d20 Modern Cybernetics Idea....opinions anyone?

[Grinning Loony]

Cybernetics

I like the idea of having to make a save (probably Fortitude) to avoid rejecting the part. The more parts you have, and the more intrusive the part, the tougher the save.

I think it's OK to pay Charisma as a penalty. Even though theyve tried to make it more important in 3e, Cha is still the most useless stat. This would make it more useful. And the cyborg in Mecha Crusade loses Cha for his cybernetics, so there you go.

A character becoming more powerful doesn't necessarily equal an increase in character level; you can spend money to get more powerful, too. So, if cyberware had a nice high wealth DC check, drained Cha, and required Fortitude saves, I think that would work.

-Luke

 

[digitaldark]

Why limit it through a stat? Not really effect use of the d20 system.

Between the two of that it should handle the effects and keep it within the standard of how d20 operates.

Actually, using a stat as a limiting factor is using the d20 System...more so than creating another statistic!....My idea on cybernetics follows with d20 rather well if you really think about it..here's a parallel...

When you get hit buy a Shadow's touch, it deals strength damage. (When you replace your body with machine you are effectively damaging your body's structure, thuis Con damage.)

When your strength is reduced to zero the character dies and becomes a shadow (and a completely deferent creature...undead)under the shadow's control...(When you've damaged your bodies Constitution and structure to the point that your con is gone..you effectively become a Construct under your own control..)

Basically what I am doing is taking a d20 concept and applying it in a similar situation....

and how is that not effective use of the d20 system...if I can do what I want with what is already there...??

Opinions vary on the subject I suppose....but my opinion is the most effective use of the d20 System is figuring out a way of doing what you want without changing the rules or having to add to them without the need...

 

[Plane Sailing]

Another thought - you could base the idea on the armour "spell failure" chance, but make it a "humanity failure" chance

make it 10% per cyberitem, or a sliding scale depending upon how extensive the mod is, and each time the character gets into a stressful situation they have to make a "humanity failure" check or go temporarily insane - whether beserk rage, crisis of impotence or whatever seems appropriate; the man losing it to the machine...

Cheers

 

[danzig138]

When I was working on a Shadowrun conversion, I didn't want to redo all of the Essence costs, so I used 3 + Constitution modifier as the limit, as follows:
A character’s Cyber-Index is equal 3 + his Constitution modifier. As the character gains cyberware, he begins to suffer penalties. Every time he gains enough cyberware to exceed his Cyber-Index, he suffers one or more negative levels.

• Cyber-Index x 1.1 to Cyber-Index x2: 1 negative level
• Cyber-Index x 2.x to Cyber-Index x3: 3 negative levels
• Cyber-Index x 3.x to Cyber-Index x4: 6 negative levels.
• Cyber-Index x 4.x to Cyber-Index x5: 10 negative levels
• Cyber-Index x 5.x to Cyber-Index x6: 15 negative levels
• Cyber-Index x 6.x to Cyber-Index x7: 21 negative levels

If your negative levels reduce your effective level to 0 or less, you die, unless cybermantic techniques in applied.

Spellcasters: If a spellcaster has cyberware, every time he attempts to cast a spell, he must roll a Concentration test. The DC for this test is 10 + total Cyber-Index (round down). If this fails, the spell fails.

ONe of the things I was considering for spellcasters was for every full point of CI, their primary casting attribute was effectively reduced by one point.
I never did get the chance to playtest this howevr.

 

[tensen]

Yet nothing in that system accounts for the character becoming more powerful. No xp cost, or chance of a effective character level

 

[Bagpuss]

I'd reduce the effective Constitution but only for Fortitude saves verse disease.

As a character takes more cyberware he has to take more immunosuppressive drugs to stop his body rejecting it. This makes them more prone to disease.

Before each adventure (or each month in game time) they have to make a Fortitude save to avoid catching a one of a number of potentially debilitating disease (create a table), that could lead to either temporary effects like attribute damage for the next adventure, or reduced hit points for the next adventure. Or even permanent reduced hit-points, attributes, or even death (after several failed Fortitude saves).

The worse effects could be avoided by expensive hospital treatment, removal of the cyberware, etc. So the character can't just die form one failed saving throw.

 

[Visceris]

I have rules of 144 different cybernetic, biotech, and nanotech augmentations already written up. I just haven't play tested them yet.

I tried to make them general enough for they could work in any d20 System based campaign world, but I have absolutely no clue to put them out for everyone to see, nor I don't know if they are completely comply with the Open Gaming License.

If anyone is interested in taking a look at them, drop me an e-mail at Xylor@iastate.edu or give me a PM here.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Sidran]

Bump

 

[Maldur]

I just finished a Cyberware system based on cyberpunk2020.
To limit I reduce several stats and give additional effects ( usually compulsive behavior of a sort).

Its not completely done, but it gives a very good idea of what I plan on doing.

If some one wants to take a look let me know ( bazz@xs4all.nl)
I have been presenting this in houserules so some may have seen my announcement there.

 

[Morgenstern]

Just a thought...

If you do go with a single abilitiy score based system, I would seriously consider using Strength rather than Constitution. d20M is already well on the way to making Con the absolute god-stat. In a world where most classes have d4 for HP, your Con bonus can be a dramatic increase in HP, easily dobling your total. Then Con also set s the threshold for massive damage. Third, Con modifies the saving throw against massive damage. If you add "and it lets me pack on more 'ware!" to that, you're going to see some grossly skewed character builds. Strength on the other hand is significantly devalued by the introduction of firearms. Tying cyber to Strength (as a measure of your body's development) actually brings the abilites more into parity...