 Essence |
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 Dec 11 2005, 06:03 AM
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#1
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Target  Group: Members Posts: 30 Joined: 14-November 05 Member No.: 7,961  |
Is there anything in the SR4 / SR canon(sp?) about regaining 'essence' ? Just curious.
A friend and I were discussing the possiblity of replacing a normal cyberware part with a deltaware part. It seems strange that it would hurt your spirit/body more as the part would be much more friendly do your body overall. |
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Dec 11 2005, 06:32 AM
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#2
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Prime Runner Group: Banned Posts: 3,732 Joined: 1-September 05 From: Prague, Czech Republic Member No.: 7,665 |
-Frank |
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Dec 11 2005, 06:37 AM
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#3
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Target Group: Members Posts: 30 Joined: 14-November 05 Member No.: 7,961 |
Already knew about that, but is there anything canon that might help for basing a house rule off of?
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Dec 11 2005, 06:41 AM
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#4
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 511 Joined: 24-March 05 From: On a ledge between Heaven and Hell Member No.: 7,226 |
In third you could remove the cyberware and replace it with a lower essence cost cyberware leaving a essence hole equal to the difference that you could later put something into at that area without losing more essence. Without looking I don't know if that carried over to 4th, but I do not see why not.
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Dec 11 2005, 06:41 AM
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#5
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 753 Joined: 31-October 03 Member No.: 5,780 |
I think in the 3rd edition, you could 'recover' some Essence if it was due to cyberware - just get your stuff cloned back. For mages this wasn't always reliable, but it means a person that lost essence through others means can revitalize themselves a little by getting rid of some spare parts (cyberware).
4th ed wise, there's really nothing that says you can gain or gain back essence (barring what was just said). That does not mean, however, a GM can't allow a character to try and regain some. Getting cyberware removed and cloned parts put back in (carefully) would certainly warrant a 'recharge' in my opinion. In the case of large essence investment, it would come back in portions (or they'd have to use some karma to do it, dunno). Now, short of that, essence probably shouldn't return any other way. Unless you get rid of diseased organs from things like smoking or drugs, that essence is gone. severe physical trauma might warrant letting them 'train' to get themselves back in better condition or whatever.... and now I'm rambling. :P I think the idea is there, however. |
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Dec 11 2005, 09:51 AM
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#6
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Resident Legionnaire Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 2,136 Joined: 8-August 04 From: Usually Work Member No.: 6,550 |
Essence is one of those things you sacrifice to gain that edge. You know full well when you go under the knife that you are replacing something in your body with an artificial part. If you decide later on "Hey, I sure was wasted when I got that cyberarm", then it's too bad. That is just part of the character from that point on. We've all made decisions in life that we later regretted at some point, but couldn't change.
Some things are permanant. |
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Dec 11 2005, 03:54 PM
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#7
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 178 Joined: 4-September 05 Member No.: 7,682 |
Essence is like virginity; once you lose it, it's gone for good. If you're lucky, you can use that "Essence Hole" that Demon_Bob talked about, but aside from that you're screwed.
Unless you are a Vampire ;) |
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Dec 11 2005, 05:28 PM
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#8
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 6,748 Joined: 5-July 02 Member No.: 2,935 |
Nope.
You are entitled to your opinion, and your house rules. The rest of us will, however, make fun of you and correct every time you post.
...and not for the first time. You are not alone. Many otherwise right-thinking individuals have been lured by the false premise "Gee, what if I could buy or earn back Essence?" But it will never happen. Because some things, once changed or violated, can never go back to being the way they were. Some of us really appreciate that. |
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Dec 11 2005, 06:26 PM
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#9
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,479 Joined: 6-May 05 From: Idaho Member No.: 7,377 |
So...You appreciate one more reason for not playing a Street Samauri character? Seriosuly, the gap between effectivness between sam's and adepts is huge, so now you want to lump another log on the fire called "You can never get better augs". At least with this house-rule, a street sam can at least pretend he will have some room for character advancement.... Edit--- Woops. Just re-read the post. Are you against the Essence holes or regaining essence? If so, then I agree with you (on not regaining essence). It's gone, but in my opinion if you damage your WReflexes and need to have them replaced with the same unit, it shouldn't take more essence.... |
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Dec 11 2005, 07:07 PM
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#10
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 6,748 Joined: 5-July 02 Member No.: 2,935 |
For essence holes, against regaining essence.
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Dec 11 2005, 07:38 PM
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#11
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Prime Runner Group: Banned Posts: 3,732 Joined: 1-September 05 From: Prague, Czech Republic Member No.: 7,665 |
Heck, I'm in favor of an even simpler idea called "Essence Hole" rather than "Essence Holes."
Here's the idea: you only lose Essence from implanting cyber- or bioware if the current total Essence cost of all of your ware is more than the difference between your current Essence and your base Essence (usually 6). So when you have a set of titanium bones and a rating 2 synaptic booster, your total Essence cost is 2 (1.5 for the bones and 1 * 1/2 for the Synaptic Booster), so your Essence is reduced to 4 if it was more than that. If you layer on a Rating 3 Muscle Toner (.6 Essence worth of implants), your total Essence cost rises only to 2.35 (1.6 for Bioware, and 1.5 * 1/2 for the Cyberware), and drops your Essence down to 3.65. However, if instead you got the bone lacing removed, your Essence cost would drop to 1, but your Essence would still be 4. So if your Essence cost rises to more than your current total Essence Hole, you lose Essence. If your Essence Cost falls to less than your Essence Hole (or Vampiric Attack gives you a bigger Essence Hole than your Essence Cost), your Essence Hole never shrinks down to meet your Essence Cost. Keeping track of a single Essence Hole is good enough. The SR3 notion of multiple Essence Holes for every procedure ever done to you was interesting, but unworkable with the fact that in SR4 sometimes your cyberware or bioware Essence Costs are halved and sometimes they are not. -Frank |
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Dec 11 2005, 08:26 PM
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#12
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The back-up plan Group: Retired Admins Posts: 8,423 Joined: 15-January 03 From: San Diego Member No.: 3,910 |
Frank--That post took me a moment to reflect on and comprehend. I like the concept, but we may need to work on the verbiage to make it more user friendly.
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Dec 11 2005, 08:36 PM
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#13
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Prime Runner Group: Banned Posts: 3,732 Joined: 1-September 05 From: Prague, Czech Republic Member No.: 7,665 |
True. How's this:
You have a racial Base Essence (6 for humans, 5 for ghouls, 8 for shapeshifters). You have an Essence Hole. Your Essence is your Base Essence - your Essence Hole. Your Essence Hole rises to meet the total Essence Cost of your 'ware, but it doesn't fall if your Essence Cost drops. Other things (vampire attacks, burning out on crack) can raise your Essence Hole as well. -Frank |
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Dec 12 2005, 04:02 PM
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#14
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,651 Joined: 23-September 05 From: Marietta, GA Member No.: 7,773 |
Were I to house rule a method for regaining Essence:
Raise Essence like any other attribute, at x3 new rating in karma. Your next possible new rating is the next whole number (integer) of Essence. Your Essence cap is equal to 6-(Essence lost from existing implants). Example #1: CyberBob has an Essence of 4.55, and he'd like to refurbish his meat back to how Mother Nature intended. He gets his cyber and bio uninstalled, but his Essence does not automatically go back up (due to the aforementioned "Essence hole"). He then begins a strict "natural foods" diet, taking hippie herb supplements and making sure his apartment has good feng shui. He must first spend 15 karma (New Essence of 5, times 3) to raise his Essence to 5. Then he must spend 18 karma to raise it to his maximum of 6. Example #2: AddictBob has a horrible Cram habit (Negative Quality worth 30 BP), and he's taken his first point of Essence loss from the drug burnout. He goes into rehab, trying to live clean after a full blood transfusion and a new set of kidneys. While in the clinic, he spends 18 karma to raise his Essence back to 6. He's feeling better now, but he's still going to suffer from the addiction until he spends 60 karma to get rid of the Negative Quality. He'll probably want spend his next 20 karma to reduce the severity before spending the 18 to bump his Essence up, otherwise the GM might eventually make him lose the Essence he just bought back. |
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Dec 12 2005, 04:28 PM
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#15
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,174 Joined: 13-May 04 From: UCAS Member No.: 6,327 |
You better also get them to replace the now missing body parts that the cyber/bios once inhabited with natural parts, either through a donor or from parts cloned from the character. Otherwise, i don't see how you can just make it work with only karma. In fact they might drop dead. Oh, that synth heart? Just remove it, I'll karma it out and it's all good. wha-? :P Anyway, I'm against regaining karma, but I was just looking at your examples for your house rule and that just stuck out to me. ;) |
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Dec 12 2005, 04:29 PM
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#16
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,651 Joined: 23-September 05 From: Marietta, GA Member No.: 7,773 |
I imagined that as a given. |
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Dec 12 2005, 07:06 PM
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#17
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,174 Joined: 13-May 04 From: UCAS Member No.: 6,327 |
Should say in the example that they also have to pay some pretty :nuyen: to get those replacement natural parts. So it's not just karma they spend but also resources. Just to have it out and they can't say they didn't expect it. Hey, I'm trying to make it so even dummies can make use of it. ;) |
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