Lots to Talk About: Choicers, Cyborgs and Neo-Exodus

Well, I've got a ton of things to show you today.

First, I've almost finished with the manuscript for Packaged Nightmares: Rapists of Black Tokyo, which is the title of the Rape Pure Fight sourcebook. It'll be the first in a series of thematic shorter bestiaries for the setting. I'm just waiting on last art for that.

Second, I've got a bunch of amazing new art from Amanda Webb to preview, all of which will eventually find its way into my as yet unnamed Choicer mega-sourcebook.

Finally, as the first image on this page suggests, I've got a preview of the upcoming Psi-Watch bestiary. I've been doing some heavy work on this book over the last couple of evenings, and its rapidly turning into the "X-Men in Pathfinder" sourcebook- it's great and I'm loving it, and I'm only now beginning to give Psi-Watch its own unique character.

One of the things I did just for fun was include a cybernetic animal template that can be added to any animal (or optionally, to magical beasts and dragons of animal intelligence) that builds things like the awesomely creepy cyber-dingos pictured above. Anyway, the Cyber-Beast template isn't the core of the Psi-Watch Bestiary, by any means, but I can see it being something that's used by a lot of GMs in a lot of modern, futuristic or techno-magic settings. So here it is along with three animals enhanced by bionics: a Cyber-Grizzly, Cyber-Wolf and Cyber-Vulture.

The Cyber-Beast Template

            The quick and dirty cyber-augmentation of military working animals is a cost efficient, if brutal way of producing front-line combat ‘borgs. Simple implants slaved to an animal’s central nervous system marries feral ferocity to cybernetic durability. Cyber-animals are easily controlled by direct neural interface- a controller can induce extremes of pain or pleasure to condition a cybernetic working animal.

·        Challenge Rating Increase by +1

·        Available To This acquired template may be added to any Animal. At the GM’s option, this template may also be added to Magical Beasts and Dragons with an INT score of 3 or less.

·        Creature Type The base creature gains the Cyborg subtype.

·        Speed Increase all the Cyber-Beast’s movement modes by +30 ft.

·        Ability Scores Increase the Cyber-Beast’s STR score by +4 and its CON score by +2.

·        Senses The Cyber-Beast gains Darkvision 60 ft or their existing Darkvision range increases by +30 ft. Cyber-Beasts can perceive unencrypted radio, television and wifi signals. 

·        Attacks The Cyber-Beast’s natural weapon attacks increase to the next larger die size (from 1d6 to 1d8 for example).

·        Armor Class Increase the Cyber-Beast’s natural armor bonus to AC by +4.

·        Weaknesses The Cyber-Beast gains Cybernetic Security Risk -2

·        Standard Monster Abilities The Cyber-Beast gains the Unhealing and Cybernetic Security Weaknesses common to creatures of the cyborg subtype.

Agonized (EX)

Cyber-Beasts are in constant pain from their poorly installed and tuned implants. Increase the difficulty of Handle Animal checks made against them by +10.

Cybernetic Durability (EX)

Medium or smaller Cyber-Beasts gain +10 bonus Hit Points. Large and larger Cyber-Beasts receive an additional +10 bonus Hit Points per size category beyond Medium. These stack with the Hit Points provided by the Cyber-Beast’s augmented CON score.

Sensory Records (EX)

Data from the Cyber-Beast’s optical and aural senses is continually recorded and stored within its cybernetic memory. The Cyber-Beast’s onboard memory can store up to 24 hours of visual and auditory data. The Cyber-Beast’s visual and auditory data can be transmitted in real time to a wirelessly linked computer system or backed up to external storage. 

Cyber-Beast, Grizzly Bear – CR 5

Large N Animal (cyborg)

XP 1,600

Init +1 Senses Darkvision 60 ft, lowlight vision, scent, perceive unencrypted radio/television/wifi signals, Perception +6           

Defense

AC 20 Touch 10 Flatfooted 19 (-1 size, +1 DEX, +10 natural)

HP 5d8 +45 hp (68 HP)

FORT +10 REF +5 WILL +2

Weaknesses Cybernetic Security Risk -2

Offense

Spd 70 ft

Reach 5 ft

Melee two claws +9 (1d8+7 slashing, 20/x2 plus grab) plus +9 bite (1d8+7 piercing, 20/x2)

Special Qualities Agonized, Sensory Records, Unhealing

Statistics

Str 25 Dex 13 Con 21 Int 2 Wis 12 Cha 6

Base Atk +3 CMB +11 (+15 grapple) CMD 22 (26 vs trip)

Feats Endurance, Run, Skill Focus (survival)

Skills Perception +6, Survival +5, Swim +16 (racial modifiers: +4 Swim)

Ecology

Environment cold forests (or urban areas as a working animal)

Organization solitary or pair or accompanying a master

Treasure none (possibly guarding property or valuables)

Nature

            Cyber-Grizzlies form the centerpiece of Cyber-Beast assault units, often flanked by several Cyber-Wolves. Cyber-Grizzlies are transformed into dedicated carnivores by their cybernetic conversion, their rage barely controlled by electro-shock collars and direct pain induction.

Cyber-Beast, Wolf – CR 2

Medium N Animal (cyborg)

XP 600

Init+2 Senses Darkvision 60 ft, lowlight vision, scent, perceive unencrypted radio/television/wifi signals, Perception +8           

Defense

AC 18 Touch 12 Flatfooted 16 (+2 DEX, +6 natural)

HP 2d8 +16 hp (25 HP)

FORT +5 REF +5 WILL +2

Weaknesses Cybernetic Security Risk -2

Offense

Spd 80 ft

Melee +4 bite (1d8+3 20/x2, plus trip)

Special Qualities Agonized, Sensory Recording, Unhealing

Statistics

Str 17 Dex 15 Con 17 Int 2 Wis 12 Cha 6

Base Atk +1 CMB +4 CMD 16 (20 vs trip)   

Feats Skill Focus (perception)

Skills Perception +8,  Stealth +6, Survival +1 (+5 track by scent) (racial modifiers: +4 Survival when tracking by scent)

Ecology

Environment cold and temperate forests (or urban areas as a working animal)

Organization solitary, pair, or pack (3-12) or accompanying a master

Treasure none (possibly guarding property or valuables)

Nature

            Cyber-Wolves are deadly hunter/killers with superior tracking abilities. Their teeth and jaw have been replaced by carbon steel and high resolution crimson camera lenses replace their natural eyes. The pain from their implants and brutal training has made Cyber-Wolves significantly more aggressive than wild wolves; they have no compunction about confronting and killing humanoid prey.

Cyber-Beast, Vulture – CR 2

Small N Animal (cyborg)

XP 600

Init +1  Senses Darkvision 60 ft, lowlight vision, scent, perceive unencrypted radio/television/wifi signals, Perception +9

Defense

AC 17 Touch 11 Flatfooted 16 (+1 size, +1 DEX, +5 natural)

HP 1d8 +13 hp (18 HP)

FORT +9 (+11 vs disease) REF +3 WILL +1

Weaknesses Cybernetic Security Risk -2

Offense

Spd 40 ft Fly 80 ft (average)

Melee +3 bite (1d8+3 piercing, 20/x2)

Ranged two +1 lasers (1d6 fire, 20/x3, 50 ft range increment)

Special Qualities Agonized, Sensory Records, Unhealing  

Statistics

Str 16 Dex 13 Con 16 Int 2 Wis 13 Cha 7

Base Atk +0 CMB +2 CMD 13

Feats Great Fortitude

Skills Fly +7, Perception +9 (racial modifiers: +8 Perception)

Ecology

Environment warm plains or hills (or urban as a working animal)

Organization solitary, pair or flock (3-24) or accompanying master as a working animal

Treasure none (possibly guarding property or valuables)

Nature

            Cyber-Vultures are a cheap, black-tech alternative to drones. The carrion birds adjust well to their cybernetic wings and maneuvering verners. A pair of ultra-light laser emitters is built into its keen cyber-eyes, allowing the Cyber-Vulture a ranged option. It makes a serviceable sniper against lightly armored infantry, or as a terror weapon against unprepared civilian populations.

Next up, lets talk about Amanda's art. I received a finished piece of the iconic Choicer High Priestess, Emily Nicellos (the colored image) as well as some inked and un-colored artwork depicting a new iconic Neo-Witch Midwife character and a Valkayrie streetfighter. I let Amanda design the new Midwife, and she came up with an awesome design incorporating the mokos (facial tats) that really has a lot of character. I also like the bald, vaugely Egyptian patient. That was a cool touch.

Finally, Louis Porter's Neo-Exodus revamp just went live on Kickstarter. This is the first project I've ever backed on Kickstarter. I know Louis, and I can trust him to put out a kick ass product on time. Neo-Exodus is his signature campaign world, in the same way Black Tokyo and Otherverse America are mine. The setting is a real labor of love for him, and it'll be nice to get a nice full color campaign guide with a bunch of new art. So if you can afford it, pledge a few bucks.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/462624115/neoexodus-campaign-setting-update-for-pathfinder-r?ref=hero_thanks

CHRIS