Brand Name CyberWare Todd Montgomery [aka Quiktek] (tmont@cerc.wvu.edu) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Not every piece of cyberware is the same. Below is how I handle cyberware in my campaigns. I have found it adds a lot of variety and options for the Street Samurai and the other cybered characters. It is also a nice device that a GM can use to construct unique opponents. One central idea pervades this article. That idea is that cyberware can and is modular in design. By modular I mean that each cybernetic item is made first as a standard item. This item is then modified by the Street Doc (Who may acquire the item in a myriad of ways) to interface with the user of the item. This modularization leads well to production and use of cyberware and allows brand names to differ in appearance and/or function. Cyberware Brand Names and Effects These brand names are used for adding variety to the standard fair of cyberware options. Below also appears some more options to make any cybered character even more unique. A note on surgery: To get the most out of these options, I suggest that the cost of surgery to implant cybernetic (and bioware) implants be included in the items cost. The cost of recovery is, however, separate and must be paid in full. Levels of Essence Effect: Level Effect on Essence Cost 1 +10% 2 +5% 3 0% 4 -5% 5 -10% Alpha and Beta Grade cyberware has the percent reduction to essence in parentheses. Maintenance: Frequency in months / Percentage of cost to be paid in maintenance per year. (Does not include Street Index) These are, by far, not the only brands available. Feel free to make up special brands for Shadowclinics, Street Docs, and/or major players in campaigns. Variety is the spice of life! NOTE: Not all Brands carry every type of cyberware. GM discretion. But some suggestions appear below. Used Cyberware's modifiers are in addition to existing modifiers. Shadow Clinic Availability means that if the character manages to find a Shadow Clinic he can purchase the Cyberware. Each Shadow Clinic has a rating AlphaI, BetaII, etc. These are CUSTOM pieces and ARE specific to the Doctor, Clinic, and patient. The item must be constructed for each patient. Damage to cyberware is handled as mentioned in Shadowtech, pages 39-40. Damage Resistance operates as detailed in Street Samurai Catalog (SSC) Page 98. The first number is the Target Number for a Serious Wound and the second number is the Target Number for a Deadly Wound. When a character is injured and Cyberware has been damaged roll 5 dice. For every one success generated for the piece of cyberware, the piece's damage level is reduced by one. Damaged cyberware functions in the same way as described in Shadowtech, page 40. Street Damage Brand Name Level Cost Availability Maint. Index Resist. CUSTOM BetaIII(-50%) x13.0 Shadow Clinic 6/10% +.3 3/4 CUSTOM BetaII(-45%) x9.0 Shadow Clinic 4/10% +.2 4/5 CUSTOM BetaI(-40%) x7.0 Shadow Clinic 4/10% +.2 4/5 CUSTOM AlphaIII(-30%) x5.0 Shadow Clinic 3/10% +.1 5/6 CUSTOM AlphaII(-25%) x4.0 Shadow Clinic 3/10% +.1 5/6 CUSTOM AlphaI(-20%) x3.0 Shadow Clinic 3/10% +.1 5/6 ChibaWare 5 x2.5 +4/x2 2/15% +.3 6/8 Ares-Custom 5 x2.25 +5/x3 2/20% +.3 8/10 Fuchi-SeriesII 5 x2.25 +4/x2 1/15% +.3 8/10 Ares-Gold 5 x2.5 +3/x1.75 3/12% +.3 8/9 Ares-Silver 4 x2.0 +2/x1.5 3/11% +.3 10/12 Fuchi-SeriesI 4 x2.0 +3/x1.5 4/15% +.2 9/12 BorgWare 4 x1.75 +4/x1.5 1/20% +.1 10/12 Ares-Turbo 3 x1.75 +1/x1.5 6/12% +.3 10/12 Ares-Milea 3 x1.5 +1/x1.25 3/11% +.1 12/14 Fuchi-Synth 3 x1.0 +0/x1 3/10% +.1 12/15 Ares-MarkV 3 x1.0 +0/x1 2/10% +0 12/15 StreetLethal 3 x.9 +1/x1.5 1/15% +0 14/18 Vindicator(Ares)3 x.8 +2/x2 3/12% +.1 15/18 Leme' 2 x.8 +0/x.5 1/20% +0 -- Vigilante(Fuchi)2 x.75 +0/x.75 2/10% +.1 -- NAO-AFFS 2 x.8 +1/x1 4/10% +.1 -- CaTsClaW 1 x.7 +0/x.75 1/20% -.1 -- Warrant 1 x.6 -1/x.5 1/30% -.1 -- MCT-Samurai 4 x2.0 +3/x2.25 3/10% +.1 8/9 MCT-Kama 3 x1.5 +2/x2.0 5/8% +.2 10/12 MCT-Ninjitsu 3 x1.25 +1/x1.5 3/8% +.1 12/15 DuroWare 3 x1.5 +4/x4.0 12/2% +0 8/9 Boss-V5 3 x1.0 +0/x1.0 2/8% +0 12/15 Euro-MarkII 2 x.75 +0/x.75 2/15% +0 -- Shiawase-Torg 4 x2.0 +3/x1.5 3/11% +.2 9/12 Shiawase-Custom 5 x2.5 +4/x2.0 2/15% +.3 6/8 Shiawase-Alpha AlphaI(-20%) x3.0 +6/x3.0 3/10% +.1 5/6 Used As brand As brand+ As brand+ As brand+ As brand+ Cyberware x.5 -1/x.5 -1/+5% -.1 Yeah, Right Some other brands: Zeiss carries only cybereyes and eye options. The brand has the following brand name stats: Level: 3 Cost: x1.0 Availability: +1/x1.25 Maintenance: 4/7.5% Street Index: +.1 Damage Resistance: 10/12 Nikkon carries only cybereyes and eye options. The brand has the following brand name stats: Level: 3 Cost: x1.0 Availability: +0/x1.0 Maintenance: 3/10% Street Index: +.0 Damage Resistance: 12/15 RCA carries only cybereys, cyberears, and there options. The brand has the following brand name stats: Level: 3 Cost: x1.0 Availability: +0/x1.0 Maintenance: 2/10% Street Index: +.0 Damage Resistance: 12/15 Repair is the same as in Shadowtech page 40. All brand names are normal cyberware for target number determination. Use the modified cost of the cyberware for repair cost determination. Labor prices vary with the brand name, use level of brand -3 as a cost multiplier. Alpha levels all count as Alpha, and Beta levels all count as Beta. Used Cyberware also has the disadvantages mentioned in SSC page100 as well as the modifiers above. Example of Maintenance Cost: The Street Samurai Archetype has the following Cyberware. Cybereyes with Low-Light Dermal Plating: 2 Muscle Replacement: 1 Retractable Hand Razors Smartlink Wired Reflexes: 2 Assuming all this to be Ares-MarkV Brand you have the following. Cyberware Type Essence Cost Maintenance Cost Cybereyes w/Low Light .2 8,000 800 per year Dermal Plating:2 1.0 15,000 1,500 per year Muscle Replacement.:1 1.0 20,000 2,000 per year Ret. Hand Razors .2 9,000 900 per year Smartlink .5 2,500 250 per year Wired Ref.:2 3.0 165,000 16,500 per year TOTAL: 5.9 219,500 21,950 per year Monthly Maintenance Cost = 21,950/12 = 1,829 Nuyen Maintenance Cost Maintenance Costs can be paid monthly or every so many months equal to the Maintenance Frequency as long as the cost per year is equal to the brands maintenance cost percentage X the cost of the cyber item (not including street index). Failing to pay maintenance: Every time a number of months goes by equal to the Frequency of Maintenance of the cyber brand name, the GM rolls 2D6. The Target number is equal to the Damage Resistance (Serious) of the Brand Name. If one success is generated, the cyber item is fine. If no successes are generated, then the item suffers a Light wound and must be repaired. See Shadowtech pg. 39-40 for damage levels and repair. Financing Cyberware: Level 3, 4, and 5 cyberware can be financed by some corporations and agencies. The deals usually include some legal matters like contracts of business. The endorsers also usually require some DNA sample for purely medicinal use (Ritual Sorcery for delinquents). The financing usually involves a 20+% increase in price but the entire amount may be divided over 12, 24, even 36 month plans. Most financers require at least 20% of base cost down, up front. Failure to provide payments is VERY BAD. One month can slide but some fast talking MUST be done. And a gratuity will be expected. Two months might require some customer "retraining" to make him more responsible. Past two months you better leave the country and fast. Of course, a corp will probable follow if the customer was a substantial investment. Even some street organizations (read Loan Sharks, Mob, Yak, etc...) offer the above. Only payments are usually higher and retribution even less friendly. Hypoallergenics The current lines of cyberware of levels 2-5 offer a full compliment of hypoallergenic options for there brands. The cost of such comfort is an increase of 50% in cost and a maintenance cost increase of 25%. Warranties and Cyber Insurance Many companies carry plans for cyberware insurance and warranties. Unfortunately for the shadow community most of these services are just not accessible safely. But as always there are a few exceptions to every rule. The options that follow represent the more stable, less NOSY, organizations that will set up convenient insurance and warranty plans for the cybered individual. Sorry, no one legally will set up plans for Alpha or Beta cyberware. >>>[Insurance is always risky. Some times you make out with a killing on your new replacement. And then sometimes you get ripped over the long run. For the sam who thinks he is in for one rough two years the Total Coverage is the way to go. Especially with repairs being typically upwards of 20% of the item's cost.]<<<< -Quiktek<11:48:37/01-19-53> EXAMPLES OF CYBER INSURANCE Allied State Cyberware Coverage This cheap organization will take very little in the way of personal identification to set up an account. They have been known to take payment failure pretty personally. The same goes for people who start to really cost the company money. The plans they offer are detailed below. Basic Coverage Cost: Varies This plan is just a basic coverage plan that will cover up to a certain fixed amount in repairs and maintenance for one year. Typical plans are in the range of 1,000Y/yr to 50,000Y/yr. Any amount can be specified in this range. The cost is just the amount covered divided by 13. This is a monthly rate and it is recommended that it be paid promptly. Allied State will not accept any applicants who sign up for a plan that is not equal to there normal maintenance cost X 12. To register an applicant must have all his cyberware registered and agree to a background check. This check is like using a false cred stick vs. a rating 6 identifier. Basic Warranty Cost: Varies This plan is useful for financing that oh so unexpected mishap with the local thrill gang. This plan covers all repairs and replacement of cyber systems (no medical costs) for the duration of the warranty. Any duration may be set up but the minimum is the six month plan. The cost of the plan is the cyberware item's maintenance cost + 5% divided by 12. This is a monthly rate. Each cyberware item must be covered under a different warranty. The longest warranty offered is three years (or 126 Million Heartbeats). As with the Basic Coverage, registration and a background check are required. This plan does not cover routine maintenance. Total Coverage and Warranty Cost: Varies This plan offers to the "street professional" the option of putting all his chrome into a big safe coverage plan. The plan works as follows. The cost is all the maintenance costs per year for each item added together then taking that amount and adding 35% to that. Divide that total by 12. This is your low monthly payment. This plan covers all maintenance, cyber system replacement, and repair. The minimum duration on this plan is 2 years and the maximum is four years. Registration is required and a rating 8 background check is performed on all applicants. DocWagon Yes the leader in Medical Insurance and Active Retrieval has now begun to enter the growing cyberware insurance market. These plans are totally separate from the usual DocWagon contracts. DocWagon offers plans almost identical to Allied State. Except there checks are much lower in rating, usually 4 except total coverage is 6. Information about other brands: MCT: The MCT line of cyberware has been especially designed for low impact on the body, and it's appearance is stealthy. The MCT stuff that filters down to the streets is among the most highly demanded in the shadows. All MCT cyberware has a +1 to concealability. DuroWare: This little known line of cyberware is made by only ONE Street Doc. His name is Mickey. He operates out of the Redmond Barrens in Seattle. Mickey owns and operates the "Mad House", a local ripper shop that specializes in the bazaar, exotic, and/or the militant. Mickey will only install DuroWare into SPECIAL friends, or a person with a HUGE credstick. DuroWare is the toughest stuff next to Teflon when it comes to damage. And maintenance is nothing. Several people have tried to get Mickey's secrets but all have met the unhappy end of "Creeps" and "Gripes", two of the largest and heaviest cybered Trolls you would ever want to meet. Mickey's common line of cyberware is termed StreetLethal. >>>>[ Mickey is one tough Dwarf. He personally outfitted the Troll twins, Creeps and Gripes. They are the closest thing I have ever seen to real CyBorgs. ]<<<< --Quiktek<11:44:26/03-02-54> Shiawase: The leader in cyberware has just released news of its upcoming line of cyberware. Initially termed Shiawase-Alpha, this line emphasizes Ultra-Low Impact (ULI) technology. (Officially termed ULICII (Ultra-Low Impact Cyber Interface integration)) This is what Mr. Yamaguchi, president of Shiawase Cyberware Division had to say: "We (Shiawase International) are very proud of our new Alpha Line. We are scheduled to release the initial batch of "Field Tested" 'ware around Easter. Only the FINEST clinics are to be authorized for retail. Any other questions I direct to Mrs. Hanover, our UCAS Representative." For more information about Shiawase's upcoming line of cyberware, please contact a licensed Shiawase Dealer or Shiawase directly via matrix link or voice. >>>>[ Oh Pease! We all know that the Alpha Grade Stuff was out there. Mass Production, even if by Shiawase, well do nothing but make the general public know that the tech exists.]<<<< --Quiktek<12:43:30/03-02-54> These brands above carry most cyberware types. GM Discretion.