Re: [HOE] Cyborgs and Spirit loss

[toadpooka@juno.com]

On Tue, 05 Jun 2001 18:12:31 -0500 Matt Crawford
<matt@severian.chi.il.us> writes:
> Marshal, you *need* your posse's 'borgs to have those penalties.

No, you really don't.  For full-on cyborgs, the Spirit penalties really
don't hinder them much, and when they do, it's in sily ways like lowering
the can's guts, which probably shouldn't happen anyway.  now, if that
cyborg should happen to get Unfettered, Spirit penalties are handy for a
Marshal to have, but remember that cans generally have more powerful
manitous than your average deader anyway.
This is one of those things that bugs me: "balancing" advantages with
penalties that have little or no effect.  I personally would rather see
the number of mounts and cash be the only limits on what can be crammed
into a cyborg, and just exercise my Marshal's Law on player characters
otherwise.  Mainly, I'd like to be able to create some badass heavy cans
as bad guys and not have to cut back because this guy's going to end up
being scared of his own shadow.
On the other hand, if we're talking loss of humanity and individuality,
shouldn't cyborg gear lower the can's Mien (with perhaps an exception for
Overawe)?  I mean, a big metal guy who does nothing but sit still all day
when he's not single-handedly blowing up tanks probably couldn't tell
very good stories, could he?
Here's an option:  Apply the Spirit losses to the can's Mien.  When Mien
reaches 1d4, start applying those penalties to Spirit.  If Spirit ever
goes below 1d4, the can "dies," but there probably aren't enough mounts
in the body to ever get to that point.

From Whom It May Concern,
Rich "BANNED  for LIFE"  Ranallo

"I am the fruit frozen bubble rubber band"
-John Fitgerald Kennedy