Cracken's Rebel Field Guide (Page 4)

Prosthetics

Prosthetics are one of the many wonders of the Star Wars universe. Prosthetics can replace badly damaged tissue, limbs, or internal organs.

Other prosthetics actually enhance a person's abilities, either by allowing him to link directly to a computer (such as Lobot does) or making him stronger or faster.

However, while these prosthetics are available, they are not very widely accepted. The average galactic citizen feels that the distinction between being and machine must remain definite. As machine intelligence advances, the feelings of mistrust and fear grow stronger and stronger. The memories of assassin Droids are too clear.

This judgment extends to the use of prosthetics. People with prosthetic replacements are considered a little less than human (or whatever their race), and are often viewed with pity or mistrust. Prosthetic recipients reportedly are less in tune with their natural motivations, attitudes and emotions.

For these reasons, prosthetic recipients often go to great lengths to hide artificial limbs and other alterations (Luke Skywalker's artificial hand is a secret to all but his closest friends).

The use of prosthetic enhancements is an abomination to most people. It is widely believed that no amount of improvement is worth giving up part of oneself and one's being. Tools are available to make you a better shot or give you a better computer programming skill why permanently mutilate yourself?

Enhanced beings often face persecution and curtailment of common civil rights if the enhancement is known. Incidents of mental imbalance among prosthetic recipients are well known. Those with enhancements will often try to hide the fact to make their comings and goings less conspicuous.

These cybernetic enhancements are not meant to be a shopping list for characters. Criminals and others who don't care what society thinks will be outfitted with this machinery, but the players' characters shouldn't be.

Installing Prosthetics

Because of the dangers involved, prosthetics replacements are closely regulated on most worlds, with a long counseling and observation period mandated for recipients. Prosthetic enhancements have been banned or are restricted to those who can afford very expensive permits. Darth Vader is a well known example of both the corrupting influence of enhancements and the ability of the powerful to receive special privileges.

Often, individuals seeking enhancements must go to renegade doctors and risk receiving inferior equipment. Others, such as Lobot, are able to secure financing from a large corporation or other wealthy entity. The sponsor assures quality enhancements and psychological counseling, while the recipient must agree to an extended period of servitude. After the period of service is completed, the individual is free, but still faces discrimination throughout the galaxy. The Empire has also covertly equipped some of its agents with cybernetic enhancements, although the number of agents is unknown.

Replacements

The primary use of prosthetics in the Star Wars universe is to replace limbs and organs damaged beyond repair. Replacements duplicate the abilities of the natural organ or limb. They do not enhance performance in any way. Replacements are fully explained on Datapage 29, "Replacement Prosthetics." The cost listed is the flat fee for the replacement. The cost is not figured by the pip, as enhancements are, because replacements do not increase attributes and skills.

Enhancements

"He's more machine, now, than man -twisted, and evil."

―Obi-Wan Kenobi, speaking about Darth Vader

Cybernetic enhancements are available to the desperate of the galaxy. They represent technology at its twisted worst. The technology improves a person's abilities, but reduces their humanity. A cybernetic enhancement makes the recipient less empathic toward other beings and increases his chance to be consumed by the Dark Side of the Force.

An enhancement can be an attachment (such as Lobot's cyborg construct) or a package, which increases an attribute and the related skills. The following section explains the costs for enhancement packages.

Enhancement Costs

When a person buys an enhancement package, he increases one attribute by a number of pips or die codes. Every skill under the attribute increases by the same number of pips or die codes.

Every package has a base cost. Use the following formula for the attribute and every skill under the attribute:

Base cost x pip increase x starting die code of attribute or skill (ignore pips)

Each individual skill must be paid for in addition to the attribute. For purposes of determining costs, each full die code of increase equals three pips. The operation must include all skills and the attribute - a character cannot avoid paying the full price of the operation.