Eye Of Balor Magazine

Cybernetic Enhancements and Bio Augmentations

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5–7 minutes

Cybernetic Enhancements and Bio Augmentations

Cybernetic enhancements and bio augmentations are the most common ways characters in the Cradle push beyond natural human limits. Cybernetics are permanent mechanical or neural prostheses — artificial limbs, subdermal armor, neural interfaces, and weaponized implants — requiring surgical installation. Bio augmentations include temporary pharmacological agents (drugs, serums, nanites) and permanent biological modifications (organ grafts, genetic tweaks, endocrine regulators).

Enhancements add Attribute Modifiers (AtMods), Armor Value (AV), Skill Rank Modifiers (SRMs), Gravity Rating Modifiers (GRM), or special effects, and they count toward encumbrance (Strength × 10 kg carry limit).

Key Integration Rules

  • Installation (Cybernetics): Requires successful Medicine Action Roll at Target Number (TN) 18.
    • Success: Fully installed and functional.
    • Partial Success (TN – 1): Works, but –1 AtMod for 1d6 days until adjusted.
    • Failure: Complication (e.g., infection, –1 AtMod permanent until repaired).
    • Critical Failure: Implant rejection (remove at TN 21 Medicine or permanent damage).
  • Activation (Bio Augmentations): Temporary items activate immediately (no roll). Permanent ones require surgery (same TN 18 Medicine as cybernetics).
  • AV & Damage: Cybernetics provide AV (stacks with worn gear, personal max total AV 12). Weaponized cybernetics use personal damage scale (e.g., 1d6 + modifiers; critical hit +1d4). Bio augmentations rarely add AV but may boost Health (HLTH) for effective soak via reduced wound penalties.

Piecemeal (HLTH 17, Base HP 34) has the Adrenal Regulator Implant (+1 HLTH AtMod, raising effective HLTH to 18 and current Max HP to 36). During a brutal boarding action, he takes 19 damage from a vibro-blade strike. Without the implant: Current HP drops to 34 – 19 = 15 (below 50% of his fixed Base HP of 34) → Piecemeal immediately suffers –2 to all Action Rolls. With the implant: Current HP drops to 36 – 19 = 17 (still above 50% of his fixed Base HP of 34) → Piecemeal takes no wound penalty and continues fighting at full capability. The extra 2 HP from the +1 HLTH AtMod effectively kept him out of the penalty zone longer. A follow-up hit of 8 damage drops him to 9 HP → he suffers only the –2 penalty (instead of –5 without the augmentation). The implant gave him two extra rounds of peak performance before wound penalties hit hard — a real, rules-compliant form of “effective soak” through increased resilience rather than armor.

Key Integration Rules
• Installation (Cybernetics): Requires a successful Medicine Action Roll at TN 18.

  • Success: Fully installed and functional.
  • Partial Success (TN – 1): Works, but –1 AtMod for 1d6 days until adjusted.
  • Failure: Complication (e.g., infection, –1 AtMod until repaired).
  • Critical Failure: Implant rejection (remove at TN 21 Medicine or suffer permanent damage).
    • Activation (Bio Augmentations): Temporary items activate immediately with no roll. Permanent ones require the same TN 18 Medicine surgery as cybernetics.
    • AV & Damage: Cybernetics provide AV that stacks with worn gear (personal maximum total AV 12). Weaponized cybernetics use the personal damage scale and core critical hit rules.
    • Encumbrance: Cybernetics add weight and count toward the Strength × 10 kg carry limit. Bio augmentations are negligible unless otherwise noted.
    • Gravity Rating Interaction: Some enhancements adjust GRM (e.g., +1 in mismatched gravity) or help mitigate penalties.
    • Health Points Modifiers: Enhancements increase current Max HP (e.g., +1 HLTH AtMod adds +2 to current Max HP) but do not change the fixed Base HP used for wound penalty thresholds. They may also aid healing or provide temporary HP.
    • Psionics & Combat: Fully compatible (e.g., Neural Interface grants +1 SRM to psionic Talents). Weaponized cybernetics use Melee or Ranged Combat SRM as appropriate.
    • Costs: Listed in ounces of gold (oz gold) and platinum (oz platinum). Apply local economy modifiers (d6 roll) from the Economics section.
    • Drawbacks: All permanent enhancements carry rejection risk (monthly HLTH AR at TN 12–15 or suffer –1 AtMod until repaired) and may trigger social stigma (–2 PER AR if witnessed).

Cybernetic Enhancements (Permanent Prostheses)

  1. Mechanized Hand
    Cost: 10 oz gold / 40 oz platinum Weight: 5 kg
    Installation: Surgery TN 18; permanent
    AV (Phys/Ener): 2/0
    Effects: +1 Melee damage; +1 STR AtMod for manual tasks
    Damage (weaponized): 1d6+2 kinetic
    Special: Stacks with Unarmed SRM; +10 kg carry limit for that arm
    Drawbacks: Power drain (TN 12 Electronics AR daily or –1 AtMod)
  2. Subdermal Plating
    Cost: 20 oz gold / 80 oz platinum Weight: 8 kg
    Installation: Surgery TN 18; permanent
    AV (Phys/Ener): 4/2
    Effects: +2 to current Max HP
    Special: +1 Endurance AR vs. trauma; halves bleedout rate
    Drawbacks: –1 PER AtMod (reduced tactile sensitivity)
  3. Enhanced Ocular Implants
    Cost: 12 oz gold / 48 oz platinum Weight: 1 kg
    Installation: Surgery TN 18; permanent
    AV: 0/0
    Effects: +2 Perception/Recon AR; ignore darkness penalties
    Special: +1 Initiative
    Drawbacks: TN 15 HLTH AR vs. overload in high-EMF (–2 AR for 1d6 rounds)
  4. Augmented Legs
    Cost: 30 oz gold / 120 oz platinum Weight: 12 kg
    Installation: Surgery TN 18; permanent
    AV: 0/0
    Effects: +4m base Move Rate; +1 GRM
    Special: Ignore falls up to 10m; +2 Athletics AR for jumps
    Drawbacks: Double encumbrance penalty in Zero-G
  5. Intradermal Armor Layer
    Cost: 18 oz gold / 72 oz platinum Weight: 6 kg
    Installation: Surgery TN 18; permanent
    AV (Phys/Ener): 3/1
    Effects: +1 HLTH AtMod
    Special: Minimum damage reduced to 0 on fully soaked hits
    Drawbacks: –1 AGL AtMod (reduced flexibility)
  6. Neural Interface Port
    Cost: 4 oz gold / 16 oz platinum Weight: 0.5 kg
    Installation: Surgery TN 18; permanent
    AV: 0/0
    Effects: +2 Electronics/Computer AR
    Special: Allows direct neural linking (TN 12 Computer AR for hacks)
    Drawbacks: +1 TN to mental ARs if jammed
  7. Reflex Booster Implant
    Cost: 25 oz gold / 100 oz platinum Weight: 4 kg
    Installation: Surgery TN 18; permanent
    AV: 0/0
    Effects: +1 AGL AtMod; +1 Initiative
    Special: +2 Evasion AR
    Drawbacks: TN 18 HLTH AR vs. neural overload after 5+ ARs in combat (–1 AR)
  8. Cortical Neural Mesh
    Cost: 15 oz gold / 60 oz platinum Weight: 0.2 kg
    Installation: Surgery TN 18; permanent
    AV: 0/0
    Effects: +1 INT AtMod; +1 SRM for psionic Talents
    Special: +2 Computer AR for interfaces
    Drawbacks: Social stigma (–2 PER AR if detected)
  9. Multi-Tool Cyberarm
    Cost: 22 oz gold / 88 oz platinum Weight: 6 kg
    Installation: Surgery TN 18; permanent
    AV (Phys/Ener): 1/0
    Effects: +2 Mechanics/Electronics AR
    Damage (weaponized): 1d6 kinetic
    Special: Built-in Multi-Tool (ignore repair TN penalties)
    Drawbacks: –1 Sleight of Hand AR
  10. Adrenal Regulator Implant
    Cost: 8 oz gold / 32 oz platinum Weight: 0.5 kg
    Installation: Surgery TN 18; permanent
    AV: 0/0
    Effects: +2 STR or AGL AtMod for 1d6 rounds (activatable)
    Special: Ignore wound penalties for the duration
    Drawbacks: Post-use fatigue (–2 AR for 1 hour)

(Additional cybernetics follow the same format: Voice Modulator, Retractable Claw Extensions, Memory Augmenter, Pain Editor Implant, Pulmonary Filtration Prostheses, Cardiac Pacemaker Augment, Skeletal Composite Infusion, etc. All are permanent, require surgery, and use core mechanics.)Bio Augmentations (Biological Modifications)
These include temporary pharmacological agents and permanent organ grafts.

  1. Adrenaline Stimulant (Dose) – Temporary
    Cost: 0.3 oz gold / 1.2 oz platinum Weight: Negligible
    Duration: 1 hour
    Effects: +2 STR or AGL AtMod
    Special: +1 Initiative
    Drawbacks: Post-duration crash (–1 AR for 30 min)
  2. Cognitive Enhancer (Pack) – Temporary
    Cost: 0.5 oz gold / 2.0 oz platinum Weight: Negligible
    Duration: 1 hour
    Effects: +2 INT AtMod
    Special: +1 SRM for INT-based skills
    Drawbacks: Headache (TN 12 HLTH AR or –1 AR)
  3. Anabolic Booster Cycle – Temporary
    Cost: 1.5 oz gold / 6.0 oz platinum Weight: Negligible
    Duration: 24 hours
    Effects: +1 STR AtMod; +1 GRM
    Special: +1 HLTH AtMod vs. fatigue
    Drawbacks: Dependency risk (TN 15 HLTH AR or withdrawal –2 AR)
  4. Analgesic Pack – Temporary
    Cost: 0.2 oz gold / 0.8 oz platinum Weight: Negligible
    Duration: 1 hour
    Effects: Ignore wound penalties
    Special: Stacks with highest healing source
    Drawbacks: Overdose risk (TN 12 HLTH AR or stun)
  5. Hypometabolic Serum (Single) – Temporary
    Cost: 2.0 oz gold / 8.0 oz platinum Weight: Negligible
    Duration: 1d6 hours
    Effects: Stabilize at 0 HP; halt bleedout; +5 temporary HP
    Drawbacks: Immobility during effect

Additional temporary bio augmentations follow the same format (Neural Stabilizer, Regenerative Nanites, Endurance Booster, etc.). Permanent bio augmentations (organ replacements) add +1–2 HLTH AtMod or HP, require TN 18 surgery, and carry rejection risk.