View From the E Cyberpunk Hand

Contents
Soul & the New Machine: Cyberpunk Characters Rockerboy(girls) Solos Netrunners Techies Medias Cops Corporates Fixers Nomads Headware: The Mechanics of Cyberpunk Character Points and Statistics Skills & Tasks Lifepath Putting the Cyber into the Punk Running out of Cash? Netrunner: The Cybernetic Interface System for Cyberpunk The Net Netrunners Interface Programs Hardware Software Net Combat Into the Net: a sample run Refereeing the Net Trauma Team: Medtech In the Cyber Age
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The

View

From the Edge

SOUL&THE
NEW MACHINE
CYBERPUNK Characters The world of Cyberpunk is a violent, dangerous place, filled with people who'd love to rip your arm off and eat it. The traditional concepts of good and evil are replaced by the values of expedience--you do what you have to do to survive. If you can do some good along the way, great. But don't count on it. Cyberpunk characters are survivors in a tough, grim world, faced with life-anddeath choices. How they make these choices will have a lot to do with whether they end up as vicious animals roaming a ruined world or retain something of their basic humanity. Cyberpunk characters are the heroes of a bad situation, working to make it better (or at least survivable) whenever they can. Whether it takes committing crimes, defying authority or even outright revolution, the quintessential Cyberpunk character is a rebel with a cause. As a Cyberpunk roleplayer, it's up to you to find that cause and go to the wall with it. This is the essence of Cyberpunk-- playing your character with the proper disaffected, cynical-yet-idealistic style. Whether you're a biker with leathered skin and metal claws, or a debutante in satin sporting the latest in designer cyberoptics, you're going to need a certain panache, a certain flair, in portraying yourself. To achieve the essence of the 2000s, you need to master three concepts: 1) Style over substance It doesn't matter how well you do something, as long as you look good doing it. If you're going to blow it, make sure you look like you planned it that way. Normally, clothes and looks don't matter in an adventure-in this world, having a leather armor jacket and mirrorshades is a serious consideration. 2) Attitude Is Everything It's truth. Think dangerous; be dangerous. Think weak; be weak. Remember, everyone in the 2000s is carrying lots of lethal hardware and hightech enhancements. They won't be impressed by your new H&K smartgun unless you swagger into the club looking like you know how to use it and are just itching for an excuse.

"---Got the Chrome and enhancements. Got the Attitude right. Got the metal beneath my skin Movin' faster than light" Big City (c)Johnny Silverhand 2012, Metal Fire Publishing (ASCAP) So you wanna be a Cyberpunk? Or maybe just look like one? Before you pitch off your sleepmat and jump in, there's a few things we need to tell you. First of all, the name. Cyberpunk comes from two words: CyoaMrom the term cybernetic, or a fusion of flesh and machine technology; Punk-from an early 1980s rock music style that epitomized violence, rebellion and social action in a nihilistic way. The term was popularized in the Pre-Collapse days by a group of writers who specialized in writing science fiction with this kind of techno-melange. Their works featured a streamlined blend of rock, pop, sex, drugs and the highest, Hippest technology-usually grafted onto your body somewhere. The archetypical Cyberpunk heroes of the 80s ranged from techno-barbarians roaming a postholocaust world, to cyberchipped jet setters with designer bodies. Of course, from our enlightened viewpoint here in 2010, this all looks pretty dated. After all, you probably accessed this article from your personal database 'comp. You used a Kiyoshiru 1300A interface cable with a direct link from your wristplugs. You're used to hardwiring into the
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Never walk into a room when you can stride in. Never look at someone unless you can make it your best "killer" look. Use your best "I'm bad and you aren't" smile. Don't sit around the flat or cube waiting for the next job. Get on out and hit the clubs and hangouts. Make sure you're where the party starts. 3) Live on the Edge The Edge is that nebulous zone where risk-takers and high-riders go. On the Edge, you'll risk your cash, your rep, even your life, on something as nebulous as a principle or a big score. As a Cyberpunk, you want to be the action, start the rebellion, light the fire. Join great causes and fight for big issues. Never drive slow when you can drive fast. Throw yourself up against danger and take it headon. Never play it too safe. Stay committed to the Edge.

appliances to make coffee, "studding" into the 'Benz to drive down to the corner store. But understand---in 1987, this was all considered pretty visionary stuff. No one had plugs. You couldn't dial Luna on the cellular. Designer drugs were illegal. You could walk down most city streets without an armor jacket. There wasn't even a Net. Now we know better. History books can tell you in detail about the Crash of 1994, when the Euro-Combines established the World Stock Exchange and the economies of the United States and Old Sov Russia collapsed.

ROLES
The C o r e of C Y B E R P U N K Roleplaying The world of Cyberpunk is a combination of savage, sophisticated, modern and retrograde. Fashion-model beautiful techies rub shoulders with battle-armored road warriors, all of them making the scene in the hottest dance clubs, sleaziest bars and meanest streets this side of the Postholocaust. Each character in this world is playing a role--a face that the person projects to the outside world as the real thing. There are nine Roles in Cyberpunk: Rockerboys, Solos, Netrunners, Corporates, Techies, Cops, Fixers, Medlas, and Nomads. As a Cyberpunk player, you must select one role for your character. Special Abilities Special Abilities are skills usable only by specific character roles; for example, Rockerboys have the Special Ability of Charismatic Leadership, which represents the vast amount of power they have over their legions of fans. When using a Special Ability, you will add it's value to your INT Stat as if it were a skill. A beginning character always begins with his or her Special Ability at a Level of +2 (on a scale of one to ten). Occasionally, you may wish to start a character with a higher- level Special Ability, for example; an old, washed-up Rockerboy who used to be hot a few years back, or a hard-bitten Solo who's killed a few too many men and made a few too many enemies. In these cases, you may trade points from a Stat on a one-forone basis with your Special Ability skill, up to five points total. These points may only be taken from the following: REF, CL, or INT stats. Rockerboys & Rockergirls Rebel rockers who use music and revolt to fight authority If you live to rock, this is where you belong. Rockerboys are the street poets, social consciences and rebels of the 1990s. With the advent of digital portastudios and garage laser disk mastering, every rocker with a message can take it to the street, put it in the record stores, bounce it off the comsats. Sometimes, this message isn't something the Corporations or the Government wants to hear. Sometimes what you say is going to get right in the faces of the powerful people who really run this world. But you don't care, because as a Rockerboy, you know it's your place to challenge authority, whether in straightout protest songs that tell it like it is, or just by playing kick-ass rock n' roll to get the people away from the TV sets and into the Streets. You have a proud history as a Rockerboy--Dylan, Springsteen, Who, Elvis, the Stones--the legions of hard rock heroes who told the truth with screaming guitars and gut-honest lyrics. As a Rockerboy, you have the power to get the people up--to lead, inspire and inform. A song from you can give the timid courage, the weak strength, and the

As long as the Tycho massdrivers are ready to throw rocks at Moscow and Washington, we'll probably avoid having the nuclear war everyone's been expecting
In those days, both were ranked as superpowers, instead of a couple of overarmed second raters waving nuclear weapons around under the watchful eye of the EuroSpace Defense Agency. As long as the Tycho massdrivers are ready to throw rocks at Moscow and Washington, we'll probably avoid having the nuclear war everyone's been expecting since 1944. After all, rocks are cheap. Now, of course, everything's more or less run by the Corporations, which are pretty much governments in themselves. You can go anywhere on one passport-one worldism at it's best. The currencies of most nations are stabilized to each other, and EuroSpeak is the world language. Hardly anyone complains anymore about corporate lifetime contracts or the abolition of unions. It's the price of living in a stable, safe society, right? After all, you could be living in the Projects, right? Sixteen people to an apartment, sharing ration chips every week to buy food, with eight thousand apartments per city block? Sure, it isn't the best life, what with the boostergangs roaming the malls and the major-league crime problems, but it beats actually being on the Street. At least the mega-arcologies have cops (okay, rented corporate cops, but
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blind vision. Rockerboy legends have led armies against corporations and governments. Rockerboy songs have exposed corruption, brought down dictators. It's a lot of power for a guy doing gigs every night in another city. But you can handle it. After all--you came to play!

Special Ability: Charismatic Leadership This ability allows the Rockerboy to control, incite and charm large numbers of people through his or her performance skills. When under the Rocker's control, this group can easily be persuaded to act on his suggestions, for example, a Rocker could convince a concert crowd to riot in the streets or attack a heavily fortified police line. Charismatic Leadership will only work with groups of ten or more people, as it is primarily a mob leadership ability. The higher your Charismatic Leadership, the larger a crowd you can control and the more direct and complex the instructions you can get them to follow. For example, a level +3 Leadership could incite a small nightclub crowd to get rowdy. A level +5 or +6 could provoke a concert crowd of four or five thousand to trash a neighborhood, if the area wasn't too far from the hall. At level +9, and higher, you have the same sort of mesmeric ability as an Adolph Hitler--you can raise armies, start movements, and destroy nations.
Solos Hired assasslns, bodyguards, killers, soldiers You were reborn with a gun in your hand--the flesh-and-blood hand, not the metallic weapons factory that covers most of your other arm. Whether as a freelance guard and killer-for-hire, or as one of the corporate cybersoldiers that enforce business deals and the Company's "black operations," you're one of the elite fighting machines of the Cyberpunk world. Most Solos have put in military time, either in a corporate army or in one of the Government's continual "police actions" around the world. As the battle damage piles up, you start to rely more and more upon hardwarecyberlimbs for weapons and armor, bio-program chips to increase your reflexes and awareness?" combat drugs to give you that Edge over your opponents. When you're the best of the best, you might even leave the ranks of corporate samurai and go ronin--freelancing your lethal talents as killer, bodyguard or enforcer to whomever can pay your very high fees. Sounds good? There's a price--a heavy one. You've lost so much of your original meat body that you're almost a machine. Your killing reflexes are so jacked up that you have to restrain yourself from going berserk at any moment. Years of combat drugs taken to keep the Edge have given you terrifying addictions. You can't trust anyone--your mother, your friends, your lovers--no one. One night you sleep in a penthouse condo in the City--the next in a filthy alley on the Street. But that's the price of being the best. And you're willing to pay it.

Special Ability: Combat Sense This ability is based on the Solo's constant combat training and professionalism. Combat Sense allows the Solo to perceive danger, notice traps, and have an almost unearthly ability to avoid harm . Your Combat Sense gives you a bonus both your Awareness and Athletics skills. Example: Your Awareness is at level +2 and your Athletics are at level +3. However, your Combat Sense is at level +4. Your Awareness is boosted to +6, and your Athletics is boosted to +7. Netnunners Cybernetic computer hackers At three, your parents bought you an old Apple IV GS with a Radius 241 war screen, and your life was changed. By fifth grade, you'd already mastered everything the school computer literacy lab could throw at you---you were already using C and META-LINGUA to crack into the district's mainframe and change your
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grades. When you were thirteen, you shifted enough funds out of unprotected TransAmerican Bank accounts to finance your first neural interface plugs. Now, nothing can stop you. With your direct mental link to the computer, you can plunge headfirst into the dizzying datawinds of the Net; the worldwide telecommunications system that joins humanity together. As an electronic wraith, you are the ultimate "hacker," your brain wired into special modems and computer links. You slip into the "hardest" mainframe systems with ease. Your defense and offense programs are arrayed at a touch of your mental fingertips--a quick jolt of Demon or Vampyre and the data fortresses fall. IBM. ITT. SonyMatsushima-Ford. You've tackled them all, buying, trading and selling their deepest secrets at will. Sometimes you uncover important things--corporate treachery or deadly secrets. But that's not why you netrun. You live for the new program; the next satellite downlink, the next piece of hot data that comes your way. It's only a matter of time, you think-every year, the counter-intrusion programs get better, the artificial intelligences smarter. Sooner or later, a faster program or programmers going to catch up, reach out with electronic fingers through your interface plugs, and stop your heart. But time's on your side, and until the ride runs out, you'll be there, bare-brained and head first in the Net. Special Ability: Interface While other characters can use computers and other cyber-assisted tools, only Netrunners have the training and ability to think at the lightning-fast speeds required for cyberdeck hacking. The higher your Interface ability, the faster your mental reactions are, allowing you to beat enemy computers and programmers at their own game. To use your Interface, you will add it to your REF Stat as if it were a skill, and use it to make attacks and defenses with your programs. Techies Renegade mechanics and doctors You can't leave anything alone--if it sits near you for more than five minutes, you've disassembled it and made it into something new. You've always got at least two screwdrivers and a wrench in your pockets. Computer down? No problem. Hydrogen burner out in your Ford-Toyota? No problem. Can't get the video to run or your interface plugs feedbacking? No problem. You make your living building, fixing and modifying-a crucial occupation in a technological world where no one person really knows how half the stuff works. You can make some good bucks fixing everyday stuff, but for the serious money, you need to tackle the big jobs. Illegal weapons. Illegal or stolen cybertech. Corporate espionage and counterespionage gear for the big boys' "black operations." Neat little gadgets like thermite bombs and and hunter-killer robots for the occasional "termination." If you're any good, you're making a lot of money. And that money goes into new gadgets, hardware and information. You'll buy almost any new thing because it might have a dozen side applications you can use. Of course, your black market work isn't just making your friends-it's also racking you up an impressive number of enemies as well; people who've run into your handiwork and resented it. So you'll invest a lot in defense systems and, if really pushed to the wall, call in a few markers on a Solo or two. Your cousin down the street is just like you, but he's a Medtechie. In a world where half of medicine is related to mechanics, it makes sense. He can do a black market surgical technique faster than you can fix a toaster, and the Solos are always running to him to patch up wounds or install new illegal cybernetics. He's got a lot of the same problems you have, but he's hoping his new job with

it's easier than fronting the credit for your own personal Solo!). Besides, the media nets make sure that every apartment has direct cable access to TV, radio and sensory feed, so there's always something to do on a Saturday night. Where were we? Oh yeah--you want to be a Cyberpunk. Here's more background for you to think over. When the grand old Masters of the Movement first started writing the Cyberpunk genre, they assumed that most of the things they wrote about would either never happen or would happen in the far future. No one knew that the West Germans were already developing "organic" circuitry in the late 1980s, or that the United States Air Force was developing mentally controlled weapons systems. Synthetic muscle fibers were just starting to be used to control prosthetics, and very few people could project ahead into the 1990s when organic-chipped arms and legs would be possible. There were a few primitive experiments with bioengineering-things like Frostban and a few new types of corn--nothing like the bioengineered animals that we'll use to terraform the Martian colonies. It took about fifteen years for the newtech to catch up with the vision. First, the military started using cybertechnology to create "perfect soldiers" and pilots. Some of the spinoff led to prosthetic limbs, eyes and other body parts. Organic circuitry led to direct hookups between men and computers. Combined with advanced telecommunications technology and satellite downlinks, the basis for the now planetwide Net was established. As each new technological advancement slammed into place, a sort of cultural technoshock set in.

Technoshock: When technology outstrips people's ability to comprehend or fit it into their lives. Suddenly, people freak out.
They get irrational, violent. Families shatter, relationships tear apart. People feel helpless in the face of the universe. Eventually, the whole society grinds to a

halt, the victim of a mass psychosis. That's what we now call the Collapse. There were three major responses to technoshock. The vast majority of people, their lives uprooted and changed by the advancements, sat passively waiting for their leaders to tell them what to do next. One smaller group tried to turn back the clock, founding the basis for what we call the Neo-Luddita movement. The remaining group decided to hit the future head-on. With the old 1980's visionary writings as their guide, they established the movement we now call Cyberpunk. Okay, so now you're ready. As a Cyberpunk, you grab technology by the throat and hang on. You're not afraid to check out the newest in "enhancements," cybertech and bioengineering. You've got interface plugs in your wrists, weapons in your arms, lasers in your eyes, bio-chip programs in your brain. You become the car you drive, the gyro you fly, the guns you shoot. You dive head first into the Net, using your mind to hurtle at lightspeed all over a vast network of computer constructs and Artificial Intelligences. With cyborged fingers you pick computer locks; with enhanced senses, you see into the future. Cyberpunk is also an attitude. You wear the most "in" clothes, know the right people, and follow the right crowds. You plan your crimes in the most select clubs and bars; your enemies are corporate armies, cyborg bike gangs, power-armored assassins and computer-wired Nethead. Your weapons are nerve, streetsmarts, bravado and the H&K M-P13 smartgun on your hip. Are you ready now? Of course you are. You can't wait. Now you're Cyberpunk.

Trauma Team Inc.will loosen things up. You hope he's right. You may be needing his services sooner than you think. Special Ability: Scrounge This is the ability to locate items or gear. A Techie needs a new set of microservos-he can use his ability to scrounge to locate them. A Medtechie could use scrounge to locate a rare vaccine or tools for a surgical technique. The higher your Scrounge Ability, the easier it is to locate obscure, expensive or rare items. With a Scrounge of +3, you can often locate small, inexpensive parts. With a Scrounge of +5 or +6, you could turn up vehicles, computers, etc. With a Scrounge of +9, you can locate rare, blackmarket parts, software and newtech. Medias Newsmen and reporters who go to the wall for the truth They're bending the truth out there. And you're going to stop them. Someone has to do it. The Corporations rule the world. They dump toxics, destabilize economies and commit murder with equal impunity. The Government wont stop them--they own the Government. The only thing between the Corporations and world domination is the Media. And that's you. You've got a videocam and a press pass--and you're not afraid to use them. You're a national figure, seen nightly on a million TV sets worldwide. You've got fans, contracts and your own corporation backing you. They cant make you disappear. When you dig down for the dirt and slime the corrupt officials and corporate lapdogs try to cover up, you can dig deep. The next morning, you can put the details of their crimes all over the screamsheets and vidscreens. Then the Government has to act. A week ago, you followed a hot lead and discovered a medical corporation dumping illegal drugs on the Street. This week, you're uncovering a secret corporate war in South America--a war with jets, bombs, and cybertroops that's killed almost seven thousand innocent people. Each new story you get to the air is one more blow for freedom and justice. Not to mention ratings. It isn't easy. They've tried to pressure your mediacorp dozens of times. You've had stories suppressed--once, Corporate pressure forced them to cancel your news show. Each time, you went to the top, backed by your news director and your crew, and fought to get the story out. Three or four times, they tried to kill you--that's why your backup's a crack Solo bodyguard and you've got one of the top 'Runners in the business digging through the Net to back your stories. You have to be good, or else. Your 'Runner's just phoned in with a hot lead. He's found a line on twenty tons of illegal weapons being shifted to a port in Bolivia--possibly nuclear. You grab your gear and flag your backup. You're going to break those bastards. This time, for sure. Special Ability: Credibility This is the ability to be believed; by your viewers, by the police, by important and powerful people. This is critical to getting your story heard and acted upon, as well as convincing people to tell you things, give you information, or get you into where the story is really happening. The higher your Credibility, the more people you can convince, and the easier it is to convince high level authorities of the truth of your information. With a level +3 Credibility, you can convince most people of minor scandals. With a level +5 or +6, you can convince local officials of military atrocities, undercover dealings and other front page stuff. At level +9, you can successfully expose a scandal of Watergate proportions, or convince the president of the EuroMarket Finance Board that aliens are secretly influencing world leaders.

Cops Hard 21st century cops on mean streets In the old days, they only used to shoot at cops. Now you're lucky if you just take a slug. The Street is mean these days, filled with new drugs, new gangs, and new weapons that make an M-16 took like a kid's toy. If you're on a City force, you know how bad it is. You're carrying at least four high-caliber weapons, most of them full-auto types, wearing a Kevlar vest that'll stop 850 ft/lbs. per inch-and you're still out-gunned and out-flanked. Half the gangs are cyber to begin withsuper speed, super reflexes, can see in the dark, carry weapons in their arms.... the other half are freelance corporate meres- gangs hired by the Corps to enforce their policies on the Street. And there you are--a beat cop or detective in an armored squadcar, patrolling this jungle with the heavy predators. The Corporate cops--now that's the life. Heavy weapons, full combat armor, Trauma Team backup, AV-4 assault vehicles and gyrocopters with miniguns. But they only patrol the sectors of the City that the Government's licensed them for. The nice, clean sectors full of new office buildings and fancy restaurantswhere no jacked-up psychopunk is going to ever go on a killing spree with an AK-47. You get the bad sections. Burned out buildings and abandoned cars, where every night is a new firefight and another great opportunity for a messy death. If you're really unlucky, you might draw Psycho Squad detail. Psycho Squad guys get the job of hunting down heavily armed and armored cyborgs who've flipped out. Sure, the PS guys have access to railguns, gyros and AVs. But a cyberpsycho can walk through machinegun fire and not feel it. A tot of the Psycho Squad detectives are crazy themselves. They load up with boosted reflexes, get some monstrously huge guns, and go hunt the cyborgs atone. But you're not that crazy.

STREETSLANG Terms, definitions and slang expressions from the Cyberpunk world Booster: any member of a gang that affects cyberwear, leather clothing, and random violence. Combat Drugs: Any one of a series of designer drugs created to increase speed, stamina and reflex timing. CHOOH ("choo"): Streetslang for alcohol, as used in vehicle power plants. The vast majority of vehicles are fueled by an advanced form of alcohol with a higher burning temperature than normal methanol. Chromer: 21st-century heavy metal rock fan. See also chromatic rocker, chromatic rock. Chromatic Rock: A type of heavy metal characterized by heavy electronics, simple rhythms and violent lyrics. Disk: Record, recording; a laser disk. 'Dorphs: Streetslang for synthetic endorphins, a designer drug that increases healing powers, limits fatigue, and produces a "rush" similar to a second wind. Go LEO: To make a trip into Low Earth Orbit; i.e., to visit one of the inner space stations Gyro: Small one/two-man airogyrohelicopters, used mostly in police work and corporate strike interdictions. Hydro: Streetslang for hydrogen fuel, used to power a sizable number of vehicles. Input: girlfriend. Keyboard: Streetslang for a computer interface deck with manual keys. Also a workstation. Netrun: To interface with the Net and use it to enter secure systems. Output: boyfriend. Polymer One-Shot: Streetslang for any cheap plastic pistol, usually in the .22 to .38 caliber range. Posergang: any group whose members all affect a specific look, style or bodysculpt job. Ripperdoc: Surgeon specializing in implanting illegal cybernetics. Ronin: A freelance assassin or mercenary. Usually considered to be untrustworthy. Rockerboy (girl): Any musician or stage performer who uses his/her art to make political or social statements. Rockerboys are not the same as rockstars , who are usually "owned" by recording media companies and are apolitical. Samurai: A corporate assassin or mercenary, usually hired to protect corporate property or make strikes on other corporate holdings.

Yet.
Special Ability: Authority This attribute represents the cops' ability to call on the forces of the law and government to get what he wants. Cops can use Authority to question suspects, arrest wrongdoers, and defend innocents. Backed by the power of authority, a cop can arrest, detain, confiscate and enter nearly anywhere, as long as he has the proper arrest or search warrants to back his play. However, Authority is only as good as the guy holding the badge--if the cop appears uncertain of his Authority, there's a good chance he'll get nailed by the people he's trying to confront. The higher your Authority, the more able you are to face down criminals, particularly high- level mobsters and corrupt officials. Corporates Slick corporate raiders and millionaires In the old days, they would have called you a yuppie---a hard-driven, fast-track MBA on his way up the Corporate ladder. Sure, it's selling your soul to the Company, but face it; the Corporations rule the Cyberpunk world. They control governments, markets, nations, armies--you name it. And you know that whomever controls the Corporations controls everything else. Right now, your life as a junior executive is anything but easy. There are guys underneath you who'd kill for a shot at your job. There are guys over you who'd kill to keep you out of their jobs. And they're not kidding about the killing--every up-and-comer in the Corporation has his own crew of Solos and Netrunners to cover his pet projects. Sabotage? Constantly. Bribery? Routine. Blackmail? Common. Promotion by assassination? Always a possibility. The stakes are that high-one slip and you could be out on the Street with the rest of the trash. Or dead.

Stud: Also "studding in", "studding". To plug into any vehicle or machine by direct neural link. VeeTol: Vertical Takeoff & Landing Aircraft. Usually applied to the Boeing Osprey, a medium-sized cargo and assault craft with pitched propellers. Since the Osprey's conception in 1988, the aircraft industry has produced a number of like designs, such as the Boeing Kestrel (a business aircraft), the Cessna Swingswing (light private) and the Lear Rota-jet (executive business jet). Wearing Color: Streetslang, evolved from 20th century. To wear an armor jacket with a nylon, leather or silk overshell embroidered with the symbol of a gang.

And the projects your supervisors give you. Some are pretty straightforward; design a new productivity schedule for the Corporation's medical subsidiary. Some are pretty raw-send a "black operations" team into the City to spread a "designer" plague so the Marketing team can clean up selling the vaccine. Last week, you led a mixed team of Solos, Runners and Techies on a "headhunting" run to kidnap a researcher from a rival company. The week before, you're "project" was to steal plans for a new suborbital shuttle from the European Space Agency (so that the Aerospace Division could copy the design and sell it to the Soviets). You told yourself you joined the Coporation to make it a better place-work from the inside, you said. But now you're not so sure. Your ideals are a little tarnished, and things are getting pretty bleak. But you can't worry about ethics now. You've got a report due in an hour, and it looks like that guy in Sales is planning to ice your database for good. You're gonna get him first. Special Ability: Resources This is the ability to call upon the massive resources of the Corporation the character works for. This could include bodyguards, weapons, vehicles, buildings, money, etc. Obviously, the more powerful the Corporate, the more he can call upon at any one time. Your level of Resources determines exactly how much you can request from the Corporation without overreaching yourself. A Resources of +2 might get you access to a company car. A level +6 might allow you to use a company jet or hire a Solo Team from the Corporate Security Division. A Resources of +9 would allow you access to almost all levels of the Corporation, as well as the ability to requisition almost any Company resource.

Keyboard

Fixers Deal makers, smugglers, organizers and Information brokers You realized fast that you weren't ever going to get into a Corporate job. And you didn't think you were tough enough or crazy enough to be a Solo, either. But as a small-time punk, you knew you had a knack for figuring out what other people wanted, and how to get it for them. For a price, of course.
Now your deals have moved past the nickle-and-dime stuff into the big time. Maybe you move illegal weapons over the border. Or steal and resell medical supplies from the Corporations. Perhaps you're a skill broker-acting as an agent for high-priced Solos and 'Runners, or even hiring a whole Nomad Pack to back a client's contracts. You buy and sell favors like an old-style Mafia godfather. You have connections into all kinds of businesses, deals and political groups. You don't do this directly, of course--no, you use your contacts and allies as part of vast web of intrigue and coersion. If there's a hot nightclub in the City, you've bought into it. If there are new military-class weapons on the Street, you smuggled 'em in. If there's a Corporate war going down, you're negotiating between sides with an eye on the main chance. But you're not entirely in it for the bucks. If someone needs to get the heat off, you'll hide them. You get people housing when there isn't any, and you bring in food when the neighborhoods are blockaded. Maybe you do it because you know they'll owe you later, but you're not sure. You're one part Robin Hood and two parts Al Capone. Back in the 90s, they would have called you a crimelord. But this is the fragmented, nasty, deadly 200's. Now they call you a Fixer. Special Ability: Streetdeal This is the ability to deal with the underground information network. With Streetdeal, a Fixer can uncover rumors and information, locate missing persons or things, put gossip out on the street, pick up clues and score big deals. The
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Interface Plugs (closeup)

higher your Streetdeal Ability, the more information you can gather about things happening around you, the more informants you have, and the more secretive the information you can dig up. A level +3 Streetdeal can get you contacts for weapons, tools, or minor illegal operations. At level +5, you can penetrate the secrets of all but the most powerful crime families. At level +9, you are the equivalent of a Mafia crimelord yourself, privy to every secret that's on the Street. Nomads Members of vast homeless packs who roam the highways They drove your family off the Farm ten years ago. The Corporations rolled in, took over the land, and put renta-cops all over the place. It wasn't the first time it'd happened; it wouldn't be the last. Gradually, your family fell in with a bunch of other homeless families, and they met another group...until you'd created a Nomad Pack of nearly two hundred members. Now, crammed into a huge, ragtag fleet of cars, vans, busses and RVs, your Nomad Pack roams the freeways. You look for supplies, odd jobs and spare parts in a world where society has fragmented. The Pack is your home-it has teachers, med techs, leaders, and mechanics-it's virtually a town on wheels in which everyone is related by marriage or kinship. Sometimes the Pack pulls into a town just to fuel up or get grub. Other times, it swings south to follow the harvest; you pick crops in trade for cash or food. Less law-abiding Packs are like mobile armies, terrorizing cities and hiring out as muscle in Corporate wars. For obvious reasons, the cops don't like Nomads. But it doesn't matter--your vehicles are usually well armored and bristling with stolen weapons; miniguns, rocket launchers and the like. Every kid knows how to use a rifle, and everyone packs a knife. Being homeless in the 2000s isn't easy. The most visible members of the Pack are the Scours--leather armored riders on bikes or in fast muscle cars, who protect the convoy from attacks and hunt up safe campsites. As a Scout, you're on the lookout for trouble, and you usually can find enough of it, with rival Nomad Packs, the Law, and the Corporates all after you. Like a modem day cowboy, you ride the hard trail. You've got a gun, a bike and that's all you need. You're a Nomad. Special Ability: Family Status This is the ability to call upon the resources and help of any of the members of the Nomad's large, extended tribal family. This can be in the form of weapons, cash, information, or a small army of relatives. The threat of a Nomad family's vengeance may in itself stop harm to the Nomad. The higher your Family Ability, the more important you are to the Pack and the more help you can call upon. With a Family Status of +2, you might be able to get several of the Pack to help you wreck a town, for example. With a Status of +7 or +8, you are able to make major Pack decisions and lead troops. FLESHING OUT THE CHARACTER Handles: In 2013, the computer hacker's tradition of using a "handle" or cover name has become the thing to do. For example, Johnny Silverhand's real name is Robert John Under; the name the U.S. Army currently has listed in its files under "Missing in Action: 3rd Nicaraguan Conflict." Johnny prefers to remain dead. He takes his name from his cybernetic arm, which he wears "uncovered" and has had chrome-plated. As a Cyberpunk character, you will probably also want to have a handle of some sort. Most are taken from either a physical attribute of the character, a personality trait, or from some special name the character likes a lot. Background Generator: This section can be used to generate ideas on what you look and act like, as well as who and what you care about. This section can also be used to rapidly generate background information which can be used to "flesh out" basic NPCs.

Headware:
The Mechanics of CYBERPUNK Characters book). This is a "disposable" form which you'll use whenever you're in a firefight. They come three to a page so you can write and erase on them as often as needed, without messing up your original Hardcopy Form (where your main information is written). Remember: the Future is disposable. STATISTICS Each Cyberpunk character has nine statistics-values representing the level of native ability of the character in specific areas of activity. These "stats" are rated from two to ten, with two being the worst possible, ten being the best possible, and the average falling about five or six. Divide your total number of Statistic Points between each of your ten stats, adjusting the amounts in each one as you think best describes the character's natural abilities. No statistic may be less than two or greater than ten.
Intelligence: This is a measure of your problem-solving ability; figuring out problems, noticing things, remembering information. Almost every character type will need a high Intelligence (INT), with Netrunners and Corporates requiring the highest of all. Reflexes: This is a combined index, covering not only your basic dexterity, but also how your level of physical co-ordination will effect feats of driving, piloting, fighting and athletics. Characters who intend to engage in a great deal of combat (such as Solos, Nomads or Rockerboys) should always invest in the highest possible Reflex (REF). Cool (also known as Will): This index measures how well the character stands up to stress, fear, pressure, physical pain and/or torture. In determining your willingness to fight on despite wounds or your fighting ability under fire, Cool (COOL) is essential. It is also the measure of how "together your character is and how tough he appears to others. Rockerboys and Fixers should always have a high Cool, with Solos and Nomads having the highest of ail. Technical Ability: This is an index of how well you relate to hardware and other technically oriented things. In Cyberpunk, the ability to use and repair technology is of paramount importance-TECH will be the Stat used when fixing, repairing, and attempting to use unfamiliar tech. While all characters should have

Headware: The stuff you need to do to make a Cyberpunk persona Interface with the Rules of the Game. This stuff is the hardware-the frame which allows the character to interface with the rules. Remember, the disk is not the software, and dice rolls are not your character. Don't get too caught up in the statistics.
CHARACTER POINTS

These points are like cash--you use them to "buy" the various "mechanics" aspects of the character, like good looks, a strong, hard body, unshakable cool and street smarts. We've given you two ways to generate Character Points: 1) Random. Roll 9 ten-sided dice (also called 9D10) and add the total. You have this many Character Points. 2) Partially random: Start with a base 30 points, then roll six ten-sided dice (6010) and add the result to your 30. You have this many Character Points. Note: We could, at this point, warn prospective Referees about the various dodges their players will have for creating "supercharacters". But face it; if they want to create a mondo character, who are we to stop them? You're all big boys and girls now, and if you, as Referee, think your players are getting way outa line, why not just go ahead and waste 'em? That's the Cyberpunk way. HARDCOPY FORMS First thing, you're going to need a place to record all of your Headware data. Photocopy (or draw) your own Hardcopy Form (see the Reference Sheets enclosed in this game) to work on. This is one of two forms you will use when play,ng Cyberpunk. The other is your Friday Night Firelight Combat Sheet (on the back of the FNFF rule-

11

a decent Tech Stat, potential Netrunners should always opt for the highest possible score in this area. Luck: This is the intangible "something" that throws the balance of events into your favor. Your Luck represents how many points you may use each game to influence the outcome of a critical event. To use Luck, you may add any or all of the points of luck a character has to a critical die roll, until all of your Luck Stat is used up. Luck is always fully restored at the end of each game session. Attractiveness: This is how good looking you are. In Cyberpunk, it's not enough to be good--you have to look good while you're doing it (Attitude is Everything). Attractiveness (ATT) is especially important to Medias and Rockerboys, who have to be good looking as part of their jobs. Movement Allowance: This is an index of how fast your character can run (important in combat situations). The higher your Movement Allowance (MA), more distance (in meters) you can cover in a combat phase. To determine your Movement Allowance, multiply the number of points placed in this Stat by 4. This is how many meters the character can run in a single turn. He may leap up to one tenth of this. Example: I place 8 points in my MA Stat. My character can now run 32 meters (4x8-32) per turn. He can leap 3.2 meters. Body Type: Complex determinations of strength, endurance and constitution are based on the characters Body Type (BT). Each Body Type determines how much damage you can take in wounds, how much you can lift or carry, how far you can throw, how well you recover from shock, and how much additional damage you cause with physical attacks. Body Type is important to all character types, but to Solos, Rockerboys and Nomads most of all. Your Body Type is always based on how many points you invest in this Stat: 2 pts=Very Weak, 3-4 pts=Weak, 5-7 pts=Average, 8-9 pts=Strong, 10 pts=Very Strong. Designer's Note: Cyberpunk is designed to be integrated with a more advanced Interlock combat system called Friday Night Fireflght. While similar in design to other Interlock variations, FNFF is somewhat more complex than these combat systems, using a hit-pointless damage matrix. For this reason, the actual damage capacity of each Body Type is listed in Friday Night Firefight rather than this manual. Further data on encumberance, strength and damage are also listed in FNFF as well. Empathy: This Stat represents how well you relate to other living things, a measure of charisma and sympathetic emotions. In a world of alienated, future-shocked survivors, the ability to be "human" can no longer be taken for granted. Empathy (EMP) is critical when leading, convincing, seducing or perceiving emotional undercurrents. Empathy is also a measure of how close he/ she is to the line between feeling human being and cold blooded cyber-monster.

way to one of your basic Stats. For example, the skill of Handgun is always related to the character's REF Stat. Skills are always rated from 1 to 10, with 1 being a novice level of knowledge, and 10 being a master's level of ability. Skills are described In the Skill List section of the Reference Sheets, along with all notes explanations relating to those skills. In addition, players may opt to invent their own skills (see Inventing New Skills below). STARTING SKILLS Starting skills are determined by running the character through the special Lifepath Section of this book. Lifepath is more than just a skill-determination system, it is also a flowchart of "plot complications" and background "hooks" which will help make your character authentically Cyberpunk. The first step to using Lifepath is to decide which of four types of childhoods you grew up in: Normal, Street Kid or Nomad Brat. Your character Role doesn't have to conform to this choice-it is possible that you were a Normal kid picked up by Nomads when your folks died, or a Street Kid adopted later by a Corporate family. Remember: Cyberpunk hinges on roleplaying--so make use of the information in your Lifepath run. Each Lifepath can generate not only an extensive character background, but also a huge number of possible NPCs who are directly related in some way to the Cyberpunk character. LEARNING NEW SKILLS & IMPROVING OLD ONES Players can improve their skills or begin new ones by accumulating Improvement Points (IP). As you gain more IP, you'll record these points in the area next to the skill's listing on your Hardcopy Form. When you have collected enough Improvement Points in a skill, the skill's level increases by one level. The first and second levels of a skill will always cost 10 points each. To determine how many points are required to raise a skill higher than this, multiply the current level of skill by ten. This is how many points are required to raise the skill to the next level. Example: My Brawling skill is +4. To move from +4 to +5 will require 40 IP. To move from +5 to +6 will require 50 IP. Not all skills are equally easy to learn. These skills have an additional IP cost which is tacked onto the basic cost (after multiplication, of course.) This extra cost will be noted in the skill descriptions. Example: Martial Arts has an extra cost of +10 To raise my Martial Arts skill from +4 to +5 would require 50 IP, not 40. There are three ways to accumulate Improvement Points: study & practice, being taught, and direct experience. In all three cases, the amount of improvement is determined by the Referee of your game. Study & Practice: In its simplest form, you get a "howto" book and begin practicing. Study is pretty tough--you

Abilities and Specializations

SKILLS&TASKS
in 2013

Skills are used to enhance your ability to perform certain tasks. They represent things you've specifically taken the time to learn and possibly master, (as opposed to your Stats, which only indicate a basic, natural ability at doing something). For example, if you had very good Reflexes, you would probably pick up driving a car very easily. But you would not know how to drive a car until you had learned the skill of Driving). Each skill is related in some
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Roll 1D1O

1 Financial Loss or Debt: Roll 1D10 x 100. You have lost

this much in Eurodollars. If you cannot pay this now, you will have a debt to pay--in cash or blood.
2

Imprisonment: You have been in prison, or possibly some type of hostage. Roll 1D10 for the length of term, and add this to your age. Do not roll for events during this time. Illness or Addiction: You have contracted either an illness or drug habit during this time. Lose 1 point from REF as a result. another D10. On 1 -3, you are being blackmailed. On 4-7, a secret was exposed. On 8-10, you were backstabbed by a friend either in career or romance (you choose).

4 Betrayal: You have been betrayed in some manner. Roll

5 Accident: You were in some type of terrible accident.

Roll 1D10. On a 1-4, you were terribly disfigured and have an ATT of 1. On a 5-6, you were hospitalized for most of the year. On a 7-8, you lost a year of memory. On 9-10, you constantly relive nightmares of the accident.

6 Lover, Friend or Relative killed: You lost someone you really cared about. Roll 1D10. On 1-5, they were killed accidentally. On a 6-8, they were murdered by unknown parties. On a 9-10, they were deliberately killed and you know who did it.
7 Falsely Accused: You were set up. Roll 1D10. On a 1-3,

the accusation is theft. On 4-5, it's lying. On 6-8, it's murder. On 9-10, rape or assault.
8 Hunted by the Law: You were hunted by the law for

crimes you may or may not have committed. Roll 1D10. On 1-3, only a couple cops want you. On 4-6, it's the local cops after you. On 7-8, it's the State police or militia. On 9-10, it's the FBI or equivalent national force.
9 Hunted by a Corporation: You have angered some local

corporate honcho. Roll 1D10. On 1-3, it's a small, local firm. On 4-6, it's a larger corp with offices statewide. On 7-8, it's a big, national corp with agents in major cities On 9-10, it's a huge multinational with armies, ninja and spies everywhere.
10 Mental or Physical Incapacitation: You have experienced

some type of mental or physical breakdown. Roll 1D10. On 1-3, it's some type of nervous disorder, probably from some bioplague--Lose 1 pt. REF. On 4-7, it's some kind of mental problem: you suffer anxiety attacks, phobias. Lose 1 from your CL stat. 8-10, its a major mental problem. You hear voices, are violent, irrational, depressive. Lose 1 from your CL stat, 1 from REF.

have no idea of where to begin, and no one to correct your mistakes. The biggest limit to this type of learning is that you can only improve your skill from a level of zero to a level of +2. Being Taught: Finding a teacher is far superior to selfteaching or book learning. The teacher must have a higher level of skill than the student, and must have the time to teach you (how long this takes, of course, is determined by the Referee). But even the most knowledgeable of teachers may not be able to transfer that knowledge. That's where the skill of Teaching comes into play. The teacher must average his skill in the subject to be taught with his teaching skill. He may then teach the student up to that level of skill. How long this takes is up the the Referee, who awards IP over the passage of time. Experience: Still the best teacher. Whenever you do something well, the Referee rewards you with Improvement Points right on the spot. The problem is that these points will be applied to the skill you were using when you got the reward. Therefore, if you want to get better in a particular skill, it's important to use that skill every chance you get. Referees should use an even hand when rewarding Improvement Points, not only rewarding players for doing things well, but also for demonstrating both roleplaying ability and teamwork. In general, we suggest not awarding more than six points per skill per game session.

Easy Average Difficult Very Difficult Impossible

+ 10 + 15 + 20 + 25 + 30

When making a Task Attempt, first determine which of your statistics is the most appropriate to use to perform the action. For example, if you were trying to stand on your head, REF would be best. If you were deciphering a code, INT would be the most appropriate. Next, if you have any one skill directly relating to the task at hand, add that skill to the Stat. You may apply only one skill to a task at any time. Finally, roll 1D10 and add the combined totals of your die roll, your Stat, and your selected skill. Compare your total with the Task's Difficulty. If your total is higher, you have succeeded; on a lower or tied roll, you have failed. Here's an example: Johnny Silverhand needs to break into a locked room, a task the Referee considers to require some training. As such, it has a Difficulty of 15. His most applicable Stat is Technical, because this is a task that requires manipulating a mechanical object. Johnny isn't much of a Techie (his Tech Stat is only +3, enough to change his guitar strings and plug in his amp). But Johnny also picked up Thief +3 as one of his early Background Skills. This gives him a base ability of +6. Johnny will need to roll at least a 10 to pick this lock. If you are making an attempt against another player character, the opposing player will combine his most applicable Stat, skill and 1D10 roll. On a higher or tied roll, the defending player wins.
Modifiers

INVENTING NEW SKILLS You can also invent new skills to cover new needs, should you want to do so. To do so, you must first convince the Referee of your game to let you have that skill. You and the Referee should work together to determine: 1) Exactly what does this skill allow you to do? 2) How (according to your Character Conception) did you acquire this skill? 3) What are the specific limits of this Skill (what can't I do with it?). 4) What Stat is this skill connected to and why? Referees should be careful to make sure that player skills are neither too specific ("Shoot .45 Caliber Handgun with Laser Sight"), or too general ("Shoot Anything Well"). You should insist on a middle ground which covers a general ability to use the skill, yet does not give the player an unreasonable advantage in all possible ("Shoot Handguns"). The Referee is always the final arbiter of decisions on skills.
TASKS

Modifiers are values which are added to the difficulty of a task, reflecting adverse conditions or extra problems. Modifiers work best when you are dealing with very ticklish or picky situations; things where life and death tasks must be performed. At these times, players will want every advantage they can get, and a simple decision like The task is Very Difficult." will create more friction than its worth. At these times, you will probably want to make the steps of the task clear by using Modifiers. In addition, Modifiers allow you, as the Referee, to determine the relative difficulty of doing something and the effect of prevailing conditions.
Basic Difficulty Modifier's Complex repair +2 Very complex repair +4 "It's Never Been Done Before." +6 Don't have the right parts +2 Don't have the right tools +3 Unfamiliar tools, weapon or vehicle 44

Most of the time, your character will be able to do most ordinary things without difficulty. But certain things will require that the character make a Task Attempt to see if he can successfully perform the intended action. Each Task is rated by the Referee from Simple to Impossible. Each rating has a corresponding numerical value, called a Difficulty.

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 Inflatable bed (folds to a 6"x6" package for easy storage) Compressable down sleep-bag (wads to the size of a paperback book) Micro-stereo compo (a microsized boombox with stereo speakers or headphones, possibly CO, tape player, TV and certainly radio) Handful of tapes or CDs Laptop or pocket computer (for notes, writing, business, links to computer networks) Cybermodem, cables (if you're a Netrunner) Pocket cellular phone (the phone is bought, the service is rented by the month) Mini-light/alarm clock Mini-micro heater Handgun, knife or both. Possibly an assault rifle of SMG and a couple backups as well. Always extra ammo. Body armor (usually an armor jacket or bullet-proof Tshirt). Personal things, like clothes, toothbrushes, etc.
Under stress +3 +3 to 4 Under attack Wounded +2 to 6 Drunk, drugged or tired +4 Hostile environment +4 Very hostile environment +6 List of instructions for task +2 All the other players are "kibbitzing" while you're trying to do the task 43 Has never performed this task before +1 Difficult acrobatics involved +3 Very difficult acrobatics involved +4 Impossible acrobatics involved +5 Information hidden, secret or obscure +3 Well hidden clue, secret door, panel, etc. +3 Complex program +3 Very complex program +5 Complex lock +3 Very complex lock +5 Target on guard or alerted +3 Brightly lit area +3 Insufficient light +3 +4 Pitch blackness Trying to perform secretive task while under close observation +4 STARTING FUNDS

Most of this is crammed into a shoulderbag or duffle sack. Most Cyberpunk characters aren't much for settling down. Rockerboys always have the next gig. Solos have to keep moving--the next job requires it, and you keep moving anyway before your enemies figure out where you're sleeping these days. Cops, Netrunners, Medias and Techies are always on the move--on stakeouts, hard stories, or running from the various people you've brought down on yourself with your Netrunning. Nomads-well, they don't have homes to start with, and what good is it if you can't cram it on the back of your bike anyway? Even a Corporate may find himself living out of a sleeping "cube" in the Tokyo airport if times get rough. The point is, a computer society makes it easy for people to live like campers all the time. Why should you have to go home to listen to your favorite music, when you can carry your CD player with you? Missing phone calls and hate answering machines? You carry your phone with you and plug into the cellular network; making your business calls on the run from your favorite restaurant or driving your car. Why bother with cooking when you can grab something quick from a hundred fast-food stores? Why keep clothes when you can use them till they wear out, then buy new ones? You'll rent a sleeping cube for the night, put up your personal stuff, and blow out in the morning. Remember: The Future Is Disposable. Remember; the key to any Cyberpunk run is thinking Cyberpunk. Think rootless and mobile. You don't know where you're sleeping tonight, and you don't care. You've got a bed in your bag, some tunes in your pocket, some cash for food. And a gun to make sure no one takes anything away from you.
ENCUMBERANCE

Each Cyberpunk character begins with a flat $2,000.00 Eurodollars (the worldwide standard of currency, although others are still used). This money can be used to buy food, clothes, gear, weapons, armor. All of these are listed in the Gear section of the Reference Sheets. Getting Fitted For the Future The Cyberpunk future is mobile. Like the cowboys of the Old West, most people carry their lives on their backs-miniaturized sleeping, eating and entertainment components crammed into carryalls and the back seats of cars. The stuff you carry is around known in streetslang as your outfit. A typical outfit might include:
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In most cases, encumberance isn't a big problem for a Cy-

berpunk character-he's going to keep the majority of his gear in his apartment or his car. A Cyberpunk character can carry around as much in kilograms as the number of points invested in his Body Type Stat, multiplied by 5. He can deadlift four times this amount. Example: I have spent 6 points to get an Average Body Type. I can carry up to 30 kilograms; roughly 60 Ibs. I can deadlift 120 kg--about 264 Ibs. Rather than list exact weights of everything you could possibly want to carry, we have arranged a far simpler system of classification. The following weight groups are more useful to the Referee who must make a general determination of how much a player can carry. .5 kilos or less 1 box of ammo cellular phone personal stereo- pocket computer cybermodem interface cables pocket TV 35mm camera tape recorder flashlight binoculars Swiss knife article of clothing fighting knife switchblade mirrorshades .22 pistol nylon carrybag Kevlar helmet 1 Kilo or less .45 automatic .357 Magnum .44 Magnum 9mm automatic .38 Special sleeping bag radio/CD player video camera toolkit medical kit laptop computer armor vest/ T-shirt.
3 Kilos

But he isn't a walking machine either. Cybertech is smoother than that-less obvious. You have to integrate your newtech gadgets into a slick, seamless whole. You're either predator or prey here, and the faster you learn to blur the line between the two categories, the longer you'll survive. And that's the point. Survival.
Cyberfashion

It's hip and aware to have "hi-teck" grafted onto your body somewhere. If you can afford it, you probably have at least a couple "enhancements": a few software chips installed in your nervous system to interface with your computer, remember your appointments (the ever-popular Daytimer chip, for example), and improve your racquetball reflexes. If you're "cutting edge," you probably have interface "plugs" to operate computers and vehicles mentally. Maybe your eyes are cyberoptic with a recording function and the latest iris tint (polychrome is big this year), or your hearing is "boosted" to better hear the gossip in the executive lounge. If your job involves some type of security or combat function (and most occupations of the 2000s have at least one combat aspect), your probably have two or three types of combat software, as well as plugs and interfaces for a "smartgun." As a Solo, you may have have had one or more limbs replaced with cyberware prosthetics, allowing you to hide a variety of tools and weapons in your body, as well as giving you an edge in speed and strength. As a Cyberpunk, you're going to want to get your hands on the best of this exciting and expensive newtech. And expensive is the word. The average "enhanced" character with, say, one cyberoptic (targeting scope & IR enhancement) , a reflex boost, one superchromed arm with a .25 cal submachinegun, interface plugs and chipware for Martial Arts, Rotorwing Pilot and Pistol is an investment of over three thousand dollars! Of course, the ambitious Cyberpunk already knows at least twenty five ways (most of them illegal) to raise that sort of paltry sum. But before you start loading up, there's a catch.
HUMANITY INDEX

Uzi submachinegun H&K submachinegun * electric guitar drum synthesizer inflatable bed M-16 assault rifle AR-15 assault rifle .30-.30 rifle 20 gauge shotgun Armor Jacket Kevlar flack pants or vest
4 Kilos

electric keyboard amplifier AK-47 assault rifle

Putting Cyber
Cybernetics

the

into the Punk

in 2O13

Something happens when you start adding metal and plastic to people. They start to change. And it isn't pretty. In the 2013, we call this cyberpsychosis; a mental disease in which the addition of cybernetics causes an already unstable personality to fragment. At first, the victim begins to relate more to machines than to humans. Soon, he starts to ignore people-parents, friends, lovers. Eating, sleeping all become less important. Finally, human interactions begin to irritate, culminating in a terrifying rage that consumes the victim entirely. So, how do I get cyberpsychosis?

Forget everything you ever thought about cyborgs. Everything. This is the 2000's. Today's cyborg is stylish. His cybernetics are designed for a streamlined, high-mover lifestyle. Whether equipped with implanted data chips in his nervous system to enhance his tennis game, or bioengineered miniweapons for his personal protection, the cyborg of the 2000's is the cutting edge of high tech living.

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Every character in Cyberpunk has a Empathy Stat (EMP). This Stat is a measure of how well the character relates to other people, and is the basis of such skills as Leadership, Lying, Convincing and Seduction. Likewise, every piece of cybernetic equipment has a corresponding Humanity Cost, which is added together to get an overall Humanity Cost of your enhancements. For every ten points of Humanity Cost, the character loses one point of Empathy. Example: I add four new cybernetic devices for a total Humanity Cost of 36. I will lose 3 points of Empathy. This can start to cost you. With an Empathy of 3, the character is something of a "cold fish," emotionless and cold. With an Empathy of 2, the character is chilly, forbidding, and distinctly unpleasant to others. With an Empathy of 1, the character is usually violent, sociopathic and vicious. He must constantly fight to keep from going over the edge and committing irrational, violent acts of murder and mayhem. If all cybernetics are removed and the character receives therapy, he will recover 2 points of his Humanity per weekly therapy session. At an Empathy rating of 0 or less, the character is fully in the grip of cyberpsychosis. He is driven by a maddening hatred of other humans or living things. At this point, there is no turning back---the character is taken over by the Referee, who plays it as a non-player character with all the worst attributes of a murderous, mechanized psychopath, called a cyberpsycho. Cyberpsychosis is a growing problem of the 2000s. While therapy is a constant option, the hardest part is getting the patient into therapy. What do you do when a metal armored, cyberboosted maniac starts randomly killing people? If you're the Government, you organize a special squad of professional police with one job--to hunt down and kill murderous cyberpsychos.
20

So how does this all apply to me? Simple. Each time you add on a cybernetic enhancement, there's a corresponding loss of humanity. But it's not nice, simple and linear. Different people react differently to the cyborging process. Therefore, your Humanity loss is based on the throw of a random dice value for each enhancement. This is important, because it means that sheer luck could put you over the line before you know it. Now you know. Walk carefully. Guard your mind.
CYBERTECHNOLOGY

Cybertechnology can be purchased almost anywhere. Most of the medical procedures are simple, walk-in types of surgery, with installations taking place in shopping mall clinics (Bodyshoppe, Fashion/Fusion, and Parts N' Programms are three popular chain stores) or drop in medical centers (Docs R U s ) . Think of it like getting your ears pierced, circa 1980. You can even have upgrades and improvements plugged into the old hardware for the cost of the new parts, allowing you to start small (called stripped or economy) and add as you go. What can't be bought openly are the types of hardware known as black market cybertech. These items can only be purchased through criminal contacts on the Street, and installed by high priced, underground medtechs known as ripperdocs. Black market tech often dangerous, badly installed, and always expensive. But hey, we're all big kids here, and besides, you know what to do to a ripperdoc who messes around with you, right?
Boosterware

Some of the most important aspects of cybertech are invisible to the naked eye. These types of enhancements, known as boosterware, are usually in the form of tiny chips and nerve amplifiers that increase existing abilities.

Sensory Booster: This specialized microprocessor chip is implanted at the base of the brain stem, and amplifies signals from the optical, auditory and tactile nerves. Colors are brighter, movements more noticeable. Hearing levels increase into the super and subsonic, as well as extending hearing range. Food tastes better, smells are more pungent, and touching things more sensuous. People with boost have a tendancy to get totally absorbed in everyday tasks, like eating or touching--because the intense sensory feedback makes even minor sensations seem incredible. To control this, most boosterkits have special cut off switches, allowing the user to control which senses are boosted, or even shut the entire thing off if needed. In game terms, this allows you to add +2 to any Awareness Rolls, but you may have a tendancy to "bliss out "at unexpected times. Reflex Booster: This is a specialized Trigger Reaction Computer (TRC) implanted in the lower spine. The booster amplifies and speeds up nerve signals, giving the person increased reactions and reflexes. In game terms, this adds +2 to your Reflex Statistic, which in a person with an already high Reflex can mean superhuman reaction speeds. If your REF Stat is raised above 10 by the addition of a Reflex boost, you will always move as if you have an Ambush advantage, with a free phase of action before anyone else (except other Boosters over REF 10). Cyberoptics A combination of digital processor and camera, cyberoptics are replacements for normal eyes. Cyber vision is just like regular vision, only better. Colors are brighter, images sharper. And that's just the start. Want to see life as a 30s black and white movie? No problem. Telescopic or microscopic vision? Optional. Infrared and low light vision? Standard for solos. Cyberoptics look exactly like normal eyes, although a wide variety of fashion iris colors are popular (amber, white, burgundy and violet are very common right now). Some versions are transparent, with glitter or lights swirling inside of them. Other are superchromed for a more "cyber" took. Others can change eye color at will or to match clothes and surroundings. Some even have tiny designer logos around the iris. Cyberoptics with cameras or weapons usually load from the front, with the iris opening up when the front of the eye is depressed. Options: Infrared: Allows user to see in pitch blackness, using heat emissions for image reception Micro/Telescopies: Allows user to see microscopic images or see telescopies equal to a 30X scope. Microcamera: 10 exposure minicamera activated by squinting. Film is automatically ejected from iris when last exposure is taken. Times Square Marquee: Scrolling red letter screen in upper edge of vision, linked to either a software chip readout or a radio link. Targeting Scope: This projects a targeting sight into the field of vision at will. The targeting scope will read range to specific objects, speed of movement, bearing and size, as well as providing several types of scope reticule for aligning weapons. When chipped into a "smartgun", the scope will match the targeting sensors of the gun with what you are looking at, then flash a "ready

signal" when the target is acquired. In game terms, this option allows you to add +1 to all ranged weapon attacks. Anti-dazzle protection: Auto stepdown compensates for harsh sunlight, flares, etc. Never need sunglasses again. Low-Lite: Allows user to see clearly in dim light conditions, down to very faint moonlight or distant streetlamps. Image Enhancement: High res graphics capability allows user to enhance and refine images viewed. When activated, increases Awareness Skill by +2, allowing user to pick up visual cues in greater detail. Thermograph Sensor: Allows user to see heat patterns of objects, people. Cooler things show up as dark to light blue, hotter things as red or orange, and the hottest of all as yellow or white. Can be used to distinguish a warm body against a wall, in pitch darkness, or presence of cybernetics (which are always cooler than normal body temperatures). Dartgun: Two shot dartgun with range of 1 meter, Very Accurate. Poison dart will penetrate up to Level 3 armor with lethal dose. Cyberaudio Cyberaudio systems patch into the auditory nerves and speech centers of the brain. This enhancement affects both ears, and also includes a subvocalizing mike on the mastoid bone. There is no visible change to the outer ear, although some cyberpunks replace the outer ear with a set of mechanical speaker pickups for max effect. Options: Radio Splice: A microminiature radio transceiver, usually mounted at the base of the skull and using your fillings as the antennae, and activated by clicking the teeth together sharply. To talk, you merely subvocalize (mutter under your breath). Reception is carried out in one of two ways: 1) a receiver directly vibrates the mastoid bone, giving you a small tinny voice in the back of your head; 2) linked to a cyberoptics Marquee option, incoming messages are flashed into the upper edge of your field of vision as red scrolling letters. In game terms, having a radio implant gives you the ability to talk to any reciever on the same band frequency for up to 1 mile. It also means you occasionally get someone else's radio messages. Phone Link: An improved radio splice, this implant is wired to communicate directly to your personal cellular phone. In practice, it allows you to do everything the radio splice does, but you must have your phone within 3 meters of you, and it must already be turned on and the number dialed. Audio splice is commonly used by busy Corporates who want to be able to answer calls, even in a meeting. One of the biggest advantages of audio splice is it's range-anywhere your phone will go, you can go. Even the Moon. ECM Scrambler: This implant improves your radio or audio splice with a scrambler, so it cannot be listened into. In game terms, this makes all radio or audiosplice communications private, unless the interceptor has a descrambler unit and a lot of time on his hands. Bug Detector: This mini reciever is designed to pick up vibrations transmitted on all types of radio "bugs". When the bug is active, it's transmissions make a small beeping noise in the back of your head, getting louder as you get closer to the bug. In game terms, this gives you a 6 out of 10 chance (roll 1D10, choose your six numbers) of detecting any bugs within 10 feet of you. A normal option for Corporates, Fixers and Solos.

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Wear man: A variant of the radio splice, the WearMan mounts twin vibration speakers on your mastoid bones, making your skull into a audio system of concert hall quality. A tiny chip mount wired into the earlobe allows you to plug in a variety of music chips, all fashioned to look like earrings. Or you can plug in direct to your interface plugs. Each chip contains about 100 songs. Selections are fast forwarded by squeezing the earring gently, once per selection. When the chip is removed, the WearMan turns off. A teenybop fave. Microrecorder: Records up to 30 minutes on internal wirespool, using auditory nerves as microphone. Replay can be through mastoid bone connects, or picked up off the spool by using interface plugs or contact 'trodes. Interface Plugs

Smartguns: Smartguns are modified versions of normal firearms, linked to an internal microcomputer, which in turn is jacked to a human operator. A smartgun uses a small sonic or laser scope to lock onto the target, scanning it thousands of times per second. As the gun traverses over the desired target, the computer link picks up your mental "fire" signal and triggers the gun Smartguns are far more accurate than most other guns; using them automatically gives you a +2 to any firearms attack you are making. The cost of adapting a normal gun to smartgun configuration is $1000.00 for the laser scanner, internal computer, and installation.

These are the staple of cybertech culture. Usually installed into the bones of the wrist or skull, they tap into major nerve trunks and use modified TR chips to send and receive neural signals. You must have two plugs in order to interface. You must place your plugs in a "meat" part of your body--they cannot be installed in a cyberlimb. The operation is pretty simple and can be done on a lunch hour in any drop-in clinic. A powerful anesthetic blocks the pain, while a combination scalpel-punch and drill mounts the plug. Bio-growth gel promotes fast healing, leaving a plastic socket about the size of a dime, usually covered with a plastic cap. In use, the plastic cap is removed from the socket and a cable (much like a heavy-duty phone cord and connector plug) is clicked into the socket. Interface plugs are not universal, but are quite common. There are a number of personal styles about them. Most people wear their plugs on wrists for ease of use. Occasionally, a true cybertechie will mount them at the temples (a "plug head"), just behind the ears (called a "frankenstein") or in the back of the head (a "puppethead"). Some cover them with inlaid silver or gold caps, others with wristwarmers. Once again, a matter of style. In game terms, interface plugs allow the player to directly link to many types of machines, such as computers or cybervehicles. Many companies will pay for thier installation-quite a few factory and construction workers now "stud" directly into their machines. Interface plugs are critical to people like Netrunners (who must have them to gain the speed and ability to "run" the Net), and Solos (who use them to operate smartguns).
Cybervehicles: These are cars, AV-4's, aircraft, rotorcraft or motorcycles which have had their normal control systems replaced by a computer. The character plugs directly into the computer using interface plugs and cables, sending commands thru his own nervous system. Power servos then steer wheels, depress accelerators, and control braking. Cybervehicles are inhumanly responsive-- like driving an extension of yourself, in fact. As a result, a cyberassisted vehicle will automatically give you a +2 on any driving, piloting or motorcycle driving skill you are using at the time. To modify a normal vehicle to cybervehicle stats costs an additional 40% of the base vehicle cost.

Optionware (no maximum) While a cyborg is usually defined as anyone who has mechanical technology grafted into his body, the line is actually pretty nebulous (is your girlfriend a cyborg because she wears contact lenses? Is your grandmother a cyborg because she has a hearing aid and an artificial hip joint?). In this hazy zone of cybertech is Optionware--little hitech gadgets common to the Cyberpunk future. Most of these require surgery so minimal that they can be installed at the local shopping mall on a lunch break (just like getting your ears pierced).
Optlonware Includes: Scratchers: Implanted metal or carbo-glas fingernails. The indredible sharpness of the materials makes these as deadly as razor blades (1D6/3 damage). Scratchers cut on the bias, requiring the user to slice crossways, not rip downwards. Most people lacquer their scratchers, making them undistinquishable from normal nails (the enamel has no effect on the sharpness). These are not considered lethal (and therefore Blackmarket) cyberwear and can be purchased in any local clinic. Vampires: impanted fangs, usually made up of carbo-glas or superchromed metal. You can have a full set implanted (called the Sharkgrin Special, it causes 1D6/2 in bite damage), or canines only (1D6/3damage). These are considered to be "decorative', not Blackmarket cyberwear, and can be purchased in any local clinic. Rippers: Longer, heavier versions of scratchers (1D6damage). The top two joints of each finger are replaced with a plastic and metal sheath, in which three inch carbo-glas claws are housed. The rippers can be extended by clawing the hand in a catlike fashion. Most people wear false fingernails over their rippers, making them much harder to spot. Rippers are considered a form of Black Market Cybertech and as such is not accessable through the average on-the-Mall clinic. Biomonitor: This is a favorite of Solos, gadget freaks, and harried Corporates worried about their blood pressure. Mounted just below the skin of the upper arm, the Biomonitor gives a constant readout of pulse, respiration, brainwaves, blood sugar, temperature, and cholesterol levels. The display is a pattern of word-shaped LEDs, each running a color sequence from red (critical) to green (excellent). As conditions change, the colors change as well. The user merely shoots back his cuff, looks for the little glowing word display he wants, and checks the color. In game terms, this adds +2 to your resistance to panic & fear ( CL). Skinwatch: The predecessor of the Biomonitor, the Skinwatch is implanted just below the epidermis, and uses tiny LEDS to project glowing numerals through the skin. Skinwatches can be mounted anywhere, although the hand, wrist and fingers are the most common. Advanced versions can be reset by pressing the

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display gently until the right number combinations come up; really advanced versions have alarms that beep quietly. Use your imagination. BlgKnucks: Reinforced knucklebones , giving the fist the impact value of a pair of brass knuckles (1D6 +2). This is considered a form of black market cybertech, and as such is not accessable through the average on-the-Mall clinic. Slice N' Dice: Mono-filament wire spool, mounted in end of one finger, with weighted, false fingernail to give it balance and swing. Monomolecular wire will cut through almost any organic material; most plastics. Can be used as a garrotte, cutter or slicewhip. This is considered a form of black market cybertech, and as such is not accessable through the average on-the-Mall clinic. CHIPWARE

Chips are best used when you need to know a lot of things all at once, but not very well. With chips, you can become a limited martial artist, pilot, driver, marksman. You can know a little bit more than you did before about a variety of subjects, but nowhere near as much as you would if you'd hit the books and studied. REFLEX (APTR) Chips These are chips for Reflex-based skills only, such as weapon firing or hand to hand combat knowledge. These Augmented Programmed TRCs feedloop --record a specific neural signal from one source, record it in memory, then use the recording to activate a series of muscle reactions in another source. Theoretically, these chips should allow even the lowliest "grunt" to have the skills of a karate master, the shooting ability of Wyatt Earp, and the reflexes of an Olympic athlete. But the limits of programming restrict what you can learn from a chip to a relatively low level (about +1 to +3) In addition, a Reflex chip must adapt to your specific neural and muscular patterns, adjusting it's instructions to fit your body and vice verca (after all, the karate master who was the pattern for the chip might have been five foot ten and you might be six foot three). It learns your body movements by sampling your responses as you practice using the chip. This process is known as "chipping in" and is required before the chip can be fully functional. Chipping in takes 2 full hours of practice for every level of the chip. This means, for example, if you've been chipped for Martial Arts +3, it will take six hours of practice before the chip has "learned" enough about your body to be fully functional. If you only get two hours of practice, the chip will function as a Level +1-- practice for four hours, and it's raised to +2.
Memory (MRAM) Chips

There are a wide variety of cybernetic devices available to the man on the move in the 2000s. But the basis for all of these newtechs is chipware (also known as wetware by some): bio-plastic circuitry that allows the human body to mesh with the power of silicon microprocessors. There are two types of chipware; reflex (APTR) chips and memoryware (Mram) chips. Each piece of chipware operates exactly like the Skill of the same name. To use chips requires two separate installations: a processor located at the base of the spine, which translates the chip data into useful information, and a set of interface plugs. The chip itself is a small transparent red disc about a centimeter across, with a microchip imbedded in the plastic. It is inserted into the interface plug face down. It takes one combat phase to change chips. You may "run" as many separate chip programs at one time as your current INT Stat. Example: My INT is 7. This means I can have up to seven different program chips operating at one time. I could be chipped for Martial Arts, AV-4 Piloting, Pistol, Assault Weapons, AV-4 repair, Play Rock Guitar and Specific Knowledge: Rock Songs of the 1960s. However, I could not use any other chips until I'd removed one of these seven. Having chipware is like having instant skills whenever you want them. The problem is, chipware is very expensive, and limited to only the lowest levels of a specific skill (usually a level of +1 to +3). To progress further, you would have to have a specially designed chip built at a higher level (not an easy proposition). A natural skill, on the other hand, progresses by use and this increase in ability costs nothing except time. Another problem with chips is that unlike natural skills, you can't learn to become better. If you're chipped for a Martial Arts of +2, you'll be at that level of skill until you die, no matter how many fights you get into. You also can't combine natural and chipwared skills; for example, combining a chipped Martial Arts of +2 with a natural Martial Arts skill of +5 to get a total of +7. The programmed responses of the chip will always override natural responses, setting the level of skill equal to that of the chip.

These are chips for information only, used for storage of raw data on a specific subject. A memory chip operates just like a skill of the same type, is rated from +1 to +3, and is applied to the same Stat as the original skill (for example, AV-4 Tech would be combined with your TECH Stat, whileSimple Language would relate to your INT Stat). MRAM chips do not require a previous knowledge of the skill involved and have no "chipping in" time. ARTIFICIAL LIMBS When the man on the Street thinks of cyborgs, what he thinks of are artificial limbs; whirring, glittering metal constructs of steel, wire and microchip circuitry. Although real arms, legs and organs can easily be grown in bio-tanks or replaced from body banks at a much lower cost, artificial limbs are still a popular fad of the Cyberpunk future. They are chromed, airbrushed, jeweled, lighted and even sculpted in the pursuit of true cybertech chic. Under all the designer fashion, cyberlimbs are basically
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Pain: Cyberarms never grow tired, allowing the wearer to hang from high places indefinitely. You can turn off the touch sensors with the flick of a switch, eliminating pain and allowing you to perform feats such as reaching into raging fires, dabbling in tanks of liquid nitrogen, and picking up redhot pokers. A gunshot wound to a cyberlimb has no pain effects; you don't have to make a saving roll against shock and stun. Damage: Cyberlimbs can take (and dish out) a tremendous amount of damage, so much so that they are treated like machinery for the purposes of game combat. All cyberlimbs can take up to 20 points of structural damage before they are useless, and up to 30 points of structural damage before they are destroyed. If armored, the Kevlar armor coating has a Stopping Power equivalent to an 18 point armorjacket. A cyberarm punch does 1D6 in killing damage to it's target; wall, car, someone's head; no matter. A cyberleg kick will do 2D6 in killing damage. Leaping: Cyberlegs employ powerful pistons and microservos, backed by bundles of synthetic muscles. With a pair of them, you can leap tremendous distances. Characters with paired cyberlegs can leap 6 meters straight up, or make a running jump of up to 8 meters.

steel and plastic frameworks, using plastic fiber bundles for muscles, and backing this with pistons, gears and sophisticated chipware. This entire assemblage is powered by a battery good for two years of use (replacement batteries cost $25.00 Euro). The standard limb replacement is much like a regular arm or leg in structure, but can be armored for greater survivability. The basic cyberlimb comes stripped, but you can add weapons, hidden compartments, and even a flexible, glove-like covering that is very close in feel to real skin (of course, the real hardcores just have the whole thing chromed for max effect). Cyberiimbs are very expensive and require major surgical installation in a hospital or surgical ward. Cybanlimb Myths & Abilities The popular myth about cyberlimbs is that they enable their owners to perform all kinds of superheroic feats. To a point, it's true; cyberlimbs can be designed with boosted strength and speed, using synthetic muscle fibers and silicon chips. What you won't find are people running at 200 miles an hour, bending steel bars with their hands or throwing Volkswagens around. Why cant you go around lifting cars and punching down walls like the cyborgs in the comics? Simple physiology. The replacement limb must be able to work in concert with the remaining "meat" parts of the body. Even if your arm was ten times stronger than before, the back and shoulder muscles supporting that cyberlimb wouldn't be--and they'd shred long before the artificial muscles did. But within limits, a cyberequipped person can do some pretty impressive party tricks:
Crushing: A cybernetic arm uses synthetic muscle fibres instead of flesh and blood. They don't get tired, and they don't feel pain. They are also much stronger than normal muscle tissue. This gives a cyberarm tremendous gripping power. AII cyberlimbs can easily crush light metals, woods and plastics. They can crush glass and plastic to dust (although they can't crush limbs of coal into diamonds!). In combat, any crushing grip with a cyberarm will do 2D6 killing damage.

BODY PLATING Body plating is the ultimate step in cybernetic replacement. By reinforcing the spine and hip joints with metal, interlacing myomar fibers into the muscles of the torso, replacing the arms and legs with cybernetics and covering the entire torso and skull with armor, you can very closely approximate the classic "cyborg" of science fiction, allowing you to throw cars around, rip down walls, and stand out in the middle of machinegun fire unscathed. It is used only in the rarest of circumstances to create killing machines and corporate supersoldiers. A body plated human can lift and throw a small (compact car) 5 meters, tear down brick walls with his bare hands, and punch through most walls. His arms and legs have been fully replaced, giving him all of the equivalent abilities and structural damages of cyberlimbs. His head and torso are reinforced and armored, giving these areas an SP of 20 and a structural damage capacity of 40. Boosted reflexes and interlaced synthetic muscle fibers give him a movement speed of 200 meters per turn. He is literally unstoppable, except by massed assault weapons fire or small antitank weapons. Body plating is extremely rare and is one of the newtechs that is strictly illegal. One reason for this is that by the time the arduous and expensive process is over, much of the intangible "humanness" of the person is eradicated, creating a cold, merciless machinelike personality. The final result is cyberpsychosis, a mental state where the victim starts to become uncomfortable dealing with other people-this irritatation grows into hatred and eventually into a murderous rampage.

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Just about this time, you're starting to look over the list of cyberenhancements, and you're thinking, "I don't have the kind of eurobucks I need to swing this newtech." At this point, you have to ask yourself "How desperate am I? Am I really hard up enough to risk death and dismemberment just to get a lousy cyberarm?" Sure you are. The truly desperate turn to desperate measures. In this case, you can hire yourself out to someone who can afford to buy your cybernetics for you. Selecting any one of the following employers Is worth 2,000 Eurodollars In cybernetics, free of charge: Join the ( C o v e r t ) Military Become a fighter in the Cyberwars, serving your country's armed forces with distinction and honor as part of it's secret Elite Mechanized Combat Forces (Cybergrunts, to you). See pain, torture and death close up, as you participate in any one of a hundred covert "police actions" worldwide, protecting "national interests". Of course the Cybergrunts don't exist. Of course your country doesn't sent teams of heavily armed covert agents into other countries to kill and torment revolt. Of course they're not going to let you quit when you want to. Take Up a Life of Organized Crime The word on the Street is that the Mob is alive and hiring. Swear allegiance to one of the big time organized crime Families and you'll never lack for cybertech. The only catch is, you have to do "work" for them. Bill collecting. Assassinations. Murders. Mob wars. The Families of 2013 have a long and honorable tradition that goes back into the early twentieth century: Nobody ever quits the Mob. Ever.
Sell Out to a Corporation

Running OUT of Cash?

The Catch

Like most "free" offers, these employment opportunities are boobytrapped in creative and dangerous ways. Each requires that you work for an indeterminate time (forever) for people you may not like. You'll have to do what they tell you, no matter how crudely, dangerous or suicidal. Like most powerful people in the Cyberpunk future, they don't like to be crossed, and have a variety of awful ways to ensure your "cooperation":
Hostages: To ensure your good behavior, the controlling agency is holding someone you care about hostage. You mess up, they die--or worse. Blackmail: Somewhere in your past, you did something you cant afford to let out. It could be as small as cheating on your taxes (with a 20 year jail term), or a murder rap. It may even be fictional--created by your new employers to make sure you toes the line. Are you willing to take the chance though? Sabotage Chipware: To make sure you stay in line, the controlling agency has buried lethal glitches in your cybernetic software. Things to make your heart stop on command. Programs that give you blinding headaches if you refuse to follow an order. Monitored: Your "employers" have inplanted sensors or other monitoring devices on you--just to ensure your loyalty. You can't say or do anything without them knowing. You cant go anywhere without them finding you. The worst part is, you don't know where in your body they've hidden these devices. Command Kill: A really vicious sabotage program---on the command word, you will kill whomever you are directed to killwithout control, regret or mercy. Your mother. Your lover. Your cat. Anyone. Company Safeguard: Another nasty sabotage program. You cant willingly harm any member of the controlling agency--to do so will cause you excruciating pain. To continue will cause even more pain, culminating in full heart stoppage and a screaming death.

Sounds fun? Remember; if you join one of these groups, any one (or more) of these little goodies applies directly to you making you a puppet of your employers. What you are forced to do, and what they hold over you is up to the Referee. He doesn't even have to tell you. You don't have a choice. You just sold your soul. Welcome to 2013, smartboy.

Join a Corporation and see the world. While you're at it, they'll bankroll you for two thousand dollars in newtech. But remember; with all business deals, there's a price. In this case, you have to work for the Corporation. The jobs you get to do are all the fun, suicidal ones they don't want to waste their good people on; executive kidnappings, black operations and espionage missions. If you're really lucky, you'll even get to be a grunt in a Corporate war--you know, the ones that make Vietnam and Afghanistan look like picnics, where you get to defend the Corporation's interests in some backwater hellhole with a population of natives you're suppressing. Big business is fun.

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Netrunner
The C y b e r n e t i c I n t e r f a c e System for CYBERPUNK" You patch in the last connection, making sure your wristplugs are tight. You slam down the "GO" switch. Instantly, your mind is filled with the grey white static of the drop to "on line." Then, with a sickening, falling feeling, your hurtle forwards into a maze of shifting neon shapes and spinning grid lines.

The Net is the vast telecommunications network that joins all of the computers and telephones on Earth. It is formed by radio, telephone, and cellular phone links, with microwave transmitters beaming information into orbit and beyond. In the 20th century, the Net was only accessable via a computer terminal , using a device called a modem to send and receive information. But in 2013, the Net can be entered directly, using your own brain, neural plugs, and complex Interface programs that turn computer data into perceptual events. This world within the phone lines can be broken down into five regions: Telecommunications lines: These include local phone lines, long distance lines, and international lines. Local phone lines connect all of the phones in a specific city, as well as any computers currently hooked up to the phone lines. These lines are easy to access and use. Long Distance Lines are trunk lines used to cover large amounts of distance. They are entered from the local phone lines, using an access point called a Long Distance Link. Long distance lines are only dangerous if you are using one of the various methods of avoiding long distance charges. Most protections at this level consist of entry codes or alarm systems to stop non-paying users. Secured Lines: These lines are private, high security lines
2S

THE Net

You're in the Net.

used by most multinational corporations, military operations and other powerful and secretive organizations. These lines are are guarded with extremely lethal programs. Satellite Links: These are microwave or laser communications transmitters which bounce information off satellites in Earth orbit, using a Long Distance Link as the jump-off point The data is bounced back to another Long Distance Link somewhere else on Earth. Satellites are guarded by defenses ranging from simple alarms to lethal "black" programs. Only certain cities have the neccessary transmitter/recievers to beam signals to and from orbit. Computer Systems: These are the individual computers where information is stored. A system may be as small as a desk top micro, or a huge mainframe in a major corporate office. Each type has a hookup into the Net to receive and transmit information to other computers, called a Phone Link. A common netrunner analogy is that if telecommunications lines are the roads of the Net, computer systems are like houses and offices along that road. Individual computers within a system might be represented by rooms in the house, while individual files could be represented by file cabinets in each room, and specific bits of information as the files themselves. Defense Frames: These are special sections in the architecture of the Net, in which programmers can place defense programs. These are the only dangerous parts of the Net, as this is where all the traps, counter programs and lethal "black" programs are installed.
NET MAPS Netrunners and other electronic "hackers" keep track of this vast web by creating Net Maps of where they have been. These maps chart the known areas of the Net, guiding the adventurer through the unknown, around danger, and to the treasure waiting buried in some distant computer memory. Within this rulebook, you will find a set of basic Net Maps: 1) Five Computer/Communications maps, including maps of three common mainframe systems, a map of a city phone system, and a map of the most commonly found orbital communications Satellite. Referees may use these as existing systems, or build their own using these as guides.

2) Long Distance map of the United States and Canada, showing long distance junctions and trunk lines between major cities. If your city is not on this map, you will travel through local lines to the nearest large city and make a connection to the longdistance trunk system there. 3) Long Distance map of the Euro-Net, including all Common Market nations, the Soviet Bloc, and other European nations. 4) A Satellite Map, showing all the major cities in the world which have satellite connections to the WorldSat Communications Network. You must be in one of the cities on this map in order to transmit to an orbital satellite.

Classic. Even if you cam use what you find, you can usually sell it to a Fixer who will in turn sell it to someone who can. Another reason people run the Net is to back up other Cyberpunk teams. If you need to send someone into a heavily secured installation, the installation's computer may have maps of the entire place. Once inside, you can use that same computer to override security systems, open computer controlled doors, even eavesdrop through computer controlled security cameras and observation devices. Most heavy duty Solo teams have at least one 'Runner on the payroll, just to gather intelligence about secure areas and obstacles to a battle plan. The laws of the 2000s are extremely draconian about computercrime. Most government agencies can freely use any and all means to eliminate intruders. Most corporations are equally hardline. Even without resorting to highly illegal "blackprograms," the law allows corporate authorities to lo-

Netrunners are outlaw computer operators who are advanced versions of the computer "hackers" of the late 20th century. Netrunners operate on both sides of the complex and draconian laws covering computercrime in the Cyber-

Netrunners

punk world. Hard driving computer cowboys, Netrunners literally take their lives into their hands as they tackle the mighty data fortresses and the deadly counter-intrusion programs that guard them--the ultimate challenge of Man vs Machine. Some people do it for glory, or because its there, but most run the Net for money. Inside each computer system linked to the Net is information. Some of the information is trivial and useless, like recipe lists or notes, but much of the information is incredibly valuable. New business plans. Insider stock tips. Secret blueprints. Blackmail information. Hot new programs and software. Money you can transfer electronically to your own bank accounts. The formula for Coke

cate and arrest intruders on the spot. Heavy prison terms and occasional mindwipe are just a sample of what awaits a computer felon. But you're not planning on getting caught, right?

Interface programs
The human mind can't comprehend a stream of data any more than it can "see" an electron. It needs a way to interpret the incoming data as something meaningful. Each Netrunner therefore uses an interface program. This program interprets the data coming through the cybermodem and changes it into something understandable--then routes 27

the altered data to his eyes and ears. The world perceived through the interface is real to the Netrunner, because it directly plugs into his senses. Interfaces are an artform; millions of programming hours are devoted each year in constructing accurate and interesting "realities" for Netrunning, using sophisticated artificial intelligence programs and random story generators. Why all the trouble? Partially for the fun of it. But in addition, a realistic and dangerous-feeling interface world gives the Netrunner an extra edge. It keeps him alert, involved and interested in his environment. After all; what would you react faster to--the word Demon appearing in the air in front of you, or a living, breathing, five-ton monster cracking a flaming whip over your head? You betcha. An interface not only projects a realistic world into your mind, but comes complete with sounds, smells and special effects. Complex and ingenious subprograms in the interface even give programs a personality of sorts---the Interface remembers conversations from previous runs, keeps track of the Netrunner's "history," and even gives the programs (limited) conversational abilities from an extensive
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memory storage. As the Netrunner uses the interface more and more, the interface reality starts to become more and more interactive. The Netrunner may discover favorite Program "characters"or places within this pocket universe. The Referee should do his or her best to reflect this increasing level of reality through the interactions of Programs with the Netrunner. Programs might eventually comment on the Netrunner's appearances, his past exploits, his pet peeves, or even express likes and dislikes of their own. Losing a favorite interface program is like watching a world being destroyed. Unless a backup copy of the Interface exists, that universe will lose much of the stored information that made it interesting. Even a backup copy will only carry information stored up to the last Net run before the copy was made. This could mean that a favorite program "character" might suffer huge memory losses, or devolve from an complex persona into a simple, mechanical program. Example: Walter is using an Interface called Mega City; a 1930s film noir reality. His Succubus Program appears to him as an attractive redhead. Over the next few runs, he

gives the Succubus a name (Sharon), which she responds to. Soon, Sharon begins to talk to Walter--a "romance" even develops. On his twelfth run, Walter's Interface is destroyed by a Flatline. He buys a copy, but too late. His new "Sharon" won't know her own name, will only respond in a mechanical way, and doesn't remember any of the adventures they've been through. Walter has to start all over again. Copying an I n t e r f a c e The smart Netrunner copies his interface whenever possible. This way he avoids the trauma of losing an entire

tions. This is a very rare event, as all of the Interfaces must be exactly alike (an expensive proposition). Runners will be able to communicate between interface realities, although they will be unable to use each others Programs. Self -Image in the Net In addition to an external worldview, the interface program can also generate a picture of what your Netrunner looks like in the Net, based on the character's personal description of themselves. In general, the Netrunner will look much as he does in reality, adapted to some extent by the style of the interface universe. In a "techno-based" universe, he may be covered in chrome and have glowing neon eyes. In a medieval setting, he may be dressed in armor and carry a sword. R e a d y t o Wear Interface Programs There are many popular interface programs in existence; most junior Netrunners buy an "off-the-rack" (OTR) interface chips. Advanced Netrunners create their own. It's often dangerous to use another man's interface carelessly--one man's normalacy may be your nightmare--and a ne way trip to insanity. Here are three of the lost popular interfaces:

Dungeon
Dungeon is one of the more popular interfaces for younger Netrunners (or "Weefle-runners" as they are often known). The basic universe is a twisting maze of stone corridors, all roughly the same. Programs appear as various types of mythological beasts, monsters or archaic weapons "world" when a Flatline gets lucky. Interface copying takes one full day, and must be done at a special copy shop (there is usually one in any large city or town). The cost is 1,000 Eurodollars per copy; expensive, because the copy must integrate a huge volume of compiled information. A interface copy must be regularly updated as well-information from the interface you're using must be transferred to the copy periodically, or the copy will not be up to date. This updating fee is 50 Eurodollars, although for 500 Euro, most copy shops will give you unlimited updates for a full year. Sharing an I n t e r f a c e You can't. Because the Interface interacts directly with the nervous system, its impossible to tune it to several minds at once. However, several Netrunners can each log on with their own modems and use copies of the same interface program. They will then all share the same reality percep'TRONNIC

The 'Tronnic interface is the most commonly used pattern in the Cyberpunk world, as it most closely resembles the Net itself. The universe is a black , star-strewn void, filled with a maze of glowing neon lights, abstract shapes and grids. Programs appear as robotic creatures, complex metallic tools or weapons, and brightly colored, neon constructs.

Mega City
For the "realist," Mega City is a very popular interface . The universe is a gritty, heavily urbanized city at midnight, based loosely on a cinematic 1930's San Francisco. Programs appear as various gangsters, objects, animals or weapons of the period. Creating Your Own As a Netrunner character, you may want create your own interface program--a perceptual view of your own personal
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Netverse that the Referee can use to guide you. To do this, you'll create an Interface Map. The Map is a fill-in-theblanks cribsheet that lists all of the major locations and parts of the Net and asks you for a personal description of each one as it fits your character's interface.

HARDWARE So what do you need to run the Net besides a cool brain
and hot interface software? Plugging into the vast metaverse of the Net requires two additional and all important pieces of hardware: a set of neural or interface "plugs," and an interface cybermodem (also known as a "deck"). Interface plugs are basically just that-plastic plugs built into the Netrunnefs wrists, temples or back of neck, connected to a cybermodem by cables (described in Putting the Cyber Into the Punk). The modem itself is an advanced telecommunications device much like those of the mid 1980s; a flat plastic or metal box that dials into the phone lines of the Net and connects the nervous system directly into them. There is no other computer other than the Netrunner's bare brain. Besides acting as a modem, the "cyberdeck* also acts as a sort of "hard drive" for the Netrunner's mind, storing attack and defense programs there until he needs to use them. Programs are one of the most important tools in the Netrunner's arsenal; without them, he's just a disembodied ghost hurtling at lightspeed through the phone lines. A cyberdeck can carry a total of 5 programs on any run. With programs, the Netrunner can actually do things--enter other computers and go where No Man Has Any Business Going. In short, go hacking.

Strength: 1 for each level of program Data Walls are barriers of layered static or electrical charge, designed to break up a cyberdeck trace. The trace "reflects* off the data wall, blocking progress. Nothing can pass through a Data Wall. Netrunners cannot carry Data Walls around with them-they are stationary, and cannot be moved about the Net. They mur be set up inside of a Defense Frame at some point, much like trapdoor or a real wall. Appearance Dungeon Interface: a heavy wall of damp, moss-encrusted stone. 'Tronnic Interface: a barrier of flickering blue flame much like heat lightning. Mega City Interface: a solid brick wall, covered with graffitti saying "Keep Out." Hammer Class: Data Wall Breaker Strength: 4 Hammer pounds down Data Walls with a bombardment of raw electrical pulse. It is very noisy and will automatically alert any adjacent defense program. This makes it impossible to use Invisibility to sneak into the next Defense Frame. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A huge silver hammer. 'Tronnic Interface: A glowing red hammer. Mega City Interface: A 20 Ib sledgehammer. Jackhammer Class: Data Wall Breaker Strength: 2 Jackhammer is a quieter, but less powerful version of Hammer. It uses small pulses of energy to wear the Data Wall away. Appearance Dungeon Interface: Two small golden hammers. 'Tronnic Interface: A glowing red "jackhammer-like" object, which fires a stream of white hot energy bolts at the data wall. Mega City Interface: A large Jackhammer, covered with grease, with the mysterious words 'CON EDISON" stencilled on the side. Code Wall I thru VI Class: Protection Strength: 1 for each level of program Code Walls are barriers much like Data Walls. However, each is designed around a specific code sequence or a special code word. The Code Wall program draws power off of the main circuitry of the computer--it gets stronger the more it is attacked. Instead, it must be opened using the proper code. Nothing can pass through a Code Wall. As with Data Walls, Netrunners cannot carry Code Walls around with them-they are stationary, and cannot be moved about the Net. They must be set up inside of a Defense Frame at some point, much like a trapdoor or a real wall. Appearance Dungeon Interface: a massive iron door, with a huge keyhole 'Tronnic Interface: a glowing barrier, which goes from blue to violet to red to orange to yellow and finally to white as it gathers more power. Mega City Interface: A solid metal door with a huge padlock. As the program gathers power, the number of locks increases. Codecracker I thru IV Class: Codecracker Strength: 1 to 4, depending on level

SOFTWARE If a Netrunner is like a cybernetic magician, then programs

(also known as software), are the spells he has at his command. Each program is a microchip of information, designed to accomplish something in the world of the Net. Programs defend information, search for danger, and defeat enemies. Many times, the only thing between a 'Runner and death is the strength of his programs. Programs are usually stored on thin plastic media about an inch across, called microdisks. Before making a "run," a Netrunner loads his cybermodem with as many programs as it can handle (5). Once loaded, these programs can be activated by the 'Runner with a single thought. The program then does its task and returns back to the deck when finished. The trick is to pick the right combination of programs, because once you're in the Net, there's no turning back to change programs. You're Committed.
Data Wall I to VII Class: Protection

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The Codecracker series, designed by Interfact Software in 2008, is classic Code Wall crack program. The series disassembles the Code Wall at the basic code structure, rather than trying to decipher the key. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A heavy iron mallet 'Tronnic Interface: A thin beam of white light, which shoots from the Netrunner's hands and spreads through the Code Wall, turning it to glowing, disappating fog. Mega City Interface: A stick of TNT, which "blows up" the door. The higher the Codecracker, the more sticks of TNT. Wizard's Book Class: Data Codecracker Strength: 4 The Wizard's Book is designed to can through literally billions of possible codes and codewords in seconds, trying each one in turn. It is especially effective against Code Walls. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A large black book covered with glowing blue runes. The pages fan past at blurring speed, each momentarily displaying a rune or number. 'Tronnic Interface: A stream of blazing white symbols, flowing at incredible speed from the Netrunner's open hands. Mega City Interface: A key ring with an seemingly infinite supply of keys. The scanning action is condensed into the act of inserting one of the keys. Raffles Class: Data Codecracker Strength: 5 Raffles is designed specifically to deal with complex Code Walls which have a specific word as the key. It asks the Code Wall a series of innocuous and leading questions ("Is it bigger than a breadbox?" "Is it hot or cold?"), designed to tell Raffles the nature of the data wall and its key. Raffles will only work on Code Walls which use a single word key. It cannot decipher numerical or multiple word keys. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A slender young man in cape and doublet, who leans down to the doorway and picks the lock. 'Tronnic Interface: A silvery mask which hovers above the

barrier whispering in a thin, eerie voice. Mega City Interface: A dapper young man wearing evening clothes of the early 1900's. He speaks briefly to the door, then vanishes as soon as it opens. Worm Class: Data and Code Wall Cracker Strength: 2 Worm is a very subtle program which emulates part of the architecture of the invaded system. It slips behind the Data or Code Wall opens it from the inside. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A wet, bright blue worm 'Tronnic Interface: A gold-metal, robotic worm, with green neon eyes Mega City Interface: A large skeleton key. Watchdog Class: Alarm Program Strength: 4 Watchdog is designed to alert its owners to illegal entries into the system. It can do this by activating an external alarm or by sending a message to an occupied workstation. Watchdog can be "fooled" by using Invisibility (The Netrunner passes unnoticed), or "killed" by using Vampire, Wolfpack or Killer programs. Netrunners can use Watchdogs to patrol another part of the Net, such as a rival's computer system, then key the Watchdog to run to their cybermodem or workstation if security is breached. This technique allows you to guard your secret files and pathways in other people's computers. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A large, shaggy black dog with a spiked collar. 'Tronnic Interface: A large, black, metal dog . It has glowing red eyes and a spiked metal collar adorns its neck. Mega City Interface: A large, shaggy black dog with a spiked collar. Bloodhound Class: Alarm & Tracing Program Strength: 3 Like Watchdog, Bloodhound is designed to detect illegal system
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entries. However, it also tracks the entry to its source and alerts its masters to the location of intruder. This process takes three phases, during which the program can be stopped, killed or distracted. Like Watchdog, Bloodhounds can be set up to watch a part of the Net and report back to you at another workstation or modem. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A large brown bloodhound with a heavy leather collar. 'Tronnic Interface: A large, gunmetal grey hound robot. It has glowing blue eyes and wears a thick circlet of blue neon as a collar. Mega City Interface: A large brown bloodhound with a heavy leather collar. Pit Bull Class: Alarm & Tracing Program Strength: 2 The most advanced form of the Watchdog series, Pit Bull not only tracks the intruder to its source, but also cuts the line after acquiring the location. It will continue to cut the line every time the intruder logs on from that point of entry, requiring him to move to another phone line or cybermodem. The process of tracing takes three phases, during which the program can be stopped, killed or distracted. After the Pit Bull has achieved its goal, the only way to dislodge it is to kill it. Like Watchdog, Bloodhounds can be set up to watch a part of the Net and report back to you at another workstation or modem. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A stocky grey dog with a heavy metal collar. 'Tronnic Interface: A short, heavily built, steel dog robot. It has glowing red eyes and wears a thick circlet of red neon as a collar. Mega City Interface: A stocky grey dog with a heavy metal collar. Flatline Class: Interface Killer Strength: 3 Flatline is designed to trace and kill the operating system of your cybermodemone zap, and you have to buy a new interface. This process takes three phases, during which the program can be stopped, killed or distracted. Ratline can be killed by using Killer programs, or "fooled" by using Rack or Replicator. Invisibility will also allow the intruder to sneak past the Ratline. A Ratline can be carried by an intruding Netrunner and used to attack other Runners encountered in the Net. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A flaming arrow which shoots past the Netrunner and down the corridor behind him. 'Tronnic Interface: A beam of yellow neon which shoots off past the Netrunner and back down his trail. Mega City Interface: A young thug appears in front of the Netrunner and begins firing at him with a large caliber handgun. If the Ratline reaches its goal, the Netrunner appears to be stuck by a bullet and dies. Poison Flatline Class: Cybermodem Killer Strength: 2 Poison Ratline is designed to trace your cybermodem, destroying not only the interface software, but the integral ROM of the 'deck as well. This wrecks the cybermodem, requiring total replacement. The process takes three phases, during which the program can be stopped, killed or distracted. Like Ratline, Poi34

son Ratline can be killed by using Killer programs, or "fooled" by using Rack or Replicator. Invisibility will also allow the intruder to sneak past the Ratline. Like Ratline, Poison Ratline can be carried by an intruding Netrunner and used to attack other 'Runners encountered in the Net. Appearance Dungeon Interface: An icy metal arrow which shoots past the Netrunner and down the corridor behind him. 'Tronnic Interface: A beam of green neon which shoots off past the Netrunner and back down his trail. Mega City Interface: An older "enforcer" type appears in front of the Netrunner and begins firing at him with a large caliber handgun. If the Poison Ratline reaches its goal, the Netrunner appears to be stuck by a bullet and dies. Invisibility Class: Evasion Program Strength: 3 Invisibility overlays a false signal on your cybermodem trace, making it appear to be harmless static. When activated, Invisibility will allow the Netrunner to pass unnoticed through that particular Defense Frame. Invisibility must be activated each time you enter a new Defense Frame; it cannot be "left on" indefinitely. You cannot make anything else "invisible." Appearance Dungeon Interface: A green cloak with silver trimming. 'Tronnic Interface: A flickering, iridescent sheet, which drapes over the Netrunner. Mega City Interface: An old khaki trenchcoat and a grey fedora. Speedtrap Class: Early Warning Program Strength: 4 Speedtrap is a modified Worm program which can "took" into the next Defense Frame before you actually enter it. It can warn you if a counter intrusion program is present in this adjacent Defense Frame, although it cannot tell the specific type or nature of the program. A failed attempt against the hidden program will produce a "no program there" result. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A crystal ball filled with swirling blue lights. If a program is present, the lights turn red. 'Tronnic Interface: A flat, glowing plate of glass, in which images appear. If a program is present, the plate fills with the image of a robotic monster. If there is no program present, the plate remains blank. Mega City Interface: An old style Army observers periscope, painted in olive drab. When looked through, the Netrunner will either see nothing, or the image of a shadowy form dressed in a black coat and fedora. Replicator Class: Evasion Program Strength: 3 for most programs, 4 vs Pit Bulls, Bloodhounds and Hellhounds Replicator creates millions of copies of your cybermodem trace, sending them off in all directions to confuse a pursuing program. If successful, the pursuer will track the wrong signal to a dead end. Replicator is especially good against the "Dog" series of programs, as it overloads their limited AI programming structure with too many decisions. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A mirror, which creates millions of images of the Netrunner, which all run off down the corridors.

'Tronnic Interface: A chrome sphere creating millions of holograhic images of the Netrunner, flickering away in all directions. Mega City Interface: A mirror, which when thrown to the ground, shatters into a million pieces. The attacking program snaps at the pieces and vanishes.

A more powerful variant of Manticore. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A tentacled plant with a toothy maw. 'Tronnic Interface: A glittering blue fog that encircles its target and dematerializes it. Mega City Interface: A young punk in a cheap suit. He attacks his victims with a garrote, strangling them. Dragon Class: Assassin Program Strength: 4 The most powerful variant of Manticore. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A massive black dragon with iridescent wings, breathing fire on its victims. 'Tronnic Interface: A great golden scaled dragon robot. Laser beams shoot in multicolored arcs from its eyes, and it is wreathed in electrical discharges. Mega City Interface: A powerfully built man in an expensive suit. He carries a flamethrower, which he uses to char his victims to ash. Aardvaark Class: Assassin Program Strength: 6 vs Worms, no effect on any other programs. Aardvaark is designed to locate and destroy intruding Worm programs. It will immediately seek out and destroy any Worm program carried, even if it is loaded as a Demon subroutine. It can be stopped by Killer, confused by Flack, or evaded by Invisibility. Replicator has no effect. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A small, snuffling beast with a long nose and tiny ears. It savagely attacks the Worm program with its long, steely daws, tearing it apart and eating it. 'Tronnic Interface: A matrix of thin yellow neon lines, which surround the Worm program and close around it like a nightning net. The matrix then dematerializes with the Worm entrapped. Mega City Interface: A skinny man in a cheap suit. He has an enormous nose and tiny, piggy eyes. He snaps his fingers and the Worm materializes in his hands. He then tears it apart and discards it. Bralnwipe Class: Black Program Strength: 3 Brainwipe is the simplest of a series of black programs, all of which are designed to attack the Netrunner instead of his programs. All black programs can be carried by an intruding Netrunner and used to attack other 'Runners encountered in the Net. Brainwipe tracks the victim down in three phases, fries his forebrain with a jolt of current, and reduces him to a drooling vegetable. The screaming Netrunner feels his mind melt away, until his INT is reduced to 0. This program can be stopped with Killer, distracted with Flack or Replicator, or evaded with Invisibility. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A blazing sphere of flame, which engulfs the Netrunner. 'Tronnic Interface: An acid-green electrical arc, which leaps from the floor and engulfs the Netrunner. Mega City Interface: A faceless, leering doctor in bloody whites, who attacks the Netrunner with a jagged scalpel, stabbing it into his forehead.

Flack
Class: Evasion Program Strength: 4 for all other programs, 2 vs Pit Bulls, Bloodhounds and Hellhounds Flack creates a tremendous wall of static, blinding the attacking program and allowing the Netrunner to easily evade. Flack is very good against most programs, but it is relatively ineffective against the "Dog" series, whose limited AI programming allows them to lock onto the Netrunner's signal through the static. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A bag of glittering dust, which creates a blinding flare of light around the Netrunner. 'Tronnic Interface: A cloud of blinding, glowing, multicolored lights, swirling in all directions. Mega City Interface: A bag full of sand. When scattered, it creates a dense cloud of choking dust in all directions. Killer I thru V! Class: Program Killer Strength: 1 for each level of program Killer is a general purpose virus program designed to "kill" other programs. It enters the logic structure of its victim and inserts errors with blinding speed, causing the target to crash. Killer is a very simple program; smooth, elegant and tough. There are many versions of Killer. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A huge, blonde warrior in shining armor, carrying a huge broadsword. 'Tronnic Interface: A large manlike robot, dressed as a mettallic samurai. His eyes glow red from behind his mask, and he carries a glowing energy saber. Mega City Interface: A dark, faceless man, dressed in a black trenchcoat and hat He carries a submachinegun, which he uses against his victims. Manticore Class: Assassin Program Strength: 2 Manticore is the simplest of a series of Assassin programs; a type of Killer designed to locate and destroy any type of Demon Program. If no Demon is present in your cybermodem file, they will ignore you. These programs can be evaded with Invisibility, but will not be confused by Flack or Replicator. They can be destroyed by Killer programs. All Assassin programs can be carried by an intruding Netrunner and used to attack programs encountered in the Net. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A huge, roaring beast with the body of a lion, the tail of a scorpion, and the face of a bearded man. 'Tronnic Interface: A schematiclike shape, outlined in red neon, of a huge, lion-like beast. A large, scorpion tail arcs over one shoulder. Mega City Interface: A bearded thug in cheap sunglasses, motorcycle denims, and brandishing a spiked club. Hydra Class: Assassin Program Strength: 3

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Zombie Class: Black Program Strength: 5 An advanced and more powerful version of Brainwipe, Zombie wipes out the victim's forebrain, making him into a drooling vegetable. Zombie must first use its Bloodhound subroutines to track down the intruder, a process taking three phases. At the end of this time, the Zombie goes to work. The Netrunner screams, shudders, and passes out, reawakening with an INT of 0. This program can be stopped with Killer, distracted with Flack or Replicator, or evaded with Invisibility. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A sheet wrapped, skeletal form, shrouded in a stinking grey mist. It's eyes are sunken and its flesh is a mass of rotting, maggot-filled meat. It attacks its victim by touching him. 'Tronnic Interface: A swirling nimbus of glowing, red-hot gas, which engulfs the Netrunner. Mega City Interface: A monstrous, slavering creature, covered in rank hair. It has tiny red eyes, and a huge mouth full of slime encrusted teeth. It lunges out and appears to rip the Netrunnar's head off. Llche Class: Black Program Strength: 4 An advanced form of Zombie, Liche also rips away the forebrain, but selectively. Most memory is eradicated, leaving enough to implant an easily controlled (by the Referee) pseudo personality into the empty brain. This program can be stopped with Killer, distracted with Flack or Replicator, or evaded with Invisibility. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A skeleton dressed in black robes and wearing a blackened crown. It reaches out towards the Netrunner and touches his face with an icy claw. 'Tronnic Interface: A huge, metallic arm which explodes from the floor of the Net. It grabs the Netrunner in its freezing grasp and drags him back under the floor. Mega City Interface: A gangland boss in his mid-forties. He wears an expensive suit and carries a curious metal rod. He reaches out towards the Netrunner's face with an ice-cold, slender hand. Flrestarter Class: Black Program Strength:4 Firestarter is indirectly anti-personnel in nature. Using its Bloodhound subroutines, it tracks the intruder to its source. Silently entering the electrical system, it blasts the wiring with a megawatt power surge. The jolt causes wiring fires, explosions, and fries the Netrunner as if he were in an electric chair. Firestarter programs are excellent covert killers, as they leave little or no evidence in the charred wreckage. This program can be stopped with Killer, distracted with Flack or Replicator, or evaded with Invisibility. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A blazing pillar of fire, which speaks the Netrunner's name in a hissing, booming voice, then leaps at him. 'Tronnic Interface: A bolt of white light from out of the sky which engulfs the Netrunner in burning agony. Mega City Interface: A young punk with a Molotov cocktail in one hand and a match in the other. He lights the rag topping the bottle of gasoline and throws it at the Netrunner, engulfing him in flame--the last thing the Netrunner ever sees.

Hellhound Class: Black Program Strength: 6 Hellhound combines the worst aspects of Pit Bull and Ratline. It locates the intruder (a process of three phases), and sends out a modulated pulse designed to cause a heart attack in humans. I! the Netrunner manages to log out in time, it remains active within the Net, lurking silently in major long distance terminals, waiting for the specific brainwave pattern of the intruder to show up. It then tracks him down again (three phases) and kills him. Patient and remorseless, Hellhound can wait years for its victim to log on. It's rarity and high pricetag prohibits its use against all but extremely high level Netrunners. This program can be stopped with Killer, distracted with Flack or Replicator, or evaded with Invisibility. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A huge black wolf. It's eyes glow white, and fire runs in ripples all over its body. It speaks in a grating, metallic voice, repeating Netrunner's name. 'Tronnic Interface: A black cloud in which two glowing white eyes appear. The cloud solidifies around the eyes into a huge black, canine shape, flickering with ultraviolet energy surges. It whispers the Netrunner's name in a ghostly, piercing whisper. Mega City Interface: A tall, faceless man, with glowing white eyes. He is dressed in black, can carries a long, savage knife which glints with unearthly brilliance. He speaks the victim's name in a icy whisper. Demon Series Programs These are four levels of programs created by the legendary Roche Bartmoss of CGI Development in 2004. The Demon Program is a generic program with the ability to incorporate several other programs into as subroutines--in short, two, three, four or even five programs in one. To use the program, you must activate the Demon, then specify the chosen subroutine it carries. The subroutine programs look and act just as their originals, but are usually less powerful, as they must use the program strength of the Demon core in combat Demons are relatively complex programs--in combining so many subroutines, they have a potential of "crashing" (becoming useless for the rest of the run), each time they are used. This crash save is equal to 12 minus the number of times the program has been used before (on this or any other run). You must roll a value on 1D10 lower than this value each time you use the Demon. A failed roll means the Demon crashes before it can be used. Example: I have an Afreet which I have used tour times. 12-4=8. I must roll a value on 1D10 tower than 8 to keep from crashing the Demon. Imp Class: Demon Series (carries any 2 programs) Strength: 3 Appearance Dungeon Interface: A small, twisted humanoid figure, with horns, wings, a forked tail and orange, warty skin. 'Tronnic Interface: A small, orange sphere of light, with two amused looking red eyes. It continually emits a series of beeps, whistles and pinging noises. Mega City Interface: A swarthy dwarf in a garish pinstripe suit. It wears a fedora, smokes cigars, and says "Yeah, Boss" a lot in a squeaky voice. Afreet Class: Demon Series (carries any 3 programs)

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Strength: 3 Appearance Dungeon Interface: A tall, imposing djinn, with turban and crossed scimitars, riding on a cloud of smoke. 'Tronnic Interface: A revolving cylinder of red light. It emits a low, bass rumbling which--almost--sounds like conversation. Mega City Interface: A tall, powerfully built black man, dressed in elegant evening clothes and wearing a fez. He carries a dagger in his jacket, and speaks in a formal, deep voice. Succubus Class: Demon Series (carries any 4 programs) Strength: 4 Appearance Dungeon Interface: A slender, nude woman with floor length black hair. She has large, bat-like wings, and blue, pupilless eyes. 'Tronnic Interface: A voluptous, nude female form, hairless, and made from shiny chrome metal. Her face is human, very beautiful, and has large, appealing green eyes. Mega City Interface: A slender, redheaded woman dressed in a tight fitting, low cut green evening dress. Her eyes are green, and her voice is melodious and low. Balron Class: Demon Series (carries any 5 programs) Strength: 5 Appearance Dungeon Interface: A monstrously huge, inhumanly muscled male form. His legs are hairy and goat-footed, and curled horns adorn his maned head. His eyes glow like molten lava. In one hand, he carries a whip, in the other a flaming sword. 'Tronnic Interface: A huge, male figure, powerfully built. He is dressed in futuristic black armor, glittering with reflected highights. In one hand, he carries an red-glowing energy blade; his other arm ends in a series of neon-green, glowing tentacles. His eyes glow red behind his visor, and his voice is a sibilant hiss. Mega City Interface: A huge, massively built male figure, dressed in black leather. He carries a bullwhip in one hand and a longish knife in the other. He has no pupils, only silver ball bearings for eyes. His voice is an incoherent roar of fury. Vampyre Class: Modified Demon Strength:6 Vampyre is an extremely nasty variant of Demon, credited to the notorious Waycon Kidd. A very expensive and hard to find program, Vampyre dismantles any target program it attacks, adding the victim's abilities to itself. There are no limits on the number of programs a Vampyre can absorb. Each run, Vampyre becomes more and more powerful, as it adds new subprograms to itself. It's greatest flaw is that the more programs it adds, the more likely it is to crash. To determine a Vampyre's crash save, subtract the number of programs currently absorbed from 12. When the Vampyre is activated, you must roll below this value on 1D10, or the Vampyre crashes. Appearance Dungeon Interface: A slender, cadaverous figure dressed in grey robes. His eyes are blank golden orbs, and his mouth is parted in a snarl, showing razor sharp golden fangs. 'Tronnic Interface: A grey, misty cloud, shot through with sparkling red lights. As the Vampyre feeds, the cloud becomes more suffused with red light, until it has fully changed color. Mega City Interface: A slender man, dressed in evening

clothes. His eyes are blank white orbs, and he has long white canines.

Net

Combat

Netrunner combat is much like other combat in Interlock. Each phase, the Netrunner can activate one program, as can his computer opponent. The Netrunner adds his Interface Ability, his REF Stat, and the Strength of the Program. He then adds this total to the roll of 1D10. If he is opposing a computer system (and most of the time this will be the case), the computer will add 15 to the Strength of the Program it is using, plus the roll of 1D10. On a tied or higher roll, the computer wins. Example: My REF is 9. My Interlace Ability is 6. Encountering a Code Wall, I decide to use my Wizard's Book (Strength 4) program against it. 9+6+4=19. The Code Wall is rated as Strength 6. 6+15=21. I roll 1D10 and get a 6. The computer system rolls 1D10 and gets a 3. My 25 beats the computer's 24. The wall comes down. When two programs conflict, the winning program is able to fully carry out its instructions. For example, two competing Killers will leave one destroyed at the end of combat. A victorious Codecracker program will knock down a defending Wall. Each combat takes one phase-its either won or lost. Defeat doesn't neccessarily mean the program is destroyed. A Hammer could be defeated many times, and yet be used over and over again. A program is only destroyed when it has been "killed", "knocked down" (as in the case of Data and Code Walls) or "crashed." When a program is destroyed in one of these ways, you must buy a new one. Example: My Demon's Copycracker III program has failed to penetrate the Code Wall before me. I could opt to reuse it again in the next phase--who knows; I might get lucky. But if my Demon were successfully attacked by a Killer, it would be vaporized. I would lose all of its programs and subroutines as well. If it was successfully attacked by an Aardvaark, it would lose only the Worm subroutines from its memory. Programs can be copied, using the same duplication services which copy interface programs. The cost is a nominal 20% of the original cost of the program. However, your new copy cannot be loaded into your cybermodem until the run is completed. Shared I n t e r f a c e s In Combat Counter intrusion programs will attack all of the members of the party at once; each member must make his own counterattacks as if he were alone. However, the program will be at -1 Strength for each additional person it attacks. Combat Against Other Netrunners Not all systems are defended by computers. Some companies have Netrunners on staff, who lurk in the Defense
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the guy who got his cybermodem power cut during a thunderstorm and spent the rest of his life trapped in NetSpace. But that's only a story, not the truth. When you get the connection cut, you're out. The only thing you have to face is having to do the run all over again.

So enough talk. Let's take a little trip, okay?

INTOTHENET

Frames waiting to jump other human interlopers. Except for Data and Code Walls, all other programs can be carried by an intruding Netrunner and used to attack other 'Runners encountered in the Net. It might even be a good idea to pack a Hellhound to tackle some other snooper you meet while on a run. You never know who you'll meet. A battle between Netrunners is something like a duel of sorcerers, each reading from a pile of spell-scrolls and firing attacks, defenses and counterattacks at each other. When combatting other 'Runners, you'll make your attack as usual, combining REF Stat, Interface Ability, Program Strength and 1D10 for a total. Your opposition will do the same. The highest roll wins; on a tied roll, both parties must re-roll for the attack. Battles between interface realities can be a twisting maze of changing perceptions, as all participants see things from wildly different points of view. We suggest that in these cases, the Referee restricts himself to describing things by their Program names, rather than by description, unless the description is particularly colorful. Punching Out This is the court of last resort for the desperate Netrunner. He's down to the wire, without a program to his name, and a nasty Flatline about to clean his Interface. He's only got one option short of taking the fall. He can cut the connection. Logging off, punching out or cutting the wire are all terms for abruptly breaking your cybermodem connection. The action automatically restores you to your body, safe and sound-just like hanging up the phone. To punch out, you must roll a value on 1D10 lower than six. On a failed roll, you're still logged on. There are a lot of stories going around, like the one about
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You begin your run in your one room flat in the Minneapolis/St.Paul "combat zone." Your interface is the basic 'Tronnic, and you're packing five programs: a Jackhammer, a Wizard's Book, a Copycracker III and two Demons. One Demon is a Succubus with Killer and Worm subroutines. The other is an Imp with Invisibility and Speedtrap. Both have been used twice, giving them a crash save of 10. No problem. You hit the switch, and plunge into the Residential Phone Lines. Instantly, you are engulfed in a wall of swirling static electricity. You took down at your body--you're a chromed, humanoid shape wearing futuristic battle armor. Your face reflects in your mirrored body--your eyes glow an eerie green. Below you is a white neon grid representing the Residential Phone lines. A wide white pathway leads to a blazing blue diamond shape, emblazoned with the logo of the InterNet Telephone Corporation. 2) You run down the pathway to the blue diamond-- the Central Processor for the phone company. Your objective is the Los Angeles office of Microtech Computers, so you ignore the glowing squares of the Secured and Business lines and go right towards the glowing arrow of the Long Distance Link. You don't expect much trouble getting in; the Phone Company doesn't use any serious counter intrusion software. 3) You enter a cage-like room of red neon--a Defense Frame. There's a Code Wall II blocking the way. You activate the Copycracker III. A stream of light bursts from your raised hands, slams against the flickering barrier and smashes through. 4) A Data Wall blocks your path in the next Defense Frame. You materialize a glowing red Jackhammer to pound the blue barrier down. You move on. 5) You enter the Long Distance Link. The glowing violet arrow sinks through the floor--its like moving downstairs on a fast elevator. Lights blur around you as you fall towards the distant trunk line. 6 thru 11) You drop until you see a brilliant red, neon shape rising to meet you--a streaming river of red light, like a superhighway. It angles away into the starstrewn darkness to-

wards the horizon. At intervals, you can see complex grids and shapes of multicolored neon structures representing cities. You reach the red highway and hurtle above it at lightspeed, passing through spidery light sculptures representing the cities of Omaha, Denver, Albuquerque, and Phoenix. A huge network of neon rises in the distanceLos Angeles. 12) You bank over another huge violet arrow--a Long Distance Link--and land. The arrow swiftly rises into the neon maze, linking you to to the Los Angeles City Phone System. 13, 14) You swiftly enter the two cage-like Defense Frames protecting the Central Processor. Both are guarded by Code Walls. Your Copycracker III programs blasts the first one down, but fails to hit the second. You use up another phase activating your Wizard's Book. A stream of white numbers bursts from your hands and tears through the barrier, destroying it. 15) Crossing the maze of the Central Processor, you home in on the distant grid-shape representing the Business Phone lines. You'll probably find your quarry there. As you pass through the CP, a figure flickers by. It's a slender woman wrapped in gauzy, iridescent mist. Her eyes and fingernails are pinpoints of light. She smiles in recognition you know her by her handle of Razor Annie. You smile back, and she passes you on her way to the Long Distance Link. 16) You step into the vast, cool-blue grid of the Business Lines. Far above your head, you can see hundreds of neon logos, each representing a company phone link. You spot the familiar red barred circle of Microtech, and rise towards it as if flying. 17, 18) The Microtech logo stands before you like a bright door. You step through it, instantly entering a Defense Frame. It's a Watchdog program, hunched over in the corner. You activate your Imp--a spinning, bright ball of orange light appears--and kick in its Invisibility subroutine. The Imp flattens to a thin, glittering sheet of energy, draping itself over you. The Invisibility is successful--you walk past the Watchdog and into the next level. 19) A Data Wall confronts you here. You call up your Jackhammer, letting the Imp swirl around your head as you work. It makes a few rude beeping noises. The Jackhammer slams down the wall. But before you move on, you decide to play it safe. You activate the Imp's Speedtrap subroutine. It shapeshifts into a flat viewscreen. No metallic monster looms in the screen, so the next Defense Frame must be clear. You step through. 20) Whammo! The Speedtrap was wrong! A Killer Program zaps up and attacks your Imp. You curse, realizing you "should have packed a Flack Program to counter! You know the Imp wont survive this, so you activate your Succubus

instead, pulling up its own Killer subroutine. Instantly, a chromed goddess appears, her eyes flashing. She shifts form into a powerfully built, metallic samurai, who attacks the opposing metal warrior. Their sabers clash--and the system's Killer Program falls. You've saved your Imp--this time. "Good going, stud." the Succubus says to you, as you enter the next Frame. 21) An Aarvaark awaits you in the next Defense Frame. It immediately goes for the Succubus' Worm routine. You counter by throwing up the Imp's Invisibility routine and slipping away. 22) This next Defense Frame contains the massive form of a Manticore! You try Invisibility again, but it fails. The Manticore's powerful talons attack your Imp--the Imp fails its rolls and is vaporized! In the next phase, you activate the Succubus' Killer routine. The metal-clad warrior springs forward and attacks the monster, slaying it in a flare of light. Close Call. 23) You've tost your Invisibility and Speedtrap programs, so you enter the next Frame cautiously. You breathe a sigh of relief--its only a Data Watt. Your Copycracker III takes it down fast. You enter the Central Processor. 24) Moving through the CP, you have two options. One is to hit the workstations and see who's logging on. But you figure that's not going to give you a tot of good data. What you want are the plans for Microtech's new military computer. That'll be in the Memory Storages. You press on. 25) Entering the first Defense Frame of the Memory area, you encounter another Watchdog. But waitl--its a Bloodhound! It lunges past you and off on your trail. You activate the Killer routine and the armored warrior rockets off in hot pursuit. In the first phase, the Bloodhound escapes. But on the second phase, the samurai kills the hound before it can trace your path. The Killer reappears before you, melting back into the form of the beautiful chromed woman. She winks. 26, 27, 28) Cautiously, you move into the next Frame. Empty. So's the next and the next. What gives? Obviously someone wanted to spend their money elsewhere in the system. But where? You step into the next Frame. 29) Hellhound! The huge black cloud leaps at you, but you throw the Killer routine in its way. Phase one--the metal warrior staggers and misses! Phase two--the overworked Succubus's crash save is now 5! She fails the save and vaporizes with a despairing cry. You're alone without a program to cover you. The Hellhound's eyes glitter gleefully as it reaches out to stop your heart You punch out. You're sitting in a chair in front of your desk. The seedy flat is silent except for the faint hum of your cybermodem as it
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player to make their Interface playable. Luckily, there are a few natural limits imposed on this pocket world. It's population will always be extremely limited, consisting of the Netrunner, some thirty or so programs (and their personifications), and an occasional rival Netrunner who come in from the outside. It won't have a lot of locations-mostly corridors representing wires, small rooms representing Defense Frames, and an occasional big space or room representing a memory storage. Also, each time a Flatline cleans out an Interface, that particular universe will be reduced to square one again. Even so, its going to be a challenge to be able to create and maintain a lot of pocket universes for each player. For this reason, we suggest that Referees either limit the number of 'Runners in their game to one or two, or give all of the Runners in their game the exact same interface and make them run together. A smart Referee will limit the number of interface per character to one, and insist that beginning characters use one of the three example interfaces from this rulebook to start with. This way, the same programs, descriptions and locations can be reused over and over again. Our best suggestion is to treat any Net interface as a separate reality unto itself. Using the player's Interface Map as his guide, the Referee should keep notes on programs or characters encountered, incidents from runs, and other trivia (Iike names and dates). Start your interface out slow-it doesn't matter if its choppy or one dimensional--its going to take some time before the interface program learns enough about its Netrunner user to become a viable world.

powers down. Your hands shake as you think about your narrow escape. Next time, you think, I've gotta bring along some bigger guns. That was too close. The entire run has lasted less than two minutes.

Refereeing The Net

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The Net poses a special challenge to even an experienced Referee. It allows the player to construct his or her own pocket universe--a universe in which the Netrunner has nearly godlike powers. Unlike other roleplaying systems, the Referee must work very closely with his Netrunner

USING

THE

Maps

Net Maps are the Referee's guide to where things are in the universe of the Net. The best way use the Maps in this rulebook is to treat them as if they are actually levels of a

vast maze, gameboard or dungeon. The adventuring Netrunner travels through these maze levels, encountering obstacles and dangers in the various protective Defense Frames strewn along the way.
Computer/Communications maps: Treat these as segments of a very small maze. Entering the Maze from its Phone or Long Distance Link, you will travel around going to specific areas of the maze, such as residential or business lines. The Central Processor is like a huge freeway interchange where all roads meet. Scattered along the routes will be various Defense Frames, each loaded with hazards the Netrunner must defeat. Long Distance Maps: These are like large freeway systems. Any point where there is a city-marked box, you may enter or exit the "freeway." Whether entering or leaving, you will pass through the Long Distance Link for that particular city. Satellite Maps: Cities shown on this map have satellite connections to the WorkdSat Communications Network. To reach the satellite, you must enter or exit via the city's Long Distance Link. A satellite can only reach the cities in the square in which it is placed (for example, Satellite #13 can only reach Tokyo and Hong Kong). However, they may bounce the signal off any satellite in an adjacent square, and from that square to the next. To reach London from Tokyo, for example, I could bounce my signal from #13 to #7, then down to London. Or I could bounce around the world in the opposite direction, going from #13 to #2 to #7. Each bounce counts as one move or phase of action. Data Frames: Treat these as a room with two doors--one entering, and one exiting. Inside the room will be a type of defensive program. The Netrunner must enter the room, deal with the program, and exit through the opposite door.

successfully used an evasive program like Invisibility. Memory Storage The Memory Storage is a vast library of stored information, from which the Central Processor gets the facts it needs to compute. This is also where the Netrunner finds the information he's looking for. Files & Data Each Memory storage holds millions of Files. Files are like folders full of pieces of information. Each individual piece of information is called a piece of Data. A single file may hold hundreds of pieces of Data. Example: The Arasaka LTD computer in Tokyo has three memory storages. One of them holds a file called Secret Nlnja Operations In Great Britain. The file itself holds three pieces of Data: a report on a ninja attack on the Prime Minister in 2010, a letter from the Kira ninja clan head in London, and a list of the cover identities of all the ninja currently hiding in the United Kingdom. Once the data is located, you can select two options. You may choose to copy the data, leaving the original in the file, or take the data (effectively removing the only copy from memory, and taking it with you). When removing or taking copies of data, you can copy it back to your deck, then punch out without having to retrace your steps. Think of it as a one way treasure hunt with the treasure seeker magically teleporting home after he finds the treasure. The tough part is getting in, not out. How much data can you take? It would be a little hard to use the real limits of computer memory in a game system, but here are some guidelines. In general, a cybermodem can remove up to one megabyte of data (equivalent to several hundred pages of text). The Referee will have to be a absolute arbiter of how big the section of data you want to move will be. As a rule of thumb, we suggest a ratio of 1,000 pages of text per megabyte, in any combination of data or files. A large or complex program might use up a full megabyte. A really big program probably couldn't be moved by the cybermodem. Workstations A workstation is an external part of the computer; usually a TV screen and a typewriter-like keyboard. The workstation allows you to use the computer. Although the symbol for workstations shows them all in one place, it important to remember that they may be in many different places, and there may be many more than the three portrayed in the workstation icon. Referees should label each individual workstation icon in some way if they need to know where each one is and who runs it. Controls (Cameras, microphones, alarms, doors) These are systems inside the computer which allow it to remotely control external hardware. The computer might be hooked up to cameras or microphones. It might control the doors or elevators to the building. It might control the fire, burglar or smoke alarms. Commands to the controls are usually done via a workstation. This means that the workstation user will need to know specific codewords to operate a control system. However, a Netrunner working from inside, can get through the code blocks and defenses and tell the computer what to do directly from the workstatsion. He can open doors, shut off alarms, watch corridors, and even activate remote weapons.

Designing A Computer System While the other three levels of the Net will use the same maps time and time again, individual computers can be as varied and creative as the Referee desires. He can make them simple and brutal, elegant and deadly, or even just plain primitive, using the simple components listed below to create an map of the computers architecture. Remember: All computers must have a Central Processor and at least one Memory. We employ a bit of "game designer's licence" in portraying these systems as much simpler than they really are. After all; you want to game, not study computer science!
Computer Parts Central Processor This is where the computer does its "thinking"--the heart of its computational skills. The same symbol is used to show the Central Processor for the City Phone System as well, as this is where the switching computer does its calculations. You can use the Central processor to give the computer commands. You can tell it to print things, write checks, and make calculations. Defense Frames Only certain parts of a computer can be used for defense. These are special sections in the architecture of the computer, called Defense Frames. In these sections, the clever programmer sets his traps and leaves program "defenders" to protect his computer system. Defense Frames are represented on a Net Map as a series of small boxes, each connected by lines. Each Defense Frame can hold one program. This program is triggered the moment the Netrunner enters the Defense Frame, unless he has

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any time in a major city. Immediately after recieving an alert, the nearest Trauma Team unit goes airborne, their sophisticated tracking equipment homing in the last known location of the patient. The pilot (who is skilled enough to set his six ton AV-4 on top of a parked car if need be), drops in as close as possible. If the firefight is still going on, the security team secures the area (using the AV's twin auto cannon or thier own portable weapons). The medtechs load the patient on board, shunting his life support to the onboard heart-lung machines, plugging him into onboard biomonitors, and chilling his body down in the refrigerated tank for stabilization. Rapid surgery is performed on the spot for the most critical wounds, while the med specialist uses a combination of electroshock, drugs and manual recsucitation to get the patient on-line again. The pilot slams down the throttles and the AV-4 rockets skywards on a pillar of exhaust, headed for the nearest emergency room. The entire process may have taken all of four minutes from start to finish.

Trauma
Age

Team
TM

Medtech & Drugs in the Cyber

Face it; you don't need to know about the medical technology of 2013. You need to know about Trauma Medicine--things to do when you're bleeding to death in a dark alley somewhere. Trauma Team Incorporated One of the most powerful corporations of the Cyber Age is the Trauma Team; a bonded and licenced paramedical franchise operating throughout the U.S., Canada and parts of Europe. These crack ambulance units are specifically designed to get to the scene of a fatality within seven minutes (or your money back). Trauma Teams crews are made up of the best paramedical techs and staff available. The teams are usually made up of a driver, a senior medtechie, an assistant and two "security" officers. They normally travel in a heavily armored AV-4 aircraft, supported by mobile tanker trucks and ground refuelling stations. A Trauma Team AV-4 contains the most sophisticated revivication and life support technology available, including a mobile cryotank to lower the body temperature to approx. 24 degrees F, (the optimum temperature to prevent hemmorhaging, shock and brain swelling). Trauma Teams can be summoned via 911 on any phone, and are equipped to trace the origin of any phone call to its source. You may also opt to carry a "deadman" transmitter, which will activate and automatically signal a Trauma Team the moment your brainwave pattern falls into a coma state. There are usually a dozen or more Trauma Teams on call at
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As a privately owned concern, Trauma Teams are not under any obligation to transport a casualty to a hospital, although they are responsible for reviving and stabilizing critically wounded patients. Trauma Team fees are exceedingly steep ($100 per minute) ; the best method of offsetting their exorbitant costs is to either carry Trauma Team services as part of a corporate group insurance policy, or to establish an account with TT International, paying a premium of $500 in advance each month for continued service.
Death State -

We can do some pretty amazing things these days. We can grow skin, blood and muscle tissue in collagen-saccharide tissue tanks. Smaller parts, like toes, fingers, eyes and internal organs can be purchased from the local Body Bank and grafted on with advanced microsurgery. What we can't do is regrow brains. Once you're dead, you're dead. Let's amend that: once your'e DEAD 10, you're dead. Because "21st century" medicine is so good at reviving the clinically "dead," Trauma Team Inc. (the world's largest paramedical service, with offices worldwide), has established ten levels of death, each succeeding level a measure of how difficult it will be to revive the patient. This measuring system is called Death State. For every minute (6 turns) that you are clinically dead, your death state increases by one level. Example: I am killed at 9:00. Three minutes pass before the Trauma Team AV-4 arrives. I am now at Death State 3. This is of critical importance to the dead Cyberpunk character. When the Trauma Team arrives, a roll must be made to determine if the patient can be revived. This roll, on 1D10, must be higher than the current Death State number, or the patient is a candidate for the Body Bank. Body Banks Just in case it didn't work out, you can still make a dead

comrade pull his weight. The Lifeline Act of 1994 (an extension of the Donor Cards of the 1980's) allows a donor to carry a donor card in his wallet. This card must be registered with the federal government. Only Donor Carded bodies can be turned into a Donor Center, where a bounty is paid. The bounty ranges from $200 to $600 depending on body condition at the time. But the government doesn't care who turns the body in. All you need is the Card and a legitimate death certificate stating that the deceased died of natural or accidental causes, available through any local coroner. The result is that many firefights end with a frenzied looting of bodies for Donor Cards-followed by another firefight over disputed claims and ending in another frenzy of looting. Legally, donor Centers must be located in legitimate offices of the County or City Coroner's Office, or in a public hospital. However, a thriving black market in fraudulent donors thrives in most of the "Combat Zones," usually out of "ripperdoc" clinics or corporate centers (where high level execs get first pick of the new "parts"). A Donor Center requires at least one or more cryotanks ($5,000 each) to maintain the body in good condition.

mal staples and grafted tissue, a patient can take a flesh wound and be out of the hospital in the time it takes to graft on the new skin and muscle. Critical damage becomes a cinch to deal with when you can take out the damaged organs and replace them with new ones. Of course, this isn't cheap. Repairing a Flesh wound costs $50.00. Repairing a Serious Wound costs $150.00. Surgery and postop on a Critical Wound costs $500 to $1000, based on Referee discretion. Bringing you back from death's door (a Mortal Wound), costs upwards of $2000.00. In addition, for every day of hospital care, the price tag will run at least $300.00. This does not include the price of any cybernetics you have installed, Trauma Team fees, or other incidentals. A good health plan costs $100.00 a month, and will pay up to 90% of all medical costs incurred. Check it out.
Body Design

We Can Rebuild You

Surgical techniques of the Cyberpunk Universe are far more advanced than the primitive medtech of the 20th century. Organs, blood, skin and bone can be stored in body banks (the cheap way), or grown to order in biolabs (the expensive way). Dermal staples can resuture damaged tissue to microscopic tolerances. Advanced booster drugs can speed healing to phenomenal levels. Here are just a few of the useful medical tools of the future: Dermal Stapler: automatically pulls the ends of the wound together and sutures them with a series of microscopic, organic staples. The staples dissolve into the skin in 4-6 weeks, depending on the type used.
Spray Skin: For abrasions only, this is a thick, putty-like spray gel that hardens into a rubbery plastic skin. It is air permiable and begins to flake away in about two weeks. Antiseptic and sterile, it automatically fills and coagulates the wound. It also itches. Cryotank: An advanced refrigeration tank, the Cryo cools the body down, while built-in heart/lung machines maintain blood and oxygen flow. Designed to keep a dead or dying body in relative stasis, instead of deteriorating. Biomonitor: This monitor reads out vital signs; heartbeat, respiratory, brainwave, blood pressure, blood sugar, temperature, and sounds an alarm if these change from preset parameters. Slap patch: A small plastic pad containing a measured amount of medicine. The pad is slapped against the skin, sticking there until the dose is absorbed. It then falls off. Most drugs in 2013 are administered this way.

As long as you're having a few cybernetic grafts put on, why not go all the way and re-do the whole thing? The art of Body Design includes skin tints, hair and eye color changes, breast enlargement and reduction, and general all-over body sculpting. You can have bone and muscle removed to become shorter, or have grafts added to become taller. Excess fat can be suctioned away, and collagen implants can smooth wrinkles, add weight, and change contours. Body Design can be used change your appearance to match a desired style, or to increase your general Attractiveness. It is readily available in a number of body salons, including Bodyshoppe, Parts N' Programs, and Docs R Us. Appearance: Looking like a favorite movie star or celebrity is a popular fad in 2013; entire gangs, known as Posers, often have themselves bodyshaped to resemble famous people. Appearance changes are also a staple for Solos, Rockers, and any other sort of high mover who needs to change identities often. To determine the cost of an appearance change, roll 4D10 and multiply by $100. Example: I decide to join the Kennedys--a posergang whose members all look like JFK, RFK or Marilyn Monroe. I roll a 2, 4, 1 and an 8. It costs me $1500.00, but I now look exactly like Bobby Kennedy. Increase Attractiveness: Style in the Cyberpunk universe tends to go to extremes-people are either very ugly or very good looking. You can increase your Attractiveness Stat by having your body re-designed at a local 'sculpt clinic. The operation may include nose jobs, plastic surgery, collagen implants, muscle and tissue restructuring and bone extension. For each point of increased Attractiveness, roll 1D10, then multiply the total by $100. Example: I plan to raise my ATT Stat by four points, to 9.1 roll 5, 3, 8 and 7. My new body design costs me $1800.00. Want to decrease your Attractiveness? A straight razor costs fifty-nine cents.
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When making Recovery Rolls in Cyberpunk, treat the wound in question as if it is one wound level lower than it actually is. Example: I have taken a Serious Wound to the leg. For the purposes of wound recovery, I will treat it as if it is actually a Flesh Wound. This shift in Wound Level reflects the advanced healing techniques of 2013. With der-

Drugs
Question: What's a Cyberpunk game without drugs? Answer: a lot healthier. The drugs of 2013 are far more lethal than their 20th century counterparts. Many are experimental chemicals dumped on the Street by unscrupulous Corporations looking for guinea pigs. Some are homebrewed horrors designed in backbasement labs. Still others are military-designed "combat drugs" designed to create armies of zombie killing machines. All of them are bad news. Addiction Save All of the drugs in Cyberpunk are addictive--the people who designed them were looking for a way to create a captive market of addicts. Each time your character uses a drug, you must roll a 1D10 value lower than the total number of times you have taken that particular drug. A failed roll means you are addicted and probably in big trouble. Common street drugs include: Boost: Boost increases INT by 1 for a 3 hour period. A Boost addict has gained full tolerance- his INT is no longer increased, and he must have more Boost within 12 hours or be reduced to screaming fits and hallucinations. Blue Glass: Blue Glass was originally developed as a biological weapon. Under stress, you will have a 3 in 10 chance of "flashing out* -reduced to staring blankly at the pretty colors in your mind. Roll 1D10 and hope. Smash: Smash is 2013's answer to alcohol-its yellow, foamy, and comes in cans. It makes you loose, happy and ready to party. The downside is that when it wears off, it makes you suicidal. If you're not hooked; no problem--the effect wears off in about three hours. But if you're hooked, the depression gets worse. Every hour you go without Smash, roll 1D10. You must roll lower than the total number of hours you have gone without Smash. On a failed roll, you sink into total catatonia; a feebly mumbling ball of pain--a ripe target for some Booster looking for spare change. 'Dorph: Designed as a combat medicine and painkiller, endorphins reduce pain and stress effects. 'Dorph allows you to ignore the effects of stun or shock. Dorph also has a nasty cost in nervous system damage. Each time you use 'dorph, roll an additional 1D10. On a 1, you have lost 1 point of REF--permanently. Black Lace: A high powered version of 'Dorph which imparts euphoria, adrenal rush, and invulnerability to pain. Your CL is raised by 2, and you are immune to stun or shock effects. Lace is deadly. Lace users become fearless, coldblooded killing machines-- exactly what its military designers were looking for. If you fail your addiction save, roll an additional 1D6 and subtract the result from your EMP Stat. Treat the result as if suffering from cyberpsychosis. If you go over the line, too bad. Roll up another character. Remember: Drugs are dangerous. Mess with them and you'll probably kill your character. Or at least mess him up beyond repair. The choice Is yours. Just like real life.

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NOTES & ERRATTA FOR CYBERPUNK

1) Big Trouble in Little Lifepath Currently, the Cyberpunk Lifepath is overweighted towards combat-related characters. Skills such as Dodge and Martial Arts appear in all three columns, while other technical and artistic skills appear only once. The Solo can get a rifle of +7 and a Dodge of +8, while even the best Rockerboy can only get a Play Instrument of +2. Not so hot, huh? You're right. Another problem is in character background. To get moderate levels in your skills, you have to take every lifepath option, even if it makes not sense for your character (for example, a rebel without a cause who is forced to join the army and go to college to get good skills, even though he would never really leave the Street). Again, a problem. Here's the solution. Now, when designing a character, you may roll up to three times, choosing any education path you want; each one representing four years of your life as before. Of course, it is still possible that you will fail your roll to make it into that path, but you will still have three tries overall. This means if you want a punk who never made it out of the Street, you can roll three times on Street Education. A career cybersoldier could roll three times on the Military path, or take one roll off to go to College on the G.I. Bill. A P.H.D. scientist would spend all twelve years in the university (College) accumulating scientific and technical skills. You may still choose any six skills at +2 (you may not take a skill twice in the same four year period!!), but if you take an education path for another four years, you can choose skills taken in the proceeding four years and improve them. This a college-trained Rockerboy who gets a PHD in music (taking College Education three times), could get his Sing and Play Instruments at +6. This new approach allows all classes to have access to the skills that make sense for them. It will also allow for more coherent backgrounds, since everyone will not have the same three education paths. 2) Higher Education As it now stands, it is advantageous for players to travel through as many Education Paths as possible, creating a population explosion of 28 year olds. Although the older player may face increased risks from the Life Events Table or by fudging their Education Rolls, many players may attempt to leapfrog these steps to create 28 year old "combat god" characters. Make sure they roll through all steps-Only You Can Prevent Supercharacters. But what if you're older than 28? Although a younger character can be generated simply by missing a few Education rolls along the way, this doesn't really allow for a grizzled old Solo who knows as much as Methuselah. Here's how to play it: For every additional four year period, you may elect to trade 1 point of REFLEX for another pass through the Education Path of your choice. This reflects the fact that most humans begin to trade experience for physical performance in their early 30's. While your overall Reflexes may drop as you gain age, you will recieve an added bonus in the form of related skills that you have picked up along the way--the old trade of youth for experience. Here's an example: Sgt. Harrigan Thorpe is a veteran of the Central American Wars; an experienced cybergrunt. He is now thirty six, reflecting the fact that he has passed through two additional Education Rolls (which he used in the Military). Sgt. Thorpe began with a 10 REF. It has now dropped to an 8. The +2 drop will, to some effect, reduce the automatic +4 total gain to any of his Reflex-based skills (such as Martial Arts or Pistol). But his TECH, COOL, INT and other stats will be unaffected. He parlays the +2's he receives for his two additional terms (+4 in all), into knowledge, Persuasion, and AV-4 tech. 3) Entering Military Education, revised. Not everyone with brains and coordination can make it into the Army. Cooperation and social skills are also important, as well as a reasonably clean record. To reflect this, characters must now make a required roll to pass through the Military Education path. For all character Childhoods, roll 5 or lower on 1D10 to enter the service. 4) Several important skills have been left out of the Education Paths. In the Military Path, substitute AV-4 Pilot for one of the two Brawling skills. Add Rotorwlng Pilot and Aircraft Pilot to this Path. In the Pickup Skills Path, add Rotorwlng Pilot, Aircraft Tech, and Aircraft Pilot.

CYBERWEAR REFLEX CHIPWARE 1000 Processor Installation

(HC=2D6)

$500 Martial Arts +1 $700 Martial Arts +2 $900 Martial Arts +3 $400 Aircraft Pilot +1 $600 Aircraft Pilot +2 $200 Motorcycle +1 $300 Motorcycle +2 $900 AV-4 Pilot+1 $1000 AV-4 Pilot +2 $700 Rotorwing Pilot +1 $900 Rotorwing Pilot +2 $100 Driving +1 $200 Driving +2 $300 Driving +3 $100 Play Instrument +1 $200 Play Instrument +2 $300 Play Instrument +3 $500 Melee Weapons +1 $700 Melee Weapons +2 $400 Pistol +1 $600 Pistol +2 $300 Rifle +1 $500 Rifle +2 $300 Thief +1 $400 Thief +2 MEMORYWARE $200 Complex Language +1 $400 Complex Language +2 $50 Simple Language +1 $100 Simple Language +2 $600 AV-4 Tech +1 $900 AV-4 Tech +2 $300 Aircraft Tech +1 $600 Aircraft Tech +2 $400 Rotorwing Tech +1 $700 Rotorwing Tech +2 $100 MedTech +1 $200 MedTech +2 $400 Cybertech +1 $600 Cybertech +2 $100 Specific Knowledge +1 $200 Specific Knowledge +2 $300 Specific Knowledge +3 $100 General Knowledge +2 INTERFACE PLUGS $200 Basic 2 plug set (HC-1 D6+3). OPTIONWARE $100 Scratchers (HC-2D6) $200 Vampires (HC-3D6) $100 Biomonitor (HC-1 point) $50 Skinwatch (HC-1 point) BLACKMARKET CYBERTECH $800 Rippers (HC=3D6+3) $500 BigKnucks(HC=3D6+1) $700 Slice n' Dice (HC=3D6)

CYBEROPTICS $400 Humanity Cost=1D6 each eye. One eye only. Includes color of choice, glitter effects, logos, swirling colors, etc. (3 options per eye, Humanity Cost for each option is 2 points). $200 Infrared $300 Micro/telescopies $300 Microcamera $300 Times Square Marquee $400 Targeting Scope $200 Anti-Dazzle protection $200 Low Lite Enhancement $300 Image Enhancement $200 Thermograph Sensor $200 Dartgun CYBERAUDIO $300 Humanity Cost=2D6 Both ears. No visible change to ear unless mechanical pickups are selected. No limit on options. Humanity Cost for each option is 1 point $100 Radio Splice $150 Phone Link $100 Scrambler $200 Bug Detector $100 Wearman $200 Micro-recorder CYBERARM $1000 Standard prothesis looks like basketwork frame with transparent muscle fibres, gears, pistons. HC-2D6 each arm. RealSkinn. Superchroma, hard plastic cover (in 21 designer shades), or airbrushing, lights, etc. are priced at Referee's discretion. You may carry up to 2 options for each arm. $50 2"x4" secret space (HC-0) $100 Tape recorder (HC=0) $300 20 SP Kevlar Armor (HC-1 point) CYBERARM WEAPONS (HC- 2D6+2 for each weapon) $400 9mm pistol $200 22. pistol $400 4 shot 12 gauge shotgun $800 9mm Mini Uzi SMG $500 Rippers CYBERLEG $1000 Standard prosthetic leg with aluminum frame, transparent muscle fibres. HC=2D6 each leg. RealSkinn, Superchrome, hard plastic cover (in 21 designer shades), or airbrushing, lights, etc. are priced at Referee's dis-

cretion. 2 options per leg. $50 2"x4" secret space (HC=0) $100 Tape recorder (HC-0) $350 20 SP Kevlar Armor (HC-1 point) CYBERLEG WEAPONS (HC= 2D6+2 for each weapon) $400 9mm pistol in hidden thigh compartment $1000 6-shot, removable frame 12 gauge shotgun in upper thigh BODY PLATING $8000 Torso and head plating only. Legs, arms must be purchased separately. Humanity cost for torso, head reconstruction is 5D6. 20 SP Armor is automatically supplied as part of the process, as well as replacing heart, and other vital organs with machinery. Character is so "unhuman" that he takes Structural Damage rather than Killing or Bludgeoning Damage. BOOSTERWARE (HC=2D6 each) $500 Reflex Booster $400 Sensory Booster

1988 R. Talsorian Games Inc.