What follows is the ruleset for Bioaugmentations in Future Perfect. The list of available options is by no means exhaustive, and was intended only to give an idea of what is available for characters. I have also not included Costs, simply because they may vary from campaign.
Deliberate alterations to the human body for the purposes of cosmetic or enhanced functionality are called Bioaugmentations. These differ from mutations in that they are changes made with little impact on the human genome. Cybernetics involves the implanting of machine technologies to artificially augment (and sunder) what is humanly possible, but it does so through the use of tools – microscopic ones perhaps, but tools nonetheless. Even Bioenhancements simply seek to extend human capabilities to their maximum, whereas mutations redefine them entirely. Some folks do, however, skirt the line between human and something more.
- Bioaugmentation as a result of deliberate alterations to body physiology and/or function that leaves no discernable causal agent is termed “Bioenhancement”. In general, if an augmentation cannot be removed from a character, it is usually of this type.
- Bioaugmentation as a result of implanted materials and systems that remain relatively unchanged within the human body are referred to by the term “Cyberware”. In short, if an augmentation can be removed from the character, it is generally of this type.
Almost every type of bioaugmentation has a listed Alteration Value in points. A character may have a total number of Bioaugmentations (including cyberware) valuing not more than half of the lower of their Spirit or Vigor dice, plus 2, before they begin to exhibit complications. This value is called their Bio-Threshold, and should be considered a new Derived Statistic. Attributes use only their natural value, and not their augmented one, when determining Bio-Threshold.
For Example: Nick Nasty has a Spirit of d8 and a Vigor of d10. He has to use the lower of these characteristics (his Spirit) when determining how many points of Bioaugmentations he may take before becoming compromised. Thus, Nick Nasty has a Biothreshold of 6.
The nature of these complications vary from individual to individual, but are caused by a multitude of factors, including the body’s rejection of foreign materials, changes to an individuals psyche due to the formation of new identity constructs, and latent genetic instabilities. When a character's total Alteration Value exceeds their Bio-Threshold, these complications are noted as an equal value of Hindrances.
BIOENHANCEMENTS
Bioaugmentation as a result of deliberate alterations to body physiology and/or function that leaves no discernable causal agent is termed “Bioenhancement”. In general, if an augmentation cannot be removed from a character, it is usually of this type.
Some people call them forced mutations, others call them controlled biogenic manipulations. Either way, Bioenhancements are a popular – if expensive – means of enhancing human capability with little risk of genetic instability or the stigma (and mechanical limitations) of cybernetic implantation. Bioenhancements are natural, in the sense that they are made to occur within a person’s own body, without having to implant machines or graft synthetic materials. The downside to Bioenhancements is the increased likelihood of introducing genetic instability. While not so prominant a feature as with Mutates who have clearly crossed over certain genetic boundaries, Bioenhanced characters are pushing their biological limits, keeping within “safe” constraints, though in some cases, only barely.
BIOENHANCEMENT OPTIONS
[0 pts] Limb / Body Part Replacements: Limb Replacements and other body parts use cloned tissue from the host in order to restore what was lost.
[3 pts] Cognitive Repatterning: +1 to Smarts and Smarts Skill Rolls
[3 pts] MCS (Motor/Coordination Sequencing): +1 to Agility and Agility Skill Rolls
[2 pts] Defensive Reflex Response Increase: +1 Parry
[3 pts] Biosystem Refinement: +1 to all Vigor Rolls
[2 pts] Decreased Trauma Sensitivity: +1 Toughness
[1 pt] Neuromuscular Locking: Character can remain perfectly steady; +1 to any skill rolls where such steadyiness is relevant (for example: Surgury, Disabling a Bomb, Resisting the Wind during a Climb, partially negating unstable platform penalties, etc).
[1 pt] Perfect Balance: Negate up to four points of penalties to Agility rolls due to narrow of difficult terrain; Character may make an Agility roll to negate the movement penalties over such terrain.
[1 pt] Eidetic Memory: Character can remember even the smallest of details, provided he makes a Smarts roll.
[3 pts] Equilibrium Response Mechanisms: +1 to Spirit and Spirit Skill Rolls
[1 pt] Lowlight Vision Upgrade: Lowlight Vision
[1 pt] Hyper-Efficient Endurance: +2 to Resist being Fatigued
[1-2 pts] Multi-Ambulation Muscular Enhancements (MAME):
For Example: Nick Nasty has a Spirit of d8 and a Vigor of d10. He has to use the lower of these characteristics (his Spirit) when determining how many points of Bioaugmentations he may take before becoming compromised. Thus, Nick Nasty has a Biothreshold of 6.
The nature of these complications vary from individual to individual, but are caused by a multitude of factors, including the body’s rejection of foreign materials, changes to an individuals psyche due to the formation of new identity constructs, and latent genetic instabilities. When a character's total Alteration Value exceeds their Bio-Threshold, these complications are noted as an equal value of Hindrances.
BIOENHANCEMENTS
Bioaugmentation as a result of deliberate alterations to body physiology and/or function that leaves no discernable causal agent is termed “Bioenhancement”. In general, if an augmentation cannot be removed from a character, it is usually of this type.
Some people call them forced mutations, others call them controlled biogenic manipulations. Either way, Bioenhancements are a popular – if expensive – means of enhancing human capability with little risk of genetic instability or the stigma (and mechanical limitations) of cybernetic implantation. Bioenhancements are natural, in the sense that they are made to occur within a person’s own body, without having to implant machines or graft synthetic materials. The downside to Bioenhancements is the increased likelihood of introducing genetic instability. While not so prominant a feature as with Mutates who have clearly crossed over certain genetic boundaries, Bioenhanced characters are pushing their biological limits, keeping within “safe” constraints, though in some cases, only barely.
BIOENHANCEMENT OPTIONS
[0 pts] Limb / Body Part Replacements: Limb Replacements and other body parts use cloned tissue from the host in order to restore what was lost.
[3 pts] Cognitive Repatterning: +1 to Smarts and Smarts Skill Rolls
[3 pts] MCS (Motor/Coordination Sequencing): +1 to Agility and Agility Skill Rolls
[2 pts] Defensive Reflex Response Increase: +1 Parry
[3 pts] Biosystem Refinement: +1 to all Vigor Rolls
[2 pts] Decreased Trauma Sensitivity: +1 Toughness
[1 pt] Neuromuscular Locking: Character can remain perfectly steady; +1 to any skill rolls where such steadyiness is relevant (for example: Surgury, Disabling a Bomb, Resisting the Wind during a Climb, partially negating unstable platform penalties, etc).
[1 pt] Perfect Balance: Negate up to four points of penalties to Agility rolls due to narrow of difficult terrain; Character may make an Agility roll to negate the movement penalties over such terrain.
[1 pt] Eidetic Memory: Character can remember even the smallest of details, provided he makes a Smarts roll.
[3 pts] Equilibrium Response Mechanisms: +1 to Spirit and Spirit Skill Rolls
[1 pt] Lowlight Vision Upgrade: Lowlight Vision
[1 pt] Hyper-Efficient Endurance: +2 to Resist being Fatigued
[1-2 pts] Multi-Ambulation Muscular Enhancements (MAME):
- (1) +2 Pace, +1 Leaping
- (2) Fleetfooted, +2 Leaping
[2 pts] Digestive Dietary Upgrade: Character can extract nutrients from nearly anything he can ingest, including garbage, biopolymers, and even soil.
[2 pts] Respiratory Refinement: Character needs only to make a vigor roll every 10 minutes he/she is unable to breathe.
[1 pt] Offensive Bone Spurs: Body Weapon, Str+1d4
[2 pts] Respiratory Refinement: Character needs only to make a vigor roll every 10 minutes he/she is unable to breathe.
[1 pt] Offensive Bone Spurs: Body Weapon, Str+1d4
CYBERNETICS & CYBERWARE
Bioaugmentation as a result of implanted materials and systems that remain relatively unchanged within the human body are referred to by the term “Cyberware”. In short, if an augmentation can be removed from the character, it is generally of this type.
CYBERNETIC OPTIONS:
[2 Pts] Full Limb Replacement: Normal STR, Any Appearance; Implanted System Total Cost is halved; Implants only affect Limb; Matching limbs cost half for each additional limb; Paired systems on matching limbs have Total Cost halved yet again. Modular limbs that may be swapped as needed cost an additional point.
[1pt] Hand Replacement: Normal STR, Any Appearance; Implanted System Total Cost is halved; Implants only affect Limb; Paired systems on matching limbs have Total Cost halved. Modular limbs that may be swapped as needed cost an additional point. Cybernetic Hands may have no more than 3 AV points of implants.
[0 pt] Eye Replacement (Simply to restore vision)
Optical Enhancements:
- [1 pt] Lowlight Vision: Character can see normally in all but total darkness.
- [1 pt] Infravision: Character sees heat sources, and halves all penalties imposed by darkness.
- [1 pt] Telescopic Vision: Negates up to four points of penalties for range.
- [1 pt] Microscopic Vision: Negates up to four points of penalties for size.
- [1 pt] OES (Optical Equilibrium System): Character gains a +4 to all attempts to resist being blinded or dazed due to optic stimuli.
- [1 pt] Internal Systems Display: The Status of any implanted cybersystem is superimposed over character’s normal vision.
[2 pts] Neural Multiprocessor: Character is considered +1 Die type to Smarts for the purposes of Iplug and Skillware Connections; May perform distinct tasks with independent cyber systems at the same time.
[1 pt] Certified Neurostorage System: Character may hold one standard data unit of information in their brain. The information is not something that is accessible the user without the use of Iplugs (yes, it means a character whould have to rig his own brain to stream the data).
[2 pts] Biopolymer Muscle Enhancements: +1 Strength Die
[2 pts] Bio-Tuning and Organ Enhancements: +1 Vigor Die
[2 pts] Skeletal Reinforcement: +1 Toughness
[1 pts] Dermal Reinforcement: +1 Armor
[2 pts] Body Plating: +2 Armor, Visible unless covered
[1 pt] Joint Replacements: +2 to Agility based Grappling, Escape, or Contortion Rolls
[2 pts] Implanted Gyroscopic Balance with BioFiber Grafting: +2 to Pace
[1 pt] Retrograde Knee Joints: Character is a -1 Pace while walking and takes a -1 to all Climbing rolls, but gains +2 to Pace while running, and 2” of leaping with a running start.
[3+ pts] Skillware Chipset: 2 Points for Skill System, +1 pt per Maximum Skill Value, Able to use one Skill Chip with system, plus any available iPlug slots. Cannot exceed Smarts Die in Chip Value (Max d8) and subject to same concurrent system limits as IPlugs (no more than 1/2 Smarts Die in multiprocessing).
[Var] Body Weaponry - Assumes Weapons are retractable. Subtract one from the cost if they are not.
- (2 pts) Str+1d4 Damage
- (3 pts) Str+1d6 or Str+1d4 AP1
- (4 pts) Str+1d8 or Str+1d6 AP1
- (5 pts) Str+1d8 AP1
[2 pts] Shock Dispersion Dampers: +4 to Resist being “Stunned” by Stun Weapons, the Stun Power, or a similar source.
[1 pts] Nano-Purification System: +2 to rolls resisting the effects of toxins
[2 pts] Nano-Repair System: Character may make a Natural Healing roll once per Day.
[4 pts] Advanced Nano-Repair System: Character may make a Natural Healing roll once per Hour.
[1-2 pts] Bio-Compartment - Character has a hidden compartment in their body.
[1 pts] Nano-Purification System: +2 to rolls resisting the effects of toxins
[2 pts] Nano-Repair System: Character may make a Natural Healing roll once per Day.
[4 pts] Advanced Nano-Repair System: Character may make a Natural Healing roll once per Hour.
[1-2 pts] Bio-Compartment - Character has a hidden compartment in their body.
- (1 pt) Can fit something concealable in palm of one’s hand.
- (2 pts) Can fit something concealable in one’s pocket.
[3 pts] Secondary Shoulder Mount (Requires Skeletal Reinforcement): Character’s torso has been augmented to support a second set of shoulders capable of mounting two cyberlimbs. Any limb so mounted is automatically considered to be Modular, and need not pay for that advantage.
[1 pt] External Power Mount: May power a cyber system with a normal power cell; must define what system(s) the power cell may be used to power.
[4* pts] Implanted Jump-Pack: Fly, with 20 Power Points per Day (Standard cycle charge). *May be split over the cost of two matched cyberlimbs if desired, or mounted on a secondary shoulder mounts for only 3 points if no additional limbs are being attached.
[4 pts] Implanted Defensive Screen: Deflection, with 20 Power Points per Day (Standard cycle charge); No roll for power effect, double point expense increases the effect to -4.
[4 pts] Implanted Ranged Weapon, Choose from among the following:
[0 pts] Cosmetic Wear: Any cybersystem that affects how one looks, but not how one works or operates is purely cosmetic in nature. Cosmetic Wear has no intrinsic complication value.
[1 pt] External Power Mount: May power a cyber system with a normal power cell; must define what system(s) the power cell may be used to power.
[4* pts] Implanted Jump-Pack: Fly, with 20 Power Points per Day (Standard cycle charge). *May be split over the cost of two matched cyberlimbs if desired, or mounted on a secondary shoulder mounts for only 3 points if no additional limbs are being attached.
[4 pts] Implanted Defensive Screen: Deflection, with 20 Power Points per Day (Standard cycle charge); No roll for power effect, double point expense increases the effect to -4.
[4 pts] Implanted Ranged Weapon, Choose from among the following:
- Blaster System: Bolt, 20 Power Points per Day (Standard cycle charge)
- Pulse Grenade System: Blast, 20 Power Points per Day (Standard Cycle Charge)
- Flamer: Burst, 20 Power Points per Day (Standard Cycle Charge)
- Stickyball Restraint System: Entangle, 20 Power Points per Day (Standard Cycle Charge)
- Stunner: Stun, 20 Power Points per Day (Standard Cycle Charge)
[0 pts] Cosmetic Wear: Any cybersystem that affects how one looks, but not how one works or operates is purely cosmetic in nature. Cosmetic Wear has no intrinsic complication value.
[2 pts] Targeting System: Character gains a +1 bonus to Shooting and Throwing rolls if the Targetting system is appropriately connected to an Optic System, Cyberoptic IDS, or similar device. Character gains an additional +1 bonus to Shooting rolls when linked (via IPlugs) to a properly rigged weapon.
[1] Enhancement Systems: This is a generalized type of Cyberware that accounts for cybersystems that enhance the usage of normal skills by providing a bonus to the skill roll. Enhancement systems differ from Skillware in that they augment a character's own skills and abilities, whereas Skillware Chips create "false" skills that supersede a character's own capabilities. The player and GM should decide what a particular system is and how it works; combat skills should not be purchased as Enhancement Systems. An enhancement system may grant up to a +2 bonus to the rolls of one skill, if/when appropriate.
BIOAUGMENTATION EDGES
Enhancement happy characters aren’t left totally out in the cold – two new edges exist to help characters manage additional bioaugmentations.
- Bioattunement (Spirit d6 or Vigor d6): A character with this edge has an easier time managing the psychological and physiological impact of cybernetic implants, grafts, and bioaugmentation. The Bioattunement Edge allows a character to use the higher of their Spirit or Vigor, plus an additional point, to determine their Bio-Threshold value.
- Improved Bioattunement (Bioattunement, Seasoned): This Edge allows a character two additional points of augmentation (it grants +2 to Bio-Threshold) before complications begin to arise. Improved Bioattunement may be taken once per rank after Seasoned.
