Table of Contents

The Definitive Guide to the Best Implants in Fallout: New Vegas

Fallout: New Vegas is a beloved entry in the Fallout franchise, known for its compelling story, engaging gameplay, and deep RPG mechanics. One of the most interesting mechanics is the ability to acquire implants that enhance your character’s abilities. Choosing the best implants New Vegas has to offer can significantly impact your playthrough, offering boosts to your stats, resistances, and even special abilities. This guide will provide a comprehensive overview of the best implants New Vegas players can acquire, detailing their benefits, locations, and how they can shape your character build.

Understanding Implants in New Vegas

Before diving into the specifics of each implant, it’s important to understand how they work in Fallout: New Vegas. Implants are permanent upgrades that can be purchased from Dr. Usanagi at the New Vegas Medical Clinic. Each implant corresponds to a SPECIAL stat (Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, Luck) or provides a unique benefit. However, there’s a catch: your character’s Endurance stat limits the number of implants you can have. The formula is simple: Endurance / 2, rounded down. So, if you have an Endurance of 9, you can have a maximum of 4 implants. This means careful planning is essential when deciding which best implants New Vegas to prioritize for your character.

The Must-Have SPECIAL Implants

The SPECIAL implants are generally considered essential for any build, as they directly increase your core stats. Each SPECIAL implant raises the corresponding stat by 1 point, allowing you to reach the maximum stat value of 10. Here’s a breakdown:

Strength Implant: Increases your Strength by 1. Strength affects your carry weight, melee damage, and the weapons you can effectively wield.
Perception Implant: Increases your Perception by 1. Perception influences your accuracy in VATS, as well as skills like Lockpick, Explosives, and Energy Weapons.
Endurance Implant: Increases your Endurance by 1. Endurance determines your health points, poison resistance, and the number of implants you can have.
Charisma Implant: Increases your Charisma by 1. Charisma affects your Speech, Barter, and companion effectiveness.
Intelligence Implant: Increases your Intelligence by 1. Intelligence boosts your skill points per level and affects skills like Medicine, Science, and Repair.
Agility Implant: Increases your Agility by 1. Agility influences your Action Points in VATS, as well as skills like Guns, Sneak, and Melee Weapons.
Luck Implant: Increases your Luck by 1. Luck affects your critical hit chance, gambling odds, and skill point distribution.

These SPECIAL implants are almost universally considered among the best implants New Vegas offers, and acquiring them is usually a top priority for most players. Deciding which ones to prioritize depends on your chosen build, but increasing your core stats is always a beneficial investment.

Unique and Utility Implants

Beyond the SPECIAL implants, Fallout: New Vegas features several unique implants that provide specific benefits. These can be just as valuable, depending on your playstyle. Here are some of the most notable:

Sub-Dermal Armor Implant: This implant provides +4 Damage Threshold (DT), effectively reducing the damage you take from all sources. This is an excellent choice for any character, as it provides a flat damage reduction that is always useful.
Regenerative Implant: This implant slowly regenerates your health over time, making it a great choice for characters who struggle with healing or who want to conserve stimpaks. While the regeneration rate is slow, it can be a lifesaver in prolonged engagements.
Monocyte Breeder Implant: This implant provides +25% poison resistance. Given the number of creatures and enemies in New Vegas that use poison, this can be a valuable asset, especially in areas like Vault 22 or against Cazadores.
Cardiac Arrest Implant: This implant increases your maximum health by 50 points. More health is always a good thing, providing extra survivability in combat.
Phoenix Implant: The Phoenix Implant is a unique implant that only works when your health is low. It grants a temporary boost to your damage resistance and damage output, making it easier to survive deadly encounters.
Nemean Subdermal Armor: An upgraded version of the Sub-Dermal Armor, this implant provides +5 DT.

When deciding which of the best implants New Vegas has to offer, these unique implants should be seriously considered, as they can provide significant advantages in specific situations or overall survivability.

Prioritizing Implants Based on Your Build

The best implants New Vegas for you will depend heavily on your character build. Here’s a breakdown of which implants to prioritize based on common character archetypes:

Melee/Unarmed Build

For a melee-focused character, Strength and Agility are key stats. Prioritize the Strength and Agility implants to maximize your damage output and action points in VATS. The Sub-Dermal Armor implant is also a good choice for increasing your survivability in close combat. Consider the Cardiac Arrest implant for added health.

Gunslinger/Rifle Build

For a character focused on guns, Perception and Agility are crucial. The Perception implant will improve your accuracy in VATS, while the Agility implant will increase your action points. Luck is also a good choice for increasing your critical hit chance. The Sub-Dermal Armor implant is still a valuable addition for added protection.

Energy Weapons Build

For a character specializing in energy weapons, Perception and Intelligence are important. The Perception implant will improve your accuracy, while the Intelligence implant will boost your Science skill. The Sub-Dermal Armor and Regenerative implants can also be useful for staying alive in combat. [See also: Fallout New Vegas Energy Weapons Guide]

Sneak/Stealth Build

For a stealth-focused character, Agility and Perception are essential. The Agility implant will improve your Sneak skill, while the Perception implant will help you detect enemies. Luck can also be useful for increasing your critical hit chance. The Monocyte Breeder implant can be useful for dealing with poisonous enemies while remaining undetected.

Diplomacy/Speech Build

For a character focused on dialogue and persuasion, Charisma and Intelligence are key. The Charisma implant will improve your Speech and Barter skills, while the Intelligence implant will boost your skill points per level. The other implants are less crucial for this build, so prioritize those that provide utility, such as the Regenerative or Sub-Dermal Armor implants.

Acquiring Implants from Dr. Usanagi

All implants are purchased from Dr. Usanagi at the New Vegas Medical Clinic, located just outside of the Strip in the Westside area. Each implant costs several thousand caps, so you’ll need to save up to afford them. The SPECIAL implants generally cost around 4,000 caps each, while the unique implants can vary in price. The best implants New Vegas has to offer don’t come cheap!

It’s worth noting that Dr. Usanagi’s stock is fixed, so you can’t find any new implants by leveling up or progressing through the game. Once you’ve purchased all the implants you want, there’s no reason to return to her unless you need healing.

Tips for Maximizing Your Implant Potential

Plan Ahead: Before investing in any implants, carefully consider your character build and which stats you want to prioritize. Remember that your Endurance stat limits the number of implants you can have, so choose wisely.
Increase Endurance Early: If you plan on acquiring multiple implants, it’s a good idea to invest in Endurance early in the game. This will allow you to get more implants later on.
Save Up Caps: Implants are expensive, so start saving up caps early in the game. Completing quests, selling loot, and gambling can all be good ways to earn money. [See also: Earning Caps Fast in Fallout New Vegas]
Consider Perks: Certain perks can synergize well with implants. For example, the Intense Training perk allows you to increase your SPECIAL stats by 1 point each time you take it, which can help you reach the maximum stat value of 10.
Explore Hidden Locations: While you can’t find implants in the wasteland, exploring hidden locations can often lead to valuable loot that you can sell to afford implants.

Conclusion

Choosing the best implants New Vegas has to offer is a crucial part of character development in Fallout: New Vegas. By carefully considering your build and prioritizing the right implants, you can significantly enhance your character’s abilities and survivability. Whether you’re a melee brawler, a gunslinging marksman, or a stealthy assassin, there are implants that can help you excel in your chosen role. So, head to the New Vegas Medical Clinic, save up your caps, and start optimizing your character with the best implants New Vegas has to offer. Good luck in the Mojave Wasteland!