Cyberpunk: Cash vs. Points Implications

[jhite]

Thank you - everyone - for your input so far! If I'd tried to think through all these implications on my own, it would have taken weeks!

I really like Kromm's suggestions for "earned" cyberware as payment for services rendered. I don't think it's enough on its own, but it leads down some very promising roads.

Originally Posted by wellspring

There are other possibilities, of course, but I believe that this approach should be the default in most transhumanist campaigns. It's an improvement both mechanically and thematically.

Wellspring, this is EXCELLENT! I think this is a solid base, and with some tweaks, should serve nicely. On top of everything already stated, it has the added benefit of slightly slowing character growth from being excessive by requiring the buying off of Disads. (Although, I could imagine, and would be comfortable with, some Disads being "bought off" with money - such as paying a therapist to treat Bad Temper, for example).

I also saw a good idea (I forget who posted it, though I'll link if I find it) for "cyberpsychosis" that involved HT and Will checks by the patient of a cybersurgery, modified by the quality of the ware and the medical care, where failures meant acquiring physical or mental Disads (for HT and Will, respectively). I don't know if there's a simple way to use that AND your suggestion, but I might try to do so.

So, now that we've plumbed those depths, anyone have any thoughts on handling dollar-value market prices for body mods?

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by jhite

Wellspring, this is EXCELLENT! I think this is a solid base, and with some tweaks, should serve nicely. On top of everything already stated, it has the added benefit of slightly slowing character growth from being excessive by requiring the buying off of Disads. (Although, I could imagine, and would be comfortable with, some Disads being "bought off" with money - such as paying a therapist to treat Bad Temper, for example).

Therapy takes time.

[Anthony]

Variant I've considered for any cyberware that replicates the capabilities of equipment (e.g. night vision) is to pay points for payload (possibly with some enhancement) sufficient to carry the gear, and then pay money for the actual ware. Solves the problems of gear vs implants.

[Daigoro]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Variant I've considered for any cyberware that replicates the capabilities of equipment (e.g. night vision) is to pay points for payload (possibly with some enhancement) sufficient to carry the gear, and then pay money for the actual ware. Solves the problems of gear vs implants.

This sounds like an argument for a range of Accessory Perks- Accessory: Gun Mount; Accessory: Vision Mod; Accessory- Onboard Cyberdeck, etc. Each equipment "slot" would be one Perk, specialised by body location, then plug in whatever you can afford with cash.

ETA: Seems the write-up for Accessory Perk vetoes guns except for one-shots. You'd either have to overrule that, or make it some kind of Modular Ability.

Or... Go with Payload, as you suggest, then allow Accessory Perk to activate items mounted in the payload. That way you pay for a certain weight-class of weapon then you can use it as a cyberweapon, without having to recalculate your Innate Attack CP cost every time you change ammo type or maybe swap out weapons. Then you could write up a bunch of payload limitations, e.g. max of BL/4 pounds in the forearm, BLx2 in the abdomen, etc. The Exposed limitation is useful here, for externally mounted items.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Daigoro

Or... Go with Payload, as you suggest, then allow Accessory Perk to activate items mounted in the payload.

I prefer payload enhancements. Probably something like:

• Internal Arm: you may have an arm inside your payload bay; it's typically short (-30%) with no physical attack (-50%) for 2 points.
• Access Port: +20% per level. You have an access port you can open to allow use of items in payload without taking them out of your payload. Causes items to be exposed and visible; -1 to see or attack them per level of this enhancement. For an always open access port, reduce by 50%. This limitation is incompatible with Exposed.

[roguebfl]

For mean if you get something with cash or just as adventure rewareds (even if they cost points) that nice but I fee free to mess with them how ever I feel is needed with the plot, if they results in a lost oh well.

whoever if you spend earned points on it (and hence I approved the spending) this represents to me you consider the change a permeated change which means if mess with it in away the deprives you of it the will be opportunity for you to follow up to get it back either as part of the plot or a follow up plot. Of course if you ignore the opportunity it can become a perment loss.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by roguebfl

For mean if you get something with cash or just as adventure rewareds (even if they cost points) that nice but I fee free to mess with them how ever I feel is needed with the plot, if they results in a lost oh well.

whoever if you spend earned points on it (and hence I approved the spending) this represents to me you consider the change a permeated change which means if mess with it in away the deprives you of it the will be opportunity for you to follow up to get it back either as part of the plot or a follow up plot. Of course if you ignore the opportunity it can become a perment loss.

Uh...wut? If you lose something you bought with money you buy another one.

[roguebfl]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

Uh...wut? If you lose something you bought with money you buy another one.

That's my point bought with money, but gear can be bought with points like Signature gear.

or Gadgets cyber gear like Parabolic Hears 3 (cybernetic -10%) [11] can either as Kromm describe be given by role playing outcome by the GM or the Player buying with earned points.

I'm saying if you just pick up then treated it as possible transient as any other gear bought with money, Which doesn't mean you will get the opportunity to find another one you can afford.

But if you have also spent earned points you get plot protection the same as if I change you Racial Template to a Duck that you can expect if you will be give the opt unity to get to get ride of the cures and get your Racial Template back. (My cyberpunk tends to be Shadowrun influenced so magical curse can happen)

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by Daigoro

Or... Go with Payload, as you suggest, then allow Accessory Perk to activate items mounted in the payload. That way you pay for a certain weight-class of weapon then you can use it as a cyberweapon, without having to recalculate your Innate Attack CP cost every time you change ammo type or maybe swap out weapons. Then you could write up a bunch of payload limitations, e.g. max of BL/4 pounds in the forearm, BLx2 in the abdomen, etc. The Exposed limitation is useful here, for externally mounted items.

Payload with no enhancement or ancillary traits is used for weapon bays in official material (THS:Changing Times and Shell Tech both I think).

[vierasmarius]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

Payload with no enhancement or ancillary traits is used for weapon bays in official material (THS:Changing Times and Shell Tech both I think).

Unlike Weapon Mount, a Payload doesn't include means target an attack, so can only be used with munitions that are simply released (ie, dumb bombs, or self-guided missiles). However, if a character has a direct-fire weapon that's too big to fit in a Weapon Mount, adding Payload to make up the difference could work.