Is there some combination of cyberware/hacking that allows a mage to be controlled remotely, as some sort of magical biodrone? In short, is it possible to make a mage drone for an AI to jump into?

Short answer: No.

Long answer: No way in [insert bad place of your choice].

Well... sorta. You would have to have a cyber commlink with a hot-sim modded sim module. The AI would then have to "condition" the mage with PAB to obey the AI unconditionally. The AI would then "hitch" a ride on the controlled mage and be the evil Jimmy Cricket on his shoulder. The AI would not directly control the mage, but the mage would be a "biodrone" in all but gear.

Good luck finding a mage like that though. (It would have to be another character, mages can't be cloned or anything)

You really need to read Augmentation. When it comes to Biodrones (keep in mind biodrones are only an ethical step away from human biodrones), the ability to use paranormal abilities (including magic) is lost via the link. Magic is about feeling and manipulating the mystical energies around you. Something an AI would never understand. They may be able to control a human biodrone or paranormal animal, but they would never be able to use their paranormal abilities.

If you get an awakened clone, and implant a comlink into it, then run wires into the cerberal and motor cortex, and you should be able to control what it feels and thinks. Now the question is since awakened characters are different because of awakened genes... meaning it is partially biological in nature, and the astral signature is dependent on the body, could the A.I. influence of the mind control the body AND its astral signature to the point where the use of magic is possible? I'm going to say "I hope not" but I honestly feel it may be possible.

Who says that you can't get someone to kidnap the mage and get some cyberdoc to implant the tech for you? Sure your new toy loses some Essence, but what the heck, go for it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cyber.gif)

Except a clone of an awakened isn't awakened itself, and doesn't even have a chance (Or at least no higher chance than any other metahuman) to become awakened.



Yeah, because everyone knows that mages are super effective after a massive essence loss (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

Worked for Deus.

Who says that you have to have massive Essence Loss?

1. Cyber commlink (6/6) with built-in Hot Sim Module: 0.2 Essence and 19,000 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif)
2. Datajack: 0.1 Essence and 500 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif)

This is a just the bare minimum needed to brainwash the mage to being the perfect puppet.

I imagine you need something more than a commlink and a datajack to brainwash and remotely control someone.

Unwired has some rules for brainwashing someone via Programmable ASIST Biofeedback (PAB) and several fluff texts also mention "readjusting" captured scientists' loyalities. While full behaviour control is not on the list, you could give the victim memories of how great it is to serve his AI overlord and have resisting thoughts trigger the feeling of ultimate terror and doom and condition a mage into a loyal servant this way.


Jumping into an awakend biodrone will let somebody use magic, however. Even if it did, the "rigger" would have to use his own magic skills while jumped in, and AIs are not exactly good mages (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I think a clone of an awakened has a higher then normal chance of being awakened themselves, but that is beside the point, all you need is an awakened clone. Those DO exist.

The question comes down to does the mages brain control the use of their magic. If the answer is yes, then the A.I. could pull it off, if the answer is no, its actually something deeper then just the brain, then an A.I. could brainwash a mage and control one that way.

The question comes down to does the mages brain control the use of their magic. If the answer is yes, then the A.I. could pull it off, if the answer is no, its actually something deeper then just the brain, then an A.I. could brainwash a mage and control one that way.

Exactly what I was thinking.

Brainwashing would work, but any method of direct control likely wouldn't allow you access to awakened abilities. Considering a spirit possessing a mage can't utilize the mages abilities, I doubt one could do so through tech.

However, mentally breaking down someone, and using cyber eyes/ears and a little voice in their head might allow a sense of control.

This may not be the best analogy because a possessing spirit has not influence on brain or any form of nervous system activity. In the above example the brain could have been grown around an A.I. interface, and and as such the interface may completely control brain activity. The only question is complete control of the brain enough to access the bodies supernatural abilities?

No because the brain doesn't control awakened abilities, if it did clones of awakened people would be awakened.

So what if you had an adept human biodrone? Would the person rigging the biodrone be able to use the adept's powers, or once someone jumps in do all of the adept powers automatically deactivate? Frankly, while the rules would seem to indicate that you couldn't, having a magician human biodrone is just such a cool idea that I'd allow it anyways. And it's not like this is something you're really going to run in to anyways, so hardly game breaking.

If that's all you can get then be grateful and just move on! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/vegm.gif)

Not always. It could be like mad cow. The possibility of being awakened (mad) exists in most members of the species but it occurs at such a low frequency do to rare chance events that if the individual was cloned there is no guarantee their clone would awaken (go mad) just because they did.

?? I think you are a little confused about how mad cow disease works.

And its entirely feasible that magic uses parts of the brain that are not under conscious control of the magician.

The idea of magic coming from the brain is psionics, and SR is pretty darn clear that magic is not psi powers. The fact that mages who are astrally projecting exist for awhile after their meat body is killed is pretty big proof that it isn't the gray matter that allows for magic, and if technology can control magic, you would see ware that improves magic, but there is none, none at all. Even the gene treatment that restores essence doesn't fix your magic cap.

Those are some rather good points. That you can as a mage cast without an actual brain. So the brain does not cause magic, but can it influence magic?