Skip to main content

Updates to Cybernetics, DNA Splicing, Cyberdecks, and Netrunning

· 5 min read
Richard Miller
Richard Miller
Game Designer, Writer, and Worldbuilder

Cybernetics, DNA Splicing, Cyberdecks, and Netrunning​

I was reviewing the Science Fiction Companion's cybernetics section, and I realized that it didn't fit the world of Xethos. I wanted to rewrite it to fit the world better, and I also wanted to expand it to include more options. I also wanted to include DNA splicing, which is a way to implant animal genes into a person, which is not as invasive as cybernetics but is not reversible. I also wanted to expand on the cyberdecks and tweak netrunning, which are essential parts of the cyberpunk genre.

Cybernetics​

In Xethos Lands there is a single required cybernetic of a Spinal Core Weave (SCW) that is what routes control of the brain to the various devices you get installed. With it comes a number of devices you can connect to the SCW, such as a data port, or a cybernetic limb. Strain as outlines in the Science Fiction Companion, along with the three hindrances and three edges are still in play. So cybernetics have two requirements to be installed, the Strain and SCW requirement, making it more of a choice to get them, but it lines up with my vision of how the world was before the Shattered War and the Shattering of the Lands. The technology of building and implanting is being restored in large cities, but it is still a long way from being widespread again.

The cybernetic devices or implants, many have a rating from 1 to 3, visuallized as Mk.I, Mk.II, and Mk.III, with each level being more powerful than the last. The higher the rating, the more Strain it costs to install, and the more powerful it is, but you only need to install the highest device you want, not all of the ones before it. So if you want a Data Port Mk.III, you get that installed. If you later want to upgrade a Communication Impant Mk.I to a Mk.II, you technically get the Mk.I uninstalled and the Mk.II installed, so other than the surgery cost and the cost of the device, there is no additional cost to Strain or SCW.

I kept the Side Effects Table from the Science Fiction Companion, with a slight tweak to the order of the chart. The goal of the side effects is to show how much strain you are putting on your body and mind, and to make it feel like a risk to go full chrome. Maybe in the days before the war there would have been more tolerance for cybernetics, but after the war, with the Shattering of the Lands, and the loss of knowledge and technology, people are more cautious about getting cybernetics, and the side effects reflect that.

DNA Splicing​

Another form of augmentation is DNA Splicing. The art of taking animal genes and splicing them into a person's DNA to give them new abilities. This is a simple matter of a few shots of animal DNA in key locations on the body, and waiting 24 hours and then you have the new abilities, here though where a cybernetic impant can be removed, DNA splicing is not reversible, so you have to be sure you want the new abilities before you get it done. The Strain and side effects are the same as cybernetics, but there are no SCW requirements, so it is more accessible to people who don't want to get cybernetics, but it is also more risky because of the lack of reversibility.

Cyberdecks and Netrunning​

Here, I felt that decks should be more than a single line item in the equipment section, so I built three decks with customizable hardware and software options. The hardware options are things like a better processor, more memory, or more Toughness. Software are things like stealth boost, damage boost, or armor that makes surviving an encounter with Intrusion Countermeasures (IC) easier.

The biggest thing I did was rewrite the netrunning rules to fit my personal vision better. Dramatic tasks were never a hit with my gaming group, they felt boring and lackluster. Oh draw three cards and try to get X number of successes, where you basically a promised a higher chance to fail on the numbers provided then succeed in the examples provided. So I rewrote the netrunning to be more in line with combat and acutally could take place at the same time as physical world combat. There is a limited action (once per round) where you can search for your target data node, then you need to hack the node to get the data, which may or may not be what you are looking for. If at any time the system detects you it will send IC to trace your location and boot you from the system.

Closing​

Overall, I wanted to expand on the cybernetics, DNA splicing, cyberdecks, and netrunning to fit the world of Xethos better and to make it more interesting and engaging for players. I hope to test these rules in play and see how they work out, and make adjustments as needed. As always, if you have feedback, join the Discord and let me know what you think!