Neurological Systems
The devices described below are designed to interface directly with the wearer's neurological
systems. These units are the cutting edge of technology the ultimate links between
human beings and machines.
Adrenal Booster Cost: $20,000 per level (maximum 2 levels). Operation Cost: $5,000.
Recovery: 2 weeks. Mass: Negligible. Power: 1 per day; 10 to activate.
This is system monitors the body's regular use of adrenaline and can increase the
"dose" somewhat. Whenever this system is switched on (usually in a stressful situation
such as combat), add the system's level to effective Strength, Dexterity and Health
scores for all purposes except: (1) As noted under Nerve Booster for Dexterity, and
(2) an increase in effective Health does NOT give you more location hit points, although
it applies to HT rolls and the total amount of damage you can take. The effects
last for 2d6 minutes, and the booster (except for some black market versions) can't be
used until an hour has passed since last use. When the effect passes, a HT roll
(natural Health, adjusted downward by as many points as the adrenal booster's levels,
and with a further 1 per time an illegally modified booster was used in the last hour) must
be made; failing this will cause the cyborg to lose 2d6 Fatigue, and a critical failure
will cause a heart attack!
Boosted Reflexes Cost: $15,000/$40,000/$90,0000. Operation Cost: $4,000 + $1,000/lvl.
Recovery: 1 week + 1 week/modification. Mass: Negligible. Power: 1 per year.
This system "hot wires" the cyborg's reflexes beyond their normal capabilities. The
effect of this modification is simple: each level adds 1 to the cyborg's active defenses
and initiative (as Combat Reflexes). This modification does not include the Combat
Reflexes aspect of no surprise. Boosted Reflexes can be combined with Combat Reflexes,
Nerve Booster, and Adrenal Booster, but not Wired Reflexes. Once level 1 has been
purchased the cyborg can return for an upgrade at a later date.
Chipjack Cost: $2,000 for first, doubles thereafter. Operation Cost: $500. Recovery:
1 week. Mass: Negligible. Power: None.
A chip slot is a socket installed on the user's head. Such slots are wired to the
CNS, an are required to plug chips containing hardwired skill programs. The price
stops at $160,000 per new slot that's for the 6th and subsequent slots. It normally
takes 2 seconds to insert or remove a chip, or 5 seconds to change from one chip to another.
For $20,000, all slots already installed can be hidden (usually under hair or a
fake flap of skin). Otherwise, they remain visible, but chip slots are legal and
quite common already (most people can afford at least one), so having chip slots in your
head only carries reaction penalties when dealing with extreme cyberphobes.
Computer Implant Cost: $8,000 + Computer Cost. Operation Cost: $2,000. Recovery:
2 weeks. Mass: Mass of computer. Power: 1 per month.
Although it is not yet very common, a computer may be implanted within, and linked
to, the brain. The effect would be much like an external DNI linkup, except that
the computer would, of course, always be available. It would also only be able to
run programs which were in the computer at the time of implantation, unless a DNI jack is
purchased to allow external loading or a Chip Slot could be used to load data to
and from storage cards. Such a computer implant can be very useful for cyborgs with
a large amount of electronic implants, as it can be used to control and reprogram them at
will. Remember that most TL 8 computers have nonvolatile RAM and thus need no power
to retain memory. Also, the actual mass of the system will be much smaller than
the mass of a normal computer of the same complexity, as no keyboard, monitor, casing, etc.
is required.
Datajack/Direct Neural Interface (D.N.I.) Cost: $5,000. Operation Cost: $500. Recovery: 1
week. Mass: Negligible. Power: None.
Interface is the combination of man and machine. The Direct Neural Interface is essentially
a plug into the brain, allowing DNI devices to be connected to the cerebral cortex.
A DNI includes a discreetly placed skull socket, into which a 1.5 mm thick fiberoptic cable is plugged. It also consists of a fair amount of "glassware" inside
the skull. It takes 2 seconds to connect or disconnect (emergency disconnection
takes only 1 second, but does 1d6-4 cutting damage to your head). The user can send
and receive information to and from external computers. A lot of equipment these days is
adapted for control through a DNI. Using a DNI in situations where reaction speed
is important (such as driving a car in inner city combat, hugging the ground in a
jet plane, or firing artillery at moving targets) can give up to a +4 bonus to effective
skill (for instance, offsetting penalties for firing artillery at moving targets.)
Grav Adjust Rig Cost: $5,000 per level. Operation Cost: $1,000. Recovery: 1 week.
Mass: Negligible. Power: 1 per year.
This system, implanted in the base of the neck or along the spinal cord, interprets
and adjusts input from the central nervous system before passing it on to muscles,
compensating for xenogravity. Given a level, the system provides a bonus which offsets
penalties to DX activities incurred by changes in gravity. ST penalties, however,
are not affected as these are caused by wholly physical, not neurological, circumstances.
Gyro Balance Rig Cost: $25,000. Operation Cost: $1,000. Recovery: 1 week. Mass:
Negligible. Power: 1 per week.
A miniature electronic pseudo gyroscope in the inner ears (which need not be artificial)
gives the cyborg near perfect balance. He can walk on tightropes, ledges, etc. without
having to make a DX roll. If the surface is wet, slippery, or otherwise unstable, he is at +6 on all rolls to keep his feet. In combat, he has a +4 on any DX rolls
to avoid being knocked down. He has a +1 on any Acrobatics skill rolls, and on any
Piloting rolls of air or space vehicles.
Nerve Booster Cost: $10,000 per level. Operation Cost: $2,000. Recovery: 2 weeks.
Mass: Negligible. Power: 1 per year
This is a microprocessor implanted at the base of the neck, which amplifies and speeds
all neuromotor signals. It adds a +1 per level to the cyborg's DX stat in all cases
where it is important to react and coordinate quickly, such as combat and sports.
This bonus is not granted to fine manual dexterity tasks, however, nor to DX for purposes
of calculating Speed score. Maximum level should be 2. This system is not completely
cumulative with the use of an Adrenal Booster for increasing effective DX; use the higher of the two bonuses and add one more point.
Nerve Link Cost: $500. Operation Cost: $100. Recovery: 2 days. Mass: Negligible.
Power: None.
This is an organically engineered artificial nerve cable, suitable for carrying neural
or cyberelectronic signals. This is the standard method used to patch Cyber Systems
to the wearer's CNS or other Cyber Systems, and may also be used to replace natural
nerve tissue lost to accident, disease or damage. That's right, paralyzation is only
a temporary inconvenience these days. Not all Cyber Systems require a Nerve Link,
but all those that route output to, or gain input from, the brain (without being
implanted in/beside it) or another system (without being right next to it) need one to function.
Nerve Links require no power source, and since they are wholly internal there is
no price modifier for unnatural appearance. Cyborgs with several electronic systems
that are supposed to work in combination need a lot of Nerve Links. Note that the
length of the Link is unimportant; it is the interface at each end of the cable that
makes up the bulk of the cost. Distances within the human body aren't large enough
that the length of the link can really affect the cost.
Omni Link Nerve Web Cost: $25,000. Operation Cost: $1000. Recovery: 2 weeks. Mass:
0.1 kg. Power: None.
This is an experimental successor to the standard Nerve Link. It is pseudo living:
One injection is made at the base of the neck, and the Omni Link Nerve Web grows
on its own, clinging to the subject's original nervous system. The subject must
be kept under close medical surveillance during the weeks the operation takes to complete but
there is usually no danger, nor any need of further treatment. At the end of the
recovery time, the Nerve Web has effectively replaced the natural nervous system
(which, although it is not destroyed by the operation, will no longer be used; the Nerve Web
takes over all its natural functions and do them better.) The Omni Link Nerve Web
can be used to relay signals from any cyber system to any other, between cyber systems
and the CNS, and even to boost regular nerve signals. In fact, this system not
only eliminates the need for normal Nerve Links, but also adds +1 to the cyborg's
DX for all purposes, permanently.
Painblocker Cost: $10,000. Operation Cost: $1,000. Recovery: 2 days. Mass: Negligible.
Power: None.
A specialized synaptic inhibitor device which obstructs the flow of pain signals into
the brain, making the wearer oblivious to the pain. The inherent danger of such
a system is that is might cause the wearer to be unaware of bodily damage which requires
immediate attention. Most damage, however, is accompanied by other sensations which
would still be sensed normally stabbing blade would still tug at the clothes,
the flow of blood would still fell like a warm, spreading wetness, etc.). Several
types of Painblocker are available, differentiated by the type of pain signals impeded:
Kinetic (open wounds/muscle tension/pressure); Thermal (heat/cold); Chemical (poisoning);
Photic (intense light/sunburn). Each must be purchased separately, but they may
be combined in one implant. Painblocker do not negate damage, but they suppress the
associated pain and thus negate penalties from damage taken (unless such penalties
arise from actual crippling).
Vehicle Control Rig Cost: $12,000/$60,000/$300,0000. Operation Cost: $4,000 + $1,000/lvl.
Recovery: 1 week + 1 week/modification. Mass: Negligible. Power: 1 per year.
This system tunes the cyborg's reflexes to vehicle control. The effect of this modification
is: each level adds 1 to the cyborg's active defenses and initiative (as Combat Reflexes)
for the vehicle, as well as adding 2 to the effective skill. This modification does not include Combat Reflexes aspect of no surprise. VCR can be combined with
Combat Reflexes, Boosted/Wired Reflexes, Nerve Booster, and Adrenal Booster. To use
this modification effectively, a DNI will be required to interface with the vehicle.
Once level 1 has been purchased the cyborg can return for an upgrade at a later date.
Wired Reflexes Cost: $55,000/$165,000/$500,0000. Operation Cost: $4,000 + $1,000/lvl.
Recovery: 1 week + 1 week/modification. Mass: Negligible. Power: 1 per year.
This system "hot wires" the cyborg's reflexes beyond their normal capabilities. The
effect of this modification is: each level adds 1 to the cyborg's active defenses
and initiative (as Combat Reflexes), and 1 to the cyborg's DX. This modification
does not include the Combat Reflexes aspect of no surprise. Boosted Reflexes can be combined
with Combat Reflexes, Nerve Booster, and Adrenal Booster, but not Boosted Reflexes.
Once level 1 has been purchased the cyborg can return for an upgrade at a later date.