Bima, my Clan Solitus Fixer, put in several QL200 implants at level 88. This documents how it was done. This was done before ShadowLands was released, and the additional treatment and ability buffing items available from there makes implanting even easier.
I was level maxed in all six of my core abilities as well as title-capped in Treatment. Maxing Psychic is highly unusual for a fixer, but is not really vital to this plan. In my particular case, maxed Strength was also entirely irrelevant.
The astute observer will note that I mostly didn't factor in additional Agility, Intelligence and Sense bonuses (aside from the +12 boosts) to what my rolling Treatment score was as I got buffs and installed implants that raised those abilities. This was done both because I like to play it a little conservatively – I discovered I greatly prefer finding out I ended up a couple of points too high than a couple of points too low – and because, quite honestly, I haven't really figured how to calculate exactly how many points to get out of trickle-down. Whoever made the AO Skills Emulator knows, though, so if I'd kept track of buffs and int/sen/agi-changing implants using that program I would have known treatment precisely at every step. (Update: I have since figured out how trickle-down works, but still recommend using one of the AO skills emulators (Nillan wrote a very nice one called AO Skill Emulator Ex with more features than the original Rustot emulator) over calculating it all by hand.)
In the description below, "=>" represents what the resulting QL of implant I could use is, presuming I met the core ability req. When doing this you might find my Implant QLs table helpful, because it is derived from looking at real in-game implants. I find Nanonanny to be an invaluable tool, but it can be wrong, particularly about treatment requirement and bright bonus.
When I list implants of the form "Ear QL137(653/278 Int) Intelligence +16", I am only listing the core abilities and/or treatment or other skill I am trying to modify. Thus it might seem like there is a conflict between the type of implant and its core ability req, when that core ability is really because of some other unnamed cluster that is in the implant. When I need to subtract out the effect of an implant that is being swapped out for another in the same spot, the subtraction is listed right above the new implant going in, as it might affect the ability to install that implant.There are several useful core-ability boosting items that I could have used to tweak up some implants even a little more, but since getting the 200s in what my main concern and getting implant stock of suitable QLs above 125 was an additional issue, I didn't push things too hard. In particular, I didn't use an ICC Arms 2Q2C Gun Bag or a Personalized Robotic Brain to raise Sense, or Concrete Cushions to improve Strength and Stamina. I also could have strategically used more Dillon, Nova Dillon, Kirch Kevlar and Sekutek armor than I did. All of these are items that any player can come by without too much effort, not like Shades of Lucubration or Virral Eggs or other rare items. I did, however, wear the Sergeant of Tir Ring and Captain of Tir ring, which Omni and Neutral would not be able to do.
To be sure of my starting stats I stripped all items and implants that provided any bonus to core abilities or to other skills that would be involved, and had no buffs running.
Starting scores: 282 Str w/Boost + 6 from Tir rings = 288 282 Agi w/Boost + 8 from Tir rings = 290 282 Sta w/Boost + 6 from Tir rings = 288 + 8 Quartz rifle = 296 282 Int w/Boost 282 Sen w/Boost + 4 from Tir ring = 286 282 Psy w/Boost 296 Comp Lit w/Exp + Int Boost 78 Rifle + 20 = 98 + 3 from boosts = 101, spend 20 IP to 103. 427 Treatment Start treatment raising: 447 +20 Treatment Expertise 450 +1 Int Boost, +1 Agi Boost, +1 Sen Boost 528 +78 full Med Suit 538 +10 QL22 OT-Windchaser M06 Quartz (Rifle 103/Aimed Shot 54) 638 +100 Clinic (=> 133)That's with no outside buffs. Of course you will want to hunt down a doc...
718 +80 Superior First Aid (=> 150)That doctor also helps with Iron Circle:
Strength 288 + 20 = 308
Stamina 296 + 20 = 316
I also needed an agent and enforcer:
Agility 290 + 25 Feline Grace = 315
Sense 286 + 15 Enhanced Senses = 301
Strength 308 + 27 Essence of Behemoth = 335
Stamina 316 + 27 Essence of Behemoth = 343
I had a QL195
Implant Disassembly Clinic made.
Only Fixers can wear this item and it provides a maximum treatment
bonus of +20. It needs 463 Comp Lit and 463 Treatment to equip.
(Non-fixers will want to get a
Treatment Library or
Treatment and Pharmacy Library, the latter for doctors only.)
Since I'd not needed to bother with comp lit for a while, I had to
implant it to reach the requirement.
Ear QL137(653/278 Int) Intelligence +16
Intelligence 282 + 16 = 298
Eye QL135(644/274 Psy) Intelligence +23 (can be made not psychic req)
Intelligence 298 + 23 = 321
Head QL150(714/304 Int) Comp Lit +80
Comp Lit 296 + 80 = 376
Intelligence 321 - 23 = 298
Eye QL146(696/296 Int) Comp Lit +47
Comp Lit 376 + 47 = 423
RHand QL138(658/280 Int) Comp Lit +30
Comp Lit 423 + 30 = 453
I saved some IP just to raise comp lit here, so I raised it to 463.
This also let me put in a new set of QL150ish NCU.
Clinic in:
Treatment 718 + 20 = 738 (=> 155)
Now here is where I might have had a slight advantage since I max
psychic. I was able to blitz for a Biomech Armor
Cloak and Cone Head,
both QL132. They start providing a +7 bonus for each piece at QL123,
but 114 or 132 was my option. They are +6 from 101 to 122 and +5 from
75 to 100. A QL75, the lowest available in the game, requires 211 Psy
and 193 Sta to equip; mine needed 366 Psy, 333 Sta. I needed to
implant the Psychic to get them on, as follows:
Chest QL149(710/302 Int) Sense +42 / Psychic +25
Sense 301 + 42 = 343
Psychic 282 + 25 = 307
Head QL155(738/314 Agi) Psychic +44 / Sense +17
Psychic 307 + 44 = 351
Sense 343 + 17 = 360
Intelligence 298 - 16 = 282
Ear QL134(639/272 Int) Psychic +15
Psychic 351 + 16 = 367
I would expect anyone to be able to swing +10 from QL75s, but I managed +14:
Biomech cloak and helmet equipped
Treatment 738 + 14 = 752 (=> QL157)
This is only one point from from QL158 req, but with the Sense and
Agility implants and buffs I was confident I had that at least plus
one more. In fact I lived a little on the edge and figured I had
enough for a QL159 implant I ended up with. I could have swapped in a
treatment eye easily enough if I needed to. Note that in the
following calculations I continue to use the rolling treatment value I
have been modifying rather than bumping it up as would be implied by
meeting the req for the right hand. Again, this is to be conservative
and not need to worry about trickle-down fluctuations.
Feet QL105(502/214 Agi) Agility +19
Agility 315 + 19 = 334
Leg QL141(672/286 Sta) Agility +40 / Stamina +24
Agility 334 + 40 = 374
Stamina 343 + 24 = 367
RHand QL159(757/322 Agi) Treatment +34
Treatment 752 + 34 = 786 (=> 165)
Eye QL162(772/328 Agi) Treatment +52
Treatment 786 + 52 = 838 (=> 176)
Another implant QL jumped when programmed, but Agility and Sense are
much higher than when I started, so I can reasonably expect I have 4
more treatment trickled down.
Psychic 367 - 44 = 323
Sense 360 - 17 = 343
Head QL177(842/348 Agi) Treatment +94 / Sense +20
Treatment 838 + 93 = 932 (=> 196)
Sense 343 + 20 = 363
Treatment 931 - 52 = 880 (=> 185)
Eye QL184(875/372 Agi) Treatment +58
Treatment 880 + 58 = 938 (=> 197)
Treatment 938 - 34 = 904 (=> 190)
RHand QL189(899/382 Agi) Treatment +40
Treatment 904 + 40 = 944 (=> 198)
As I made this plan, I was fairly confident that I would have 7 points
worth of trickle-down, so I went forward with that assumption. The
worst that would happen is I'd need another level or two of boosting
core abilities to make it. When I actually implemented the plan I
looked at my treatment score either just before or just after the
final right-hand implant went in, and saw that I had 960 treatment.
But I still had to step up some ability scores, in particular Agility.
Sense 363 - 42 = 321
Psychic 323 - 25 = 298
Chest QL154(734/312 Agi) Stamina +43
Stamina 367 + 43 = 410
Agility 374 - 40 = 334
Stamina 410 - 24 = 386
Leg QL189(899/382 Sta) Agility +52 / Stamina +31
Agility 334 + 52 = 386
Stamina 386 + 31 = 417
Waist QL179(847/362 Sta) Sense +30 / Agility +20
Sense 321 + 30 = 351
Agility 386 + 20 = 406
Agility 406 - 19 = 387
Feet QL190(904/384 Agi) Agility + 31 Permanent
Agility 375 + 31 = 418
RArm QL200(951/404 Agi) Permanent
LArm QL200(951/404 Agi) Permanent
LWrist QL200(951/404 Agi) Permanent
RWrist QL200(951/404 Sta) Permanent
LHand QL200(951/404 Sta) Permanent
Agility 418 - 52 = 366
Stamina 417 - 31 = 386
Leg QL182(866/368 Agi) Permanent
(Hmm, must have swapped in some Sekutek gloves there to make the other
two points of agility.)
Sense 351 - 30 = 321
Agility 366 - 20 = 346
Waist QL166(790/336 Agi) Stamina +19
Stamina 386 + 19 = 405
Now the chest is going out, so stamina is dropping by 43 to 362. But
I have a QL184 chest I want to equip that requires 372 in stamina.
Since my treatment was so high, this was easily addressed by being
able to swap out parts of my Med Suit.
Solid Steel Hydraulic Legwear
Treatment 944 - 14 = 930 (=> 195)
Stamina 405 + 5 = 410
Dillon Boots, QL100
Treatment 930 - 6 = 924 (=> 194)
Stamina 410 + 5 = 415
Stamina 415 - 43 = 372
Chest QL184(875/372 Sta) Permanent
Med Suit pants and gloves swapped back on
Stamina 372 - 10 = 362
Treatment 924 + 20 = 944 (=> 198)
At this point core abilities are definitely the limiting factor,
rather than treatment. As noted above, I could have done more by
swapping out med suit pieces for armor pieces that gave core ability
bonuses and balanced that with treatment requirements to find optimal
maximum implants. I didn't feel like it.
Stamina 362 - 19 = 343
Waist QL155(738/313 Sen) Permanent
Tsakachumi PTO-HV Counter-Sniper Rifle
Treatment 944 - 10 = 934 (=> 196)
Stamina 343 - 8 = 335
Agility 346 + 4 = 350
Nova Dillon Armor Boots
Treatment 934 - 6 = 928 (=> 195)
Agility 350 + 2 = 352
Intelligence 282 + 2 = 284
Treatment 928 - 40 = 888 (=> 186)
RHand QL174(828/352 Agi) Permanent
Treatment 888 - 94 = 794 (=> 166)
Head QL145(691/294 Psy) Sense +16 Permanent
Sense 321 - 20 + 16 = 317
Psychic 298 - 16 = 282
Ear QL163(776/330 Agi) Intelligence +18
Intelligence 284 + 18 = 302
Second-Hand Old English Trading Co., dual wielded
Agility 350 - 4 = 346
Intelligence 302 + 10 = 312
Dillon Boots, QL100
Intelligence 312 - 2 + 5 = 315
Swapping with Nova Dillon Boots, no change in Treatment
At this point the calculated treatment is going to end up at 736, but
the implant I wanted in needed 738. Again trickle-down from Feline
Grace, Enhanced Senses and the Intelligence items would save the day,
I was sure.
Treatment 794 - 58 = 736 (=> 154)
Eye QL155(738/314 Int) Permanent
OT-Windchaser M06 Quartz back on
Intelligence 315 - 10 = 305
Treatment 736 + 10 = 746 (=> 156)
Ear QL156(743/316 Sense) Permanent
Et voila, I am done.
Back to my AO page.