Been reading a lot about Starfinder lately and I've noticed that nobody has mentioned anything about anything to do with augmenting PCs or NPCs, so I thought I'd open the discussion myself. What do you want to see in regards to cybernetic enhancements within the Starfinder universe?
I for one am hoping that there will be a lot of options within the game to enhance your character and make them unique, what better way to make generic guns blazing soldier more unique and interesting than giving him a knife that comes out of his wrist or an extra set of arms? It can theoretically allow you to customise your character in infinite ways, though there would certainly have to be some form of drawback to prevent people from breaking the game. I doubt we'll see much in the way of augmentation stuff in the core rulebook as they have a lot of content to cover but I do hope we get some basic information that can be expanded on through further books and modules later on.
So yeah, now that I've got my excited ramblings out of the way, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
I know this isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I'm a huge fan of transhumanist science fiction. RPGs like Transhuman Space, Eclipse Phase, and Nova Praxis are really awesome to me. I'd love to see similar augmentations in Pathfinder. If not in the core rules, then perhaps as a supplement.
I liked Cyberpunk 2020 (or was it Shadowrun's?) cybernetics, although it did seem like a nobrainer to get subdermal plating all the time. The Trauma Cards as summonable ambulances/extraction teams were fun too. There was one player of ours who chopped an entire arm just so she could wielding this huge blaster of a gun. It was great.
Some features made plenty sense. Having a Humanity score that limited your maximum cybernetic modification. Kind of like the Sanity score in Cthulhu or the score in Vampire that kept you from going NPC. If a Humanity score is used, I don't think it should be a rigid limit in the sense of "instantly falling off the cliff" once your new cyberware powers up. But it should be slow but noticeable decline into cyberpsychosis...the more 'wares you have, the more frequently you make psychosis checks, and each failed check moves you one step toward complete cybersociopathy, losing your identity and empathy toward other organics.
You could do it like the multiple stages of corruption from Horror Adventures. There should be different forms. Cyberpsychosis is one corruption, you forget you're a living creature needing food and drink, you starve or dehydrate frequently, wasting away. Or you gain cybersociopathy, in which you lose your sense of compassion, empathy, and connection to others; you can't be Good-aligned anymore, possibly lose connection to your deity except the AI god, and you get penalties to Diplomacy, Sense Motive, Handle Animal, etc. Or you get the Biowarped corruption that transforms you into a stunted version of a half-golem, few construct-like benefits like bonus hp, but you lose the ability of natural healing.
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Been reading a lot about Starfinder lately and I've noticed that nobody has mentioned anything about anything to do with augmenting PCs or NPCs, so I thought I'd open the discussion myself. What do you want to see in regards to cybernetic enhancements within the Starfinder universe?
Shouldn't we wait and see how the game operates in it's base form first? Keep in mind that Starfinder isn't Traveller,it's not a pure scifi game, it's going to be something a lot more closer to Dragonstar. I also imagine that the base forms of the game are pretty much set in stone by this point, so expectations for 'I want" threads should keep that in mind.
So long as I can play as Adam Jensen or JC Denton, I'm happy.
I would love to be able to start with minor cosmetic genetic modifications. Things with no effect on game stats besides appearance.
That's in the "Ask Your GM" category. :)
Shouldn't we wait and see how the game operates in it's base form first? Keep in mind that Starfinder isn't Traveller,it's not a pure scifi game, it's going to be something a lot more closer to Dragonstar. I also imagine that the base forms of the game are pretty much set in stone by this point, so expectations for 'I want" threads should keep that in mind.Been reading a lot about Starfinder lately and I've noticed that nobody has mentioned anything about anything to do with augmenting PCs or NPCs, so I thought I'd open the discussion myself. What do you want to see in regards to cybernetic enhancements within the Starfinder universe?
I know that it's not pure scifi which is part of why I'm so excited! I've enjoyed playing Shadowrun and the idea of having a similar game concept (in terms of combining magic and futuristic technology not the tone of the setting). I simply thought I'd start a discussion about this because I find cybernetics to be such a cool part of high-tech settings, and it seemed likely that we might see something as that is one of the more common aspects of the genre. I didn't intend this to be an 'I want' thread so apologies if it came across that way, I was just excited to hear other people's thoughts. However this game turns out when it releases next year I have full faith that Paizo will deliver something fun and exciting, and though I would be disappointed if there was nothing about augmentation or cybernetics it definitely won't be a dealbreaker for me. Again, apologies if you thought this post came across as an 'I want this' post, it was purely intended as a point of discussion for other people who are excited to see what the game brings!
Dance Dance Transhuman Revolution!
I honestly hope there are not rules about humanity/sanity slipping away. Just treat it like a permanently slotted magic item, albeit one that can be dispelled/deactivated just like any magic item in pathfinder. (Although did I hear somewhere they were trying to move away from item slots?) Cost can keep it under control. Humanity checks are great mechanics in some systems where part of the meta-story is about what it means to be human, but I don't see that as appropriate here. JMO.
I think instead of the humanity/sanity thing for basic cyberware, there should just be a limit based on Con like they have in the Technology guide. That way, you can have people with basic prosthetics that don't have to question their sanity all the time. The sanity stuff should really only apply to HUGE changes, like resleeving into a new body, or having beyond your CON limit of hardware installed in you.
I'd also like to see nanomachine augmentation that you see in older Deus Ex games and Metal Gear Solid 4 + R. Nanomachines really are like magic in a lot of settings like Eclipse Phase. It's a good literary explanation for weird stuff in science too, much like nuclear power was and electricity before that.
"How is he able to create water from sand?"
"Nanomachines, son."
I think there will definitely need to be a limiting system, otherwise why wouldn't every character just be walking cyborgs? I like the idea of using something like CON as a limiting stat, but there should be something like Shadowrun's system where you can have more expensive, higher quality gear which uses less 'space'. So for example a basic nuts and bolts cyber arm will take up two points of your limit whereas an industrial one only takes one and a high tech military one only takes half etc. Plus different grades would allow for greater limits to abilities like greater bonuses for using that enhancement.
I'll pop in with a dissenting opinion: I hope there is little-to-no cybernetics in Starfinder. It doesn't fit my concept of space fantasy.
Of course, most (if not all) of you disagree. I'm not trying to convert anyone; I'm just stating my opinion. Otherwise, I won't get in the way of your discussion.
Cybernetics is only the nonmagical equivalent of Belts and Headbands that raise your physical or mental abilities, and of similar personal enhancements.
I would love to be able to start with minor cosmetic genetic modifications. Things with no effect on game stats besides appearance.
Use cyberart as an example/guide for pricing.
Price 100 gp; Slot none; Weight 1 lb.; Install DC 20; Implantation 0
Cyberart is the least invasive of all cybertech. This implant is similar in appearance to a tattoo, except that it can glow softly if desired, providing illumination equal to that provided by a candle. Some cyberart is animated, providing a short looping scene that replays over and over. Cyberart is installed in a body with a small metallic stylus that injects low-grade nanites into a body part; the quality of the art relies on the installer's Craft (painting or tattoo) check.CONSTRUCTION
Craft DC 20; Cost 50 gp
Craft Cybertech, cybernetics lab
Cybernetics is only the nonmagical equivalent of Belts and Headbands that raise your physical or mental abilities, and of similar personal enhancements.
More or less; there are a few other options, like implanted weaponry, dermal plating, etc. What it really does is add more "slots" for items.
Slot: This is the part of the body into which the cybertech must be implanted. A single slot can only ever host a single piece of cybertech. Cybertech slots are separate from normal magic item slots and do not count as being used for the purposes of worn magic items.
Note, that if cybertech is priced lower than in the Technology Guide (which is supposed to simulate a setting where tech is rare and not well understood, like Numeria on Golarion, rather than a setting where it is more commonplace and well known), where it is double the market price of a comparable magic item, then it can actually replace some of the "big 6" and allow magic items to be more "magical."