So you’re looking to be a netrunner? If you want to hack access points and set your enemies ablaze, you’re going to need some serious RAM. Without it, you’ll flatline faster than a Tyger Claw thinking he can take on an armed Arasaka transport.
Luckily, there’s no shortage of ways to up your game in Night City. Your first focus should be on your attributes and perks. With those in place you’ll actually be able to use the nova gear your local ripperdoc has on offer. Strap in, choom, let’s max that RAM.
Upgrade Intelligence
If you’re planning on doing more than dipping your toes into the Net, then you might as well pump every attribute point you have into your Intelligence attribute. A higher Intelligence score is going to give you access to some RAM-boosting perks, but that’s not all. Every four points will also give you a plus one to your base RAM score.
While you’re leveling up your attributes, don’t forget about your skills. Leveling up your Netrunner skill will also boost your RAM. Specifically, levels ten and thirty each give you another plus one.
Get some perks
After you’ve got some Intelligence points locked in, it’s time to look at your perks. The best RAM boosts come from the leftmost perk tree. The first level of Hack Queue and Queue Acceleration will give you another plus one to your RAM. Along the way up, you’ll also unlock some ways to reduce the RAM cost of your favorite quickhacks. Since reducing cost is nearly as good as boosting RAM directly, you should go ahead and max out all the core perks on this tree.
Check your cyberdeck
You’ve got some base RAM, but now you need to make sure you can put it to use. If you want to be a netrunner, then you’ll need a netdeck slotted into your operating system. Your ripperdoc of choice should be able to supply you with a bevy of different cyberdecks. Each comes with its own allotment of RAM. The weakest decks will give you an additional three RAM. The rarest can boost your RAM by more than ten points, so get out there and find them.
Chrome up, choom
Wow, you really can’t get enough, can you? The last way to reliably increase your RAM is to increase your chrome. A handful of different cyberware options can help you out in this department.Your go-to options are going to be frontal cortex cyberware, but it doesn’t stop there. Certain skeleton upgrades, like the RAM recoup, will also give you a boost. Getting a Smart Link implanted in your hand will add some more RAM to your growing pile. The full package will make you a god of the Net, but be careful, choom. We wouldn’t want to see you go cyberpsycho.
Temporary boosts
If you just need a short term hit of RAM, there are a couple options at your disposal. You can down a glass of RAM Jolt to get two extra RAM slots for thirty minutes. That is, if you can stand the taste.
Otherwise, it’s back to the Intelligence perk tree. Level up the middle tree until you unlock Overclock. That bad boy will let you burn past your max RAM by spending your HP instead. It takes a balancing act not to zero yourself, but when you need to dish out some serious quickhacks, it’ll more than do the trick.
