GRUNGE-TECH CYBERWEAR Two facts. 1. Cyberwear is expensive. 2. Money is hard to come by. Obviously, this will mean that anyone who can't afford top dollar will go without cyberwear. After all, no-one would be dumb enough to trust their life to less than perfect hardware! Yeah, right! Welcome to the world of grunge-tech. Grunge-tech cyberwear comes in three basic flavours - Sub-Standard, Dubious, and Insane. Sub-Standard Cyberwear is for people who never have enough money for top-of-the-range models. It is intended to chrome characters who are dangerous but never quite made it into the major leagues. P.C.s should be welcome to buy sub-standard cyberwear, although they may wish to replace it later. Dubious Cyberwear brings problems as well as advantages. In fact, it can sometimes be more trouble than its worth. Dubious Cyberwear should rarely be used by P.C.s. If they want it, fine, but let the buyer beware. Mostly, it is for N.P.C.s who have some money, but whose judgment is, well...dubious. That doesn't mean that you have to be stupid to use Dubious Cyberware, but it does suggest eccentricity. Insane Cyberware if for people with little money and no sense who just want to be chromed. It is very unlikely that any P.C. will want Insane Cyberware. It is mainly intended for thugs and gangers who would like to be Samurai, but just don't have the smarts. That doesn't mean that the Insane Cyberwear conveys no advantage - even gangers aren't that stupid! However, the advantages just don't seem to be worth the cost. When introducing grunge-tech cyberwear into the campaign, don't forget to consider adding negative Bionic Modifications (CY p.31). The buyer might deliberately purchase cyberwear with such modifications to drop the price still further. On the other hand, s/he might just find that the second-rate cyberwear s/he purchases comes with them anyway! After all, the further down-market you go, the more likely you are to get ripped off. Also useful for creating a grunge-tech atmosphere is cosmetic surgery which lowers appearance (CY 10). If you have GURPS Cyberworld, then you should definitely develop some grunge-tech firearms, or "Street Treats", along the lines described on CW 101. If you have GURPS Vehicles 2nd edition, you can also use the weapon-design system there to design some "cheap" weapons from the ground up. Unless otherwise stated, the price of the operation is included in the price of the cyberware below. SUB-STANDARD CYBERWARE SUB-STANDARD ARMOUR $4,000 per point of DR (Minimum $8,000). 2 points per point of DR. This is just Full Metal Jacket with one small difference. Instead of those wimpy high-tech alloys, some slightly heavier but much cheaper metals were used. For each point of DR gained, add 4 lbs to encumbrance. There is no natural-appearing version of sub-standard armour. SUB-STANDARD BIONIC ARMS Price: Var. Point cost: 1/4 of the normal cost for the stat changes. The average cybernetic arm gives ST 14 and +1 DX. This will cost you $25,000 per arm, while the operation to attach it will cost $14,000 or $20,000 for a pair of arms. For each point of ST below 14, to a minimum of ST 7, drop the price of the arm by 12.5%. For each point of DX below DX+1, to a minimum of DX- 3, drop the price of the limb by 20%. Moreover, sub-standard machinery is so much simpler, er streamlined, it costs less to attach to your nervous system. Drop the price of the operation by 20% per point of DX removed too! It is, of course, possible to have both ST and DX reduced. However, ST and DX price breaks are to be figured separately. For example, Benny the Rat lost an arm in a recent disagreement with a former employer. He doesn't have the money for a good cyber- replacement. So he goes cheap. The arm he wants has a ST of 12 and a DX of DX+0. This is a -25% and a -20% price break to the arm price. This is not a -45% price break, as breaks are figured separately. With no price-breaks, the limb would have cost $25,000. For the ST of 12, there is a -25% break, which brings the price to $18,750. The 20% price break for DX is now applied to $18,750, which brings the price of the arm down to $15,000. The price of the operation is not affected by the drop in ST. The price of the operation IS affected by the drop in DX. For the DX of DX+0, there is a -20% break to price. The price of the operation is dropped from $14,000 to $11,200. If Benny the Rat had gone for a standard bionic arm, he would have had to pay $45,000 all up. As it is, he only pays $26,200: $15,000 for the arm, and $11,200 for the operation. If he wishes to gain any other price breaks, say for Unnatural or Breakdown Prone, he would receive those breaks as percentages of the final price of the arm - $15,000 - and not as breaks for the original price - $25,000. For example, if his arm appeared unnatural, it would cost only $3,000! On the other hand, the operation would still be $11,200, for a total of $14,200. SUB-STANDARD BIONIC HANDS Price: Var. Pts: 1/8 the normal stat difference. Prices may be reduced on bionic hands just as they are on arms. The standard bionic hand has ST 12 and DX +1. It costs $12,000 for the hand and $14,000 for the operation, or $20,000 for an operation to attach a pair of hands. For every point below 12 by which ST is dropped, to a minimum of ST 7, drop the price of the hand by 12.5%. For every point of DX below DX+1 by which DX is dropped, to a minimum of DX-3, drop the price of both the hand and the operation by 20%. As with sub-standard arms, price breaks for ST and DX are figured separately. SUB-STANDARD INTERFACE JACK Price and cost vary. The standard Interface Jack costs $30,000 for the Jack and $20,000 for the operation, for a total of $50,000. It costs 10 points and gives a bonus of +4 to skill when using a piece of interfaced technology. If skill bonus is reduced to +3, charge $22,500 for the Jack and $16,000 for the operation for a total of $38,500. Point cost is 8. If the skill bonus is reduced to +2, charge $15,000 for the Jack and $12,000 for the operation, for a total of $27,000. Point cost is 6. If the skill bonus is reduced to +1, charge $7,500 for the Jack and $8,000 for the operation, for a total of $15,500. Point cost is 4. DUBIOUS CYBERWARE CHEMICAL COURAGE $500 per level 8 pts for the first level, -2 pts for each subsequent level Chemical Courage involves some minor tampering with the brain. The first level gives the High Pain Threshold advantage as well as two levels of Strong Will. On the down side, it reduces IQ by 1. Each subsequent level increases Strong Will by two levels and reduces IQ by 1. Minimum IQ is 3! COSMETIC CROSS-HAIRS $200 0/-4 pts The subject has cross-hairs implanted into their eye-ball. The cross- hairs sit right in front of their pupil at all times, giving the impression of some kind of internal targeting system, but in fact, only obscuring vision. Vision rolls are made at -1. If the cross-hairs are on the same side as the preferred hand, then ironically, all shots made using that hand are at -1 to hit. In this case, Cosmetic Cross-Hairs are a disadvantage worth 4 points. On the positive side, rolls to intimidate or impress may be raised at the G.M.s discretion. The price already assumes that the cross-hairs appear unnatural - their sole purpose is to appear unnatural. CRUDE CYBERDECK INTERFACE Price and point cost vary. There are, of course, many ways in which a cyberdeck interface can be crude. Most of them mean that it doesn't work well as a cyberdeck interface. This one works fine as a cyberdeck interface. But the connection to the optic nerves aren't so hot. In short, it interferes with the optic nerves' normal function. For a 15% reduction in price and 6 points less than normal, the interface projects mild static across the eyes when the cyberdeck is not connected. This gives the -3 to all Vision rolls. For a 30% reduction in price and 25 points less, the interface interferes with the focusing of the eyes, limiting it to the focus needed to view cyberspace. This gives the 25 point version of the Bad Sight disadvantage, comprising either near-sightedness or far- sightedness, depending on how the interface is set. For a 60% reduction in price and 50 points less, the interface entirely overrides the optic nerves. Thus, when the subject is not plugged in to cyberspace, they get a "blank screen" and have the Blindness disadvantage. Sometimes only one eye if affected. If so, static gives only a -1 to Vision rolls. This only reduces price by 5% and point cost by 2. If only one eye is blind, take the One Eye disadvantage, reducing price by 20% and point cost by 15 points. Focusing problems never affect only one eye. FOREARM RAZORCHAIN $3,000 10 pts The subjects forearm contains a 2' chain lined with razors. The may be extruded from the wrist at will and gripped by the razor-free links at the wrist-end. One may attack with the razorchain using Flail skill. It is unbalanced, and does swing/cut damage. On any critical failure, the chain strikes the user at a random location. To retract the chain, the user must remain perfectly still for a second. If they retract the chain without doing so, they must roll vs Flail-4 or take 1d-1 damage to their hand, minimum of 1 point. If the chain becomes entangled or stuck in something, the character may be in big trouble. For $25 extra, the razorchain has hooks along the sides. Any turn after the chain has hit and done damage, the wielder must roll vs ST to remove it. Each tug does 1d-3 cutting damage, minimum of 1. On any normal miss in a crowded or furnished environment, roll vs Flail skill or the hooked razorchain has become attached to something it shouldn't. Roll vs ST to remove it each turn as normal. For an 80% price break, the chain is not retractable. Having a non- retractable razor chain attached to your wrist is a disadvantage worth 15 points. If it has hooks, it is a disadvantage worth 25 points. FOREARM SMALLSWORD. $2,000 5 pts Fencing requires skillful use of the wrist. For some reason, this doesn't stop some people from having a rigid small-sword implanted in their forearm, emerging through the wrist. All attacks are at -2. Parrying is 1/2 of skill. You can't hold anything in the relevant hand while the sword is extended. The extension mechanism isn't strong enough to actually unsheathe it into someone. If it meets resistance before it is fully extended, it will retract again. Of course, once it has successfully extended, it locks and the owner may stab away. If the Forearm Smallsword is attached to a bionic arm, the cash cost is quartered. For a 80% break in cash price, the smallsword is not retractable. Yes, there really are people stupid enough to have such an operation. This is worth -10 points. It gets in the way. HOLLOW LEG $5,000 9 pts The subject can fit up to 9 lbs secretly in his leg, but only at the cost of reorganizing its natural contents in a less than perfect fashion. Move and Dodge are reduced by 1 and the character suffers a -1 on all skills that involve walking or running, including hand-to-hand combat skills. If the character has more than 4 lbs stored in the leg, assume that leg to be Lame instead. RED ALERT $1,000 per level up to 5 levels -5/-8/-3/-6/-1 pts The subjects cortex is crudely rewired to increase the attention paid to input. Every level gives +1 to Alertness. However, the first level also gives Low Pain Threshold and each two levels possessed gives one level of Weak Will. No more than 5 levels of Red Alert may be gained. Any level is likely to make the subject jittery, while subjects with 4 or 5 levels frequently develop Paranoia. SHIN GUARDS $1,000 0 pts. Shin Guards are pairs of hardened plastic plates attached to the shin bones but external to the shins. They give PD 3, DR 4 to the shins only and raise kicking damage by +2 if the shins are used to kick with. They weigh 6 lbs and do count towards encumbrance. The price for one shin guard is $700 and the weight is 3 lbs. Shin Guards may only appear unnatural. INSANE CYBERWARE EYE LIGHT $200 -10 pts One of the subject's eyes is removed and replaced with an impressive coloured light, suggesting fearsome cyberwear. The subject gains the one-eye disadvantage, but does have an inbuilt torch wherever s/he goes. S/he may also gain intimidation or other reaction bonuses where the G.M. thinks it appropriate. This is not a bionic eye. It is just a coloured light. Obviously, it always appears unnatural and thus gets no price- break for doing so. HAND REPLACEMENTS Cost: Var. -10/5/10 pts. The hand is replaced with something, almost inevitably a weapon. The hand may be surgically removed, or may have been missing anyway. If the hand is replaced with something moderately useful, but also moderately inconvenient, such as a knife or hook (thrust/impale -2), the operation gives a disadvantage worth 10 points. If the hand is replaced by something significantly effective such as the equivalent of long claws, then the operation gives an advantage worth 5 points. If the hand is replaced by something as effective as vibro long claws, the operation gives an advantage worth 10 points. The basic mount costs a mere $200, whether the hand must be removed or not. A knife, hook, or equivalent in the mount will cost an extra $50. The equivalent of long claws will cost an extra $200. A vibro-knife or equivalent will cost an extra $400 and will include a slot for a power-cell in the mount. Many hand-replacements are dangerous to leave unsheathed. A sheath will cost $5 for a knife or hook and $20 for anything else. It takes 2 seconds to remove one-handed. All hand replacements appear unnatural and get no price break for doing so. FOREARM REPLACEMENTS Cost: Var. -10/5/10 pts. As Hand Replacement, but the entire forearm is replaced. If the replacement is the equivalent of a broad-sword, this is a disadvantage worth 10 points. If the replacement is the equivalent of a chain-saw (Swing +4 cutting, skill is the higher of DX-2 or Axe/Mace -2), this is an advantage worth 5 points. If the replacement is the equivalent of a vibro-sword, then this is an advantage worth 10 points. The basic mount costs $300, whether the arm is removed or not. A broadsword or equivalent will cost an extra $700. A chain-saw or equivalent will cost an extra $900. A vibro-sword or equivalent will cost an extra $1,300. Most forearm replacements will require a sheath to protect them or the things around them. Such a sheath will cost $40 and takes 2 seconds to remove one-handed. All forearm replacements appear unnatural and get no price-break for doing so. AMMUNITION O.K. So it isn't cyberware. But its grunge-tech and its fun. LOW-QUALITY BULLETS: Low quality bullets cost one fifth the price of standard bullets. However, they cause the malfunction number of any weapon they are being used in to drop by 1 to a minimum of 16. Thus, Ver.(Crit.) becomes Ver., Ver. becomes Crit., and Crit. becomes 16. If the malfunction level cannot drop because of the minimum, the bullets will make all malfunctions 1 point worse instead, adding or subtracting 1 depending on which will bring the roll further from 10. For example, a roll of 11 will become a 12, while a roll of 5 will become a 4. Such bullets are known as "crackerjack" in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, "rouletteskis" in Western Europe, and "virgin" just about everywhere else. Rumours persist of "crackerjack" gyroc rounds. Pray that the rumours are false. By Greg Littmann. If you have comments, please send them to gmlittmn@email.unc.edu