Basic Rules (Beta v 20241127)

A character’s mind and body can handle only a certain amount of stress from cybernetic augmentation at a time, determined by their "AiOSs," or "Artificial Intelligence Operating Subsystem."  This is a subconscious computer system implanted at the base of the skull.

Typically, the AiOSs is rated for a maximum of 6 “Strain.”  If the installed modes exceed the maximum, the character must choose to deactivate a Mod or risk psychosis.

Biotech Mods are usually earned as a Feature choice when leveling up, requiring downtime to install.  Mods may be taken only once each.  If a mod has a version number, such as 1.0, the newer versions (2.0, 3.0) require and replace the existing old version of the installed mod.

Basic Biotech Mods

Sensory

Audio Acuity: Advantage to hearing-base Assess rolls (2 Strain).

Infrared Vision: detect heat, such as from biological creatures (2 Strain).

Visual Acuity: Advantage to vision-based Assess rolls (2 Strain).

Low-Light Sensitivity: Gain an extra 60 feet of low light vision (1 Strain).

Agility

Power Stride: +10 feet to speed and jump height (2 Strain).

Mind

Cortex Fortitude: -2 Resistance to Mental damage (1 Strain).

Enhanced Recovery 1.0: long and short rests require 25% less time(2 Strain).

Terminal Connector: Advantage to Affect and Assess when interfacing with terminals and technology (1 Strain).

Combat

Aim Assist 1.0: +1 to Attacks with a designated weapon (can change weapon on a short rest) (2 Strain).

Embedded Weaponry 1.0: choose a retractable weapon from the following options (1 Strain):

• Dagger/claws

• Laser Pistol

• Taser

Hardened Fists: #d6 + Brawn Kinetic damage (1 Strain).

Smart Gun Interface: can use Brawn or Brain in place of Balance for ranged weapon attacks (1 Strain).

Organs

Chloroplast Skin: No longer need to consume food, but tinted green(1 Strain).

Embedded Meshweave: -2 Resistance to Kinetic damage (1 Strain).

Insulation 1.0: -2 Resistance to Thermal damage (1 Strain).

Lung Capacity 1.0: can hold breath for up to an Hour (2 Strain).

Toxin Processing 1.0: -2 Resistance to Biological damage (1 Strain).

Appearance

Eyes: color/glow as desired, $500(0 Strain).

Hair: color/texture as desired, $500(0 Strain).

Skin: color/texture as desired, $500(0 Strain).

Tail: non-prehensile, $500(0 Strain).

Limb Replacement

Cloned Limb (Basic): Replace an arm or leg with healthy tissue of your own DNA.  A character may choose to move a point between Balance and Brawn during the process, with respect to the modifiers’ maximums (0 Strain).

Advanced Biotech Mods

Sensory

Echo Sense: Ultrasonic "sight" within 60 feet, does not work through walls or in a vacuum (3 Strain).

Magneto-Reception: Detect magnetic fields and metal objects within 60 feet, does not work through metallic barriers (3 Strain).

Target Acquisition: Gain +1 to Assess rolls when searching for someone.  Creatures behind cover add 1 point less to Avoid + Balance against your attacks (3 Strain).

Agility

Aero Stride: flight speed 30 feet, loud rocket engines (3 Strain).

Power Stride 2.0: +15 feet to speed and jump height (3 Strain).

Prehensile Tail: can hold 5 pounds; grants Advantage to non-combat Balance rolls (2 Strain).

Mind

Cortex Fortitude 2.0: -4 Resistance to Mental damage (2 Strain).

Cortex Response: Advantage on Assess + Brain rolls (3 Strain).

Dopamine Booster: Advantage on Affect + Brain rolls (3 Strain).

Enhanced Recovery 2.0: no longer sleep, long and short rests require 50% less time (3 Strain).

Improved AiOSs 2.0: Rated for an increased total maximum of 9 Strain.

Combat

Aim Assist 2.0: +2 to Attacks with a designated weapon (can change weapon on a short rest) (3 Strain).

Electric Punch: add 1d6 Electric damage to unarmed attacks; also on a hit the target rolls d20+Avoid+Build vs your d20+Affect+(Balance or Brawn) or becomes stunned for 1 round on a failure (2 Strain).

Embedded Weaponry 2.0: retractable +1 weapon from the following options(2 Strain):

• Dagger/claws

• Taser

• Laser pistol

• Dart gun

• Katana

• Plasma sword

• Shotgun

Extra Arms 1.0: 2 additional arms/hands, can hold and use extra items at same time.  Gain an extra free object interaction (does not grant extra actions) (3 Strain).

Organs

Active Camouflage: Advantage to Avoid rolls vs Assess (3 Strain).

Auto-Defibrillator: Auto-stabilize if dying, though negative HP accumulates.  Can still be killed if HP surpasses negative max HP(3 Strain).

Biometric Mask (Advanced): Alter facial features to desired effect.  Creatures may inspect the character with Assess + Brains vs the character’s Affect + Build(3 Strain).

Embedded Plating: -4 Resistance to Kinetic damage, replaces Embedded Meshweave (2 Strain).

Insulation 2.0: -4 Resistance to Thermal damage (2 Strain).

Lung Capacity 2.0: can hold breath for up to a number of hours equal to Build (2 Strain).

Malleable Identity: can change facial features at will, including hair, eyes, color, and texture (3 Strain).

Meta-Lensing: can turn invisible for an hour once per long rest; using an Affect or Attack action or manifesting a Surge ends the invisibility (3 Strain).

Toxin Processing 2.0: -4 resistance to Biological damage (2 Strain).

Vitality Reserve 1.0: Increase maximum Stamina and Fatigue by 1 (2 Strain).

Epic Biotech Mods

Sensory

Tactical Readout: +1 to Assess, max increased by +1 (4 Strain).

X-Ray Vision: can see in darkness, invisible creatures, and through barriers within 60 feet (blocked by metal) (4 Strain).

Agility

Accelerated Reflex: +1 to Balance, max increased by +1 (4 Strain).

Aero Stride 2.0: flight speed 60 feet, silent ion thrusters (4 Strain).

Power Stride 3.0: +20 feet to speed and jump height (4 Strain).

Mind

Cortex Fortitude 3.0: -6 Resistance to Mental damage (3 Strain).

Enhanced Recovery 3.0: no longer sleep, long and short rests require 75% less time (4 Strain).

Improved AiOSs 3.0: Rated for an increased total maximum of 12 Strain.

Iron Frame: +1 to Brawn, max increased by +1 (4 Strain).

Neural Clarity: +1 to Brain, max increased by +1 (4 Strain).

Combat

Aim Assist 3.0: +3 to Attacks with a designated weapon (can change weapon on a short rest) (4 Strain).

Battering Ram Fists: add 2d6 Kinetic damage to unarmed attacks (3 Strain).

Embedded Weaponry 3.0: retractable +2 weapon from the following options(3 Strain):

• Dagger/claws

• Taser

• Laser pistol

• Dart gun

• Katana

• Plasma sword

• Shotgun

Extra Arms 2.0: Gain an extra Minor Action and an extra Reaction per turn (4 Strain).

Organs

Augmented Core: +1 to Build, max increased by +1 (4 Strain).

Auto-Stim: Once a day, if HP is reduced under 0 and not dead, returned to 1 HP at the start of your turn(4 Strain).

Embedded Armor: -4 Resistance to both Kinetic and Electrical damages, replaces Embedded Meshweave or Embedded Plating (3 Strain).

Insulation 3.0: -6 Resistance to Thermal damage (3 Strain).

Lung Capacity 2.0: Hold Breath indefinitely (3 Strain).

Meta-Lensing 2.0: can turn invisible for an hour once per long rest, and can also use Affect or Attack or manifest a Surge while remaining invisible(4 Strain).

Toxin Processing 3.0: -6 Resistance to Biological damage (3 Strain).

Vitality Reserve 2.0: Increase maximum Stamina by 5 and maximum Fatigue by 2 (3 Strain).

Specialty Biotech Mods

This selection of mods are rare and not available on the open market, some of which may be available to only certain classes, factions, or as quest rewards.

Limb Replacement

Prosthetic Limb (Basic): Replace an arm or leg with a mechanical version.  Removable, but must be attached to operate (0 Strain).

Drone Hand (Advanced): Requires Prosthetic Limb.  The character can remove their hand, which then operates as a Spider Drone.  The character is able to see the drone’s vision instead of their own, and may use Actions as an extension of themselves (3 Strain).

Tattoos & Skin Embeds

Embedded Tools (Basic): May require Prosthetic Limb depending on choice.  Can be used with cutting torches, hacking tools, scanners, musical instruments, etc.  Custom choice in placement.  Example, drum synth fingers, RF scanner ears, etc (1 Strain).

Light Emitting (Basic): Create light from the character’s eyes or a patch of skin as desired, emitting up to 20 feet of bright light and 20 feet of dim light  (1 Strain).

Crypto Keys (Basic): Wireless chip information that can access something specific and secret, such as open a specific door or access a bank account (1 Strain).

Synth Skin/Hair (Basic): Able to change color, markings, and style of skin and hair as a Minor Action.  Does not change facial features or body shape(1 Strain).

Synth Facial Reconstruction (Advanced): Able to change facial features over the course of a Short Rest.  Can mimic known faces, using Affect + Build to measure accuracy (3 Strain).

Sensory

Nasal Filter (Advanced): The character gains 50% damage resistance and Advantage to saves against Biological damage from airborne effects (2 Strain).

Experience Recorder (Basic): Digitally record memories, recalling the past 24 hours with perfect clarity. Transfer images and sounds to storage as an Action (1 Strain).

Stress Analyzer (Advanced): The character has Advantage on Assess checks to determine if someone is lying(3 Strain).

Accelerated Healing (Epic): Speeds up the character’s healing, allowing for rapid recovery.  During a short or long rest, HP and Fatigue recovery is doubled(4 Strain).

Organs

Data Storage (Basic): Store information, such as codes, documents, or memory files.  The embedded chip can be wirelessly accessed and secured with a passcode, with a Difficulty 15 to hack the data (1 Strain).

Data Lock (Epic): Secure mental storage of secret information.  Without the passcode, not even the bearer of this implant can access the data.  Hacking requires a Difficulty 30 Affect + Brain, and risks damage to the data, the person’s mind, or both (3 Strain).

Energy Soak (Epic): Absorb and redirect energy attacks.  When a character receives Electrical damage, they receive a “charge” for every 6 damage received.  The character then can disperse this charge as part of a weapon or Surge Attack roll, adding 1d6 for every charge spent.  The maximum amount of charges that can be held is equal to the character’s current level (4 Strain).

Heat Absorption (Epic): Absorb and redirect thermal attacks.  When a character receives Thermal damage, they receive a “charge” for every 6 damage received.  The character then can disperse this charge as part of a weapon or Surge Attack roll, adding 1d6 for every charge spent.  The maximum amount of charges that can be held is equal to the character’s current level (4 Strain).

Kinetic Charge (Epic): Kinetic damage charges are converted via piezoelectric implants into energy, which can be used to imbue Electrical damage as a Minor Action Attack.  For every 6 Kinetic damage taken, increase the amount of charges by 1, maximum equal to your Build modifier.   Each charge spent deals 1d6 damage.When used, the target rolls Avoid + Balance against your Affect + Build, taking half damage on a success(4 Strain).

Sonic Vocal Implants (Advanced): Create a minor sonic boom, disorienting those nearby.  Creatures within 60 feet must make Avoid + Build vs the character’s Affect + Build, or the creature becomes Stunned until the end of its next turn.  The character can only use this once per short or long rest (3 Strain).

Voice Modulator (Advanced): Alters the user's voice to mimic others or create entirely new vocal patterns.  A character can attempt to mimic a voice they have heard with an Assess + Brains roll Difficulty 10 (plus 1 for each day since last heard) (3 Strain).