I'm currently in a Dark Heresy campaign as a psyker (Templar) at 2200XP. However, it's possible we might have a group wipe pretty soon as some of the other PCs called down the wrath of one of our interrogators on us. Needless to say, he isn't happy. Interestingly enough, this is also a tech-heresy campaign.

We've all been asked to roll up a new character due to the next mission. Being a long time fan of cyberpunk and recently hearing about the new Deus Ex: Human Revolution game; I thought given the tech-focus of the campaign it would be perfect to make a bionically enhanced character ("fight fire with fire" as our main enemy appears to be the Logicians). My main question is how I should go about doing so. Cybernetic resurrection is out, as I'd prefer a more sleek kind of enhancement (as Inquisitor Herrod shows us it's rather the opposite) to go with the trans-human and cyberpunk kind of feelings I want for this character. However, the 200XP Cyber-Rebuild is an option, with Common quality parts being upgraded to Good quality per 500XP per bionic (have to confirm with GM, but that's possibly in the works). What about home world options?

Anyone have any ideas as to how this might go about? The highest I can max thrones is with a noble character (starting pay + 2 months) or use the cyber-rebuild option.

Thanks.

On a side note, it mentions in Rogue Trader the look of various Imperial bionics - describing good quality ones as being nearly invisible to the naked eye. Anyone have any thoughts on what Imperial bionics are like in terms of looks at the various levels of quality?

Meridien said:

I wouldn't assume that "better quality = looks more like a human limb" when it comes to Imperial augmetics. It CAN do, but not in every case.

Imperial society seems to regard the aesthetics of augmetics as secondary to function. And those who DO appreciate the aesthetics of bionic/cybernetic limbs are as likely to make them out of gold and precious stones as they are to make them look like an unmodified "normal" limb.

If you're not a multibillionare rogue trader, or other fantastically rich individual, your only option to get hold of augmetics is to get them in the service of the Imperium. This usually means getting them as replacement limbs in order to remain an efficient servant of the Emperor. Any such limbs will be provided by the Adeptus Mechanicus, who don't give two hoots how an augmetic limb looks, as long as it does its job. In fact, they're likely to make it look LESS like a human limb as a means of honouring the machine god.

So while augmetic limbs would certainly exist that look just like normal human limbs, I would imagine that they are actually quite rare, and reserved for either the ultra rich or for those who the Imperium deems suitable for such "disguised" limbs...at a pinch I'd say this would be restricted to Imperial Assassins and occasionally Inquisitorial agents.

taking a bionic hand as exsampel

poor = claw like thing that hisses with somekind of mecanicim every time its used

common = anywhere between claw that doesn`t hiss too hand like thats still looks machine like

good= better metals lighter, more durabal and had all fingers. might have some art work on it

best = ether gold plated or unlike too seen what one is real and what isn`t depending on what was asked and where it was done. top of the line stuff.

xeno (if you want too go that way = could be anything depending on xeno and how much they like you or you paid for it

It sounds like many good quality bionics can be quite subtle. Speaking of Logicians, their tech assassins have good quality bionic eyes that are hard to tell from normal ones, yet confer many advantages. That equipment isn't even tech heresy.

"Best" quality bionics are probably out of the question for most Inquisitorial agents. They confer no extra advantages but are extremely flashy and made of the most expensive materials. That is attractive to some nobles but is hardly something a covert operative would want unless they are a Noble themselves and they operate in those circles.

In fact, I'll take redhead's example and make a list for what bionic eyes could look like:

• Poor quality: extremely large and bulky and somewhat ineffective at actually seeing things. This could be a very large lens assembly that fits over the eye socket. Maybe even saucer sized. It could also be a big camera mounted on a person's shoulder or skull, with an obvious cable threading out of the eye socket and into it. Such a bionic would make conspicuous whirring sounds whenever it focused at something and it would be rather unreliable.
• Common quality: there are numerous examples of Common Quality bionics in 40k art. They are bulkier than what they replace, as most Imperial bionics are. It would be about equal to a normal eye in utility. It would be tougher than an eye versus some things, like toxic environments, and less so to other things, such as extended exposure to corrosive liquids.
• Good quality: there seem to be two different ways to go with good quality bionic eyes. The first is to have a bionic that looks much like a common quality bionic eye, but is better made. The lines would be smoother, the bionic more comfortable to use, and the bionic's vision better than human. The second seems to have more subtle bionics. As I've mentioned, Imperial tech is able to make bionics that look similar to normal eyes. However, I imagine that they would be unable to feature some of the more advanced abilities of bulkier good quality bionic eyes. They could definitely confer dark sight, but I think allowing such eyes to record video would be a stretch.
• Best quality: as expensive looking as possible. The eyes might look like gemstones, or perhaps a larger bionic would have delicate gold leaf inlay.

If you have access to the Rogue Trader Into the Storm book you could take a look at the Augmetecist alternative rank. It allows you to take all sorts of enhancements including up to three levels of what it calls 'physical perfection' or something like that which is essentially the equivellent of 'machine trait'.

Discuss changing some of the xp costs with your GM to reflect the Dark Heresy XP structure better (i.e. lower some of the xp costs) and you can build a really interesting character.

Might be exactly what you're looking for.

what is the "Lostok Augmentation" and where is it from?

into the storm RT book

lots of good idears and fun stuff