distance so the flamethrower burst can’t track you cleanly
- Vault over edges the Fireball can’t navigate
- Dodge roll to escape the flame line when it commits
Important death hazard
Fireballs can ignite nearby surroundings when destroyed, leaving a blanket of fire that can still set Raiders on fire. Don’t rush the loot the moment it drops—clear the flames first.
Drops and materials
Common drops/materials associated with the Fireball include:
Where to find Fireballs
Fireballs are most common in bunkers and underground spaces, and rarely appear in the open world. If you’re hunting them, check:
- Metro entrances in Buried City
- The large underground bunker in the upper-right of Blue Gate
