Cyberlimbs vs. Essence Cost, Should lots of Cyber reduce the essence cost of some larger 'Wares Options

[Phoenix (A-Team)]

3rd Edition said yes. Some products were reduced in essence cost when they had less meat body to implant into. Some argue that instead of essence, some cyberware should cost Capacity/Essence instead of flat Essence. Items like Orthoskin, Bonelacing, Wired Reflexes and the like.

My opinion:

Bonelacing; if you've replaced most of your bones with metal, then what good is wrapping them in more metal going to do? Essentially that would be like adding armor into your cyberlimb's capacity, as far as I'm concerned.

Orthoskin, Dermal Plating and the like; I suppose it'd work as an organic (or not-so organic) layer above your metal innards. I think, in fact, that there should be advanced kinds of Bioware available that better disguise your cyberlimbs, like realistic skin layered over the metal. But it shouldn't cost that much essence if it's actually adding meat to you (or layering over metal). If anything, some of the layered skins and plating should detract from your charisma for making you scarier instead of just chromed. My two-nuyen's worth on that one.

Wired Reflexes; This one's tricky, in my way of thinking. Using "neural boosters and adrenaline stimulators throughout the body" is what they say in their description. To me that means that the brain is enhanced to interpret and react to signals relayed along streamlined paths throughout the body. If you're cybered, then this should be as simple as amping up the reaction time within your limbs. Maybe it should cost a couple of Capacity slots per limb for the added enhancements. But it sounds like the "invasive" cybering of this device is meant to be spread throughout the body. And if the body is 70% metal, then what does this mean for your essence cost? Hmm...

Move-by-Wire; putting the body in a constant state of twitch. Well, as much as Wired Reflexes, I believe this system relies on muscle control and networking nerves throughout the entire body. And if most of your limbs are cybered, then it should be a matter of tweaking the hardware in your limbs to respond faster and more accurately, or adding enhanced equipment to fill your Capacity so that they can do that.

Skillwires; well... shouldn't it be the cost of a datajack only? At this point you're limbs are all already cybered, so they should be able to slave themselves to a chip with preprogrammed skills if you so desired. Doesn't sound like you need to lace new 'wares throughout your limbs to tell them what to do if the controls are already there and so easily diverted to a comlink with a skill-program in it, or a datajack with a skill chip jacked into it.


In short; powers that be... and those that wish to debate, what do you think about clarifying the rules regarding essence cost of heavy cyberwares once the body has had multiple limbs replaced with cyberlimbs?