So in addition to the Go Gangers game I'm playing in, I've been asked to join a 'Freaks' campaign that lost a player. By Freaks I mean Werewolves, Vampires, Ghouls, that sort of thing. I've already got the go ahead to play a CZ (in fact it was recommended by the other players) so I think that's what I'm gonna do. We're using Karmagen, and I have 1000 karma to build with and (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) 500,000 in addition to the normal starting cash, for 'wares (the procedure is being given to me free).

I'd like to build a multi-threat character, and keep the dice pools around 16-20 (or less) as no one else has them higher than that. All I absolutely need to have, skill wise, are social skills, as I'm replacing their face. I should also have a reliable means of getting my meds.

I'm not familiar with the particulars of Karmagen, so if you'd care to enlighten me, I'll listen. I'm not sure quite what I can do with a CZ, as far as roles go, but I'm interested to learn.

Also, from a fluff perspective - I'm thinking of playing a CZ like the Gavin Fontain character presented (if briefly) in Augmentation, that is, one which has gained some small desire to continue to be. I will, however, necessarily be acting independently from the corp that created me, which brings up some interesting issues: how would a corp try and recover a rogue CZ? Would the necessary recovery expenses be worthwhile to the corp?

Further, what sort of problems will come of my being Dual Natured? And what exactly does it mean to be Dual Natured? Will my Astral Hazing cause problems for other characters (i.e. Vampires and Ghouls) in the party? Is there anything which can be done to attenuate this?

Cyberzombie face, now thats interesting. I guess I never pictured masses of machine and muscle with a soul forcefully tied to them as being all that charismatic.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/eek.gif) Um... *speechless*

astral hazing reaches out for essence meters. so just stay away and remind them to not use any spell on you.

I don't remember if SR4 still applies the penalties SR3 used to apply to a cyberzombie's social attempts, but if the answer is yes it's going to be a problem.

As far as dual natured go, it means you'll be stopped by wards (though you can still bull your way through, but that'll warm whoever placed it that something's happening). It also means you're vulnerable to attacks from the astral, be they a spirit pumelling you in astral combat or a projecting mage tossing the odd mana spell at you. Which gives plenty of option, from the straightforward manabolt to the naughty control thoughts and it's relatives.

The astral pollution on't be too much of problem as long as you're on the move, but the longer the party stays somewhere the worse they'll be penalized. But the main problem will be that you aura will no longer look anywhere close to normal. The subzero essnce is bad enough on itself, but the magic anchoring the soul into what's close to a brain-dead body hooked on life-support machinery will stand out. Even if they don't identify the cause, anyone looking will see something's not normal.
As far as alleviating the problem, you'll need someone castng and either maintaining or anchoring an aura-masking spell, if such a thigns exists. Which will still leave you dual-natured, and odds are you' only be able to be disguised as some other kind of dual natured being.

Faints. I just finished reading "stranger souls" and I am struggling to picture Burnout as a face. Still at least you have your happy drug, so when you cannot crush the worthless scum in front of you, your happy drug will keep you content.

As a cyberzombie you have another problem : you need regular maintenance and a regular supply of hard to get drugs - 2.000 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) a month and Availability of 24. And forget having you or one of your teammates cooking them in the basement, they would need a chemical facility to do so (Arsenal, p. 157)

If you have gone rogue (which assume you were able to remove each and every tags, cortical bombs or other booby traps they put in the new you precisely to prevent that), those drugs are probably one of the easiest way for your previous corporate handler to track you. Alternatively, if they have a general idea of your location they can probably send spirits scour the astral seeking the taint left by your presence (if you happen to stay just a few days in the same location it's expansion will cover a whole city block unless you can have a mage friendly (and skilled) enough to continuously clean the mess you create using the Cleansing metamagic).

Wanna turn it up to eleven?
Look for Binky on these here boards *snickers*

I know, right? But they want me to play a CZ, and they need a face. At least I'm not a ghoul, amirite?



Yeah, this could be a problem. I just don't think 'Day Job' covers being a trip A's one-man-WMD, so I figured I'd have to be independent. Would they really put a Cranial Bomb in a CZ (probably, now that I think about it)? I mean, it's not like they're cheap as chips now is it? I understand there are significant issues with running a CZ character, but it does seem like an interesting opportunity, no?



What is a Binky and is he the stinky cheese man?

What happens when Essence drops below 0?
(Because, last I checked, a cyberzombie was someone who had 0 or less Essence*)

*Side note: its really hard to become a cyberzombie with the latest technology. I think as all delta-ware you can pick up EVERYTHING for about 5.6 Essence.

Orson Welles Voice-Over from the one true Transformers Movie: "Behold, Binky-Tron":
http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?show...st&p=714247
http://squinkyproductions.deviantart.com/a...alypse-95924176

the other problem is that it'snot possible to make this character at chargen
Unless you GM just gives it to you.

Bone Lacing Titatinum
MBW 3
Muscle Aug: 4
Muscle Toner: 4
Orthoskin 3
Platelet Factories
Trauma Dampener
Cerebral Booster 3
Attention Co processor 3
Datajackx2

adds up to :3.5+0.8375

It's /hard/ to go negative with Delta grade

What do you do, if they want you to get pizza with a couple of d6 in your shoes?

I'd also like to play a CZ, and I don't think it's unreasonable to ask me to be a face.

As far as how difficult it is to make a CZ, especially at chargen, I do have (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) 750,000 just for the 'wares and the procedure will be done at no cost to me, so do you think this is doable? And I presume the 'wares have to be Delta Grade? Also, how does Delta Grade Bioware interact with a Type 0 System? I was thinking about taking that quality, but I worry it might make becoming a CZ too difficult.

Type-O and Delta grade do not mix. You get no benefit for the delta grade

750,000 doesn't get you to cyberzombie.

Type-O and Deltaware . . that has been discussed ad hominem by now i think . .
You can read it either way . . if you wanna be sure though? Type-O and Beta-Ware.
Still good enough and there is NO way to read the rules that makes these two not work.

Also its really difficult to knock your Essence to 0 with delta ware.

Nothing in the rules says anything about needing Delta Ware. Here is a thread for you to check out bro. http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?show...;hl=cyberzombie

Ah, yes, the do it yourself second hand cyberzombie, how could i forget about that ^^

Trying to find the thread where I built one. Think I had a $1m budget though. Nothing but standard grade 'ware.

Sorry, I didn't see this before. Thanks for the solid info.


How much would I need then? Remember, I've got that much just to buy the raw wares (and other gear), the procedure is being done on me free.


I'm actually on page three of that very thread right now.


I'll keep that in mind.

http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?show...mp;#entry837172
That is a build using 400BP and unlimited cash I did. Should give you a good idea.

You use the Absolute value of the Essence Score... a -4 Cyberzombie would have an Essence of 4 for the effect of the background count area...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/wobble.gif)

I'll come right out and say this. I think you're fooling yourself if you think a CZ could possibly pull off being a face. In addition to the certainty of some form of mental illness which will likely prevent such a character from interacting normally with society, the prejudice of society against cyberzombies (as unnatural, monsterous killing machines), will likely prove just as crippling to any pretense of acting as a team's face-man.

Perhaps you can compensate for this weakness to a degree... possibly with more invasive surgery and augmentation. Keep in mind, however, that you will ALWAYS be working at a disadvantage when trying to make a cyberzombie into a social butterfly.

It'd be an interesting character, if not a good face... anymore. Tragic, in many ways, as his old contacts one by one stop calling him and he's slowly abandoned by the people he's done favors for in the past. Trying to stay sane, trying to care enough about anyone to keep the friends he still has... because eventually, the people who hung him out to dry will have been right to do so. Should appeal to the WoD player, anyway.

Well, if you are an elf, you can, with cyberzombie, get your charisma up into double digit levels . .
and then there's the pheromone-stuff bioware and such things too . .