In an upcoming camapign I'm thinking about cutting the Essence loss from Cyberware by 1/2 while keeping the Bioware Essence cost at RAW levels in order to encourage a little more Chrome in the campaign world, and was wondering if I was in danger of unleashing some hidious game-balance monster or not. (For the record I understand why Fan-Pro made Bioware better in 4th Edition, but I tend towards favoring the older chrome & spike style of Cyberpunk.)
Thanks,
Full Version: Cyberware Essence House Rule
I think it's a bad idea given the presence of Delta-grade chrome. At 50% Essence, you WILL unleash all sorts of balance issues. While Delta-grade wares are also 50% Essence, they are balanced by their cost and rarity.
If you want a little more chrome, the allow Alphaware at normal prices and Betaware at Alphaware prices. Reserve the Deltaware for the TRULY deserving... or the PCs you want to keep on a short leash; Delta clinics tend to only allow the loyalest of servants to enjoy their talents.
If you want a little more chrome, the allow Alphaware at normal prices and Betaware at Alphaware prices. Reserve the Deltaware for the TRULY deserving... or the PCs you want to keep on a short leash; Delta clinics tend to only allow the loyalest of servants to enjoy their talents.
At 50% there isn't enough cyberware in the BBB 
.
(unless you go cyborg, but since the cyberlimb rules suck, no fun).
.(unless you go cyborg, but since the cyberlimb rules suck, no fun).
| QUOTE (Ravor) |
| In an upcoming camapign I'm thinking about cutting the Essence loss from Cyberware by 1/2 while keeping the Bioware Essence cost at RAW levels in order to encourage a little more Chrome in the campaign world, and was wondering if I was in danger of unleashing some hidious game-balance monster or not. |
It allows more leeway than the RAW, as the RAW only reduces the lower Essence costs sum by half.
| QUOTE (Ravor) |
| (For the record I understand why Fan-Pro made Bioware better in 4th Edition, but I tend towards favoring the older chrome & spike style of Cyberpunk.) |
A Retro-Game? Sounds cool.
has anyone played in a campaign where this has been used? What were the experiences?
One way to get the partially-cybered 'look' would be to hugely increase the capacity of a single cyberlimb. That would encourage getting one limb, while not making total cybernation especially attractive.
You could focus on the 'swappable' nature of cybernetics could help: You can switch arms in a minute, pop out your eyes and replace them, whatever. Poke-organs are cool as long as the essence/$ cost of getting a bunch and switching as needed is less than that of just getting everything in one. This is the opposite solution. Make sure they're modular so that the hacker can pop his integrated comlink into his new arm.
As far as cyber- vs. bio-ware in general, a lot of the bioware has flavor better explained cybernetically. Cerebral boosters, for example, make more sense as expert AI coproccessors than as extra cortex. The synaptic booster as described already sounds like cyberware.
You could cut all the 'ware essence costs to 2/3 and say that everything is cybernetic.
You could focus on the 'swappable' nature of cybernetics could help: You can switch arms in a minute, pop out your eyes and replace them, whatever. Poke-organs are cool as long as the essence/$ cost of getting a bunch and switching as needed is less than that of just getting everything in one. This is the opposite solution. Make sure they're modular so that the hacker can pop his integrated comlink into his new arm.
As far as cyber- vs. bio-ware in general, a lot of the bioware has flavor better explained cybernetically. Cerebral boosters, for example, make more sense as expert AI coproccessors than as extra cortex. The synaptic booster as described already sounds like cyberware.
You could cut all the 'ware essence costs to 2/3 and say that everything is cybernetic.
| QUOTE (jervinator) |
| I think it's a bad idea given the presence of Delta-grade chrome. At 50% Essence, you WILL unleash all sorts of balance issues. While Delta-grade wares are also 50% Essence, they are balanced by their cost and rarity. If you want a little more chrome, the allow Alphaware at normal prices and Betaware at Alphaware prices. Reserve the Deltaware for the TRULY deserving... or the PCs you want to keep on a short leash; Delta clinics tend to only allow the loyalest of servants to enjoy their talents. |
That was going to be my suggestion as well - it's elegant, and has been pretty well tested by people running high nuyen games.
Yeah after testing the ammount of Cyber/Bio that a Mage could fit into himself by burning a single Magic Point 1/2 is way too much, I think I'll start with having Alpha/Beta being considered the 'norm', and go from there.
Thanks everybody for the advise.
Thanks everybody for the advise.
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