Beaman
Nov 10 2004, 09:08 AM
Question:
MM and SR3 are really kind of vague on this, but what exactly happens to an adept who takes bioware? In my understanding if you have a bio index of 1.6 you'd round it to 2 and subtract it from your magic attribute for the purposes of determining the level and ranks of powers you could purchase. For instance you could get lvl 2 improved reflexes (cost 3) but not lvl 3 (cost 5), and you could get 4 ranks of improved skill(athletics) but not 5 ranks. It's to my understanding that you still can buy 6 points of powers total as long as you don't break either of those two rules, correct?
Jason Farlander
Nov 10 2004, 09:14 AM
Actually, with the new errata, you *halve* the total bio index cost of your bioware, add that value to the total essence cost of your cyberware (if any), and subtract that value from your Magic rating. Then round down. So, If you have 1.6 bio-index worth of bioware and no cyber, you divide that by two to get 0.8, subtract 0.8 from your magic rating, and then round your magic rating down.
For an uninitiated character, this results in a magic attribute of 5. As a starting character, unless you geas the magic loss, you would only have 5 power points as a result. Powers are limited in rating to your magic attribute, so while you could still get improved reflexes 3 (you do still have 5 power points to spend), you could not get improved stealth 6. Note that even if your magic attribute were reduced to 4 through bio/cyberware, you could still get improved reflexes 3 if you take a voluntary geas on the power (reducing its cost to 3.75 pp).
Beaman
Nov 10 2004, 09:19 AM
Thanks for the information, but do the rules follow the way I described?
tjn
Nov 10 2004, 09:26 AM
| QUOTE (pg. 168 @ BBB) |
| An Adept who loses Magic also loses a corresponding amount of powers, so an Adept that loses a Magic point must also lose one point worth of powers. |
| QUOTE (pg 78 @ M&M (errata)) |
| Magic reduction from bioware functions like other forms of Magic loss |
Fairly black and white
Jason Farlander
Nov 10 2004, 09:32 AM
| QUOTE (Beaman) |
| Thanks for the information, but do the rules follow the way I described? |
Yeah, I realized that I hadnt really answered your question when I originally posted that, and so I tried to sneak in a quick edit. Do you feel that you now have a firm understanding of how bioware-induced magic loss works, or do any uncertainties yet remain?
Beaman
Nov 10 2004, 09:57 AM
Well I'm wondering which "errata" you're talking about, because in M&M it explicitly states that bioware is considerably less intrusive to the body than cyberware so it wouldn't make alot of sense to add both cyber and bioware together and then divide by 2 for a permanent magic reduction
Austere Emancipator
Nov 10 2004, 10:01 AM
This is the errata they are talking about:
| QUOTE (Man and Machine Errata Version 2.0) |
p. 78 Bioware and the Awakened [4]
Replace the third, fourth and fifth paragraphs with the following:
In game terms, bioware reduces an Awakened character's Magic rating in a way similar to Essence loss. Magic is reduced by the character's Bio Index divided by 2 (round down).
The effects of Bio Index and Essence reduction on Magic are cumulative, so the two should be combined before determining how Magic is affected. Magic has a starting value equal to the character's Essence minus (Bio Index ÷ 2), rounded down. So a starting magician with Essence 5.8 and a Bio Index of 1 begins with a Magic rating of 5 (5.8 - 0.5 = 5.3, rounded down to 5). Further increases in Bio Index (or reductions in Essence) may also affect the Magic rating whenever the total falls beneath a whole number. If the same magician later acquires more bioware, raising his Bio Index to 2, he will lose an additional point of Magic (5.8 - 1 = 4.8, rounded to 4).
Magic reduction from bioware functions like other forms of Magic loss-adepts lose some of their powers, for example. Geasa can be used to counteract magic loss from bioware and a character can still initiate to raise his Magic rating. |
tjn
Nov 10 2004, 10:05 AM
EDIT: Too slow
Edward
Nov 10 2004, 11:05 AM
| QUOTE (Beaman) |
| Well I'm wondering which "errata" you're talking about, because in M&M it explicitly states that bioware is considerably less intrusive to the body than cyberware so it wouldn't make alot of sense to add both cyber and bioware together and then divide by 2 for a permanent magic reduction |
No because then you would have halved your essence loss.
Magic loss = essence loss + (bio index / 2)
Bio wear is less intrusive. This you halve bio index but essence loss (from cyber, vampires or anything else) is 1 to 1 magic loss.
Edward
Critias
Nov 10 2004, 04:58 PM
In other words, cyberware like a smartlink (.5) still knocks .5 from your magic rating.
Bioware, like enhanced articulation (.6) only knocks .3 from your magic rating.
So that, for instance, were you to make a combat mage who had a smartlink and enhanced articulation, you would only knock .8 from your magic rating. Cyberware is still same old same old, bioware (and only bioware) gets cut in half before you subtract.
Moon-Hawk
Nov 10 2004, 05:39 PM
And considering how many points of Improved Ability that Enhanced Articulation is worth, it's a pretty good deal. Throw in a Mnemonic Enhancer 1 while you're at it.
Voran
Nov 11 2004, 05:25 AM
Yeah, I've gotten to like the spread sacrificing 3 points of magic, but making it up in bioware gives an adept. With a couple levels of initiation.
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