Here is the situation.
My player bought cheapest cybernetic arm for 15,000 in black market, given that new arm cost 70,000. Not counting other procedures - he thought that he can do everything himself. Now he claims that it was a great thing to buy and want it to be useful.
I want to see some interesting side effects aside just "not working properly" and stuff. Can someone share personal experience of showing what cheap cyberware do to characters? Some interesting screwy things for my sick GM mind?
Full Version: Side effects of stress points for GM enjoyment
In a game I GM'ed not too long ago the sammy with a previously owned cyberarm sometimes had problems with fine motor control. Sometimes he'd grip something harder than he would have liked to, resulting in dead pets, crushed beer bottles(alcohol abuse!), handshakes that hurt like a mother, and one unfortunate instance at a urinal(ow). Eventually the fingers and joints started locking up, and the arm would randomly stop working. After a few months in game he decided that second hand limbs weren't really his style, and he borrowed money for a new one.
Stress points can really bitch-slap a sammy when they start adding up.
Stress points can really bitch-slap a sammy when they start adding up.
gears that make noise. not very much, but it hurts stealth. Maybe have a high-frequency whine.
Have someone looking for that serial number in relation to a murder- the previous owner was the victem of cybersnatchers. hot merchandise is cheap for a reason.
High maitinance costs, with penalties that increase if he skimps on the maitinance. drop strength at odds time, have gears catch thus dropping quickness.
and how about a nice burnt smell, with a whisp of smoke? (no effect, but he will probably panic).
Have someone looking for that serial number in relation to a murder- the previous owner was the victem of cybersnatchers. hot merchandise is cheap for a reason.
High maitinance costs, with penalties that increase if he skimps on the maitinance. drop strength at odds time, have gears catch thus dropping quickness.
and how about a nice burnt smell, with a whisp of smoke? (no effect, but he will probably panic).
Here's an excerpt from my house rules:
| QUOTE |
| "Used alphaware! That's the way to go! Same nuyen as new basic cyberware, and less essense loss!" So say the munchkins. And who can stop them? Sure, you could use the cyberware damage and stress rules from Man and Machine, but you'd do just as well to STAB YOURSELF IN THE EYE REPEATEDLY WITH A RUSTY SYRINGE HOLY SHIT THOSE RULES SUCK ASS Here's another option: reduce cyberware damage to the subjective opinion of the GM on whether a particular attack dented a character's chrome. As for used cyberware, just have players roll 1D6 each morning for each piece of used 'ware they have, and consult the following table for results: 1 = Complete failure 2-4 = Minor problem 5-6 = Working fine As to what "complete failure" and "minor problem" mean, that's the GM's job to figure out. Here's some guidelines: minor problems should just make the cyberware work poorly, and only last for the day. Complete failure should either make it stop working entirely, or make a partial loss in functionality permanent until repairs. |
Alternately you could just have him keep the arm serviced more regularly and occationally make it lock-up temporarily as the effect of a fumble (you try to shoot him, but your cyberarm locks).
The cyberware stress rules do suck, but adding houserules that means used cyberware works 2 days a week (if it's not broken yet) is most definately uncool (and probably unrealistic). the same goes for saying that used cyberware is rusty, noisy, and unreliable.
Used cyberware is just that, used. It is possibly dented and occationally dodgy but it probably wouldn't be significantly more-so than a used computer or car nowadays. The mechanics presented in M&M need reworked are unadulterated crap, but rolling stress tests for cyberware failure at GM's disgression (when the implant is stressed significantly) or divising light and moderate stress effects for the implants (similar to those in the bioware section) seems reasonable. Don't just kill used 'ware however, It's a common part of the shadowrun world (why else would chopshops pay money for it) and if it just failed after less than a week or required maintenance that made it more expensive than normal 'ware then it just dosen't fit the background. An occasional twitch or incorrect application of pressure seems fine, locking joints and complete failures on a regular basis is uncool. An unsightly mark on it, giving-away the 'ware's origin, is another non-killer but undesireable flaw.
[edit]If he did get the ware at less than 1/4 price, however, then there is something physically or desperately wrong with it. I'd give it some extra stress pointss (3d3 rather than 1d3 stress points) or suggest that it needs a major maintenance session (bringing the cost up-to that of a normal used limb) to replace faulty parts (lower stress points to the permenant 1d3), reformat the limb's operating system, calibrate it correctly, and so on. [/edit]
The cyberware stress rules do suck, but adding houserules that means used cyberware works 2 days a week (if it's not broken yet) is most definately uncool (and probably unrealistic). the same goes for saying that used cyberware is rusty, noisy, and unreliable.
Used cyberware is just that, used. It is possibly dented and occationally dodgy but it probably wouldn't be significantly more-so than a used computer or car nowadays. The mechanics presented in M&M
[edit]If he did get the ware at less than 1/4 price, however, then there is something physically or desperately wrong with it. I'd give it some extra stress pointss (3d3 rather than 1d3 stress points) or suggest that it needs a major maintenance session (bringing the cost up-to that of a normal used limb) to replace faulty parts (lower stress points to the permenant 1d3), reformat the limb's operating system, calibrate it correctly, and so on. [/edit]
| QUOTE |
| The cyberware stress rules do suck, but adding houserules that means used cyberware works 2 days a week (if it's not broken yet) is most definately uncool |
It will, on average, only work perfectly two days out of the week. A roll of 2, 3 or 4 will only result in a minor glitch. The exact effects of this are up to the GM, and thus subject to his opinion of what is and is not "cool." Even a complete failure could simply mean a permanent minor glitch until repairs, if the GM is feeling charitable. If even this is a problem, the roll results can be modified to be more forgiving (i.e. it works fine on a 4, 5, or 6).
| QUOTE (GunnerJ) |
| It will, on average, only work perfectly two days out of the week. A roll of 2, 3 or 4 will only result in a minor glitch. The exact effects of this are up to the GM, and thus subject to his opinion of what is and is not "cool." Even a complete failure could simply mean a permanent minor glitch until repairs, if the GM is feeling charitable. If even this is a problem, the roll results can be modified to be more forgiving (i.e. it works fine on a 4, 5, or 6). |
Making the roll once every month or so, with 2d6 rather than 1d6, and making the cyberware on-average OK but occationally picking-up minor flaws (or breaking completely on the roll of 2 1s) dosen't seem unreasonable however.
If used cyberware is really just cyberware with a coupple of stress points already then you probably want a rules system which could be applied to all cyberware but factors the stress points into it. The rules in M&M are possibly OK, they just suck usability-wise.
My favorite side effect is having it pick up Korean shortwave radio in such a way that it is audible to anyone. I always hear some sort of weird asian-language radio crosstalk on one of the phone lines in my house, so I know how to imitate the sounds pretty well.
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