New Enhancements

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The following creations are designed for Rifts®, though they could certainly be altered to work in another game genre. Note that there are similar implants avaliable on other pages, but I try to make mine as fair, balanced, and simple as possible. I'm not trying to slam anyone - I'm just telling you how I work. I don't want to create munchkin items.


Notes about the M.O.M. implants:

M.O.M. implants have already been covered in Rifts® Sourcebook Three: Mindwerkstm, but I decided to do some new/different implants. The reason? The implants in that book seemed a little powerful, had no costs associated with them, and they seem designed for the Mindwerkstm creations. I figured that M.O.M. technology would have progressed a little differently in the rest of the world than at Mindwerkstm, where all resources were poured into it. The implants in this file are less powerful than those used in the Crazy or the Mindwerkstm creations, but can be purchased and provide a small advantage like all other implants.

Even by getting all the M.O.M. implants, I feel that it is impossible for a character to end up with all the powers of the Crazy O.C.C. That seems kind of unrealistic. However, after acquiring four or more M.O.M. implants, I would (as a GM) require a character to switch over to the Crazy O.C.C. without gaining all the powers. Further, a person with this many M.O.M. implants who wants the Crazy conversion has to pay more than normal (20% to 40% more) since the brain has already undergone extensive re-wiring.

Characters who are already enhanced, like Juicerstm and borgs, should be limited to two M.O.M. implants. That implant also automatically causes an insanity (don't roll a save throw). Full conversion borgs and the Juicertm variants cannot benefit from the implants - they are already augmented to the maximum level and will only get insanity from the devices. The artificial systems of borgs do not benefit from the M.O.M. implants - the implants are designed to augment the natural, biological body. Crazies can get two more implants also, but they automatically gain an insanity (don't roll a save throw).

Mages and psychics can handle up to two M.O.M. implants without losing their special powers. Another implant of any sort (except biosystems) causes all spellcasting powers, psionic abilities, I.S.P.tm, P.P.E.tm, to be cut to half their previous level. Further, any special ability or skills (like a Dog Boy's supernatural sensing) suffer a -20% penalty. This is why so many mages and psychics refuse to use the implants.

Non-augmented characters can handle up to six M.O.M. implants and some other bionic or cybernetic implants.

Additionally, the implants as a whole cause more insanity than they do alone. When a second and fourth implant is acquired, do not roll for the listed insanity (but automatic insanities are still acquired). In its place, roll for a completely random insanity. On the sixth implant, roll on the random crazy element table (pg. 57 of the Rifts® RPG).

Crazies tend to be less insane than the characters who get a great deal of various M.O.M. implants, mostly because the Crazy conversion is done all at one time and is a fully integrated enhancement. A patchwork system of M.O.M. augmentation takes a greater toll on the sanity of a character than the Crazy conversion.

Obviously, the M.O.M. implants can provide a myriad of bonuses that no other form of augmentation can. However, a great number of these implants do not provide the same bonuses as one would gain from the Crazy conversion. Recipients also go crazy, and their implants limit the other kinds of augmentation that they can recieve. So if you want your character to have a little brain enhancement, one or two M.O.M. implants is the way to go. If you want extreme enhancement, be a Crazy.

Enhancement List:

Integrated IRMSS, created by Brett Hegr
Repair Package, created by Brett Hegr
Vehicle Piloting Interface, created by Brett Hegr
Weapon Interface, created by Brett Hegr
M.O.M. Predatory Augmentation, created by Brett Hegr
M.O.M. Linguistic Assist, created by Brett Hegr
M.O.M. Memory Augmentation, created by Brett Hegr
M.O.M. Coordination Enhancement, created by Brett Hegr
M.O.M. Sanity Shield, created by Brett Hegr
M.O.M. Psychic Energy Resevoir, created by Brett Hegr
M.O.M. Immune System Booster, created by Brett Hegr
M.O.M. Intelligence Enhancement, created by Brett Hegr
M.O.M. Metabolic Enhancement, created by Brett Hegr
M.O.M. Endurance Enhancement, created by Brett Hegr

Integrated IRMSS

 The IRMSS unit that helps Juicerstm to heal their biological damage has finally been made avaliable to borgs. For obvious reasons the device is not of much use to full conversion borgs, since they have very little flesh to repair. The implant is located near the heart and functions identically to the Juicertm system (recharged by the body's natural electromagnetic energy). The bots have a surgery skill of 75%, and are able to cut away dead flesh, remove blood clots, repair arteries and veins, and heal damaged tissue.

Assume for gaming purposes that the character is +5% to save vs coma and death. He also recovers +2 hit points (or M.D.C.tm points) and +4 S.D.C.tm points per day of recovery with treatment. Without treatment, the character recovers 2 hit points and 3 S.D.C.tm points per day. The system can also repair biosystems, but only the flesh parts of the system are restored. Note that if critically injured, the character will still need professional medical treatment. This implant only improves his chances of survival in such a situation.
Cost: 35,000 credits

Repair Package

 The repair package is a useful bionic implant found mostly among operators, mercenary borgs, and thieves. It is usually housed in the forearm or upper thigh, but chest-implanted versions are also avaliable. It provides a +7% bonus to the execution (do not add the problem to diagnosis rolls) of all electrical skills, all mechanical skills, and Demolitions and Demolitions Disposal (when messing with the internal workings of explosive devices only). The repair package can not be placed in the same part of the body as anything else (specifically storage compartments, laser rods, and bionic forearm weapons). It also can't take much damage - even 10 M.D.C.tm of damage will render 2d4x10% of the tools unuseable/broken.

Included in the repair package are a soldering iron, circuit tester, line tester, small drill (w/ 15 interchangable bits including screwdriver bits), mini-laser (1d4 S.D.C.tm damage, 6 inch range), wire clips, small air blower/vacuum (for removing dust and liquid), three jointed prongs (can be used as emergency lock picks with a -10% to the skill), and two miniature multi-jointed arms (about 8 inches long). There is also an 8x2x2 inch storage area that can house several other kinds of small tools.
Cost: 9,000 credits

Vehicle Piloting Interface

 This is a device that allows much greater communication between a pilot and a machine than a universal headjack. The basic system costs 18,000 credits on the black market and grants the following abilities: Once the basic system is possessed, the following extra options can be added to the implant for more control and fine tuning. Each improvement can be purchased only once.

Weapon Interface

 This device is the rage among city rats, headhunters, and mercenaries. It requires minor modification of a weapon to include a status relay and two position trackers at the butt and the barrel of the firearm. The implant is put into the temple of the character to receive data, calculate angles, and contain the third position tracker.

The three position trackers are used to create a triangle. The two weapon position trackers form a straight line (to the target) in relation to the third in the implant. The line coordinates are then fed into a VR overlay in the artificial eye (required). The result is a beam of light that points at whatever the gun is pointing to - and the beam is only visible to the character.

The recipient of the weapon interface gains a +1 bonus to strike, applicable only to ranged weapons. He can ricochet his shots off of surfaces (one surface maximum) at a -2 to strike penalty (negating the implant bonuses). The current payload, weapon condition, firing pattern, and just about everything else is monitored by the implant. The firing pattern can be adjusted mentally too. He can fire accurately while hanging upside down. Lastly, he can fire while on a moving vehicle or animal, but strike bonuses are halved and a called shot is impossible. These bonuses and abilities apply only with weapons that are modified to have the position trackers.

Finally, there are some odds and ends to cover. Multiple weapons can be outfitted with interfaces and trackers, but only one such weapon can be used at a time. Melee weapons that have distance attack capability can also be modified, but it costs 50% more than normal. Power armor weapons can be modified too (costs 50% more also), but not robot or vehicle weapons. All modified weapons have to have a data cable connecting the weapon to the character's implant. A short cable is about four feet long and suitable for everyday use. A long one is necessary for altering the weapon system of a suit of power armor.
Requirement: The character must have an artificial eye with the targeting sight implant (the bonuses can be combined).
Cost: 28,000 credits for the implant, 120 credits for a standard data cable or 200 for a long one, and 2000 credits for a weapon modification. Prices tend to be 10% to 20% greater depending on the demand and the shop.

M.O.M. Predatory Augmentation

 Before the time of the rifts, mind over matter technology was used to enhance the natural predatory and hunting instincts of humans. This made soldiers even more deadly and effective, but usually at the cost of their sanity. Stealth, reflexes, and combat ferocity are greatly enhanced. This implant is normally given to (or forced upon) personal bodyguards, slave soldiers, and distinguished soldiers by private kingdoms and armies.

The following bonuses are gained from the implant: +10% to Prowl, +5% to all tracking skills, +5% to Wilderness Survival, +1 to P.E., +1 to P.S., +2 to strike, +1 to grapple, and +1 attack per melee. The character's senses also become much sharper, so add a +2 to perception and +1 on initiative.

As this is an M.O.M. enhancement, the character risks insanity. Due to the nature of this implant (enhancing natural instincts), the character automatically gains an insanity. 20% of recipients become obsessed with hunting, stalking, prowling, and attacking prey. They also become more anti-social and belligerent. 30% simply find that they enjoy combat and are obsessed with winning and proving their strength. The other 50% develop a randomly rolled obsession or phobia. If rolling for additional insanities from multiple M.O.M. implants, do not include this implant in the total number of implants.
Cost: 55,000

M.O.M. Linguistic Assist

 The area of the brain that deals with speech, literacy, and language is enhanced with this implant. The character is able to speak a foriegn language more fluently, and can even learn new languages at an accelerated rate. Add a +10% bonus to speak all languages that he currently knows, and add a +5% to all literacy skills that are possessed. If this implant was acquired during character creation, the character can speak 1d4 extra languages with a +15% bonus. If given a week to study a language that is already known, the character can even learn a local dialect and slang.

The character, as said before, can also learn new languages quickly. With a week of consistently hearing and practicing a foriegn language, the character will have a 15% base skill in speaking it. Each week of similar effort thereafter, add a +5% bonus until the character achieves a base skill level of 50%. If the character can work with an expert in the language (or the language being learned is based on one that is known), add +10% to the base skill. Thereafter, the language skill progresses normally. Note that learning literacy in the language is standard for the character, but he gets the same +5% bonus and learns quickly. The focus of this implant is in the spoken word.

In addition to the previous bonuses, add a +5% bonus to the Cryptography skill (if possessed) and add 1d6 P.P.E.tm

As this is an M.O.M. enhancement, the character runs a risk of developing an insanity. When the implant is acquired, roll a save vs insanity (12 or better) with no penalty. If the roll fails, the character must roll for a random phobia or obsession (player's choice). If it succeeds, the character suffers no insanity.
Cost: 35,000 credits

M.O.M. Memory Augmentation

 The memory retention of the augmented character is boosted to superhuman levels. He gains the ability to memorize strings of roughly 100 numbers or letters in minutes. Entire chapters from books can be remembered and recited months later. Briefings and reports can be delivered to superior officers with perfect recall. The memory of the character is not quite on par with the Total Recall psionic power, as the memories tend to fade after six to eight months. However, the normal recall ability of the character is not affected, so he'll remember memorized data just as well as he would childhood memories and past experiences after an extended period. Hard information is easier to remember for the character also, and he gains bonuses to the following skills: +25% to speak all languages, +25% to all Science skills, +15% to all lore skills, and +5% to all medical and literacy skills. However, none of these bonuses apply for the execution of techniques and processes - only for the recollection of pure information. Also add 1d4 P.P.E.tm

As this is an M.O.M. enhancement, the character runs a risk of developing an insanity. When the implant is acquired, roll a save vs insanity (12 or better) with a -2 penalty. If the roll fails, the character must roll for a random phobia or obsession (player's choice). If it succeeds, the character suffers no insanity.
Cost: 50,000 credits

M.O.M. Coordination Enhancement

 Most popular among Crazies, this implant boosts the muscle control, hand-eye coordination, and overall agility of the recipient. Add a +5% to three piloting skills of choice, +5% to the Swimming and Prowl skills, +10% to the Acrobatics and Gymnastics skills, +1 to P.P., +1 to strike, +2 to dodge and parry, +1 to pull punch, and +1 to roll with punch, fall, or impact. The character also has an automatic parry (if he didn't before), a multiple dodge (a dodge effective even against rear attacks, but cannot be used with an automatic dodge), and can leap four feet farther than before (lengthwise and vertically). Also add 1d4 P.P.E.tm

As this is an M.O.M. enhancement, the character runs a risk of developing an insanity. When the implant is acquired, roll a save vs insanity (12 or better) with a -4 penalty. If the roll fails, the character must roll for a random phobia or obsession (player's choice). If it succeeds, the character suffers no insanity.
Cost: 90,000 credits

M.O.M. Sanity Shield

 This device helps a person with mental instability to gain a hold over their insanities. Strangely, a lot of Crazies do not have an urge to obtain this useful device (even though they benefit just as others do). With at least ten hours of daily meditation (which the device can help facilitate), the character can control the insanity for up to 2d6 days at a stretch (GMs roll in secret). Every day beyond that period, roll a save vs insanity (M.E. bonuses are the only ones applicable) with a -1 cumulative penalty for each day without meditation and therapy. Roll a save for each insanity. A failed roll means the insanity is uncontrolled. A successful one means the insanity is repressed until the next time a save throw must be rolled.

The character can also repress all insanity for up to six hours at a time. This can be done only once per 48 hour period, but requires no meditation, therapy, or other help. At the end of the period the character is just as crazy as before. Applicable at all times, the character also gets a +2 bonus vs Horror Factor, +1 vs possession and mind control, and +2 vs interrogation (divide the interrogators skill by 15% to determine his bonus, add his M.E. bonus, and then roll a contest on 1d20 against the character with his save throw bonus and M.E. bonus combined). Also add 1d4 P.P.E.tm

As this is an M.O.M. enhancement, the character runs a risk of developing an insanity. When the implant is acquired, roll a save vs insanity (12 or better) with a +2 bonus. If the roll fails, the character must roll for a random phobia or obsession (player's choice). If it succeeds, the character suffers no insanity. If rolling for additional insanities from multiple M.O.M. implants, do not include this implant in the total number of implants.
Cost: 20,000 credits

M.O.M. Psionic Energy Resevoir

 This is the newest M.O.M. implant avaliable, and represents the cutting edge in the technology. It is only useful for psychics. It taps into a deeper source of I.S.P.tm than many psychics are unable to access, providing additional energy. Each implant has a pool of 4d6+16 I.S.P.tm that the character can use. This pool does not recover in the standard sense. It has a recovery rate of 6 points per hour - rest, meditation, hard work, sleep, and watching television will not increase or decrease it. Up to two of these implants can be possessed. Also add 3d4 P.P.E.tm

If you have the Mindwerkstm book, the Angel of Death has probably already created her own version of this long ago. For hers, double the amount of I.S.P.tm in the energy resevoir and increase the recovery rate to 8 points per hour.

As this is an M.O.M. enhancement, the character runs a risk of developing an insanity. In this case, the character automatically gains one. Roll once on the random insanity table (pg. 19 of the Rifts® RPG). If rolling for additional insanities from multiple M.O.M. implants, do not include this implant in the total number of implants.
Cost: 80,000 credits

M.O.M. Immune System Booster

 This implant actually has a legitimate purpose in the betterment of mankind, unlike the other devices that only serve to make humans more effective killing machines. Recipients add a +1 to the P.E. attribute (minimum P.E. of 9), gains +3 vs toxins, gases, and poisons, and +6 to save vs disease of all kinds (magical ones included). Further, the character recovers from the illness in half the normal time. If the disease is lethal, they survive twice as long before death. If damaging, they only suffer half the normal damage. In any case, halve one or two aspects of a disease such that the character benefits. This device is popular among scouts and messengers, who must spend time in the wild with all sorts of possible sickness-inducing life forms. The implant is useless against acids and parasites. Also add 1d4 to the P.P.E.tm

As this is an M.O.M. enhancement, the character runs a risk of developing an insanity. When the implant is acquired, roll a save vs insanity (12 or better) with a -2 penalty. If the roll fails, the character must roll for a random phobia or obsession (player's choice). If it succeeds, the character suffers no insanity.
Cost: 30,000 credits

M.O.M. Intelligence Enhancement

 The brain is overlaid with a netting of fiberoptic strands, as a means of supplementing the complex network of brain cells. The strands act as a form of subprocessor, allowing a character to think clearer and faster than before. Add +2 to the I.Q. (minimum I.Q. of 9), +1 to perception, +5% to all O.C.C. or R.C.C. Skills, and +10% to all Science and Technical skills (the bonuses can be combined). Also add 1d4+4 to the P.P.E.tm

As this is an M.O.M. enhancement, the character runs a risk of developing an insanity. When the implant is acquired, roll a save vs insanity (12 or better) with a -4 penalty. If the roll fails, the character must roll for a random phobia or obsession (player's choice). If it succeeds, the character suffers no insanity.
Cost: 30,000 credits

M.O.M. Metabolic Enhancement

 This M.O.M. implant causes the body to process chemicals more efficiently and much faster. Nerve impulses and reaction time are also accelerated. The character gains a +2 to roll with punch, fall, or impact, +1 on initiative, +1 to parry and dodge, and +2 to the P.P. attribute. Also add a +2 vs all toxins, poisons, and drugs (including mind control drugs) and +5% to save vs coma and death. The character heals at double the normal rate. He can also remain alert and active for up to two days without penalties, and only needs a minimum of five hours of sleep a day. Lastly, add 1d4 P.P.E.tm

As this is an M.O.M. enhancement, the character runs a risk of developing an insanity. When the implant is acquired, roll a save vs insanity (12 or better) with a -3 penalty. If the roll fails, the character must roll for a random phobia or obsession (player's choice). If it succeeds, the character suffers no insanity. The character also becomes jumpy, hyperactive, and possibly annoying (much like a Juicertm).
Cost: 75,000 credits

M.O.M. Endurance Enhancement

 The brain is altered with some minor M.O.M. enhancements to make the recipient more damage resistant. Add 4d6+26 S.D.C.tm and 2d6 hit points (or 2d6+8 M.D.C.tm), add +1d4 to P.E. (minimum of 14), and the character can last four times longer than he normally could before feeling the effects of exhaustion. No more than two of these enhancements can be implanted in any one being. Lastly, add 1d4 P.P.E.tm

As this is a M.O.M. enhancement, the character runs a risk of developing an insanity. When the implant is acquired, roll a save vs insanity (12 or better) with a -3 penalty. If the roll fails, the character must roll for a random phobia or obsession (player's choice). If it succeeds, the character suffers no insanity.
Cost: 55,000 credits