Percentages for fun and profit, multiplicative or additive? Options

[Dragnar]

The more usual way to handle multiple percentage changes is to multiply them together instead of adding them up. The sourcebook imply it working that way as well, even going so far as to have an example specifically doing it that way (the essence cost of second-hand alphaware cyber, found in Augmentation).
Now, I've heard on this very board that the given example is wrong and you're actually supposed to add the percentages together, which is shiny, as otherwise regular standard cyberware would be useless (second-hand alpha is strictly better).

Is that only for that specific instance, though? Or is it only for essence cost calculations? Or is it the new standard for everything? Or did I imagine all of that?
If second-hand cyberware now costs 100% of it's base essence instead of 96%, does a piece of equipment getting a 50% price hike twice now cost double it's original price as well, or still two and a quarter times?

[Chibu]

Yes, you multiply them together.

It's NOT A GOOD DEAL (just so you know). Second hand cyberware costs 120% of the normal essence. if you're getting it alpha (80% essence cost) you do multiply those together to get .96 if you got regular cyberware alpha though, it would only be .8

Normal - 100%
Alpha - 80%
Beta - 60%
Delta - 50%

Second-hand - 120%
SH Alpha - 96%
SH Beta - 72%
Delta - 60%

Second hand cyberware is strictly WORSE. It's bad quality, takes more essence and has a tendancy to break down. if your GM is not going to have the possibility of it breaking, then yeah it's better. If you're talking about it's cost, then again, sure it's 4% less essence for the same dollar value.

But, if it's not going to have the possibility of breaking, you shouldn't use it as that is the entire point.

[Fuchs]

Compared to regular cyberware, second hand alpha cyber is a good deal. Same price, less essence cost.

[Dragnar]

Yes. Which is kinda wierd. Which is why I thought the math was changed to be additive.
But with no confirming replies, I'm beginning to fear I did imagine that...

[darthmord]

Bah, for simplicity's sake I just add all the percentile mods together and then apply the final value.

2nd Hand Alpha would be 80% + 20% = 100%

Basically, my chart reads:
Second-hand - 120%
SH Alpha - 100%
SH Beta - 90%%
Delta - 70%

Sure it does make things worse... but them's the breaks when you buy used.

[Chibu]

Bah, for simplicity's sake I just add all the percentile mods together and then apply the final value.

2nd Hand Alpha would be 80% + 20% = 100%

Basically, my chart reads:
Second-hand - 120%
SH Alpha - 100%
SH Beta - 90%%
Delta - 70%

Sure it does make things worse... but them's the breaks when you buy used.

Yeah, that's probably better if you're going to use it as "cyberware that is cheaper for more essence" then well, it should be cheaper for more essence, ya know?

It you're using it as crappy cyberware that was ripped out of some slot's corpse and sold for a pittance, which will probably break in 6 months, then i'd say let it cost less essence.

[HappyDaze]

I wasn't aware that Beatware and Deltaware could be purchased second-had. Something about the extensive customization to the owner making it useless to others except for parts or some such.

[de4dmeta1]

Only standard and alpha-grade cyberware is available as
second-hand cyberware. Beta- and deltaware implants are too
custom-tailored and modified to be fitted to anyone other than
the person they were originally designed for.

Yeah, second-hand Alpha is the best you can get from a corpse.

[Mäx]

Yes. Which is kinda wierd. Which is why I thought the math was changed to be additive.
But with no confirming replies, I'm beginning to fear I did imagine that...

No, you didn't imagine that.
The change should be in Augmentation errata, but that still hasn't been released.

[Dragnar]

No, you didn't imagine that.
The change should be in Augmentation errata, but that still hasn't been released.

Thank you
I was starting to doubt myself here...
Which would bring me back to the original question, but if it's part of an unreleased errata, I assume no one actually knows if the change in math is meant to apply only to second-hand cyberware, all essence costs or all costs period...

[Mäx]

all essence costs or all costs period...

At least to all essence cost calculations, propably all.
They are after all trying to make the rules set as treamlined as possible, so i think math would be same all around.