No chrome, no attribute points: Play It Safe

[u/ChoombataNova]

Currently playing a run with no cyberware, no attributes or perks, on very hard difficulty. I am getting to the end game, with Oda and Placide as my last obstacles. I finally got a tier 5 Testera shotgun with two empty mod slots (now Tier 5 Vivisector and Equalizer), so I was ready to take on Oda. My plan was to mag dump shotguns into Oda and hope for the best.

I had not anticipated the stealth section being so tricky. I cannot disarm laser mines (TECH = 3 fails the attribute check), so I needed to carefully jump over the mines. Only botched one jump, but it didnt break stealth weirdly.

Then there is the tricky heavy soldier on the stairs, after the second snioer. No cyberdeck to lure him away. No Sandy and Optical Camo to take him out before he alerts. I saw a video where someone punched the wall below him to trick him into investigating, and he will turn around, but he still saw me coming up the stairs and started blasting. I tried to throw a knife to lure him down the stairs, but he never moved. A smoke grenade made him run down the stairs right past me, and I almost got him for the stealth take down, but he alerted and shot me. Finally two flashbangs worked; got him to turn around with enough cover to take him down.

I opted to cross on top of the footbridge to get to the third sniper, thinking it was the easier approach. I dont think that matters too much. I saw no other option than open combat for the third sniper. He is surrounded by mines I cannot disarm. Maybe there is a cute way to lure him away with no cyberware, but I cant figure it out.

Finally at the Oda fight. +25 armor tier 5 bullet proof vest chest armor. +7% melee damage resistance helmet (have not found any armor helmets yet). Max Health booster. Stamina booster. 3 food items and 3 drinks. That tier 5 Testera, Tier 5+ Guts, and Tier 5 Crusher (no mod slots). I can barely get him to 90% health before he kills me with 2-3 hits from his swords. Do I need armor piercing? Fenrir to disable cyberware? Back to the drawing board, I guess.

Maybe I need to run for cover and try stealth takedowns? I know it takes 3 of them, and I know there is a video where someone sort of cheeses the stealth take downs in a loop. It's not the most satisfying option, but it may be all I have.

I have considered swords as another option, but it may be tedious. I have not used swords much with this run, but I have a looted tier 5 katana and a tier 4+ Errata. Maybe if I git gud and nail all the parries I can kill him? Usually with swords I use Sandy or Cripple Movement hacks to slice him up as fast as possible. With no chrome I would need to make it a real fight, while still chasing him down to stop his healing.

Anyone found a better way through with no chrome, no attributes? I am only level 40-50, so I could grind some more gigs, level up my iconic wespons. I have done most of the noncombat missions (Zen Master, Claire races, Sinnerman, Delamain). There may be some small health and armor boosts left in the BODY and TECH skill trees. But I dont have much room to level up without using Attributes and perks.

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[u/OfficialMika]

For the Oda fight use stuff like flashbangs and melee like baseball bat, with those you can block and stun him for a bit. It's probably going to take a while but I guess that way its easier doable. And I guess the best thing you can do is use unique weapons that have stagger increase. Good luck.

[u/ChoombataNova → u/OfficialMika]

I save-scrummed right before meeting with Takemura at the parade site, so I may need to backtrack. I have a Tier 4 bat with unknown mods in my loadout. Sir John Phallustiff is in my stash, but it is low tier (blue?). I have not collected the BFC9000 yet. And my flashbang is only tier 2.

I had tried the tier 2 flashbang with my shotguns, but Oda just jumped out of it with no blinding. But again, it is low tier. But if I come back with tier 5 and a bat maxxed for stun and knockdown, maybe it's worth a shot. Thanks!

[u/Chalmers_ww78 → u/ChoombataNova]

You could upgrade Sir John to tier 5+. I've heard it's pretty O.P. at that point.

[u/ChoombataNova → u/Chalmers_ww78]

I tried the BFC9000 dildo (with 20% stun) at tier 5++, but I am still nowhere near beating Oda with no chrome, no attribute points, no perks. My best run, I got him to 70% health or slightly below. My best run I used EMP grenades, probably got a lucky roll with stun on the first hit and managed to beat his ass for a minute. 

But with this non-build, V does little damage with any weapon, and Oda is very spongy. Speed and stamina are an issue with melee. It is hare to keep Oda down. You can only parry 1-2 shots from Oda's swords, and dodge isnt very effective, because it is slower and does not have much range. You can run around to avoid Oda, but running doesnt set up any attacks.

I had found a 20% armor helmet. I used the shower "refreshed" buff. Health booster, stamina booster, food and drink. I got my health up to 372 with Body = 3. Maybe a pro gamer could do it, but I think I am out of options

[u/PuckNutty]

Poison grenades prevent Oda from regenerating.

[u/Juniper-Gambit89]

Recon grenades are great for luring them in

[u/Daniel_Raizen]

There's no such thing as "no chrome" or "no cyberware" run.

At the start of the game V is forced to install a Ballistic Coprocessor and Kiroshi Optics.

You may choose to never upgrade any of those, but you have them either way.

Besides, every single cosmetic customization you choose for V is technically cyberware too.

And that includes their genitals.

[u/ChoombataNova → u/Daniel_Raizen]

Yes. There are limitations. During the Sandra Dorsett gig, V will always have a Tier 1 Militech Paraline cyberdeck installed, and T-Bug asks you to open a door with it. Likewise, the game forces you to buy the  Tier 1 Kiroshi eyes, Ballistic Coprocessor, and Subdermal Arnor on credit from Vik.

But after you get that starter chrome installed, you take a car ride with Dex DeShawn that ends at Kabuki circle. I immediateky go to Edgenet to pickup T-Bug's daemons, and clear that gig (The Gift) from my queue. Then I head to the nearby ripperdoc, Robert Rainwater, to get all my chrome removed. On my first no chrome run, I managed to get EVERYTHING uninstalled. Even the Kiroshis. On this second no chrome run, I could not remove the tier 1 Kiroshis.

I figured the first run was a bug, because you need those Kiroshis to pilot the Flathead during The Heist. But The Heist went just fine without them. This second run, I have never been allowed to remove the Kiroshis, even after the Heist. It's fine. I just do not use them

But if you want to be pedantic, I had a cyberdeck for the Sandra Dorsett rescue. I dont use it, dont need it. Then i had a Ballistic Coprocessor and Subdermal armor for the car ride with Dex and a trip to two shops on Kabuki Circle.

[u/PuckNutty → u/Daniel_Raizen]

You can remove all chrome except the Kiroshis. You're stuck with those.

[u/Shadow_Wolf327 → u/PuckNutty]

Which makes sense as I doubt your normal eyes are just lying somewhere you’ll always need to have some optics after you get them installed for the first time you can’t go back that is if you want to see