_About Cybernetic Avatars

A cybernetic avatar ("avatar") is more than a cybernetic augmentation, it is a package of augmentations for individuals who have undergone the CORE process, see /Cybernetics Overview.  There are dozens of different avatars to choose from, but most seek out avatars that augment their role or are assigned by a sponsor.  There are several “base” models listed here.  Each base model has a standard set of attachments.

Cybernetic avatars are often mistaken for Autonomous AI robots and occasionally even service bots.  A character who has undergone C.O.R.E. has a +4 bonus to disguise to disguise themselves as a robot, but suffers a -2 penalty to all Disguise check when attempting to hide their cybernetics.

Undergoing the CORE process and going “full-borg” isn’t always a choice.  Sometimes a biological body is so damaged that even modern medicine and mystic healing cannot repair it.  If a person is wealthy enough or lucky enough to have a corporate sponsor they can often extend their life in an avatar.  Sometimes avatars are used as rewards for those who have served a greater cause faithfully and other times avatars are used to extend the life of someone deemed too important to die.  There are always a few cybernetics junkies who go full-borg voluntarily before there is any medical need. 

SYNTHBORN

Synthborn are found in small enclaves of cybernetics obsessed communities where their children are never actually born but grown in a birthing pod and later transferred to a CORE embryonic pod.  The children are genetically altered with retroviruses to never develop their “unnecessary” parts allowing them to mature twice as fast as normal members of their race.

Synthborn are surprisingly well adjusted to their full borg life in an avatar.  Having never known the life of flesh and blood might help explain their exceedingly low rate of cyber psychosis.  Synthborn only have a 1% chance of gaining cyber psychosis any time the rules state there would be any chance of gaining the condition.  Synthborn are often confused with Synthborg.  Although all synthborg are synthborn, not all synthborn embrace the synthborg archetype.

AVATAR SPECIAL QUALITIES

All the following body systems are replaced with prosthetics; arms, ears, eyes, feet, hands, heart, legs, lungs, skin, throat, and torso.  The prosthetics are equivalent in function to their biological counterparts unless otherwise noted in the avatar’s description. 

Ability Scores: The character’s Constitution, Intellect, and Ego do not change and may still be improved by normal character progression.  The character’s Strength and Dexterity are based on the avatar model and can only be improved by cybernetic upgrades.

Hit Points: A character’s racial hit points are determined by the type of avatar to which they have been integrated and are no longer dependent on race. 

Incompatible Augmentations: Exoskeleton

Medical Treatment:  Due to the complexity of the avatar’s cybernetic biological system using the Medicine skill is more difficult on an avatar.  All Medicine skill checks, except First Aid, are made with a -5 penalty unless the character performing the skill check has the Cybernetic Surgery feat.

Upgrades:  Unlike most cybernetic augmentations an avatar can be upgraded to the next MK model.  If you have modified your avatar with additional cybernetic augmentations and your new MK includes augmentations for body systems which are already in use, you may choose to keep the custom augmentation. If you keep the custom augmentation you do not gain the cybernetic augmentation(s) associated with the conflicting body system during your upgrade.