Essence and Implants (Need a rules call), Little confused; need verification. Options

[Kwynn]

Hi, all :) My friend and I are new to Shadowrun as a whole (meaning that we just got into the game all of a month ago at MOST) and were looking over a particular topic of interest.

As a new player, the thought of cyber implants is very fascinating to me...and so wanting to get newer/better implants is also a big deal in my mind. Now, here's the deal: essence!

You start out with six, and it steadilly decreases the more implants that you take. So, here's the question: if you have...say, 4 essence worth of implants that you have taken out later on. That (according to our GM) leaves you with the same 2 essence that you have remaining, and a big BLANK spot. Is it possible to put 4 essence worth of implants back in without decreasing from your already low essence since there is "blank space" there?

I don't neccessarily need a full decked out answer; if anyone has page references for the material, that would be even better! Thanks a lot!

~ Kwynn

[Dog]

I think you've got it right. Once removing those four points worth, you can put a different four points worth back in without damaging those two you have left.

This rule was invoked to go easy on the players, though. Don't go taking advantage of it. I'd imagine repeated replacement of cybernetics would be pretty rough on the system.

You can also upgrade cyber (Wired 'flexes one to two, for example.) and only lose the difference in essence between the two.

Sorry I can't quote page numbers. Hell I can't tell you which edition. Enjoy your game.

[Bölverk]

[Sphynx]

What B-lverk said pretty much.

If you're not using Man&Machine, the Canon rule is that if you remove Cyberware, you can not replace the lost essence with different cyberware. If you use Man&Machine, you -can-, but it is im-probable that you succeed. Here's a detailed example of how the rules work:

You decide to upgrade your Wired Reflexes from Basic-Grade rating 1 to Alpha-Grade rating 2.

First you remove the cyberware, which has a TN of 3 (this is the BEST time to try to regain the essence, due to a lower TN). You're in the run-of-the-mill type backstreet Black Market Clinic for a 0 point modifier. You have a little over 4 Essence worth of Cyber (including the Wires you're having removed) which adds a +1 to the TN. The conditions are mediocre, enough not to cause a modifier. So end result is a simple TN of 4. You assign 2 negative options and 1 positive (it's the only one that interests you) of: Fragility (you don't care how stressed the cyberware gets once gone) and Sensitive with the Positive Option of Essence Slot.

Doctor makes a BioTech skill (6) roll against a TN of 4 and rolls a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10. You got only 3 successes, so did not get the Positive Option.

Doctor continues surgery to Implant the Alpha Grade which has a Base TN of 4 and the same +1 because of low Essence, in addition to +1 for 2nd surgical procedure and another +1 for being Alphaware. TN 7 with 6 dice. Not likely (hence why you aim for Essence Slot at removal)....

Let's assume however that your Essence was 3 for the removal, or that he rolled 1, 3, 4, 5, 5, 10 giving you the 4 successes you needed for the positive option. Then you check the Threshold. Threshold here is NOT like Threshold of Manipulation spells. In surgery it simply means an increased TN.

Threshold for Essence Slot is +2 which is added to the Base TN of 4 giving you a TN of 6. As long as you get at least 4 successes at TN 4 and ONE of those 4 successes comes up 6 or higher, you got yourself an Essence Slot.

If you already had the cyber removed without using the Essence Slot option, then you're pretty screwed unless you get a top-notch scenario such as a team of doctors, a well stocked clinic/hospital etc (things most shadow runners don't have access to). Base TN is 4 to install, you need 4 successes to get a positive option, and the Doctor is probably rolling 6 dice (depending on how nice the GM is). If you can get the TN down to 3 you're in Luck and should opt for Essence Slot AND Essence Reduction. It doesn't change the TN for success, and if your Doctor rolls at least 1 7+ you can get That Alpha Wired-2 for 2.25 instead of 2.40 and fill in the removed cyber slot nicely (thus costing you a grand total of 0.25 essence).

Hope that wasn't too confusing, I just like explaining this kinda stuff. :P

Sphynx

[Voltage]

As a house rule, I let charcters regain essence over time if they have the original offending hunk of metal removed, since the disruption of the body as a whole that occurs stops when the cyberware is removed, and it seems only fair to have the body recover its essence (or wholeness) after some time.

[The White Dwarf]

Yep, the idea you describe is detailed completley in Man and Machine.

Basically, once you put cyber in, the body is permanently altered, and the essence is gone for good. If you remove the 'ware later, the essence is still gone. You can use the 'hole' for new implants, but it makes implanting them more difficult.

For example, your essence is 2 (4 pts of cyber). One day you decide to remove all your cyber. Your essence is now 2 (0 pts of cyber). Then later you decide to add some new cyber in. You spring extra, and the 2 point item you install uses the existing hole. Youre now at essence 2 (2 pts of cyber). Then even later you get another new item, but dont have the bucks to put it in the hole. This time the 1 point item goes off your normal essence again, leaving you at essence 1 (3 pts cyber).

All clear? The nitty gritty of "how much it costs" and "how hard is it" are all in the M&M book.