| From: | ArkAngel <DUNN@******.BITNET> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Per Request Full Conversion Borgs |
| Date: | Mon, 6 Sep 1993 17:31:00 EST |
claim to authorship over either.
Ver1-------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Richard Pieri <ratinox@******.COE.NORTHEASTERN.EDU>
First of all, I wouldn't recommend these things as PC archetypes.
They're more machine than meat, and (as was said before) have the
personality of a brick. Think Robocop. Now think Robocop II. See what
I mean? This ain't Appleseed, chummers.
How to make an Ultra-Cyborg, aka Full Conversion Cyborg:
Start with a willing (or unwilling) subject for full Cybernetic
Conversion. If starting from scratch, assign Attributes B, Skills C,
or swap as desired. Now graft in as much cyberwear as you possibly can
(this is why no PC full conversion 'borgs; you can't really afford
it). Note: no biowear! There isn't enough meat to support biotech. Get
some armor. Armor is treated like a barrier. Nasty, ain't it? :-)
Calculate Essence. for each full negative point of Essence, Charisma
and Willpower are reduced by 1 (minimum of 0). When both reach 0, all
that's left is an inhuman killing machine. (Another reason for not
being allowed for PCs).
For mana spells, the T# is the negative Essence score added to
remaining Willpower (-2 Essence and 2 Willpower makes a base T# 4),
and each point of negative Essence also reduces the Force of the spell
by 1. For physical spells, the T# is the negative Essence score + 2
(-3 Essence makes a base T# 5).
There is a semi-finite limit to all this tech: when you reach -6
Essence, all that's left is a brain to think, and a vestigal heart and
stomach to keep it functioning. You just can't replace any more
meat--there isn't any left. Anything else you add on is much like
mounting weapons on a firmpoint or hardpoint. Any further Essence is
ignored--the 'borg is more like a vehicle or robot than anything else,
and this is counted in the T#8 for physical spells and T#6/-6 Force
for mana spells.
Now here's the hard part: keeping the brain alive through the process.
Normally, when Essence drops below 0, you're dead. It takes the
absolute best life-support equipment to keep the brain alive, and that
has to be included in the cybernetic body. You guessed it, it's
*damned* expensive, and armored to all-hell (barrier rating 10+).
Arm it, give it some directions, and let it loose.
Whoever called 'em bleeders was wrong. They don't bleed, they don't
breathe, they don't stop, until they've accomplished their mission. Or
you manage to blow one to kingdom come. Good luck... you'll need it.
Ver2--------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "David M Girardot (Girardot, David)" <GIRARDOT@********.BITNET>
The following rules may be freely distributed as long as they are not changed,
altered, mutilated, fed to ravenous wildebeasts, in any way. Furthermore the
author establishes a Copyleft on these rules towards that end, 1992. Finally,
the author really would not refuse cases of imported beer sent to him.
Cyborgs
-------
Cyborgs are individuals in which most or all of their original body parts has
been "improved" or replaced. Cyborgs had been experiemented off an on since
before the first Matrix Virus but the influx of Magick had set back all purely
technological researches. In 2050, Ares Biotech, a division of Ares
Macrotechnology was the first thinktank to go online with a successful
cyber-organic organism. Essentially, what they had was a robot run by some
sophisticated computer and a few shreds of Man-Meat(tm). Cyborgs were
initially designed as labor-units in dangerous work environments...
>>>>>>[ What, ya mean like Seattle? ]<<<<<<
-- Drekhed (11:23:33/11-16-53)
>>>>>>[ Nice name. No, He means places like the moon, or some of the
rad-zone
badlands. Places like that. ]<<<<<<
-- Prof. Moriarty (22:11:44/11-17-53)<<<<<<
Two predominant 'Borg types became knows: full and partial conversion. Full
Conversion Cyborgs are much like the first Borg, mostly metal with a little
meat. The downside of Full Conversion borgs is that they have very little
personality and most of their intelligence comes from very expensive and
complicated Expert Systems.
>>>>>>[ Course, that's all right with the Corps. They don't _like_
smart meat.
Brains interfere with getting the job done. ]<<<<<<
-- J. J. Flash (24:11:33/11-18-53)
>>>>>>[ 'Hostile work environments indeed' these 'borgs are made for one
thing
and one thing only, to be unstoppable machines of destruction. It's
criminal.]<<<<<<
-- Prof. Moriarty (24:22:09/11-18-53)
>>>>>>[ The 'Borgs were originally intended for hostile work
environments,
Professor, beleive me. However, I'll lay you dollars to doughnuts that these
research institutions don't rake in the big endowments because of purely
_commercial_ concerns. There are a lot of military types _very_ interested in
'Borg applications. What our author lists as a liability of the
full-conversion types, their lack of individuality and personal initiative, is
viewed as an asset by the military. As we speak there are talks of entire
brigades of full-conversion units remote controlled by a cadre of highly
skilled 'riggers'. ]<<<<<<
-- S. Holmes (02:11:54/11-19-53)
Partial Conversion units are humans with 20%-50% of their original body
structure replaced and improved. Partial Borgs have the advantage of a huge
potential for enhancements while maintaing most of their human adaptability and
intelligence. Unlike the Full-Conversion unit, where the Borg is little more
than a shell of metal parts and electronics controlled by a human nervous
system the Partial-Conversion unit retains much of its original body structure
and function. Partial Conversion units are also significantly less affected by
Cyber-Loss Trauma (CLT) as are Full-Conversion units. In field tests, most
Full-Conversion units have been judged non-viable as they...
>>>>>>[ He means they go bloody crazy and kill half the people in the
place
before they get shut-down! Cripes. At least the biotechs learned and stopped
running the Borg tests with live ammo! In the last test, a core of three FC
Borgs were sent into Dulles National to defuse a hostage situation ... well the
metal monsters went berserk... killed all the hostages, the terrorists, most of
the airline personel and nearly twent civvies before the Biotechs finally got
the cortex bombs to go off. Spindoctors were there ten minutes later, no
mention of the borgs, blamed it all on the terrorists. ]<<<<<<
-- F. Astaire (03:11:22/11-19-53)
Rules
-----
Gm's should carefully consider the implications of allowing 'borgs into the
campaign. Because of their capacity for negative essence, their power and
destructive potential can greatly eclipse and unbalance a game. The GM must
carefully balance the capabilities of the borgs with it's inherent liabilities:
the dependence of a competent technician for support, the risk of cybershock,
mental problems such as constant depression or psychosis (or both).
The "meat and potatoes" of a borg design is the chassis. The chassis is built
around an infrastructure (in the case of a Partial) or a infrastructure and
exoskeleton (in the case of a Full borg). Partial borgs may take aluminum or
titanium bone lacing, and at least one cyber-limb (usually two or more). Full
Borgs must take titanium lacing and a "conversion" shell of either Partial or
Full Heavy armour. Because this armor is based in the infrastructure of the
borg it receives a +1 bonus to its armor ratings. This basic infrastructure
results in a +1 Body for Partial borgs and +2 Body for full borgs and costs 1
point of essence for Partial conversion and 2 points for Full conversion.
Included in the Full conversion infrastructure is the equivalent of a
"cyber-torso" with a built in mechanical cardiovascular system and the like.
No bioware that affects this region (like a synthacardium, for instance) may be
installed. However, Borgs may get essentially the same thing as special
cybernetic equivalents are available to borgs only. For instance, a cybernetic
synthacardium would be available for the same cost, but the "body index" would
be read as an essence cost. "Alpha" and "Beta" versions of these
"cybernetic-bioware" are also available.
Borgs recieve a special "Borg Index" which determines how much "extra"
cyberware they may install. The Borg Index is equivalent to the average of the
Borg's Charisma and Willpower scores. A Borg with a Borg Index of 3 could
receive a total of 9 points of cyberware. Because much of the borg's body has
been replaced, there is less capacity for Bioware. Reduce the borg's available
Body Index by the amount of his Borg Index.
The character's Charisma and Willpower scores are actually reduced by this Borg
Index.
Because Borgs actually have negative essences, magical energies do not work as
well on them. Mana spells have a target number modification equal to the borg
index of the target. Physical spells have half this amount. The exception are
certain Manipulation spells, like telekinesis and Damage Manipulations which
have no modifier.
Besides the normal cybernetic options, the Borg may want to consider the
following special options:
Synthaplast Exterior: This option consists of a molded plastic exterior that
mimics most of the cosmetic functions of real skill. (It adds a point of
Impact armor, as well). The exterior costs $10,000 and cost no essence for a
Full Conversion Borg, it costs .5 essence for a partial conversion. The target
number for recognizing the Borg as a non-human is 10 minus its Borg Index.
This target number will be much lower if the skin is damaged (Severe wound) to
the extent that the borg's real nature is apparent. Synthaplast heals itself
slowly over time, slightly faster than real skin.
>>>>>>[ And then even if yer chrome's showin' you can jes say it's a
chrome
arm. Most folks'll buy it. And fer the ones that don't, that's why that CMDT
is built inta yer other arm! ]<<<<<<
-- Lobo (02:46:11/11-19-53)
Remote Gear: Borg remote gear allows the Borg to be controlled remotely by
any character using a remote-rig. This special gear costs $50,000 plus 25,000
per 2 points of Borg Index. Essence cost is 1 point. This option is only
available for full-conversion Borgs.
>>>>>>[ Yeh, I got hit by ARC real bad in '48 and got pretty wasted ...
sure.
But this ain't the body I work in. Yeah. Meet my real body... Blaster. Say
hello Blaster! ]<<<<<<
-- Master (2:55:55/11-19-53)
Control Yoke: This "option" was likely installed by the Borg's real owners to
keep it in line. Vocal commands by the owner can inflict great pain and
distraction (+3 to target numbers) and the Borg must make a Will-4 roll to
avoid obeying its masters commands. The control yoke works only when in direct
presence of certifued "masters." This option costs .5 essence but enables the
Borg to buy more cyberware as it provides a discount of $75,000 on the total
cost of the cyberware. GM'S NOTE: You may want to disallow this option to
discourage players from playing borgs.
Cortex Bomb: Pretty much installed for the same reasons as above. Activated
by verbal command with retina scan. Borg must then resist 20D damage. No cost
if taken (normal essence cost) but discounts total cost of cyberware by $100,00
GM'S NOTE: See above note.
Locator Beacon: Essentially, it's a tracker so the Corp that footed the bill
for the Borg will always have an idea where it is. The Locator is fairly
accurate, down to about a two-block radius... but any player borg can have his
modified by a chaff helmet so the locator is only accurate to a mile or two
radius. Essence cost is about .1 and the locator provides a discount of
$100,000. No, Chummer, it cannot be easily removed. It is installed so deep
inside the head that removing it requires a real skilled surgeon. Plus,
they're rigged to unleash some nasty neuro-toxins the minute their tampered
with.
>>>>>>[ Hey, pal, just wrap a wet towel around your head!
]<<<<<<
-- Quade (5:06:33/11-19-53)
CyberShock
----------
The life of a Borg is not all guns and glory. Because of their
negative essences Borgs are much less than human ... and for most borgs,
recalling the humanity they've lost forever, this is just too much to bear.
Borg personalties are marked by moroseness, depression, psychosis, and
paranoia. Their moods are fleeting and they throw themselves with abandon in
to pursuits in a frightening attemp to reclaim some of that human feeling which
is now dead to them. Combat borgs often go into psychotic rages when entering
combat, often entering a killing frenzy they cannot stop. In any case, any
Borg participating in a fight where lethal damage is occuring must roll a
"berserk roll" Will (4) adjusted for wounds and for the borgs borg index. For
instance, a borg in a combat, with a severe wound, and a borg index of 5 would
have to make a Will(12) roll to prevent himself entering a killing frenzy.
During the frenzy the Borg first kills his immediate enemy, and then the
nearest enemies or friends, with the quickness anf efficiency of a machine
using his most powerful/effective weapons. The Borg must make another will
roll each time he is wounded. The Borg cannot end the frenzy until killed, put
down, or otherwise subdued.
Another aspect of the Borg condition is the "deathwish". WHENEVER the
occasion presents itself, the Borg will seek to enter the most dangerous
circumstances possible ... seeking to recklessly put his life on the line in
the morbid hope (subconcious and unspoken, the borg will never admit to a
deathwish) that it can somehow end its horrid existance. The Borg must make a
will(3) roll adjusted for Borg Index to resist the deathwish. Failure
indicates that the Borg will grimly go and face unnecessary risk and WILL NOT
be dissuaded from its course. Success indicates the urge is still very strong
(unless three or more successes or rolled) but "convincing" on the part of a
respected party member will convince the Borg to put off his urge.
Along with frequent mood swings and a violent temper and lack of
patience with the "puny humans" the borg secretly admires the Borg can also be
gripped by a phenomena known as Cybershock. This phenomena has to do with the
strange interaction of all of its cyberware in a body devoid of humanity and
manifests as a "freezing up." Cybershock has the potential to occur once in
the crucial moment of a given adventure, sequence, or manuver ... but no more
than once in any twelve-hour period. The mechanism is a Will(4) roll adjusted
for Borg Index. Cybershock lasts a period of 6 seconds less 3 seconds for each
success gained. During cybershock the borg will be unable to do anything AT
ALL and a expressions of intense pain, fury, and anguish will be vividly
present on its face.
>>>>>>[ That's why ya gotta squirt the Jazz! Squirt with the best!
Jazz makes
the chrome work right and no nasty cybershock ta fret over. Only costs about
$750 a dose ... an one dose is good for about an hour or so. Problem is ya
gets addicted. And its side affect is that yer more prone ta rages. (Gm's
note, +1 to all will rolls).]<<<<<<
-- Fast Eddy (5:44:13/11-19-53)
Keeping the Chrome
------------------
Borgs don't age well. Nor do they heal well. Borgs require attendance by a
technician with a skill of at least 5 in electronics to maintain their vital
organs. Each day they are not "tuned" they begin to lose efficieny, +1 to all
target numbers, with an additional +1 each three-day period they go untreated
after that. Double these target-number mods. if the Borg is wounded greater
than Lightly.
Borgs can only be healed by their internal healing mechanisms when tended by
this technician. Normal First Aid does not work, nor do healing spells.
However, special "healing mechanisms" are available.
Borg Repair Kit: This kit is essentially a Borg First Aid kit, and works
like first aid on Borgs. Cost is $50,000.
Repair Mechanisms: This cyberware has a rating, and cost 1 point of
essence per rating point and $50,000 * Rating. The repair mechanism adds
its rating in dice to the Borg's body in healing and first aid attemps.
The Long Arm of the Law
-----------------------
Borgs are, needless to say, very very illegal. Not only that, but they
receive no rights under current law. No legality rating is included, or street
index, because Borg Conversion is not something that one can pick up at even
the best of Chop Shops.
On the other hand, their rarity means that most Cop types won't know a
borg when they see them. Borgs are being kept secret by the corps who created
them so even if a Cop did spot a borg he'd likely not know what to do with it.
Most Corps will likely try to capture rather destroy a Borg as they
represent a huge investment in technology and cash. Not only that, but a Borg
will find himself the target of many "Covert Research and Retrieval Operations"
once its identity becomes widely known.
Player Characters as Borgs
--------------------------
Part of these rules are intended at player characters as borgs. The
author feels that careful attention by the GM and the balances built in to the
system presented here will prevent the Borg types from unbalancing the game too
much. It is, however, suggested that PC Borgs be restricted to the Partial
Conversion type, and allowed a maximum Borg Index of no more than 3 or so. The
author supposes that Full Conversion borgs are likewise possible but would like
to point out that the character is not likely to have enough money at start to
build a FC Borg.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=Dunn@******.jcu.edu-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
First law of RPG adventure writing:"In any given scenario, there are 4
possible player actions, the three reasonable ones the GM expects, and the one
the players ultimately divise and use."
>>>>>[ArkAngel.Logout]>>>>>
