Full Body Cyborgs take cyberware to a whole new level: nearly their entire bodies are machines, with only their brains and maybe a few vestigial organs left. The classic example in fiction is Motoko Kusanagi from the Ghost in the Shell franchise.
We can build Full Body Cyborgs using the Robot rules (FTLN p. 124-133), with a few modifications.
Brain and Life Support
Instead of a robot brain, the cyborg body will need a braincase (and brain), Spinal Interface for the brain to control its body, and Life Support Module to keep the brain alive.
| Item | Cost (Credits) | Encumbrance | Tech Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spinal Interface | 1,000,000 | 0 | Early Space |
| Life Support Module | 200,000 | 3 | Early Space |
| TOTAL | 1,200,000 | 3 |
The braincase, Spinal Interface, and Life Support Module form a closed system that is sealed against vacuum and pathogens. The Spinal Interface connects to the control circuitry of a robot body, thus allowing movement.
Like all cyborgs, a full body cyborg suffers a -1D penalty to all Social skill rolls to be friendly. (p. 90)
We are ignoring Loss (FTLN p. 90) because the person has already suffered Loss of their whole body. Any person that survives that without going stark raving mad has suffered all the Loss they can.
If the GM wishes, the player can roll on the table on page 91 to discover how the trauma affected them.
Care and Maintenance
Eating and Drinking
Full Body Cyborgs cannot eat or drink naturally.
The Life Support Module provides circulation, ambient oxygen, and nutrients to the brain, but the nutrients must come as a synthetic fluid injected directly into the circulatory system. An Artificial Digestive System allows a FBC to eat and drink almost like they used to.
Sleeping
Organic brains must rest, no matter what they’re housed in. A Full Body Cyborg must sleep like any organic being, or suffer Fatigue.
Damage and Healing
All Damage comes off the robot body’s Durability, not the brain’s Stamina which is effectively 1. Hits targeted specifically at the brain case (wherever it is) must penetrate 4 points of armor; if any damage gets through, the cyborg is down; roll Triage immediately at -1D to see how bad it is.
Full Body Cyborgs roll on the Triage table below. Multiple Wounds add -1D to the roll.
| 2d6 | Result |
|---|---|
| ≤3 | Brain Death: The cyborg’s brain is dead. |
| 4 | Critical Brain Injury: The cyborg requires 6d6 days of care from a medical specialist. |
| 5 | Life Support Damage: The Life Support Module was damaged. A successful Technology throw will fix it; a failure counts as another Wound, requiring Triage. All further wounds are at -1D until it is repaired. |
| 6-8 | Minor Brain Injury: The cyborg must rest for 1 day. |
| 9‑12 | No Lasting Damage: The cyborg will be fine once their body is repaired. |
Medical experience (e.g. the Medic Talent) provides Advantage in fixing the Life Support Module.
Like robots and unlike fully living beings, a Full Body Cyborg cannot heal on its own (but see below). They must be repaired like any other machine.
Routine Maintenance
For safety reasons a Full Body Cyborg must go into a qualified medical facility to check the subject’s brain for any damage, and the Life Support System for any mechanical flaws or wear and tear. Each visit costs about 50,000 Cr.
Options for Full Body Cyborgs
The chart below gives the name of the item, whether it’s part of the brain or body, its cost in credits, and at what Technology Age it becomes available.
| Item | Cost (Credits) | Enc. | Tech Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spinal Interface (required) | 1,000,000 | 0 | Early Space |
| Artificial Digestive System | 60,000 | 1 | Early Space |
| Emergency Life Support System | 50,000 | 0 | Early Interstellar |
| Life Support Module, Standard | 200,000 | 3 | Early Space |
| Life Support Module, Compact | 300,000 | 2 | Early Interstellar |
| Life Support Module, Ultra-Compact | 500,000 | 1 | Early Galactic |
| Omnicomm Link | 5,000 | 0 | Early Space |
| Omnicomp Co-Processor | 10,000 | 0 | Early Space |
Descriptions
Artificial Digestive System
An artificial digestive system allows the cyborg to eat and digest food normally. The digestion process also feeds energy to the robot body.
Emergency Life Support System
A small oxygen reserve tank and auxiliary circulatory pump affixed to the underside of the brain case provides circulation and oxygen in case the cyborg is decapitated. It lasts for one hour, after which the cyborg will begin to suffocate.
Life Support Module, Standard
Unless a full body cyborg wants to stay tethered to an external life support machine, they will need a Life Support Module that fits into the thorassic cavity of a human-sized robot. The brain and braincase remain tethered through a parallel to the carotid arteries, jugular veins, and parasympathetic nervous system. The life support module monitors brain and pituitary activity and increases or decreases respiration and circulation accordingly.
Life Support Module, Compact
Life Support Modules become more compact in this Technology Age. The brain and life support can fit into one canister about 30cm in diameter and 50 cm in height: too big to fit in a human-sized head, but OK for a Large robot’s chassis.
Life Support Module, Ultra Compact
The brain and Life Support Module fit into a package only slightly larger than a human braincase, with a Spinal Interface socket at the bottom. One can easily transplant the braincase from one android to another, leaving plenty of room for options in the android body.
Omnicomm Link
Unlike a normal Omnicomm implant, this link is implanted directly into the braincase, and follows the brain, not the robot body.
Omnicomp Co-Processor
Unlike a normal Omnicomp implant, this link is implanted directly into the braincase, and follows the brain, not the body.
With the Referee’s permission, an Omnicomp Coprocessor can also coordinate the body; the brain can download “Expert Programs” that augment their own capabilities. Each Expert Program adds +1D to a specific activity: Administration, Gunplay, Acrobatics, etc. Only one Expert Program can download and run at any one time. The availability of Expert Programs depends on the surrounding culture.
Shells
Transplanting a Full Body Cyborg in Early Space Age is more involved than moving a robot brain to a new body; it requires 1d6 days of clean room transplantation, calibration, and performance tuning. (By the Early Interstellar it’s easier, and in the Early Galactic it’s trivial.) Thus the Shell option (p 131-132) isn’t available for Full Body Cyborg shells until the Late Interstellar.
Nevertheless, we will refer to Full Body Cyborg bodies as “shells”. Here are a few sample ones.
Note: When designing robot bodies, leave Cargo space for the eventual Braincase and Life Support Module but don’t include their cost in the calculations for the cost of the body’s Locomotion. The high cost of the Full Body Cyborg package reflects extreme medical and technical precision, not weight or strain on the body’s circuits.
Humanoid Shell, Mercenary
Technology Age: Late Space
| Chassis | Durability | Protection | Speed | Brain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium | 14 | 6 | 2 legs, normal speed | human |
Upgrades and Equipment: 2 Humaniform Manipulators, 2 points of Protection, 3 Enc. of Cargo space, Artificial Digestive System, Electronic Interface, Humanoid.
The owner of this shell made a career of mercenary work, or maybe she just enjoyed it. She opted for light armor and relied on stealth and hacking skills to get the job done.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Medium Chassis | 10,000 |
| 2 Humaniform Manipulators | 10,000 |
| 2 points of Protection | 28,000 |
| 4 Enc. Cargo space | 4,000 |
| Electronic Interface | 500 |
| Humanoid, 500 cr / Dur | 7,000 |
| Night Vision | 600 |
| 2 Legs | +10% |
| subtotal | 66,110 |
| Spinal Interface | 1,000,000 |
| Life Support System | 200,000 |
| Artificial Digestive System | 60,000 |
| Omnicomm Link | 5,000 |
| Omnicomp Co-Processor | 10,000 |
| TOTAL | 1,341,110 |
“Robot” Shell, Police Officer
Technology Age: Early Space
| Chassis | Durability | Protection | Speed | Brain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium | 14 | 10 | 2 legs, normal speed | human |
Upgrades and Equipment: 2 Humaniform Manipulators, 6 points of Protection, 3 Enc. of Cargo space, Electronic Interface.
One of the first Full Body Cyborgs, without a digestive system or human-like skin, the owner was a former cop who’d been in a near-fatal accident. The corporation that funded his resurrection held the extreme cost of his “makeover” over his head, rendering him a virtual indentured servant.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Medium Chassis | 10,000 |
| 2 Humaniform Manipulators | 10,000 |
| 6 points of Protection | 84,000 |
| 3 Enc. Cargo space | 3,000 |
| Electronic Interface | 500 |
| 2 Legs | +10% |
| subtotal | 118,250 |
| Full Body Cyborg package | 1,200,000 |
| TOTAL | 1,318,250 |
Gladiator Shell, Fighter
Technology Age: Late Interstellar
| Chassis | Durability | Protection | Speed | Brain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large | 18 | 12 | 2 legs, normal speed | human |
Upgrades and Equipment: 2 Combat Arms, 6 points of Protection, 2 Enc. of Cargo space, Omnicomm.
Inhabited by a person who loves to fight, this unit comes without a digestive system or human-like skin. Their career on the gladiatorial circuit more than pays for the cost of their extreme elective surgery and their monthly upkeep.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Medium Chassis | 10,000 |
| 2 Combat Arms | 4,000 |
| 6 points of Protection | 84,000 |
| 2 Enc. Cargo space | 2,000 |
| Omnicomm (in shell) | 100 |
| 2 Legs | +10% |
| subtotal | 118,910 |
| Spinal Interface | 1,000,000 |
| Compact Life Support | 300,000 |
| TOTAL | 1,418,910 |
Travel Machine, Alien Conqueror
Technology Age: Late Galactic
| Chassis | Durability | Protection | Speed | Brain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium | 14 | 4 | Anti-Grav: triple move, flies | alien |
Upgrades and Equipment: 1 Multipurpose Arm, 1 integrated Plasma Rifle(?), one integrated Energy Shield, Spectrum Vision, one Enc. of Cargo …
The basic design has not changed through the millennia, but this alien’s travel machine’s internals has gone through several dozen technological upgrades.
At press time we could not provide a detailed cost breakdown of this machine’s specs. When asked about life support, our informant told us that his species “DID NOT NEED HU-MAN LIFE SUP-PORT.”