"Gamemasters and players are encouraged to research and develop new genetic modifications..."

Alright, first up on the table actually isn't genetech, it's a modification of Orthoskin:

RAYBAN ORTHOSKIN
--For an extra 5000 nuyen, any grade of Orthoskin provides SPF 85 ultraviolet protection, usually enough to protect a human from all but the most extreme UV radiation (such as under the ozone hole in Antarctica). Anglo tourists can sun themselves all day without turning into lobsters. No bio-index cost, a minor tweak to Orthoskin, but one only available to Orthoskin. The Rayban feature must be purchased at the same time as the Orthoskin; it cannot be installed later.

Early versions (pre-2058) of Rayban orthoskin utilized fast-response photosensitive proteins that can noticeably darken UV-exposed skin in minutes, but the response was entirely local - tan lines took on new meaning as the sun-ward side of a Rayban-protected individual would appear darker than shaded areas, producing very lopsided appearances. The current version of Rayban Orthoskin uses a chemical trigger released into the blood from UV-exposed skin to trigger body wide tanning. In both models, the tans quickly reverse themselves, usually fading after a few days back in an indoors environment.

OXYGENATED ADIPOSE
This Genetech modifies the fat cells of an individual with some weakly oxygen binding proteins similar in function, but different in chemical structure, to hemoglobin (so, no, the fat does not turn red). The net effect is to extend the duration that an individual can hold their breath, as well as providing larger oxygen reserves for aerobic activity. In game terms, Oxygenated Adipose gives a -1 bonus to target numbers involving fatigue and breath holding (see pg47 SR Comp), and extends the time a person can hold their breath by 90 seconds per point of Body (or per 25kg, whichever is greater).

Treatment Time: 2 months
Bio-Index: 0.3
Cost: 40,000:nuyen:
Availability: 6/30 days
Street Index: 2
Legality: Legal

NITROGEN SCAVENGING LIVER
This Genetech modification of the liver is incredibly popular with divers. By modifying one of the chemical processes in the liver, blood flowing through the liver has dissolved nitrogen scavenged for use in production of metabolically useful proteins. The byproducts have minor nutritional benefits, but more importantly is the removal of nitrogen from the blood. Characters with this modification are immune to Nitrogen Narcosis (see pg110 Cannon Companion) and decompression times are reduced. Instead of decompressing for (time spent underwater) x 0.25, the multiplier is 0.1.

Because excessive nitrogen loading leads to excessive uric salts, divers who regularly venture below 50 meters (twice per week or more) are vulnerable to kidney stones and the gout.

Treatment Time: 2 months
Bio-Index: 0.4
Cost: 60,000:nuyen:
Availability: 6/30 days
Street Index: 2
Legality: Legal

HALOPHYTIN
This Genetech modification encapsulates and removes salts, excreting them through the large intestine. (While metahuman kidneys were more conducive to salt removal, they were not as large and capable as cetean kidneys, and thus tended to clog with salt rapidly when the test subjects were on salt water diets). In addition to the usual long term benefits in terms of maintaining healthy levels of sodium in the body, Halophytin allows the user to tolerate ingestion of high salt diets (saltwater plants and animals) and even drink saltwater.

Treatment Time: 2 months
Bio-Index: 0.3
Cost: 40,000:nuyen:
Availability: 6/30 days
Street Index: 2
Legality: Legal

Comments? Suggestions? Are they balanced as is?

Throw in some gills or an oxygenate spell, and those last two make diving much safer.

Until you get a chemical gland filled with something that scares of megaladons, it won't really be safe. Yet those treatments do nicely remove some of the non-bitey injuries that can be caused by deep sea diving.

Give those, Gills, and some form of cyber propeller to a juggarnaut and the megalodon would finally have some competition.

Juggernauts already don't need to breathe.

Applied Insensitivity to Pain
Utilizing a rare genetic mutation (CIPA), geneticists can now make anyone immune to pain with a dousing in the genepool. The mutation only affects the small nerve fibers that carry sensations of pain while not hampering those that carry texture or hunger. A common side effect of the procedure is anhidrosis (body apathy to temperature). Federal health and safety laws require the implantation of a biomonitor and a temperature corrective medkit that uses chemicals to control sweating.

Game Effects
The Applied Insensitivity to Pain treatment negates wound modifiers but the character is also unable to sense ambient temperature without aid (such as the Termosense organ).

Treatment Time: 3 months
Bio-Index: 0.4
Cost: 80,000:nuyen:
Availability: 8/30 days
Street Index: 3
Legality: Legal

Irk, a Pain Editor you couldn't turn off? You'd be dead within a week (even with a biomonitor).

On the side, I wonder if breeding critters with this mutation would be worthwhile? One need only modify the original breeder pair at a cost of 160,000¥ and then all the babies would have Immunity to Pain. Obviously training would have to use reward method, but it would make some interesting guards animals...

Sure, I guess you could install cyberware to help with what you were talking about, but even a Guardian Angel Nano-Biomonitor isn't going to save you from all the problems you'll run into (especially since Physical Wounds would still affect you even if you didn't feel them). Say you break your ankle accidently. Without feeling the pain or the tolerance you can apply to it, you'll progessively make it worse and worse every time you move. Sure, your Biomonitor might say "dude, your ankle is broken" but that doesn't really help matters all that much.

Pain is your safety gauge. Sure, it sucks, but it's what helps keep you out of harm's way. You'd be surprised at all the little things it protects you from...

Game wise, sure, it might be a cool benefit. But who would voluntarily want to live that way? I can't even imagine someone with severe arthritis would want to permanently turn off all their ability to feel pain.

Besides, what's the advantage to this bit of genetch? If I'm not mistaking it's about 50% more expensive than a Pain Editor and on the same Bio Index level (or is the PE 0.60?).

It'd be like having arrested leprosy. Given that the nerves are essentially dead to pain (What about feeling? That's just a much lower level of pain...) the implanted person would have to regularly give themself a Visual Seach of Extremities to look for injuries and stuff. Even a scratch can fester if you don't notice it for a week.

Hmm. Okay then. Guess that would make Chrysalis non-workable...

The initial idea was to mimic the Pain Editor's effects, but perhaps halving the effective modifiers (rounded down) would work? Pretty much only physical damage would be effected, as Stun covers internal effects much heavier. I could see a side effect similar to the Bravery edge as well.

There was a radio show just this morning on people who had that disease where they can't feel pain. The most notable one, the daughter of a physician, lived to the age of 29 when she died of 'massive infection'.

If you're going to incorporate that, you need to figure out some random infection/general wellbeing rules. Basic things like an ulcer or even shaving with a rough razor can kill you.

Infections and serious medical illnesses along with dangerous bleeding levels will be detected by the medkit/biomonitor. There should be some cost associated with that aspect however. Perhaps a minimum lifestyle and a nurse bot.

Here is something I have made a while back, I'll add more later.


Occification Glands

By implanting specially engineered gland to release the hormones that promote the growth the bones in the recipients body. Recipients on average grow in width and height by 10%-40% of there original height, the rib cage also grow into tough over lapping plates , and increase bone density. This treatment is combined with a specially designed diet that is rich in calcium, if the recipients do not ingest enough calcium the bones can become disfigured or worse, often crippling and sometime killing the recipient They also recieve chemical treatment that is meant keep the hormones from the glands in balance and at the right level throught out the growth period. This treatment plan is based on the level of occification, light to moderate occification treatments on average take 2-3 months, while the more drastic changes take 4-6 months to complete. Most recipients go through a 1-2 month period of light to moderate growing pains, a small does pain medication is often proscribed to recipients on this body enhancement. After the growing period is completed, the glands decrease in hormone out put. This treatment has been used to treat those with Osteoporosis.

Game Effects
Level 1: +1 Body, Str + 1L (Stun)
Level 2: +1 Body, +1 Impact, Str + 1L (Stun)
Level 3: +2 Body, +1 Impact, Str + 2L (Stun)
Level 4: +2 Body, +2 Impact, Str + 2M (Stun)

Occification Glands
Level 1
Bio Index: .5; Avail: 6/10 days; Cost: 60,000; St. Index: .5; Legality: legal
Level 2
Bio Index: 1; Avail: 6/10 days; Cost: 120,000; St. Index: .5; Legality: legal
Level 3
Bio Inedx: 1.5; Avail: 6/10 days; Cost: 180,000; St. Index: .5; Legality: legal
Level 4
Bio Index: 2; Avail: 6/10 days; Cost: 240,000; St. Index: .5; Legality: legal

Nice but I don’t like the idea of it being compatible with a later application of bone lacing (although I cant thick of a surgical reason why you couldn’t).

Edward

->Cray74

Its all internal, the rib bones they selves form into over lapping bone plates, no bone growth happens on the out side unless the person happened to be a Troll. But that does bring up a question, what happens to the trolls with their natural dermal armor, does it grow bulk like the skeleton does.

->Edward

I'll have to think on whether to make it compatable or incompatible. You are right though, there are no real scientific reason why a bone lacing treatment would not be incompatible after the Occification Glands have completed its work. I guess it comes down to who the GM definition of game balance.