PDA

View Full Version : Ideas for a cyberpunk homebrew?



The_Squid
2008-12-19, 01:04 AM
Basically, I'm making a cyberpunk homebrew. I'm working on classes now, but I need some ideas. Obviously, I will have the basic warrior and stealth character. The warrior will be basically a fighter, but I don't want to descend to boring old bonus feats. I'm thinking possibly a class feature that allows him to specialize in melee or ranged combat, and give different bonuses at certain levels for that.

For the stealth class, I think I might just go with sneak attack and evasion/dodging class features and the usual.

Then I'll be adding more "cyberpunk" classes, like a hacker and a specialist in nanomachines. Nanomachines will essentially replace magic: the user wears special implants that allow control over nanomachines, and has little nanomachine "factories" built into him that allow the creation of assorted types of nanos, such as eater nanos, repair nanos or camouflage nanos.

So here's where I need some help: does anyone have any ideas for making a nanomachine engine that would be effective enough to replace magic? I was thinking that the character would have a certain amount of each type of nanos, maybe out of six kinds, and different spells would cost different amounts of each. Nanos could be replenished basically just by taking any kind of matter, like dirt, and allowing time for the factories to disassemble them into useful materials. This would work about the same as the rest times for magic.

Also, I think there should be multiple "nanomage" classes, such as ones that specialize in offense and another that specializes in defense and buffing.

So, thoughts on this?

Zovc
2008-12-19, 02:24 AM
I see a lot of your ideas are in the context of Dungeons and Dragons.

Keeping in line with said context, perhaps your nanowizards should resemble clerics? What I'm thinking of is domains. Then again I'm also thinking that "spheres" could work for you as well.

Either way, both of my suggestions fit with 3.5's Wizards and Clerics.

One approach, "NanoSpheres":

There are, say, six different types of nanomachines. Among those, there is one that has to do solely with biological functions. These biomachines are where you would find your healing effects, but also where you could find poisons administered via either excretion (for a "natural" approach), or injection (assuming a cyborg is equipped with a syringe or similar attachment). Another "sphere" of machines would resemble evocation. These machines would be able to increase and/or decrease temperature, produce/absorb light, and do things of that nature. Good control over these nanomachines would allow the user to "spit" (or excrete, again, the "natural" approach), or jettison (with a flamethrower-style attachment, or possibly through the same syringe that would spew poison [/acid?]) burning chemicals. You can potentially convert all of D&D's spheres to types of nanomachines with enough creative thought.

My second approach, which is rather similar, just citing clerics instead involves turning each domain into a group of nanomachines. In other words, each nanomage has two types of nanomachines in them, which provides them with spells (as detailed in my first suggestion) and class features. Perhaps you could start with one type of machine, and gain more and more throughout levels?

On warriors and specializing on either ranged combat or melee... See Dungeons and Dragons' Ranger. For alternate takes on warriors, see Paladins, Barbarians, (Rangers,) and various the combat-based prestige classes. Also, don't rule out the monk.

Another thought: you should definately include psionics in a cyberpunk setting. Whether or not it wholly replaces magic or not is up to you, but the flavor of psionic powers fits well into a cyberpunk setting.

The_Squid
2008-12-19, 02:44 AM
I never really liked psionics simply because they seem too much like the force. I think nanomachines could make a good substitute: A skilled nanomage could lift and move objects through the use of nanomachines. Also, keep in mind nanos can move on their own; they are simply released and commanded to perform their "spells," they don't need to be shot from a gun or like. However, bio-repair nanos would probably have to be injected, as pores would be a slow way to get into the bloodstream. Also, specific nanos could be used like mind-altering spells by sending impulses into the nerves of the target, attempting to compel them to do certain tasks or messing with their senses.

I like the idea of starting with one nanotype, then picking more as you level up.

LurkerInPlayground
2008-12-19, 11:41 AM
I never really liked psionics simply because they seem too much like the force. I think nanomachines could make a good substitute: A skilled nanomage could lift and move objects through the use of nanomachines. Also, keep in mind nanos can move on their own; they are simply released and commanded to perform their "spells," they don't need to be shot from a gun or like. However, bio-repair nanos would probably have to be injected, as pores would be a slow way to get into the bloodstream. Also, specific nanos could be used like mind-altering spells by sending impulses into the nerves of the target, attempting to compel them to do certain tasks or messing with their senses.

I like the idea of starting with one nanotype, then picking more as you level up.
Yeah, the thing it is that "nanomachines" really isn't any different than psionics or The Force. They're all breakthrough fields of special knowledge that give the user inexplicably flashy powers. They're all magic. They exist as per the rule-of-cool and don't really bear close examination. It just works and that's all the audience needs to know.

To put it simply: I find it equally tacky whether you use the Force or psionics or "nanotechnology."

They're still universally adaptable tools that give a single person extremely convenient and unrivaled personal powers. They're also all still technically sciences within their settings because they can still be systematically analyzed and applied to some useful degree. It's just that enough of it remains unknown as to preserve a sense of mystery and artfulness about it.

The question you should probably ask is:
Where exactly does this fall on the "hard" or "soft" sci-fi spectrum? And if you're putting "magic" in the setting anyway, what's the meaningful distinction you want to make between your homebrew and D&D? Or d20 Modern?

EDIT:
Now that I think about it, if I were to homebrew a cyberpunk setting, I'd personally prefer to take a stab at the "any sufficiently advanced technology" theme and run with it.

To elaborate, the sum of human knowledge will have reached the point as to warp society in ways inexplicably frightening and strange to the vast majority of lay persons and even to the experts themselves. I would then model the mechanics that any skill epic enough would take on a mythical quality, that is, people shut down their brains and generally sit in a mostly unexamined state of awe of a sufficiently advanced character.