Countershell
| Countershell | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Class | Integumentary System |
| Tier | Tier 1 |
| Attribute | Reflexes |
| Capacity | 12 |
Countershell is an emergency defense that kicks in when V takes a sudden, heavy beating. If a big share of Health disappears in a few seconds, the implant raises Mitigation Chance for a short time. That gives V a window to dodge away, heal or finish the fight. It suits any character who fights at close range and gets hit hard. It is cheap, it is sold from the start, and it adds armor too. Countershell is an early game implant that ripperdocs sell from the start of the game.
Effect
Countershell watches for burst damage. If V loses 35% of max Health within three seconds, the implant grants a large boost to Mitigation Chance for four seconds. After that, it needs six seconds before it can trigger again.
Mitigation is a defensive roll on every incoming hit. A mitigated hit deals less damage, reduced by V's Mitigation Strength. Mitigation Strength starts at 50%, so a mitigated hit does half damage by default. The trigger is automatic and needs no button.
Countershell is attuned to Reflexes. Each point of Reflexes adds 0.1% Crit Chance through the implant.
How to Get Countershell Guide
- Visit any ripperdoc clinic and open the Integumentary System slot.
- Buy and install Countershell.
Countershell Map Location
The map shows Viktor Vektor's clinic in Little China, one of the ripperdocs that sell it.
Countershell map location:
Map credit by Map Genie.
Upgrades
Ripperdocs sell Countershell at Tier 1 from the start, then at Tier 2 from level 10, Tier 3 from level 20, Tier 4 from level 30 and Tier 5 from level 40. An installed copy can be raised a tier at a ripperdoc with the matching item components. Each tier raises the Mitigation Chance bonus and the armor. All Things Cyber lowers the Cyberware Capacity cost of Integumentary System implants by 20%. The Edgerunner perk lets V go over the capacity limit by up to 50 points, at the cost of some max Health.
The table shows what each tier step of Countershell costs at a ripperdoc.
| Upgrade | Components | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 to Tier 1+ | 20 Tier 1 components | - |
| Tier 1+ to Tier 2 | 15 Tier 2 components | - |
| Tier 2 to Tier 2+ | 20 Tier 2 components | - |
| Tier 2+ to Tier 3 | 15 Tier 3 components | - |
| Tier 3 to Tier 3+ | 20 Tier 3 components | - |
| Tier 3+ to Tier 4 | 15 Tier 4 components | - |
| Tier 4 to Tier 4+ | 20 Tier 4 components | - |
| Tier 4+ to Tier 5 | 15 Tier 5 components | - |
| Tier 5 to Tier 5+ | 20 Tier 5 components | - |
| Tier 5+ to Tier 5++ | 50 Tier 5 components | Phantom Liberty |
Character Builds
Countershell fits any build that takes heavy hits, and Reflexes characters get the most from its attunement. Other sources of Mitigation stack with it. NeoFiber raises both Mitigation Chance and Mitigation Strength. Kinetic Frame raises Mitigation Chance while Stamina is above 85%. Defenzikov adds Mitigation Chance after Kerenzikov ends.
Several perks also add Mitigation. Can't Touch This grants full Mitigation Chance while Dashing. Don't Stop Me Now adds Mitigation Chance and Strength when Stamina falls below 33%. Dorph-Head adds Mitigation Chance for two seconds after using a Health Item or Blood Pump cyberware. Feline Footwork and Small Target add Mitigation Chance while V is crouched.
Select a Build
The build fights up close with blades and Gorilla Arms. Berserk stays off until the character has taken damage and used a few Health items, then it makes the character invulnerable with no Stamina limit. A sprint into a group followed by a jump and Quake blasts every enemy nearby.
Attributes: Body 20, Reflexes 15, Technical Ability 20, Intelligence 3, Cool 15.
The perks, cyberware and weapon mods for this build are listed below.
| Name | Image | Level | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Painkiller | 
|
Body 4 | Slow Health regeneration in combat |
| Dorph-Head | 
|
Body 4 | Brief full Mitigation after using a Health item |
| Comeback Kid | 
|
Body 4 | Faster Health regeneration at low Health |
| Wrecking Ball | 
|
Body 9 | Cheaper Blunt attacks and a sprint that knocks enemies down |
| Adrenaline Rush | 
|
Body 15 | More Health and the Adrenaline Rush mode |
| Quake | 
|
Body 15 | Faster Blunt attacks and a ground slam that staggers |
| Epicenter | 
|
Body 15 | Quake from midair grows with the fall |
| Pain To Gain | 
|
Body 20 | Kills recharge Health items during Adrenaline Rush |
| Parkour! | 
|
Reflexes 4 | Faster climbing and vaulting |
| Dash | 
|
Reflexes 9 | Unlocks the Dash and makes it cheaper |
| Can't Touch This | 
|
Reflexes 9 | Full Mitigation Chance while Dashing |
| Bullet Deflect | 
|
Reflexes 9 | Blocked bullets fly back at the aim point |
| Flash And Thunderclap | 
|
Reflexes 9 | Strong attacks leap to nearby enemies |
| Air Dash | 
|
Reflexes 15 | Dash in midair |
| Finisher: Bladerunner | 
|
Reflexes 15 | Faster Blade attacks and a Blade Finisher that heals |
| Opportunist | 
|
Reflexes 15 | Stunned, staggered and bleeding enemies are easier to finish |
| Going The Distance | 
|
Reflexes 15 | Double Finisher range |
| Vulnerability Analytics | 
|
Relic | Weak spots on enemies that always crit |
| Glutton For War | 
|
Technical Ability 4 | Kills recharge Health items and grenades |
| All Things Cyber | 
|
Technical Ability 9 | Stronger cyberware stats |
| Borrowed Time | 
|
Technical Ability 9 | A Health item refills after a kill at low Health |
| License To Chrome | 
|
Technical Ability 15 | Stronger cyberware, more armor and a Skeleton slot |
| Extended Warranty | 
|
Technical Ability 15 | Cyberware effects last longer |
| Ambidextrous | 
|
Technical Ability 15 | A second Hands cyberware slot |
| Ticking Time Bomb | 
|
Technical Ability 20 | An EMP blast after the Operating System turns on |
| Edgerunner | Technical Ability 20 | Cyberware past the capacity limit for a small Health cost |
| Name | Image | Slot | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gorilla Arms | 
|
Arms | Hard hitting fists |
| Biomonitor | 
|
Circulatory System | Uses a Health item when Health runs low |
| Blood Pump | 
|
Circulatory System | A Health item that heals over time |
| Isometric Stabilizer | 
|
Circulatory System | Cheaper attacks |
| Axolotl | 
|
Frontal Cortex | Kills cut all cyberware cooldowns |
| Quantum Tuner | 
|
Frontal Cortex | Resets a used cyberware cooldown |
| Shock-N-Awe | 
|
Integumentary System | Chance of an electric blast when hit |
| Reinforced Tendons | 
|
Legs | Double jump |
| BioDyne Berserk Mk.4 | Operating System | Less damage taken and Health that stays above a quarter | |
| Epimorphic Skeleton | 
|
Skeleton | More max Health |
Berserk and Mantis Blades do the main work, leaping from enemy to enemy at close range. Doom Doom comes out between Berserks for targets the blades cannot reach. Its explosive rounds dismember enemies up close, and each dismemberment refills Adrenaline through Bloodlust.
Attributes: Body 20, Reflexes 20, Technical Ability 20, Intelligence 3, Cool 18.
The perks, cyberware and weapon mods for this build are listed below.
| Name | Image | Level | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Painkiller |
|
Body 4 | Slow Health regeneration in combat |
| Adrenaline Rush |
|
Body 15 | More Health and the Adrenaline Rush mode |
| Calm Mind | 
|
Body 15 | Adrenaline lasts longer before it decays |
| Juggernaut | 
|
Body 15 | More speed and damage during Adrenaline Rush |
| Unstoppable Force | 
|
Body 15 | Immunity to knockdown and blinding during Adrenaline Rush |
| Pain To Gain |
|
Body 20 | Kills recharge Health items during Adrenaline Rush |
| Focus | 
|
Cool 9 | Focus mode for free Stamina aimed shots |
| Head To Head | 
|
Cool 9 | Kills in Focus reset its duration |
| No Sweat | 
|
Cool 9 | Kills in Focus lower its Stamina cost |
| Rinse And Reload | 
|
Cool 9 | Faster reload after an aimed kill |
| California Reaper | 
|
Cool 15 | Stamina back after a headshot kill |
| Deadeye | Cool 15 | More headshot and weak spot damage | |
| High Noon | 
|
Cool 15 | Faster reload and slowed time after a headshot kill in Deadeye |
| Long Shot | 
|
Cool 15 | Full damage at any range during Deadeye |
| Quick Draw | 
|
Cool 15 | Faster swap to handguns and rifles with a Stamina boost |
| Dash |
|
Reflexes 9 | Dash replaces the dodge |
| Air Dash |
|
Reflexes 15 | Dash in midair |
| All Things Cyber |
|
Technical Ability 9 | Stronger cyberware stats |
| Chrome Constitution | 
|
Technical Ability 9 | Less damage taken with full Skeleton and Integumentary slots |
| Ambidextrous |
|
Technical Ability 15 | A second Hands cyberware slot |
| Built Different | 
|
Technical Ability 15 | Unlocks the Cellular Adapter cyberware |
| Cyborg | Technical Ability 15 | Shorter cyberware cooldowns with every slot filled | |
| Extended Warranty |
|
Technical Ability 15 | Cyberware effects last longer |
| License To Chrome |
|
Technical Ability 15 | Stronger cyberware, more armor and a Skeleton slot |
| Name | Image | Slot | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heal-On-Kill | 
|
Circulatory System | Health on each kill |
| Axolotl |
|
Frontal Cortex | Kills cut all cyberware cooldowns |
| Mechatronic Core | 
|
Frontal Cortex | More damage against drones, robots and turrets |
| Self-ICE | 
|
Frontal Cortex | Blocks an enemy quickhack |
| Reinforced Tendons |
|
Legs | Double jump |
| Stabber | 
|
Nervous System | Crit chance with blades and throwables |
| NeoFiber | 
|
Nervous System | More mitigation chance and strength |
| Spring Joints | 
|
Skeleton | More mitigation strength |
Attributes: Body 17, Reflexes 15, Technical Ability 20, Intelligence 9, Cool 20.
The perks, cyberware and weapon mods for this build are listed below.
| Name | Image | Level | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Painkiller |
|
Body 4 | Slow Health regeneration in combat |
| Adrenaline Rush |
|
Body 15 | More Health and the Adrenaline Rush mode |
| Calm Mind |
|
Body 15 | Adrenaline lasts longer before it decays |
| Juggernaut |
|
Body 15 | More speed and damage during Adrenaline Rush |
| Deep Breath | 
|
Cool 9 | Time slows while Focus is active |
| Focus |
|
Cool 9 | Focus mode for free Stamina aimed shots |
| Head To Head |
|
Cool 9 | Kills in Focus reset its duration |
| No Sweat |
|
Cool 9 | Kills in Focus lower its Stamina cost |
| Pull! | 
|
Cool 9 | Easier grenade shots during Focus |
| Rinse And Reload |
|
Cool 9 | Faster reload after an aimed kill |
| California Reaper |
|
Cool 15 | Stamina back after a headshot kill |
| Deadeye | Cool 15 | More headshot and weak spot damage | |
| High Noon |
|
Cool 15 | Faster reload and slowed time after a headshot kill in Deadeye |
| Long Shot |
|
Cool 15 | Full damage at any range during Deadeye |
| Quick Draw |
|
Cool 15 | Faster swap to handguns and rifles with a Stamina boost |
| Nerves Of Tungsten-Steel | 
|
Cool 20 | Guaranteed crits on headshots during Deadeye |
| Run 'N' Gun | 
|
Cool 20 | Free Stamina hip fire |
| Dash |
|
Reflexes 9 | Dash replaces the dodge |
| Air Dash |
|
Reflexes 15 | Dash in midair |
| All Things Cyber |
|
Technical Ability 9 | Stronger cyberware stats |
| Ambidextrous |
|
Technical Ability 15 | A second Hands cyberware slot |
| Cyborg | Technical Ability 15 | Shorter cyberware cooldowns with every slot filled | |
| Extended Warranty |
|
Technical Ability 15 | Cyberware effects last longer |
| License To Chrome |
|
Technical Ability 15 | Stronger cyberware, more armor and a Skeleton slot |
| Name | Image | Slot | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heal-On-Kill |
|
Circulatory System | Health on each kill |
| Axolotl |
|
Frontal Cortex | Kills cut all cyberware cooldowns |
| Kerenzikov Boost System | 
|
Frontal Cortex | Stronger Kerenzikov with free shooting Stamina |
| Self-ICE |
|
Frontal Cortex | Blocks an enemy quickhack |
| Defenzikov | 
|
Integumentary System | Damage mitigation after Kerenzikov ends |
| Kerenzikov | 
|
Nervous System | Slows time when aiming during a slide or dodge |
| NeoFiber |
|
Nervous System | More mitigation chance and strength |
| Spring Joints |
|
Skeleton | More mitigation strength |
Lore
The in-game description is a short list of creatures that are almost impossible to wipe out. Cockroaches come first. V comes second.
Notes
- Chrome Constitution cuts incoming damage by 5% when every Integumentary System and Skeleton slot is filled.
Cyberware Categories
All Integumentary System Cyberware
Every Integumentary System implant is listed below. The Iconic ones come first, then the standard ones.
Iconic Integumentary System Cyberware
| Name | Image | Attribute | Capacity | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chitin | 
|
Body | Dogtown | |
| Peripheral Inverse | 
|
Dogtown |
Standard Integumentary System Cyberware
| Name | Image | Attribute | Capacity | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carapace | 
|
Technical Ability | 16 | |
| Cellular Adapter | 
|
Technical Ability | ||
| Cogito Lattice | 
|
|||
| Countershell | 
|
Reflexes | 12 | |
| Defenzikov | 
|
|||
| Nano-Plating | 
|
|||
| Optical Camo | 
|
Cool | 20 | |
| Pain Editor | 
|
Cool | 35 | |
| Painducer | 
|
Body | 30 | |
| ProxiShield | 
|
Body | 10 | |
| RangeGuard | 
|
Cool | 14 | |
| Shock-N-Awe | 
|
Technical Ability | ||
| Subdermal Armor | 
|
Technical Ability | 5 |