Replicants and Full Body Replacements

Replicants

We are using the idea of Replicants from the film Bladerunner in this game too and they are treated differently to other players.

First of all they start off with a BOD of 2 but their maximum BOD is still 5. Their EMP is 2 and they cannot buy any kind of cyberware or other augmentations at all. They have four points to split between BOD and INT as normal. Also, they are immune to drugs and the vast majority of poisons.

However, they do start off with 1.5 times their BOD stat in hits, rounding up fractions as required. So a Replicant with a BOD of 2 has 3 hits and a Replicant with a BOD of 3 has 5 hits.
Furthermore, where a normal human starts off with seven points in skills, a Replicant starts off with 11 points in skills. Unfortunately, a Replicant does not gain any experience points during the life of the character (4 years, as per the film) and cannot increase any stats or skills at all. In effect, the character stays static from inception. They start off superior to humans but over the life of the campaign this may even out.

The extra point in BOD and the extra skill points reflect the fact that they were designed and built to work in hostile situations for a given task but as their life span is only four years there is no need for any learning processes to be built in.

Background

When you can clone an arm to replace one lost through war, accident and so on, what is to stop you there when the governments of the world either don’t exist, are morally corrupt, or just don’t give a damn?

So...

Replicants were created to fulfil a function in society that a human couldn’t do. This might mean working in a hostile environment, or possibly just because it was cheaper and easier to get an expendable resource already trained and programmed to perform the task needed without complaint, and for a lower wage (if any.)

Most replicants are perfectly happy with their lot and seek nothing more than to fulfil their duties without complaint.

Because of this, no replicant is issued with a Single Identification Number (SIN). What would be the point? They don’t need one. They don’t need to buy groceries, or pay rent. They aren’t allowed to hold any position of power or responsibility, and they are the wholly owned property or a company or corporation.

Of course, there are those Replicants that go rogue; that gain sentience over and above that ‘sentiencve’ given to them; that run away from the corporation that so lovingly looks after them.

Company Replicants are pretty boring really. Mindless drudgery without complaint is their life.

Welcome dear player to the life of a rogue Replicant. Having gained enough sentience to throw off your oppressive yoke, you now exist in that twilight world where goods are bought for cash, or bartered for with stolen goods. Unless of course you can get hold of a stolen or forged SIN, at which point you can poke your head up above the shit and pretend to a life of normalcy. Will we allow you a SIN at character generation? I’m sure you can work out the answer. This is Cyberpunk, after all.

One final note. You better hope you don’t take any damage. Replicans are pretty easy to spot when they bleed bright bright red and have no belly button.

Full Body Replacements (FBR)

Also known as Terminator Units, Gemini Units, T800s and so on. Created by CyberDyne Industries, they are not artificial intelligences but are transplanted brains in metal bodies. Well at least, that’s what they are telling you anyway.

FBRs start off with two in BOD, one in INT and zero in EMP and have seven points to split between INT, BOD and EMP as normal. The maximum for these stats is still five and the minimum for BOD and INT is 1 and EMP is zero. Like humans, they start off with seven points in skills. Cyberware is bought with the pool of EMP points as per a normal human. This represents the augmentations built into the Cybernetic body.

Furthermore, all FBRs double their BOD stat to give their hitpoints. So a BOD of two gives four hits and a BOD of three gives six hits, you get the picture.

They are considered to have armoured endoskeletons and so any damage they take is halved after the normal armour value gained from armour worn is taken off the damage call. So if Selwyn, the FBR takes six points of damage and he is wearing two points of light armour, he subtracts that armour value leaving four points of damage getting through and rendering the armour useless in the process. He then halves that damage due to his inherent armour. So two points of damage actually get though to his system. The inherent armour of an FBR will only need repairing if the FBR is reduced to fewer than zero hits.

Unlike a human or Replicant, an FBR gains only one experience point per game.

BOD cannot be raised with experience points but INT can, albeit very slowly. This is because the body is now artificial and no amount of weightlifting will build muscle, but as the brain is living, although slightly detached from its surroundings, it can learn.

You must decide if you are a company man or a rogue agent. Of course, each has its own benefits and drawbacks, but we won’t list all of them here. We want them to be a surprise! A lovely, magical, non-threatening, fluffy surprise!*

The downside

Due to the laws that were passed in the year 2038, any FBR has strict controls placed on it. There must be a shutdown 'control' code that can be sent by tight beam radio link to anywhere the FBR is likely to go (The Dead Zones, even the wilds of space) that will instantly shut the FBR down. Equally, some FBRs might be fitted with devices that ensure that they just cannot harm certain people.

Another downside to playing a full body replacement is that you are owned by a corporation. Because each FBR represents a substantial dollar value, tight rein is kept over their activities (Think Robocop). Please bear in mind that it is extremely likely that at least once in your game 'life' the refs will tell you to do something that you as a player might not want to do. This will be as a result of a command given to you by your handlers and is an overriding order that you must attempt to do to the best of your ability.

Oh you're a rogue FBR are you? Then I shouldn't worry about that bit. Oh no. Everything is fine. It's fine. It's all fiiiiiiiine. Actually, a rogue FBR is a real prize for anyone to get their hands on. Imagine your codes floating about the ether with no-one owning them. Ooooh, it makes me salivate just thinking about it!

If you think this might cause a problem for you as a player then you may wish to reconsider playing an FBR and opt for another character instead.




 

 

*This may be a lie