Simple D6 expansion cyberpunk

Intro

This is an expansion with concepts and ideas usable with the Simple d6 system. This page will not discuss specific rules for the SD6 system but rather give suggestions for skills, qualities, equipment, character concepts, aspects and common themes you might find useful when running a cyberpunk/transhumanistic game in Simple D6.

The current version of Simple D6 can be found here

Common themes in Cyberpunk

Cyberpunk is (extremely loosely speaking) generally defined by a breakdown the social order or society, often caused by the sudden advent of new technology. It is high tech and low life and themes like nihilism, drugs, implants and transhumanism are often involved.

Tramshumanism is often used as part of Cyberpunk roleplaying and therefore, stuff like implants will also be covered in this expansion, though it’s not strictly speaking part of the cyberpunk label.

Inspiration for themes can be found in games, movies and books such as Deus Ex, Syndicate, Cyberpunk 2020, I Robot, Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Bladerunner, The Matrix, Neuromancer, Do Androids dream of Electric Sheep? and so forth.

Aspects

Common aspects usable in cyberpunk will be Physical (or combat), Social and Humanity.

Humanity is lost when you get implants and Humanity Damage may be caused by hacking attempts. Losing all your Humanity gives the one who hacked you control of your implants.

Hacking Attacks

In Cyberpunk settings, GM´s may decide to use hacking attacks. These can be done against any electronic system – including implants. Security systems have 1-5 Defense and 1-10HP. All hacks are, as a rule of thumb, temporary and last a few minutes or rounds at most.

Characters use their Humanity Aspect to resist hacking attempts. If a character is successfully hacked, the hacker takes control of all that characters implants. Exoskeleton implants may be used to physically control the character, eye implants may be shut down or be given false readings, weapon implants may fire off at inopportune times and so forth. A character may be aware that it was hacked with proper perception or computer rolls as ruled by the GM.

Character concepts

Cybernetic Test Subject, Corporate Agent going Rogue, Investigative Reporter, Policeman, Posthumanist Spokesperson, Cyborg Freedom fighter, Anti-cybernetics Protester, Gang Member, Computer Terrorist Fighter, Corporate R&D Weapons Developer.

Humanity	Implant Example	Example of Effect
1	Wrist-Index-Pc	PC implant in wrist, no hacking
1	Linguistic Oriatory System	Instant language translation
1	Extra-Sensory Localisation	Ecco-location, thermic sensors
2	Exoskeletal Defense System	1 Combat Defense, very visible
2	Muscle Enhancing System	Feats of strength or speed
3	Cranial/Retnia Etherlink	Blackbird retnia implant

Implants

You can get any number of implants which effectively work like extra skills (but much more limited in scope). Each Implant cost 1-3 Humanity HP permanently, depending on that the GM decides fits the setting, and are not necessarily bound by normal skill limitations.

Skills and Qualities

Examples of Skills and Qualities for cyberpunk: Hacking, Cybernetic Surgery, Sabotage, Control Combat Vehicle, Investigation, Computer Engineering, Car Thief, Gang Member and Government Agent.

Equipment

High tech weapons can be anything you think fits like:

Pulse Rifles are full automatic weapons which fire in small controlled bursts giving +1 dice to attack

X-17 Arma Rifles which fires high caliber rounds which deal +1 damage

Garrian Side Arm which is a multi-purpose pistol which can be set to stun or even mini explosives.

Artarial T-3 Rifle which fires armor piercing rounds and has thermic scope is a sniper rifle which gives +1 dice to attack and also ignores up to 2 Defense (walls count as having around 1 Defense per foot/30cm)

PG Infiltrator or “the Perrington Greeting” is small enough to fit in a small pocket and has a single round of high explosives, powerful enough to kill most people or robots or even blow in doors.

Interesting personal items could be

Personal Palm Computer (PPC) which is like a Smartphone with processing power of a computer, using a laser generated virtual keyboard.

Blackbird is an advanced hacking tool, used in hacking attempts. Military grade and illegal, this is only available for corporate agents, government agents or on the black market. Has a range of ~60feet/20 meters

Falcon is a super advanced version of the Blackbird, with a range of 150 feet/50 meters. Highly illegal and officially does not exist.

SensusX is an advanced drug, popular with the high society. Greatly expands senses, making pleasure and pain much more intense.

Luna GTX is the newest within hovering vehicles, this motorbike hovers 1 foot/30cm over the ground.

Q&A Section

Simple d6 - Cyberpunk expansion resource in jpeg form for sharing on image boards or easy print

Those hacking attacks - how do they work?

You could hack any site if you have a properly powerful computer and the right software but using hacking on the fly or in combat requires special equipment like a Blackbird or a Falcon. If you have such an item, Hacking is just like any other combat - you roll your hacking check, pick a dice, add 1 for remaining 6´s and the target reduces it by his Humanity Defense and the rest is subtracted from Humanity HP. When you reach 0 Humanity HP, the hacker gets to control your implants for a few rounds or minutes. This does not mean that the hacker can control your person though (unless you happen to use an armored exo-skeleton or muscle enhancer for instance). Implants cant (generally) be hacked without such an illigal apparatus. However, with power hungry corporations and governments, you never know what R&D departments are making and what plots are under way for players to disrupt (or help succeed).

Why does more implants make you easier to hack?

The simple answer is that more tech means more places the hacking tools can hook on to and therefore it becomes easier to hack heavily augmented opponents. Alternatively, you can say that more machinery makes you less human and therefore more subject to the rules of machinery than free will or the soul. It all depends on what logic you want to apply to your setting. From a technical stand point, the Humanity cost is there to give players a choice between more augmentations weighed up against greater risk of getting hacked by opponents. If you want a ton of augmentation and implants in your game, you can always rule that it´s not possible to hack characters. Note though that few implants are hooked up to the ethernet and even fewer can actually be hacked by a normal computer. It requires special hardware, only accessable in items like the Blackbird or the Falcon, to hack implants at all and even then you have to be very close to your target.

Is there an easily printable version somewhere?

Yes, right here to the right

Can I pass this off as my own?

No. If you are going to use this, at least give some credit where due. And no permission is given for use in anything which includes anyone making a profit from using this set of rules in any way.