Implant Tradeskills

The sections, "Assembling" and "Cleaning" have been moved here from the Implant article

Building Implants, the cybernetic devices surgically inserted into part of a character's physical body to augment their abilities.

The implant system is highly customizable, allowing a very wide variety of skills and abilities depending on what nano clusters are added to the base implant.

As with all Tradeskills for gear, crafting the very best implants for the character level is beyond the capacity of a single character, unbuffed. However, there are cash resources, other players, and multiple other characters that can help.

Basic implants are the base component for a complete implant, and can hold three Clusters: one Shining, one Bright, and one Faded. All Skills are represented by one of each of the cluster types. A completed implant will take its name from only the highest one of the clusters that are installed. It will take its QL from the Basic implant, although the QL can be raised by QL Bumping. The QL of the finished implant will affect the stat required for wearing it, and the skill needed to add clusters. The value of the bonuses given when worn are determined by the cluster QL. A higher QL cluster can be added to a lower QL basic implant, but the bonuses will remain at the level of the basic implant.

Preconstructed implants are one or both of two challenges; accepting their limited efficiencies, or taking up the task of building better. In a few cases the preconstructed are exactly what is needed, and this is unnecessary. Even then, reading between the lines a little might be necessary. Rifle, Shining cluster? Rifle is an unlikely weapon for professions other than Agent or maybe Soldier. But that implant is exactly what is required, with no exceptions, for an Eye implant that has the relatively easy to buff Agility as a requisite, and still has Nano and Casting skills or the (old, including Psychology which is now in Combat and Healing) Trade and Repair skills.

While the implants are built to be geared for a specific profession, they are not profession locked. So beneficial implants may be freely mixed and matched out of any of the profession booths. Implants drop as loot from mobs throughout the game, but their bonuses are random, and they are much less likely than the terminal goods to be wholly beneficial. By far the most advantageous route is to make some implants to suit specific professions' needs. This is the strength of the implant system. It truly allows you to significantly increase the power of your character.

Implants cannot be swapped in and out like armor/util/weapon items. They require a treatment clinic to install. Pictured is the old standing Surgery Clinics; the model has been changed. There are, as always, portable ones available

Formulas

Breakpoints for implant cluster bonuses can easily be found.

• Shiny clusters: Odd-numbered QLs.
• Bright clusters: Every QL number ending in 2, 5, or 9.
• Faded clusters: Every fifth QL, numbers ending in 3 or 8.

Wearing

Every implant has an ability requirement and a Treatment requirement to wear. The higher the QL, the higher the requirements, but the higher the bonus as well. The ability type depends on the combination of clusters being installed.
The base skill requirement for the implant will generally be:
(Quality Level x2) + 4 Every implant also requires treatment to install. The treatment requirement is at or close to:
Quality Level x 4.7

Quality Level comes into play in a much more significant manner when it comes to making Implants yourself. Making Implants is actually fairly easy, but there are a few important points to remember that might help avoid frustration or wasted time.

Auno implant Designer

Adding clusters

There are some unusual variations before level 10, but otherwise, the following formulas apply:

• Treatment skill varies between just over 5x QL at QL 2 to just over 4.75x QL at 200. The formula QL x 4.7 +11 is good for many high QLs of implants.

A cluster of a particular skill type has a particular multiplier for use in these formulas. The list of multipliers is in the 'Cluster Locations' chart elsewhere on this page. Multipliers are under the 'X' heading.

• Implanting Shiny cluster : 2 x Multiplier x QL = Nanoprogramming skill required
• Implanting Bright cluster: 1.5 x Multiplier x QL = Nanoprogramming skill required
• Implanting Faded cluster : 1 x Multiplier x QL = Nanoprogramming skill required

• The ability requirement is 2x QL +4.

https://twitter.com/theintercept/status/992002847423324162?s=19implant

• Faded clusters must be at least 82% of the quality level of the implant

As an example if the implant is level 100 the faded cluster you want to install must be at least quality level 82 to install. The game always rounds down when making that calculation.

You can install a cluster into an implant of lower quality level BUT the bonus given by the completed implant will be lowered to that appropriate to the QL of the original basic implant used. This is a potential major loss of credits, so be careful, install a QL100 cluster (and the shining ones are the most expensive) into a QL10 implant and you will get a QL 10 bonus from your nice shiny QL100 cluster!

Despite what the Arete Landing implant mission implies, with its mission failure for not adding clusters in a particular order, clusters can be added Faded then Shining then Bright, or Bright Faded Shining, or any order at all. Similarly, looted implants with missing clusters can be added to.

QL Bumping

QL Bumping is the increasing of the QL of an implant by combing it with a cluster. The amount increased is dependent on the Implant QL, Cluster Type, and the Nano Programming skill of the tradeskiller.

Cluster	QL Bump
Faded RK Cluster	Raise 1 QL for every 100 Nano Programming above the required tradeskill requirement
Faded Jobe Cluster	Raise 1 QL for every 200 Nano Programming above the required tradeskill requirement
Bright RK Cluster	Raise 1 QL for every 200 Nano Programming above the required tradeskill requirement
Bright Jobe Cluster	Raise 1 QL for every 300 Nano Programming above the required tradeskill requirement
Shining RK	Raise 1 QL for every 300 Nano Programming above the required tradeskill requirement
Shining Jobe	Raise 1 QL for every 400 Nano Programming above the required tradeskill requirement

For example, when creating an implant with a Bright RK cluster that requires 120 in Nano Programming skill and with a current skill level of 320 will result in the implant QL will being increased by one.

Limit per Implant QL
Implant QL	Maximum QL Bump
1 to 49	will never bump
50 to 99	Maximum of 1 QL per cluster
100 to 149	Maximum of 2 QLs per cluster
150 to 199	Maximum of 3 QLs per cluster, to a maximum of QL 200
201 to 249	Maximum of 4 QLs per cluster
250 to 299	Maximum of 5 QLs per cluster, to a maximum of QL 300

Note: Some tradeskiller use QL bumping and cleaning to get the implant to exact level they want.

Cleaning Implants

As long as the implant is not a Refined Implant or contains Jobe clusters, already installed clusters can be removed using an Implant Disassembly Clinic. Equipping the tool is limited to the fixer profession but any profession can use it if they have sufficient Break & Entry skill to do the cleaning.

The cleaning process removes all installed clusters, changing the implant back to a basic implant; the once installed clusters are not recovered and will be lost.

Try and build implants relevant to your character
Given that different clusters can only be used in certain slots, think carefully about which areas your character really needs the boost in.

If you have a goal to your implant building (i.e. raising ACs, equipping a higher QL weapon or using certain items) then the end results will be all the more enjoyable.

Implants level 1-200 without a Jobe Cluster can be cleaned of its clusters and made into basic implant.

Required skills

• Breaking and Entering (BE)
• Nano Programming (NP)

Required Items and Tools

Component / Tool	*1	Location	min. QL
Implant Disassembly Clinic	R	Tradeskill Product of Shop ingredients
Implant	C	Loot, Shop	~90% of the Clinic, max QL 200

*1 R = reuseable, C = consumed

Tradeskill Process

	+		=		Skills: BE NP
Implant Disassembly Clinic		Implant		Basic Implant	4.75 x QL 1 x QL

Refined Implant

Above level 200 implants and clusters come in a variety called refined. These implants (and their clusters, including the refined Jobe clusters) can only be gathered from missions and mob drops above level 200. Refined implants from missions only range up to ql 250 (note: as mission reward, inside the missions (filled) refined implants can be found up to QL300), for higher ql implants many people travel to the Ace Camp in Eastern Foul Plains, or Ace Caves in Milky Way. Refined implant components cannot be combined with normal implant components. (i.e. a refined cluster can only be put into a refined implant nor can normal clusters be put in refined implants).

Refined implants have, similar to normal implants with Jobe clusters, a TL requirement, which starts at TL5 (level 150+) and changes to higher TLs with higher QL levels. Also, they have much higher ability and treatment requirements compared to theoretically upscaled normal implants; there are a lot of differences in the exact numbers between various implant cluster layouts, though.

Jobe Clusters

The Jobe Cluster Merchant

Those with the Shadowlands expansion, prior to the revamped ICC HQ in Patch 18.7, were the only players with access to a special cluster vendor. It was and is still located in the city of Jobe, but Jobe clusters are also sold in ICC now. Jobe clusters raise skills not otherwise covered by standard implants; skills like AddAllDef, AddAllOff, %XP gain, Damage Add, or nano cost reduction. All players have always been able to use implants with Jobe clusters in them, not just people who have access to the Shadowlands, but people who could not go to Jobe required other people to buy their clusters for them.

Another way to get hold of Jobe clusters are RK missions, where these are dropped randomly by mobs [?] or as part of the chest loot. Nano Delta clusters can also be rolled as a mission reward...but they cannot be bought in Jobe.

There are several major differences to note when using Jobe clusters:

• They always require an additional tradeskill to insert them into an implant, such as Computer Literacy or Psychology (see table below). The crafter's Nano programming skill still determines whether the implant rises in QL, however.
• Implants with Jobe clusters in them have title level requirements and cannot be built lower than QL100. Except for QL100 implants, which require TL3 (level 50+), implants with Jobe clusters add a TL4 (level 100+) requirement.
• The ability and Treatment requirements are higher than these of normal implants of the same QL.
• Implants made with Jobe clusters cannot have their clusters removed or be 'cleaned' in any way.

Tradeskill	Cluster
Computer Literacy	Max NCU
Nano Programing	RangeInc. NF
PharmaTech	Heal Delta, Nano Delta (labeled Nano Regeneration)
Psychology	Skill Time Lock Modifier, Nano Formula Interrupt Modifier, % Add All Off., % Add All Def., % Add Xp
Quantum Force field Technology	Shield AC, % Add. Dam., % Add. Nano Cost
Weapon Smithing	RangeInc. Weapon

Preconstructed Implants

Main article: Implants � Preconstructed Implants

Auno implant Designer

Cluster Locations

There is only one valid cluster location / implant type for each grade of skill cluster. There are online implant calculatorsAuno Implant Designer; a very valuable resource, and in the absence of a formula online, crucial for determining the character Ability (str, etc) required to implant.

The chart shows the only, mandatory, locations of skill clusters, and the multipliers used in determining the required Nanoprogramming skill to add them to empty implants. Knowing the the location of particular skill clusters that are crucial to a PC's development at the start, and adding other clusters around them, is a fast and effective strategy to use with the calculators.

Skill	X	Shiny	Bright	Faded	Skill	X	Shiny	Bright	Faded
					1h Blunt	1.8	Right Arm	R Wrist	R Hand
1h Edged	1.9	R Arm	R Wrist	R Hand	2h Blunt	1.8	R Arm	L Arm	Chest
2h Edged	1.9	R Arm	L Arm	Waist	Adventuring	1.5	Leg	Waist	Chest
Agility	2.25	Leg	Feet	Waist	Aimed Shot	2.1	Eye	R Wrist	R Hand
Assault Rif	2.25	R Arm	R Hand	Eye	Bio Metamo	2.4	Head	Chest	Waist
Body Dev	2.0	Chest	Waist	Leg	Bow	2.0	R Arm	L Arm	Eye
Bow Spc Att	2.0	Head	R Hand	R Wrist	Brawling	1.65	L Arm	R Arm	Waist
Break & Entry	2.0	R Arm	L Arm	Chest	Burst	2.1	Right Arm	R Wrist	R Hand
Chemical AC	2.0	Waist	R Arm	L Arm	Chemistry	2.0	Head	Eye	R Hand
Cold AC	2.0	Waist	R Hand	L Hand	Comp Lit	2.0	Head	Eye	R Hand
Concealment	1.8	Feet	Ear	Eye	Dimach	2.25	Chest	Head	Waist
Disease AC	1.75	Head	Leg	Chest	Dodge-Rng	2.0	Leg	Feet	Waist
Duck-Exp	2.0	Leg	Waist	Feet	Elec Engi	2.0	Eye	Head	R Hand
Energy AC	2.25	Chest	Leg	Waist	Evade-ClsC	2.0	Feet	Leg	Waist
Skill	X	Shiny	Bright	Faded	Skill	X	Shiny	Bright	Faded
Fast Attack	1.9	L Hand	R Hand	Right Arm	Fire AC	2.0	Waist	Left Hand	R Hand
First Aid	1.8	Head	R Hand	L Hand	Fling Shot	1.8	R Arm	R Hand	R Wrist
Full Auto	2.25	R Arm	R Wrist	Waist	Grenade	1.9	R Arm	Eye	R Hand
Heavy Weapons	1.0	R Arm	Eye	R Hand	Imp/Proj AC	2.25	Leg	Chest	Waist
Intelligence	2.25	Head	Eye	Ear	Map Nav	1.25	Eye	Head	Ear
Martial Arts	2.5	R Hand	Feet	Left Hand	Matter Crea	2.4	Head	R Hand	Eye
Matter Meta	2.4	Head	Chest	L Arm	Max Health	2.5	Chest	Waist	Leg
Max Nano	2.5	Head	Waist	Chest	Mech Engi	2.0	Head	Eye	R Arm
Melee Energy	2.0	Head	L Wrist	R Wrist	Melee Init	2.0	Feet	Leg	Waist
Melee AC	2.25	Chest	Waist	Leg	MG/SMG	2.0	R Arm	R Hand	Chest
Multi Melee	2.25	Left Wrist	Eye	R Wrist	Multi Ranged	2.0	L Wrist	R Wrist	Eye
NanoC Init	2.0	Head	Eye	Chest	Nano Pool	3.0	Chest	Head	Waist
Nano Progra	2.0	Head	Eye	R Hand	Nano Resist	2.0	Head	R Wrist	L Wrist
Parry	2.1	R Wrist	L Wrist	R Arm	Perception	2.0	Ear	Eye	Head
Skill	X	Shiny	Bright	Faded	Skill	X	Shiny	Bright	Faded
Pharma Tech	2.0	Head	Eye	R Hand	Physic Init	2.0	Feet	R Arm	L Arm
Piercing	1.6	R Arm	L Arm	Waist	Pistol	2.0	R Wrist	R Hand	Eye
Psychic	2.25	Head	Chest	Ear	Psycho Modi	2.4	Head	Eye	Ear
Psychology	2.0	Head	Ear	Eye	Quantum FT	2.0	Head	Eye	R Hand
Radiation AC	2.0	Waist	L Arm	R Arm	Ranged Energy	2.0	Head	Eye	L Hand
Ranged Init	2.0	R Wrist	Head	R Hand	Rifle	2.25	Eye	R Wrist	L Wrist
Riposte	2.5	R Wrist	L Wrist	R Arm	Run Speed	2.0	R Wrist	L Wrist	Leg
Sense	2.25	Chest	Waist	Head	Sensory Imp	2.20	Head	Eye	Chest
Sharp Object	1.25	R Wrist	R Hand	Eye	Shotgun	1.7	R Arm	R Hand	Waist
Sneak Attack	2.5	Feet	R Wrist	Eye	Stamina	2.25	Chest	Leg	Waist
Strength	2.25	R Arm	L Arm	Chest	Swimming	1.25	Leg	R Arm	L Arm
Time & Space	2.4	Head	R Hand	Eye	Trap Disarm	1.8	R Hand	L Hand	Head
Treatment	2.15	Head	Eye	R Hand	Tutoring	1.3	Eye	Ear	Head
Vehicle Air	1.0	Eye	Ear	Head	Vehicle Ground	1.5	Head	Eye	Ear
Vehicle Water	1.2	Head	Eye	Ear	Weaponsmithing	2.0	R Hand	Head	Eye
Skill	X	Shiny	Bright	Faded	Skill	X	Shiny	Bright	Faded

<ref> Implant Skill Cluster Locations & Multipliers data from AO-Universe</ref>

Reference Links & Further Information

• Implant Designer on Auno.org
• AO Mainframe implant configuration.
• Nano Nanny Nano Cluster and Implant tool
• Famous Last Words: Demoder's search tool
• Muha's Guide to Implant Design and Construction

Article Sources

• Much of the information in the introduction came from AnarchyOnline.com <ref> Anarchy Online official site </ref> This information is no longer retrievable from the previously listed location.
• Kiosk information from various sources, credited in citation
• Cluster location list from AO-Universe

Sources

Anarchyonline.com

Popular Culture

Cyberpunk revolves around cybernetic augmentation like no other theme, despite its themes being many and well developed. Two of the more famous examples and their relation to AO and its implants:

William Gibson, most famous for Neuromancer also wrote Johnny Mnemonic. Only the film has the cyborg nemesis, a human so heavily implanted he is half robot. But in both versions, the courier's package is data, carried in implants in his brain, and his bodyguard and opponents are cybernetically enhanced.

In the Wachowski Brothers' The Matrix, humans are kept, by their robotic overlords, in a constant dream state; every aspect of their world is fed to their brains through an implanted connection in the back of their skulls. The Matrix' dusters and shades and Agents are easy to spot. But AO has more in common with the Matrix' cyberpunk and post-apocalyptic predecessors in its depiction of a fight for free will against human tyranny, while the Matrix and cyberpunk put much more emphasis on the role of humans and human consciousness in a world increasingly filled with the manmade.