[banana...nut]

More specifically, how do you craft your characters' back stories if they have chrome? The reason why I ask is because I sat down one day and put together a character in chummer who's concept was a cybered-up infiltrator. He was probably one of the characters i put the most effort into making but as i was writing up his backstory (something I find very hard to do, I admit) I realized that he really had no reason to get 'ware in the first place. His personality didn't Jive with the whole - "power at the price of my humanity" type of explanation and it seems like kind of a cop-out to say that he was the victim of an accident or something.

I dunno, to me the loss/replacement of a person's limb or similar would be a pretty significant event in their life worthy of explanation. I just wonder how you guys explain your characters' cyberware if they're not the typical murder machines with shoulder mounted rocket launchers and stuff. Or is walking up to a group of sammies like approaching a victims of industrial accidents support group? 

[Jack_Spade]

Landmines and mono wire are one of the reasons cited most often for extensive cyber replacements.
If you need inspiration just watch Robocop or play Deus Ex Human Revolution to get an idea why someone had to discard their old flesh for shiny chrome... 

[Reaver]

Why do some people bifurcate their tongues or penises?
Why do some people stick metal in their arms and faces?
Who do some people feel the need to tattoo most of their skin?

"Cause some people are fucked in the head" is the only answer I have to those questions


But seriously, the justification for any implant is as varied as the people that run the shadows. Perhaps they feel the bioware/cyberware will give them an 'edge' over those they encounter. Or maybe they suffered a serious injury requiring the 'ware. Disease can also leave deformaties that 'ware may also solve....


Some character concepts just don't mesh well with 'ware, and that's fine too. So justify it any way you choose! If you want 'ware on the character, go for it.

[farothel]

Certain organisations (like the military) give their personel cyber- or bioware implants.  If your character was part of such an organisation before he/she became part of the shadow world, it might be something they just took with them.

[Coyote]

If you want to keep the conversation going, the answer is "A dragon ate it".

If you want to end the conversation: "It started changing into a bug's limb so I had to gnaw it off".

[fseperent]

Despite what Plans 9 and 10 say, accidents do happen.
Factor in spoiled rich kids, Crash 2.0, random violence, giant pests, and non-random violence, and you got a million reasons for augmentations.
My current favorite is wanting to survive when lead and mana starts flying.

[Kiirnodel]

My most recent character with a cyber limb is an ork rigger. The backstory I made up for him is that he is a washed out former military tank driver. Apart from the control rig "which was necessary for the driver part, his 'ware was installed because at some point in his service he was too close to a grenade when it went off. It took one of his arms and most of his hearing. He ended up with reduced hearing and a shiny new arm, plus they sprang for dampers so his hearing wouldn't get even worse...

But yeah, the reasons can range from accidents which necessitate replacement, circumstance which require fast solutions, or just simple interest. It depends on what you want in your backstory and how it fits the character.

[cantrip]

Some great suggestions! 

Keep in mind that some runners are out looking for an edge; that and cyberware installations are much more common procedure in the 2070s. If your job today required that you get a datajack to access the network, would you do it or get another job? That of course doesn't cover the extreme cases, but while much of the modifications started out as medical replacements, Corps found that there is good money in just talking someone into it. And just like many addictions, once you start...  I think the initial reason for getting cyber is the most key, after that, it is an excuse to "be better" or "I've already gone this far".

* burned out mage looking for a replacement for their loss
* gang initiation; to get in you have to get something installed (usually second hand of course)
* survivor from a meeting with Tamanous - most people wouldn't make it...
* it was in your contract with 'XYZ' corp or 'ABC' security organization
* for the rush; kind of like starting tattoos or body mods
* believe (sometimes fanatical) in transhumanism --- already groups doing it today!
* getting old; doing something to feel young again
* character needs a sense of power and has chosen the cyber path
* once part of a religious groups that worshiped "the machine"
* Renraku Arcology shutdown survivor - may or may not be the lucky one...
* Pro sports player (probably out for some reason, or maybe runs for the rush); cyber is allowed in some sports leagues; probably even required in others!
* research candidate - "We'll pay you if you let us..."
* organized crime enforcer
* worker from an extreme environment - deep sea, desert, arctic, toxic etc.
* corporate espionage agent

Just a few thoughts!

[banana...nut]

...If you need inspiration just watch Robocop or play Deus Ex Human Revolution to get an idea why someone had to discard their old flesh for shiny chrome... 

Ah Human Revolution... "I never asked for this!" - I really like that game lol  Never watched Robocop though, at least not the original.

I had never considered a character's 'ware being given to them by a corp, I guess if you worked in a cubicle farm that would be a good way to explain 'ware such as an attention co-processor huh? And I can totally see the - "Just one more..." thing going on with people who have 'ware.

Thanks for the replies everyone!

[Medicineman]

Because its cool and it makes You better !
Remember You're playing Shagowrun and not my little Pony.
Its like comparing the Live and Crime in the Farvelas or Ghettos of Johannisburg compared to Düsseldorf ( or whats a relatively peaceful City in the US....Boulder, Colorado ?)
The People Living in the World of Shadowrun have a (partially) completely different outlook to Cyberware than we would have nowadays
Its like Tattoos.
50 Years ago it was considered distasteful, only Criminals and seedy Sailors had some. Anybody who would get a Tatto would be Sick and insane.
And today ?
Totally different Tattoos are accepted, nothing unusual even considered Beautiful etc.
Same with Ware:
the most usual  like Datajacks or Cybereyes can be installed during Lunchbreak or over the Weekend (just like Laser Correction of the Eyes)


>>> Never watched Robocop though, at least not the original.
 
Then go and watch it.
Its a Milestone of Dystopian/Near Future Movies
and (ImO) a must not only for SR Players but for anybody interested in Sci-Fi

He who dances with Murphy
Medicineman

[Ech0]

My Street Samurai's / former Humanis Go-Ganger of the Paladins demand for a cyberarm increased drastically after being "un-armed"
with the back wheel of his own bike. He unknowingly brought an undercover cop into the gang, which resulted in a
botched drug deal, a raid and 4 dead Paladin-Gangers in the firefight with KE.

His mangled, shot and stabbed body was discovered by a former almost burnt-out Ex-Yakuza Shinto mage and follower of Kitsune.
Heeding his mentor spirit, this mage healed him, stuffed him full of cyber, bullshit revenge spirit nonsense and bushido philosophy
to make him into his own private chain dog a weapon to strike down his former Yakuza brothers.

[Wakshaani]

Because its cool and it makes You better !
Remember You're playing Shagowrun and not my little Pony.

Why not both?

[Prime Mover]

Okay it's dated but a staple of old cyberpunk culture.

The old Cyberpunk 2020 tagline.

" Style over Substance "

"Cause I look badass in mirror shades and flat black cyber arms with neon threading in the club!"

[Tym Jalynsfein]

Because its cool and it makes You better !
Remember You're playing Shagowrun and not my little Pony.

Why not both?

ShadowPony - the Bronying?

[Medicineman]

Because its cool and it makes You better !
Remember You're playing Shagowrun and not my little Pony.

Why not both?

Because by RAW they're not the same.
And don't tempt me, I've got so many Systems that I want to play ( Blue Planet, Contact, Star Wars D6, D&D 5th)
I simply couldn't also manage my litlle Shadowpony....

He who dances with Ponies
Medicineman