NEWS

Cyberware, matrix damage, and lightning bolt

  • 3 Replies
  • 1480 Views

忍

  • *
  • Guest
« on: <04-20-17/1635:35> »
Given that ware has a device rating, it should follow that they have a matrix condition monitor. Since lightning bolt deals electrical damage ought one roll to resist for the matrix damage?

firebug

  • *
  • Errata Coordinator
  • Prime Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 2993
  • Scraping the bottom of the Resonance Barrel
« Reply #1 on: <04-20-17/1710:11> »
You could houserule it, making augmented character very vulnerable to electrical damage, but as written the cybernetics are not taking electricity damage.  The character is.  Because cybernetics don't have their own physical condition boxes, they aren't vulnerable to taking matrix damage from an electrical attack.

On the one hand, it's kind of cool to imagine a heavily augmented street samurai seeing warning pop up in his AR about the errors occurring to his augmentations after getting blasted in the chest with electricity.

On the other hand, I don't feel adding an additional weakness, however minor it may seem at times, it fair or needed.  Street Samurai are already weak to hackers with certain gear, they don't need to be weak to magicians with electricity spells or people using stun weapons.

Perhaps it could be hand-waved by the different construction of cybernetics and their fusion with the body.  I dunno.  Some kind of technobabble.
I'm Madpath Moth on reddit (and other sites).  Feel free to PM me errata questions!
Jeeze.  It would almost sound stupid until you realize we're talking about an immortal elf clown sword fighting a dragon ghost in a mall.

Beta

  • *
  • Ace Runner
  • ****
  • Posts: 1946
  • SR1 player, SR5 GM@FtF & player@PbP
« Reply #2 on: <04-20-17/1732:18> »
  Some kind of technobabble.

Easy -- they are simply designed to be less conductive than the human body tissue around them, so that the charge flows mostly through the meat.  (Non-conductive ceramic coatings, surge protection on any electronics, use of internal optical pathways ... )

Kiirnodel

  • *
  • Catalyst Demo Team
  • Ace Runner
  • ***
  • Posts: 1471
« Reply #3 on: <04-20-17/1753:59> »
Might be fun for that to be a side-effect of a particularly good hit, or a glitch while dodging or soaking damage.

But yeah, I wouldn't include it as a standard effect of a person taking electrical damage.