[Ethan]

Hi all!

I need help with piecing this concept together:

He is an escaped human clone, genetically modified, that grew up in the slums and shadows. Runners hit the facility he was growing up in, looking for paydata and managed to release him in the process (without their knowledge). He's going to have Wanted, SINner registered as the older original or perhaps data in one corp's databases.

He's also a magician or perhaps some kinda adept, I haven't decided. Since Awakening is hit-or-miss, he was perhaps the only clone that manifested these powers. The corp (unknown at this time) wants their property back, and would probably want to perform a very thorough examination if it was something they did that caused him to Awaken. Naturally, they want to keep this tidbit underwraps.


Goals:
I've played a Mage before, but I want to explore the lesser used spells. And this time I do want some chrome in there. For roleplaying purposes, I want to explore identity in an otherwise faceless cyberpunk world. Everyone tries to stand out by doing the exact same things that they are more or less clones. Does he express "vibrant" individuality, will the survival instincts of the shadows force him to remain inconspicuous? And magic, how does that factor into his identity.

I'll be keeping an online blog to post his journal, if I ever get into a game.


I need some help with the qualities. And also suggestions for skills for someone who has had to run and hide his entire life. A little paranoia, some substance abuse, also wouldn't be amiss.

Also, according to the German errata, Genetic Heritage means you can get any bioware without paying the nuyen cost? Does that mean (subject to GM rating of course) that you can get Rating 2 Deltaware Synaptic Boosters (1.6 million nuyen) for free?

The other choice was to get Genewipe instead as a means for the corp to keep his DNA proprietary.

[John Shull]

Just to clear up a couple of points a few quick questions.  The clone is of someone yet unnamed, is a copy or improved version of some person or even a project of a collection of DNA donors, yes?  So unless they Arnold from twins (who is close enough to one of the donors to steal their SIN) and thus a Uber-man project or super soilder, it seems the clone is a rip of someone out in the world with a SIN (and thus really close in age probably since he is living on the borrowed SIN).  Speculating as I am want to do the clone was made as a replacement to someone who; needed a body copy to fake his death with (shadowrunner retirement), a clone to replace someone who cannot just disappear, clone of a dead person they want to resurrect for various reasons (dead child, maybe a AI brought its old boss back after he died because he couldnt live without him, etc), maybe clone of a ex-boyfriend who will not see the light and then did but she is still keeping clone boy on the bench, or even the old cloning of the yourself except better, genetic engineering added (My new me will be the incredible, to carry on the empire after he goes but he escaped first).  You can do so much depending on your variant of this theme.  So far I like Evil Twin where the PC is the clone of a legendary rep Runner and is sucked into adventures because all assume the clone is this Death Ninja of the streets.  You want to go that way?     

[Ethan]

I like the idea of a Legendary Prime Runner clone.

Initially, he was going to be a mass produced clone. A new line of perhaps Awakened and brainwashed soldiers which any corp really would kill for.

As for the original specimen, I was thinking he's a copy of someone specific. I'm leaning towards a spoiled brat of a corp exec, who wanted a second chance with a superior son. Spoiled brat has either run off or most likely got himself killed, perhaps he was an addict who OD'd.

The son, however, was Awakened and utterly misused his powers. So the exec pulls some strings to get himself a clone, while his corp mass produces the clones (mixing the DNA with perhaps other Awakened people on file) in an attempt to "encourage" Awakening.

He manifested those powers, the others were re-educated as slave labour. Perhaps others manifested powers themselves later on, he doesn't know.

Maybe he was singled out and sent to live with his new/old father, and in transit he was freed by the runners accidentally.


(I like the ex-bf idea though... creepy. I may actually use that if I mull it over some more.)

[John Shull]

I kinda like how this is forming up.  Basic set up clone who got free and went to the shadows. But in the three different examples you liked they have different paths. 

Daddy Issues Clone: You have a disappointed dad, of the Vader mold, who does not take failure.  His son did not cut it and that cannot be the last chapter in Dads legacy.  Son may have folded to pressure thru suicide in face of mega dad, gone defiant and went over to his enemies earning scorn, or just sits defeated and broken in his dads house being pathetic in his dads eyes.  Mega dad has to be a mage since he was breeding for magic success as the focus.  He makes mage clone son to stand in for his son and eventually replace son.  Clone may have had magic tudor to get clone on track make sure he would work out this time.  Cover story of son learning ancient secrets in secret.  Then clone goes missing.  Unless this is a second string clone, back up, there will much splaining to do when clonie goes missing.  You can play it has Mega dad is a enemy trying to wipe out the clone embarrassment.  Clone A is rival and dad is going to give it a year and make a final cut sudden death style.  You could go Man in the Iron Mask and have clone seasoned into a bad A then helped to take place of Clone A or the original if he is still there.  Clone has heavy drive to master magic and survival skills to a big showdown down the road, with his Run team if they owe him enough.  Street skills, magic groups, astral groups, and borrowed time could start him off.

Good Twin Clone: has to live with being thought of famous runner with lethal rep.  Again magic is themed and since not much can be detected all will assume clone is cloaking it somehow.  Somewhat like the Man Who Knew too Little with Bill Murray where every success will seem a master stroke and all failures like clone must be setting them up.  Works til Bad Twin tires of his stalking horse or comes up with a purpose for him (Retirement thru faked death, etc) Maybe criminal SINner, Evil Twin, Rep, distinctive style or first impression to mimic memorable Runner look.  Evil Twin has to send a runner, preferrably a hot ex-gf runner, to keep him alive and teach him enough not to ruin the joke to soon.  He may want to Dread Pirate Roberts with the clone if he isn't killed by a enemy really soon.

Mr. Betty Clone:  This clone may literally be the clone of a jerk who dumped Betty.  She may have had him made, her dad may have made him to shut up Betty, or jerk made him to have his cake and eat it too.  Could you make a clone of yourself to marry it to a loaded girl so you could live set for life off the trapped clones new wealth?  Then the clone escapes just before you needed to use it but then you hear of him running the shadows.  Now your trapped married but maybe you can still work the switch if you can just catch that clone.

I don't know which one to work up first.

[Ethan]

You know the odd part? I think you can pull off all three in one escaped clone.

Vader-esque Exec of a Father who's disappointed in his Luke. Luke, of course, has a secondary life as a shadowrunner. In his corp life though he has a corp-approved girlfriend.

Son betrays the corp and splits, maybe his secret gets out. Vader plays it off that his son was just gravely injured. Enter the clone, he could be Luke's own invention, a replacement really so he could live the life he wanted.

Except the clone splits too. A bit too much?

I think I'll lean towards the one with daddy issues. Seems like it fits with the overall goals I want to accomplish RPing it. Thanks for lending the brainpower in getting this together!

[Xzylvador]

Pretty sure Genetic Heritage only gets you genetic mods for free. Bio, Nano or Cyberware doesn't fall under that. Gene mods are stuff like Transgenics (PuSHeD, Qualia, Neo-EPO, ...), Phenotype Adjustments (Genetic Optimization, Genewipe, ...).
Anything under the Genetech chapter, not anything in the book

[Glyph]

The bit he's trying to use to justify it is under the Animal Features heading on pg. 93 of Augmentation.  I would let a character use it for something like cat's eyes or echolocation, but deltaware synaptic booster: 3?  No, I don't think so.  And I can't imagine many other GMs allowing that, either.

[Makki]

The bit he's trying to use to justify it is under the Animal Features heading on pg. 93 of Augmentation.  I would let a character use it for something like cat's eyes or echolocation, but deltaware synaptic booster: 3?  No, I don't think so.  And I can't imagine many other GMs allowing that, either.

exactly. Deltaware? No, there's no deltagrade gentech. Rating 3? No, there's no animal with 4 IPs. A base R1 Synaptic Booster? Maybe, but you need to buy your GM a car to get it for free

[Sugar]

If you have the prodigal son replacement concept: My issue I have with the replacement son/clone being the PC is he seems too cut off from other people to be a member of a shadowrun team.  He is more like a Johnson in need to hire a team to release him.  Or you could have the clone fully brainwashed and he could be the bad guy also trying to put an end to the original son (maybe believing OS/Original Son is a clone trying to undo him).

I kind of like the idea of the original son and the clone made to replace him both being PC's.  But you have OS who has refused the union with a corporate-beneficial mate, refused the white collar route and fallen into street life, giving the dad slaps in the face left and right.  The dad decides to replace his own son. Dad clones and conditions the perfect replacement so he can keep the upcoming wedding intact and gain the social and financial leverage he deserves.  CS, Clone Son, is fully believing he is the son of this man and holding his father's ideals as his own (but also has momentary lapses in connection to this reality).  He knows of a criminal (OS) who is trying to sabatoge his position and believes that they may try to overthrow him. 

I would have CS stumble upon some conversation or some information that exposes his dad may not be as vitruous as originally assumed.  Crazy Hijinks ensues as he tries to backpeddle away from the discovery, henchmen and dad are onto him being onto them...more hijinks ensue, maybe at a dinner party or something.  CS wakes up in the back of a van, no clue of where or what day he is, looks over at a few Shadowrunners...one of them being his double (OS).  I think as a PC this could be a neat starting point.  2 PC's given nearly the same character sheet (OS having more street criminal abilities and CS having more Face like qualities).  Could be a neat intro to a group, integrating clone son into a shadowrun team with Original Son so that they can try and determine the dad's endgame and how to keep him from killing off OS, and possibly CS to cover his own tracks.  Could be a very neat roleplaying challenge and a neat angle for future runs!

[Sugar]

The bit he's trying to use to justify it is under the Animal Features heading on pg. 93 of Augmentation.  I would let a character use it for something like cat's eyes or echolocation, but deltaware synaptic booster: 3?  No, I don't think so.  And I can't imagine many other GMs allowing that, either.

As a GM, I don't mind allowing things that are overly powerful if the intention behind it is for color and not for game mechanics manipulation.  If there is a great story arc that calls for a certain attribute, I wouldn't trash the storyline to make things even-steven.  It is definately a judgement call, but you are right.  GM's usually don't allow extreme requests, but in our circles it is usually only if it is requested out of greed/power gaming.  Requests made to advance the actual character creation/development are usually considered behind rose colored glasses.

[Ethan]

That was an extreme example, but yes, the original concept did call for something special about the clone. Hence the synaptic boosters or something along those lines: a super soldier experiment with a high chance of awakening. Orignally, he was a fluke, a magician or an adept of some kind, out of the unknown numbers of other clones.

There just needed to be something... worthwhile about him baseline. Awakening sets him apart.

Now it's blossomed into this, and it bears more thinking.

Sugar, I like that idea... will keep working on it. For now, I have absolutely no numbers, just a grab-bag of potential qualities. Any suggestions for the corp itself? Doesn't have to be one of the AAAs, could be a very ambitious AA.

[John Shull]

Haven't finished the character just yet.  Power came back on last night at 10:30ish and I got pulled into the wonders of TV yet again.  My droid works fine but it was great to have everything up again. Get back with you guys tonight on As the Clone Turns experiment.