Skills
The following are new skills and skill packages for 2040: Year of the Steel Monkey.
Medical
Bioengineering: Use of engineering and biological principles for the identification of the functions of living systems and for the development of (1) therapeutic devices, especially artificial body parts and systems, e.g., artificial blood vessels, pacemakers, dialysis equipme nt, and artificial limbs that function like their prototypes; and (2) equipment for monitoring the performance of healthy and diseased organisms. Base Skill: 30% + 5% per level of experience. Requires: Biology, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.
Genetics Engineer: Group of research techniques that manipulate the DNA (genetic material) of cells in order to change heredity traits or produce biological products. The techniques include the use of hybridomas (hybrids of rapidly growing cancer cells and cells that make amounts of desir ed antibody) to make monoclonal antibodies, gene splicing or recombinant DNA technique (in which the DNA of a desired gene is inserted into the DNA of a bacterium, which then reproduces itself, yielding more than a desired gene), and polymerize chain reac tion (which makes copies of DNA fragments and is used in DNA Fingerprinting). Genetically engineered products include bacteria designed to efficiently break down oil slicks and industrial waste products, drugs (human and bovine growth hormones, human insulin, interferon), and plants that are resistant to diseases and insects or that yield fruits or vegetables with desired quantities. Because genetic engineering involves techniques used to obtain patents or human genes and create patentable living organisms, it has raised many legal and ethical issues.
Questions have also been raised about the safety of releasing into the environment genetically altered organisms that might disrupt ecosystems. GM's remember there is a difference between the military use and the civilian use of Genetics Engineer. Please keep this in mind when the characters are using this skill. Base Skill: 15% + 5% per level of experience. Requires: Biology, Botany, and Math Basic and Advanced.
Medical: Juicer Technology: This is the ability to install the JAEP system for the Juicer conversion on a normal human being. This allows the doctor to supply the right amount of drugs for the JAEP system and diagnose most Juicer side effects and syndromes. Base Skill: 60% +4% per level of experience (there's only one juicer variant in Steel Monkey). Requiremnets: M.D. Cybernetics, Medical Doctor, Biology, Pathology, Chemistry, Advance Mathematics and Literacy.
Physical
Hand to Hand: Magic: Mage's only.
Hand to Hand: Terran Sword Master: Terran's only.
Meditation: Involves engaging the mind and body so that th e body remains motionless, but without fatigue or pain, and the mind stays in a clear, calm and rested state. While meditating a character recovers Chi, I.S.P., P.P.E. and other internal resources at an accelerated rate. Although it is not a substitute for sleeping, characters will usually feel alert and refreshed after any period of meditation. When in a meditative state the character is, at a subconscious level, well aware of what is happening in the environment and can instantly leave the meditation position with no combat penalties. Base Meditation Skill: Rolls based on meditation should be done as a check versus the character's Mental Endurance (M.E.) attribute. Base Meditation Time: The amount of time that a character can continue to meditate: One hour at first level, with an additional fifteen minutes at 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th levels. At 6th level the meditation time jumps to three hours, and the character picks up another advancement into 7th level and beyond.
Rogue
Contacts: This skill allows a character a chance to make connections with people between cities and even the world. The base percentage is a character's chance of having heard of a character before or making a new contact. If the person in question is from the same city, the base percentage is doubled. One-tenth of the base percentage is the character's chance of personally knowing the person. Base Skill: 10% +4% per level.
Urban Navigation: This is a character's ability to navigate and find his way around a city or any urbanized place. Base Skill: 36% +4% per level.
Urban Survival: This skill is like the Wilderness Survival except it is for cities, this skill differs from streetwise in the fact that you know more than the illegal parts of the city is, you know how to survive on minimal amounts of credits, know where the best restaurants, where cops are, how the city is run. Basically this skill is like if you live in the city all your life you know where things are, you know how people are going to react to you or how you look. Base Skill: 35% + 5% per level of experience.
Technical
Art - Graffiti: Basically a person's ability to express themselves through street art and graffiti. Base Skill: 35% +5% per level.
Cyberjacking: In 2040: Year of the Steel Monkey, many computers (80%) allow the user to go beyond normal interfacing of the keyboard or trackball. A person is now able to communicate directly with the computer through a socket known as the Dataplug or Cyberlink. By this means, a person is able to literally enter the computer mentally into a Virtual Reality World known as the 'Net. Once accessed, a person can alter or add data, change files, and redesign the computer's program, all with his mind merely by thinking it. If linked to the rest of the 'Net and other computers, the user can communicate and interact with others also linked in. Cyberjacking is much more direct and ten times faster then normal computer operation or programming. There are also still the dangers of software bombs, virsus, worms and trojan horses to deal with, along with other users in the 'Net who may try to trap you or design programs to trap the mind. And of course the rare A.I. who may wish to keep you from interfering. A person must have either a dataplug or cyberlink to use this skill when in the 'Net. Requires: Computer Operation. Base Skill: 30% +5% per level.
Language Street Slang: The ability to speak and use slang effectively on the streets. A person without this skill can still use slang, picking up a few words here and there. But not the rapid jargon that the language skill is. Base Skill: 50% +5% per level.
Literacy Street Slang: Like language Street Slang, a person is able to read and interpret slang, both written and in art. A person without literacy Street Slang, is unable to read and understand the mesages of Wordtung. Base Skill: 30% +5% per level.
Weapon Proficiencies
W.P. Disk Launcher: The ability to fire and operate a disk launcher, primarily the ones produced by H & H. Provides a +1 strike levels four, eight and twelve.
Cyber Hacker Program:
Basic Electronics
Computer Hacking
Computer Operation
Computer Programming
Cyberjacking
Cryptography
Advanced Mathematics
Literacy
Street Rat Program:
Language: Street Slang
Literacy: Street Slang
Streetwise
Law (General)
Pick Pockets
Pick Locks
W.P. 2 of choice
Taken a second time, pick four skills from Rogue Skill Listing.
Weapons Engineer Program: Repeated from Heroes Unlimited GM Guide for player use.
Mathematics Basic & Advanced
Electrical Engineer
Mechanical Engineer
Weapons Engineer
Field Armorer
Alien Scholar/Diplomat (Alien Characters Only)
Four skill programs (+30%) and 10 secondary skills
