Deus Ex/Augmentations

In Deus Ex, the player character JC Denton, as a nanotechnologically-augmented agent, can further enhance his abilities with optional augmentations which, once installed, grant the player special abilities, such as increased strength, health regeneration, invisibility or toxic resilience, to name a few. The player starts the game with three default augmentations, and can add up to nine more as they become available. Augmentations are stored in cylindrical augmentation canisters, which, once picked up, can be taken to a medical bot for installation. Each augmentation canister can install one of two augmentations.

Augmentations, once installed, must be switched on to take effect. (IFF and Infolink are the only exceptions, these are always on) Active augmentations draw on the player's reserve of bioelectric energy at varying rates. Bioelectric energy can be replenished by recharging at a repair bot, or from portable bioelectric cells.

Not including 'Default', augmentations fit into six different categories: Cranial, Eyes, Torso, Subdermal, Arms, and Legs. The following is a list of all augmentations sorted by category.



Infolink
Official description One-way micro-transceiver array allows agents in the field to receive messages from Control, and to store and later retrieve relevant maps, conversations, and notes.


 * Energy usage: 0 units\minute (Always active)
 * Upgrades: None (Level 1 is maximum)

IFF
Official description Automatic friend or foe identification uses advanced heuristic algorithms to associate visible objects with known threat categories.

Targeting reticule highlights RED over enemies, and GREEN over allies and neutrals.


 * Energy usage: 0 units\minute (Always active)
 * Upgrades: None (Level 1 is maximum)

Light
Official description Bioluminescent cells within the retina provide coherent illumination of the agent's field of view.


 * Energy usage: 10 units\minute
 * Upgrades: None (Level 1 is maximum)

Comments This most useful tool is available from the start and - besides flares, which are of limited use - is the player's only reliable source of light. The beam reaches out to about 20 meters and automatically turns on during conversations for some reason. Important note: Be wary of using the light in enemy territory, enemies can spot the beam and follow it to it's origin.

Aggressive Defense System
Official description Aerosol nanoparticles are released upon the detection of objects fitting the electromagnetic threat profile of missiles and grenades; these nanoparticles will prematurely detonate such objects prior to reaching the agent.


 * Energy usage: 10 units\minute
 * Upgrades: 4
 * 1) The range at which incoming rockets and grenades are detonated is short.
 * 2) The range at which detonation occurs is increased slightly.
 * 3) The range at which detonation occurs is increased moderately.
 * 4) Rockets and grenades are detonated almost before they are fired.

Comments This augmentation is far more useful than it appears to be at first glance, as the description doesn't mention that in addition to rockets and grenades, the system also tracks and deflects a whole host of other incoming munitions. Even crossbow darts and plasma slugs. Pretty much anything slower than a bullet. Judicious use of this aug is advised, though, as it can sometimes do more harm than good. At lower levels the range at which incoming explosives are detonated is short, which is fine for low-payload explosives such as GEP rockets (which MJ12 Commandos use), but at the same range the explosion of heavier explosives (such as LAMs or LAW rockets) will kill you instantly, so if you're on the receiving end of such munitions, leave the system off unless it's upgraded to level 3 or 4 and simply dodge them.

Spy Drone
Official description Advanced nanofactories can assemble a spy drone upon demand which can then be remotely controlled by the agent until released or destroyed, at which a point a new drone will be assembled. Further upgrades equip the spy drones with better armor and a one-shot EMP attack.


 * Energy usage: 150 units\minute
 * Upgrades: 4
 * 1) The drone can take little damage and has a very light EMP attack.
 * 2) The drone can take minor damage and has a light EMP attack.
 * 3) The drone can take moderate damage and has a medium EMP attack.
 * 4) The drone can take heavy damage and has a strong EMP attack.

Comments A clever device, but it comes with a high energy cost, so it's best paired with Power Recirculator. The spy drone can be used to recce hostile areas without exposing yourself, and it's EMP pulse can disable everything from proximity explosives and cameras to {At maximum level} military bots.

Targeting
Official description Image-scaling and recognition provided by multiplexing the optic nerve with doped polyacetylene 'quantum wires' not only increases accuracy, but also delivers limited situational info about a target.


 * Energy usage: 40 units\minute
 * Upgrades: 4
 * 1) Slight increase in accuracy and general target information. *
 * 2) Additional increase in accuracy and more target information. **
 * 3) Additional increase in accuracy and specific target information. ***
 * 4) Additional increase in accuracy and telescopic vision. ****

* Provides the name of the target, the distance to the target, and a description of it's status [e.g. medium health]. ** Provides area specific health information, [e.g. Head 100%, Torso 75% etc.]. *** Displays the target's weapon. **** Provides a close-up, picture-in-picture display of the target.

Comments A helpful marksmanship aid, but the situational info is more or less useless and the picture-in-picture display, while novel, is impractical. If you choose this augmentation, don't concentrate on upgrading it past level 2.

Vision Enhancement
Official description By bleaching selected rod photoreceptors and saturating them with metarhodopsin XII, the 'nightvision' present in most nocturnal animals can be duplicated. Subsequent upgrades and modifications add infravision and sonar-resonance imaging that effectively allows an agent to see through walls.


 * Energy usage: 40 units\minute
 * Upgrades: 4
 * 1) Nightvision.
 * 2) Infravision.
 * 3) Short range sonar imaging.
 * 4) Long range sonar imaging.

Comments Unfortunately, this augmentation is not quite as useful as it sounds. Nightvision is identical in function to the tech goggles, which can save some inventory space, but it should be kept in mind that this functions as light amplification, meaning that if an area is sufficiently dark (and many are) you still won't be able to see anything without a light. Upgrading to level 2 yields infrared vision, which can be useful for spotting targets over a large and dark area or underwater. The sonar imaging isn't quite what it's cracked up to be, as even at maximum level you can only see the outlines of organic and robotic targets through walls at medium range, you can't see any environmental detail.

Aqualung
Official description Soda lime exostructures imbedded in the alveoli of the lungs convert CO2 to O2, extending the time an agent can remain underwater.


 * Energy usage: 10 units\minute
 * Upgrades: 4
 * 1) Lung capacity is extended slightly.
 * 2) Lung capacity is extended moderately.
 * 3) Lung capacity is extended significantly.
 * 4) An agent can stay underwater indefinitely. *

* This is not entirely true. It is possible to drown even with maximum level aqualung, it just takes a long time.

Comments One of the least useful augmentations. You rarely spend extended periods underwater; when you do, it's usually an optional alternate route, and you usually have access to one or more rebreathers. If you plan to go for a dip often, invest a few skill points in the swimming and environmental skills instead to increase your lung capacity and the rebreather duration, respectively.

Regeneration
Official description Programmable polymerase automatically directs construction of proteins in injured cells, restoring an agent to full health over time.


 * Energy usage: 120 units\minute
 * Upgrades: 4
 * 1) Healing occurs at a normal rate. (5 health points per second)
 * 2) Healing occurs at a slightly faster rate. (15 health points per second)
 * 3) Healing occurs at a moderately faster rate. (25 health points per second)
 * 4) Healing occurs at a significantly faster rate. (40 health points per second)

Comments One of the most useful augmentations. At level 2 this replaces health as fast as you lose it from drowning, effectively allowing you to stay underwater as long as your power supply permits. At maximum level your health is replenished as fast as many foes can damage you. It has a relatively high energy cost, though, so if you intend to use it actively it may be wise to combine it with Power Recirculator.

Synthetic Heart
Official description This synthetic heart circulates not only blood but a steady concentration of mechanochemical power cells, smart phagocytes, and liposomes containing prefab diamondoid machine parts, resulting in upgraded performance for all installed augmentations.


 * Energy usage: 100 units\minute
 * Upgrades: None (Level 1 is maximum)

Comments If you can never seem to find enough augmentation upgrades this is the solution to your problems. When this augmentation is activated, all other active augmentations will run as if they've been upgraded to maximum. This, however, comes at a fairly high energy cost, which means: Power Recirculator. The thing is, Synthetic Heart always comes in the same canister as Power Recirculator, so it's usually a choice of one or the other, not both. In which case, I recommend Power Recirculator over this.

Environmental Resistance
Official description Induced keratin production strengthens all epithelial tissues and reduces the agent's vulnerability to radiation and other toxins.


 * Energy usage: 20 units\minute
 * Upgrades: 4
 * 1) Toxic resistance is increased slightly.
 * 2) Toxic resistance is increased moderately.
 * 3) Toxic resistance is increased significantly.
 * 4) An agent is nearly invulnerable to damage from toxins.

Comments A reasonably useful augmentation which, especially once it is upgraded, acts as an integrated hazmat suit. It also protects against damage from gas grenades and pepper spray. Toxic damage absorbtion starts at 25% and increases by 25% with each upgrade up to a maximum of 100%, at which point you become invulnerable from toxic damage.

Energy Shield
Official description Polyanilene capacitors below the skin absorb heat and electricity, reducing the damage received from flame, electrical, and plasma attacks.


 * Energy usage: 10 units\minute
 * Upgrades: 4
 * 1) Damage from energy attacks is reduced slightly.
 * 2) Damage from energy attacks is reduced moderately.
 * 3) Damage from energy attacks is reduced significantly.
 * 4) An agent is nearly invulnerable to damage from energy attacks.

Comments Energy Shield provides protection against flame, electricity and plasma attacks, making you less vulnerable to such weapons. Since projectile weapons are far more common than energy weapons, Ballistic Protection is, overall, more useful. In addition, if you forego this augmentation, the Aggressive Defence System compensates for it, as it intercepts and blocks the same energy attacks before they reach you.

Power Recirculator
Official description Power consumption for all augmentations is reduced by polyanilene circuits, plugged directly into cell membranes, that allow nanite particles to interconnect electronically without leaving their host cells.


 * Energy usage: 10 units\minute
 * Upgrades: 4
 * 1) Power drain of augmentations is reduced slightly. (Reduces usage by 10%)
 * 2) Power drain of augmentations is reduced moderately. (Reduces usage by 20%)
 * 3) Power drain of augmentations is reduced. (Reduces usage by 40%)
 * 4) Power drain of augmentations is reduced significantly. (Reduces usage by 60%)

Comments This augmentation is a must if you plan to make much use of any of the energy intensive augmentations (such as the Cloak.). At maximum level, Power Recirculator, while activated, doubles the amount of time you can use any one augmentation on the same amount of power.

Ballistic Protection
Official description Monomolecular plates reinforce the skin's epithelial membrane, reducing the damage an agent receives from projectiles and bladed weapons. *


 * Energy usage: 60 units\minute
 * Upgrades: 4
 * 1) Damage from projectiles and bladed weapons is reduced slightly.
 * 2) Damage from projectiles and bladed weapons is reduced moderately.
 * 3) Damage from projectiles and bladed weapons is reduced significantly.
 * 4) An agent is nearly invulnerable to damage from projectiles and bladed weapons.

* "Bladed weapons" includes Karkian bites.

Comments Ballistic Shield provides additional protection against projectile weapons, such as bullets, darts, and melee weapons such as knives, swords, batons and crowbars. This is extremely useful in combat situations, and at maximum level makes you almost invulnerable to such weapons. It especially increases survivability against bots.

EMP Shield
Official description Nanoscale EMP generators partially protect individual nanites and reduce bioelectrical drain by canceling incoming pulses.


 * Energy usage: 40 units\minute
 * Upgrades: 4
 * 1) Damage from EMP attacks is reduced slightly.
 * 2) Damage from EMP attacks is reduced moderately.
 * 3) Damage from EMP attacks is reduced significantly.
 * 4) An agent is nearly invulnerable to damage from EMP attacks.

Comments Besides spider bots, few enemies use EMP attacks, so Ballistic Protection is generally the better choice.

Cloak
Official description Subdermal pigmentation cells allow the agent to blend with their surrounding environment, rendering them effectively invisible to observation by organic hostiles.


 * Energy usage: 300 units\minute
 * Upgrades: 4
 * 1) Power drain is normal. (300 units\minute)
 * 2) Power drain is reduced slightly. (250 units\minute)
 * 3) Power drain is reduced moderately. (200 units\minute)
 * 4) Power drain is reduced significantly. (150 units\minute)

Comments Cloak renders you completely invisible to organics - but, unfortunately, robots, turrets and cameras can still detect you. This augmentation is very useful in stealth gameplay and allows you to dash across open ground unobserved or lose pursuers by rounding a corner and then disappearing. This utility comes at the cost of very high power usage, however, making prolonged use impractical. Subsequent upgrades reduce power usage by 50 units\minute down to 150 units\minute at level 4. Due to it's high power usage, this augmentation is best combined with Power Recirculator. Run Silent also complements this nicely, as it combines your invisiblity with silent movement, allowing you to run straight past enemies without alerting them, which also means it takes much less time to sneak past enemies, meaning you can turn Cloak off sooner, saving even more power.

Radar Transparency
Official description Radar-absorbent resin augments epithelial proteins; microprojection units distort agent's visual signature. Provides highly effective concealment from automated detection systems -- bots, cameras, turrets.


 * Energy usage: 300 units\minute
 * Upgrades: 4
 * 1) Power drain is normal. (300 units\minute)
 * 2) Power drain is reduced slightly. (250 units\minute)
 * 3) Power drain is reduced moderately. (200 units\minute)
 * 4) Power drain is reduced significantly. (150 units\minute)

Comments Radar transparency renders you completely invisible to robots, turrets and cameras. The Cloak is arguably more useful since electronic security systems can be bypassed and robots are neither as common nor as intelligent as most organic opponents (for example, bots can't hear). Like the Cloak, this augmentation has a very high energy cost, making prolonged use impractical. Subsequent upgrades reduce power usage by 50 units\minute down to 150 units\minute at level 4. Again, due to it's high power usage, this augmentation is best combined with Power Recirculator.

Combat Strength
Official description Sorting rotors accelerate calcium ion concentration in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, increasing an agent's muscle speed several-fold and multiplying the damage they inflict in melee combat.


 * Energy usage: 20 units\minute
 * Upgrades: 4
 * 1) The effectiveness of melee weapons is increased slightly.
 * 2) The effectiveness of melee weapons is increased moderately.
 * 3) The effectiveness of melee weapons is increased significantly.
 * 4) Melee weapons are almost instantly lethal.

Comments Combat Strength multiplies the damage you deal with melee weapons such as batons, crowbars, knives and swords. Aside from the obvious advantage of allowing easier one-hit kills against stronger opponents; this augmentation, when combined with an already-powerful melee weapon such as a sword, can destroy some doors and lockers, saving the use of precious lockpicks or explosives.

Microfibral Muscle
Official description Muscle strength is amplified with ionic polymeric gel myofibrils that allow the agent to push and lift extraordinarily heavy objects.


 * Energy usage: 20 units\minute
 * Upgrades: 4
 * 1) Strength is increased slightly.
 * 2) Strength is increased moderately.
 * 3) Strength is increased significantly.
 * 4) An agent is inhumanly strong.

Comments Microfibral Muscle increases lifting strength, allowing you to lift heavier objects than normal, and push them with greater ease. You can use this aug to move large crates around, creating alternate routes through areas or allowing easier access to high places. Unfortunately, this augmentation does not improve movement speed while carrying heavy weapons.

Run Silent
Official description The necessary muscle movements for complete silence when walking or running are determined continuously with reactive kinematics equations produced by embedded nanocomputers.


 * Energy usage: 40 units\minute
 * Upgrades: 4
 * 1) Sound made while moving is reduced slightly.
 * 2) Sound made while moving is reduced moderately.
 * 3) Sound made while moving is reduced significantly.
 * 4) An agent is completely silent.

Comments Perfect for stealth scenarios, this augmentation, once upgraded to level 4, makes walking and running completely silent, allowing the player to move quickly in hostile territory without drawing any unnecessary attention to themselves. This augmentation complements Cloak perfectly.

Speed Enhancement
Official description Ionic polymeric gel myofibrils are woven into the leg muscles, increasing the speed at which an agent can run and climb, the height they can jump, and reducing the damage they receive from falls


 * Energy usage: 40 units\minute
 * Upgrades: 4
 * 1) Speed and jumping are increased slightly, while falling damage is reduced.
 * 2) Speed and jumping are increased moderately, while falling damage is further reduced.
 * 3) Speed and jumping are increased significantly, while falling damage is substantially reduced.
 * 4) An agent can run like the wind and leap from the tallest building.

Comments An extremely useful augmentation. Besides saving time running from place to place, at higher levels the enhanced jumping ability allows you to jump straight over many adversaries and access all kinds of normally inaccessible alternative routes into buildings, while the reduced fall damage facilitates quick escapes off of rooftops.