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Cortex bombs

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ammulder

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« on: <05-07-21/0628:13> »
OK, a question of limited practicality, granted, but...

The Cortex Bombs are listed with no Essence but a bracketed Capacity rating (capacity consumed).  Given the text that discusses installing in cyberlimbs, I assume the capacity rating is "when installed in a cyberlimb."

What if you install it in someone's, you know, cortex?  Would that be a "zero-essence/zero-capacity install"?  I assume it doesn't require a Cyberskull or Cybereye or Cyberear just in order to have some capacity in your head to install the bomb into?

It seems odd that installing something as large as a Frag grenade into your skull wouldn't affect Essence, but I guess if it comes to that, you're probably past counting.

Xenon

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« Reply #1 on: <05-07-21/1018:00> »
Cortex Bombs (or Cranial Bombs as they are also called) are Headware that either cost 0 Essence (if installed/injected directly into the living tissue of your skull) or take up 1, 2 or 3 capacity (if installed in a cyberskull).

Note that in this edition Headware does not seem to be explicitly allowed to also be installed in a cybertorso or cyberlimbs. Not fully clear if this is an intended change from previous edition or not.

If not then you can also install them (taking up Capacity rather than Essence) in cybertorso or cyberlimbs.

ammulder

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« Reply #2 on: <05-07-21/1031:05> »
Note that in this edition Headware does not seem to be explicitly allowed to also be installed in a cybertorso or cyberlimbs. Not fully clear if this is an intended change from previous edition or not.

Well, the text for cortex bombs specifically discusses installing them in cyberlimbs (as an alternative to the usual in-skull), and they have a bracketed capacity rating so it's clear how much space it would take up that way.

The chart for headware also includes bracketed Capacity ratings for a few items (implanted commlinks & decks and the ultrasound sensor) so I assume those can be installed in cyberlimbs; there's no head item that provides capacity, so I don't know what that capacity consumption could be used for other than in a cyberlimb.

I assume the items without a capacity rating can't be installed in cyberlimbs, following the same logic -- without a bracketed capacity rating, how would you know how much it takes up?

Stainless Steel Devil Rat

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« Reply #3 on: <05-07-21/1221:50> »
...What if you install it in someone's, you know, cortex?  Would that be a "zero-essence/zero-capacity install"?...

In a word: Yes.
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.

Xenon

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« Reply #4 on: <05-07-21/1343:14> »
Note that in this edition Headware does not seem to be explicitly allowed to also be installed in a cybertorso or cyberlimbs. Not fully clear if this is an intended change from previous edition or not.

Well, the text for cortex bombs specifically discusses installing them in cyberlimbs (as an alternative to the usual in-skull), and they have a bracketed capacity rating so it's clear how much space it would take up that way.

The chart for headware also includes bracketed Capacity ratings for a few items (implanted commlinks & decks and the ultrasound sensor) so I assume those can be installed in cyberlimbs; there's no head item that provides capacity, so I don't know what that capacity consumption could be used for other than in a cyberlimb.

I assume the items without a capacity rating can't be installed in cyberlimbs, following the same logic -- without a bracketed capacity rating, how would you know how much it takes up?
SR5 p. 451 Headware had this line of text:
Items that have a Capacity Cost [in brackets] may be installed in cyberlimbs instead, costing Capacity rather than Essence.

SR5 p. 454 Bodyware had this line of text:
Bodyware with a Capacity cost can be installed in cyberlimbs, costing capacity rather than Essence.

While Eyeware and Earware in SR5 did not. Which meant that you in SR5 could not implant Eyeware nor Earware in cyberlimbs, even though they also have a listed capacity cost.

This was explicit in SR5.

In SR6 this is not explicit.
...which is why I wrote that it is not fully clear if this is an intended change from previous edition (or if the intent is still that both headware and bodyware, and still neither eyeware nor earware, can be installed in cyberlimbs).