Savage Cyberpunk
Savage Cyberpunk uses the Savage Worlds Super Powers Companion for cyberpunk games. It is intended for use with near future settings such as Cyberpunk 2020. These rules use the first edition of the Super Powers Companion.
Characters
Cyberpunk characters are created as street level superheroes.
Cybernetics: Powers are used for cyberware and gadgets. Only those that can be explained as cybernetic and biotech trappings are available. Some powers are limited to levels appropriate to the setting.
Cash: Characters start with $1000.
Setting Rules
Street Heroes: The Street Heroes setting from the Super Powers Companion is used. This means that Heavy Armor and Heavy Weapon powers are more expensive, knockback is limited, and movement rates are reduced for some travel powers.
Inherent Power: Metal is stronger than meat! All player characters are assumed to be enhanced by cybernetics, biotech or drugs, and get the Super Powers Edge and 10 Power Points for free.
Inherent Bravery: Spirit rolls are used instead of the Guts skill.
Unarmed Defenders: Skilled unarmed combat such as martial arts is common, so the Unarmed Defenders rule is not used.
Super Karma: Characters may take an Major Hindrance during character creation to grant them 5 extra Power Points. If you want to play a cyberpsycho, pick something like Bloodthirsty and blame it on your loss of humanity!
Gear
Weapons and armor from the Super Powers Companion are not available. The street level rules means that Heavy Armor is extremely rare, and not available as personal armor. See below for generic armor and weapons. Modern weapons, equipment and vehicles from the core book can be used as well.
Armor
Armor for civilians is mostly synthetic leather or light polymers. Life is cheap, and most people prefer to spend their money on drugs or scumstoppers rather than armor. That said, armor is available in a variety of styles and protection levels.
Modern personal armor is classified as "light", "combat", or "battle" armor. It is made from Kevlar or similar polymers, and negate some of the AP rating of bullets.
| Type | Armor | Wt | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leather | +1 | 15 | 50+ | Covers torso, arms, legs |
| Light Vest | +1/+2 | 4 | 50 | Covers torso, concealable |
| Light Jacket | +1/+2 | 5 | 100 | Covers torso, arms |
| Light Trenchoat | +1/+2 | 6 | 150 | Covers torso, arms, legs |
| Light Jumpsuit | +1/+2 | 6 | 200 | Covers torso, arms, legs |
| Combat Vest | +2/+4 | 8 | 250 | Covers torso |
| Combat Jumpsuit | +2/+4 | 12 | 500 | Covers torso, arms, legs |
| Battle Suit | +6 | 20 | 1000 | Covers entire body, see notes |
| Motorcycle helmet | +3 | 5 | 75 | 50% chance vs head shots |
| Infantry helmet | +4 | 5 | 100 | 50% chance vs head shots |
Armor Notes
Kevlar: Kevlar traps bullets and negates some of the armor piercing effect of bullets. Light armor has a thin lining of Kevlar, and only negates 2 points of AP. Heavier armor types negate 4 points of AP as normal. Heavy Weapons ignore the special rules for Kevlar.
Light armor: Light armor can be hidden under clothing, or bought as armored clothes for double the listed cost. Fashionable designs and famous brand names cost extra.
Combat armor: This class of armor is bulkier and made for combat. It cannot be hidden (except perhaps under a trenchcoat) but does not hinder movement. This is the stuff police, military and security guards use.
Battle armor: Infantry battle suit consists of a hard shell of plastic, ceramic or metal between which is sandwiched a layer of ballistic polymer cloth. Suits come with a combat helmet, a full breastplate, and upper arm/lower arm and thigh/shin plates. The helmet has a 50% chance of protection against head shots. Most helmet have an armored visor which gives complete protection if it is closed. Optional extras include night vision gear, radio, and climate control.
Leather: Cheap (synthetic or vat grown) to very expensive (made from cloned or extinct animals).
Jumpsuit: This is a form-fitting armored one piece garment which can be concealed under a trenchcoat or bulky clothing. The heavy version incorporates rigid armor over vital areas and comes with knees and elbows pads. It is favored by corporate security teams and some edgerunners.
Trenchcoat: The classic trenchcoat is popular with edgerunners who want to cultivate their image as hard boiled private investigators. It is also useful for concealing weapons!
Weapons
This is a partial list of weapons for modern and near future games. See the core rules for more archaic weapons.
Melee Weapons
| Archaic Weapons | Damage | Cost | Wt | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axe | Str+d6 | 100 | 3 | |
| Bullwhip | Str+d4 | 50 | 3 | Reach 2, Special |
| Butcher Knife | Str+d4 | 15 | 1 | |
| Cavalry Saber | Str+d6 | 200 | 4 | |
| Fencing Foil | Str+d4 | 150 | 3 | Parry +1 |
| Katana | Str+d6 | 1000 | 6 | Add +2 damage if used 2-handed |
| Knife | Str+d4 | 10 | 1 | |
| Machete | Str+d6 | 20 | 5 | |
| Spear | Str+d6 | 100 | 5 | Parry +1, Reach 1, 2H |
| Staff | Str+d4 | 10 | 8 | Parry +1, Reach 1, 2H |
| Sword Cane | Str+d4 | 200 | 4 | See notes. |
| Modern Weapons | Damage | Cost | Wt | Notes |
| Baseball Bat | Str+d6 | 30 | 3 | |
| Billy Club/Blackjack | Str+d4 | 10 | 1 | |
| Brass Knuckles | Str+d4 | 20 | 1 | |
| Chainsaw | 2d6+4 | 200 | 20 | Roll of 1 on fighting die hits user |
| Switchblade | Str+d4 | 10 | 1 | -2 to Notice if hidden |
Ranged Weapons
| Archaic Weapons | Range | Damage | RoF | Cost | Wt | Shots | Str | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axe | 3/6/12 | Str+d6 | 1 | 100 | 2 | — | d6 | |
| Compound Bow | 15/30/60 | 2d6+1 | 1 | 200 | 10 | — | d6 | AP 2; Reload 1 |
| Crossbow | 15/30/60 | 2d6 | 1 | 300 | 10 | — | — | |
| Knife | 3/6/12 | Str+d4 | 1 | 50 | 25 | — | — | |
| Pistols | Range | Damage | RoF | Cost | Wt | Shots | Str | Notes |
| Pistol (9mm, .38) | 12/24/48 | 2d6 | 1 | 200 | 3 | 12 | — | AP 1; DT |
| Pistol (.357, .45) | 12/24/48 | 2d6+1 | 1 | 250 | 5 | 9 | — | AP 2; DT |
| Pistol (.50) | 15/30/60 | 2d8 | 1 | 300 | 8 | 7 | — | AP 2; DT |
| Shotguns | Range | Damage | RoF | Cost | Wt | Shots | Str | Notes |
| Double Barrel (12g) | 12/24/48 | 1-3d6 | 1-2 | 150 | 6 | 2 | — | See core rules |
| Pump Action (12g) | 12/24/48 | 1-3d6 | 1 | 350 | 8 | 6 | — | See core rules |
| Sawed-Off DB (12g) | 5/10/20 | 1-3d6 | 1 | 350 | 6 | 2 | — | See core rules |
| Streetsweeper (12g) | 12/24/48 | 1-3d6 | 1 | 450 | 10 | 12 | — | See core rules |
| Rifles | Range | Damage | RoF | Cost | Wt | Shots | Str | Notes |
| Bolt-Action Rifle (.30) | 24/48/96 | 2d8 | 1 | 300 | 9 | 5 | d6 | AP 2; Snapfire |
| Heavy Sniper Rifle (.50) | 50/100/200 | 2d10 | 1 | 750 | 35 | 11 | d8 | AP 4; HW; Snapfire |
| Automatic Weapons | Range | Damage | RoF | Cost | Wt | Shots | Str | Notes |
| Submachine Gun (9mm) | 12/24/48 | 2d6 | 3 | 300 | 10 | 30 | — | AP 1; Auto; 3RB |
| Assault Rifle (5.56mm, 7.62mm) | 24/48/96 | 2d8 | 3 | 400 | 8 | 30 | d6 | AP 2; Auto; 3RB |
| Light MG (5.56mm, 7.62mm) | 30/60/120 | 2d8 | 4 | 750 | 20 | 200 | d8 | AP 2; Auto; Snapfire |
| Heavy MG (.50) | 50/100/200 | 2d10 | 3 | 1000 | 84 | 200 | — | AP 4; HW; May not move |
Weapon Notes
Axe: This is a light axe such as a tomahawk that can be thrown or used in melee.
Baseball Bat: A wooden bat breaks on a 1 on the Fighting die, regardless of Wild Die. An aluminum bat costs double the listed cost, but doesn’t suffer the chance of breaking.
Bullwhip: This heavy duty whip may be used to initiate a Grappling maneuver against a single opponent within range.
Katana: The katana in the SPC has lost its AP and only gains +2 damage in two hands. This is the same as the katana in Realms of Cthulhu.
Sword Cane: Ranging from simple to elegant, a sword cane conceals a slender, tempered blade within. When sheathed, people rarely notice it as a weapon (–2 Notice to be detected). Drawing this weapon quickly requires an Agility roll.
Ammo
The ammo rules are from Hell of Earth: Reloaded.
Standard: Standard rounds cause the normal damage. Cost: x1
Armor Piercing: This type of ammo is designed to pierce armor and obstacles, but does less damage against unarmored soft targets as the bullets don’t deform as much and inflict less trauma. AP rounds gain +2 AP, but against targets without armor they subtract 2 from their damage. Cost: x2
Hollow Point: These rounds expand in soft tissue, tearing a bigger hole in the target. Hollow point rounds cause +2 damage to targets with no armor, but against armor they lose the bonus, any AP value listed for the gun, and add +2 to the target’s armor value. Cost: x2
Scum-Stoppers: These explosive rounds cause massive trauma to unarmored soft targets and reduce the chance of ricochets. Explosive rounds do +4 damage to unarmored targets. Against armor they lose the bonus, any AP value listed for the gun, and add +4 to the target’s armor value. Explosive rounds cannot fire through any obstacle (see Savage Worlds). Cost: x5
Depleted Uranium: A weapon loaded with these heavy slugs counts as a Heavy Weapon. This is the same as MetaStoppers in the Super Powers Companion. Cost: x20
Miscellaneous
See the Super Powers Companion for gear such as laser sights, combat drugs, and other items useful in near future games.
Powers
Movement Rates
Movement rates are reduced for street level heroes.
| Pace | Speed | Flight |
|---|---|---|
| /2 | 2 | |
| x1 | 1 | 4 |
| x2 | 3 | 6 |
| x4 (60 mph) | 5 | 8 |
| x6 (90 mph) | 8 | 10 |
| x10 (150 mph) | 10 | 15 |
Cybernetics
The powers below are available as cybernetics. See the Super Powers Companion for the full rules.
Ageless: Character isn’t affected by the aging process.
Aquatic: Can survive underwater and has better swimming abilities.
Armor: Some sort of physical armor. Note: Heavy armor is only available to full conversion combat borgs and power armor.
Attack, Melee: Covers all attacks made hand-to-hand.
Attack, Ranged:Covers all attacks made at range.
Awareness: Unusual senses, like Radar or Sonar.
Broadcast: Can send, receive and control radio and video signals.
Burrowing: Can tunnel underground.
Construct: Character is a constructed being, like a robot or full conversion cyborg. Trappings: Full body conversion, Donovan brain in vehicle.
Damage Field: A field around the character that damages anything touching it.
Darkvision: Can see in the dark.
Ensnare: Can restrain a target.
Explode: Can make area effect attacks.
Extra Actions: Can take more than one action per turn.
Extra Limbs:Has more than two arms and two legs.
Fearless: Immune to fear effects.
Flight: Can fly through the air.
Gifted: Better at making skill rolls.
Growth: Can grow, gaining added Strength and Toughness. Note: Permanent ("Monster") only!
Healing:Can heal others.
Headquarters: Has a hideout.
Heightened Senses: Has better Notice skill.
Illusions: Can create realistic illusions.
Immunity: Resistant to certain types of attacks.
Infection: Can cause disease in others.
Interface: Can control computers.
Invent: Can create devices on the spot.
Invisibility: Can turn invisible. Trappings: Stealth suit, holograms.
Leaping: Can jump farther than normal.
Malfunction: Can cause machines to breakdown. Trappings: Hacking, EMP.
Minions: Has underlings
Paralysis: Can temporarily paralyze another person.
Parry Better Parry attribute.
Regeneration: Can heal injuries must faster than normal. Limited: Base level (healing roll every hour) only.
Shrink: Can shrink to a smaller size. Note: Permanent. You can't shrink your meat brain, so shrink can be bought to the 1' level. This means something like a brain in a jar with spider legs!
Speak Language: Can speak any language. Trappings: Skill chips, computer interface.
Speed: Can run at very fast speeds. Trappings: Myomer muscles, cyberlegs.
Stun: Can stun another person.
Super Attribute: Can purchase additional levels of primary attributes.
Super Edge: Can purchase additional Edges.
Super Skill: Can purchase additional skills.
Swinging: Can swing from location to location.
Toughness: Better Toughness attribute.
Undead: Character is an undead being, animated by the power of SCIENCE!
Vehicle: Character has a special vehicle at their disposal.
Wall-Walker: Can climb vertical surfaces with ease.
Other Power Origins
The game master may allow other powers for different origins (such as mutations, psionics, or magic). Powers that are not allowed as cyberware for characters can exist as large devices or huge installations. Examples: Mind reading brain scanner, earthquake machine, weather control station.
See also
- Savage Future - Dark Future setting with low power cybernetics.
