In any Cyberpunk setting, the use of Cybernetics is pretty gratuitous, and Ward Thirteen is no different. However we’ve taken a more practical approach over the flashy “Gunblade-Flamethrower Arm + Neon Eyelid” combo. Essentially, cybernetic use is restricted to Prosthetics, and Neural Interface Devices. In this article we’ll be focusing on the prosthetics available to players in the game.
Prosthetic Limbs
Prosthetics in Ward Thirteen are what cellphones were in the 90′s. You know what they are, you see them around, they’re fairly common, but not everyone has them. As a player, you can choose to replace your legs, or each arm individually. Generally speaking all prosthetics are humanoid in appearance, as they are meant to be practical limb replacements, and not stylized chrome monsters.
Affixing a prosthetic limb is a permanent action. You cannot then sew on a human arm again at a later date. Again, this is a permanent change to your character. Cybernetic limbs do not heal themselves either. They suffer wounds just like human limbs, however the effects of wounds are much more drastic. A skilled electrician can attempt to repair small wounds in the field, however you often have to have your appendages reinitialized, tuned, and repaired. This process is pricey, and for those on the front lines, expect a large amount of financial damage from firefights.
Prosthetic legs are packaged together. Attempting to use one human leg and one cybernetic limb makes movement incredibly difficult unless the limb is tuned to the same limits as the flesh and blood appendage. All prosthetic legs affect your movement speed, and some reduce inertial damage. Wounds to prosthetic legs are much more debilitating than those suffered by arms, so stay behind cover when possible.
Prosthetic Arms on the other hand, can be installed separately. Most arms will increase your accuracy, transitional aim, and melee force. They also increase all dexterous actions, such as reloading, typing, even medical tasks. Arm wounds are generally statistical debuffs, as they occur much more often. Each arm has a a separate module slot, as opposed to the legs shared module slot.
Customization
Each manufacturer has two or three models of prosthetics. These include standard models, meant for general use; high performance, expensive, highly tuned limbs meant for precision work; and military grade, meant for combat. This allows for some basic customization among prosthetic users.
As mentioned, each arm has it’s own module slot, and legs share a single slot. But what are modules? Modules are a second way to customize your prosthetics, and use the same attachment system as firearms. They encompass a variety of effects and bonuses, for example, installing the Ceramic Framework module will reduce the severity of wounds by 1-2 points. Others, such as Enhanced Hydraulics, further boost the dexterity bonus.
Limb Replacement Surgery
Replacing a limb isn’t easy, even in 2036. The first time you replace an individual limb, you are affixed with a Prosthetic Interface ‘cap.’ This cap allows you to snap new limbs on easily, using standardized ports. However the initial fitting of the cap wreaks havoc on your brain, focusing you to forget nerve connections that no longer exist, as well as learning new ones. This manifests in-game as a 25% penalty to all actions associated with that limb. Each day, (24 hours real time) this penalty is reduced by 5%. In addition, each time a new limb is installed, your must relearn the control system for that limb. This is represented by slowly granting the bonus of that limb by 1% each day, as you gain familiarity with it.
The purpose of this system is to provide additional realism, as well as to prevent the more economically friendly plays from simply buying brand new limbs each time they damage one, circumventing the penalties of combat. It is also worth noting that you still suffer damage when taking fire into a prosthetic. Any damage to the bio-electrics causes electrical trauma to the body and heart. However, as you aren’t suffering outer tissue damage, wounds do not bleed, and the limbs take greatly reduced bleed damage (50-75% for arms, and 25-50% for legs).
Effectiveness
Overall, most limbs will offer a 10% increase give or take, when fully upgraded and maintained. A combatant with all 4 limbs replaced will have a rough 25% increase in overall effectiveness, but don’t let that startle you. While cybernetics will give you a slight edge in multiple areas, but rarely a large edge in any single area. Equipping modules to assist in sharpshooting will still be outclassed by someone trained in it. They are meant to increase your effectiveness, so play to your strengths!
