Shadowrun (Sega Genesis)/Cyberware

Cyberware is special cybernetic equipment that can be implanted at any hospital or clinic for a price. Besides costing money, each operation will permanently cost your character a certain amount of Essence. A cyberware-free character has 6.0 Essence and each character must have at least 0.1 Essence, so you have a total of 5.9 Essence to work with when shopping for cyberware.

The effects of spending Essence are quite significant. Essence is simply the Magic attribute expressed in tenths instead of whole numbers. So, for example, when a character's Essence drops from 5.2 to 4.7, that character's Magic rating will also drop from 5 to 4. The fact that the Magic attribute dictates a number of important magic-related things (most notably the maximum Force with which spells can be cast), along with the fact that all changes to Essence are permanent and irreversible, probably makes it clear why mages and shaman should never get cyberware installed.

But what about non-magic users? The only effect that the Magic attribute (and therefore, the Essence value) has on them is its relation to magical healing. In other words, casting Heal Wounds on a character with a high Magic rating will have a greater effect than with a character with a low rating. That said, though, the difference is rather small, and even a totally cybered character will be able to receive decent magic healing. So, it's definitely worthwhile to get as much cyberware installed as your Essence count (and wallet) allows.

Then there's the question of which type to get. My piece-by-piece recommendations are listed for each entry below, but if you're looking for a master list of some sort, then here's what I usually get with each of my characters:
 * CyberEyes
 * Spurs
 * Smartlink
 * Muscle Replacement (1)
 * Dermal Plating (2)
 * Wired Reflexes (2)

This will cost exactly 5.9 Essence (and a whole lot of nuyen) and give the character a very nice balance between speed, power, and defense. Of course, if you want to use variations on this, feel free, but remember a few rules:


 * I'm putting this in ALL CAPS BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND I HOPE YOU READ IT. I know this is tough to do, but you need to do it anyway: Buy stat- enhancing cyberware BEFORE you upgrade the character's attributes. Cyberware works by adding 1 to each attribute it affects. If the attribute is already at its maximum, nothing will happen, but you'll still be stuck with the cyberware. You know you're getting the attribute bonus when you go to the Skills and Attributes screen and you see a "c" followed by a number after the attribute. For instance, if you see "3 c4" as your Strength rating, that means that the character's real Strength rating is 3, but his or her cyberware has boosted it to 4. If you're buying cyberware but don't see the "c"s on that screen, then you're wasting your time, money, and Essence.


 * Don't buy Hand Razors. Wait until you have the money for Spurs. Simple.


 * Don't buy a Datajack. If you don't have a Datajack already then you must either be a samurai or a shaman. If you're a samurai, hire a decker to do your Matrix stuff for you. That 0.5 Essence could be better spent on samurai- type stuff. If you're a shaman, what the heck are you doing buying cyberware in the first place?


 * Don't be afraid of the huge cost of Wired Reflexes. Besides the fact that you get a little Essence discount (see its entry for details), another thing that makes this cyberware appealing is that it will DRAMATICALLY affect your attack speed. With a totally wired character, you'll be able to get two shots off in the time it normally takes to fire once. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see how this could be a huge advantage in battle.

So, that's the lowdown on cyberware. In the entries below, you'll see the name of the upgrade in all caps, followed by the maximum amount of times you can buy the cyberware and how much Essence it will cost you each time. Below the top bar is a price scale, the in-game description of the piece, and my personal notes on it. Note that there is no sell price scale (since cyberware can't be sold), no Buy At entry (all clinics sell the exact same lineup of stuff -- only the prices vary) and no Also Available entry (the clinics are the only place to get cybered).

Cybereyes
Augments vision to counter Invisibility and increase combat effectiveness. Only buy this if you've bought all the rest of the stuff you want and have a little Essence left over. Still, they're pretty helpful.
 * Essence Cost: 0.2
 * Maximum: 1

Datajack
Allows input and output from any cyberdeck and is required to enter the Matrix. While Matrix runs are very good for making money, you won't beat the game if you specialize in being a decker. Therefore, only hire a decker when you need to make a little money. This way, you can avoid wasting Karma on your core group's Computer skill. For this reason, I advise against getting this piece of cyberware
 * Essence Cost: 0.2
 * Maximum: 1

Dermal Plating
Hard plastic and metal fiber plates which are bonded to flesh to form armor. Very useful, and very cheap, Essence-wise. I definitely recommend    buying a few rounds of this when you get the money.
 * Essence Cost: 0.5
 * Maximum: 3

Muscle Replacement
Implanted synthetic muscles which increase both Strength and Quickness. A good upgrade. Not quite as practical as Dermal Plating or Wired reflexes, but very good nonetheless.
 * Essence Cost: 1.0
 * Maximum: 4

Smartlink
The feedback circuitry needed to use the combat information provided by a Smartgun. Yes, you can buy Smart Goggles, but it just won't be the same. Plus, it'll take up an extra inventory slot.
 * Essence Cost: 0.5
 * Maximum: 1

Spurs
A set of three carbon fiber blades anchored to the back of the hand. If you are upgrading from Hand Razors, Spurs will cost 0.1 Essence, otherwise, it will cost 0.2 Essence. Spurs can punch through the armor of some of the toughest enemies.
 * Essence Cost: 0.2/0.1 (See Notes)
 * Maximum: 1

Wired Reflexes
Implanted neural boosters and adrenaline stimulators which increase combat speed. The first and third times you get this installed, it will cost 2.0 Essence. The second time, however, will only cost 1.0 Essence. In any event, this is the best cyberware you can buy, hands down. A hit or two of Wired Reflexes and your pistol shots will look like machine gun fire.
 * Essence Cost: 2.0/1.0 (See Notes)
 * Maximum: 3