Cybernetic implants can have special features. When you include a special feature in your character’s cybernetic unit, you must also explain how that special ability manifests itself, whether it is through a gun that pops up, a drug that is released into the system, or a tool that’s revealed from a fingertip. Naturally, the game master has the right to request that you alter your choice if the addition is unreasonable (such as assault rifle installed in a toe). Once installed an implant cannot be used by another person and is rendered useless when detached from a body.
Getting Cybernetic Implants At Character Creation
When designing a character, you choose the type of cybernetic implants you want to have. This should be limited to one full limb or a few organs. The character need not go through the surgery process or pay the monetary purchase cost. You only need to note the amount of upgrade points added.
Getting Cybernetic Implants after Character Creation
After character creation, the character needs not only money but time for surgery. The character pays the cybernetic implant cost with credits, including the cost of adding any special features, and goes through the surgery installation process. You also need to note how many upgrade points the implant gives.
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Installation Surgery
Fitting the body with cybernetic implants involves surgery and can be an extremely painful process. A successful medicine skill check is required to install cybernetic implants. The difficulty of the cyber surgery varies according to the system involved. Surgery difficulty and the damage done to the person as a result of a successful installation are listed later in this chapter.
Characters are always unconscious for 30 minutes after undergoing surgery, and are likely to be injured. This damage is healed at the same rate as normal wounds. Additionally, Paragon Points or Medals may not be spent to improve the cyber-character’s natural healing abilities or the skills when trying to recover from wounds incurred during cyber surgery.
The results of cyber surgery are determined by the level of success of the medicine check (the difference between the skill total and the difficulty).
Use the following guidelines:
Failure (skill total did not meet or beat difficulty): The prosthesis is not installed. Worse, the surgeon has botched the job. The patient
takes more damage than he normally would have — increase the damage to Incapacitated or 75% of the character’s base Hit Points.
Minimal (skill total equals difficulty): Prosthesis is installed, but just barely. Damage is 50% of the character’s base Hit Points, and
the system malfunctions on a 1 or 2 on the Wild Die Check.
Average (skill total beats difficulty by 1–5 points): The prosthesis is installed, but malfunctions on a 1 Wild Die Check. The character
incurs normal damage (50% of the character’s base Hit Points).
Good (skill total beats difficulty by 6–9 points): Installation is successful. The character incurs normal damage (50% of the
character’s base Hit Points).
Superior (skill total beats difficulty by 10 or more points): Installation is successful and the amount of time needed to recover from
surgery damage is halved. The character incurs normal damage (50% of the character’s base Hit Points). Upgrading Existing Cybernetic Implants
Once a character has a cybernetic implant installed, you may upgrade or change it, by swapping out one upgrade for another. To add an upgrade requires a single cybernetics roll at the difficulty given in the upgrades description. To swap out an existing upgrade needs a cybernetics roll for the removal and one for the installation. In most cases, the game master should rule that improving an existing upgrade demands a swapping-out procedure. Sometimes upgrade demand only for the installation of a new firmware, which also is done with cybernetics check. Note that if you want to go from a small part of a larger unit to a larger unit (such as a hand to an arm), you purchase a whole new implant and go through the procedure as if you were getting a new part (see the ―After Character Creation‖ part of the ―Getting Cybernetic Implants‖ section earlier in this chapter).
Determining the Installation Difficulty
Every type of cybernetic implant has a base surgery difficulty, which indicates how challenging it is to install a standard unit. You may choose to upgrade your cybernetic implants by adding special features, which represent a program or additional piece of equipment added to unit. This is done by cybernetics roll by hardware and electronic devices roll by software at the difficulty given by the upgrade or feature.
Dangers and Becoming a Synthetic
Synthetic is a state some achieve after too much cyber-strain (upgrade points) has been placed on their nervous systems and cranial functions. These people who have done too many alterations have truly become ―one‖ with their cyberware. Being a synthetic for a living being is like a psychosis. The character becomes caught up in a world detached from reality. Organic flesh and the needs of that flesh are only distractions. Characters who become synthetics cannot relate well with the organic world. Then, they seek to upgrade themselves by getting more powerful and better attachments. It is a never-ending cycle, an addiction that feeds on itself. It is regarded safe to have 30 upgrade points in your pool after that for every change in points above 30 you roll your willpower or knowledge against the number of points in the upgrade points pool. If you fail that roll u become a synthetic.
Types of Cybernetic Implants
Characters can have just about any body part replaced, except the brain, which can only be enhanced. The basic units provide no more functionality than the part a character came with, nor are they any sturdier than organic pieces. All units are powered by bio- energy generated by the body that has no harmful side effects. All units are controlled by mental commands, in the same way that a person can control her limbs by thinking about it. The wiring can be shorted by Tech and Biotic Talents or special circumstance. The description of each unit includes the number of upgrade points added to the upgrade point’s pool of the character. Once you reach the upgrade over point’s maximum you may become a synthetic and lose control of the character.
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Biotic Implants
Biotic Implant
Note that it asari and drell do not need them, all other races are required to have them if a character is to be using biotic talents.
Availability: Rare Cost: 15000 Upgrade Points: 12 Base Surgery Difficulty: 20
Wetware Port
An implant is a surgically-embedded interface port into which amps are "plugged in", also known as 'wetware' because of their cybernetic nature. The implant is usually placed at the base of the skull for convenient access.
Availability: Uncommon Cost: 20000
Upgrade Points: 9 Base Surgery Difficulty: 10
Upper Body
Hand
This unit replaces the whole hand, including the wrist, palm, and digits.
Availability: Common Cost: 10000
Upgrade Points: 1 Base Surgery Difficulty: 10
Arm
This unit replaces the hand, forearm, elbow, and upper arm.
Availability: Common Cost: 15000
Upgrade Points: 3 Base Surgery Difficulty: 12
Shoulder
This unit replaces the hand, forearm, elbow, upper arm, and shoulder.
Availability: Common Cost: 25000
Upgrade Points: 6 Base Surgery Difficulty: 15
Military Grade Shoulder
This unit replaces the hand, forearm, elbow, upper arm, and shoulder.
Availability: Rare Cost: 50000 Upgrade Points: 6 Base Surgery Difficulty: 15 Mod Slots: 3
Lower Body
Foot
This unit replaces the foot and ankle.
Availability: Common Cost: 10000
Upgrade Points: 1 Base Surgery Difficulty: 10
Lower Leg
This unit replaces the foot, ankle, lower leg, and knee.
Availability: Common Cost: 15000
Upgrade Points: 3 Base Surgery Difficulty: 12
Complete Leg
This unit replaces the entire leg, from foot to thigh.
Availability: Common Cost: 25000
Upgrade Points: 6 Base Surgery Difficulty: 15
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Military Grade Leg
This unit replaces the entire leg, from foot to thigh. It allows
Availability: Rare Cost: 50000 Upgrade Points: 6 Base Surgery Difficulty: 15 Mod Slots: 3
Head
Ear
One ear unit replaces one auditory receptor.
Availability: Common Cost: 10000
Upgrade Points: 1 Base Surgery Difficulty: 17
Eye
One eye unit replaces one visual receptor.
Availability: Common Cost: 17000
Upgrade Points: 1 Base Surgery Difficulty: 17
Mouth
This unit replaces the jaw or chewing organ of the character.
Availability: Common Cost: 15000
Upgrade Points: 1 Base Surgery Difficulty: 15
Nose
This unit replaces the olfactory organ.
Availability: Common Cost: 17000
Upgrade Points: 1 Base Surgery Difficulty: 17
Throat
This unit replaces the throat and vocal apparatus, if located in the throat.
Availability: Common Cost: 15000
Upgrade Points: 1 Base Surgery Difficulty: 15
Equilibrium Ear
Fitted in place of the ear it improves balance and dexterity, ad +2 to acrobatics skill and +3 do Ranged Defense Value.
Availability: Rare/Restricted Cost: 35000
Upgrade Points: 6 Upgrade Difficulty: 17
Flame Eye
A visual unit designed to spot heat signatures of beings and objects in 20 meters range.
Availability: Rare/Restricted Cost: 12000
Upgrade Points: 6 Upgrade Difficulty: 17