now, the entry for the drakes in runner's companion states that none of the augmentations that a drake gets in human form carry over to drake form, but it uses the term implant during the paragraph. It makes me believe that genetech won't carry over to the drake form, but the term implant makes me think that there is some possibility that genetech used on drakes carries over between forms. Is this how it works or am i just being too hopeful.

For shapeshifters, any cyberware/whatever (including genetech) that they get in their alternate form is destroyed when they shift back to their "real" form (with the essence/magic loss that came from implanting it permanent). They can get cyberware implanted while in their real form, but most Drakes only have the default 1 Magic that all shapeshifters get, and losing 1 essence (and thus 1 mana) traps you in your real form forever (as well as some other things), although you'd still be sentient.

So the drake can get genetech, but the human form can't. He should be a magician/adept/mystic adept so that he can lose essence without losing all of his magic.

...Um. Drakes are metahumans who turn into dragons, not dragons who turn into metahumans. That makes the human the base "real" form.



IMO, genetech, being a tweak of the DNA, I would say carries over. Additionally, you can use nanites, though without a nanohive (which is merely "unavailable" in dracoform) it would lose rating over time (so you could go a whole week in dracoform with risk of losing nanite colony ratings).

It seems clear than 'no known augmentation' works in dracoform.

What would you say about SURGE qualities?

Also: there's no genetweak I'd want, playing a drake. No way to use up that remaining essence usefully.

I dunno. I rarely use SURGE, so I don't have a great grasp. Maybe purely mental effects?

SURGE isn't an augmentation. It basically turns you into a metavariant. And the negative quality Permanent Infusion, when used with Sideways, rocks all kinds of ways. The only downside is the random addiction, and that only sucks if your GM goes out of their way to pick something with a disproportionately damaging side effect.

Is it even combinable with being a drake, or is it only for 'normals'?
Ha, a free spirit… jesus. Thanks.

SURGE? Works on any character short of AIs. I don't think even Free Spirits have a clause against it, but I'd have to double check. (It may be listed on their no-no list of qualities.)

Interpret for your self.



Both SURGE and Drake are "positive qualities" though Drake doesn't count against the maximum.

Thanks. Someday I'll try SURGE, but not today.

I did a low-key Class 1 drake. Dynamic skin coloration for extravagant eyes.

Drake -> Naked
+
Naked -> Infiltration bonus
=
Drake Infiltrator.
(And to be honest, how often are you going to notice a dude's amethyst purple eyes when the dude is also a dragon?)

I'm surprised no-one else caught this. The various metasapients, Infected, and drakes give you a Magic attribute that you are perfectly capable of raising without having to take Magician/Adept/Mystic Adept; but taking one of those qualities definately increases your options. Otherwise your Magic stat is just used for the Powers your choice gives you: Search for centaur, Regen for shifters, Concealment for pixies, ect. ect.

TBH, the 5 BP to be a mage is way worth it, if you weren't going to do anything else with your magic. One spell increases your options significantly.

Camouflage (oh man, I love this spell for my sneaky snaky drake)
Increased Reflexes (who doesn't have it? Best way to get more IP when you can't take 'ware)
Heal (every party needs it)

Don't need an attack spell as a drake, you get Elemental Attack (fire) does [Magic]P at anything in LOS using Agility + Exotic Ranged Weapon. Much better than any attack spell, and can easily get as good as most firearms, and eventually better (what's that? Magic 10? I get 10DV plus net hits? No "recoil"?* Awesome!). It is a complex action, so any burst fire weapon will out damage it.

*Recoil in the sense of "something bad happens to you," eg. drain or DP modifiers.