Buy a Slot in Bioshock

Bioshock is a 2007 first-person shooter video game set in a 1960s underwater dystopia. The game was developed by 2k Games and offers versions for the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3, also for the PC. You can buy either of two kinds of ability slots -- plasmid (special power) or tonic (passive ability) --that allow you to use many talents simultaneously. There are three types of tonic slots -- physical, engineering, and combat -- while there are a range of plasmid types, including elemental attacks, telekinesis, and insect swarms. Plasmids and tonics are essential to surviving against most enemies in the game. The guide below tells you how to purchase slots and select abilities to put into them.

Steps

Buying Slots from Gatherer's Gardens

1. Travel to a "Gatherer's Garden" vending machine. These machines are pink and have statues of Little Sisters on either side. A recurring jingle plays every time you are near one. If you access the map in the Pause menu, Gatherer's Garden locations are marked by "Little Sister" icons.
   • You can find Gatherer's Gardens in most sections of the game, including Arcadia, Fort Frolic, Medical Pavilion, Neptune's Bounty, Olympus Heights, Apollo Square, Point Prometheus, and Proving Grounds.
2. Access the Gatherer's Garden menu and purchase slots from the item list. Choose from Plasmid, Physical Tonic, Combat Tonic, and Engineering Tonic slots.
   • Plasmid slots cost 100 ADAM, while tonic slots cost 80 ADAM. These prices never increase throughout the game.
   • Players can purchase up to 6 plasmid and 12 tonic slots throughout the game.

Equipping Purchased Slots

1. Choose an available plasmid or tonic. When you first acquire any plasmid or tonic, you can place it in a slot on the Slot Selection menu. You can also access the menu later by using a Gene Bank.
   • Gene Banks are marked by "double helix" icons on the map in the Pause menu.
2. Place the plasmid or tonic in an empty slot, or swap it for a previously equipped ability. Extra plasmids and tonics are stored in Gene Banks, allowing you to access them later.

Tips

• Try different combinations of plasmids and tonics to be more effective against specific enemies. For example, if you equip the "Hypnotize Big Daddy" plasmid and the "Hacking Expert" tonic, you can easily hack a security bot and force a Big Daddy to follow you. The splicers will not only have to deal with you, but your Big Daddy and security bot as well.
• Upgrade the tonics and plasmids that you find useful as often as they are available at Gatherer's Garden vending machines. You can then deal with powerful enemies more effectively.

Warnings

• Certain plasmids and tonics are useless against particular foes. For instance, the "Cyclone Trap" plasmid, which is effective against splicers, doesn't work against Big Daddies. Plan your plasmid and tonic usage according to the different strengths and weaknesses of the enemies you face.
• You won't be able to use plasmid abilities when your EVE bar is depleted. Find an EVE hypo to replenish the bar.

Related Articles

• Unlock the Lucky Winner Achievement in Bioshock
• Kill a Big Daddy in Bioshock
• Unlock the Toaster in the Tub Achievement in Bioshock
• Beat a Big Daddy in Bioshock

Sources and Citations

• http://guides.ign.com/guides/793105/page_3.html
• http://guides.gamepressure.com/bioshock/guide.asp?ID=3346
• http://guides.gamepressure.com/bioshock/guide.asp?ID=3344
• http://www.gamebanshee.com/bioshock/wondrousmachines/gatherersgarden.php

See also

• Beat a Big Daddy in Bioshock