I've been reading Augmentation and despite the chance of a botched implantation, upkeep and permanent background count, they seem almost feasible (assuming runners get enough cash and locate a delta grade clinic capable of performing the operation). Almost that is...

Has anyone had any success with playing a cyberzombie under the new rules? I'm curious to hear stories from the PC side of the fence, not the GM side.

Not that I'm playing at present but my PCs have 3 magicially active members in the party and should have a shit fit if anyone wanted to play a 'zombie.

- J.

Why would they have a fit if someone else wanted to play a cyberzombie?

Honestly, at this point cyberzombies don't make much economic sense. You can screen for people with the Biocompatability gene, build a Cyberware package, and prep them with Adapsin far, far more cheaply than you can make a cyberzombie.

Look at the numbers - Adapsin + Biocompatability + Deltaware + designed package = 80% Essence reduction. That means 29.9 Essence worth of stuff before you have to go Zombie.

Now. I challenge you to find 30 Essence worth of stuff in the entirety of 4th Edition material that is mutually compatible.

Why would anyone create a Cyberzombie past 2068?

I would have thought Type 0 System would be worth more than Biocompatibility. But true, point taken. I just liked the idea of being dual natured, ripping apart spirits with your bare hands, immunity to age and normal weapons. I'm sure I'm not the only cyber-oriented player that would consider this.

- J.

Actually, the Dual Natured and Immunity to Normal Weapons tricks are incredibly useful; I hadn't thought of that. So basically, Cyberzombies are the ultimate anti-magic response, and a bizzare means of "awakening" a mundane in the most backwards way possible.

Huh.

Cyberzombies have a number of other reasons for existing:

1) Some think they are a ticket to eternal life

2) You can use it to extend the life(and hopefully loyalty) of a skilled warrior

3) They are great anti magic and anti spirit troops

4) They are very demoralizing

5) We need something to make aztechnology look more evil.

6) Because cyber-zombies are super cool.

7) Because mega-corps can.

8 ) Think of the mana tech that could come from further research.

9) Becuase it makes GM's just so very, very happy.

Cyber Liches. CZs have higher max and aug max attribute caps. Paying several million for one fighter with AGI 12 is bad call. Paying a couple million of researcher or designer with logic 12 is not so dumb.


Also CZs are crazy vulnerable on the astral. They can't fly or use ranged attacks on the astral, so an astrally projecting mage or a spirit with an M combat spell, 5 or more magic, and a little space to work with can mess them up pretty easy.

Except they apply their aspected domain/backgroudn count to any spell being cast at them, not just to spells within a certain radius....

There are certain Qualities that a CZ could acquire that would make them a veritable nightmare to any spirit. I forget the name but Magic Resistance or the one that halves the force of any spell cast on him/her? Granted it would make the ritual to create a CZ even more of a bitch but I suspect should they succeed in the task, said CZ would scare the piss out even the most hardened mage or spirit.

- J.

Sure, you can turn a Fomori into a cyberzombie and make it very difficult to deal with by mages or spirits. But you can already do that with anyone with Arcane Arrester and Astral Hazing.

IMO if party A can attack party B and party B can't readily retaliate or disengage, party B is vulnerable.

even if party a uses pea-shooters and party b uses military grade full body armor?

Unless the CZ is a magician or simply has an autoinjector with shade in one of his limbs.
The idea of a cyberlich with insane mental stats and a weapon focus rolling over the astral plane with his background count has something to it, i think.
Fortunately, the Magic of 1 severely limits the operational duration of such a monstrous astral combatant.

For your run-of-the-mill, non-awakened CZ, a wagemage might just have given him one or several bound spirits on remote service hovering outside of the BGC just for that occasion.
Corps tend to protect investments worth millions of (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) .

'scuse me: why?
essence only limits the time someone can astrally project, not the time he can be dual-natured by nature or just astrally percieve O.o
dunno if it's still in, but in SR3 there was the Burning of magic in magical duels between mages.
if that's still in there, this would be the one serious weakness of zombies. if they lose their one magic attribute, they die.

That is touched on in the rules however they do neglect to delve into this.

- J.

Essence is, again, SR3 only for projection. Magic (Hours) in SR4 - also, turns out that a mystic adept with astral projection CAN go on metaplanar quests, as you meditate before projecting and you can stay in astral form as long as you require while on one. Ta, Street Magic.

that works rather because the time in the meta-places does not work like it does in meat/astral-spaces . .
one day in the meta could be one minute in the meat or the other way around.

Don't believe that Mystic Adepts can get Astral projection like full blown Mages can. I do recall an Adept power that gives Limited Astral Projection where it lasts (Magic) Minutes rather than (Magic) Hours though.

I think that came from one of the SOTA books.

you think that right

Yes. I know. It was more a comment on the first thread I ever made in which it was decided that mystica depts could not go on astral quests at all since they'd meditate, then project and run out of time.

Immortality.

Is it really immortality when your life is only maintained by unique designer drugs, and if you stop taking them you die? Is it worth having if you will inevitably go crazy, or simply lose the will to live? Something tells me that the person with vast resources who wants to live forever will use leonization, instead of the tragically flawed cybermancy. Hell, I'd rather stake my fortune on finding a magical cure for aging, like the fountain of youth -- it probably exists in Shadowrun, and it's a safer bet than trying to live forever as a cyberzombie.

Except the mechanics make that a poor comparison. An Amazingly strong willed dwarf with the will boosting cyber written up, only has 8 Will so they are evenly matched versus a run of the mill F4 spirit of man, or a magic 3 spell casting 3( +2 combat) mage. Hardly Pea-Shooters versus Mil-spec.


There isn't a rule that says CZ can't astrally project, but from a fluff stand point it's absurd. The point of all that magic involved centers around keeping the spirit bound to the flesh.


Yes they do, and mixed forces are must in the 6th world, but CZ aren't cost effective as combat monsters. CZ have insane costs in upkeep and creations and don't last.


As for imortality cybermancy isn't it. Don't forget about age pacts with free spirits

There's Background Count, so unless overcasting, it is pea shooters versus mil-spec. Without overcasting, any spell the F4 spirit casts will be reduced to Force 0.