Are there any canon hints or explicit statements about what 'ware everyone's favourite egomaniacs have? Originally I was thinking about Richard Villiers, but extend this to Damien Knight as well.
The second part of this post is the NPCs you create. Do you tend to only lightly magic/cyber up the people at the top? Or are the guys in charge either multiple-Initiates or a pack of chromeheads?
Full Version: Bioware and cyberware of the elite.
I don't think you can make a blanket statement either way. It would aregely depend on their history. If the guy in charge of the KE precinct is an ex merc he may have a load of cyber even though he has a desk job.
Most upper tier management though would likely not go for anything more than a datajack and possibly mnemonic enhancer/tailored pheremones/cerebral booster. There's just no good reason for anything more unless they have a history that warrants it, which would be uncommon.
Plus, too much cyber hinders social interaction if their esseence drops to certain thresholds.
Most upper tier management though would likely not go for anything more than a datajack and possibly mnemonic enhancer/tailored pheremones/cerebral booster. There's just no good reason for anything more unless they have a history that warrants it, which would be uncommon.
Plus, too much cyber hinders social interaction if their esseence drops to certain thresholds.
I'll have to dig for canon references. Obviously, datajacks will be common. When I create a bigwig they'll generally be lightly cybered (datajack, knowsoft link); if they're real big power-players, they'll have the gamut of intelligence-, memory-, and computation-assisting 'ware.
~J
~J
If they are really rich and powerful they just hire people to meet the cybered up magicked up role. Sure there are certainly rich people in the SR universe that are personally massive buttkickers (not even counting the IEs and GDs) but I tend to view it as why get cybered up if you can pay someone else to do it.
Most heavy hitters like Knight and Villiers in my game (if they have stats) aren't personally mortal threats to runners (except possibly in social skills and mental attributes) but they surround themselves with the best and brightest that money can buy. That means Knight might only have a datajack or if he's really really rich and arrogant is completely mundane and he's surrounded by a couple of initiate combat mages, physical adepts and cybered razorguys that are willing to jump in front of any bullet and a couple of walking computers that are constantly monitoring data and passing it on to Knight when he needs it.
Think of it as the ultimate sort of luxury in which you don't have to do anything but use high levels of etiquette, negotiation and intimidation to get what you want. Rolling up your sleeves and doing it yourself should be reserved for real hardcases.
Most heavy hitters like Knight and Villiers in my game (if they have stats) aren't personally mortal threats to runners (except possibly in social skills and mental attributes) but they surround themselves with the best and brightest that money can buy. That means Knight might only have a datajack or if he's really really rich and arrogant is completely mundane and he's surrounded by a couple of initiate combat mages, physical adepts and cybered razorguys that are willing to jump in front of any bullet and a couple of walking computers that are constantly monitoring data and passing it on to Knight when he needs it.
Think of it as the ultimate sort of luxury in which you don't have to do anything but use high levels of etiquette, negotiation and intimidation to get what you want. Rolling up your sleeves and doing it yourself should be reserved for real hardcases.
I don't see any real 'in-game' reason (other than Bio-Rejection, etc.) why most of the bigwigs and power players would not go in for the bio and cyber that Kagetenshi suggests, as well as some of the more socially-oriented bioware augmentations. They have the money, and there are no real drawbacks involved.
Since I can't think of any references, I'll offer my opinion. The big guys at the top got there usually because of ambition, ruthlessness and the ability to manipulate, so I don't think it's necessary for them to be chromed up. In other words Damien Knight isn't necessarily the smartest guy in Ares, he's just the guy who knows how to use the smartest guy, or something. It's ephemeral qualities that put someone in charge.
This leads me to conclude that the big guys are not busting at the seams with cyber, and would tend to a few extremely high-quality goodies, probably leaning towards communications and data organization. It would be the entourage that swarms in the immediate vicinity of the big guy that is loaded with top-of the line cyber.
"Doris, get me a list of every empoyee recruited in the last five years who has ever been to trinidad, check their psyche profiles and find me any unusual patterns of behavior since last Wednesday. And a latte." (Doris blinks twice, then pulls a chip from her jack.) "Here you are sir, and your latte is half-caff as reccommended by your doctor in Zurich due to his analysis of the stress patterns in your voice I just detected."
(edit: man, we just swarmed that one, didn't we?)
This leads me to conclude that the big guys are not busting at the seams with cyber, and would tend to a few extremely high-quality goodies, probably leaning towards communications and data organization. It would be the entourage that swarms in the immediate vicinity of the big guy that is loaded with top-of the line cyber.
"Doris, get me a list of every empoyee recruited in the last five years who has ever been to trinidad, check their psyche profiles and find me any unusual patterns of behavior since last Wednesday. And a latte." (Doris blinks twice, then pulls a chip from her jack.) "Here you are sir, and your latte is half-caff as reccommended by your doctor in Zurich due to his analysis of the stress patterns in your voice I just detected."
(edit: man, we just swarmed that one, didn't we?)
Also remember that lots of cyber and bioware reduce your available bio-index. Considering the relative wealth of the power players reserving the vast majority of bio-index for leonization treatments means you get to enjoy the benefits of your wealth for that much longer.
| QUOTE (Vuron) |
| If they are really rich and powerful they just hire people to meet the cybered up magicked up role. Sure there are certainly rich people in the SR universe that are personally massive buttkickers (not even counting the IEs and GDs) but I tend to view it as why get cybered up if you can pay someone else to do it. |
You can't pay someone else to be smart, persuasive, and ambitious for you. If you try, you'll soon find a dumpster with your name on it.
~J
I remember a passage from the Aztlan sourcebook mentionning one of the board members as having a cyberhand tricket out with lots of gadgets that no one really knew about, making everyone nervous. Says he liked to bank his cyberhand on the table when he needed to make a point. It was effective.
| QUOTE (Kagetenshi) | ||
You can't pay someone else to be smart, persuasive, and ambitious for you. If you try, you'll soon find a dumpster with your name on it. ~J |
Well while smarts can in some ways be replicated by intelligence it's really a mix of intelligence plus knowledge skills. Even if you are brilliant max intelligence plus cerebral booster you are still going to need a whole host of specialists to run your company.
As for persuasive while tailored pheremones help they really suck over trid links etc so unless you are planning on doing all negotiation face to face (uhh dangerous) then you pretty much want to build up your social skills which doesn't require jack for cyberware.
Finally ambition, now I'm being snarky but unless you are working with some houseruled cyberware there isn't any ambition enhancing cyberware out there.
So all told there might be a reason for some heavy hitters to have cerebral enhancement and maybe tailored pheremones but otherwise hiring good help can accomplish anything that other enhancements might acchieve.
I'm not saying your view of the world is bad it's just that part of being the ultrarich is not having to do routine things like crunching numbers, dodging bullets yourself. I'm not saying there aren't going to be ex-military or intelligence types as titans of industry but that they are the exception and that fundamentally it's more cost effective to pay someone else to take the risks instead of yourself.
| QUOTE (Vuron @ Apr 12 2005, 02:56 PM) |
| Well while smarts can in some ways be replicated by intelligence it's really a mix of intelligence plus knowledge skills. Even if you are brilliant max intelligence plus cerebral booster you are still going to need a whole host of specialists to run your company. |
Knowsoft link.
| QUOTE (Vuron) |
| As for persuasive while tailored pheremones help they really suck over trid links etc so unless you are planning on doing all negotiation face to face (uhh dangerous) then you pretty much want to build up your social skills which doesn't require jack for cyberware. |
You have no point here. No one is suggesting that 'ware completely replace skills, but it's a free augmentation for them.
| QUOTE (Vuron) |
| Finally ambition, now I'm being snarky but unless you are working with some houseruled cyberware there isn't any ambition enhancing cyberware out there. |
You're right, not only are you being snarky but you aren't thinking. You can in fact pay someone to negotiate for you, to make decisions for you, etc., but if they don't have the ambition they won't be effective at it. If they do have the ambition and the talent, they have no need for you.
| QUOTE (Vuron) |
| So all told there might be a reason for some heavy hitters to have cerebral enhancement and maybe tailored pheremones but otherwise hiring good help can accomplish anything that other enhancements might acchieve. |
Yep, for more money, more dependence on others, and overall a huge additional risk.
| QUOTE (Vuron) |
| I'm not saying your view of the world is bad it's just that part of being the ultrarich is not having to do routine things like crunching numbers, dodging bullets yourself. I'm not saying there aren't going to be ex-military or intelligence types as titans of industry but that they are the exception and that fundamentally it's more cost effective to pay someone else to take the risks instead of yourself. |
You keep bringing up combat 'ware. Where in the nine hells are you getting it from? High-level executives sometimes have to make decisions quickly. Sometimes they need to make decisions on info that can't be leaked. If a cheap, low-Essence implant allows them to perform advanced math on the company's bottom line, there's no reason not to have it, and nothing I've mentioned involves increasing combat abilities.
~J
Everything you've suggested as being de riguer for high level executives really can be replicated through a variety of other solutions. Yes datajack, knowsoft link, etc are excellent augmentations especially at beta or deltaware levels.
However are they really neccesary?
Datajack - sure you can access a variety of appliances computer systems but a high end tortoise desktop, palmtop or pocket computer can do the same thing.
Knowsoft Link- useful especially for learning languages but presumably there remains the tech for an advanced translation program and earpiece to handle understanding the other person's language. As for technical matters it really depends on what level of knowsoft are routinely developed in your game. I assume that most megacorps have multiple experts with knowledge skill ratings of 10+ and they can be flown to brief damien knight at anytime he wants. While it might be useful for Villiers to slot a Knowledge: Computer Design 10 each time he sees a presentation on computer technology fundamentally he's relying on a purchased expert either way (a human one in the room or a computerized one in his chipjack slot).
Memory?- Useless within the current system as there is no way to store enough data to be useful in even a fraction of the situations a corp executive will be in.
So really there isn't a whole ton of reasons why given the money to hire people to specialize for you that you'd need to cyber up. Sure datajack/knowsoft link are useful enough and essence cheap enough to be relatively common but mandatory isn't really required.
Of course my view is based on the belief that fundamentally business leaders don't routinely go down into the trenches to look at what the wageslaves are doing. They focus on the 25,000 foot view where broad policy decisions and let thier VPs and managers do the job of managing individual product lines. While Lofwyr might be able to micromanage SK the simple fact of the matter is high levels of micromanagement in a human led organization is exceedingly wasteful of resources.
So basically what do I think Villier, Knight and company do with thier days? Read buttloads of sales and financial reports (Knowledge: Megacorporate Finance 8+ pretty much standard), call some big clients (Etiquette), meet with some VPs (etiquette + intimidation) maybe purchase a few small companies (negotiation) and screw thier mistresses, wives, nadia daviar (okay cyberware might be good here
) other than that it's not that much different than what midlevel managers do except in scale.
However are they really neccesary?
Datajack - sure you can access a variety of appliances computer systems but a high end tortoise desktop, palmtop or pocket computer can do the same thing.
Knowsoft Link- useful especially for learning languages but presumably there remains the tech for an advanced translation program and earpiece to handle understanding the other person's language. As for technical matters it really depends on what level of knowsoft are routinely developed in your game. I assume that most megacorps have multiple experts with knowledge skill ratings of 10+ and they can be flown to brief damien knight at anytime he wants. While it might be useful for Villiers to slot a Knowledge: Computer Design 10 each time he sees a presentation on computer technology fundamentally he's relying on a purchased expert either way (a human one in the room or a computerized one in his chipjack slot).
Memory?- Useless within the current system as there is no way to store enough data to be useful in even a fraction of the situations a corp executive will be in.
So really there isn't a whole ton of reasons why given the money to hire people to specialize for you that you'd need to cyber up. Sure datajack/knowsoft link are useful enough and essence cheap enough to be relatively common but mandatory isn't really required.
Of course my view is based on the belief that fundamentally business leaders don't routinely go down into the trenches to look at what the wageslaves are doing. They focus on the 25,000 foot view where broad policy decisions and let thier VPs and managers do the job of managing individual product lines. While Lofwyr might be able to micromanage SK the simple fact of the matter is high levels of micromanagement in a human led organization is exceedingly wasteful of resources.
So basically what do I think Villier, Knight and company do with thier days? Read buttloads of sales and financial reports (Knowledge: Megacorporate Finance 8+ pretty much standard), call some big clients (Etiquette), meet with some VPs (etiquette + intimidation) maybe purchase a few small companies (negotiation) and screw thier mistresses, wives, nadia daviar (okay cyberware might be good here
) other than that it's not that much different than what midlevel managers do except in scale.
I would give almost all top executives various mods, especially younger ones.
Datajack, knowsoft link, image link, sound filter, enhanced hearing, encephalon, math spu, mnemonic enhancer, reflex recorders, pheremones, the cosmetic bioware, cerebral booster, mag vision, internal radio/phone, headware memory, encephalon, toxin exhaler and probably quite a few more would be very useful.
Even special custom stuff not in the books.
These guys didn't get to the top just because they were 'the best' they lied, cheated and stole taking every advantage they could get along the way and cyber and bioware are among those adantages. Corporate ladder climbers are big consumers of alternative 'medicine' and actual drugs today in an attempt to boost thier job prospects, imagine how much more common that will be when it actually starts to work.
Magical exec's and the odd natural genius with genuine anti-cyber opinions would be exceptions, shunning all but absolutely required mods (eg datajack).
There also ought to be a bitter and frustrated group of upper middle management who can't get to the next level because they refuse to / cannot get the mods.
Datajack, knowsoft link, image link, sound filter, enhanced hearing, encephalon, math spu, mnemonic enhancer, reflex recorders, pheremones, the cosmetic bioware, cerebral booster, mag vision, internal radio/phone, headware memory, encephalon, toxin exhaler and probably quite a few more would be very useful.
Even special custom stuff not in the books.
These guys didn't get to the top just because they were 'the best' they lied, cheated and stole taking every advantage they could get along the way and cyber and bioware are among those adantages. Corporate ladder climbers are big consumers of alternative 'medicine' and actual drugs today in an attempt to boost thier job prospects, imagine how much more common that will be when it actually starts to work.
Magical exec's and the odd natural genius with genuine anti-cyber opinions would be exceptions, shunning all but absolutely required mods (eg datajack).
There also ought to be a bitter and frustrated group of upper middle management who can't get to the next level because they refuse to / cannot get the mods.
Hum, Data jack and lingo/skill/data softs as mentioned before, but also:
superthyroid, I mean come on, enhance your metabolism and loose weight, The side effect alown makes it nice. and unlike diet ware, it actualy makes you stronger and quicker, now who dosent' want an extra spring to there step?
And If I was a realy big honcho, I would want Trama Dampaners. I mean, if you are a big wig, there is people after you, and body guards are great, but a bit of a survivability edge would be good.
superthyroid, I mean come on, enhance your metabolism and loose weight, The side effect alown makes it nice. and unlike diet ware, it actualy makes you stronger and quicker, now who dosent' want an extra spring to there step?
And If I was a realy big honcho, I would want Trama Dampaners. I mean, if you are a big wig, there is people after you, and body guards are great, but a bit of a survivability edge would be good.
Mr Studd ™
Yes, definitely Mr Studd.
Also, that clean metabolism bioware looks good.
Some kind of cyber or bio to block the effect of tailored pheromones. What high powered executive like the though of being ''Manipulated'' by a lesser being equipped who smells ''good''?
Tailored pheromone themselves are a must. Not for negociation ; see above. To pick up chicks (or pretty boy). Also, to lord over the sheeps. Can you imagine Donald Trump not buying tailored pheromones if it existed?
Datajack. 12 years get datajack, for crying out loud! Most suit will have a silver or gold rimmed datajack just to make a statement.
Memory is a must. No need for more than 30mp. Enough for call girl phone numbers and blackmail data.
---
If the suit has been victim of attempted murder, any combat cyber that doesn't makes you look and behave like a machine while significantly enhancing survival chances would look awfully tempting.
Also, that clean metabolism bioware looks good.
Some kind of cyber or bio to block the effect of tailored pheromones. What high powered executive like the though of being ''Manipulated'' by a lesser being equipped who smells ''good''?
Tailored pheromone themselves are a must. Not for negociation ; see above. To pick up chicks (or pretty boy). Also, to lord over the sheeps. Can you imagine Donald Trump not buying tailored pheromones if it existed?
Datajack. 12 years get datajack, for crying out loud! Most suit will have a silver or gold rimmed datajack just to make a statement.
Memory is a must. No need for more than 30mp. Enough for call girl phone numbers and blackmail data.
---
If the suit has been victim of attempted murder, any combat cyber that doesn't makes you look and behave like a machine while significantly enhancing survival chances would look awfully tempting.
| QUOTE (Charon) |
| Yes, definitely Mr Studd. Also, that clean metabolism bioware looks good. Some kind of cyber or bio to block the effect of tailored pheromones. What high powered executive like the though of being ''Manipulated'' by a lesser being equipped who smells ''good''? Tailored pheromone themselves are a must. Not for negociation ; see above. To pick up chicks (or pretty boy). Also, to lord over the sheeps. Can you imagine Donald Trump not buying tailored pheromones if it existed? Datajack. 12 years get datajack, for crying out loud! Most suit will have a silver or gold rimmed datajack just to make a statement. Memory is a must. No need for more than 30mp. Enough for call girl phone numbers and blackmail data. --- If the suit has been victim of attempted murder, any combat cyber that doesn't makes you look and behave like a machine while significantly enhancing survival chances would look awfully tempting. |
Yeah I have to admit cosmetic bioware does make a good deal of sense in a huge number of situations.
If the various toxin protectors weren't basically prohibitively expensive essence wise they go a long way towards insuring survivability as poisons would be a great method for career advancement. Being that thier cost for the effective levels is pretty much insane I figure that corp executives of the Villier class probably rely on professional tasters to discover poisons etc.
As for tailored pheromones and the Trumpster come on he has the one of the silliest hairpieces in existence when there are a multitude of options that make you look less like you've got an stuffed animal on your head. Otherwise tailored pheromones is great for seducing secretar... uh pleasing your wife.
As for Mr Studd while the idea of a robotic penis that can go all night might be fetching for some people I suspect a bioware augmentation to size might be less likely to lead to National Enquirer headlines of OMG Damien Knight has a giant robotic penis!
Professional tasters are too much trouble to replace. A chemicle analizer will do a much better job.
1. Platinum (Why go with gold when everyone knows as a precious metal it's just second rate?) Datajack.
2. Clean Metabolism (Any social situation that lasts longer than a few minutes positively demands this.)
3. Tailored Pheremones II (Once this comes out, everyone will have them, and since business operates on a "better than the Jones's" principle, most corp execs will have these just to keep up.)
4. Mnemonic Enhancer III (This just makes sense, as in a corp exec's world, skills are life and almost all of the important ones will be based off of Intelligence and Charisma.)
5. Encephalon (See above)
6. Math SPU (Economics rule business, now and always.)
7. Cerebral Booster II (Think or sink baby.)
8. Doc Wagon Super Platinum Plus Account (Anyone who's anyone has one of these.)
These I would consider standard, here are some options for the savvy exec who is either paranoid or "wants the edge."
A) Trauma Dampner and/or Suprathyroid (For those exec's [Mr. Johnson I presume?] expected to be involved in a potentially dangerous situation.)
B) Cyber Ears and/or Eyes with lots of options and enough Headware Memory for a good few hours of recording. (For the extortion minded exec, oportunity can be a fleeting mistress, but these enhancements ensure that whatever happens in Vegas, stays with you. Until you decide to use it against someone of course.)
C) Headware Cellphone (Stay in touch 24 hrs a day.) [Listing this one as a option because of the horrible rules for them in canon, thinking most sane execs will choose to just use a regular external version.]
How I would set up mid to high level execs, lower levels are still "working" on these, and real movers and shakers either have many of these around them or have these at uber surgery levels. (Like say, -30% Essence/ Bio-Index?)
2. Clean Metabolism (Any social situation that lasts longer than a few minutes positively demands this.)
3. Tailored Pheremones II (Once this comes out, everyone will have them, and since business operates on a "better than the Jones's" principle, most corp execs will have these just to keep up.)
4. Mnemonic Enhancer III (This just makes sense, as in a corp exec's world, skills are life and almost all of the important ones will be based off of Intelligence and Charisma.)
5. Encephalon (See above)
6. Math SPU (Economics rule business, now and always.)
7. Cerebral Booster II (Think or sink baby.)
8. Doc Wagon Super Platinum Plus Account (Anyone who's anyone has one of these.)
These I would consider standard, here are some options for the savvy exec who is either paranoid or "wants the edge."
A) Trauma Dampner and/or Suprathyroid (For those exec's [Mr. Johnson I presume?] expected to be involved in a potentially dangerous situation.)
B) Cyber Ears and/or Eyes with lots of options and enough Headware Memory for a good few hours of recording. (For the extortion minded exec, oportunity can be a fleeting mistress, but these enhancements ensure that whatever happens in Vegas, stays with you. Until you decide to use it against someone of course.)
C) Headware Cellphone (Stay in touch 24 hrs a day.) [Listing this one as a option because of the horrible rules for them in canon, thinking most sane execs will choose to just use a regular external version.]
How I would set up mid to high level execs, lower levels are still "working" on these, and real movers and shakers either have many of these around them or have these at uber surgery levels. (Like say, -30% Essence/ Bio-Index?)
I'd suggest that mods to meat ears would be far more common than cyberears, and mods to meat eyes mildly more common than cybereyes.
~J
~J
The reason a cyber phone/radio would be very useful is the ability to make a call without anyone else knowing you are doing so... stuck in a boring meeting? Get some real work done without moving a muscle. Wife droning on about her day... you are listening to your voicemail! Call the boss from the toilet with no chance of a career shattering flush!
I would tend to give a lot of headwear, cerebral booster, mnemonic enhancer, chip jack with expert driver, maybe a display link and some headwear memory.
One thing I doubt many would not take is tailored pheromones cultured of cause. Being the only one in the bord room without them would be a horrible disadvantage.
There just is no good reason not to take those implants. Anybody in upper middle management or higher can get them; grade would be a sign of wealth rather than being needed.
Ambition skill and natural talent are required but in a corporate power struggle who will win the ambitious knowledgeable and talented person with the mnemonic enhancer, or the one without.
Sectaries wouldn’t have much more (maybe a C^2 deck with a cell link for data searches) but always present will be a body guard with enough cyber to make every street samy jealous.
Edward
One thing I doubt many would not take is tailored pheromones cultured of cause. Being the only one in the bord room without them would be a horrible disadvantage.
There just is no good reason not to take those implants. Anybody in upper middle management or higher can get them; grade would be a sign of wealth rather than being needed.
Ambition skill and natural talent are required but in a corporate power struggle who will win the ambitious knowledgeable and talented person with the mnemonic enhancer, or the one without.
Sectaries wouldn’t have much more (maybe a C^2 deck with a cell link for data searches) but always present will be a body guard with enough cyber to make every street samy jealous.
Edward
I can see some real jet set types getting a VCR. Rich people and fast vehicles often go together. Sometimes you just want to leave the limo in the garage and break out the Aston Martin Vanquish. Only for the serious enthusiest.
| QUOTE |
| You can't pay someone else to be smart, persuasive, and ambitious for you. If you try, you'll soon find a dumpster with your name on it. |
Depends how much you're paying them, and what you're holding against them to make sure they want to cooperate.
| QUOTE (The Grifter) | ||
Depends how much you're paying them, and what you're holding against them to make sure they want to cooperate. |
I believe gathering blackmail material is an int linked skill, meaning encephalon, mnemonic enhancer and cerebral booster could help.
Convincing the target that he should comply rather than just accept the airing of his dirty laundry, as well as convincing him you have more than you actually do is charisma based social tests so tailored pheromones will be useful.
And nothing beats headwear memory as a place to store the incriminating data for security and easy of access (just make shore it is some where else as well)
Whatever you do cyber and bio will make you better at it.
Edward
| QUOTE (Edward) | ||||
I believe gathering blackmail material is an int linked skill, meaning encephalon, mnemonic enhancer and cerebral booster could help. Convincing the target that he should comply rather than just accept the airing of his dirty laundry, as well as convincing him you have more than you actually do is charisma based social tests so tailored pheromones will be useful. And nothing beats headwear memory as a place to store the incriminating data for security and easy of access (just make shore it is some where else as well) Whatever you do cyber and bio will make you better at it. Edward |
This is true...to an extent.
But the fact is that you still have to trust someone to crack your head open and mess around right beside your brain (or in the case of the three enhancements you mention, with your brain)...
That's a risk.
More importantly, it implies that you're comfortable with the idea of doing something that could irrevocably change who you are and how you think.
I'm fairly sure that not all people would be comfortable with that idea, and equally, it's far from the case that all wealthy/powerful/ambitious people would be comfortable with it.
And I'm not sure that all of the various cyber-bits mentioned are that essential:
For most purposes, a 'trode link will do most of what a datajack does.
Encephalon gives you a task pool, which is handy. But your 1337 NPC karma pool is handier. But, Shadowtech's shadowtalk aside, that's all it does (unless you link it to some headware memory and a couple of other cyber systems).
Mnemonic Enhancers are handiest for characters who actually have to spend karma (which doesn't include most NPCs), though I think they're cool.
And cerebral boosters...yeah, they're handy.
The one thing left out of the 'anti-cyber' arguments is paranoia: if you're a corporate climber in the dog-eat-dog world of the Shadowrun megacorp, what guarantee do you have that your cybersurgeon won't stick a cortex bomb in with your encephalon (at the bidding of Mr Villiers, for example)...?
Finding a surgeon you can trust is indeed an issue. you can usually trust him not to do anything on his own initiative. If he had the desire to compete with you in your chosen field he would have gone to business school not medical school. By looking at who he works for, and ensuring you are not a threat to any of them, as well as giving minimal notice of your intended surgery you can be relatively safe on the table.
As to the point of changing who and what you are. Yes, some people will shy away for that reason, maybe even some that would have had a chance at the top positions on an even playing field but a lot will take the chance and force the wimps with out the ambition to take every took they can to a lower level.
The task pool from the encephalon is effectively +1 (or was it 2) to every int linked skill. The mnemonic enhancer is not only good for karma. First that karma reduction for a PC will translate into decrest training times for an NPC it adds its rating to tests for memory and remembering things is very important to a business person, the bonus of 1 effective point in every knowledge you have and vastly improved general knowledge access will be quite useful and the boost to language skills (combined with reduced learning times) is immensely useful to any business man that intends to operate in other countries. How much more respect do you get when you can speak to your new partners in there own language.
The data jack is perverse in that nowhere dose it actually say what its advantage is to somebody that did not want to attempt decking but it is supposedly the most common item of cyber wear in eth world and there are numerus comments in the fluff that a data jack is better than a trode rig.
Edward
As to the point of changing who and what you are. Yes, some people will shy away for that reason, maybe even some that would have had a chance at the top positions on an even playing field but a lot will take the chance and force the wimps with out the ambition to take every took they can to a lower level.
The task pool from the encephalon is effectively +1 (or was it 2) to every int linked skill. The mnemonic enhancer is not only good for karma. First that karma reduction for a PC will translate into decrest training times for an NPC it adds its rating to tests for memory and remembering things is very important to a business person, the bonus of 1 effective point in every knowledge you have and vastly improved general knowledge access will be quite useful and the boost to language skills (combined with reduced learning times) is immensely useful to any business man that intends to operate in other countries. How much more respect do you get when you can speak to your new partners in there own language.
The data jack is perverse in that nowhere dose it actually say what its advantage is to somebody that did not want to attempt decking but it is supposedly the most common item of cyber wear in eth world and there are numerus comments in the fluff that a data jack is better than a trode rig.
Edward
And don't forget, it's all Omegaware. For when Deltaware just don't cut it.
| QUOTE (Critias) |
| And don't forget, it's all Omegaware. For when Deltaware just don't cut it. |
As in... Predator Omega?
| QUOTE (Demosthenes) |
| Encephalon gives you a task pool, which is handy. But your 1337 NPC karma pool is handier. But, Shadowtech's shadowtalk aside, that's all it does (unless you link it to some headware memory and a couple of other cyber systems). |
But thanks to this being an NPC, the Shadowtalk matters as much as the rules.
| QUOTE |
| Mnemonic Enhancers are handiest for characters who actually have to spend karma (which doesn't include most NPCs), though I think they're cool. |
As mentioned, you forget about their other bonuses.
| QUOTE |
| The one thing left out of the 'anti-cyber' arguments is paranoia: if you're a corporate climber in the dog-eat-dog world of the Shadowrun megacorp, what guarantee do you have that your cybersurgeon won't stick a cortex bomb in with your encephalon (at the bidding of Mr Villiers, for example)...? |
The same guarantee that your car won't suddenly find itself under your control and drive off a bridge late at night? If Mr. Villiers is your enemy and you don't have similar resources or the mobility and secrecy of a Shadowrunner, he can get to you one way or another.
~J
| QUOTE (Kagetenshi) | ||
The same guarantee that your car won't suddenly find itself under your control and drive off a bridge late at night? If Mr. Villiers is your enemy and you don't have similar resources or the mobility and secrecy of a Shadowrunner, he can get to you one way or another. |
Even more than that if you don't get modded you aren't as good as the other executives you compete against and nobody will even want to slip a kink bomb into your next surgery.
Its a DYSTOPIAN corporate future, the executives don't necessarily want to get brain surgery it's that or get stuck in middle management until you hit fifty then you get left behind in the next reshuffle, can't make your car payment, have everything repossessed, kids get kicked out of school when your tuition payment lapses, loose your SIN becaues of unpaid debts, and soon enough lonestar is picking you up for vagrancy and dropping you off in puyallup.
I'd think that sleep regulators would also be very popular. Nothing like putting in a twenty hour day, then running out for a quick meal, shower, and a good three hours of sleep in the nearby coffin hotel, and then you come back to work bright eyed and bushy tailed for another twenty.
I had an awakened surgeon, for whom the Regulator was the first step on the long slide to burn out.
I had an awakened surgeon, for whom the Regulator was the first step on the long slide to burn out.
Um, Rev...I've never seen anything in anything for SR that says you can have your SIN taken away for anything.
No, but you can be issued a criminal SIN, which is close enough.
~J
~J
| QUOTE (Backgammon) |
| I remember a passage from the Aztlan sourcebook mentionning one of the board members as having a cyberhand tricket out with lots of gadgets that no one really knew about, making everyone nervous. Says he liked to bank his cyberhand on the table when he needed to make a point. It was effective. |
Thought it was the current Mitsushima CEO that had that??
Not that it matters a great deal
Actually a criminal sin is vastly superior to no sin at all.
Bearers of a criminal sin have rights and exist on the system. With a criminal sin you can have a cred stick witch is necessary to have a legitimate job even more so than it is to have a bank account today, criminals can attend educational facilities (although they probably wont get a scholarship) and thus can better themselves within the system.
It wouldn’t surprise me if people born SINles with no other way to get a sin would commit minor crimes attempting to get sent to jail for about a month hope to take advantage of a rehabilitation threw training initiative while inside and get a legitimate job upon release.
There are of cause pitfalls with this scheme.
The star may decide to administer summery justice in the form of a beating.
You have to spend some time in prison where you will likely be beaten
You may not get a training program while in prison.
On release you may have trouble finding a job.
You do now have a criminal record.
It works even better if there are social welfare payments available, then you get money after your relace even if you cant get a job.
Criminal record is only a flaw of such extreme magnitude to a runner because he is trying to live a life of crime. If you juts want a legitimate job as a heavy object relocater (labourer) having the cops pull you over 5 times as often (if you own a car) and having to visit your parole officer every week and not being allowed to leave the state are minor inconveniences. And if the crime is minor you won’t get hassled every time there is an unsolved case because there are thousands of unsolved cases like what you did every day.
Edward
Bearers of a criminal sin have rights and exist on the system. With a criminal sin you can have a cred stick witch is necessary to have a legitimate job even more so than it is to have a bank account today, criminals can attend educational facilities (although they probably wont get a scholarship) and thus can better themselves within the system.
It wouldn’t surprise me if people born SINles with no other way to get a sin would commit minor crimes attempting to get sent to jail for about a month hope to take advantage of a rehabilitation threw training initiative while inside and get a legitimate job upon release.
There are of cause pitfalls with this scheme.
The star may decide to administer summery justice in the form of a beating.
You have to spend some time in prison where you will likely be beaten
You may not get a training program while in prison.
On release you may have trouble finding a job.
You do now have a criminal record.
It works even better if there are social welfare payments available, then you get money after your relace even if you cant get a job.
Criminal record is only a flaw of such extreme magnitude to a runner because he is trying to live a life of crime. If you juts want a legitimate job as a heavy object relocater (labourer) having the cops pull you over 5 times as often (if you own a car) and having to visit your parole officer every week and not being allowed to leave the state are minor inconveniences. And if the crime is minor you won’t get hassled every time there is an unsolved case because there are thousands of unsolved cases like what you did every day.
Edward
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