Neuromod

A Neuromod, short for Neural Modifier, is a tool developed by TranStar that lets Morgan upgrade their abilities in Prey (2017). They can be found throughout the Talos I station.

Overview
Neuromods change the structure of the user's brain based on a template scanned from someone with the relevant skills: for example, a Neuromod created from a scan of a concert pianist will allow the user to have all the skills that pianist had and play as if they had always known how to. These scans can even be gathered from individuals no longer able to perform the actions themselves, and many of the volunteers for the program are in such a state, seeing having their brain scanned as allowing their skills to live on in others.

The scanned synaptic pattern is then used to construct the Neuromod itself. The device consists of a pistol-like injector which has two long needles which seem to enter around the orbit of the eyeball, and an emitter in line with the middle of the eyeball. The serum injected by the needles effects either the optic nerve or the visual cortex, priming the brain for reprogramming. The Neuromod produces a "map" of the user's brain, compares this to the desired synaptic pattern, and then extrapolates the changes required to create a match: in essence, it creates a version of the brain scan that already knows the desired knowledge, and them rebuilds the brain to match it.

Extracting a Neuromod resets the brain to the state it was in before the Neuromod was applied, meaning not only the loss of the desired skill, but also the loss of all memories obtained in the period of time since the Neuromod was installed. This can result in drastic changes to the user's personality, a result of the loss of potentially years of experience.

A degenerative condition known as "Paraplexis" or more colloquially as "white noise" is known to prevent installation of Neuromods and also renders the subject's brain unable to be scanned.

Manufacturing
The process to manufacture Neuromods is gruesome to say the least. First, individuals who are supposedly death row inmates are locked inside of a containment cell, where a Mimic is then released. The Mimic kills and absorbs the human, thereby producing a few more Mimics. The Mimics are then processed into raw exotic material using a Recycling field, which can then be plugged into a Fabricator along with some more mundane ingredients which presumably form the injector.

Gameplay
In the game itself, the requirement of each production of Neuromod is 1 Organic, 2 Synthetic, 2 Mineral and 3 Exotic Material. The exotic material required to make Neuromods (also used in Psi Hypos) is actually very easy to collect, as later in game there are extremely rich sources of typhon organs.

After the Typhon outbreak erupts, if Morgan Yu manufactures too many Neuromods, the Fabricator issues an alarm message indicating that the manufacturing DRM has expired, a failsafe added against Alex Yu's orders by Halden Graves. In order to manufacture more Neuromods, Morgan has to find Halden Graves's computer and lift the restriction.

Some of the Neuromod upgrades are a little "gamey" and are probably not intended reflect the storyline description of what a Neuromod can do: the most obvious would be the Suit Modification and Psychotronics mod series, as it is a little hard to explain how a brain modification could affect things the user is wearing.

Skill Trees
The abilities Morgan can learn using Neuromods are divided into two broad categories: Human and Alien. These categories are in turn divided into three subcategories each: Scientist, Engineer and Security for human; and Energy, Morph and Telepathy for Alien.

Human
A wide variety of commercially available Neuromods selected by Morgan Yu for potential usefulness prior to losing their memory which enhance Morgan's human abilities. All but those involving the Psychoscope are available for unlock from the beginning of the game. 218 Neuromods in total are required to max out these three skill trees.

Scientist
Use knowledge of science, medicine, and specialized lab equipment to your advantage.


 * Hacking I: Bypass level 1 security measures on computers and robotic systems. Neuromods required: 1.
 * Hacking II: Bypass level 2 security measures on computers and robotic systems. Neuromods required: 4.
 * Hacking III: Bypass level 3 security measures on computers and robotic systems. Neuromods required: 6.
 * Hacking IV: Bypass level 4 security measures on computers and robotic systems. Neuromods required: 8.
 * Physician I: Your knowledge of medical practice increases the effectiveness of Medkits to 150%. Neuromods required: 1.
 * Metabolic Boost: Doubles both the duration of the Well Fed bonus and the health gained by consuming food. Neuromods required: 2.
 * Physician II: Your knowledge of medical practice increases the effectiveness of Medkits to 300%. Neuromods required: 3.
 * Necropsy: Recover more valuable organs from Typhon remains. Typhon organs can be recycled for exotic material which is used in the fabrication of Neuromods. Neuromods required: 4.

The following abilities only unlock when the Psychoscope is acquired:


 * Psionic Aptitude I: Increase your psi pool to 150. Neuromods required: 2.
 * Psionic Aptitude II: Increases your psi pool to 200. Neuromods required: 3.
 * Psionic Aptitude III: Increases your psi pool to 250. Neuromods required: 5.
 * Neurostimulant I: Increases the effectiveness of psi hypos by 50%. Neuromods required: 2.
 * Neurostimulant II: Increases the effectiveness of psi hypos by 100%. Neuromods required: 3.
 * Psychotronics I: Unlocks 2 additional Psychoscope Chipset slots. Neuromods required: 3.
 * Psychotronics II: Unlocks 2 additional Psychoscope Chipset slots. Neuromods required: 5.
 * Psychotronics III: Unlocks 2 additional Psychoscope Chipset slots. Neuromods required: 6.

Engineer
Specialize in modifying your gear, repairing and crushing problems with your wrench.


 * Leverage I: Lift heavy objects with ease and throw objects further. Thrown objects will damage enemies. Neuromods required: 1. (Thrown explosive canisters will also detonate on impact. It is worth noting that due to the physics engine, Leverage I objects can move Leverage III objects if the former is shoved into or thrown at the latter in the right way, and so the two following upgrades are almost never actually needed, even ignoring that Recycler Charges can be used to clear these objects)
 * Leverage II: Lift even heavier objects and throw objects even further. Thrown objects will damage enemies. Neuromods required: 4.
 * Leverage III: Lift anything that isn't bolted to the floor and throw objects even further. Your brute strength can be applied to force open an unpowered door. Neuromods required: 6.
 * Repair I: Fix broken Grav Shafts, Fabricators, and Recyclers with Spare Parts. Neuromods required: 1.
 * Gunsmith I: Allows use of Weapon Upgrade Kits to upgrade security weapons beyond modification level 1. Neuromods required: 2. ("Security weapons" are the Shotgun, Disruptor Stun Gun and Silenced Pistol)
 * Gunsmith II: Allows use of Weapon Upgrade Kits to fully upgrade security weapons. Neuromods required: 6.
 * Repair II: Fix broken Turrets, Operators and Electrical junctions with Spare Parts. Increased efficiency with Spare Parts. Neuromods required: 4.
 * Repair III: Fortify Turrets with Spare Parts, Increased efficiency with Spare Parts. Neuromods required: 8.
 * Suit Modification I: Upgrade your TranStar uniform with extra inventory space and allow installation of two additional chipsets. Neuromods required: 2.
 * Suit Modification II: Upgrade your TranStar uniform with extra inventory space and allow installation of two additional chipsets. Neuromods required: 4.
 * Suit Modification III: Upgrade your TranStar uniform with extra inventory space and allow installation of two additional chipsets. Neuromods required: 6.
 * Dismantle: Break down equipment in your inventory into Spare Parts and recover Spare Parts from destroyed Operators or Turrets. Neuromods required: 2.
 * Materials Expert: Increase recycling yield by 20%. Neuromods required: 3. (Affects both material recycler and Recycler Charge yields)
 * Lab Tech I: Allows use of Weapon Upgrade Kits to upgrade non-standard tech weapons beyond modification level 1. Neuromods required: 4. ("Non-standard tech weapons" are the GLOO Cannon and Q-Beam)
 * Lab Tech II: Allows use of Weapon Upgrade Kits to fully upgrade non-standard tech weapons. Neuromods required: 6.
 * Impact Calibration I: Reduce stamina cost of wrench attacks by 25%. Neuromods required: 2.
 * Impact Calibration II: Wrench Attacks deal 50% more damage. Neuromods required: 5.
 * Pulverize: Attacking with the wrench has a 25% chance to do Bonus Damage. Neuromods required: 4.

Security
Boost your physical abilities, skill with firearms, and security tactics.


 * Firearms I: Increases damage with security weapons to 120% and chance to critically hit to 6%. Neuromods required: 2.
 * Firearms II: Increases damage with security weapons to 150% and chance to critically hit to 10%. Neuromods required: 6.
 * Conditioning: Increase your health to 115 and your stamina to 105. Run, sneak, climb, and sprint 5% faster. Neuromods required: 1.
 * Toughness I: Increase your health to 150. Natural life span increased by 25 years. Neuromods required: 2.
 * Toughness II: Increase your health to 200. Natural life span increased by 50 years. Neuromods required: 4.
 * Toughness III: Increase your health to 300. Natural life span increased by 75 years. Neuromods required: 8.
 * Stamina I: Increase your stamina to 125. Neuromods required: 3.
 * Stamina II: Increase your stamina to 150. Neuromods required: 5.
 * Mobility I: Increase overall movement speed. Run, sneak, climb and sprint 25% faster. Neuromods required: 2.
 * Mobility II: Gain the ability to sprint with ludicrous speed and to jump incredibly high. Neuromods required: 6.
 * Combat Focus I: Enter a state of Combat Focus for 10 seconds in which time slows around you and actions cost 50% stamina. Neuromods required: 1.
 * Combat Focus II: Combat Focus duration increases to 15 seconds, time slows less for you than your enemies, your attacks deal 120% damage, and actions cost 25% Stamina. Neuromods required: 3.
 * Combat Focus III: Combat Focus duration increases to 20 seconds, time slows less for you than you but you can move normally, your attacks deal 150% damage, and actions cost no Stamina. Neuromods required: 6.
 * Stealth I: Enemies take longer to detect you when you are sneaking or crawling. Neuromods required: 2.
 * Stealth II: Walk and Run without making noise. Neuromods required: 4.
 * Stealth III: Sprint without making noise. Neuromods required: 8.
 * Sneak Attack I: Do 200% damage to enemies while they are unaware of you. Neuromods required: 2.
 * Sneak Attack II: Do 250% damage to enemies while they are unaware of you. Neuromods required: 4.

Alien
Alien powers that Morgan Yu can discover by scanning the Typhon aliens on Talos 1 with the Psychoscopes. Turrets will identify Morgan as a Typhon organism and attack if more than two Typhon Neuromods are installed (that is, two powers, regardless of how many Neuromods they actually cost to unlock). 159 Neuromods are required to max out these three skill trees.

Energy
Harness the destructive power of electricity, fire, and kinetic energy
 * Kinetic Blast I: Create a blast that deals up to 50 damage and pushes away anything within 5 meters of the target. Neuromods required: 2. Scannable targets: Cystoid, Nightmare, Phantom, and Telepath.
 * Kinetic Blast II: Create a blast that deals up to 75 damage and pushes away anything within 6 meters of the target. Neuromods required: 5. Scannable targets: Nightmare, Phantom, and Telepath.
 * Kinetic Blast III: Create a physical blast that deals up to 100 damage and pushes away anything within 7 meters of the targeted area. Neuromods required: 2. Scannable targets: Nightmare and Telepath.
 * Lift Field I: Manipulate gravity to create a column of upward force up to 7m tall that lasts 15 seconds and can trap enemies. Neuromods required: 2. Scannable targets: Poltergeist.
 * Lift Field II: Manipulate gravity to create a column of upward force up to 12m tall that lasts 15 seconds and can trap enemies. Neuromods required: 5. Scannable targets: Poltergeist. Automatically scanned if the player accesses Morgan Yu's Typhon research on Dr. Bellamy's workstation (side-quest "The Corpse Vanishes").


 * Electrostatic Burst I: Create an electrostatic blast that deals up to 25 damage within 3 meters of the target area. Additionally, the burst disrupts electronic equipment, stuns robotic targets for 3 seconds, and stuns biological for 2 seconds. Neuromods required: 3. Scannable targets: Technopath and Voltaic Phantom.
 * Electrostatic Resistance: Take 50% less damage from electrical attacks and hazards and negate stun. Neuromods required: 2. Scannable target: Voltaic Phantom.
 * Electrostatic Absorption: Absorb 50% of all electrical damage as PSI points. Neuromods required: 4. Scannable targets: Voltaic Phantom.
 * Electrostatic Burst II: Create an electrostatic blast that deals up to 40 damage within 4 meters of the target area. Additionally, the burst disrupts electronic equipment, stuns robotic targets for 6 seconds, and stuns biological for 4 seconds. Neuromods required: 5. Scannable targets: Technopath and Voltaic Phantom.
 * Electrostatic Burst III: Create an electrostatic blast that deals up to 55 damage within 5 meters of the target area. Additionally, the burst disrupts electronic equipment, stuns robotic targets for 9 seconds, and stuns biological for 6 seconds. Neuromods required: 5. Scannable targets: Technopath and Voltaic Phantom.
 * Superthermal I: Create 1 trap of super-heated plasma that deals up to 75 fire damage within 3.5 meters when triggered. Organic enemies will continue to burn for several seconds. Neuromods required: 3. Scannable targets: Thermal Phantom.
 * Superthermal II: Create 2 traps of super-heated plasma that deals up to 100 fire damage within 4.5 meters when triggered. Organic enemies will continue to burn for several seconds. Neuromods required: 5. Scannable targets: Thermal Phantom.
 * Superthermal III: Create 3 traps of super-heated plasma that deals up to 125 fire damage within 5.5 meters when triggered. Organic enemies will continue to burn for several seconds. Neuromods required: 5. Scannable targets: Thermal Phantom.
 * Thermal Resistance: Take 50% less damage from fire attacks and hazards. Neuromods required: 2. Scannable targets: Thermal Phantom.
 * Thermal Absorption: Absorb 50% of all fire damage as PSI points. Neuromods required: 4. Scannable targets: Thermal Phantom.

Morph
Manipulate the psychoactive ether to change shape and dupe your enemies.
 * Mimic Matter I: Camouflage yourself by taking the form of a nearby object. Uses 2 psi per second. Neuromods required: 2. Scannable targets: Greater Mimic and Mimic.
 * Mimic Matter II: Camouflage yourself by taking the form of a nearby object. Mimic slightly more complex machines such as turrets. Uses 2 psi per second. Neuromods required: 4. Scannable targets: Mimic.
 * Mimic Matter III: Camouflage yourself by taking the form of a nearby object. Mimic complex machinery such as Operators. Uses 2 psi per socond. Neuromods required: 5. Scannable targets: Mimic.
 * Regeneration I: Regenerate up to 10 health immediately after taking damage. Neuromods required: 3. Scannable targets: Greater Mimic and Nightmare.
 * Regeneration II: Regenerate up to 25 health immediately after taking damage. Neuromods required: 5. Scannable targets: Nightmare.
 * Phantom Shift I: Rapidly change position up to 6 meters away and leave behind a double that fools enemies for 4 seconds. Neuromods required: 2. Scannable targets: Etheric Phantom.
 * Phantom Shift II: Rapidly change position up to 12 meters away and leave behind a double that fools enemies for 8 seconds. Neuromods required: 4. Scannable targets: Etheric Phantom.
 * Phantom Genesis I: Create a Phantom that will fight for you from a human corpse. Neuromods required: 4. Scannable targets: Weaver. (Spawns only a basic Phantom)
 * Phantom Genesis II: Create a more powerful Phantom to fight for you from a human corpse. Phantom type is randomly determined. Neuromods required: 5. Scannable targets: Weaver. (Can spawn either a Voltaic Phantom, Etheric Phantom or Thermal Phantom. Unclear if it can spawn Poltergeists)
 * Ether Resistance: Take 50% less damage from ether attacks and hazards. Neuromods required: 1. Scannable targets: Etheric Phantom.
 * Ether Absorption: Absorb 50% of all ether damage as psi points. Neuromods required: 3. Scannable targets: Etheric Phantom.

Telepathy
Use your mind as a weapon or manipulate technology and objects at a distance.
 * Backlash I: Create a shield for 20 seconds which prevents the next enemy attack from damaging you. Enemies that attack the shield are repelled. Neuromods required: 3. Scannable targets: Nightmare and Weaver.
 * Backlash II: Create a shield for 20 seconds which prevents the next 2 enemies attack from damaging you. Enemies that attack the shield are repelled. Neuromods required: 5. Scannable targets: Nightmare and Weaver.
 * Backlash III: Create a shield for 20 seconds which prevents the next 3 enemies attack from damaging you. Enemies that attack the shield are repelled. Neuromods required: 8. Scannable targets: Nightmare and Weaver.
 * Fear Resistance: Reduce duration of fear effects by 25%. Neuromods required: 2. Scannable targets: Nightmare.
 * Psychoshock I: Execute a direct psychic attack against biological targets for 45 damage and nullify psi abilities for 10 seconds. Neuromods required: 3. Scannable targets: Mind-Controlled Human and Telepath. (Also lowers the enemy's defense against damage from all other sources for the same period as psi nullification)
 * Mindjack I: Force biological enemies to end hostilities and fight for you up to 20 seconds. Also frees humans from Typhon mind control. Neuromods required: 2. Scannable targets: Mind-Controlled Human and Telepath.
 * Mindjack II: Force biological enemies to end hostilities and fight for you up to 40 seconds. Also frees humans from Typhon mind control. Neuromods required: 2. Scannable targets: Mind-Controlled Human and Telepath. Neuromods required: 4. Scannable targets: Telepath.
 * Mindjack III: Force biological enemies to end hostilities and fight for you up to 60 seconds. Also frees humans from Typhon mind control. Neuromods required: 2. Scannable targets: Mind-Controlled Human and Telepath. Neuromods required: 6. Scannable targets: Telepath.
 * Psychoshock II: Execute a direct psychic attack against biological targets for 65 damage and nullify psi abilities for 15 seconds. Neuromods required: 5. Scannable targets: Telepath. (Also lowers the enemy's defense against damage from all other sources for the same period as psi nullification)
 * Psychoshock III: Execute a direct psychic attack against biological targets for 90 damage and nullify psi abilities for 20 seconds. Neuromods required: 5. Scannable targets: Telepath. (Also lowers the enemy's defense against damage from all other sources for the same period as psi nullification)
 * Remote Manipulation I: Use your mind to retrieve distant objects and interact with devices up to 10 meters away. Neuromods required: 2. Scannable targets: Corrupted Operator, Poltergeist, and Technopath.
 * Remote Manipulation II: Use your mind to retrieve distant objects and interact with devices up to 20 meters away. Neuromods required: 3. Scannable targets: Poltergeist and Technopath.
 * Remote Manipulation III: Use your mind to retrieve distant objects and interact with devices up to 30 meters away. Neuromods required: 5. Scannable targets: Technopath.
 * Machine Mind I: Force robotic enemies to end hostilities and fight for you for 30 seconds. Neuromods required: 2. Scannable targets: Corrupted Operator.
 * Machine Mind II: Force robotic enemies to end hostilities and fight for you for 60 seconds. Neuromods required: 3. Scannable targets: Technopath.
 * Machine Mind III: Force robotic enemies to end hostilities and fight for you for 90 seconds. Neuromods required: 5. Scannable targets: Technopath.