Cyberpunk 2077: Which Tattoo Should You Choose in Chippin' In?

During Chippin' In in Cyberpunk 2077, Johnny temporarily takes control of V's body and eventually ends up at Cassius Ryder's clinic. There, you are asked to choose between the Billy-goat tattoo and The Other One. The old version of this guide claimed that one option could negatively affect ripperdocs and block cyberware, but that is incorrect. In the current version of the game, the choice has no negative story consequence and does not lock you out of implants.

Which Tattoo Should You Choose?

From a gameplay perspective, there is no important reason to prefer one Johnny tattoo over the other. Both are installed as Hands cyberware, cost no Cyberware Capacity, and mainly exist as cosmetic souvenirs from Johnny's night out. They do occupy a Hands slot while equipped, however, so leaving one installed can prevent you from using another Hands implant unless you unlock the second slot with the Ambidextrous perk. You can remove or replace the tattoo later at a ripperdoc, so the decision is not permanent.If you simply want the more distinctive visual, The Other One is the better pick in our opinion. It gives V the Together Forever tattoo with a heart and the inscription J + V 4EVAH, making the joke behind Johnny's takeover much more obvious. The Billy-goat option instead gives you Tattoo: Johnny's Special, based around an altered Arasaka design. Neither option changes Johnny's relationship with V, quest progression, endings, ripperdoc access, or the availability of normal cyberware.

Billy-goat Tattoo

Choosing Billy-goat during the visit to Cassius Ryder grants Tattoo: Johnny's Special. The tattoo is installed in the Hands cyberware category and uses zero Cyberware Capacity, but it still occupies a physical cyberware slot while equipped. The old claim that this tattoo makes ripperdocs hostile or prevents V from installing implants is false; you can continue visiting ripperdocs normally and replace the tattoo whenever you want. In practice, choose Billy-goat only if you prefer its design, not because you expect a unique gameplay advantage.Current post-2.0 databases are inconsistent about whether Johnny's quest tattoos retain a hidden basic Smart-targeting function, and the in-game presentation does not give them the meaningful bonuses of a proper Smart Link. For a modern guide, the useful distinction is therefore simple: do not build a Smart-weapon setup around either Johnny tattoo. A real Smart Link provides dedicated combat bonuses and scales as cyberware, while the tattoos are primarily collectibles. If the tattoo is taking a slot you need for your build, swap it out at any ripperdoc.

The Other One — Together Forever

Johnny Silverhand's Together Forever Tattoo

Choosing The Other One gives V Tattoo: Together Forever. The design features a heart with Johnny and V referenced inside it, which makes it the more memorable of the two options and fits the tone of the scene better. Mechanically, it should be treated the same way as the Billy-goat tattoo: it costs no Cyberware Capacity but still occupies a Hands slot while installed. There are no dialogue branches, romance changes, ending consequences, or hidden penalties tied to choosing it.Because the decision is cosmetic, this is the option we recommend if you are only interested in the tattoo itself. It is also the choice most players are likely to notice later because the design directly references Johnny and V rather than functioning as a more obscure joke. If you later decide that the slot is more valuable than the tattoo, visit a ripperdoc and replace it with another Hands implant. Unlocking Ambidextrous at 15 Technical Ability also gives you a second Hands cyberware slot, letting you keep a tattoo while using another implant.

What Is the Tyger Claws Dermal Imprint?

Tyger Claws Dermal Imprint

The Tyger Claws Dermal Imprint is not a third tattoo choice during Chippin' In. It is a separate piece of Hands cyberware obtained as a reward from The Gig, when Wakako sends V to collect the reward from Cassius Ryder. Unlike Johnny's two tattoos, the Tyger Claws imprint is designed around Smart weapons and enables Smart targeting. In the current 2.x system, higher tiers also improve lock-on speed and reduce the size of the Smart-targeting reticle.That makes the Tyger Claws imprint much more relevant mechanically if you actually use Smart weapons. A standard Smart Link remains another strong option because its higher tiers provide their own target-lock and Smart-weapon bonuses, so the best choice depends on your build rather than the tattoo's appearance. Most importantly, the Tyger Claws implant has nothing to do with the Billy-goat versus Together Forever decision. The original article mixed two unrelated quest rewards into one tattoo choice, which is why its conclusions were misleading.

Best Tattoo Choice in Cyberpunk 2077

For the Chippin' In scene, choose whichever design you like more; there is no bad option that damages your playthrough. We recommend The Other One / Together Forever because its Johnny-and-V design is more recognizable, while Billy-goat is mainly worth choosing if you prefer the altered Arasaka motif. If you care about combat efficiency, the real decision comes later when deciding what to equip in the Hands slot rather than which tattoo Johnny picks. Smart-weapon characters should use dedicated Smart cyberware, while everyone else can keep the tattoo purely for style or replace it without consequences.