Mechanic Custom Rig

[BretI]

The mechanic custom rig can be in one of the following locations:

• Armor Upgrade slot
  
• augmentation data jack (brain)
  
• augmentation Eyes
  
• augmentation Arm
  
• handheld device

By default, the mechanic only has light armor proficiency and there are only a few light armors with armor upgrade slots. Although this may be an attractive alternative for Androids (who get one in themselves), it doesn’t seem like a good option for most.

A mechanic that takes Heavy Armor proficiency has a much easier time giving up an upgrade slot. Most heavy armor has at least one slot, past item level 7 they all have several.

The data jack option seems quite attractive since it can be combined with a data jack, but a starting character is going to have problems affording one. That is only a problem at first level. After that, I imagine most are going to want a data jack of some sort anyways — especially once you can afford the High-Density or Accelerated data jack since they give a bonus to computer skill.

The augmented eye or arm options do not say if they can be combined with the normal augmentations in those locations. At higher levels, being able to combine the rig with a polyhand or wide spectrum ocular implant would be very tempting, but I’m not sure it is allowed.

The only time I could see using the hand held device is at low level because of lack of cash or being Kasatha and wanting to show off why having that many hands is useful.

Anyone see something I might be missing in my analysis?

[Charre]

You can have the brain implant without the data jack at first level, and it is free. When you get a datajack later, you can modify the data jack to include it (presumably prior to installation) for free.

[BretI]

Thanks, I hadn't thought of doing it without the data jack. I guess there is no reason that doesn't work.

[golfdeltafoxtrot]

My android exocortex mechanic will have his custom rig as an eye augmentation.

It provides an AR overlay to hack computers, uses a HUD-like display to show combat-relevant data for combat tracking, and provides high-quality sensor data as part of the visual data processor line of hacks.

Also, the eye slot augmentations don't add much beyond the darkvision and low-light vision that androids already get. The ability to see IR and UV is nice, but not vital I don't think, so if it turns out the slot can't be used for normal augmentations as well then I don't think I've really missed out.