Makeshift Micro Nuclear Reactor
The Makeshift Micro Nuclear Reactor is the power source of the Makeshift Reactor starting perk. It powers your store while its integrity is above 25, loses 18 integrity every night and explodes if integrity reaches 0. Scrap Metal restores 60 integrity, Junk restores 30 at the cost of 5 maximum integrity, and Electronic Parts (Common) upgrade it.
| Item ID | makeshift_reactor |
| Value | 0 (the stock offer costs 150) |
| Starting integrity | 100 of 100 |
| Powers the store while | integrity above 25 |
| Nightly integrity loss | 18 minus upgrades (minimum 0) |
| Upgrades | up to 18 |
| Contraband | No |
| Names | Маленький самодельный ядерный реактор (ru), Improvisierter Mikro-Atomreaktor (de), Microrreactor nuclear improvisado (es), Micro-réacteur nucléaire improvisé (fr), 即席のマイクロ原子炉 (ja), Prowizoryczny mikroreaktor jądrowy (pl), 简易微型核反应堆 (zh) |
How does the reactor work?
Each night the reactor loses integrity equal to 18 minus its upgrade count. The tooltip shows “Integrity”, “Integrity loss per night” and “Upgrades”, and its colour turns orange at 50 or below and red at 25 or below. From 25 down the store has no power and the night log says “Your reactor is too damaged to power the Store.” Without any repair, a fresh reactor drops 100, 82, 64, 46, 28, 10 and reaches 0 on the sixth night.
The night before it would reach zero, the log warns: “Your reactor will explode during the next night unless you repair it!”
With the perk you are permanently disconnected from the station power grid and are not affected by blackouts, so the reactor replaces the Power Service.
How do I repair it?
Drag the repair item onto the reactor while its integrity is below maximum.
| Item | Integrity restored | Side effect |
|---|---|---|
| Scrap Metal | +60 | none |
| Junk | +30 | maximum integrity -5 permanently |
Integrity never goes above the current maximum. Repeated Junk repairs steadily shrink the maximum.
How do I upgrade it?
Drag Electronic Parts (Common) onto the reactor. Each part is one upgrade (up to 18) and:
- cuts the nightly loss by 1;
- raises the charge it gives to adjacent batteries and machines: 1 per night at 0-4 upgrades, 2 at 5-9, 3 at 10-14, 4 at 15 or more.
At 18 upgrades the nightly loss is 0 and the reactor stops decaying. The Tinkerer perk gives a 20% chance that a part is not consumed.
It also recharges adjacent Energy Cells and rechargeable machines each night, but only while integrity is above 25.
What about the radioactive waste?
For every 160 integrity the reactor loses, it produces one barrel of Radioactive Waste. At the base loss of 18 per night that is about one barrel every 9 nights. See the radioactive waste guide for disposal.
Where do I get it?
- The Makeshift Reactor starting perk gives you one at the start of the game. See perks.
- If you lose or sell it, Dr. Jackson offers a stock reactor for 150 credits while you have the perk and do not own one. See Dr. Jackson.
Spoilers: the Meltdown ending
If integrity hits 0 the reactor explodes. The blast ends the run with the Meltdown ending: “The makeshift reactor finally gave out due to a criminal level of neglect. The blast took the Store and the block around it.” See endings.
FAQ
When should I repair? Once the tooltip turns orange (50 or below). At the base loss of 18, a reactor at 43 or less ends the next night at 25 or less and cannot power the store.
Does Junk or Scrap Metal repair better? Scrap Metal: 60 vs 30, and no penalty.
Does it charge anything besides the store? Yes. Energy Cells and rechargeable machines next to it get its nightly charge while it is above 25.