Of Strength Enhancements on cyberlimbs., Confused about Essence cost. Options

[Penguin King]

Having a bit of confusion over the Essence cost of cyberlimbs with Enhanced Strength here. The Limbs table in SR3 (p. 303) indicates that Strength Enhancement at 4+ points has an Essence cost of .4/point. Okay, fair enough. However, the Equipment Capacity Table in Man and Machine (p. 36) indicates that Strength Enhancement has an essence cost of .4 for each point over 3. Each of these statements gives you a different result; for example, a cyberlimb with 5 points of Enhanced Strength would cost 2 extra Essence by a literal reading of SR3, but only 0.8 extra Essence if going by Man and Machine.

Which is it?

[Kagetenshi]

I'm pretty sure it only starts costing after you get above 3, so M&M (.8) is correct.

~J

[Bizarro]

The table in SR3 states the following:

1-3 points (per limb) = 0 Essence
4+ points (per limb) = .4 Essence/point

This means that the first three points of Strength Enhancement cost zero essence, and any additional enhancements beyond that cost .4 Essence per point.

Both books use the exact same rule - citing your example, adding five points of Strength Enhancement to a limb will cost an extra .8 Essence either way.

[Penguin King]

Okay. I'll certainly have a fun time convincing my GM, tho' - one must admit, the language employed in SR3 is somewhat ambiguous, and he's of the "when in doubt, adopt the reading that's least favorable to the players, or else they'll walk all over you" school of thought. ;)

[BitBasher]

It's also a little bit fruity. The cyber should not have limits well below that of a meat arm before it starts taking essence and space. I let the arm go to whatever the characters natural str and qui is. If he wants to move it above his natural, then we follow those rules.