NEMEAN implants

This is an overview article, listing content appearing in multiple Fallout media. For information specific to a given game or TV series, consult the table on the right.

Gameplay articles

Fallout 2		Dermal Impact Armor Dermal Impact Assault Enhancement

Fallout: New Vegas		NEMEAN Sub-Dermal Armor

NEMEAN implants are a series of protective augmentations developed by Poseidon Energy, alongside the PHOENIX implants.

Variants[]

NEMEAN sub-dermal impact armor[]

See: Dermal impact armor, Sub-Dermal Armor

The baseline version of NEMEAN increases protection against physical damage (melee, firearms, and explosions) by an estimated 5% by grafting sub-dermal impact plates directly to the patient's skeleton. The plates can be salvaged from a suit of combat armor, and the operation is typically accompanied by minimal scarring - although soreness, tenderness, and swelling are common, as is a stabbing sensation that persists until the body acclimatizes to the implants.^[1]^[2]

Schematics for both NEMEAN and PHOENIX implants were preserved within Vault 8, built near Poseidon's Gecko City nuclear plant. They were preserved in Vault City's archives,^[3] unused. The procedure was not only invasive, but also required a substantial recovery period for full healing (weeks for the burning and itching to subside, among other complications), and past implantations demonstrated that the implants caused the skeleton to deform in time. As such, the operation was reserved for emergencies. Unauthorized operations using of Vault City medical equipment would also result in confiscations.^[4] The Shi of San Francisco were also capable of performing NEMEAN augmentations, with less qualms.^[5] NEMEAN would also pass into the hands of the Followers, becoming an expensive augmentation, but one that doesn't need breaking down combat armor for parts.^[6]^[7]

Sub-Dermal impact armor assault enhancement[]

The upgraded version of the basic NEMEAN implant overlays additional assault-issue impact plates on top of the already implanted ones. This doubles the effective protection to 10%, but has a significant impact on the patient's appearance: The extra plates are clearly visible under the skin, giving them a blocky appearance, and the aggressive procedure requires prying apart muscle and cartilage, if not outright removal.^[8] This adds significant permanent scarring on top of the changes to appearance.^[9] The loss of looks and the newly gained damage resistance can be described as turning the patient into Frankenstein's monster.^[10]

Behind the scenes[]

NEMEAN armor implants were part of Simple perks by J.E. Sawyer. The implant eventually appeared in Fallout: New Vegas, as a general Damage Threshold upgrade, effective against all forms of injury. PHOENIX became a regenerative implant instead.
NEMEAN is another Poseidon reference to Greek mythology, this time to the Nemean lion, whose invulnerable pelt allowed it to prey freely on Greeks, until Hercules slew it as the first of his labors. The Greek demigod then turned the lion's fur and skin into his own suit of armor.

References[]

↑ Chosen One: "{211}{}{I found some combat implant schematics in the Vault City medical database. Could you perform the operation?}"
Doc Andrew: "{213}{}{Combat implants? What do you mean?}"
Chosen One: "{214}{}{Well, according to the schematics I saw, you can graft dermal plates and thermal dissipators to a person's skeleton using the following procedure...}"
Doc Andrew: "{215}{}{Huh. Well, I suppose with help from the ol' Doctor I could do that operation. Course, I'd need some impact plates and dissipators first...might be able to pry some out of a suit of combat armor, if you can find one.}"
Chosen One: "{216}{}{Can you give me the information on some of the implants?}"
Doc Andrew: "{220}{}{Heh! You're serious then, I see. Well, now, this is a risky venture. The Citizens find out I'm using the ol' Doctor for this, an' they'll take it right back.}"
Chosen One: "{221}{}{I see. How much for the implants?}"
Doc Andrew: "{224}{}{Depends what you want. You want low impact, high impact, low thermal, or high thermal? Each one's got its price tag.}"
Chosen One: "{228}{}{Low impact.}"
Doc Andrew: "{232}{}{Standard Dermal Impact Armor takes the kick outta most explosions, punches, kicks, stuff like that. Say, 5%. I'll need to strip some Combat Armor for the plates, and it'll take two days to do the grafts. 7K oughta cover it.}"
Chosen One: "{233}{}{Sounds good. Here's the armor and the cash.}"
(...) Doc Andrew: "{309}{}{Well, they're in, I guess. Uh, about the swelling and soreness, I'm pretty sure that both are just temporary side effects. Oh, that stabbing sensation you feel when you move your arms and legs should fade in a few weeks.}"
↑ Painless Doc Johnson: "{277}{}{I read something about that, too. It's not too hard to do if you've got the training. And the equipment.}"
Chosen One: "{278}{}{Do you have what you need to perform the operations?}"
Painless Doc Johnson: "{279}{}{Mostly. I have the skill and the training, but I don't have the implant material.}"
Chosen One: "{280}{}{So, what does that mean?}"
Painless Doc Johnson: "{281}{}{That means that we'll just have to improvise. I think I can get what I need from a set of standard combat armor. I can take the concussive protection plates and also the thermal cells from the armor.}"
Chosen One: "{282}{}{That's great. So you can do it?}"
Painless Doc Johnson: "{283}{}{Well, yes - but if I pack too much armor in, the patient sure isn't going to win any beauty prizes.}"
Chosen One: "{284}{}{I don't care about that; I just want the protection. What can you do, exactly?}"
Painless Doc Johnson: "{285}{}{There are actually four different operations that can be performed. There's Dermal Impact Armor that protects against impact, and there's Phoenix Armor Implants that protects against heat. Then each one has an Assault Enhancement as well. You have to get the basic armor before you can get the Assault Enhancement.}"
Chosen One: "{288}{}{Tell me more about the implants. I think I may want you to operate on me.}"
Painless Doc Johnson: "{290}{}{Which operation were you interested in?}"
Chosen One: "{291}{}{The Dermal Impact Armor.}"
Painless Doc Johnson: "{297}{}{According to what I've read, Dermal Impact Armor gives you 5% resistance to normal and explosive damage - over and above any other armor you're wearing. The operation takes about two days, one suit of Combat Armor (for parts), and it will cost you $5,000. This procedure should be fairly simple…I think. Hmm, you may not even scar all that badly.}" Chosen One: "{298}{}{That sounds great, Doc. Let's do it. I just hate getting shot, stabbed, and blown up all the damn time.}"
Painless Doc Johnson: "{323}{}{There, that should do it. The operation was a success. You shouldn't have to worry about bumps and bruises so much anymore. That swelling and tenderness will go down in a few days.}
↑ Vault 8 medical computer: "{144}{}{You spend almost an hour studying the archives. As you delve deeper into the database, you come across a series of older archives that contain schematics for some sort of "combat implants."}"
Chosen One: "{145}{}{Study the implant information.}
Medical computer: "{146}{}{The schematics detail an operation for grafting impact plates and thermal-dissipating membranes to a human skeleton, granting the subject resistance to physical trauma and heat. It looks like a complicated procedure.}"
↑ Chosen One: "{394}{}{Do you know anything about dermal implants?}
Dr. Troy: "{341}{}{Yes, I'm familiar with them. It's an invasive procedure, where impact plates and thermal dissipator membranes are grafted to the skeleton to help protect against physical trauma and heat. Why do you ask?}"
Chosen One: "{343}{}{I ran across them in the Vault City medical database. Could you perform the operation on me?}"
Dr Troy: "{348}{}{No, I'm sorry... as I said, the implants are an invasive procedure and the recovery period is long and arduous. Patients undergoing the operation in the past have also frequently developed skeletal deformities.}"
Chosen One: "{349}{}{I'm willing to risk it. Can you do it anyway?}"
Dr. Troy: "{350}{}{I would consider performing the operation only in the event of an emergency, not for the sake of convenience. The risk is too great, and the implants are not a substantial improvement over standard combat armor.}"
↑ Chosen One: "{206}{}{What can you tell me about armor implants?}"
Dr. Fung: "{207}{}{I helped write the article on armor implants. All it takes is my expertise and your materials. What sort of implants do you desire?}"
Chosen One: "{208}{}{What sort are there?}"
Doctor Fung: "{215}{}{We have dermal implants, which protect against concussive damage. If you like that work, we can add a single enhancement to it. We also have Phoenix implants, which protect against heat-based attacks, and which also have an upgrade available. If you’re interested in the upgrades, you will of course have to wait until the initial set has been installed. And before you ask, yes, you CAN have all four operations.}"
(...)
Chosen One: "{219}{}{I’d like the Phoenix implants.}"
Doctor Fung: "{229}{}{If you do not mind parting with $8500, a few days, and a set of combat armor, we can begin the operation now.}"
Chosen One: "{230}{}{Strap me down, doc. I’m ready to go.}"
↑ Sub-Dermal Armor: "Your skin has been toughened by the NEMEAN Sub-Dermal Armor, increasing your total Damage Threshold by 4."
↑ Usanagi: "That would be the NEMEAN Sub-Dermal Armor. It's a bit pricey - 8,000 caps - but the implant causes your skin cells to be bolstered with iron. It won't make you bulletproof, but it will make you a little harder to injure."
↑ (...)
Chosen One: "{227}{}{High impact.}"
Doc Andrew: "{240}{}{Well, technically, "high impact" is standard Dermal Impact Armor with extra assault-issue impact plates crammed under your skin.}"
Doc Andrew: "{241}{}{So you're gonna need the basic dermal graft first.}"
Chosen One: "{276}{}{Okay, what's involved?}"
Doc Andrew: "{246}{}{Well, I'm gonna need another set of combat armor to get the extra assault plates. Good thing is, the plates'll double the strength of the original grafts, so they'll absorb 10% of the kick. Except...}"
Chosen One: "{247}{}{Yes?}"
Doc Andrew: "{251}{}{It'll take a stretch, a few days at least, assuming the ol' Doctor don't mess it up. An' it's expensive. 40K, as I see it. Plus...well, it ain't gonna help your looks none.}"
Chosen One: "{252}{}{How much will it hurt my looks?}"
Doc Andrew: "{256}{}{All the curves you got are gonna become right angles, near as I can tell.}" or "{257}{}{You're gonna be all blocky-looking when I'm done.}" or "{258}{}{Shoving all those plates into your body means your charisma's gonna take a hit. You still game?}"
Chosen One: "{259}{}{Oh, what the hell. Here's the cash and the combat armor.}" (...)
Doc Andrew: "{310}{}{Can you hear me? Whew. I didn't think there was any room left for those impact plates, but I was able to pry a lot of muscle tissue and cartilage out of the way. They're in a jar over there, if you want a souvenir.}"
↑ Chosen One: "{218}{}{Give me the dermal upgrade.}"
Dr. Fung: "{226}{}{The dermal upgrade, eh? That will cost you several days of your life, $33000, combat armor, and a brand-new set of scars that you’ll never ever lose as long as you live.}"
↑ Chosen One: "{294}{}{The Assault Enhancement for the Phoenix Armor Implants.}"
Painless Doc Johnson: "{303}{}{You need to have the Dermal Impact Armor installed before I can give you the Assault Enhancement. But I'll tell you what it should do. The Assault Enhancement should give you a total of 10% resistance to normal and explosive damage - over and above any other armor you're wearing. The operation takes a few days and it'll cost you $30,000. In addition, you're not going to be too Charismatic after I finish. Cramming all those impact plates under your skin is going to make you look pretty damn angular, but in a very streamlined way. But who doesn't like the way a new car looks - I'll try not to give you tail-fins.}"
Painless Doc Johnson: "{304}{}{The Assault Enhancement of the Dermal Impact Armor should give you a total of 10% resistance to normal and explosive damage - over and above any other armor you're wearing. The operation takes a few days and it'll cost you $30,000. In addition, you're not going to be too Charismatic after I finish. Cramming all those impact plates under your skin is going to make you look pretty damn angular, but in a very streamlined way. But who doesn't like the way a new car looks - I'll try not to give you tail-fins. Ready to begin?}"
Chosen One: "{318}{}{That sounds great, Doc. Let's do it.}"
Painless Doc Johnson: "Painless Doc Johnson: "{324}{}{I wouldn't have thought that your skin could accommodate so many of those impact plates, but you're ready for action now. You not only look sort of like Frankenstein, but you should be as tough as him as well. Uh, try to stay out of the sun until most of the scabs slough off.}"

[1] Chosen One: "{211}{}{I found some combat implant schematics in the Vault City medical database. Could you perform the operation?}"
Doc Andrew: "{213}{}{Combat implants? What do you mean?}"
Chosen One: "{214}{}{Well, according to the schematics I saw, you can graft dermal plates and thermal dissipators to a person's skeleton using the following procedure...}"
Doc Andrew: "{215}{}{Huh. Well, I suppose with help from the ol' Doctor I could do that operation. Course, I'd need some impact plates and dissipators first...might be able to pry some out of a suit of combat armor, if you can find one.}"
Chosen One: "{216}{}{Can you give me the information on some of the implants?}"
Doc Andrew: "{220}{}{Heh! You're serious then, I see. Well, now, this is a risky venture. The Citizens find out I'm using the ol' Doctor for this, an' they'll take it right back.}"
Chosen One: "{221}{}{I see. How much for the implants?}"
Doc Andrew: "{224}{}{Depends what you want. You want low impact, high impact, low thermal, or high thermal? Each one's got its price tag.}"
Chosen One: "{228}{}{Low impact.}"
Doc Andrew: "{232}{}{Standard Dermal Impact Armor takes the kick outta most explosions, punches, kicks, stuff like that. Say, 5%. I'll need to strip some Combat Armor for the plates, and it'll take two days to do the grafts. 7K oughta cover it.}"
Chosen One: "{233}{}{Sounds good. Here's the armor and the cash.}"
(...) Doc Andrew: "{309}{}{Well, they're in, I guess. Uh, about the swelling and soreness, I'm pretty sure that both are just temporary side effects. Oh, that stabbing sensation you feel when you move your arms and legs should fade in a few weeks.}"

[2] Painless Doc Johnson: "{277}{}{I read something about that, too. It's not too hard to do if you've got the training. And the equipment.}"
Chosen One: "{278}{}{Do you have what you need to perform the operations?}"
Painless Doc Johnson: "{279}{}{Mostly. I have the skill and the training, but I don't have the implant material.}"
Chosen One: "{280}{}{So, what does that mean?}"
Painless Doc Johnson: "{281}{}{That means that we'll just have to improvise. I think I can get what I need from a set of standard combat armor. I can take the concussive protection plates and also the thermal cells from the armor.}"
Chosen One: "{282}{}{That's great. So you can do it?}"
Painless Doc Johnson: "{283}{}{Well, yes - but if I pack too much armor in, the patient sure isn't going to win any beauty prizes.}"
Chosen One: "{284}{}{I don't care about that; I just want the protection. What can you do, exactly?}"
Painless Doc Johnson: "{285}{}{There are actually four different operations that can be performed. There's Dermal Impact Armor that protects against impact, and there's Phoenix Armor Implants that protects against heat. Then each one has an Assault Enhancement as well. You have to get the basic armor before you can get the Assault Enhancement.}"
Chosen One: "{288}{}{Tell me more about the implants. I think I may want you to operate on me.}"
Painless Doc Johnson: "{290}{}{Which operation were you interested in?}"
Chosen One: "{291}{}{The Dermal Impact Armor.}"
Painless Doc Johnson: "{297}{}{According to what I've read, Dermal Impact Armor gives you 5% resistance to normal and explosive damage - over and above any other armor you're wearing. The operation takes about two days, one suit of Combat Armor (for parts), and it will cost you $5,000. This procedure should be fairly simple…I think. Hmm, you may not even scar all that badly.}" Chosen One: "{298}{}{That sounds great, Doc. Let's do it. I just hate getting shot, stabbed, and blown up all the damn time.}"
Painless Doc Johnson: "{323}{}{There, that should do it. The operation was a success. You shouldn't have to worry about bumps and bruises so much anymore. That swelling and tenderness will go down in a few days.}

[3] Vault 8 medical computer: "{144}{}{You spend almost an hour studying the archives. As you delve deeper into the database, you come across a series of older archives that contain schematics for some sort of "combat implants."}"
Chosen One: "{145}{}{Study the implant information.}
Medical computer: "{146}{}{The schematics detail an operation for grafting impact plates and thermal-dissipating membranes to a human skeleton, granting the subject resistance to physical trauma and heat. It looks like a complicated procedure.}"

[4] Chosen One: "{394}{}{Do you know anything about dermal implants?}
Dr. Troy: "{341}{}{Yes, I'm familiar with them. It's an invasive procedure, where impact plates and thermal dissipator membranes are grafted to the skeleton to help protect against physical trauma and heat. Why do you ask?}"
Chosen One: "{343}{}{I ran across them in the Vault City medical database. Could you perform the operation on me?}"
Dr Troy: "{348}{}{No, I'm sorry... as I said, the implants are an invasive procedure and the recovery period is long and arduous. Patients undergoing the operation in the past have also frequently developed skeletal deformities.}"
Chosen One: "{349}{}{I'm willing to risk it. Can you do it anyway?}"
Dr. Troy: "{350}{}{I would consider performing the operation only in the event of an emergency, not for the sake of convenience. The risk is too great, and the implants are not a substantial improvement over standard combat armor.}"

[5] Chosen One: "{206}{}{What can you tell me about armor implants?}"
Dr. Fung: "{207}{}{I helped write the article on armor implants. All it takes is my expertise and your materials. What sort of implants do you desire?}"
Chosen One: "{208}{}{What sort are there?}"
Doctor Fung: "{215}{}{We have dermal implants, which protect against concussive damage. If you like that work, we can add a single enhancement to it. We also have Phoenix implants, which protect against heat-based attacks, and which also have an upgrade available. If you’re interested in the upgrades, you will of course have to wait until the initial set has been installed. And before you ask, yes, you CAN have all four operations.}"
(...)
Chosen One: "{219}{}{I’d like the Phoenix implants.}"
Doctor Fung: "{229}{}{If you do not mind parting with $8500, a few days, and a set of combat armor, we can begin the operation now.}"
Chosen One: "{230}{}{Strap me down, doc. I’m ready to go.}"

[6] Sub-Dermal Armor: "Your skin has been toughened by the NEMEAN Sub-Dermal Armor, increasing your total Damage Threshold by 4."

[7] Usanagi: "That would be the NEMEAN Sub-Dermal Armor. It's a bit pricey - 8,000 caps - but the implant causes your skin cells to be bolstered with iron. It won't make you bulletproof, but it will make you a little harder to injure."

[8] (...)
Chosen One: "{227}{}{High impact.}"
Doc Andrew: "{240}{}{Well, technically, "high impact" is standard Dermal Impact Armor with extra assault-issue impact plates crammed under your skin.}"
Doc Andrew: "{241}{}{So you're gonna need the basic dermal graft first.}"
Chosen One: "{276}{}{Okay, what's involved?}"
Doc Andrew: "{246}{}{Well, I'm gonna need another set of combat armor to get the extra assault plates. Good thing is, the plates'll double the strength of the original grafts, so they'll absorb 10% of the kick. Except...}"
Chosen One: "{247}{}{Yes?}"
Doc Andrew: "{251}{}{It'll take a stretch, a few days at least, assuming the ol' Doctor don't mess it up. An' it's expensive. 40K, as I see it. Plus...well, it ain't gonna help your looks none.}"
Chosen One: "{252}{}{How much will it hurt my looks?}"
Doc Andrew: "{256}{}{All the curves you got are gonna become right angles, near as I can tell.}" or "{257}{}{You're gonna be all blocky-looking when I'm done.}" or "{258}{}{Shoving all those plates into your body means your charisma's gonna take a hit. You still game?}"
Chosen One: "{259}{}{Oh, what the hell. Here's the cash and the combat armor.}" (...)
Doc Andrew: "{310}{}{Can you hear me? Whew. I didn't think there was any room left for those impact plates, but I was able to pry a lot of muscle tissue and cartilage out of the way. They're in a jar over there, if you want a souvenir.}"

[9] Chosen One: "{218}{}{Give me the dermal upgrade.}"
Dr. Fung: "{226}{}{The dermal upgrade, eh? That will cost you several days of your life, $33000, combat armor, and a brand-new set of scars that you’ll never ever lose as long as you live.}"

[10] Chosen One: "{294}{}{The Assault Enhancement for the Phoenix Armor Implants.}"
Painless Doc Johnson: "{303}{}{You need to have the Dermal Impact Armor installed before I can give you the Assault Enhancement. But I'll tell you what it should do. The Assault Enhancement should give you a total of 10% resistance to normal and explosive damage - over and above any other armor you're wearing. The operation takes a few days and it'll cost you $30,000. In addition, you're not going to be too Charismatic after I finish. Cramming all those impact plates under your skin is going to make you look pretty damn angular, but in a very streamlined way. But who doesn't like the way a new car looks - I'll try not to give you tail-fins.}"
Painless Doc Johnson: "{304}{}{The Assault Enhancement of the Dermal Impact Armor should give you a total of 10% resistance to normal and explosive damage - over and above any other armor you're wearing. The operation takes a few days and it'll cost you $30,000. In addition, you're not going to be too Charismatic after I finish. Cramming all those impact plates under your skin is going to make you look pretty damn angular, but in a very streamlined way. But who doesn't like the way a new car looks - I'll try not to give you tail-fins. Ready to begin?}"
Chosen One: "{318}{}{That sounds great, Doc. Let's do it.}"
Painless Doc Johnson: "Painless Doc Johnson: "{324}{}{I wouldn't have thought that your skin could accommodate so many of those impact plates, but you're ready for action now. You not only look sort of like Frankenstein, but you should be as tough as him as well. Uh, try to stay out of the sun until most of the scabs slough off.}"

[1]