New Equipment Rules




    Clonal Bioware: Clonal Bioware represents a break through in bionetic technology, and an answer to the persistent problem of essence loss due to bionetic augmentation. Magicians have always gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to bioware, because magical abilities are so dependant on the delicate balance that exists in the (meta)human body. Even the slightest augmentation could disrupt this fine equilibrium, until now.

    The Problem:
    A magician's body works like a finely tuned conductor, a magical template, and changes to that template reduce it's efficiency. However, recent studies have discovered that the root of this problem is actually genetic. This is because each cell in the body uses its genetic structure to channel astral energies into the physical plane. (See the MetaGene Theory of Magic in Shadowtech)

    The Solution:
    Thanks to new ultra-state of the art gene mapping, biotech experts have been able to produce genetically perfect bioware. That is to say, Clonal Bioware isn't just more compatible with the subject's immune system, like for example Cultured Bioware, in which synthetic cells simply display MHC surface proteins similar to the subject's. Rather, Clonal Bioware is so genetically similar to the subject's own tissues that even magic can't tell the difference, and as a result almost no essence is lost. In short, even the new bionetically enhanced tissues are capable of conducting magical energies, and so no extra "resistance" is added to the system when the augmentation is implanted.

    Making Mages?
    "But wait" you say! "Doesn't that mean that scientist could clone a bunch of magically active tissue and implant it into a mundane, giving him magical ability?" No. First of all, even if the new tissues were able to conduct magical energies, the rest of that person's tissues couldn't, and the drain would probably kill him instantly. Second, scientists have by no means solved the genetic mysteries of magic. Even if they could isolate the MetaGene that was responsible for magical activity (which they can't at this time), inserting it into a mundanes genome would have no effect at all, since the entire genetic structure is involved in magical conduction. And since we're a long, LONG way from understanding how to restructure someone's DNA, we won't be able to reproduce magical abilities in mundanes for a long, LONG time. Needless to say, it is impossible to use this technology to "create" magicians. It can only be used to benefit those who already posses magical talents.

    The Drawbacks:
    Of coarse, Clonal Bioware also has its drawbacks. First and foremost, very few organizations have the capabilities to produce Clonal Bioware, and shadowrunners wouldn't want to associate with those that do. Most of the Big Eight MeagCorps are capable of producing the stuff, as well as a few second tier corps, most notably Phoenix Biotechnology (who actually pioneered the research that made Clonal Bioware possible). It's also very expensive stuff to produce (eight times more expensive than standard augmentations), so those corps that can make the stuff, probably won't do it for a runner, unless some substantial "labor agreements" can be negotiated. In reality, this stuff is only slightly easier to get than Deltaware, and just about as expensive. In addition, in order to produce the bioware, a detailed genetic map of the magician is needed. This costs about 10,000� and takes a number of weeks to complete accurately. It also requires that the mage involved give substantial blood and tissue samples, something most magicians aren't very fond of doing (you know all that touchy ritual sorcery stuff). This is of coarse the main way the corps enforce the above mentioned "labor agreements", and yet another draw back of living above the SOTA curve.

    Rules:
    • Characters who want Clonal Bioware must under go extensive genetic mapping. This costs 10,000� and takes a number of days equal to the characters Essence Attribute. If the character also has Genetic Augmentations this adds a day to the process.
    • Clonal Bioware does NOT reduce a magician's Essence Attribute like standard Bioware. Clonal Bioware also acts as Cultured. Reduce the Body Cost of any augmentation by 25% (multiply Body Cost by .75).
    • Multiply the base cost of any augmentation by 8 to find the base cost for Clonal Bioware of that type. Note that Clonal Bioware CANNOT be purchased on the street because it is designed specifically for an individual. The only way to get it is from the Big Bad Corps....



    Genetic Augmentations: Genetic Augmentations are the wave of the future. With the completion of the (Meta)Human Genome Project started in the late 20th century, scientist have developed a series of procedures that can be used to alter human physiological functions on a cellular level. While this may seem trivial, the application of this technology has proved otherwise. Minute changes in cell production, function, and so on can add up to a big change in an organisms physiological abilities, and geneticists have been able to produce some amazing changes in (meta)human test subjects.

    The Procedure:
    First an extensive genetic map is created from tissue and blood samples taken from the patient. This map is carefully analyzed by huge super computers, and the geneticists determine what alterations are need to produce the desired affect. Next a specialized viral vector is prepared. The virus is a modified Adeno Virus, similar to those used for gene therapy in the late 20th century. To date, scientists have managed to map the virus's entire genome, allowing them to remove any genes that cause the virus to be pathogenic. Scientists have also isolated specific viruses with a tissue tropism for every cell type in the body (that is, a virus that specifically attacks the type of cell they want to alter). The virus is then given a prepared segment of altered DNA (or RNA in the case of temporary augmentations) and it is allowed to replicate in cell culture until enough virus is present to infect a human host. The subject then under goes a series of treatments in which the virus is administered in aerosol form. The subject suffers a killer cold for a week or two while the virus infects his respiratory tract and passes into the blood. When it reaches the target tissue, it infects those cells, and inserts its altered DNA segment into the host cell's genome. The cell then replicates and divides and continues to create new altered cells with new altered abilities.

    The Advantages:
    Genetic Augmentation offers a whole list of advantages. First and foremost, Genetic Augmentation doesn't reduce essence like cyberware and doesn't imbalance the body's natural biological functions nearly as much as bioware. Of coarse the effects aren't nearly as extensive, but good things can come in small packages. Furthermore, Genetic Augmentation offers a distinct advantage in that alterations can be permanent or temporary. If the virus is loaded with DNA, it integrates this genetic information into the host cells genome. The host cell will then continue to transcribe and translate that information, and any daughter cells that cell creates will also carry the modified DNA segment. However, the virus can also be loaded with RNA, which is translated by the host cell's ribosomes, producing the desired effect, until that cell dies. If the cell replicates, some copies of the altered RNA may be transferred to the daughter cells, but eventually these will degrade and be destroyed by the cell. In this way a temporary effect can be created, which lasts about 48 hours until the infected cells die off and are replaced with the old non-augmented ones. In addition, Genetic Augmentations (especially RNAmods) are quick, non-invasive, and cheap.

    The Disadvantages:
    Of coarse, Genetic Augmentation also has its drawbacks. It has been demonstrated that altering a person's genetic code too much can lead to some "less than desirable" side effects. These range from Essence loss, to minor cosmetic mutations, to cancer. It has even been suggested that lethal mutations might occur, but this has yet to be documented officially. In the case of magic users it is theorized that too much genetic alteration could cause the loss of magical abilities. While this is a common side effect of essence loss, geneticists believe that extensive changes made to the magician's genome could result in an "all or none" loss of magic capabilities. It seems the magician's genome has a "threshold" for modification, and if that fine line is crossed he experiences a total loss of magical abilities. In addition, there seems to be limit to how much genetic alteration the human genome with withstand. After a certain point, which varies from subject to subject, treatments seem to be less and less effective. Eventually the subject becomes "immune" to further augmentation, and all further attempts to alter his genome are useless. Reports that Genetic Augmentation reduces natural life span and that some subject's cells "self-correct" to remove altered DNA segments, have yet to be proven.

    Rules:
    • All Genetic Augmentations have a Drift Factor. Characters have a Drift Index, that is the total of all the Drift Factors of all the augmentations they have undergone. Whenever a character receives a new Genetic Augmentation that alteration's Drift Factor is added to the characters total Drift Index.
    • Each time the character undergoes Genetic Augmentation he becomes more and more resistant to the treatments. The geneticists performing the procedure must make an unresisted Genetics test against a target number equal to 4 plus the character's Drift Index (including the Drift Factor of the new augmentation). Round up all fractions. If at any point the geneticists rolls no successes, the character becomes permanently immune to Gene Augmentation. This immunity can only be removed via Gene Therapy (see Shadowtech), but this also removes all Genetic Augmentations the character has undergone.
    • Characters also have a Drift Threshold equal to their Essence. When the character exceeds his Drift Threshold he must test to see if mutations occur in his genome. The character roles a number of dice equal to his Essence against a target number equal to his Drift Index - Drift Threshold (the amount by which he has exceeded the Threshold). Round up all fractions. Consult the table below to determine the effects on the character.

      Successes:

      Effects:

      0
      1
      2
      3
      4

      -1 to characters Essence
      Major Mutation (see below)
      Minor Mutation (see below)
      Cosmetic Mutation (see below)
      No Mutation Occurs

      If at any time the character rolls all 1's on this test he runs the risk of dying from a lethal mutation. The character must resist 10D physical damage using only his natural Body Attribute. If he lives the remaining damage heals as normal.


    • Major Mutations include any of the following: cancer, immuno-defficiency, permanent reduction to one or more physical attributes, reduction of condition monitor or damage overflow capacity, etc. Major Mutations can also include the loss of augmented abilities (from Geneware or Bioware) or permanent damage to a vital organ, which the character must then have replaced.
    • Minor Mutations include any of the following: dietary imbalances, acquired allergies, temporary illnesses, temporary reduction of physical attributes (triple karma cost to restore these to normal levels), temporary reduction of condition monitor or damage overflow capacity, etc.
    • Cosmetic Mutations do no harm to the character but permanently alter his physical appearance. GMs should determine what mutation occurs, keeping in mind what augmentations the character has undergone, since the mutation should usually reflect these in some way. Examples include (but are not limited to): change of eye skin or hair color, calcium deposits on skin or bones (similar to a trolls but with out the armor benefits), strange birthmarks, hair loss, morphological (shape) changes to teeth bones or finger nails, changes to facial features, etc.
    • If a magician exceeds his Drift Threshold he runs the risk of loosing his magical abilities perminantly. The magician must role a number of dice equal to his Magic Attribute against a Target Number equal to his [Drift Index - Drift Threshold] + 4 (round up all fractions). If he achieves no successes, the structure of his genome has been irreversibly altered, and he can no longer use magic. (Particularly nasty GMs may allow him to cast spells, but doing so should cause horrible physical damage from huge amounts of drain, and excruciating pain to boot.)



    Caliber Conversion: Using a Caliber Conversion Kit, it is now possible to increase the power of most small firearms. By altering the size of the weapon's components, it can be loaded with larger rounds than it normally chambers. This increases the weapons power, but reduces its ammo capacity and ability to compensate for recoil. Weapons modified in this manner pack quite a punch (especially if they are loaded with explosive ammo). GMs should strongly consider the effects of this rule on the balance of their game, since it greatly increases the lethality of most weapons.

    Rules:
    • Caliber Conversion requires a special kit that is specific to the weapon undergoing the modification. The kit costs 25% of the weapons listed value, and con not be used to modify any other weapon (even one of the same type, since the kit only includes the parts needed to modify one weapon).
    • Calber Conversion can only be used on small arms (SMG or smaller). It can not be used to increase the power of any weapon larger than a SMG.
    • In order to convert the weapon the character must make a successful Firearms B/R test against a target number determined by the complexity of the weapons cycling mechanism. The TN for SS weapons is 3, SA is 4, BF is 6, and FA is 8. If a weapon has more than one mode of fire, use the highest target number applicable. The base time for this task is 1 hour for SS, 2 hours for SA, 3 hours for BF and FA. Only one success is needed to complete the conversion, but extra success may be used to reduce the time required for the task.
    • Caliber Conversion adds +2 to the weapons power, but reduces its ammo capacity by 20%. In addition reduce the weapons recoil compensation by 1. This can be balanced by adding better recoil compensators, but if the weapon has none this creates a +1 recoil modifier each time the weapon is fired.