Biomod Shticks 1

This is where we really start veering off from Classic Traveller. A core fact of our setting is that the medical technology has advanced beyond what is in the CT setting with its enhanced pharmaceuticals and low passage sleep, developing the sort of biological modifications that one sees in the Culture novels. Many of these are constrained by law and money – some biomods are restricted or hellaciously expensive – but they are not considered creepy or weird. Another aspect of memetics at work – guns are socially avoided but sticking pieces of vat grown technology into your brain is A-OK!

More than accepted, it’s almost required: people in IMTU operating ‘standard’ tech level have a biomod that give them conscious control of their reproductive system; anyone with a history of being in a dangerous career have a boimod that speeds clotting, constricts blood vessels, tones down shock and otherwise keeps a body alive (if not out of pain – that’s still a useful reminder to stop doing what you just did!), which explains the cinematic health to weapon damage ratio for heroes, while Mooks don’t have them.

A skill of 12 is unmodified human maximum so anything past that is training + biomods. These might be information nodes inside the brain, reflex boosts, programmed combat tactics or anything else you want to define to explain how you’re modded up past human limits. As I said, biomods are everywhere and not at all creepy.

The biomods listed here are ones that are combat worthy or enhance character skill. Some have legal implantation restrictions (so if the PCs have them it just means they were implanted at a time in their background when they could have them) or Resource costs (again, PCs spent money they had at the time to get these) – restrictions and costs are plot hooks if the players want to add them in play, not true barriers to having the mods turn up.

Some biomods have aspects with limited uses per session – Bio is an aspect of their Meta stat, and refreshes per session. Like all Meta uses Bio points let the players edit moderate parts of the setting or activate significant powers.

2.3.1 Biomod List

Adrenal Control (Resources 50)

This biomod lets you control your adrenal reactions. Short form is this gives you a +3 on any Mind check to resist fear, anger or shock – in game speak that’s Intimidation checks and Death checks – and people’s inability to rile you gives you a +1 on your own Intimidation and Gambling checks when the situation warrants it.

Bio Spend: 1 point to pump your adrenal system into high gear, gaining a +3 Body for the remainder of the Scene. You are tougher, stronger and harder to hurt. If you want to you can bump this to +5 Body, but you’ll have 3 impairment that reduces 1 per scene as you recover.

Blink Speed Forensics (Marines)

You can analyze a crime scene (and make your first Investigation roll) in seconds and record the results for review later (for a second Investigation roll) in the ongoing investigation.

Bio-Spend: When reviewing the data in a later scene 1 point of Bio will let you find any significant clues or plot points from the crime scene.

Human Lie Detector (Marines, Law Enforcement)

Your senses are attuned to various nuances in speech, tone, stance, facial expression and so on that make you impossible to lie to. You will always detect straight up lies and have a +3 on Investigation rolls to see through more complex Deceits.

Bio Spend: with 1 point you can immediately allocate blame for a complex event based on body language, speech patterns, etc. You must be able to interview the people involved, either in a group or individually.