Guides:Selecting Cyberware

Introduction

Cyberware can boost skills and attributes well above their normal levels. A good selection of cyberware can turn even the weediest tech nerd into a walking tank, or help a hulking, brutish moron become an expert in the sciences. Unfortunately, Cyberware is hideously expensive and will inevitably malfunction at some point, producing unwanted side effects that can really ruin your character's day.

The safest place to shop for Cyberware is the Silver Virtue, in Namok Spaceport. There are other places that sell Cyberware, but you'll need to find those for yourself (or consult the spoily section of this guide). Once purchased, you'll need to have the Cyberware fitted by a competent Cyberdoc. The best place to have this done is probably Leiji Hospital in Snake Lake Corporate Zone. The resident Cyberdoc more skilled in Cybertech than the standard Cyberdoc NPC, and the Corporate Zone itself is a safe place to recover after the procedure. Be forwarned, though: a poor Cybertech roll on the part of the Cyberdoc will result in your character becoming tired and groggy afterwards, needing time to recover. It can also increase the likelihood of the implant malfunctioning. Also note, that surgery can take several hours, so your character may become hungry when he or she awakens. Have some food on hand in your inventory or be prepared to drag your character across town to the nearest eatery if that happens.

Know that Cyberware cannot be removed. In the case that you have Cybereyes implanted, the Cyberdoc is not going to keep your old 'meat' eyes in cold storage on the off-chance that you change your mind and want them put back. You can replace the Cybereyes with some other type of optical implant, but you're committed to having Cyberware in that part of your body from that point on.

There are four additional things to bear in mind when buying Cyberware: Trauma, Cost, Implant Location, and, of course, the implant’s actual effect.

Trauma

Trauma is of vital importance when choosing a piece of Cyberware. The higher the Trauma rating, the more difficult the implantation procedure will be, and the more likely that the Cyberware will malfunction. Note that the Trauma rating listed when buying a piece of Cyberware is not necessarily the level of Trauma you'll undergo when going through with the procedure. That depends on the skill of the Cyberdoc. Characters with the Spiritual trait will tend to experience more Trauma when a piece of Cyberware is installed than other characters (the increased trauma is half your Spiritual score before surgery rolls, so Zen Masters watch out!). Pragmatic characters will suffer less trauma: up to one-quarter of the trauma can be eliminated by a highly pragmatic character.

There are two talents that can reduce the effects of trauma: Extropian allows you to have one implant per three points of Cybertech skill, and gives you a bonus versus trauma if you go over that, roughly doubling the effectiveness of your Cybertech skill. Cyberpsycho costs you mental points and morale instead of adding trauma, allowing you avoid taking the Cybertech skill at all as long as you keep your mental points up.

Cost

As has already been stated, Cyberware is hideously expensive. Expect to pay $60k for the simplest of devices, and upwards of $400k for the top-of-the-line stuff, such as Skeletal or Muscular Replacement. If you're going Cyber, then save those credits!

Implant Location

There are 21 available Cyberware implants, but only 8 implant locations in your body. You are limited to a maximum of one Cybernetic device implanted in any given portion of your character's body at a time. So, if you have a pair of Cyber Eyes installed and, instead, want a Sniper Scope Eye, then the Cyber Eyes will have to go.

Brain

Name	CyberSlot	Trauma	kg	Cost	Effects
Data Link	BRAIN	10	0.5	26550	+1 Knowledge
Neural Coprocessor	BRAIN	20	0.5	59000	+2 Knowledge
Synaptic Booster	BRAIN	40	0.5	177000	+5 Knowledge
Sensory Amplifier	BRAIN	35	1.0	188500	+5 Perception
Predator Reflexes	BRAIN	60	7.5	378000	+5 Reflexes,+2 Body,+4 Speed,+3 Perception,+2 Ego,-3 Knowledge,-1 Charm

Brainstem

Name	CyberSlot	Trauma	kg	Cost	Effects
Spinal Pilot Link	BRAINSTEM	30	0.5	92925	Mecha Piloting +3

Ears

Name	CyberSlot	Trauma	kg	Cost	Effects
Cyber Ears	EARS	15	0.5	25075	+1 Perception
Perfect Pitch Ears	EARS	20	0.5	53100	Performance +3

Eyes

Name	CyberSlot	Trauma	kg	Cost	Effects
Fashion Cybereyes	EYES	20	0.5	59000	+1 Perception,+1 Charm
Cyber Eyes	EYES	20	0.5	149466	+2 Reflexes,+3 Perception,-1 Charm
Sniper Scope Eye	EYES	25	0.5	99562	Heavy Weapons +3
Targeter Eye	EYES	25	0.5	154875	Small Arms +4

Heart

Name	CyberSlot	Trauma	kg	Cost	Effects
Cyber Heart	HEART	15	1.0	61625	+2 Body

Musculature

Name	CyberSlot	Trauma	kg	Cost	Effects
Heavy Myomer Muscles	MUSCULATURE	35	10.0	91000	+4 Body
Rapid Strike Muscles	MUSCULATURE	40	10.0	84000	+2 Reflexes,+2 Speed

Skeleton

Name	CyberSlot	Trauma	kg	Cost	Effects
Reinforced Skeleton	SKELETON	50	12.5	113750	+7 Body,-1 Speed
Lightened Skeleton	SKELETON	45	7.0	122283	+2 Reflexes,-1 Body,+4 Speed
Heavy Lifting Skeletal Frame	SKELETON	40	12.5	131250	Weight Lifting +8

Spine

Name	CyberSlot	Trauma	kg	Cost	Effects
Armored Spine	SPINE	45	8.0	197633	+4 Body,-1 Speed,+4 Ego
Optical Spine	SPINE	45	5.0	224583	+1 Reflexes,-1 Body,+3 Speed,+2 Craft,+2 Knowledge

Mecha

You can install cyberware interfaces into a mecha using the Mecha Engineering skill. There is no limit to the number of different cyberware you can install into a mecha other than the variety available (currently 2).

Name	CyberSlot	Trauma	kg	Cost	Effects	How to obtain
Stealth System	ELECTRONICS	40	-	?	Stealth +3	Built into a Domino
Sentinel FCS	ARTILLERY	-	-	?	Mecha Artillery +3	Use high-level Science on Sentinel
Self Defense Matrix	FIGHTING	-	-	?	Mecha Fighting +1	Use high-level Science on Androbot

Misc.

Name	CyberSlot	Trauma	kg	Cost	Effects
Self-Diagnostic	-	5	0.5	63056	Cybertech +3

Note: The Self-Diagnostic implant does not take up any slots. This is possibly a bug, as it allows multiple Self-Diagnostic devices to be implanted. Contrary to what you'd think : Extropians should avoid SD's, as their bonus does not appear to count for the trauma free cyberware calculations (confirmed GH1).

Cyberware Dealers

Cyberware is sold by:

• Extropia Health Clinic in Ipshil village.
• Leiji Memorial Research Hospital in Snake Lake Corporate Zone.
• Black Market in Snake Lake Waterfront.
• Silver Virtue Technologies in Namok Spaceport.
• Kira's Tattoos and Body Modification in Pirate's Point.

Of these, the most reliable places tend to be Kira's and the Black Market. Silver Virtue tends to stock a lot more mecha than cyberware, while the clinics will usually sell standard medical and repair supplies and only the occasional piece of cyberware.

Cyberware Installers

There are only three places that have the facilities to install cyberware, and the cost of installation is proportional to the skill of the Cyberdoc and the riskiness of the procedure.

• Kira's Tattoos and Body Modification in Pirate's Point. Cybertech skill: 3 (back-alley)
• Extropia Health Clinic in Ipshil village. Cybertech skill: 10 (professional)
• Leiji Memorial Research Hospital in Snake Lake Corporate Zone. Cybertech skill: 12 (cutting-edge)

Cyberware Strategy

Generally if you are willing to spend a talent slot, the best thing to do would be to raise Cybertech to +5 and get Extropian, then install Predator Reflexes as soon as possible. The Kn penalty of Predator Reflexes does not reduce the number of skill slots you can have (conversely, the Kn bonuses of the other brain cyberware do not increase the number of skill slots), and if you've gotten Conversation to a good level already the Ch loss should not affect you too much.

Only two more Cybertech levels to +7 and you can install a second piece of Cyberware safely with Extropian. What you select will mostly depend on what your character needs but generally Optical Spine is another good all-around, with the -1 Sp penalty compensated for by the Predator Reflexes. High Trauma becomes immaterial as long as you never exceed the Extropian limit.