Bioware and cyberware of the elite., Canon hints or explicit statements. Options

[blakkie]

Are there any canon hints or explicit statements about what 'ware everyone's favourite egomaniacs have? Originally I was thinking about Richard Villiers, but extend this to Damien Knight as well.

The second part of this post is the NPCs you create. Do you tend to only lightly magic/cyber up the people at the top? Or are the guys in charge either multiple-Initiates or a pack of chromeheads?

[BitBasher]

I don't think you can make a blanket statement either way. It would aregely depend on their history. If the guy in charge of the KE precinct is an ex merc he may have a load of cyber even though he has a desk job.

Most upper tier management though would likely not go for anything more than a datajack and possibly mnemonic enhancer/tailored pheremones/cerebral booster. There's just no good reason for anything more unless they have a history that warrants it, which would be uncommon.

Plus, too much cyber hinders social interaction if their esseence drops to certain thresholds.

[Kagetenshi]

I'll have to dig for canon references. Obviously, datajacks will be common. When I create a bigwig they'll generally be lightly cybered (datajack, knowsoft link); if they're real big power-players, they'll have the gamut of intelligence-, memory-, and computation-assisting 'ware.

~J

[Vuron]

If they are really rich and powerful they just hire people to meet the cybered up magicked up role. Sure there are certainly rich people in the SR universe that are personally massive buttkickers (not even counting the IEs and GDs) but I tend to view it as why get cybered up if you can pay someone else to do it.

Most heavy hitters like Knight and Villiers in my game (if they have stats) aren't personally mortal threats to runners (except possibly in social skills and mental attributes) but they surround themselves with the best and brightest that money can buy. That means Knight might only have a datajack or if he's really really rich and arrogant is completely mundane and he's surrounded by a couple of initiate combat mages, physical adepts and cybered razorguys that are willing to jump in front of any bullet and a couple of walking computers that are constantly monitoring data and passing it on to Knight when he needs it.

Think of it as the ultimate sort of luxury in which you don't have to do anything but use high levels of etiquette, negotiation and intimidation to get what you want. Rolling up your sleeves and doing it yourself should be reserved for real hardcases.

[Fortune]

I don't see any real 'in-game' reason (other than Bio-Rejection, etc.) why most of the bigwigs and power players would not go in for the bio and cyber that Kagetenshi suggests, as well as some of the more socially-oriented bioware augmentations. They have the money, and there are no real drawbacks involved.

[Dog]

Since I can't think of any references, I'll offer my opinion. The big guys at the top got there usually because of ambition, ruthlessness and the ability to manipulate, so I don't think it's necessary for them to be chromed up. In other words Damien Knight isn't necessarily the smartest guy in Ares, he's just the guy who knows how to use the smartest guy, or something. It's ephemeral qualities that put someone in charge.
This leads me to conclude that the big guys are not busting at the seams with cyber, and would tend to a few extremely high-quality goodies, probably leaning towards communications and data organization. It would be the entourage that swarms in the immediate vicinity of the big guy that is loaded with top-of the line cyber.
"Doris, get me a list of every empoyee recruited in the last five years who has ever been to trinidad, check their psyche profiles and find me any unusual patterns of behavior since last Wednesday. And a latte." (Doris blinks twice, then pulls a chip from her jack.) "Here you are sir, and your latte is half-caff as reccommended by your doctor in Zurich due to his analysis of the stress patterns in your voice I just detected."

(edit: man, we just swarmed that one, didn't we?)

[Vuron]

Also remember that lots of cyber and bioware reduce your available bio-index. Considering the relative wealth of the power players reserving the vast majority of bio-index for leonization treatments means you get to enjoy the benefits of your wealth for that much longer.

[Kagetenshi]

[Backgammon]

I remember a passage from the Aztlan sourcebook mentionning one of the board members as having a cyberhand tricket out with lots of gadgets that no one really knew about, making everyone nervous. Says he liked to bank his cyberhand on the table when he needed to make a point. It was effective.

[Vuron]

[Kagetenshi]

[Vuron]

Everything you've suggested as being de riguer for high level executives really can be replicated through a variety of other solutions. Yes datajack, knowsoft link, etc are excellent augmentations especially at beta or deltaware levels.

However are they really neccesary?

Datajack - sure you can access a variety of appliances computer systems but a high end tortoise desktop, palmtop or pocket computer can do the same thing.

Knowsoft Link- useful especially for learning languages but presumably there remains the tech for an advanced translation program and earpiece to handle understanding the other person's language. As for technical matters it really depends on what level of knowsoft are routinely developed in your game. I assume that most megacorps have multiple experts with knowledge skill ratings of 10+ and they can be flown to brief damien knight at anytime he wants. While it might be useful for Villiers to slot a Knowledge: Computer Design 10 each time he sees a presentation on computer technology fundamentally he's relying on a purchased expert either way (a human one in the room or a computerized one in his chipjack slot).

Memory?- Useless within the current system as there is no way to store enough data to be useful in even a fraction of the situations a corp executive will be in.

So really there isn't a whole ton of reasons why given the money to hire people to specialize for you that you'd need to cyber up. Sure datajack/knowsoft link are useful enough and essence cheap enough to be relatively common but mandatory isn't really required.

Of course my view is based on the belief that fundamentally business leaders don't routinely go down into the trenches to look at what the wageslaves are doing. They focus on the 25,000 foot view where broad policy decisions and let thier VPs and managers do the job of managing individual product lines. While Lofwyr might be able to micromanage SK the simple fact of the matter is high levels of micromanagement in a human led organization is exceedingly wasteful of resources.

So basically what do I think Villier, Knight and company do with thier days? Read buttloads of sales and financial reports (Knowledge: Megacorporate Finance 8+ pretty much standard), call some big clients (Etiquette), meet with some VPs (etiquette + intimidation) maybe purchase a few small companies (negotiation) and screw thier mistresses, wives, nadia daviar (okay cyberware might be good here ;)) other than that it's not that much different than what midlevel managers do except in scale.

[Rev]

I would give almost all top executives various mods, especially younger ones.

Datajack, knowsoft link, image link, sound filter, enhanced hearing, encephalon, math spu, mnemonic enhancer, reflex recorders, pheremones, the cosmetic bioware, cerebral booster, mag vision, internal radio/phone, headware memory, encephalon, toxin exhaler and probably quite a few more would be very useful.

Even special custom stuff not in the books.

These guys didn't get to the top just because they were 'the best' they lied, cheated and stole taking every advantage they could get along the way and cyber and bioware are among those adantages. Corporate ladder climbers are big consumers of alternative 'medicine' and actual drugs today in an attempt to boost thier job prospects, imagine how much more common that will be when it actually starts to work.

Magical exec's and the odd natural genius with genuine anti-cyber opinions would be exceptions, shunning all but absolutely required mods (eg datajack).

There also ought to be a bitter and frustrated group of upper middle management who can't get to the next level because they refuse to / cannot get the mods.

[wagnern]

Hum, Data jack and lingo/skill/data softs as mentioned before, but also:

superthyroid, I mean come on, enhance your metabolism and loose weight, The side effect alown makes it nice. and unlike diet ware, it actualy makes you stronger and quicker, now who dosent' want an extra spring to there step?

And If I was a realy big honcho, I would want Trama Dampaners. I mean, if you are a big wig, there is people after you, and body guards are great, but a bit of a survivability edge would be good.

[Ancient History]

Mr Studd ™

[Charon]

Yes, definitely Mr Studd.

Also, that clean metabolism bioware looks good.

Some kind of cyber or bio to block the effect of tailored pheromones. What high powered executive like the though of being ''Manipulated'' by a lesser being equipped who smells ''good''?

Tailored pheromone themselves are a must. Not for negociation ; see above. To pick up chicks (or pretty boy). Also, to lord over the sheeps. Can you imagine Donald Trump not buying tailored pheromones if it existed?

Datajack. 12 years get datajack, for crying out loud! Most suit will have a silver or gold rimmed datajack just to make a statement.

Memory is a must. No need for more than 30mp. Enough for call girl phone numbers and blackmail data.

---

If the suit has been victim of attempted murder, any combat cyber that doesn't makes you look and behave like a machine while significantly enhancing survival chances would look awfully tempting.

[Vuron]

[hyzmarca]

Professional tasters are too much trouble to replace. A chemicle analizer will do a much better job.

[SpeedFreak]

1. Platinum (Why go with gold when everyone knows as a precious metal it's just second rate?) Datajack.

2. Clean Metabolism (Any social situation that lasts longer than a few minutes positively demands this.)

3. Tailored Pheremones II (Once this comes out, everyone will have them, and since business operates on a "better than the Jones's" principle, most corp execs will have these just to keep up.)

4. Mnemonic Enhancer III (This just makes sense, as in a corp exec's world, skills are life and almost all of the important ones will be based off of Intelligence and Charisma.)

5. Encephalon (See above)

6. Math SPU (Economics rule business, now and always.)

7. Cerebral Booster II (Think or sink baby.)

8. Doc Wagon Super Platinum Plus Account (Anyone who's anyone has one of these.)

These I would consider standard, here are some options for the savvy exec who is either paranoid or "wants the edge."

A) Trauma Dampner and/or Suprathyroid (For those exec's [Mr. Johnson I presume?] expected to be involved in a potentially dangerous situation.)

B) Cyber Ears and/or Eyes with lots of options and enough Headware Memory for a good few hours of recording. (For the extortion minded exec, oportunity can be a fleeting mistress, but these enhancements ensure that whatever happens in Vegas, stays with you. Until you decide to use it against someone of course.)

C) Headware Cellphone (Stay in touch 24 hrs a day.) [Listing this one as a option because of the horrible rules for them in canon, thinking most sane execs will choose to just use a regular external version.]

How I would set up mid to high level execs, lower levels are still "working" on these, and real movers and shakers either have many of these around them or have these at uber surgery levels. (Like say, -30% Essence/ Bio-Index?)

[Kagetenshi]

I'd suggest that mods to meat ears would be far more common than cyberears, and mods to meat eyes mildly more common than cybereyes.

~J

[Rev]

The reason a cyber phone/radio would be very useful is the ability to make a call without anyone else knowing you are doing so... stuck in a boring meeting? Get some real work done without moving a muscle. Wife droning on about her day... you are listening to your voicemail! Call the boss from the toilet with no chance of a career shattering flush!

[Edward]

I would tend to give a lot of headwear, cerebral booster, mnemonic enhancer, chip jack with expert driver, maybe a display link and some headwear memory.

One thing I doubt many would not take is tailored pheromones cultured of cause. Being the only one in the bord room without them would be a horrible disadvantage.

There just is no good reason not to take those implants. Anybody in upper middle management or higher can get them; grade would be a sign of wealth rather than being needed.

Ambition skill and natural talent are required but in a corporate power struggle who will win the ambitious knowledgeable and talented person with the mnemonic enhancer, or the one without.

Sectaries wouldn’t have much more (maybe a C^2 deck with a cell link for data searches) but always present will be a body guard with enough cyber to make every street samy jealous.

Edward

[Pthgar]

I can see some real jet set types getting a VCR. Rich people and fast vehicles often go together. Sometimes you just want to leave the limo in the garage and break out the Aston Martin Vanquish. Only for the serious enthusiest.

[The Grifter]

[Edward]