TL 10 Humans

[AlexanderHowl]

Human [250]

By TL 10, 'baseline' humans are the product of centuries of eugenic germline engineering and inherited symbiotic bacteria. They live four times as long as humans did at TL 8 but, due to eugenic germline engineering, mature at the same rate as humans at TL 8, meaning that they can enjoy over three centuries of activity. They are a conservative design, lacking many of the extremes of other variant designs and were designed for a society that prefers generally useful citizens rather than specialized citizens.

With their long lifespans, humans are capable of becoming very competent individuals and belong to societies that reward lifelong education and personal development. The average human at TL 10 will reach 500 points by the end of their first century, 750 points by the end of their second century, and 1,000 points by the end of their third century. With TL 10 medicine combined with their eugenic germline engineering and inherited symbiotic bacteria, they are capable of surviving into their sixth century without difficulty, though accidents will claim most of them as they become bored with existence and start to take unnecessary risks.

The symbiotic bacteria used by humans at TL 10 are assumed to provide benefits one TL earlier than nanosymbionts (Biotech, p. 121), so advantages that would come from TL 11 nanosymbionts are available as TL 10 symbiotic bacteria. In order to maintain stable populations of symbiotic bacteria within individuals, the symbiotic bacteria are designed to be sexually communicable and to be transferred from mother to child within the womb. The relevant modifications are Blood Cops, Carcinophages, DNA Repair, Microgravity Biochemistry, Pore Cleaners, and Tooth Cleaners.

While humans at TL 10 are designed for general utility, they possess modifications that allow them to survive indefinitely in space. While they prefer 1g and would like sufficient shielding to negate cosmic radiation, they are capable of surviving for centuries in 0g and with only sufficient shielding to protect against solar storms without difficulty. In fact, the majority of humans probably live in space, while the minority of humans that remains on the Earth uses TL 10 technology to repair the damage done by centuries of human civilization.

Attributes: ST+2 [20]; DX+1 [20]; IQ+2 [40]; HT+3 [30]

Advantages: Ambidexterity [5]; Appearance (Attractive) [4]; Breath-Holding 2 [4]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Eidetic Memory [5]; Extended Lifespan 2 [4]; Flexibility [5]; Fit [5]; High Path Threshold [10]; Immunity to Cancers [5]; Intuition [15]; Language Talent [10]; Less Sleep 4 [8]; Longevity [2]; Night Vision 2 [2]; No Degeneration in Zeno-G [1]; Rapid Healing [5]; Regeneration (Slow; Radiation Only, -60%) [4]; Resistance to Metabolic Hazards (+8) [15]; Sanitized Metabolism [1]; Versatile [5]; Voice [10]

Features: Early Maturation 2 [0]; Light Menses [0]; Tooth Cleaners [0]

Notes: Less Sleep does not occur until maturity (age 18) due to sleep requirements of rapidly developing brains.

[whswhs]

I don't know if Appearance (Attractive) is appropriate.

C and I used to joke that if we travelled a few centuries into the past, we would probably be considered Attractive: exceptionally tall (5'8" and 5'7"), no missing teeth, no smallpox scars. . . . But in the early 21st, we're just Average. Your TL10 humans might strike us as Attractive, with their perfect complexions and unusually symmetrical bodies and faces, but I'm not sure that in their own era this wouldn't be discounted.

I think it depends on whether you think the human aesthetic response habituates or not.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by whswhs

I don't know if Appearance (Attractive) is appropriate.

C and I used to joke that if we travelled a few centuries into the past, we would probably be considered Attractive: exceptionally tall (5'8" and 5'7"), no missing teeth, no smallpox scars. . . . But in the early 21st, we're just Average. Your TL10 humans might strike us as Attractive, with their perfect complexions and unusually symmetrical bodies and faces, but I'm not sure that in their own era this wouldn't be discounted.

I think it depends on whether you think the human aesthetic response habituates or not.

5'8" is pretty close to average male height for most of medieval England. And there was quite a bit more variation in sizes then, so even my 6' or so height wouldn't be freakishily lovely.
Our looking much younger to locals than we are might give more pause though.

[tanksoldier]

Originally Posted by whswhs

I don't know if Appearance (Attractive) is appropriate.

I agree with this. IMO appearance bonuses and penalties accrue for deviation from the norm for that culture/time/place.

...what was attractive in TL4 Italy would not necessarily be attractive in TL8 USA, and vice versa.

I also suspect that by TL10 most humans will be largely homogenized. There will be few people who stand out as Asian, or African or whatever. Heights and weights will have averaged out. This may lead to some people attempting to stand out, perhaps even leading to cosmetic surgery.

[Maz]

"Combat Reflexes" and to a degree also "High Pain Threshold" seems weird to me to have in a 'standard human', unless they come from a template originall cultivated for warfare or very dangerous exploration on other planets.

[Phantasm]

Originally Posted by Maz

"Combat Reflexes" and to a degree also "High Pain Threshold" seems weird to me to have in a 'standard human', unless they come from a template originall cultivated for warfare or very dangerous exploration on other planets.

Agreed. High Pain Threshold may be able to be genetically engineered into the genome, but Combat Reflexes is as much a "we're constantly on the lookout for danger" trait as it is "react better to danger". The key word in both parts, however, is "danger". What would the timeline look like that led to practically everyone being on alert for danger all the time?

The OP's Humans seem like they had been gengineered to produce a "Proud Warrior Race".

[Humabout]

I take issue ever making players pay to not get cancer. Immunity to Cancer is more is just Immunity to My GM Being a Dick and Arbitrarily Making My PC Die Horribly.

[tanksoldier]

Originally Posted by Maz

"Combat Reflexes" and to a degree also "High Pain Threshold" seems weird to me to have in a 'standard human', unless they come from a template originall cultivated for warfare or very dangerous exploration on other planets.

Agree with this too. Combat Reflexes implies not only reacting, but reacting _appropriately_ to a combat situation.

It's something learned by experience... or perhaps programming... but probably wouldn't be a racial trait. Most Klingons, for example, might HAVE it but that's because in their culture they have plenty of opportunity to LEARN it. They aren't born with it.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Maz

"Combat Reflexes" and to a degree also "High Pain Threshold" seems weird to me to have in a 'standard human', unless they come from a template originall cultivated for warfare or very dangerous exploration on other planets.

Life is dangerous. Combat reflexes is mostly just not freezing when shocked and the ability to react quickly and rationally. Who wouldn't want that in a default species?
Anyone who's ever suffered major injury would probably disagree with high pain threshold being useless for normal citizens.

[AlexanderHowl]

Or anyone who suffers from chronic pain.