[jaelerin]

Attempting to figure out how capacity works with augmentations.  I'm "new" to SR in that the last time I played was 2E in the mid 90s.

At the front of the gear sections, it just says that some items have capacity with options/modifications/enhancements take up those slots up to the capacity of the device.  For normal gear (non-augments) like Armor, Optical Devices, Auditory Devices, Sensors, etc, this is really straightforward.

Things get a lot more confusing with cyberware.

1. Some headware uses capacity. What "device" gives that capacity?  A cyberskull? If so... does that mean I can't have an implanted commlink ([2]) and implanted cyberdeck ([4]) because the cyberskull only has capacity 4?

2. Do I need to have cybereyes to give capacity to get any of the eyeware enhancements?

3. I've seen some mention of "essence _or_ capacity" is spent in older editions when searching this forum.  That isn't mentioned anywhere in SR6 that I can find.  Is this another assumed thing from previous editions?

[0B]

1. That's a good question, since presumably you can put a bomb in someone without giving them a cyberskull, but the bombs use capacity as well. Maybe an errata question?

2. It can be cybereyes, or a physical device (goggles, glasses, etc. - page 274).

3. You spend both- some things only take up essence, others take up both. Capacity is only used for devices- so your cyberleg doesn't "take up" capacity of your body (Except via essence), but gives it. DEFINITELY change blindness on this one. p. 245 has the description of capacity, and p. 38 has the description of essence (...which compares it to capacity...). You start with 6 essence, capacity varies by device.

[Reaver]

Keep in mind I have yet to read 6e, but the way capacity has worker (and I understand it still works) is like this:

For some augmentations, they can fit into other augmentations for no essence cost.
Suchs as hand spurs into a cyber arm. Or vision magnification into a cyber eye..

Basically, you could lokk at it as adding "features" to an overall augmentation.
Lets say Cybereyes cost .5 essence and give 5 capacity...

Other eye mods listed include things like. Vision magnification, low light, thermographic, recording  and .... glow in the dark... they all cost .2 essence/1 capacity...

I could get all those listed eye modifications without cyber eyes for 1 full essence. OR i could get cyber eyes for .5 essence AND fill up the Cyber eye capacity of 5 with 5 vision mods for no essence cost.

In short, for some ware, like eye modifications, you can get with either essence ir with capacity.some ware (cyber limb enchancements) you must have the corrisponding ware to get (a cyber limb).
A good indication of a ware needing something else is essence cost. If it costs no essence, chances it only goes into a piece of ware, and can not be taken seperately...


Note the neuyen value must always be paid.... and could be much higher the listed.... (mods generally fall into the Alpha-beta-delta costs table... depending on edition.)

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

There isn't really a cut and dried rule about what items that cost capacity can or cannot be used in given cyberware that grants capacity.

Can you put thermographic vision in your cyberear? Can you put a MAD sensor in your cybereye? It's up to your GM.  (For what it's worth, my personal opinion on those are no and yes, respectively)

[Michael Chandra]

I fall in the 'I assume it's a XOR: You spend either essence when not inside a container, or capacity of a container' camp. You're right it's not explicitly stated like that in SR6, I assume it's change-blindness.

[Xenon]

A lot of clarifying rules were left out in SR6 (to save word count) but I have no reason to believe that the intention should have changed from the 5th edition.

In 5th edition headware could either take up essence (if installed inside your natural skull, even if you also had a cybershell around your skull) or (if the augmentation had a listed capacity cost) as capacity in a cyberlimb (any cyberlimb; skull, torso, arms, partial arms, hands, legs, partial legs, feet - but not cybereyes or cyberears).

Bodyware and cyberweapons could either take up essence (but only if installed inside your natural body) or capacity in a cyberlimb (but only if your limb have been replaced by a cybernetic limb and the augmentation had a listed capacity cost)

Cyberlimb accessories always only take up capacity (never essence) in the cyberlimb they are installed.

Eyeware either take up essence (if you still have your natural eyes) or capacity in cybereyes (if eyes had been replaced by cybereyes, eyeware don't fit in cyberlimbs such as cyberskull, torso, leg, arm etc).

Earware either take up essence (if you still have your natural ears) or capacity in cyberears (if ears had been replaced by cyberears, earware don't fit in cyberlimbs such as cyberskull, torso, leg, arm etc).


So you could for example install a commlink in your left leg and a cyberdeck in your right arm while a smartlink (which is eyeware) would either be installed as a natural augmentation to your natural eye (if you still have your natural eyes) or take up capacity in your cybernetic eyes (of your eyes are replaced by cybernetics eyes).


However, from a strict reading of RAW this is not very well explained (but it is also not contradicted).


SR6 p. 285 Eyeware - Cybereyes
...as well as Capacity for vision enhancements.

SR6 p. 285 Earware - Cyberears
Cyberears offer ... Capacity for modifications and enhancements.

SR6 p. 290 Cyber Implant Weapons
Weapons can be implanted into cyberlimbs, costing capacity, or directly into flesh, costing Essence.




SR5 p. 451 Headware (this rule is missing in SR6 but is assumed to still be intended)
Items that have a Capacity Cost [in brackets] may be installed in cyberlimbs instead, costing Capacity rather than Essence.

SR5 p. 454 Bodyware (this rule is also missing in SR6, but is assumed to still be intended)
Bodyware cannot be installed into cyberlimbs unless it has a Capacity cost [in brackets]. Bodyware with a Capacity cost can be installed in cyberlimbs, costing capacity rather than Essence.