[Triskavanski]

Little further down..

These special organs were genetically grown into you from your inception—they are as much a natural part of you as your liver or heart.

[FST_Gemstar]

Choosing my interpretation. 

[Hobbes]

But for the 4 points of agility what did you need to give up?

20 karma, and a C in resources (whereas before you may have taken a D, for example).  That could raise your attributes a level (4 more attribute points), or your metatype a level (3 more edge, or 3 more magic), or etc.

So 4 agility gives you 4 more dice for a lot of tests, there is also an enormous opportunity cost there.

This.  And it's not like you don't have other really good options to pick from after the first two levels of Muscle Toner.  Muscle Augmentation for Melee Adepts.  Orthoskin and Bone Density, Poison Claws, Tailored Phermones for Social Adepts, Cerebellum Boost.  Lots of stuff to grab that is doing you good that you don't have to pay out another 10 Karma for.   

[Rooks]

And if you take it and are a technomancer/mage dont you still take the magic/renonance hit? and your aura is all spotchy

[zarzak]

And if you take it and are a technomancer/mage dont you still take the magic/renonance hit? and your aura is all spotchy

No, because your essence wasn't reduced.  You were born with the bioware, so its a part of you and thus is 'natural'.

[All4BigGuns]

Honestly, that seems like splitting hairs to me. You still have the implants and you're still using 1 full point of Essence (you just get extra Essence from the Quality). I'd say you should still lose the appropriate amount of Magic.

[Novocrane]

Honestly, that seems like splitting hairs to me. You still have the implants and you're still using 1 full point of Essence (you just get extra Essence from the Quality). I'd say you should still lose the appropriate amount of Magic.

I wouldn't.

While you must pay the normal cost in nuyen of the bioware and otherwise follow all character creation rules, you do not incur any essence cost.

[zarzak]

Honestly, that seems like splitting hairs to me. You still have the implants and you're still using 1 full point of Essence (you just get extra Essence from the Quality). I'd say you should still lose the appropriate amount of Magic.

You're not gaining a point of essence, rather you're not incurring any essence cost for the point of bioware.  There is an important distinction there.

With the rules as written, your first point of bioware (taken at character creation is what I believe the intent is, going by the full text) does not cost any essence.  In other words, when calculating magic/resonance you are subtracting 0, so you don't lose any.

This is very different than *gaining* a point of essence, in which case what you say would be how it works.  But, thats not how the quality is written (and the quality would be almost worthless if it worked this way).

[gilga]

It is very similar to the exceptional magic/resonance quality.

it costs more karma (because you get a negative quality) but does not require special attribute points.

[I_AM_ZHOUL!!!]

" You were built better than a normal human, so you may pick up to 1 point of Essence of bioware (not cyberware). While you must pay the normal cost in nuyen of the bioware and otherwise follow all character creation rules, you do not incur any essence cost. So, essentially, you gain up to 1 point of free Essence to be used exclusively on bioware."

I am understanding the quality as the character's body is better built to handle bioware, not that they have the corresponding bioware built in from birth.

It's from Birth... you were born that way. I wish they had opened it up to Gene ware as well. It would fit theme & mechanics if they had.

[Novocrane]

I went looking for a 4e style 'geneware counts as bioware' or 'nanoware counts as cyberware' precisely to see if that might be the case.

[Triskavanski]

yeah, its would be more splitting hairs to say that you would lose magic/resonance, because well.. For this character, all that bioware is completely natural. You don't lose essence or magic for having a heart or liver or being a changeling or metavarient.

[I_AM_ZHOUL!!!]

I went looking for a 4e style 'geneware counts as bioware' or 'nanoware counts as cyberware' precisely to see if that might be the case.

Not there... but that's cause they did away with the double Essence holes.  those were so abuseable coupled with Type O System it makes me sad they went away. I'm gonna go ask in Errata thread about it though... maybe that could be addressed to.

[UnLimiTeD]

I read the fluff as having to have the ware from the start.
If it was grown into you, you can't just slot it in later. Or replace it.
It's probably also never used ware.
This raises an interesting question about regeneration: Does this stuff count as "ware" if it is part of your genetic makeup?

[Triskavanski]

As in a creature with regeneration can't have augments because the surgical incisions cannot be made to install it?

I would say since the power is assuming you need to be cut open, and the protype has you being born with it.. that you could have a regenerating creature with aguments only from that quality. But thats just me.