upgrading, cyberware and bioware Options

[6thDragon]

I didn't see anything about upgrading cyberware or bioware. Under SR3 a character would simply pay the deference in cost and essence to improve a piece of ware. I'm not sure this applied to cyber, bio, and gear. I think it should be possible. At least for some cyber, and gear. Bio I thing you would have to rip out the old and put in a new. Same with cyber like bone lacing. But with Reaction Enhancers, Wired Reflexes, or Dermal Plating I think you should be able to improve on what is already there. Did I just overlook this part of the rules?

[Gothic Rose]

No, you didn't overlook it, the book mentions nothing on the subject, sadly. I'd assume that it's going to be the same way as it was in SR3. It makes sense, and is the only way that a Sammie can actually gain power. If it's not done this way, or another way that allows equally well for more ware, then razored characters will simply be blown into the wind by awakened.

[blakkie]

[PlatonicPimp]

Yeah. it feels like the people fanpro had write the BBB (what does that stand for, anyway?) were so familiar with old editions of SR that they forgot to include certain fundamental rules.

[6thDragon]

BBB refers to the main rulebook. Big Black Book, I believe.

[Azralon]

The rules I'm using (until FanPro says otherwise) are thus:

1) Treat upgrading and downgrading implants as if the original item were fully removed and a new one put in. The old implant may be sold "for parts" to the cyberdoc per normal Negotiation rules, if the doc is willing.

2) The operation does Physical damage to the patient at a rate of 1 box per .5 Essence cost (or fraction thereof) of the appropriate implant(s). This Essence cost is modified by implant grade but not by the 50% discount for mixing cyberware and bioware. A simultaneous removal and installation does damage only once, not twice; use only the higher Essence cost total if the removed implant(s) and new implant(s) have different values.

3) The operation itself takes an Extended Test (Medicine + Logic, 1 hour) with a Threshold equal to the number of Physical boxes of damage taken from the operation. A glitch results in an extra box of damage and a lost time hour. A critical glitch doubles the damage (which may be fatal!).

4) For non-standard implant grades, multiply the base time in the Extended Test by the Cost Multiplier on p303. Alphaware takes twice as long to install. Betaware and cultured bioware take four times as long. Deltaware takes ten times as long.

5) Surgeon fees are 1k nuyen per hour and can be Negotiated.

6) After the surgery, the patient can receive First Aid or a Heal spell to offset some of the accrued tissue trauma. At that point the normal recovery cycle begins (allowing for extended care if needs be).

Note that this can mean low-Essence implants are usually considered outpatient procedures since you might not end up with any significant damage. In the case of an operation that would normally cause you to go into Physical Overflow, the attending physician (usually) has the presence of mind to stabilize you on the table and then keep you in a post-op recovery room until you've healed up enough. There's your "Hospitalized" lifestyle kicking in at that point.

[Nkari]

I feel certain thins that can be gotten in levels to be upgradable, like bioware boneaugmentation, the muscle toning etc.. your not removing old and adding new, your just building more mass etc..

While most cyber ware you actually remove the parts.. tho Improved reflexes I dont see why you could not upgrade without removing everyhing.. samething with reaction enchancers.. to me id take it on a case to case basis..

[Azralon]

Yeah, I have no doubt that some implants can have key components upgraded without the whole kit'n'kaboodle getting ripped out first.

Since I didn't want to have to go through the entire list and declare this or that as directly tweakable, I just abstracted and said to treat it like your whole deal is getting replaced.

Like going from Wired-1 to Wired-3 is a matter of taking 10P and paying 100k with some percentage of your original 11k investment getting knocked off of the wholesale price. You can say that there's this extra set of used Wired-1 owned by the doc now, or you can say that it was absorbed into your upgraded system.

New or upgraded, either way the patient spent less than full price and has the spiffy new toy.