For Lack of CyberHero (Skill Chip Question)

[ParitySoul]

I've been kicking around a cybernetic Hero character that uses Skill Chips ala CyberPunk 2020. (Or skill wire from Shadowrun.) Now, I'm thinking about using Skill Levels then giving them a focus, but how would you handle this? A VPP of skills that he can access? In the end I want solid swapable skill points that can be used with a neurowear slotter. Thanks!

[Talon]

A VPP or MP of Skills makes the most sense, but the extreme cheapness makes it very abusable. My house rule (and it's very much a house rule!) is to make Skills cost 5 points per +1 when in a Framework -- so an 11- skill would be 55 points in a VPP. That, IMO, prices the Framework appropriate for what the character is getting out of it.

Also, don't forget that this character has the ability to overshadow every other skill-based character in the campaign.

[OddHat]

First, it has to fit the genre; second, as Geoff mentioned, this character will be your game's skill god, and you'll need to plan for that.

That said, in a standard Champions campaign as a house rule I'd allow him to buy multiple instances of cramming at no limit defined as "chip slots," allow a +1 advantage to each slot: May benefit from levels (remember that cramming normally can't benefit from any type of levels), and allow switching the chips as instant study for 27 points as per penalty skill levels and the speedster rules (+18 levels w/cramming, only to move cramming time down the time chart). Thus, the first "slot" would cost 37 points, and each aditional "slot" would cost 10 more. Each chip would count as a fragile IIF (-1/2) containing 3 point skill levels useable only with a specific skill and requiring a chip slot (-1/4); remember that only 3 point skill levels are better may have limitations. These could be placed in a gadget pool. So, +5 with a particular skill would get him the skill at 13 or less (8 or less for the cramming, +5 for the levels) at a cost of 8 points for the chip itself, plus 37 point for the slot. With a 40 point gadget pool he could always have five chips available. He could plug in one at a time with a 37 point chip slot, two for a 47 point chip slot, etc.

Yes, this method is expensive. In a cyberpunk game where everyone was running around with chip slots, I'd allow it as a straight "chipped skills" VPP without requiring the extra cost of the chip slots.

[Delthrien]

You could keep costs the same, but put a limit on how many skills could be used at once. This could easily be done by limiting the size of the VPP or Multipower.

In addition, make it a requisite that the skill chips would need to be upgraded every so often (with the corresponding cost of doing so) or start assigning penalties to the skill rolls for outdated information. After all, skill wires aren't much use if the info no longer applies...

[ParitySoul]

Cool.

So put a point minimum on skill cost, and I like the degrades over time. But couldn't that degradation reduce the cost of the overall package? Like a -1/4 modifier?

And how would you handle a courier type cybermod like Jonny Mnemonic had? Thanks!

[SirViss]

I would build the Mnemonics thing by taking Eidetic Memory (and various modifiers) with the limitation "Need Password or Hacking roll to Access" (-1?), or something to that effetc.