WIP for Slickworld Combat Rules
Here's a V1 of a submodule to spice up Slickworld interaction. I imagine this topic is a common point of thought for GM's running their own campaign, so if you've used other homebrew rules/modules like this for Slickworlds I'd love to hear them :)
Slickworld combat is abstract, overwhelming, and dangerous for your squishy little consciousness. It can be assumed to work identically to normal combat except as described below. This module relies on the rules in "A Pound of Flesh" for Slickworlds, Slickware, and Cyberware.
TLDR: Stress is HP, Panic is Wounds, armor is more wobbly.
When you "take damage", increase stress by that much, then make a Panic Check using the Slickworld Panic Table. In the Slickworld, any failed Panic Check gets marked as a wound on your Character Sheet. Unlike real wounds, stress doesn't reset here. It's not going to get easier...
Forcibly jacking someone out causes them to make a Panic Check using the Slickworld Panic Table.
Armor
Slickworld armor usually has a "dice level"(d2,d4,d6,d8...) instead of a number. So, if you have damage incoming and 1d8 armor, roll 1d8 to see how much the damage will be reduced. If you have multiple pieces of armor you choose the order in which damage gets applied to them.
By default, if damage 'pierces' armor, reduce that armor's dice level by 1 (d6->d4). D2 armor breaks.
A Slicksocket gives you d8 armor, but any degradation it suffers in combat needs to be physically repaired. Luxury Slicksockets might come with a higher dice level, illegal black market ones come with none.
The most common way to get more armor is through Slickware and CyberWare. However, coping mechanisms or aspects of your psyche can also count as "armor". Just make note of the proper consequences for when they break...
Slickworld Panic Table (d20):
The contents of this table are a cross between panic and wound effects. Most can be considered a "Condition" as stated in the Player's Survival Guide.
01 - Eye tick. +1 Minimum Stress.
02 - Crossed Wires. Shakes that won't go away. +1 Minimum Stress.
03 - High blood pressure. Increase any stress gained by 1.
04 - Wear and Tear. Mind ages 1d10 years, body catches up soon.
05 - Failing Anesthesia. Your body remembers it's in a pod. Body save or fail any movement checks in the Slickworld.
06 - Piercing Migraine. [-] on intellect rolls until you jack out
07 - Amnesia. Lose 1 random skill, forget something important.
08 - Fractured Personality. +5 Minimum Stress.
09 - Transference. Whatever hurt you is now a part of you. Change skills, stats, and personality accordingly.
10 - Seizure. Paralyzed for d4 rounds. Can be retriggered in the future by similar conditions.
11 - Dependence. Take 1 stress per day you spend in the real world.
12 - Left Behind. Jack out, A ghost of you remains stuck in the Slickworld.
13 - In Too Deep. This world isn't real, it's never been real. You need to get out.
14 - Psyche Rupture. Lose 2d10 intellect, which everything around you takes as damage.
15 - Derealization. Your mind struggles with the distinction between this world and reality.
16 - Anhedonia. It's hard to feel anything anymore. [-] on all checks.
17 - Desync. A copy of you makes a Death Save. You appear in your previous state as you were 1 round ago.
18 - Failing Immune System. [-] on all rolls. Death Save in 1d10 rounds.
19 - Allergic Reaction. Your body rejects the Slicksocket. Hives, shaking, Death Save from Anaphylactic shock in 1d10 rounds.
20 - Flatline. Roll up a new character to play.
Cyberware
- SafePort (Cost:3kcr Slots: 1) Automatically jacks out when you take a wound.
- Immunosuppressant Injector (Cost:8kcr, plus drugs Slots: 1) Injects drugs to reduce stress to minimum if it goes over 10 (Can be jailbroken to trigger under different circumstances). This is temporary, and rebounds in 3d4 rounds.
Slickware
- Protection Subroutine (Cost:2kcr Slots:1) 1d6 armor, +1 Damage Reduction. Gives -5 intellect while installed, broken or not.
- SpritePocket (Cost:12kcr Slots: 2) While in SlickWorld with empty Slickware slots, manifests a 1d4 armor 'sprite' once per hour. Sprites count as temporarily filling a Slickware slot.
- Pennyshaver (Cost:5kcr Slots: 1) Damaging an enemy with at attached wallet or linked resources will transfer small amounts to you. A hacking check can let you be more ambitious with your theft.
- Ezam (Cost:25kcr Slots: 2) +1 Damage Reduction. Damage against you is delayed 1d4 rounds. You see it coming.
- ThreadRipper (Cost:16kcr Slots:2) Take up to three additional actions on your turn while in a Slickworld, but if you do all are at [-].