So I've amassed a nice little collection of power armor, and I was hoping to put it to use by sticking some of my defenders into it. However, thus far it seems like you can only order companions into PA. Any idea how to do it? If there's no option in vanilla, is there a way to console command them into it?

Bump- any ideas?

I've heard that any random settler can take power armor if you leave a fusion core in it... so I think your best bet then is to lock them in a room with the power armor.

The idea:

- Start with a mostly walled in area/building.

- Build a guard post inside it

- Assign settler/minuteman to guard post

- Once NPC is in place, park power armor there

- Store the guard post (removing it and freeing the NPC from the post)

- Quickly leave the area and wall it in before the NPC can escape

- Hang around town and see if IT HAPPENS

The idea is untested of course...

They won't take it unless they enter combat. If you used player.placeatme to spawn an enemy in that room with them however, they probably would. But I'm not sure if they would keep it on after the enemy was killed.

One of my settlers took my power armour when a fight broke out,close to the start of the game actually,once i'd collected it from the roof.Anyway,he stomped around for a bit then got back out of it,so i don't think they wear it constantly,only with fighting.

Or perhaps until the core is fully depleted?

I'm fairly certain npcs don't drain cores- I've had my companions in power armor for ages and they've never had to hop out. Maaan, that's a bummer if I can't convince them to stay in there- I'm sure theres a way to do it with console commands, I just don't have the know how.

Possibly, but a lot of Fallout 4's console commands are unknown atm, as they changed quite a few from 3. That's not really the kind of thing I've ever used console commands for, though, so I'm not really sure it's even possible. Right now, as others have said, settlers will randomly get in power armor if they're under attack and it has a fusion core in it. Downside is that enemies can also steal power armor that has a fusion core in. Since the first time it happened to me, I just pull the core out of every piece of power armor while I'm not using it. The chance of a settler maybe using it to defend is not at all worth the risk of a raider maybe stealing it, not for me anyway.

Reverse pickpocket?
I don't have the game....

i heard someone say you can assign them to it through the workshop interface.

Power armor in Fallout 4 is a vehicle-like thing rather than armor, so it isn't an inventory item. It works more or less like another humanoid entity with an inventory (for power armor parts). You climb into it and ride around inside it. It's a really cool system.

I've been intending to try that since it has worked for other situations, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. I assumed from the nature of the topic that it was tried already and didn't work, but that assumption could be wrong. I'll try it tonight when I get a chance. Be sure to try with a regular settler. The named ones can't always be used for everything.

I am not sure if you can assign a settler to the power armor however Sheffield or whatever that guys name is that you run across in Diamond city.

You know the guy who wants a Nuka-cola well he gets in my PA all the time and just leaves them in crazy ass places. The only time he gets in it,

is when people are attacking the settlement.

I tried with a regular settler in the workshop menu- pressing the command button, then hitting go on the power armor; no dice.

I tried with a regular settler in the workshop menu- pressing the command button, then hitting go on the power armor; no dice.

Settlers only enter Power Armor if it's already equipped with a Fusion Core -- they do not drain the FC when they use the Power Armor. They also leave the Power Armor seemingly at random (outside of combat).

You could just leave suits of Power Armor, equipped with Fusion Cores, all over your settlement, but I wouldn't advise it.. Raiders attacking your settlement are just as likely to enter Power Armor as your settlers.

Ya there's gotta be a way to convince them to stay in there...