On 9/3/2015 at 11:24 AM, karaokelove said:

According to the rules, all of a character's cybernetic implants completely shut down for an entire encounter if even a single point of ion gets past their soak. That completely ruins the point of cybernetics for all characters. Why spend $10,000 on an extra point of Agility or Perception if you can immediately be made into a blind paraplegic for an entire encounter because a single point of ion got through? Taking a cybernetic implant is basically the same as reducing your strain threshold to 1. That seems rather harsh, and I can't see any reason anyone would ever take a cybernetic implant under those conditions .

It's even worse for droids, in that one of their main features is based around being able to equip up to 6 cybernetic implants. But with the current system, the more implants you have, the more screwed you are if even a single point of Ion gets through. Droids are designed to use cybernetics, but punished severely for doing so. If they have even a single major upgrade (such as brain, arms, or legs) and that 1 point of ion gets through, they're toast. Now imagine they've got all 3, as droids are designed to do; it's one of their major features; one of the reasons they start with less XP than other races.

The main argument I read in favor of this system is that +1 to a stat is really good, and so the penalty should be severe. To that, I say look at the other items you can get for $10,000. For that money, I could pick up Laminate with a Vacuum Seal, Superior Customization, and Enhanced Optic Suite. Sure, that's equipment, so it can be stolen, destroyed, or lost, but at least it won't crap out if you get nicked by an ion blast, and it's arguably way better than a bump in Brawn or Agility.

There should be some sort of drawback to balance things out, so every game doesn't turn into a party of cyborgs fighting their cyborg enemies, but the current drawback is so severe that it completely defeats the purpose of taking the upgrade in the first place. Am I missing something?

If your actually making the implant like one of the player characters creating it, he or she could make it immune to Ion weapons if they get real lucky and roll a double triumph. Good luck with that though. I remember one person in a group I was in briefly that was bragging about having all arms and legs that were cyber implants that were immune to ion weapons. GM let him keep making the cyber implants till he got what he wanted. Didnt really care for the guy he was a DnD power gamer that did not follow the rules realistically hence the ****** GM that let him roll till he got what he wanted. Guess guys like him end playing with people or will only play with people that will let him manipulate the rules so he can power game. Think that was the only time in my life my blood pressure went up besides working out. Group taught me to make sure I know the people before hand before I decided to group with them. Makes me really appreciate my original group that has been playing for a while.

The group I'm in (my main group that I have been in for years) actually plays star wars FFG realistically and there is not to much power gaming going on. We are more of a story driven group than a numbers group, and we try to make sure from a star wars point of view that the rules are followed realistically. So the way we play you can keep on trying to make cybernetics totally immune but you will have to spend the time in game and money on each that it takes to make them. So maybe 2 years down the road in real life you might have a pair like that if you keep on trying every chance you get.

I GM cybernetics in that a Called Shot is required to disable a single (specifically targeted) implant. Otherwise, I simply allow Ion weapons to affect cyborgs like they're droids (i.e.: they take Strain damage from them).

It's worked for our group for years.

On 10/11/2018 at 5:20 PM, DaverWattra said:

Not sure it should be this easy to defeat Vader with an ion rifle.

I'm sure Vader has either a Surge Override Switch, or his cybernetics are all master-crafted and therefore have that ion-immunity from the cybernetic crafting.

Heck, Vader would probably just block the ion blast with his open palm, pull the blaster to his hand with the Force, and instantly make you question why you were stupid enough to pull an ion blaster on the Dark Lord of the Sith in the first place.

8 hours ago, atama2 said:

Heck, Vader would probably just block the ion blast with his open palm, pull the blaster to his hand with the Force, and instantly make you question why you were stupid enough to pull an ion blaster on the Dark Lord of the Sith in the first place.

For a very short time if you annoyed him.

On 9/3/2015 at 2:03 PM, 2P51 said:

The idea is don't be overt with your cybernetics. Why would anyone shoot an organic with an ion weapon? The aggressor has to know or strongly suspect the presence of cybernetics to risk shooting at a target with a weapon that might not be worth using.

In addition, if you're fighting a mixed group of opponents and your weapon only does ion, then you're in trouble. I guess you could dual-wield, but that seems awkward. And, cybernetic eyes??? Who would do that? I guess it 'sounds cool', but who would ever voluntarily do that? Usually, only the crazy Gank. It's really only going to come into play if someone knows ahead of time that your have cybernetics.

The basic premise here is that it is NOT wise to transform yourself into a droid in any way. If you lose an arm or leg in combat, then it is a liability. It is not a min-maxer's dream to gain that point of Brawn or Agility. I'm afraid Star Wars is a bit too realistic, in that respect. I know that sci-fi has all kinds of cool robot-human cyborgs, and such, but it is just not the Star Wars thing. Being partially droid is a liability, not a cool way to "power-up".

On 11/18/2018 at 1:44 AM, atama2 said:

Heck, Vader would probably just block the ion blast with his open palm, pull the blaster to his hand with the Force, and instantly make you question why you were stupid enough to pull an ion blaster on the Dark Lord of the Sith in the first place.

There was one comic last year where the dude who built Vader's suit put a backdoor killswitch into it. He was very put out when after being forced to trigger the kill switch, Vader turned back on, got up and handed him his ***.

1 hour ago, DurosSpacer said:

In addition, if you're fighting a mixed group of opponents and your weapon only does ion, then you're in trouble. I guess you could dual-wield, but that seems awkward. And, cybernetic eyes??? Who would do that? I guess it 'sounds cool', but who would ever voluntarily do that? Usually, only the crazy Gank. It's really only going to come into play if someone knows ahead of time that your have cybernetics.

The basic premise here is that it is NOT wise to transform yourself into a droid in any way. If you lose an arm or leg in combat, then it is a liability. It is not a min-maxer's dream to gain that point of Brawn or Agility. I'm afraid Star Wars is a bit too realistic, in that respect. I know that sci-fi has all kinds of cool robot-human cyborgs, and such, but it is just not the Star Wars thing. Being partially droid is a liability, not a cool way to "power-up".

Well the weird thing is that ion damage will knock out cybernetic eyes but it has no special effect on the eyes of a droid (unless they are specifically replaced with cybernetics). This applies to limbs too. Theoretically a droid that loses an eye or a limb has to replace it with a cybernetic one that is now more vulnerable to ion damage. That's just stupid.