93 points of cybernetics for only 2

[Someone404]

Originally Posted by GnomesofZurich

To address the OP, and as others have said, the GM (I get the impression that's not you) needs to figure out how he's handling things. Options include:

• Cybernetics always costs both points and cash.
• Cybernetics cost points at character creation, and both points and cash after character creation.
• Cybernetics only cost cash; since this encourages characters to buy high levels of Wealth, which may not match the desired tone of the campaign, one may want to cap starting Wealth and set up a conversion rate to trade cash for points at whatever ratio is going to work and won't break the game. This could be specified as cash to be used on anything, or only for cybernetics. With this approach there is the potential to acquire a lot of implants, so I suggest ensuring that you also pay attention to the surgeries needed, recover times, etc.
• Cybernetics costs points, and are basically just dressed-up advantages.

The GM is letting us buy them with either points or cash

[Stormcrow]

If your GM is allowing you to buy cybernetics with cash, then Signature Gear is fine and there is no "93 points of cybernetics" problem. You get the cybernetics whether or not it's Signature Gear. All you do is pay the cash price and POOF* your character is improved.

* Not counting time for surgery and recovery, of course.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Someone404

It’s because the GM is allowing us buy cybernetics with money or points

Well, then it's perfectly fine for someone to buy it with Signature Gear. As you've seen in this case, most times the GM allows purchase of cybernetics with either money or points, buying them with money is going to be far more effective. Note this tends to be the case for most gear - it costs less to get a 9mm pistol as Signature Gear in a TL8 game (or just as normal gear, buying enough Wealth to offset the cost) than it does to buy a comparable Innate Attack, for example.

The exception to the above is in a setting where cybernetics are horrendously expensive. It might cost less to get a bionic arm as an Advantage in an After the End campaign than to buy it with bullets (the canonical form of cash in AtE).

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

I find your interpretation to be peculiar.

The relevant phrases to me are the words "instead"at the end of the first sentence. and "or" in the second sentence.

The interpretation that seems clear to me is that if (for example) a Knight has a faithful steed said steed may be bought as equipment for Gurps $ only
and it's just a horse. If you lose it buy another. Equipment comes and goes as in-game events dictate.

You could instead build the faithful steed as an Ally for character pts and if your Ally dies you get a new Ally as a replacement. It is a permanet part off your character sheet.

Build the faithful steed as Signature Gear and The horse is still just a horse but you don't lose it to random events or you always get a new one when needed. It is a permanent part of your character sheet.

I would have never thought to fuse Ally and Signature Gear and I don't think it's even necessary.

Originally Posted by Stormcrow

It's saying if it's an Ally built as a character, use the rules for Allies instead of Signature Gear. An Ally is a character separate from your own, run by the GM. Your bionic arm is not an Ally; it is part of you.

It's not saying that Signature Gear built with character points is priced as an Ally.

The wording is just peculiar enough that it does seem to be saying that Signature Gear built with character points is priced as an ally and it does not appear to be saying that you should build a faithful steed paid for with points as an Ally nor that it is an Ally. It says "use the rules for Allies" implying that is how to figure out the price. If it actually meant to say that Signature Gear paid for with points should be bought as an Ally, the typical GURPS phrasing is "if your gear was built using points, use Ally (p. 36) instead of Signature Gear."

[Stormcrow]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

says "use the rules for Allies" implying that is how to figure out the price.

No, it says "use the rules for Allies instead." That "instead" is important.

Notice that every example of an Ally here is a separate entity, not a part of the character. The implication is clear: if it's a character built with character points, it's not Signature Gear even if it's technically equipment; it's an Ally. If it's just a cash purchase or could be one, it can be Signature Gear at the listed percentage of its cash cost.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

The wording is just peculiar enough that it does seem to be saying that Signature Gear built with character points is priced as an ally and it does not appear to be saying that you should build a faithful steed paid for with points as an Ally nor that it is an Ally. I"

To my knowledge your interpretation is unique. I have never heard from anyone else who interpreted that text in the way you have.

[Inky]

Originally Posted by Someone404

The GM is letting us buy them with either points or cash

Ah, then things are getting clearer. Presumably this player paid cash instead of points. That makes sense, because the cash he's paying for it is instead of the 91 points. (If you don't think the amount of cash he's paying for it is worth 91 points, then you'll have to take that up with your GM, but I've heard that that's always an awkward thing to balance.)