Research is one of the technical skills available in System Shock 2. By researching Annelid artifacts, the player can unlock the use of new weapons and Implants, and increase damage against annelid enemies. Many objects have a minimum level of Research skill necessary to research them. Typically, researching objects requires one or more chemicals. The LabAssistant™ Implant raises the player's Research stat by 1.
Research Table[]
| Minimum Skill | Object | Chemicals Needed |
| 1 | Hybrid Organ | − |
| Monkey Brain | Fermium (50%) | |
| Annelid Healing Gland | Osmium (25,2%) | |
| Psi Booster | Iridium (41,7%), Sodium (77,8%) | |
| Midwife Organ | − | |
| Toxin-A | Antimony (5%), Vanadium (10%), Antimony (40,1%) | |
| Annelid Psi Organ | Yttrium (22,7%), Gallium (63,7%) | |
| Grub Pod Organ | Gallium (33,4%), Californium (66,8%) | |
| Arachnid Organ | Iridium (50%) | |
| Swarm Pod Organ | − | |
| Rumbler Organ | Molybdenum (35,5%) | |
| Psi Reaver Organ | Radium (33,3%) | |
| Greater Psi Reaver Organ | Radium (25%), Barium (80,4%) | |
| 2 | WormBlend | Arsenic (82,4%) |
| 3 | WormMind | Cesium (44,1%) |
| Viral Proliferator | Tellurium (1,2%), Technetium (39,9%) | |
| WormSkin Armor | Hassium (11,1%), Technetium (91,1%) | |
| 4 | Crystal Shard | Yttrium (88,9%) |
| WormBlood | Copper (33,4%) | |
| 5 | WormHeart | Cesium (12,5%), Hassium (25%) |
| 6 | Annelid Launcher | Selenium (12,2%), Molybdenum (92,6%) |
Research Time Table[]
| Object | Research Time at Skill Level | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| Hybrid Organ | 1:30 | 0:45 | 0:18 | 0:09 | 0:05 | 0:04 | 0:02 | 0:02 | 0:01 | 0:01 |
| Monkey Brain | 10:00 | 5:00 | 2:00 | 1:00 | 0:35 | 0:23 | 0:16 | 0:12 | 0:09 | 0:07 |
| Annelid Healing Gland | 13:20 | 6:40 | 2:40 | 1:20 | 0:47 | 0:31 | 0:22 | 0:16 | 0:12 | 0:10 |
| Psi Booster | 30:00 | 15:00 | 6:00 | 3:00 | 1:46 | 1:09 | 0:49 | 0:36 | 0:28 | 0:22 |
| Midwife Organ | 10:00 | 5:00 | 2:00 | 1:00 | 0:35 | 0:23 | 0:16 | 0:12 | 0:09 | 0:07 |
| Toxin-A | 10:00 | 5:00 | 2:00 | 1:00 | 0:35 | 0:23 | 0:16 | 0:12 | 0:09 | 0:07 |
| Annelid Psi Organ | 18:20 | 9:10 | 3:40 | 1:50 | 1:05 | 0:42 | 0:30 | 0:22 | 0:17 | 0:13 |
| Grub Pod Organ | 12:00 | 6:00 | 2:24 | 1:12 | 0:42 | 0:28 | 0:20 | 0:14 | 0:11 | 0:09 |
| Arachnid Organ | 1:13:20 | 36:40 | 14:40 | 7:20 | 4:19 | 2:49 | 1:59 | 1:28 | 1:08 | 0:54 |
| Swarm Pod Organ | 25:00 | 12:30 | 5:00 | 2:30 | 1:28 | 0:58 | 0:41 | 0:30 | 0:23 | 0:18 |
| Rumbler Organ | 36:40 | 18:20 | 7:20 | 3:40 | 2:09 | 1:25 | 1:00 | 0:44 | 0:34 | 0:27 |
| Psi Reaver Organ | 1:00:00 | 30:00 | 12:00 | 6:00 | 3:32 | 2:19 | 1:37 | 1:12 | 0:55 | 0:44 |
| Greater Psi Reaver Organ | 1:20:00 | 40:00 | 16:00 | 8:00 | 4:42 | 3:05 | 2:10 | 1:36 | 1:14 | 0:59 |
| WormBlend | − | 28:20 | 11:20 | 5:40 | 3:20 | 2:11 | 1:32 | 1:08 | 0:52 | 0:42 |
| WormMind | − | − | 11:20 | 5:40 | 3:20 | 2:11 | 1:32 | 1:08 | 0:52 | 0:42 |
| Viral Proliferator | − | − | 33:20 | 16:40 | 9:48 | 6:25 | 4:30 | 3:20 | 2:34 | 2:02 |
| WormSkin Armor | − | − | 9:00 | 4:30 | 2:39 | 1:44 | 1:13 | 0:54 | 0:42 | 0:33 |
| Crystal Shard | − | − | − | 4:30 | 2:39 | 1:44 | 1:13 | 0:54 | 0:42 | 0:33 |
| WormBlood | − | − | − | 1:30 | 0:53 | 0:35 | 0:24 | 0:18 | 0:14 | 0:11 |
| WormHeart | − | − | − | − | 4:42 | 3:05 | 2:10 | 1:36 | 1:14 | 0:59 |
| Annelid Launcher | − | − | − | − | − | 3:28 | 2:26 | 1:48 | 1:23 | 1:06 |
| System Shock 2 Character Build | ||
|---|---|---|
| Classes | Marine • Navy Sailor • OSA Agent | |
| Statistics | Strength • Endurance • Psionic Ability • Agility • Cybernetic Affinity | |
| Technical Skills | Hacking • Repair • Modify • Maintenance • Research | |
| Weapon Skills | Standard Weapons • Energy Weapons • Heavy Weapons • Exotic Weapons | |
| O/S Upgrades | Cyber-Assimilation • Cybernetically Enhanced • Lethal Weapon • Naturally Able • Pack-Rat • Pharmo-Friendly •Power Psi • Replicator Expert • Security Expert • Sharpshooter • Smasher • Spatially Aware • Speedy • Strong Metabolism • Tank • Tinker | |