In addition to the previously-described set of Plasmids, the world of Rapture also contains dozens of different Gene Tonics. Unlike Plasmids, tonics work passively. Once slotted, their effects are always at work and impact whatever you do without selecting an individual one and pressing a button to use it. Although you only begin with four available Tonic Slots, you can purchase additional Tonic Slots (up to 18 total). The costs are as follows: slots 5-9 cost 25, slots 10-13 cost 35, and slots 14-18 cost 45 ADAM each at a Gatherer’s Garden vending machine.
Another key difference between Plasmids and tonics is that many of the advanced versions of tonics do not replace their inferior model. This then allows you to splice two or more similar tonics to stack the effects. For example, the Vending Expert and Vending Expert 2 tonics reduce the prices at vending machines by 10% and 15%, respectively. Instead of simply choosing the latter tonic, you can assign them both a slot and enjoy a total savings of 25%, the combined effects of the two tonics! This can be done with other paired tonics as well.
Health & Safety
The following assortment of tonics relate to the Big Daddy’s personal wellbeing. These physical tonics most commonly affect your ability to replenish health and EVE. Additionally, some of them increase your ability to move through the environment without detection and aid in your ability to see items that would otherwise go undetected.
Booze Hound
Location: In the northeast Maintenance Room at the Journey to the Surface ride station.
Effect: Drinking alcohol restores a small amount of EVE, rather than draining it.
Take full advantage of Rapture’s distilleries and vintners. Drink to your health with Booze Hound!
Cure All
Location: In the water-filled basement room of the Secret Lab beneath Joe’s Green Grocery in Siren Alley.
Effect: Health Stations also refill your EVE.
Use Rapture’s plentiful medical services to full advantage. With Cure All, you’ll be in tiptop shape whenever you visit a Health Station.
Demanding Father
Location: Given as a Little Sister Reward for rescuing eight Little Sisters.
Effect: Little Sisters gather ADAM more quickly.
If your little helpers keep getting interrupted while gathering, tell ‘em to get a move on with our Demanding Father tonic!
EVE Expert
Location: Available at Gatherer’s Garden machines starting at Fontaine Futuristics.
Effect: You can carry one more EVE Hypo.
Sometimes you need a little extra in your pocket to get you through these troubled times. Stock up on EVE Hypos for extended Plasmid use with EVE Expert!
EVE Link
Location: Available at the Gatherer’s Garden machines starting in Ryan Amusements.
Effect: First-Aid Kits also give you EVE.
Get more out of your First-Aid Kits with EVE Link. This revolutionary new Gene Tonic causes your body to produce EVE whenever you use First-Aid Kits.
EVE Saver
Location: Available at Gatherer’s Garden vending machines starting at Pauper’s Drop.
Effect: Plasmids use less EVE.
In today’s genetic wonderland, you probably feel like there’s never enough EVE at hand. With EVE Saver, your EVE can go farther than ever before!
EVE Saver 2
Location: Available at Gatherer’s Garden machines starting in Fontaine Futuristics.
Effect: Plasmids use even less EVE.
In today’s genetic wonderland, you probably feel like there’s never enough EVE at hand. With EVE Saver 2, your EVE can go farther than ever before!
Extra Nutrition
Location: Available at the Gatherer’s Garden machines starting in Ryan Amusements.
Effect: You gain a little extra health from snacks and bandages.
Extra Nutrition boosts your body’s natural ability to turn food into renewed vitality.
Fountain of Youth
Location: Awarded for Level 4 Research Bonus of Spider Splicer.
Effect: Standing in water slowly restores health and EVE.
In today’s Rapture, water is everywhere. Take advantage of maintenance issues with the Fountain of Youth tonic, and let that water wash your cares away.
Medical Expert
Location: Available at Gatherer’s Garden machines starting at Siren Alley.
Effect: You can carry one more First-Aid Kit.
Life’s bumps and bruises may sometimes seem overwhelming. Get back in the swing with a little more healing power in your pocket!
Proud Parent
Location: Given as a Little Sister Reward for rescuing four Little Sisters.
Effect: Your adopted Little Sisters gather slightly more ADAM.
Get even more out of your time spent with your Little Sister with the Proud Parent tonic. Any Little Sisters working for you start gathering slightly more ADAM from every corpse.
Scrounger
Location: Awarded for Level 4 Research Bonus of Thuggish Splicer.
Effect: When searching containers or corpses, you can search again to get different loot.
Splicing Scrounger is like having a sixth sense. You’ll spot things you’d otherwise miss and discover things you’d otherwise leave behind. With Scrounger, you’ll swear you have X-ray vision!
Sports Boost
Location: On a table just inside the entrance to the Rapture Museum at Ryan Amusements.
Effect: You move slightly faster.
In today’s dangerous times, it never hurts to be a little faster, a little quicker on the draw. Remember, you don’t have to outrun the crazed Splicer—just your neighbor!
Battle Ready
This next selection of tonics improves your ability in combat. These tonics enhance your ability to withstand attacks, conduct research, and attack enemies that get too close. You’ll want to use many of the research-oriented tonics in the middle of the game to ensure you complete all of the available research and earn the tonic awarded from each enemy type’s Research Reward.
Armored Shell
Location: Available at the Gatherer’s Garden machines starting in Ryan Amusements.
Effect: Reduces all physical damage.
Useful in any hazardous situation, Armored Shell offers automatic protection against life’s bumps and bruises. Don’t be a softie—use Armored Shell now.
Armored Shell 2
Location: Award for reaching Level 4 Research Reward with Brute Splicer.
Effect: Further reduces all physical damage.
Useful in any hazardous situation, Armored Shell 2 offers additional automatic protection against life’s bumps and bruises. Don’t be a softie—use Armored Shell 2 now!
Arms Race
Location: Awarded for reaching Level 4 Research Bonus with Big Daddies.
Effect: You are able to salvage more ammunition from bodies and containers.
Tired of constantly scrounging for ammo? Arms Race helps you find those extra rounds you’d otherwise miss.
Damage Research
Location: In the hallway as you exit the train station at Fontaine Futuristics.
Effect: Increases the value of the Damage Bonuses from research.
Are you a master of research? Get the most out of your unlocked Damage Bonuses with Damage Research!
Drill Lurker
Location: At Gatherer’s Garden machines starting in Pauper’s Drop.
Effect: Quiets your footsteps, and increases damage from melee attacks on unaware opponents, especially with the Drill Swing.
Why take enemies straight on? Lurker allows you to make the most of your opportunities when your antagonist is caught off-guard.
Drill Power
Location: In the hallway between the Rapture Museum and El Dorado Lounge at Ryan Amusements.
Effect: Your Drill does more damage when you spin or swing it.
Prefer your combat up close and personal? With Drill Power, your Drill attacks inflict more damage!
Drill Power 2
Location: In the Plasmid Laboratories Facade on the ground floor of Fontaine Futuristics.
Effect: Your Drill does even more damage when you spin or swing it.
Prefer punch-ups to shootouts? With Drill Power 2, you’ll be a master of melee!
Drill Specialist
Location: In the very back room of the J. Fischer Gallery in Dionysus Park.
Effect: Significantly decreases cost of Plasmids, but limits weapon selection to the Drill, Hack Tool, and Research Camera.
Who needs guns when you’ve got a Drill and nearly unlimited Plasmid power?
Drill Vampire
Location: Awarded for reaching Level 4 Research Bonus with Big Sister.
Effect: You gain small amounts of health and EVE when inflicting damage with the Drill.
Drill Vampire heals your body and your mind as you drill! Drain health right out of your foes—with Drill Vampire!
Electric Flesh
Location: At Gatherer’s Garden machines starting in Siren Alley.
Effect: You take no damage from electricity. You deal more damage when you use electrical attacks.
Supercharge your body with Electric Flesh, the ultimate in electricity enhancements. Insulate yourself from harm with new Electric Flesh!
Electrical Storm
Location: On the floor in the ladies’ restroom inside Triton Cinema at Dionysus Park.
Effect: You emit a burst of electricity when struck by melee attacks, shocking all around you.
Ryan Industries introduces the latest in wartime deterrent genetics. Electrical Storm makes you a walking Tesla coil, zapping anything and everything foolish enough to strike you.
Elemental Sponge
Location: In the cell with the keycode scrawled on the wall in Block B of Inner Persephone.
Effect: When you are damaged by elemental attacks, you gain a small amount of EVE.
Don’t let being set on fire ruin your day! With the Elemental Sponge tonic, you’ll get a bonus when your foes use the elements.
Elemental Storm
Location: Awarded for reaching Level 4 Research Bonus with Alpha Series.
Effect: You emit a random burst of fire, ice, or electricity when struck by melee attacks, damaging all around you.
Why stick with a boring routine when discouraging pesky foes? Use this tonic for a scorching, shocking, or chilling surprise!
Elemental Vampire
Location: In the lowermost area of Solitary Confinement inside Inner Persephone.
Effect: Your Level 3 elemental streams siphon off health from your enemies.
Sometimes you want more than to just watch your enemies burn alive. Sometimes you want to steal their precious life force, too. Elemental Vampire makes that possible. Give… and you shall receive.
Extended Reel
Location: Inside the projection booth upstairs in Triton Cinema.
Effect: Research sessions last a bit longer.
Get to know your enemies a little better! With Extended Reel, you’ll get more quality time with each research target.
Fire Storm
Location: In the upstairs apartments overlooking the Market in Pauper’s Drop.
Effect: You emit a burst of fire when struck by melee attacks, damaging all around you.
Ryan Industries presents a warm welcome for your enemies with Fire Storm! Set your foes on fire when they strike.
Freezing Drill
Location: Next to a corpse on the east end of the second floor of Sinclair Deluxe tenements in Pauper’s Drop.
Effect: You freeze enemies for longer, and all Drill attacks have a chance to freeze the target.
Leave your foes out in the cold with Freezing Drill!
Headhunter
Location: At Gatherer’s Garden machines starting in Pauper’s Drop.
Effect: Your headshots do more damage.
Do you have great aim? Get the most out of your marksmanship with the Headhunter tonic—any shots that hit the enemy in the head become even more deadly!
Ice Storm
Location: At Gatherer’s Garden machines starting in Dionysus Park.
Effect: You emit a burst of ice when struck by melee attacks, with a chance to freeze foes.
Give your enemies the cold shoulder. This tonic helps freeze your foes in their tracks—literally!
Keen Observer
Location: In Eleanor’s bedroom inside Grace’s apartment at Pauper’s Drop.
Effect: Increases Research Bonuses, allowing you to progress faster at research.
Get more bang for your research buck with Keen Observer. Carry your analysis further than you ever thought possible!
Keen Observer 2
Location: At Gatherer’s Garden machines starting in Dionysus Park.
Effect: Increases Research Bonuses even more, allowing you to progress faster at research.
Get even more bang for your research buck with Keen Observer 2. Carry your analysis further than you ever thought possible!
Natural Camouflage
Location: Awarded for reaching Level 4 Research Bonus with Houdini Splicer.
Effect: When standing still, you become invisible.
Need some peace and quiet? Splice in Natural Camouflage, stop moving, and just fade away. Remember, not seeing is believing!
Walking Inferno
Location: At Gatherer’s Garden machines starting in Siren Alley.
Effect: You take less damage from fire and inflict more damage when you use fire.
Walking Inferno—the hottest Plasmid in Rapture!
Man Over Machine
You won’t always have enough money to buy everything you want, nor do you always have the steady hand (or an Auto-Hack Dart) to hack the toughest systems. These tonics make it much easier to deal with the machinery of Rapture. Some of them even make your summoned Security Bots that much tougher, too!
Careful Hacker
Location: Available at the Gatherer’s Garden machines starting in Ryan Amusements.
Effect: The hacking needle moves slightly slower.
Take your time! With Careful Hacker, all machines move a little slower—giving you plenty of time to subvert their inner workings.
Careful Hacker 2
Location: In the locked space behind the walls of Plasmid Theater in Fontaine Futuristics.
Effect: The hacking needle moves slower.
Take your time! With Careful Hacker 2, all machines move more slowly—giving you plenty of time to subvert their inner workings.
Deadly Machines
Location: Awarded for reaching Level 4 Research Bonus with Security.
Effect: Your hacked Bots and Turrets do more damage.
Ryan Industries adds even more value to your personal defenses with the Deadly Machines tonic! Any Security Bots or Turrets you control can deal even more damage to any parasites after what’s yours.
EZ-Hack
Location: At Gatherer’s Garden machines starting in Siren Alley.
Effect: Hacking success zones become a little larger.
Machines these days. It seems like every time you turn around, everything’s smaller and more fiddly. Put an end to this new-fangled nonsense with EZ-Hack! It makes all the success bars grow!
Hacker’s Delight
Location: On the roof of the flower shop near the Fishbowl Diner in Pauper’s Drop.
Effect: Every time you hack something, you gain a little health and EVE.
With Hacker’s Delight, your body converts the altered current from a hacked machine into a powerful healing agent. Hack and heal!
Hacker’s Delight 2
Location: On the second floor of the Pink Pearl in Siren Alley.
Effect: Every time you hack something, you gain a little more health and EVE.
With Hacker’s Delight 2, your body converts the altered current from a hacked machine into a powerful healing agent. Hack and heal!
Handyman
Location: On the counter inside the Poisoned Apple in Siren Alley.
Effect: Repair (and name) friendly Security Bots and Turrets by interacting with them.
When your Security friends take a bullet for you, put them back into tiptop shape with a bit of EVE!
Hardy Machines
Location: Near the safe in the back room of Imago Fine Arts at Dionysus Park.
Effect: Hacking a Turret or Security Bot raises its max health.
A hacked Turret or Security Bot can be your greatest friend. Make that friendship last longer with the new Hardy Machines tonic from Ryan Industries!
Hurried Hacker
Location: Available at Gatherer’s Garden machines starting in Fontaine Futuristics.
Effect: Landing in a blue bonus zone ends a hack instantly.
Are you a master hacker? Show off your skill and hack instantly!
Machine Buster
Location: At Gatherer’s Garden machines starting in Pauper’s Drop.
Effect: Increases damage you deal
to Security Cameras, Security Bots, and Turrets.
In today’s automated environment, you may find yourself up against hostiles not made of flesh and blood. Machine Buster gives you the edge you’ve been looking for against metal-plated antagonists.
Quik-Hack
Location: At Gatherer’s Garden machines starting in Dionysus Park.
Effect: Hacking has fewer stages.
Rewiring complex machines can sometimes take more time than you have. With Quik-Hack, your hacking time becomes a little shorter.
Security Evasion
Location: Available at Gatherer’s Garden machines starting at Siren Alley.
Effect: Security Cameras and Turrets take longer to see you.
Tired of getting bushwhacked by Bots and Turrets? Equip Security Evasion for a little extra time to get out of their sights.
Short Circuit
Location: At Gatherer’s Garden machines starting in Pauper’s Drop.
Effect: Your electrical attacks
disable security devices much longer.
Tired of shocking Turrets and Security Bots again and again? Equip Short Circuit, and your electric shocks subsequently keep machines down much longer!
Short Circuit 2
Location: Available at Gatherer’s Garden machines starting in Fontaine Futuristics.
Effect: Your electrical attacks disable security devices permanently.
Keep machines down for the count when you shock them. Equip Short Circuit 2, and your electric shocks now put machines offline permanently!
Shorten Alarms
Location: In the third floor office in the northeast corner of the Town Square area of Pauper’s Drop.
Effect: Reduces duration of Security Camera alarms.
What sound is more ominous than a yammering security alarm? With Shorten Alarms spliced, you’ll be in the clear in no time flat.
Shorten Alarms 2
Location: At Gatherer’s Garden machines starting in Dionysus Park.
Effect: Further reduces duration of camera alarms.
What sound is more ominous than a yammering security alarm? With Shorten Alarms 2 spliced, alarms quiet down even more quickly.
Thrifty Hacker
Location: Award for reaching Level 4 Research Reward with Leadhead Splicer.
Effect: Hacked vending prices are even cheaper.
Sometimes the advertised price is just a suggestion. Make your hacked vending machines even more valuable with Thrifty Hacker!
Vending Expert
Location: In a narrow maintenance corridor below Plaza Hedone, near the grocery store.
Effect: Reduces prizes in vending machines.
Enjoy a special discount at all of Rapture’s vending machines.
Vending Expert 2
Location: Successfully chase the Unstable Teleport Plasmid through Fontaine Futuristics.
Effect: Further reduces prizes in vending machines.
Watch your dollars go even further with Vending Expert 2. Enjoy rock bottom prices from all of Rapture’s vending machines.