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traits.yaml
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---
Adaptability Level 1:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: Resleeving is a breeze for this character. They adjust to new morphs much more quickly than most other people. Apply a +10 modifier per level for Integration Tests and Alienation Tests.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Adaptability Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: Resleeving is a breeze for this character. They adjust to new morphs much more quickly than most other people. Apply a +10 modifier per level for Integration Tests and Alienation Tests.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Adaptability Level 1
AGI Affinity:
Cost: 5
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character has spent a significant amount of time around AGIs, to the point where socializing with an AGI is far easier. The character gains a +10 modifier on Social Skill Tests against AGIs as well as characters with the Real World Naiveté trait.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
AGI Socialization:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: Only AGI characters may take this trait and only during character generation. The character is more adept at interpreting social cues than the average infolife. The character gains a +10 bonus on all Kinesics Tests made against transhumans. This bonus does not apply to other AGIs, uplifts, aliens, or exsurgents.
Restriction: AGI
Dependency: None
Alien Biochemistry:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Morph
Description: It is an impressive feat that creatures that evolved on separate worlds with different biochemistries are now being transformed into pods by transhuman geneticists. In fact, the biochemistries of these creatures are far less understood than that of transhumans. What this means is that drugs, chemicals, bioware augmentations, and cybernetic implants may have unpredictable effects on the pod. Drug treatments beneficial to transhumans may not function at all, for example, while something that transhumans regularly eat or handle may in fact be toxic to the pod and trigger an anaphylactic response. The gamemaster decides when this factor will play a role, based on the pod biochemistry’s similarity to that of transhumans and numerous other factors. Certain augmentations may simply not be available, having not yet been invented for the alien physiology in question. While efforts have been made to provide these pods with their equivalent of basic biomods, the full protections offered by those enhancements may simply not be available. This means that the pod may or may not be vulnerable to such things as disease, aging, lack of sleep, long-term exposure to microgravity, shock from injuries, allergies, or other biological problems that transhumanity has attempted to eradicate. Likewise, the pod might not be able to heal quickly or regenerate limbs. It is also possible that the pod may be burdened with unusual biological problems inherent to its species, such as bizarre gastrointestinal issues, hacking up hairballs, respiratory distress, or an alien version of leukemia. Gamemasters are encouraged to be inventive. Morphs with alien biochemistry count as exotic and inflict –30 modifiers to Alienation and Integrity Tests. This trait is only available to pods created from alien life.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Allies:
Cost: 30
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character is part of or has a relationship with some influential group that they can occasionally call on for support. For example, this could be their old gatecrashing crew, former research lab co-workers, a criminal cartel they are part of, or an elite social clique. The gamemaster and player should work out what the character’s relationship is with this group, and why the character can call on them for aid. Gamemaster’s should take care that these allies are not abused, such as calling on them more than once per game session. The character’s ties to this group are also a two-way street—they will be expected to perform duties for the group on occasion as well (a potential plot seed for scenarios).
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Ambidextrous:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character can use and manipulate objects equally well with both hands (they do not suffer the off-hand modifier). If the character has other prehensile limbs (feet, tail, tentacles, etc), this trait may be applied to a limb other than the hand. This trait may be taken multiple times for multiple limbs.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Animal Empathy:
Cost: 5
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character has an instinctive feel for handling and working with non-sapient animals of all kinds. Apply a +10 modifier to Animal Handling skill tests or whenever the character makes a test to influence or interact with an animal.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Async Familiarity:
Cost: 5
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: This character has a keen sense for the subtle behavioral clues and micro-expressions that many asyncs unconsciously adopt after their infection. As a result, they may make a Kinesics Test to identify an async as such on their behavior alone. Gamemasters are encouraged to make this test difficult (–30) at best, given that there is usually no outward sign of Watts-MacLeod infection or the use of psi sleights. This trait is most common among asyncs, but it may be allowed for characters that have studied asyncs or spent significant time in their presence.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Dependency: None
Brave:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: This character does not scare easily, and will face threats, intimidation, and certain bodily harm without flinching. As a side effect, the character is not always the best at gauging risks, especially when it comes to factoring in danger to others. The character receives a +10 modifier on all tests to resist fear or intimidation.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Civilian Analyst Level 1:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character is a civilian analyst in a large intelligence agency such as the Titanian Ministry of State’s Civilian Intelligence Directorate or the Planetary Consortium’s Oversight. At Level 2, the character is a manager coordinating the work of 3–5 other analysts and a few dozen AIs, or a senior non-manager. For each level, the character receives a +10 on all Networking Tests within their agency. The character is actively employed there and is expected to put in at least 6 hours of work four days a week (if Titanian) or 8 hours a day five days a week (if Jovian, Venusian, Lunar, or Martian). In some polities, the character may be able to work remotely. This trait may be a poor choice for Jovian characters, as most Jovian intel analysts are confined to the Castle, with very limited freedom of movement. Also note that characters making frequent requests for secret information not related to their job functions will draw scrutiny.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Civilian Analyst Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character is a civilian analyst in a large intelligence agency such as the Titanian Ministry of State’s Civilian Intelligence Directorate or the Planetary Consortium’s Oversight. At Level 2, the character is a manager coordinating the work of 3–5 other analysts and a few dozen AIs, or a senior non-manager. For each level, the character receives a +10 on all Networking Tests within their agency. The character is actively employed there and is expected to put in at least 6 hours of work four days a week (if Titanian) or 8 hours a day five days a week (if Jovian, Venusian, Lunar, or Martian). In some polities, the character may be able to work remotely. This trait may be a poor choice for Jovian characters, as most Jovian intel analysts are confined to the Castle, with very limited freedom of movement. Also note that characters making frequent requests for secret information not related to their job functions will draw scrutiny.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Civilian Analyst Level 2
Common Sense:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character has an innate sense of judgment that cuts through other distractions and factors that might cloud a decision. Once per game session, the player may ask the gamemaster what choice they should make or what course of action they should take, and the gamemaster should give them solid advice based on what the character knows. Alternately, if the character is about to make a disastrous decision, the gamemaster can use the character’s free hint and warn the player they are making a mistake.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Coronal Adaptation:
Cost: 30
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: For biomorphs, this radical alteration enables the subject’s metabolism to live off solar energy, using medichines to repair radiation damage. This same metabolism also generates powerful electromagnetic fields that protect the character from the intense temperatures and radiation in the coronal environment and even enable the character to sail the solar winds. Morphs with this adaptation cannot survive outside the coronal environment (or similar environments) for more than a few days without extensive medical support. Coronal adaptation can only be applied to morphs that also have medichines. For synthmorphs, this adaptation restructures the morph’s composition with heat-resistant materials capable of surviving superheated plasma and shielded against radiation. The shell is also equipped with refractive metamaterials and a perfectly mirrored surface, giving it an albedo of nearly one. The reflective surface protects the wearer from well over 99% of the radiant energy that falls upon it, but a powerful cooling system and extensive radiation shielding are required for the minuscule percentage of energy that slips through. Generated electromagnetic fields also protect the morph and enable propulsion along solar magnetic lines. This adaptation provides a +10 modifier to the biomorph’s Free Fall skill tests in the presence of strong electromagnetic fields. It also provides 10 points of Energy armor against heat and electromagnetic-based attacks (such as lasers, microwaves, and plasma weapons, but not explosions).
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Danger Sense:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character has an intuitive sixth sense that warns them of imminent threats. They receive a +10 modifier on Surprise Tests.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Direction Sense:
Cost: 5
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: Somehow the character always knows which way is up, north, etc., even when blinded. The character receives a +10 modifier for figuring out complex directions, reading maps, and remembering or retracing a path they have taken.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Digital Ghost:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character has an intuitive knack for keeping their computer intrusions out of the spotlight. Once per game session, the hacker may prevent a Severe Failure or Critical Failure from downgrading their status on a hacked system (see Failing Tests).
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Dominant Strain:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: This trait is only available to asyncs. The Watts-MacLeod virus has a special hold on the async and aggressively resists attempts by other strains of the exsurgent virus to gain a foothold in the character. Instead of the usual –20 penalty to resist infection, the character gains a +10 bonus. Any time they must make such a test, however, they immediately suffer the effects of a derangement for 1d10 hours after the test is resolved as the Watts-MacLeod strain asserts itself. They incur no stress along with this derangement, but multiple tests to resist infection may, at the gamemaster’s discretion, incur additional derangements.
Restriction: Async
Dependency: None
Drug Exception:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Both
Description: The character or morph has an unusual resistance to addiction for one particular biological or chemical drug (but not nanodrugs or narcoalgorithms). Addiction Tests for using that drug or resisting an addiction craving are made with a +20 modifier. Furthermore, the character halves the penalty for minor and moderate addiction to that drug, but still suffers full penalties from major addiction.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Ego Plasticity Level 1:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: Merging forks can be stressful under the best of circumstances, but some people handle the process better than others. Per level, the character gains a +10 modifier on all Merging Tests and suffers −1 SV when merging forks.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Ego Plasticity Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: Merging forks can be stressful under the best of circumstances, but some people handle the process better than others. Per level, the character gains a +10 modifier on all Merging Tests and suffers −1 SV when merging forks.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Ego Plasticity Level 1
Ego Plasticity Level 3:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: Merging forks can be stressful under the best of circumstances, but some people handle the process better than others. Per level, the character gains a +10 modifier on all Merging Tests and suffers −1 SV when merging forks.
Restriction: Ego Plasticity Level 2
Eidetic Memory:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Both
Description: Much like a computer, the character has perfect memory recall. They can remember anything they have sensed, often even from a single glance. This works the same as the eidetic memory implant.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Enlarged Size:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Morph
Description: This trait increases the size of an existing morph model from either small to medium or medium to large (morphs may only be enlarged once). Morphs enlarged to a medium size lose the effects of the Small Size trait and gain 5 points of Durability. Morphs enlarged to a large size gain the effects of the Large Size trait and 10 points of Durability. Durability increases also effect Wound Threshold and Death Rating as normal. Enlarging a morph may affect other changes at the gamemaster’s discretion. For example, morphs that relied on their small size for flight may lose that capability or suffer modifiers.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Entrepreneur Level 1:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: This character is the owner or co-owner of their own small hypercorp, microcorp, or business franchise—or an active participant in an autonomist cooperative, collective, or work syndicate. This entity has its own reputation score in an appropriate social network; at the beginning of game play, this rep score equals the trait level x 20. As an owner/member, the character can call upon this rep score for favors, information, and goods, just as they would their own rep score. At the gamemster’s discretion, this venture can provide other benefits, such as enabling opportunities for smuggling, making official inquiries, or providing a cover for clandestine activities. Though a character can handle much of their management/participation in their businesses or cooperative work project via the mesh and forking, the gamemaster should ensure that the relationship is not strictly a one-way street and occasionally place obligations on the character to take care of business affairs. The gamemaster and player should work together to define the nature of the business/cooperative, such as what it focuses on, where it is based, and the other important participants. These ventures are more than just another resource for the character to call upon, as they can also be used to sew new plot seeds or create new role-playing opportunities. The reputation score of this venture should fluctuate during game play, much like a player character’s. This may be in part due to the character’s actions, but could also result from economic or political factors outside the character’s control.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Entrepreneur Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: This character is the owner or co-owner of their own small hypercorp, microcorp, or business franchise—or an active participant in an autonomist cooperative, collective, or work syndicate. This entity has its own reputation score in an appropriate social network; at the beginning of game play, this rep score equals the trait level x 20. As an owner/member, the character can call upon this rep score for favors, information, and goods, just as they would their own rep score. At the gamemster’s discretion, this venture can provide other benefits, such as enabling opportunities for smuggling, making official inquiries, or providing a cover for clandestine activities. Though a character can handle much of their management/participation in their businesses or cooperative work project via the mesh and forking, the gamemaster should ensure that the relationship is not strictly a one-way street and occasionally place obligations on the character to take care of business affairs. The gamemaster and player should work together to define the nature of the business/cooperative, such as what it focuses on, where it is based, and the other important participants. These ventures are more than just another resource for the character to call upon, as they can also be used to sew new plot seeds or create new role-playing opportunities. The reputation score of this venture should fluctuate during game play, much like a player character’s. This may be in part due to the character’s actions, but could also result from economic or political factors outside the character’s control.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Entrepreneur Level 1
Entrepreneur Level 3:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: This character is the owner or co-owner of their own small hypercorp, microcorp, or business franchise—or an active participant in an autonomist cooperative, collective, or work syndicate. This entity has its own reputation score in an appropriate social network; at the beginning of game play, this rep score equals the trait level x 20. As an owner/member, the character can call upon this rep score for favors, information, and goods, just as they would their own rep score. At the gamemster’s discretion, this venture can provide other benefits, such as enabling opportunities for smuggling, making official inquiries, or providing a cover for clandestine activities. Though a character can handle much of their management/participation in their businesses or cooperative work project via the mesh and forking, the gamemaster should ensure that the relationship is not strictly a one-way street and occasionally place obligations on the character to take care of business affairs. The gamemaster and player should work together to define the nature of the business/cooperative, such as what it focuses on, where it is based, and the other important participants. These ventures are more than just another resource for the character to call upon, as they can also be used to sew new plot seeds or create new role-playing opportunities. The reputation score of this venture should fluctuate during game play, much like a player character’s. This may be in part due to the character’s actions, but could also result from economic or political factors outside the character’s control.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Entrepreneur Level 2
Established Fork:
Cost: 5
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character begins the game with a fully instanced fork of themselves, and the player can specify if it is an alpha, beta, or delta fork; beta and delta forks will have their stats adjusted according to the rules outlined in Forking and Merging. Psychosurgical alterations that differentiate the fork from the character such as personality edits, mannerisms, and gender/sexual identity (but not traits) can be defined by the player and incorporated into the fork at no cost. Any other positive or negative mental traits taken for the fork must be purchased and applied to the fork exclusively. The fork’s morph and gear must be paid for and provided by expenditure of the character’s own CP and starting credits. This trait ensures the fork is established and recognized as legal in whatever habitat the character lives in when the game starts, but there is no guarantee that the fork would be recognized as legal elsewhere or that the legality will remain current once the game is underway. This trait can be taken more than once. Players should carefully coordinate with their gamemaster to ensure a common understanding of the fork’s place in the game and how they can be utilized.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Exceptional Aptitude:
Cost: 20
Type: Positive
EoM: Both
Description: As an ego trait, the character may raise the maximum for a particular chosen aptitude to 40 rather than 30. As a morph trait, it raises the morph aptitude maximum for a particular chosen aptitude by 10 (30 for flats, 35 for splicers, 40 for all others). Note that this trait just raises the maximum, it does not give the character 10 more aptitude points. This trait may only be taken by a morph or ego once.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Expert:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character is a legend in the use of one particular skill. The character may raise one learned skill over 80, to a maximum of 90, during character creation. This trait does not actually increase the skill, it just raises the maximum. This trait may only be taken once.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Fast Learner:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character improves skills and learns new ones in half the time it normally takes.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
First Impression:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character has a way of charming or otherwise making a good impression the first time they interact with someone. This innate social lubricant allows them to more readily deal with new contacts and slip right into new social environments. Apply a +10 modifier on social skill tests when the character is interacting with another character for the first time only.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Gold Star:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: At some point in their past, this character did something that permanently earned them a place in the historical annals of a particular faction. Choose one faction. Each time the character interacts with that faction (such as with Networking Tests) or with an NPC from this faction who knows the character, they gain a +10 modifier. This trait is incompatible with the Black Mark trait for the same faction.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Hardening:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: Either through repeated exposure or simply due to a willful aspect of the character’s personality, the character is desensitized to one particular type of stressful experience. The player may choose one entry from the Stressful Experiences table, the Continuity Stress table, or any other specific experience that causes stress, such as specific psychosurgery procedures or Alienation Tests with a particular type of morph, with gamemaster approval. They are immune to stress from this source. This trait may be taken more than once, for hardening to different experiences. Each time it is taken, the character’s maximum Moxie score is reduced by 1. Characters may not become hardened to the merging of forks. Characters that become hardened through repeat exposure gain this trait for free.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Heightened Instinct:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: This trait is only available to uplifts. Though the character is fully sapient and normally socialized, the uplift process left much of their unconscious instinct intact, and they are able to synthesize a great deal of contextual information instinctively. This provides a marked advantage when dealing with confusing or tense situations, as the character’s subconscious drives their actions and responses faster than conscious decision-making. The character receives a +1 bonus to Initiative and ignores up to −10 of any modifiers for distraction when making skill tests.
Restriction: Uplift
Dependency: None
High Temperature Operation:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Morph
Description: This morph has been designed to operate only in high-temperature environments, enabling them to withstand temperatures up to 1,000 C. This morph loses 1 point of COO for every 5 minutes it spends at temperatures lower than 250 C, and 1 point of COO for every minute that it spends below 150 C. When its COO equals zero the morph becomes completely immobile. This same penalty is applied to all COO-based skill rolls. The morph’s cyberbrain and mesh access still work in these circumstances, but the morph cannot physically move under its own power. Even if placed back in higher temperatures, if it was previously reduced to total immobility, the morph halves its COO and SOM (round down) until it has been serviced. This trait may only be applied to synthmorphs. It provides 5 points of Energy armor against heat-based attacks (such as lasers, microwaves, and plasma weapons, but not explosions).
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Home Turf:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: This character knows a particular habitat like the back of their hand, paw, or tentacle, having grown up there or spent years familiarizing themselves. They receive an extra point of Moxie that may only be used for tests that apply to that habitat, such as navigating the best route, bypassing airlock controls, or hacking its infrastructure.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Hyper Linguist:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character has an intuitive understanding of linguistic structures that facilitates learning new languages easily. The character requires one-third the normal amount of time and experience to learn any language. The character can also learn any human language in one day simply by constant immersive exposure to it. Additionally, the character receives a +10 modifier when attempting to interpret languages they don’t know.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Improved Immune System Level 1:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Morph
Description: The morph’s immune system is robust and more resistant to diseases, drugs, and toxins—even more than basic bio-mods. At Level 1, apply a +10 modifier whenever making a test to resist infection or the effects of a toxin or drug. At Level 2, increase this modifier to +20. This trait is only available to biomorphs.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Improved Immune System Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Morph
Description: The morph’s immune system is robust and more resistant to diseases, drugs, and toxins—even more than basic bio-mods. At Level 1, apply a +10 modifier whenever making a test to resist infection or the effects of a toxin or drug. At Level 2, increase this modifier to +20. This trait is only available to biomorphs.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Improved Immuse System Level 1
Indenture Holder:
Cost: 30
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character currently owns the indenture contract of another ego. The person subject to indenture could be anyone from a Fall infugee to a criminal working off the damages of an assault charge. The indenture itself could have been voluntarily arranged with the character, awarded by a court, or the character could have bought it through IndEX. The terms and conditions that will end the indenture should be clearly determined as a set credit amount, levels of favors expended, or provision of specific services. It is recommended that the contractual services are reasonably likely to be completed within 6 months. Players and gamemasters should collaborate to establish the relationship the character has with the indenture and the exact skills and reputations of the NPC. Gamemasters should be very careful that this trait is not abused, and remember that, as the indenture holder, the character also has some responsibilities to the NPC. Physical harm, mental trauma, and illegal activities could negate the terms of indenture and may have serious repercussions for the character. Should the character treat their indenture well, they could become a trusted ally, but ill treatment could make them into an enemy.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Information Control:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: This character has a knack for diligence and caution in their daily living, online, and social networking interactions, reducing the amount of extraneous or sensitive information about themselves that leaks out in the public eye. Apply a −10 modifier to any Research Tests to gather information on the character or track them online (see Scanning, Tracking, and Monitoring) and any Networking Tests to ascertain the character’s networking interactions (see Keeping It Quiet).
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Innocuous:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Morph
Description: In an age when exotic appearances and good looks are commonplace, the morph’s look is surprisingly bland and undistinguished, in that cookie cutter sort of way. The character’s physical looks are so mundane that others have a hard time picking them out of a crowd, describing their appearance, or otherwise remembering physical details. Apply a –10 modifier to all tests made to spot, describe, or remember the character. This modifier does not apply to psi or mesh searches.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Intuitive Cracker Level 1:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: When it comes to brute-force hacking, this character has an intuitive sense for finding and deploying the right exploit tool for the job. Reduce the base timeframe for brute-force hacking by 20% per level. Since brute-forcing a system is normally a Task Action with a 20 Action Turn timeframe, at Level 1 this timeframe is reduced to 16 Action Turns and at Level 2 it is reduced to 12 Action Turns. As usual, every 10 points of MoS on the Infosec Test may reduce this another 10%; these and other reductions (such as from Speed and extra actions) are added together before they are applied to the timeframe.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Intuitive Cracker Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: When it comes to brute-force hacking, this character has an intuitive sense for finding and deploying the right exploit tool for the job. Reduce the base timeframe for brute-force hacking by 20% per level. Since brute-forcing a system is normally a Task Action with a 20 Action Turn timeframe, at Level 1 this timeframe is reduced to 16 Action Turns and at Level 2 it is reduced to 12 Action Turns. As usual, every 10 points of MoS on the Infosec Test may reduce this another 10%; these and other reductions (such as from Speed and extra actions) are added together before they are applied to the timeframe.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Intuitive Cracker Level 1
Killer Instinct:
Cost: 15
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: This trait is only available to uplifts, and is most common in those from octopus or orca genestock. During uplift the most predatory aspect of the character’s psyche was left largely intact, and this has left them comfortable with bloodletting. The character does not take stress from committing extreme violence in situations they feel are justified and necessary, and they receive a +30 modifier on Stress Tests when witnessing extreme violence committed by others.
Restriction: Uplift
Dependency: None
Limber Level 1:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Morph
Description: This trait is only available to uplifts, and is most common in those from octopus or orca genestock. During uplift the most predatory aspect of the character’s psyche was left largely intact, and this has left them comfortable with bloodletting. The character does not take stress from committing extreme violence in situations they feel are justified and necessary, and they receive a +30 modifier on Stress Tests when witnessing extreme violence committed by others.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Limber Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Morph
Description: This trait is only available to uplifts, and is most common in those from octopus or orca genestock. During uplift the most predatory aspect of the character’s psyche was left largely intact, and this has left them comfortable with bloodletting. The character does not take stress from committing extreme violence in situations they feel are justified and necessary, and they receive a +30 modifier on Stress Tests when witnessing extreme violence committed by others.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Limber Level 1
Machine Intuition:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: This trait is only available to AGIs. The AGI is so attuned to dealing with machines that it has an intuitive knack for discovering the actual source of electronic or programming problems. Apply a +10 modifier to Interfacing, Hardware, or Programming Tests that involve diagnosing a technical problem or repairing it.
Restriction: AGI
Dependency: None
Malleable Mind Level 1:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: Either through a natural quirk or psychosurgical conditioning, the character’s neural architecture is especially malleable and more readily accepts psychosurgical changes. Apply a −10 modifier per level to the character’s WIL x 3 Test when receiving voluntary psychosurgery (including neural pruning of forks). This modifier does not apply to involuntary psychosurgery.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Malleable Mind Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: Either through a natural quirk or psychosurgical conditioning, the character’s neural architecture is especially malleable and more readily accepts psychosurgical changes. Apply a −10 modifier per level to the character’s WIL x 3 Test when receiving voluntary psychosurgery (including neural pruning of forks). This modifier does not apply to involuntary psychosurgery.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Malleable Mind Level 1
Malleable Mind Level 3:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: Either through a natural quirk or psychosurgical conditioning, the character’s neural architecture is especially malleable and more readily accepts psychosurgical changes. Apply a −10 modifier per level to the character’s WIL x 3 Test when receiving voluntary psychosurgery (including neural pruning of forks). This modifier does not apply to involuntary psychosurgery.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Malleable Mind Level 2
Math Wiz:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character can perform any feat of calculation, including the most complex and advanced mathematics, instantly and with great precision, with the same ease an unmodified human can add 2 + 3. The character can calculate odds with great precision, find correlations in numerical data, and perform similar tasks with great ease. Apply a +30 modifier on tests involving math calculations.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Military Intelligence:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: This trait may only be taken by characters with the Military Rank trait (below). Since all members of JSFI are commissioned officers, Jovian characters must have Military Rank of at least Level 2. The character is posted to their military’s intelligence service. This makes it possible for the character to use reputation to garner classified information at one Favor level lower than normal, but it also immerses the character in the spook world, limiting their movements and greatly complicating their collaboration with Firewall. Players taking this trait should consult with the gamemaster as to how their character is able to operate as part of Firewall at all with other spies looking over their shoulder.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Military Rank Level 2
Military Rank Level 1:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: "Jovian: The character is an officer in the Jovian Space Force or Jovian Space Force Marines. Level 1 makes the character an NCO: a warrant officer, sergeant, or senior airman. Level 2 makes the character a low-ranking commissioned officer: a first or second lieutenant. Level 3 makes the character a mid-ranked commissioned officer: a captain or major. Titanian: The character is an officer in the Commonwealth Fleet, Marines, or Coast Guard. Level 1 makes the character an NCO: a warrant officer, sergeant, or petty officer. Level 2 makes the character a low-ranking commissioned officer: a pilot officer, lieutenant, or officer. Level 3 makes the character a mid-ranked commissioned officer: a squadron leader, major, or commanding officer. For each level, the character receives a +10 on all Networking Tests within their service branch. The character is on active duty, with all of the attendant structure and responsibilities of military life. Usually this includes being stationed in a specific place or on a specific vessel. However, the character might also have a desk job or be support staff. Players taking this trait must seek gamemaster permission and develop a plausible story for how their character is able to participate in Firewall missions while on active duty. Also note that this trait affects only the character’s Networking Tests. Favors involving acquiring hardware, deploying military units, or the like still require plausible explanations as to how the character is manipulating the military command and logistics systems, and will have serious consequences if the character’s superiors judge them to be abusing their position. Rank-and-file grunts don’t need to take this trait."
Restriction: Jovian or Titanian
Dependency: None
Military Rank Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: "Jovian: The character is an officer in the Jovian Space Force or Jovian Space Force Marines. Level 1 makes the character an NCO: a warrant officer, sergeant, or senior airman. Level 2 makes the character a low-ranking commissioned officer: a first or second lieutenant. Level 3 makes the character a mid-ranked commissioned officer: a captain or major. Titanian: The character is an officer in the Commonwealth Fleet, Marines, or Coast Guard. Level 1 makes the character an NCO: a warrant officer, sergeant, or petty officer. Level 2 makes the character a low-ranking commissioned officer: a pilot officer, lieutenant, or officer. Level 3 makes the character a mid-ranked commissioned officer: a squadron leader, major, or commanding officer. For each level, the character receives a +10 on all Networking Tests within their service branch. The character is on active duty, with all of the attendant structure and responsibilities of military life. Usually this includes being stationed in a specific place or on a specific vessel. However, the character might also have a desk job or be support staff. Players taking this trait must seek gamemaster permission and develop a plausible story for how their character is able to participate in Firewall missions while on active duty. Also note that this trait affects only the character’s Networking Tests. Favors involving acquiring hardware, deploying military units, or the like still require plausible explanations as to how the character is manipulating the military command and logistics systems, and will have serious consequences if the character’s superiors judge them to be abusing their position. Rank-and-file grunts don’t need to take this trait."
Restriction: Jovian or Titanian
Dependency: Military Rank Level 1
Military Rank Level 3:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: "Jovian: The character is an officer in the Jovian Space Force or Jovian Space Force Marines. Level 1 makes the character an NCO: a warrant officer, sergeant, or senior airman. Level 2 makes the character a low-ranking commissioned officer: a first or second lieutenant. Level 3 makes the character a mid-ranked commissioned officer: a captain or major. Titanian: The character is an officer in the Commonwealth Fleet, Marines, or Coast Guard. Level 1 makes the character an NCO: a warrant officer, sergeant, or petty officer. Level 2 makes the character a low-ranking commissioned officer: a pilot officer, lieutenant, or officer. Level 3 makes the character a mid-ranked commissioned officer: a squadron leader, major, or commanding officer. For each level, the character receives a +10 on all Networking Tests within their service branch. The character is on active duty, with all of the attendant structure and responsibilities of military life. Usually this includes being stationed in a specific place or on a specific vessel. However, the character might also have a desk job or be support staff. Players taking this trait must seek gamemaster permission and develop a plausible story for how their character is able to participate in Firewall missions while on active duty. Also note that this trait affects only the character’s Networking Tests. Favors involving acquiring hardware, deploying military units, or the like still require plausible explanations as to how the character is manipulating the military command and logistics systems, and will have serious consequences if the character’s superiors judge them to be abusing their position. Rank-and-file grunts don’t need to take this trait."
Restriction: Jovian or Titanian
Dependency: Military Rank Level 2
Minion/Partner:
Cost: 30
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character has a personal employee, assistant, intern, or other form of retainer on hand to help them out. This could range from a hired bodyguard to a personal secretary to a solo socialite entourage. The relationship also does not need to be hierarchical; the character could have a partner or other collaborator. This minion/partner should be developed in conjunction between the player and gamemaster and fully drawn up using the character creation rules, with their role and motivations spelled out. While most minions are in it for the money, and most partners share an interest or goal with the character, this NPC might also be motivated by loyalty, friendship, personal career interest, fandom, or to repay a debt or obligation. For the most part, the player should be allowed to run this NPC as a secondary character. The minion/partner is an NPC, however, and the gamemaster may take control of the NPC at any time. The relationship must be maintained, else the minion/partner will part ways with the character. The character should occasionally have to address the minion’s or partner’s own needs, which can be exploited for roleplaying and plot purposes.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Dependency: Military Rank Level 2
Morph Fever:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: This trait is only available to asyncs. The async does not suffer stress effects from extended periods sleeved in a pod, synth, or infomorph.
Restriction: Async
Dependency: None
Murder Simulator Addict:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: Thousands of hours spent in various simulspace combat games have sharpened the character’s aim and reflexes—or they’ve simply spent an inordinate amount of time at the range practicing headshots. When making called shots in ranged combat to target an opponent’s head, this character does not suffer the usual −10 called shot modifier. They still suffer the −10 modifier for other called shots, however.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Natural Immunity:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Morph
Description: The morph has a natural immunity to a specific drug, disease, or toxin. When afflicted with that specific chemical, poison, or pathogen, the character remains unaffected. At the gamemaster’s discretion, this immunity may not apply to certain agents. It may not be applied to nanodrugs or nanotoxins. This trait is only available to biomorphs.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Pain Tolerance Level 1:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Both
Description: The character has a high threshold for pain tolerance and is better at ignoring the effects of pain on their abilities and concentration. Level 1 allows them to ignore the –10 modifier from 1 wound. Level 2 allows them to ignore the –10 modifiers from 2 wounds. This trait is only available for biomorphs.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Pain Tolerance Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Both
Description: The character has a high threshold for pain tolerance and is better at ignoring the effects of pain on their abilities and concentration. Level 1 allows them to ignore the –10 modifier from 1 wound. Level 2 allows them to ignore the –10 modifiers from 2 wounds. This trait is only available for biomorphs.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Pain Tolerance Level 1
Patron:
Cost: 30
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character has an influential person in their life who can be relied on for occasional support. This could be a wealthy hyperelite family member, a high-ranking triad boss, or an anarchist networker with an unbeatable reputation. When called upon, this patron can pull strings on the character’s behalf, supply resources, introduce them to people they need to know, and bail them out of trouble. The player and gamemaster should work together to define exactly who this NPC is and what their relationship with the player character is. Specifically, the question of why this patron is supporting the character should be answered (familial obligation? childhood buddies? the character saved their life once?). Gamemasters should be careful that this trait does not get abused. The patron should be an occasional help (probably no more than once per game session at most) but is not always at the character’s beck-and-call. If the character asks for too much, too often, they should find the patron’s support drying up. Additionally, the character may need to take action to maintain the relationship, such as undertaking a mission on the patron’s behalf. In fact, the character may only have their patronage because they are on-call or of use to the NPC in some way.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Personal Connection:
Cost: 15
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character has some sort of personal connection that often allows them to get one particular category of goods or services at a discount in most major habitats. Perhaps an old friend owns a body bank corp, their family is in the shipping business, they won a lifetime membership discount for a common retail chain, or someone in a criminal cartel owes them a life-long obligation. The player chooses one particular type of goods or services, such as morphs, cargo shipping, weapons, robots, software, implants, and so on. The character can usually acquire these goods or services at one cost category cheaper. This does not apply to Expensive goods. The player may use this trait as often as they wish, but the gamemaster may rule that is simply not available in certain settlements—their connection may not have a presence there or may be too strained for resources to offer the discount. Also at the gamemaster’s discretion, if the character takes actions that would substantially compromise the relationship that enables this discount, they may be temporarily unable to use this trait or may even lose it for good. This trait does not reduce the cost of goods and services acquired during character creation, nor may it be taken in conjunction with the Tenure trait.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Pheonix Level 1:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: Transhumans who die and resleeve frequently are nicknamed “phoenixes.” Death holds little sway over these daring characters, so the trauma of lost continuity has lost much of its sting. The character gains a +20 bonus on Continuity Tests at Level 1, and a +30 bonus at Level 2.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Pheonix Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: Transhumans who die and resleeve frequently are nicknamed “phoenixes.” Death holds little sway over these daring characters, so the trauma of lost continuity has lost much of its sting. The character gains a +20 bonus on Continuity Tests at Level 1, and a +30 bonus at Level 2.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Pheonix Level 1
Police Level 1:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: "The character is a mid-ranking cop—a sergeant or detective—in the Martian Rangers, Titanian Science Police, or other police department. At Level 2, the character is a high-ranking officer: chief inspector, chief of single station or district, or high-ranking desk officer in a large department. For each level, the character receives a +10 on all Networking Tests within their department. The character is actively employed there and is expected to put in at least 6 hours of work four days a week (if Titanian) or 8 hours a day five days a week (if Jovian, Venusian, Lunar, or Martian). Rank-and-file officers don’t need to take this trait. Characters using favors to deploy other officers or use department resources may have to explain their actions to superiors."
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Police Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: "The character is a mid-ranking cop—a sergeant or detective—in the Martian Rangers, Titanian Science Police, or other police department. At Level 2, the character is a high-ranking officer: chief inspector, chief of single station or district, or high-ranking desk officer in a large department. For each level, the character receives a +10 on all Networking Tests within their department. The character is actively employed there and is expected to put in at least 6 hours of work four days a week (if Titanian) or 8 hours a day five days a week (if Jovian, Venusian, Lunar, or Martian). Rank-and-file officers don’t need to take this trait. Characters using favors to deploy other officers or use department resources may have to explain their actions to superiors."
Restriction: None
Dependency: Police Level 1
Potent Mind:
Cost: 5
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: This trait is only available to characters that also have the Psi trait and the Psychic Stab sleight. The character’s mind is especially invasive and damaging when used against others. Inflict an extra 1d10 DV when using the Psychic Stab sleight.
Restriction: Async
Dependency: None
Predator:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: This trait is only available to uplifts, and is most common in those from octopus or orca genestock. The uplift retains the thrill of the hunt from its predatory ancestry. The character receives a +10 modifier on Infiltration Tests when stalking a target and a +10 bonus on the first attack against a surprised opponent.
Restriction: Uplifts
Dependency: None
Professional Courtesy:
Cost: 5
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: "Although higher-ups in your organization probably aren’t thrilled about it, you’ve run into the operatives and field agents of another faction or conspiracy often enough that you’ve earned some leeway with them. Choose a group engaged in covert ops, intelligence work, or paramilitary actions: when encountering agents of that group in the context of a mission, you gain a +10 bonus on all social tests against them, as they treat you with grudging respect—or at least more tolerance than they otherwise would for a member of your organization. Discuss with your gamemaster to detail what your character did to gain the respect of this other group. This trait does not guarantee safety or cooperation between you and members of the chosen organization, only some additional consideration between professionals. Depending on the particulars of an encounter, it may provide some shared information, a moment of détente to face a common foe, or the chance to determine how to stay out of each others’ way."
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Psi Level 1:
Cost: 20
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character has been infected with the Watts-MacLeod strain of the Exsurgent virus, which altered their brain structure and opened the potential for their mind to enhance their cognitive abilities and read and manipulate the biological minds of others (see Playing Asyncs). The character may purchase and learn psi sleights. At Level 1, the character may only use psi-chi sleights. At Level 2, the character may use both psi-chi and psi-gamma sleights. Though this trait is not very expensive, gamemasters should not allow it to be abused. There are a number of negative side effects to Watts-MacLeod infection, noted under Psi Drawbacks.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Psi Level 2:
Cost: 5
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character has been infected with the Watts-MacLeod strain of the Exsurgent virus, which altered their brain structure and opened the potential for their mind to enhance their cognitive abilities and read and manipulate the biological minds of others (see Playing Asyncs). The character may purchase and learn psi sleights. At Level 1, the character may only use psi-chi sleights. At Level 2, the character may use both psi-chi and psi-gamma sleights. Though this trait is not very expensive, gamemasters should not allow it to be abused. There are a number of negative side effects to Watts-MacLeod infection, noted under Psi Drawbacks.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Psi Level 1
Psi Chameleon:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Both
Description: The character’s mental state is naturally resistant to psi sensing. Apply a –10 modifier to any attempts to locate or detect the character via psi sleights.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Psi Defense Level 1:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Both
Description: The character’s mind is inherently resistant to mental attacks. At Level 1, apply a +10 modifier to all defense tests made against psi attacks. At Level 2, apply a +20 modifier.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Psi Defense Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Both
Description: The character’s mind is inherently resistant to mental attacks. At Level 1, apply a +10 modifier to all defense tests made against psi attacks. At Level 2, apply a +20 modifier.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Psi Defense Level 1
Rapid Healer:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Morph
Description: The morph recovers from damage more quickly. Reduce the timeframes for healing by half, as noted on the Healing table. This trait is only available to biomorphs.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Right at Home:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character chooses one type of morph (splicer, neo-hominid, case, etc.). The character always feels right at home in morphs of this type. When resleeving into this type of morph, the character automatically adjusts to the new body, no Integration or Alienation Test needed, suffering no penalties and no mental stress.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Second Skin:
Cost: 15
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: If your character background or faction enforces a restriction on your starting morph (for example, uplifts must start with an uplift morph), this trait allows you to ignore that restriction and purchase a starting morph of your choice.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Situational Awareness:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character is very good at maintaining continuous partial awareness of the goings-on in their immediate environment. In game terms, they do not suffer the Distracted modifier on Perception Tests to notice things even when their attention is focused elsewhere, or when making Quick Perception Tests during combat.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Skill Artifact Level 1:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Morph
Description: The morph has latent skills stored in muscle memory or as higher-level data that refuses to be erased. This is especially common for exotic or alien morphs. At level 1, the morph has a single Active skill at a rating of 30 (plus aptitude) or a single Knowledge skill at 40 (plus aptitude). Level 2 adds a second skill. This new skill suppresses the ego’s pre-existing rating in that skill, similar to a skillware system. These skills cannot be changed or turned off as long as the ego is sleeved in that morph. This does not reduce the number of skills that can be used as part of a skillware system. This trait may not be bought more than once.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Skill Artifact Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Morph
Description: The morph has latent skills stored in muscle memory or as higher-level data that refuses to be erased. This is especially common for exotic or alien morphs. At level 1, the morph has a single Active skill at a rating of 30 (plus aptitude) or a single Knowledge skill at 40 (plus aptitude). Level 2 adds a second skill. This new skill suppresses the ego’s pre-existing rating in that skill, similar to a skillware system. These skills cannot be changed or turned off as long as the ego is sleeved in that morph. This does not reduce the number of skills that can be used as part of a skillware system. This trait may not be bought more than once.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Skill Artifact Level 1
Social Animal:
Cost: 15
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: This trait is only available to hominid and cetacean uplifts. The species of origin for these uplifts naturally forms tightly bonded social groups, and that characteristic has been enhanced along with their intelligence. Whenever characters with this background are around family or close associates, they feel a strong sense of security and purpose that grants a +10 bonus on all Stress Tests.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Uplift
Social Butterfly:
Cost: 15
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: This character is a promiscuous abuser of online social networks. Because they go out of their way to make new connections and interact with people, they find it slightly easier to get what they need. Apply a +10 modifier to Networking Tests.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Spacecraft:
Cost: 30
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: Buying a personal spacecraft is far beyond the means of most characters. This trait, however, puts a spacecraft in the character’s hands, with certain conditions. This trait may only be taken with gamemaster approval and it is best only considered for campaigns where regular space travel is likely to be a major element. Somehow, the character is responsible for a bulk carrier, GEV, LLOTV, scum barge, SLOTV, or standard transport. How and why this occurred—and what strings are attached—should be worked out between the player and gamemaster. The character could be an employed pilot or captain, placed in charge of a hypercorp-owned vessel. Perhaps they are borrowing a ship belonging to a criminal cartel, hyperelite dynasty, or anarchist collective. Maybe they built the ship on their own, but placed themselves permanently in the debt of an esoteric brinker group or smuggling crew to get the materials they needed. The ship may even be stolen, with a bounty out for its recapture. Whatever the circumstances, the character should occasionally be obligated to meet or avoid the needs and demands of the ships’ rightful owners, its passengers, and its crew. For example, the character may have salvaged a derelict vessel and converted it into a refugee barge during the Fall, but must now deal with the scum squatters that have effectively taken it over. Operating a ship also comes with a host of logistical issues, from acquiring reaction mass to making deals for passengers and cargo to somehow funding an inexhaustible list of critical repairs. Keeping the ship operational could become a campaign unto itself.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Special Agent Level 1:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character is a field agent of the Titanian Security Police, the secret police of one of the Martian city-states, the Jovian CDC, or a similar organization. At Level 2, the character is a supervising agent coordinating the work of 5–10 other agents. For each level, the character receives a +10 on all Networking Tests within their agency. The character is actively employed there and is expected to put in at least 6 hours of work four days a week (if Titanian) or 8 hours a day five days a week (if Jovian, Venusian, Lunar, or Martian). Players taking this trait must seek gamemaster permission and develop a plausible story for how their character is able to participate in Firewall missions while working for the agency. Their work requires them to be physically present, although whether they’re stationed in a specific place or are deployed more widely depends on their agency role. Characters using favors to deploy other agents or access secret information not related to their jobs will eventually have to explain their actions to superiors.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Special Agent Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character is a field agent of the Titanian Security Police, the secret police of one of the Martian city-states, the Jovian CDC, or a similar organization. At Level 2, the character is a supervising agent coordinating the work of 5–10 other agents. For each level, the character receives a +10 on all Networking Tests within their agency. The character is actively employed there and is expected to put in at least 6 hours of work four days a week (if Titanian) or 8 hours a day five days a week (if Jovian, Venusian, Lunar, or Martian). Players taking this trait must seek gamemaster permission and develop a plausible story for how their character is able to participate in Firewall missions while working for the agency. Their work requires them to be physically present, although whether they’re stationed in a specific place or are deployed more widely depends on their agency role. Characters using favors to deploy other agents or access secret information not related to their jobs will eventually have to explain their actions to superiors.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Special Agent Level 1
Striking Looks Level 1:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Morph
Description: In an age where biosculpting is easy, good looks are both cheap and commonplace. This morph, however, possesses a physical look that can only be described as striking and unusual, but also somehow alluring and fascinating—even the gorgeous and chiseled glitterati take notice. On social skill tests where the character’s beauty may affect the outcome, they receive a +10 (for Level 1) or +20 (for Level 2) modifier. This modifier is ineffective against xenomorphs or those with the infolife or uplift backgrounds. This trait is only available to biomorphs. This modifier may be purchased for uplift morphs, but at half the cost, and it is only effective against characters with that specific uplift background (i.e., neo-avians, neo-hominids, etc.). The one drawback to this trait is that the character is more easily noticed and remembered.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Striking Looks Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Morph
Description: In an age where biosculpting is easy, good looks are both cheap and commonplace. This morph, however, possesses a physical look that can only be described as striking and unusual, but also somehow alluring and fascinating—even the gorgeous and chiseled glitterati take notice. On social skill tests where the character’s beauty may affect the outcome, they receive a +10 (for Level 1) or +20 (for Level 2) modifier. This modifier is ineffective against xenomorphs or those with the infolife or uplift backgrounds. This trait is only available to biomorphs. This modifier may be purchased for uplift morphs, but at half the cost, and it is only effective against characters with that specific uplift background (i.e., neo-avians, neo-hominids, etc.). The one drawback to this trait is that the character is more easily noticed and remembered.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Striking Looks Level 1
Tacnet Sniper:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: If they have eyes on the target through an ally’s tacnet link, the character can make indirect fire attacks with only a −10 modifier rather than the usual −30. This only applies if the character uses tacnet, not through any other means.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Tenure:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: The character holds a tenured professorship at a university such as Titan Autonomous University or the University of Mars. This position gives them privileged access to the university’s resources, funds, and grad assistants. The character receives a +20 bonus on Networking Tests involving the university and its staff. Additionally, favors such as goods, services, and information acquired via those university network connections are one favor level lower. These bonuses do not extend outside the university’s influence. The tenured character will, of course, be expected to occasionally produce research results or other findings or pieces of work to validate their exploitation of university resources.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Tough Level 1:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Morph
Description: This morph is resilient than others of its type and can take more physical abuse. Increase their Durability by +5 per level (+5 at Level 1, +10 at Level 2, and +15 at Level 3). This also increases Wound Threshold by +1, +2, and +3 respectively.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Tough Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Morph
Description: This morph is resilient than others of its type and can take more physical abuse. Increase their Durability by +5 per level (+5 at Level 1, +10 at Level 2, and +15 at Level 3). This also increases Wound Threshold by +1, +2, and +3 respectively.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Tough Level 1
Tough Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Morph
Description: This morph is resilient than others of its type and can take more physical abuse. Increase their Durability by +5 per level (+5 at Level 1, +10 at Level 2, and +15 at Level 3). This also increases Wound Threshold by +1, +2, and +3 respectively.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Tough Level 2
Trauma Tolerance Level 1:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: This character has a higher threshold for handling traumatic experiences and is better at ignoring the effects of stress on their abilities and concentration. Level 1 allows them to ignore the −10 modifier from 1 trauma. Level 2 allows them to ignore the −10 modifiers from 2 traumas. Initiative modifiers still apply. In both cases, the character is also not immediately inflicted with any derangements as a result of these traumas. Any additional traumas affect the character as normal; postponed derangements don’t count for the purpose of raising derangement effects, but they do count towards determining when a disorder is applied. Blocking out traumatically stressful experiences is a temporary measure, however, as the experience still lingers and festers in the dark recesses of the character’s mind. A short period of time later (1d10 ÷ 2 hours, round down), the character’s facade of mental fortitude will crack and the −10 trauma modifier(s) and derangement(s) will kick in at one level higher. A character who ignored a trauma that would have inflicted a minor derangement, for example, will a few hours later be struck by a moderate derangement.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Trauma Tolerance Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: This character has a higher threshold for handling traumatic experiences and is better at ignoring the effects of stress on their abilities and concentration. Level 1 allows them to ignore the −10 modifier from 1 trauma. Level 2 allows them to ignore the −10 modifiers from 2 traumas. Initiative modifiers still apply. In both cases, the character is also not immediately inflicted with any derangements as a result of these traumas. Any additional traumas affect the character as normal; postponed derangements don’t count for the purpose of raising derangement effects, but they do count towards determining when a disorder is applied. Blocking out traumatically stressful experiences is a temporary measure, however, as the experience still lingers and festers in the dark recesses of the character’s mind. A short period of time later (1d10 ÷ 2 hours, round down), the character’s facade of mental fortitude will crack and the −10 trauma modifier(s) and derangement(s) will kick in at one level higher. A character who ignored a trauma that would have inflicted a minor derangement, for example, will a few hours later be struck by a moderate derangement.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Trauma Tolerance Level 1
Unique Contact:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: You have a personal tie to an individual with unique skills or resources of particular value to your clandestine activities. This connection may be be based on blood or family ties, shared history, or some other situation that permanently linked you together. Though the contact does not owe you, they are generally inclined to help you, presuming it does not greatly inconvenience them or put them at great risk. This contact could be a weapons dealer, a high-ranking government official, a major hypercorp exec, a scientist at the top of their field, a media icon, a deep-cover mole, a police lieutenant, or even a field agent from a rival group. Apply a +10 modifier on Networking and Social Skill Tests with this specific NPC.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Untarnished Reputation:
Cost: 15
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: Through fame, a lifetime of achievement, or some lucky quirk, the character’s reputation in one particular social network is very difficult to assail. Choose one reputation network. Any test to attack the character’s reputation in that network suffers a −30 modifier, and any rep losses in that network are automatically halved. This does not apply if the character burns their own rep.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
You're That Guy!:
Cost: 10
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: Sometime in the past, this character got their 5 minutes of mesh fame in a funny viral meme that swept the solar system. To this day, strangers who access the character’s social profile are likely to connect them to that meme. Though tedious for the character, there is a positive side effect, as these strangers remember the meme fondly and are more likely to help the character out. Once per game session, the gamemaster may decide that a stranger with whom the character is interacting and who has access to the character’s online public profile recognizes the character. The character receives a one-time +20 bonus to any social skill or Networking Test with that stranger.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Zoosemiotics:
Cost: 5
Type: Positive
EoM: Ego
Description: A character with this trait and the Psi trait does not suffer a modifier when using psi sleights on non-sentient or partly-sentient animal species.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Addiction Minor:
Cost: 5
Type: Negative
EoM: Both
Description: "Addiction comes in two forms: mental (affecting the ego) and physical (affecting the biomorph). The character or morph is addicted to a drug, stimulus (XP), or activity (mesh use) to a degree that impacts the character’s physical or mental health. Players and gamemasters should work together to agree on addictions that are appropriate for their game. Minor: A minor addiction is largely kept under control—it does not ruin the character’s life, though it may create some difficulties. The character may not even recognize or admit they have a problem. The character must indulge the addiction at least once a week, though they can go for longer without too much difficulty. If they fail to get their weekly dose, they suffer a –10 modifier on all actions until they get their fix."
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Addiction Moderate:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Both
Description: "Addiction comes in two forms: mental (affecting the ego) and physical (affecting the biomorph). The character or morph is addicted to a drug, stimulus (XP), or activity (mesh use) to a degree that impacts the character’s physical or mental health. Players and gamemasters should work together to agree on addictions that are appropriate for their game. Moderate: A moderate addiction is in full swing. The character obviously has a problem, and must satisfy the addiction at least once a day. If they fail to do so, they may suffer mood swings, compulsive behavior, physical sickness, or other side effects until they indulge their craving. Apply a –20 modifier to all of the character’s actions until they get their fix. Additionally, a character with this level of addiction suffers a penalty of –5 DUR (physical addiction) or -10 to Willpower Stress Tests (mental addiction)."
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Addiction Major:
Cost: 20
Type: Negative
EoM: Both
Description: "Addiction comes in two forms: mental (affecting the ego) and physical (affecting the biomorph). The character or morph is addicted to a drug, stimulus (XP), or activity (mesh use) to a degree that impacts the character’s physical or mental health. Players and gamemasters should work together to agree on addictions that are appropriate for their game. Major: A character with a major addiction is on the rapid road to ruin. They face cravings every 6 hours, and suffer a penalty of –10 DUR (physical addiction) or -20 to Willpower Stress Tests (mental addiction). If they fail to get their regular dosage, they suffer a –30 modifier on all actions until they do. If their life hasn’t already been ruined by their obsession, it soon will be."
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Aged:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Morph
Description: The morph is physically aged, and has not been rejuvenated. Old morphs are increasingly uncommon, though some people adopt them hoping to gain an air of seniority and respectability. Reduce the character’s aptitude maximums by 5, and apply a –10 modifier on all physical actions. This trait may only be applied to flat and splicer morphs.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Aggresive GRM:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Morph
Description: This trait is generally only found on uplift biomorphs, but might be included on any unusual high-end or custom biomorphs. A much more aggressive version of the genetic rights management used in rusters and other morphs that require maintenance through GSPs, the genehacking used in creating this morph is atypical and includes many sections of suppressed effects and potential problems that make it difficult for anyone not familiar with the initial design to modify the morph. Unless “unlocked” by the designer through further genehacking, this morph is sterile, and will reject any biomods not listed as standard for the morph. Worse, due to the extensive and limiting manipulation of the morph’s DNA, it is much more prone to cancers and longevity issues than other morphs and has an average life expectancy of only 30–40 years. At the gamemaster’s discretion, Medicine Tests to modify or even heal this morph may suffer modifiers ranging from −10 to −30.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Anomalous Mind:
Cost: 20
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: Found almost exclusively in AGIs, uplifts, and the subjects of highly experimental pyschosurgical procedures, your mental patterns are dramatically outside the norm of transhumanity. The uniqueness of their mental map makes psychosurgery, routine backup, and resleeving difficult and risky. Any attempts to perform psychosurgery on the character suffer a −10 penalty and automatically cause 1 SV in addition to any other results and regardless of the success or failure of a procedure. Also, backing up and resleeving are not automatic and require active management of the process. Any technician operating the ego bridge during such procedures must succeed on a Psychosurgery Test or the backup/sleeving attempt will fail.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Bad Luck:
Cost: 30
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: Due to some inexplicable cosmic coincidence, things seem to go wrong around the character. The gamemaster is given a pool of Moxie points equal to the character’s Moxie stat, which also refreshes at the same rate as the character’s Moxie. Only the gamemaster may utilize this Moxie, however, and the purpose is to use it against the character. In other words, the gamemaster can use this bad Moxie to cause the character to automatically fail, flip-flop a roll, and so on. To reflect the black cloud that follows the character, the gamemaster can even use this bad Moxie against the character’s friends and allies, when they are doing something with or related to the character, though this should be used sparingly. Gamemasters who might be reluctant to sabotage the character should remember that the player asked for it by purchasing this trait.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Blacklisted (Original Faction):
Cost: 20
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: The character has managed to get themselves blacklisted in certain circles, whether they actually did something to deserve it or not. In game terms, the character is barred from having a Rep score higher than 0 in one particular reputation network. People within that network will refuse to help the character out of fear of reprisals and ruining their own reputation. The bonus for this trait is 20 CP if chosen for the rep network pertaining to the character’s own starting faction, and 5 CP if chosen for any other.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Blacklisted (Other Faction):
Cost: 5
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: The character has managed to get themselves blacklisted in certain circles, whether they actually did something to deserve it or not. In game terms, the character is barred from having a Rep score higher than 0 in one particular reputation network. People within that network will refuse to help the character out of fear of reprisals and ruining their own reputation. The bonus for this trait is 20 CP if chosen for the rep network pertaining to the character’s own starting faction, and 5 CP if chosen for any other.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Beta:
Cost: 20
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: "This character is a beta fork of their original self, which for some reason is no longer alive (most likely lost during the Fall). They were created some time ago, so they have grown and overcome most of their original aptitude deficiencies. This character may not have a Moxie higher than 1 and no Active skills higher than 60, nor may they possess the Psi trait. They also have only a limited set of their original self’s memories—much of their previous life is simply lost to them. They automatically receive the Edited Memories trait, without gaining the bonus CP. Beta forks are, of course, illegal in many jurisdictions, and some consider them less than human (the gamemaster may apply a Social Stigma: Beta trait in appropriate circumstances; again no bonus CP are gained)."
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Black Mark Level 1:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: At some point in the character’s past, they managed to do something that earned a black mark on their reputation. For some reason, no matter what they do, this black mark cannot be shaken off and continues to haunt their interactions. In game terms, the character picks one faction. Every time they interact with this faction (such as a Networking Test) or with an NPC from this faction (Social Skill Tests) who knows who the character is, they suffer a –10 modifier per level.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Black Mark Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: At some point in the character’s past, they managed to do something that earned a black mark on their reputation. For some reason, no matter what they do, this black mark cannot be shaken off and continues to haunt their interactions. In game terms, the character picks one faction. Every time they interact with this faction (such as a Networking Test) or with an NPC from this faction (Social Skill Tests) who knows who the character is, they suffer a –10 modifier per level.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Black Mark Level 1
Black Mark Level 3:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: At some point in the character’s past, they managed to do something that earned a black mark on their reputation. For some reason, no matter what they do, this black mark cannot be shaken off and continues to haunt their interactions. In game terms, the character picks one faction. Every time they interact with this faction (such as a Networking Test) or with an NPC from this faction (Social Skill Tests) who knows who the character is, they suffer a –10 modifier per level.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Black Mark Level 2
Botched Merge:
Cost: 15
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: In the past, the character suffered a serious complication during an attempt to merge a fork that caused irreparable damage to their ego map, leaving them with a weaker grip on their memories and own identity. For some reason—perhaps due to irreproducible memories or information that would otherwise be lost, moral conviction, or the lack of any prior backup states to re-instance—the decision was made to carry on with a damaged mind. Now, high-stress situations can cause periods of dissociation, amnesia, and body alienation. Whenever the character takes stress damage, they must succeed on an INT x 3 Test or immediately enter a dissociative state where they feel disconnected from their body, lose some awareness of the events around them, and/or forget certain information, memories, or skills. In this state they suffer a −10 penalty on all tests. The dissociative state persists for one minute or for the duration of a derangement if one is acquired due to trauma.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Botched Uplift:
Cost: 15
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: This trait is only available to uplifts. Although possessed of a rough self-awareness and the trappings of sapience, your mental development is flawed. Despite the best efforts of your creators and teachers, you cannot ever fully overcome your mental limitations and serious social awkwardness. Even psychosurgery is unlikely to fix you. You have an aptitude maximum of 10 for both COG or SAV. You have difficulty keeping up with others in complex social situations and are likely highly reliant on your muse to organize your life and coach you through your daily affairs. Whoever does interact with you likely treats you with either contempt or pity, as your difficulties are apparent to anyone who has more than the briefest exchanges with you.
Restriction: Uplift
Dependency: None
Combat Paralysis:
Cost: 20
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: The character has an unfortunate habit of freezing in combat or stressful situations, like a deer caught in headlights. Anytime violence breaks out around the character, or they are surprised, the character must make a Willpower Test in order to act or respond in any way. If they fail the test, they lose their action and simply stand there, remaining incapable of reacting to the situation.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Curbed Intelligence:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: Fearful of AGIs that might develop into seed AIs like the TITANs, some developers have programmed extra safeguards and precautions into AGI mindstates to limit their intelligence. The aptitude maximum for COG for this AGI character is 15.
Restriction: AGI
Dependency: None
Data Footprint:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: The character is particularly sloppy about keeping a lid on their daily living, online, and social networking interactions, leaving a larger data footprint than usual in the public eye. Apply a +10 modifier to any Research Tests to gather information on the character or track them online (see Scanning, Tracking, and Monitoring) and any Networking Tests to ascertain the character’s networking interactions (see Keeping It Quiet).
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Debt Level 1:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: "The character is in debt to a loan shark or powerful organization that demands regular payments. The debt may be the result of a legitimate loan or the character may be a victim of extortion. Either way, the character is expected to pay, with an interest rate that is far above standard (and possibly illegal), and the creditor organization will not take no for an answer. The approximate level of debt is equal to the following amount: Level 1: 20,000 credits (plus 1d10 x 500 credits in weekly interest) Each week the character is expected to make a payment on the debt equal to the weekly interest. Failure to do so will cause the creditor organization to retaliate, which can take any number of forms. Hypercorp creditors may lower the character’s rep by publicly declaring them a deadbeat while criminal syndicates may send ego hunters to extract full payment. Many organizations employ debt collectors that know how to get money from reluctant debtors one way or the other. If the character completely reneges on this debt, they gain the Black Mark (Level 2) and Enemy traits. Characters may be given the option of working off their weekly interest payment—or even their entire debt—by performing a job or other favor for the creditor organization. Generally, this will be a high risk mission for which the organization does not want to use its own personnel, such as retrieval of data from an exsurgent-infested abandoned habitat or assassinating the head of a Martian crime syndicate. The higher the debt is, the more dangerous or difficult the mission will be."
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Debt Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: "The character is in debt to a loan shark or powerful organization that demands regular payments. The debt may be the result of a legitimate loan or the character may be a victim of extortion. Either way, the character is expected to pay, with an interest rate that is far above standard (and possibly illegal), and the creditor organization will not take no for an answer. The approximate level of debt is equal to the following amount: Level 2: 40,000 credits (plus 2d10 x 500 credits in weekly interest) Each week the character is expected to make a payment on the debt equal to the weekly interest. Failure to do so will cause the creditor organization to retaliate, which can take any number of forms. Hypercorp creditors may lower the character’s rep by publicly declaring them a deadbeat while criminal syndicates may send ego hunters to extract full payment. Many organizations employ debt collectors that know how to get money from reluctant debtors one way or the other. If the character completely reneges on this debt, they gain the Black Mark (Level 2) and Enemy traits. Characters may be given the option of working off their weekly interest payment—or even their entire debt—by performing a job or other favor for the creditor organization. Generally, this will be a high risk mission for which the organization does not want to use its own personnel, such as retrieval of data from an exsurgent-infested abandoned habitat or assassinating the head of a Martian crime syndicate. The higher the debt is, the more dangerous or difficult the mission will be."
Restriction: None
Dependency: Debt Level 1
Debt Level 3:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: "The character is in debt to a loan shark or powerful organization that demands regular payments. The debt may be the result of a legitimate loan or the character may be a victim of extortion. Either way, the character is expected to pay, with an interest rate that is far above standard (and possibly illegal), and the creditor organization will not take no for an answer. The approximate level of debt is equal to the following amount: Level 3: 60,000 credits (plus 3d10 x 500 credits in weekly interest) Each week the character is expected to make a payment on the debt equal to the weekly interest. Failure to do so will cause the creditor organization to retaliate, which can take any number of forms. Hypercorp creditors may lower the character’s rep by publicly declaring them a deadbeat while criminal syndicates may send ego hunters to extract full payment. Many organizations employ debt collectors that know how to get money from reluctant debtors one way or the other. If the character completely reneges on this debt, they gain the Black Mark (Level 2) and Enemy traits. Characters may be given the option of working off their weekly interest payment—or even their entire debt—by performing a job or other favor for the creditor organization. Generally, this will be a high risk mission for which the organization does not want to use its own personnel, such as retrieval of data from an exsurgent-infested abandoned habitat or assassinating the head of a Martian crime syndicate. The higher the debt is, the more dangerous or difficult the mission will be."
Restriction: None
Dependency: Debt Level 2
Deffered Indeture Level 1:
Cost: 5
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: Due to a prior contract or sentence, this character has a pending indenture that has yet to be redeemed. The character is legally obligated to perform whatever work is asked of them to repay their debt. At Level 1, the value of the indenture is equivalent to 5,000 credits or a Level 4 favor. At Level 2, it is worth 20,000 credits or a Level 5 favor. At Level 3, the indenture is worth 40,000 credits or two Level 5 favors. If the indenture is not honored when called in, the character will be subject to the legal consequences, up to and including pursuit by law enforcement and additional criminal penalties from the originating jurisdiction. Gamemasters and players should outline the circumstances that led to the establishment of the indenture.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Deffered Indeture Level 2:
Cost: 15
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: Due to a prior contract or sentence, this character has a pending indenture that has yet to be redeemed. The character is legally obligated to perform whatever work is asked of them to repay their debt. At Level 1, the value of the indenture is equivalent to 5,000 credits or a Level 4 favor. At Level 2, it is worth 20,000 credits or a Level 5 favor. At Level 3, the indenture is worth 40,000 credits or two Level 5 favors. If the indenture is not honored when called in, the character will be subject to the legal consequences, up to and including pursuit by law enforcement and additional criminal penalties from the originating jurisdiction. Gamemasters and players should outline the circumstances that led to the establishment of the indenture.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Deferred Indenture Level 1
Deffered Indeture Level 3:
Cost: 20
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: Due to a prior contract or sentence, this character has a pending indenture that has yet to be redeemed. The character is legally obligated to perform whatever work is asked of them to repay their debt. At Level 1, the value of the indenture is equivalent to 5,000 credits or a Level 4 favor. At Level 2, it is worth 20,000 credits or a Level 5 favor. At Level 3, the indenture is worth 40,000 credits or two Level 5 favors. If the indenture is not honored when called in, the character will be subject to the legal consequences, up to and including pursuit by law enforcement and additional criminal penalties from the originating jurisdiction. Gamemasters and players should outline the circumstances that led to the establishment of the indenture.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Deferred Indenture Level 2
Dependent:
Cost: 5
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: This character has a dependent—a child, a disabled family member, or even a much-loved but needy smart animal pet. Though the character can leave their ward’s care in the hands of a fork or others, they must occasionally attend to the dependent’s needs and may sometimes be forced to bring the dependent with them. The player and gamemaster should work out the specifics of the dependent NPC together; this NPC should have no skills or abilities of value to the player character. The dependent should be a potential vulnerability for the character that enemies or rivals could exploit.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Divergent Personality:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: Something about this character makes their forks diverge from their core personality more quickly than usual. When attempting a merge, treat the fork’s time apart as if it were one step lower on the Merging table. For example, a fork that is absent under an hour is treated as if it were away for 1–4 hours. Characters with this trait may not take the multitasking implant; the continual forking and merging is too stressful on their mind.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Domineering:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: This trait is only available to uplifts and is most common among neo-hominids. The character retains pre-sapient neurological urges to gain social status via dominance. The character must make a WIL x 2 Test to use th Persuasion skill in any situation where they can safely deploy the Intimidation skill instead. Additionally, they must make a WIL x 3 Test to avoid responding to acts of intimidation with threat displays or violence, though such violence need not be lethal (note that they will still back down if someone successfully uses the Intimidation skill on them). Since the evolutionary purpose of dominance structures is to minimize conflict, domineering uplifts prefer to surround themselves with submissives and will avoid entering situations where they know their dominance might be challenged. Such domineering characters often suffer poor reputations in modern transhuman reputation networks. They may not start with a rep score higher than 40 in any rep network other than Guanxi.
Restriction: Uplift
Dependency: None
Drug Fiend:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Both
Description: The character or morph has a weak resistance to addiction. Addiction Tests (including attempts to resist addiction cravings) are made with a −20 modifier.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Edited Memories:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Both
Description: At some point in the character’s past, the character had certain memories strategically removed or otherwise lost to them. This may have been done to intentionally forget an unpleasant or shameful experience or to make a break with the past. The memory may also have been lost by an unexpected death (with no recent backup), or it may have been erased against the character’s will. Whatever the case, the memory should bear some importance, and there should exist either evidence of what happened or NPCs who know the full story. This is a tool the gamemaster can use to haunt the character at some future point with ghosts from their past.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Emotive Blindness:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: This trait is only available to AGIs and uplifts. This character has difficulty reading the finer points of social cues, body language, expressions, emoting, and so forth for any transhuman outside of its own species. Apply a −10 modifier to Kinesics Tests used against anyone not of the same species as the character.
Restriction: AGI or Uplift
Dependency: None
Errant Fork:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: Whether through conscious action or a freak occurrence, you are not the only you out there. An alpha fork of yourself exists and has decided to pursue its own path. Though this fork is not necessarily an enemy, it does have its own agenda and interests that sometimes run counter to your own. There may be legal issues involved, such as competing claims over who is the original alpha and therefore has rights to any property (or in some jurisdictions, the right to exist). There may be social awkwardness, as the division between you and your alpha forced you to compete over your friends, family, or even lovers. Though the alpha fork began with the same aptitudes, skills, traits, rep, and so on as yourself, it has diverged and begun to develop as a separate character, controlled by the gamemaster. Other complications in the relationship between these alphas should exist, enough that the other alpha should serve as an occasional hindrance or surprise. The alphas may, for example, have a strong rivalry going over their shared field of expertise or may simply feel a need to prove themselves better than the other.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Fast Metabolism:
Cost: 5
Type: Negative
EoM: Morph
Description: The morph’s metabolism runs hot, requiring the character to eat two to three times as much food as a normal character with similar body mass. Food tends to be plentiful and cheap in most transhuman settlements, but this trait can pose a problem in remote areas or when visiting settlements with limited resources. The character must plan ahead and pack enough food on expeditions. If the character is eating off their rep, they must expend two trivial favors each day for the additional food they require. If the character is unable to obtain enough food, they lose SOM at the rate of one point per day until they resume their usual caloric intake. This trait is only available for biomorphs (including uplifts and pods).
Restriction: Biomorph
Dependency: None
Faulty Education:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: Not everyone receives the same quality of education and many are taught incorrect things. Some children, for example, are raised with an ideologically driven system that prizes obedience over truth and accuracy—something still common in certain Jovian, brinker, and religious communities. Others, like many infugees, isolates, and zeroed indentures, only have access to substandard or obsolete reference material. No matter the cause, the character thinks they know far more than they really do. Once per session, the gamemaster may intentionally mislead the character when giving them the results of a Knowledge Skill Test or otherwise detailing some aspect of the setting or a social interaction, depending on the character’s background. This misinformation represents the character’s faulty understanding of the topic at hand and should be roleplayed appropriately, even if the player knows that their character is mistaken.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Feeble:
Cost: 20
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: The character is particularly weak with one aptitude. That aptitude must be purchased at a rating lower than 5, and may never be upgraded during character advancement. The aptitude maximum is 10, no matter what morph the character is wearing.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Frail Level 1:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Morph
Description: This morph is not as resilient as others of its type. Its Durability is reduced by 5 per level. This also reduces Wound Threshold by 1 or 2, respectively.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Frail Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Morph
Description: This morph is not as resilient as others of its type. Its Durability is reduced by 5 per level. This also reduces Wound Threshold by 1 or 2, respectively.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Frail Level 1
Frail Sanity Level 1:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: This ego’s mind is not as resilient as others. Its Lucidity is reduced by 5 per level. This also reduces Trauma Threshold by 1 or 2, respectively.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Frail Sanity Level 2:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: This ego’s mind is not as resilient as others. Its Lucidity is reduced by 5 per level. This also reduces Trauma Threshold by 1 or 2, respectively.
Restriction: None
Dependency: Frail Sanity Level 1
Genetic Defect Minor:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Morph
Description: "The morph is not genefixed, and in fact suffers from a genetic disorder or other impairing mutation. The player and gamemaster should agree on a defect appropriate to their game. Some possibilities include: heart disease, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, sickle-cell disease, hypertension, hemophilia, or color blindness. A genetic disorder that creates minor complications and/or occasional health problems would be worth 10 CP, a defect that significantly impairs the character’s regular functioning or that inflicts chronic health problems is worth 20 CP. The gamemaster must determine the exact effects of the disorder on gameplay, as appropriate."
Restriction: Flats
Dependency: None
Genetic Defect Major:
Cost: 20
Type: Negative
EoM: Morph
Description: "The morph is not genefixed, and in fact suffers from a genetic disorder or other impairing mutation. The player and gamemaster should agree on a defect appropriate to their game. Some possibilities include: heart disease, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, sickle-cell disease, hypertension, hemophilia, or color blindness. A genetic disorder that creates minor complications and/or occasional health problems would be worth 10 CP, a defect that significantly impairs the character’s regular functioning or that inflicts chronic health problems is worth 20 CP. The gamemaster must determine the exact effects of the disorder on gameplay, as appropriate."
Restriction: Flats
Dependency: None
Hoarder:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego
Description: With the limitations on living space and need for resource management in all but the wealthiest habs, most transhumans are used to living with a minimal number of personal possessions. The flexibility and multi-purpose nature of most objects and availability of information, entertainment, and communication over digital or VR services all allow this to work well, but hoarders have a psychological compulsion to keep things that they don’t need and serve no purpose. Particularly common among corvid uplifts and some Fall survivors that lost everything, characters with this trait have a hard time giving away or disposing of things. Unless their behavior is somehow managed, they will accumulate overwhelming collections of junk. Each day, the character must make a WIL x 3 Test to keep their compulsion under control. If they fail, they will keep any objects they would normally throw away or recycle (food packaging, drink bulbs, broken or useless objects like dead ectos, ammunition clips, and the like) and must acquire one new item that day; all of those items will be added to their hoard. Hoarders can force themselves to ignore this compulsion for a day by taking one point of stress damage. If they ever attempt to clean out their hoard voluntarily, or if the hoard is significantly reduced (by catastrophe or by hab maintenance workers forcibly removing it), the character takes (1d10 ÷ 2) + 2 SV.
Restriction: None
Dependency: None
Identity Crisis:
Cost: 10
Type: Negative
EoM: Ego