Modular Cyberlimbs?, Hold on, let me get my other hand... Options

[JavaLamp]

Actually had this idea reading the flavor text in one of the old cybertech books, I can't remember which... The quote was about someone in a fight with a yeti, the yety grabbed the guy's cyber arm *twinge* *pop* and he put two rounds in the things right eye, or some such.

I want some opinions on this possible piece of cyberware. How it would work, you basically purchase a mount, and a modularity adaptation for the cyberlimb, which would cost some capacity in the limb for the adaptation, and (I figured) a percentage of the essence cost of the limb for the 'mount' it would fit to.

For the campaign I used the idea in, for an arm I had it use 4 capacity in the arm and .3 essence for the mount. I thought it was a cool idea, so i'm posting it here for some refining, as I'll probably make it avaliable in campaigns I do. So, what thoughts have you?

-JL

[fistandantilus4....]

Just to clarify, are you talking about interchangeable parts, like swapping out cyberhands, arms at the elbow, that sort of thing?

[JavaLamp]

Yes, that would be what I'm talking about.

[fistandantilus4....]

If you're talking about replacing a whole arm at the shoulder, I'd say 1 full essence still. where are you planning at lopping it off (the meat that is)?

[JavaLamp]

The arm itself, of course, would still be 1 essence, that's not changing. The mount and adaptation to the cyberlimb is what i've been talking about. let's see, it's possible a lot of the necessary joints would already be a part of reinforcing the skeletal structure to hold the limb as is. How much would you honestly need to do this sort of thing...

Let's say arbitrarily, that the mount requires some additional reinforcement, and a 3 inch deep interface plug into the meat (pulling this all straight out of thin air).

Any thoughts on how much you think this would need into the meat?

-JL

[fistandantilus4....]

I'd say handle it the same as going over the normal allotment of strength for a cyberlimb, since that usually means extra reinforcement to handle the extra strength. Could work the same way for the joint 'mount'. I'd say also that they'd have probably half their capacity where ever parts are supposed to be able to switch out.

[eidolon]

I wouldn't think that this type of mount would be any more invasive than the typical method, actually. All that would change is adding some sort of latching mechanism, some control rod type linkages, and connecting some cables.

It might be a bit more vulnerable to external damaging factors and such, if you wanted to play up the differences.

So yeah, I wouldn't change the numbers. Maybe the pricing, to reflect the new added functionality and the overal mechanical utility, but not the essence costs and such.

[Squinky]

Isn't this in Man and Machine already?

If I recall correctly, they have interchangeable hook hands and peg legs, wouldn't this be pretty much the same thing?

[eidolon]

Yeah, pretty much. Just taken one more step.

[JavaLamp]

I'm agreeing with Eidolon so far.. It doesn't seem like a whole lot more to add now that I'm thinking about it, just something that's made specially for the task. I'm seeing the pricing, availability, and additional maintenance concerns as effective enough for limiting how prolific the things are...

[RainOfSteel]

[Squinky]

Yeah, page 39 of man and machine. It costs simply 10% more to add a quick release dealy. So there you have it.

[JavaLamp]

And there you have it... wow.. I completely missed that bit.

[Dranem]

That actually gives me a cool idea for a sammy with interchangeable cyberarms. That way he can have a rack of different cyberarm weapons...

I know it's been done in movies and comic books before, but - for some reason - never thought of it before for a shadowrunner... ;)