In the CyberShards world there are a number of packages a character may choose from. These represent genetic upgrades a human may have applied (who is then referrred to as a Gene Splicer), or if a character was created as a custom-designed synthetic human or clone. In addition, there are even stranger things in this setting that will be available as the game progresses.

The Human Advantage option is in effect. This means that although the starting Rule of X is 16, and the AV cap is 11, humans may exceed these values by one point. Genetically upgrades humans or anything else you get as a result as one of the following packages is NOT allowed to use the Human Advantage.

GENE SPLICER

SPLICE	BENEFIT	NOTE	OP COST
Combat Splice	PHYSICAL Characteristics	+1	15
	Reflex	+1	5
	Dexterity	+1	5
	Handsome/Beautiful	+1	3
	Strong Immune System		3
	Maximum Intelligence	7	-3
	Maximum Willpower	6	-6
	TOTAL COST		22
Speed Splice
	COMBAT Characteristics	+1	15
	Move	+2	10
	Handsome/Beautiful	+1	3
	Strength Maximum	6	-6
	TOTAL COST		22
Feline Splice
	Reflex	+3	15
	Dexterity	+3	15
	Strength	+3	15
	Rapid Healing		3
	Acute Hearing	1	3
	Acute Smell	1	3
	Acute Vision	1	3
	Fast Runner	2	6
	Strong Immune System		3
	Vulnerability to Loud Sounds		-7
	Vulnerability to Bright Light		-7
	Vulnerability to Strong Odors		-7
	MENTAL Maximum	-2	-24
	TOTAL COST		21

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Feline Splice:

FULL CYBORG CONVERSION

Cyborgs are people that have been reduced essentially to a brain and a couple residual organs, depending on their design function. Cyborgs fulfill roles in:

• Security. Big, mean, and ugly they are not usually even human looking. Their limited roles and freedom make them a poor choice for a PC.
• Assassin. These are human looking but have little other function than as a walking bomb. They get close and BOOM! Not a good choice for a PC.
• Infiltrator. These are at least passably human looking and are usually very well armed. This type of cyborg is certainly a possibility for a PC.
• Immortality. Sometimes an accident, disease or old age damages the body too much for them to be saved. As long as they have an intact nervous system and the money to pay for it, a character may purchase a custom cyborg body in which to continue their existence. These bodies are generally functional and made to look like the living person did although they are not made for military application. This type of cyborg might make a good PC.
• Space Combat. Ideally suited to be placed aboard space fighters and heavily armored space marine units, these reprogrammed warriors are customed designed to handle the stresses and extremes of space. They are the ultimate military application of Cyborg technology and rarely exhibit any remaining vestige of humanity. These do not make good PCs.

When designing a cyborg, you have a good deal of lattitude. Follow these guidelines when designing cyborgs and you will be able to preserve the style of CyberShards.

• No Characteristic maximums
• You may buy Armor and other powers as per the Creature Construction rules in Shards with the exceptions of Invulnerability, Insubstantial, and Regeneration. You may not purchase items from the Cybernetics list.
• You must take the Complication: Massive 10 Pts. Cyborgs weigh twice as much as a human of similar size.
• You must take the Complication: Requires Cybernetics Facilities to Heal 15 Pts.
  

CLONES AND CLONING

Synthetic people, replicants, do exist in this world and in many places they are regarded as tools or resources and have no rights. Gene Splicing is also in practice, and is especially done in places like the German Empire (Third Reich) and her satellite countries to improve looks, enhance the physique, and to eliminate genetic traits unacceptable to the Nazi image of the superior human.

This makes it quite logical that cloning would also be possible, and it is, but there are certain side effects.

1) Clones degrade. The DNA of the subject degrades slightly, with clones of clones eventually showing signs of severe DNA degradation. Clones are identical to the original in all respects, save that they loose one Characteristic point chosen at random.

2) Clone Law. Secondary copies of human individuals in Greater Germany have no rights, period. They are the property of the primary copy or original human or the clone maker. All clones are stamped with a 'copy number' and id. Thus when the predecessor dies, all properties and rights fall to the eldest clone (the one with the lowest copy number). Because of this law, exceedingly few people will have clones alive and walking around before they expire. They would be forced to compete essentially against themselves. However, since brain scans can record the minds of the recently dead, a clone can be grown and held in a neutral state until needed. At this point, the mind of the 'donor' is copied to the clone and the clone is then activated.

3) Fair Use. If you can afford the 10,000,000 marks price, you can have one so long as you can find a corporation you can trust to do it. If a corporation wishes to copy brain scan you and copy you after you die, technically they can. Technically they would also own you if you did not have the money to pay for the procedure. Since you died without a clone, your properties including your body can be seized as a free asset. And then they might Slave Soft you. Theoretically, corporations could build themselves an army using this technique, but at 10,000,000 a pop, this is not at all economically feasable (thank heavens).

4) Culture. Culturally, clones are looked down upon. It's certainly well known that any clone is going to be inferior to the original, whether that was a natural human, synthetic human, or Splicer.