Thermal Projectile Launch System
| Thermal Projectile Launch System | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Class | Arms |
| Tier | Tier 2 |
| Attribute | Intelligence |
| Capacity | 8 |
The Thermal Projectile Launch System turns V's arm into a small launcher for incendiary shells. Each shell explodes for heavy Thermal damage and can set enemies on fire. Holding the button charges the shot for a bigger blast and a much higher chance to Burn. The launcher sits in the Combat Gadget slot, so V can fire it while still holding a gun. Unlike the standard launcher, this variant draws extra damage from Intelligence, which makes it a natural fit for a netrunner. The Thermal Projectile Launch System is an early game implant that every ripperdoc in Night City and Dogtown sells from level 10.
Effect
The Thermal Projectile Launch System is an Arms implant that works like a grenade. It goes into the Combat Gadget quickslot and fires with the Combat Gadget button. A quick press fires a normal shell. The shell explodes on impact, deals heavy Thermal damage in an area and has a small chance to apply Burn.
Holding the button charges the shot. A charged shell deals 30% more damage and has a 25% larger blast. Its Burn chance also rises by 30%.
Burn is a status effect that deals Thermal damage over a short time. A charged shell into a group can leave several enemies burning at once.
The launcher has a set number of charges, and each shot uses one. Charges refill over time.
The Thermal Projectile Launch System is attuned to Intelligence. Each point of Intelligence adds 0.5% damage to its shells. At 20 Intelligence, that is 10% more damage. Its stat bonuses add Health Item Effect and, from Tier 2, RAM regeneration whenever V neutralizes an enemy.
The Arms slot holds only one implant. The launcher takes the place of Mantis Blades, Gorilla Arms or the Monowire.
How to Get Thermal Projectile Launch System Guide
- Reach level 10.
- Visit any ripperdoc clinic in Night City or Dogtown and open the Arms slot.
- Buy and install the Thermal Projectile Launch System.
- Assign it to the Combat Gadget quickslot to fire it.
Thermal Projectile Launch System Map Location
The map shows Viktor Vektor's clinic in Little China, one of the ripperdocs that sell it.
Thermal Projectile Launch System map location:
Map credit by Map Genie.
Upgrades
Ripperdocs sell the Thermal Projectile Launch System from Tier 2 at level 10, and the tier they stock rises with V's level up to Tier 5. An installed copy can be raised a tier at a ripperdoc with the matching item components. Each tier raises the damage of every shell. 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 Thermal Projectile Launch System costs at a ripperdoc.
| Upgrade | Components | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 2 to Tier 2+ | 75 Tier 2 components | - |
| Tier 2+ to Tier 3 | 37 Tier 3 components | - |
| Tier 3 to Tier 3+ | 75 Tier 3 components | - |
| Tier 3+ to Tier 4 | 37 Tier 4 components | - |
| Tier 4 to Tier 4+ | 75 Tier 4 components | - |
| Tier 4+ to Tier 5 | 37 Tier 5 components | - |
| Tier 5 to Tier 5+ | 75 Tier 5 components | - |
| Tier 5+ to Tier 5++ | 200 Tier 5 components | Phantom Liberty |
Character Builds
The Thermal launcher works well for a netrunner, because Intelligence raises its damage. Its Burn also combines with the Contagion quickhack. From Tier 4, Contagion makes a poisoned enemy explode when Burn or Overheat hits them. A Thermal shell into a group infected with Contagion can set off those explosions. The RAM regeneration bonus from Tier 2 also helps pay for the next quickhack.
The Technical Ability perks for the launcher work with every variant. Doomlauncher adds one more charge and speeds up the recharge. It also refills a small part of a charge after each kill. Pyromania adds 10% explosion radius to the launcher and grenades, and an explosion hit then grants movement speed and explosion damage. Friendlier Fire halves the damage V takes from V's own explosions.
With Phantom Liberty, Relic perks improve the launcher further. Launch Capacity Override adds one more charge. Jailbreak lets V overcharge the launcher, which fires a burst of five shells over a larger area.
Select a Build
Two pistols fire at once while quickhacks spread damage through groups. Contagion followed by fire from Overheat or the Thermal Projectile Launch System is the main combo. Optical Camo lets the character slip back into stealth.
Attributes: Body 16, Reflexes 15, Technical Ability 15, Intelligence 20, Cool 15.
The perks, cyberware and weapon mods for this build are listed below.
| Name | Image | Slot | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blood Pump | 
|
Circulatory System | A Health item that heals over time |
| Kiroshi The Oracle Optics | 
|
Face | Scanning highlights enemies behind cover |
| Behavioral Imprint-Synced Faceplate | 
|
Face | A disguise that escapes the police |
| Immovable Force | 
|
Hands | Less recoil and tighter spread |
| Chitin | 
|
Integumentary System | Extra Health regeneration |
| Optical Camo | 
|
Integumentary System | Near invisibility for a few seconds |
| Reinforced Tendons | 
|
Legs | Double jump |
| Synaptic Accelerator | 
|
Nervous System | Slows time when an enemy starts to notice |
| Reflex Tuner | 
|
Nervous System | Slows time at low Health |
Lore
The Projectile Launch System is described in game as a missile launcher in the palm of the hand, more or less literally. The Thermal variant fires shells that burn instead of plain explosives. The other variants are the standard Projectile Launch System, the Electrifying Projectile Launch System and the Toxic Projectile Launch System.
Notes
- The launcher shares the Combat Gadget quickslot with grenades and Optical Camo.
Cyberware Categories
All Arms Cyberware
Every Arms implant is listed below. The Iconic ones come first, then the standard ones.
Iconic Arms Cyberware
| Name | Image | Attribute | Capacity | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MaxTac Mantis Blades | 
|
Standard Arms Cyberware
| Name | Image | Attribute | Capacity | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrifying Gorilla Arms | 
|
Technical Ability | 8 | |
| Electrifying Mantis Blades | 
|
Intelligence | 8 | Northside |
| Electrifying Monowire | 
|
Reflexes | 8 | |
| Electrifying Projectile Launch System | 
|
Cool | 8 | |
| Gorilla Arms | 
|
Body | 8 | |
| Mantis Blades | 
|
Reflexes | 8 | |
| Monowire | 
|
Intelligence | 8 | |
| Projectile Launch System | 
|
Technical Ability | 8 | |
| Thermal Gorilla Arms | 
|
Reflexes | 8 | |
| Thermal Mantis Blades | 
|
Body | 8 | |
| Thermal Monowire | 
|
Cool | 8 | |
| Thermal Projectile Launch System | 
|
Intelligence | 8 | |
| Toxic Gorilla Arms | 
|
Cool | 8 | |
| Toxic Mantis Blades | 
|
Cool | 8 | |
| Toxic Monowire | 
|
Technical Ability | 8 | |
| Toxic Projectile Launch System | 
|
Body | 8 |