Subdermal Armor
| Subdermal Armor | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Class | Integumentary System |
| Tier | Tier 1 |
| Attribute | Technical Ability |
| Capacity | 5 |
Subdermal Armor adds a flat block of armor to V's body. The protection is always on. Its capacity cost is very low, which makes it an easy pick for any build. Early on, it is a cheap way to take less damage. Later, it fills a spare Integumentary System slot at little cost. A Technical Ability character gains extra armor from it for each attribute point. Subdermal Armor is an early game implant that every ripperdoc in Night City and Dogtown sells from the start.
Effect
Subdermal Armor is a passive implant. All it does is add armor. At Tier 1 it adds 17 armor, and at Tier 5 it adds 49.
Armor lowers the damage of each hit V takes. Because the bonus is flat and always on, it helps in every fight, against every enemy. It also stacks with every other armor source in the build.
Subdermal Armor is attuned to Technical Ability. Each point of Technical Ability adds half a point of armor. At 20 Technical Ability, that is 10 more armor.
Its stat bonuses add Health and, from Tier 2, lower enemy vision.
How to Get Subdermal Armor Guide
- Visit any ripperdoc clinic in Night City or Dogtown and open the Integumentary System slots.
- Buy and install Subdermal Armor.
Subdermal Armor Map Location
The map shows Viktor Vektor's clinic in Little China, one of the ripperdocs that sell it.
Subdermal Armor map location:
Map credit by Map Genie.
Upgrades
Ripperdocs stock Subdermal Armor at Tier 1 below level 10, then Tier 2 from level 10, Tier 3 from 20, Tier 4 from 30 and Tier 5 from 40. An installed copy can be raised a tier at a ripperdoc with the matching item components. Each tier raises the armor. The capacity cost stays very low at every tier. The Driver Update perk adds one more stat bonus. The Chipware Connoisseur perk offers a choice of bonuses when V upgrades the implant. V gains Cyberware Capacity with each level and from Cyberware Capacity Shards. The Edgerunner perk lets V go over the limit at the cost of some max Health.
The table shows what each tier step of Subdermal Armor costs at a ripperdoc.
| Upgrade | Components | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 to Tier 1+ | 10 Tier 1 components | - |
| Tier 1+ to Tier 2 | 7 Tier 2 components | - |
| Tier 2 to Tier 2+ | 10 Tier 2 components | - |
| Tier 2+ to Tier 3 | 7 Tier 3 components | - |
| Tier 3 to Tier 3+ | 10 Tier 3 components | - |
| Tier 3+ to Tier 4 | 7 Tier 4 components | - |
| Tier 4 to Tier 4+ | 10 Tier 4 components | - |
| Tier 4+ to Tier 5 | 7 Tier 5 components | - |
| Tier 5 to Tier 5+ | 10 Tier 5 components | - |
| Tier 5+ to Tier 5++ | 25 Tier 5 components | Phantom Liberty |
Character Builds
Subdermal Armor suits any build, but Technical Ability builds get the most from it. All Things Cyber lowers the capacity cost of Integumentary System and Skeleton implants by 20%. Chrome Constitution cuts incoming damage by 5% when every Integumentary System and Skeleton slot is filled. A cheap implant like Subdermal Armor makes filling every slot easy. License To Chrome adds 40 armor and a second Skeleton slot.
Para Bellum, a Skeleton implant, raises total armor by a percentage. Every point of flat armor from Subdermal Armor makes that percentage worth a little more. Other Integumentary System implants offer stronger but costlier effects. The Pain Editor cuts all incoming damage, and RangeGuard adds armor when no enemy is near.
Select a Build
Headshots deal most of the damage, and Focus and Deadeye only work at full Stamina, so each fight starts with a full Stamina bar. The Sandevistan slows time so a whole group can drop one headshot at a time. A silenced pistol handles quiet kills before a fight, and a shotgun deals with enemies that get close.
Attributes: Body 20, Reflexes 18, Technical Ability 20, Intelligence 3, 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 |
| Comeback Kid | 
|
Body 4 | Faster Health regeneration at low Health |
| Dorph-Head | 
|
Body 4 | Brief full Mitigation after using a Health item |
| Adrenaline Rush | 
|
Body 15 | More Health and the Adrenaline Rush mode |
| Juggernaut | 
|
Body 15 | More speed and damage during Adrenaline Rush |
| Calm Mind | 
|
Body 15 | Adrenaline lasts longer before it decays |
| Focus | 
|
Cool 9 | More headshot damage and free shots while aiming |
| No Sweat | 
|
Cool 9 | Kills cut the Stamina cost of Focus |
| Rinse And Reload | 
|
Cool 9 | Faster reload after a kill while aiming |
| Head To Head | 
|
Cool 9 | Kills reset Focus |
| Deep Breath | 
|
Cool 9 | Time slows while Focus is active |
| Pull! | 
|
Cool 9 | Easier to shoot grenades out of the air |
| Deadeye | Cool 15 | More headshot damage and no spread at high Stamina | |
| California Reaper | 
|
Cool 15 | Stamina back after a headshot kill |
| High Noon | 
|
Cool 15 | Fast slowed reload after a headshot kill |
| Long Shot | 
|
Cool 15 | Full damage at any range during Deadeye |
| Quick Draw | 
|
Cool 15 | Faster swaps to pistols and rifles |
| Nerves Of Tungsten-Steel | 
|
Cool 20 | Guaranteed crits on headshots during Deadeye |
| Run 'N' Gun | 
|
Cool 20 | Free hip fire and faster movement during Focus |
| Slippery | 
|
Reflexes 4 | Harder to hit while moving fast |
| Muscle Memory | 
|
Reflexes 4 | Reload while sprinting, sliding and vaulting |
| Dash | 
|
Reflexes 9 | Unlocks the Dash and makes it cheaper |
| Steady Grip | 
|
Reflexes 9 | Shoot while Dashing |
| Can't Touch This | 
|
Reflexes 9 | Full Mitigation Chance while Dashing |
| Glutton For War | 
|
Technical Ability 4 | Kills recharge Health items and grenades |
| Health Freak | 
|
Technical Ability 9 | One more Health item charge and faster recharge |
| All Things Cyber | 
|
Technical Ability 9 | Stronger cyberware stats |
| License To Chrome | 
|
Technical Ability 15 | Stronger cyberware, more armor and a Skeleton slot |
| Edgerunner | Technical Ability 20 | Cyberware past the capacity limit for a small Health cost |
| Name | Image | Slot | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blood Pump | 
|
Circulatory System | A Health item that heals over time |
| Clutch Padding | 
|
Circulatory System | Cheaper shooting |
| Kiroshi The Oracle Optics | 
|
Face | Scanning highlights enemies behind cover |
| Mechatronic Core | 
|
Frontal Cortex | More damage against drones, robots and mechs |
| Ballistic Coprocessor | 
|
Hands | More ricochets with Power weapons |
| Shock Absorber | 
|
Hands | Less recoil |
| Reinforced Tendons | 
|
Legs | Double jump |
| NeoFiber | 
|
Nervous System | More Mitigation Chance and Strength |
| Militech Apogee Sandevistan | Operating System | Slows time by 85% with crit bonuses | |
| Spring Joints | 
|
Skeleton | Stronger Mitigation |
| Bionic Joints | 
|
Skeleton | More armor |
Attributes: Body 8, Reflexes 20, Technical Ability 20, Intelligence 3, 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Tailwind | 
|
Reflexes 20 | Stamina from air dashes and double jumps |
| 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 |
| Edgerunner | Technical Ability 20 | Cyberware past the capacity limit for a small Health cost |
| Name | Image | Slot | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blood Pump |
|
Circulatory System | A Health item that heals over time |
| Shock Absorber |
|
Hands | Less recoil |
| Reinforced Tendons |
|
Legs | Double jump |
| Stabber | 
|
Nervous System | Crit chance with blades and throwables |
| Bionic Joints |
|
Skeleton | More armor |
Pistols and Tech weapons take out targets from cover with controlled, accurate shots. Grenades control the battlefield. When stealth fails, steady firepower and tough cyberware finish the mission.
Attributes: Body 20, Reflexes 18, Technical Ability 20, Intelligence 3, 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 |
| Juggernaut |
|
Body 15 | More speed and damage during Adrenaline Rush |
| Unstoppable Force | 
|
Body 15 | Immunity to knockdown and blinding during Adrenaline Rush |
| Blind Spot | 
|
Cool 4 | Slower enemy detection while crouched |
| Feline Footwork | 
|
Cool 4 | Faster and harder to hit while crouched |
| Gag Order | 
|
Cool 4 | A quick hit after being spotted delays the alarm |
| Killer Instinct | 
|
Cool 4 | More damage with knives, axes and silenced guns outside combat |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Ninjutsu | 
|
Cool 15 | Crouch sprinting and more mitigation while crouched |
| Nerves Of Tungsten-Steel |
|
Cool 20 | Guaranteed crits on headshots during Deadeye |
| 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 |
| Name | Image | Slot | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biomonitor | 
|
Circulatory System | Uses a Health item when Health runs low |
| Behavioral Imprint-Synced Faceplate | 
|
Face | A disguise that escapes the police |
| Axolotl | 
|
Frontal Cortex | Kills cut all cyberware cooldowns |
| Shock Absorber |
|
Hands | Less recoil |
| NeoFiber |
|
Nervous System | More mitigation chance and strength |
| Bionic Joints |
|
Skeleton | More armor |
Lore
The in-game line is short: neither sticks nor stones. Its effect text sums the implant up as armor, simple but effective.
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 |