Crafting Augmentations

[jabberwoky]

A simple question: what skill do you use to craft augmentations? Is it engineering to craft cybernetics or is it medicine because you are implanting something into a humanoid host or a combination of both? And the same question for biotech: is it life sciences or medicine or some combination of both?

[Isaac Zephyr]

The Biotechnician theme from Pact Worlds gives the following:

Biotechnician: Theme Knowledge wrote:

You have a sharp mind for the intricacies of biotech augmentations and keep up-to-date on current research in the field, whether because you work to develop such technology or because you are the beneficiary of biotech augmentations—or, most likely, both. Reduce the DC of Life Science checks to identify biotech augmentations and to recall knowledge about famous biotech corporations and researchers by 5. Medicine is a class skill for you, though if it is a class skill from the class you take at 1st level, you instead gain a +1 bonus to your Medicine checks. In addition, you gain an ability adjustment of +1 to Intelligence at character creation.

So it seems to be Life Science for any knowledge about it, and Medicine for installation minimally. There are Cyberborn and Roboticist themes as well in Pact Worlds that can give some more ideas.

Roboticist: Theme Knowledge wrote:

You’re obsessed with the intricacies of constructs and how automated machines function. You can easily identify what a machine’s function is and have an easier time attempting to access the internal programming of mechanized life-forms. Reduce the DC of Engineering checks to identify creatures and technology by 5. Computers is a class skill for you, though if it is a class skill from a class you take at 1st level, you instead gain a +1 bonus to Computers checks. In addition, you gain an ability adjustment of +1 to Intelligence at character creation.

Cyberborn: Theme Knowledge wrote:

You enthusiastically study the field of cybernetics and seek to keep abreast of new applications and experimental technologies. Reduce the DCs of Engineering checks to identify cybernetic augmentations and of Life Science checks to recall knowledge about cybernetic augmentation techniques, as well as corporations and other research facilities involved in the production of and experimentation with cybernetic augmentations, by 5. Computers is a class skill for you, though if it is a class skill from the class you take at 1st level, you instead gain a +1 bonus to Computers checks. In addition, you gain an ability adjustment of +1 to Intelligence at character creation.

Froml those, it's not explicit but from my understanding of the rules it would go as follows. Installing either cybernetics or biotech is a Medicine check (with some exceptions for races like SROs where it would likely be Engineering). Life Science is for sure the skill check for knowing about either, however it would be Engineering on the spot to identify cyberware. Life Science can be used to craft drugs, so I could see it for biotech, as I could see Engineering for cybernetics as it is the tech item crafting skill.

TLDR; Engineering to craft cybernetics, Medicine to install on someone. Life Science for biotech, Medicine to install.

[jabberwoky]

Thank you Zephyr, that helps.

[Metaphysician]

And Mysticism for a magical augmentation. Presumably also Mysticism to install, assuming its even relevant.

[JustynThyme]

CRB 208 wrote:

Implantation

Getting an augmentation installed requires the services of a professional cybernetic surgeon or someone with ranks in Medicine equal to the level of the augmentation. A session with a cybernetic surgeon usually takes 1 hour per level of the augmentation. The price of such implantation procedures is included in the prices listed for each augmentation.

CRB 211 wrote:

Biotech mostly operates by the same rules as cybernetics and uses the same implantation slots.

Armory 86 wrote:

For more information on how to implant, activate, and replace biotech augmentations, see page 208 of the Core Rulebook.

Armory 90 wrote:

Magitech augmentations follow much the same rules as all other augmentations in regards to implantation, activation, and removal (see page 208 of the Core Rulebook).

Armory 94 wrote:

Necrografts follow the existing rules for augmentations (Core Rulebook 208), but they use different components than biotech and cybernetics. Any biotech or cybernetic augmentation can be created as a necrograft and installed for only 90% of the augmentation’s normal cost, but doing so causes the recipient to gain the necrograft subtype (see below). Necrografts have the same system restrictions that all augmentations share.

For crafting, CRB 235 says you need the same number of ranks as the level of the item. It says Engineering for technological items (cybernetics would fall here). My bet for biotech would be Life Sciences. Magitech is considered hybrid items, so you'd need both Engineering and Mysticism. Necrografts should be the sole propriety of Eox, but if the PC wants to trespass on that territory, I'd say Mysticism.

Materials seem pretty straightforward.

CRB 235 wrote:

To create an item, you must have UPBs with a total value equal to the price of the item to be created.

Yes, even biotech. Armory 129, the Culinary Synthesizer, changes UPBs into food, so UPBs as a crafting material for bio-compatible products has been established. Necrografts are an exception. Armory 94 specifically states that Necrografts are created from corpses.