Which augmentations should be unlocked first? Deus Ex: Mankind Divided Guide

Last update: 19 September 2016

The following section contains a summary of our suggested augmentations that would be good to unlock as soon as possible. Our list of recommended augmentations is divided into three categories: implants that focus on mobility and exploration, allowing the main character to reach usually inacessible places and unlock alternative course of some quests, implants that boost stealth capabilities, and finally implants that are useful in direct combat.

The Praxis points we earn should be invested primarily in our preferred style of play (peaceful or aggressive). Some of them, however, should be allocated also on exploration-focused augmentations, so we will not have to look for detours or use up our inventory when we come across e.g. a better secured terminal or area filled with poison gas.

Note - The experimental augmentations have been included in the comparisons below only to a limited extent, as using them early is very troublesome because of their increased energy usage and the necessity to turn off many standard augmentations to stabilize the system (for this reason you shouldn't buy many of them). You can use them in a normal capacity only further into the game (second visit in Prague), when you complete the side quest The Fix. Tips on how to best utilize the experimental augmentations can be found on the next page of this chapter.

The best augmentations for completing quests and exploration:

• Social Enhancer - This implant is used during some conversations with NPCs. It is not necessary to achieve the best results in every conversation, because you might as well choose the same dialogue options when playing a character without this augmentation. The are, however, some exceptions; there are situations where this implant can activate automatically and enable you to use persuasion or interruption to change the course of the conversation or gain some additional benefits. Try to unlock this augmentation early on if you wish to get as much as you can out of every important conversation.
• Hacking: Capture - Augmentations in this family are useful regardless of the chosen play style, because you may want to gain access to secret rooms or safes even if you prefer loud solutions. By default, Jensen can hack into systems protected by level 1 security, but it would be good to quickly buy upgrades allowing him to crack at least levels 2 and 3. This will allow you to reach the most valuable findings from the beginning of the game, and enable you to save your multi-tools for cracking more complex security measures.
• Hacking: Stealth - Augmentations in this category are very useful when breaking into devices protected with security level 2 and higher. Higher security level requires Jensen to perform more actions during a single mini-game, and the default high risk of detection may thwart his plans at an early stage. Try to unlock the first augmentation in this group as quickly as you can. Unlock the rest when you amass some Praxis points.
• Remote hacking - Before you move to the Hacking Stealth upgrade, you should first consider buying the remote hacking. It will frequently allow you to get to buildings through closed curtains, to pull out hidden roofs through which you can climb to higher floors, to unlock ladders at billboards. In other situations it works only temporarily. For example, deactivating cameras or laser detectors will allow you to safely hide or pass through an inaccessible area without being detected.
• Smart Vision - By default, this augmentation is used for locating enemies, but it can also help you find interactive objects in the environment, for example, ventilation shafts or manhole covers. Try buying the "Magpie" extension to this upgrade. Once you activate it, all the items which can be collected will be highlighted. This will help significantly in "clearing" the investigated locations of valuables.
• Implanted Rebreather - This augmentation allows Jensen to function in areas filled with poisonous gas fumes. Such areas are encountered mainly in the sewers and other less frequented places. Being able to go through such sites very often unlocks alternative paths to the mission objective. Important - Almost each area with poison gas has a pipe that turns it off. If you manage to reach such a valve quickly, you will remove the threat before Jensen loses all hit points. It is a good method if you don't have much energy or if you haven't bought the proper update yet.
• Punch Through Wall - This is one of the augmentations falling into the Cybernetic Arm Prosthesis family. The protagonist can break down only some of the walls, but there's enough of them in the game to make this improvement more than worth its price. By breaking down a wall you can usually open an alternative route to your destination. Important - By breaking the walls you are generating noise, similarly as when shooting a gun or causing an explosion (explosives can be also used for breaking the walls if you have enough ammunition). Because of that, you should make sure that there are no people nearby that could be alarmed by such action.
• Optimized Musculature - Yet another improvement from the Cybernetic Arm Prosthesis category. Heavy lifting, despite its appearances, is used not in combat, but rather during exploration. Behind many vending machines and large chests there are hidden entrances to ventilation shafts or weakened walls. In addition, you can place large objects in places from where you can climb them and reach higher ledges by jumping.
• Icarus Landing - This augmentation significantly reduces the risk of death or serious injury from falling damage. In certain situations, however, it can also come in handy when you want take an alternative route to the objective, which implies e.g. jumping down an elevator shaft or from a roof of a building.
• Electromagnetic Pulse Shielding - This is one of the improvements from the Rhino Dermal Armor group; it can protect the protagonist from electricity-based effects and damage. In many of the sites you will explore, you can run into areas with spontaneous electric discharges and thanks to the shielding, you do can cross them without risking a quick death. Unfortunately, in order to unlock this augmentation you will first need to buy some other enhancements from this group, still, it is a good investment. Important - before you buy this upgrade, try finding the power supply switches. Maybe you can reach them before Jensen dies due to electric shocks or you can buy a "bridge" from the large objects found nearby (for example chests).
• Klipspringer Jump Mod - This upgrade comes from the Cybernetic Leg Prosthesis category. It allows Jensen to jump higher and is very helpful if you want to reach some higher ledges, but can't use a ladder or find some objects you can climb. In many cases you won't be able to reach certain locations without having this update, which means that it is mandatory for an explorer. Before you buy it you can try building "towers" from the objects in order to reach the higher areas.

The best augmentations for stealth-focused play style:

• Camera Domination and Turret Domination - Having these augmentations will help you break in tightly-guarded locations, significantly reducing the risk of being accidentally discovered. Remember though, that you must first get to a computer or hub controlling the security systems. You can forget about the Robot Domination augmentation for now, because it is used (and rarely) only later in the game.
• Smart Vision or Wayfinder Radar System - Having enhancements from these families (such as Wall-Penetrating Imager and Retinal HUD) can help you locate your enemies faster, keep better track of their movements, and avoid appearing in their field of view.
• Glass-Shield Cloaking - Camouflage is one of the most useful augmentations when sneaking. Try to unlock early on both the basic augmentation as well as its enhanced versions, which are characterized by reduced energy consumption. This will allow you to hide your presence not only for very short moments, but also when you have to hide for longer periods of time (e.g. when sneaking across a large room).
• Leg Silencers - This augmentation falls under the Cybernetic Leg Prosthesis category. It will significantly help you avoid detection, allowing you not only to walk and run quietly, but also quietly land when jumping down from high ledges. Stealth gameplay without this augmentation is possible, but it forces you to constantly watch out for the noise you are making, otherwise you may easily attract enemy attention.
• Security Domination - an upgrade of remote hacking. It will allow you to deactivate drones, robots, turrets, cameras and laser sights from any place (even if you don't see the object of interest directly, only with the enhanced view). However, you must watch out - this works only temporarily (usually for about 30 seconds), so you must have a plan prepared before you use it.

The best augmentations for aggressive play style

• Sentinel RX Health System - All augmentations in this category contribute to improving the overall health of the hero. You might be especially interested in enhancements that permanently extend the character's health bar, because the bar itself can be quickly regenerated by using items from your inventory.
• Carry Capacity - Increasing the capacity of your inventory will help you carry large numbers of weapons such as rifles, rocket and grenade launchers. Default capacity is rather insufficient, and you would be limited to a maximum of two weapons with greater firepower.
• Cybernetic Weapon Handling - Improvements in this group improve Jensen's skills when it comes to handling firearms. Consider unlocking primarily those enhancements that make it easier to aim and reduce weapon spread when firing in full auto.
• Typhoon Explosive System - This is one of the best offensive augmentations, which can be used to neutralize groups of enemies and to win some of the boss fights. It is noteworthy that the missiles it fires can also incapacitate the targets instead of killing them, but the decision whether the missiles are to kill or stun can not be changed later in the game.
• Rhino Dermal Armor - This group of defensive augmentations allows you to reduce the physical damage Jensen receives. Acquire at least the basic enhancement as fast as you can, especially if you have selected one of the higher difficulty levels, where Jensen can die very quickly if the enemy delivers a successful attack.