[PoC] Cybernetics and Activating

[Garryl]

Cybernetics
Cybernetics is the power of technology integrated with the body. Activators use cybernetic modules to create fantastic effects and power them with energy for even greater abilities.

A Quick Overview
At the beginning of the day, or at any point of it that you have a free hour, you can refresh your energy. When you do so, you may choose which modules you want to have active and which socket attachments you wish to make. Which modules you activate, and how many of them, are limited by the classes that grant them. Which attachments you can make, and how many of them, are pooled together from all of your classes that grant them. Each module can be attached to only one socket at a time, and each socket can have only one module attached to it at once, but you can attach different modules to different sockets.

Once you have activated your modules and made your attachments, you can allocate your energy to them. Allocating your energy is a swift action, and you can add, remove, and move your energy when you do so. Initially, you can only have one point of energy allocated to each module, but for every six character levels (regardless of class), you can put one more point of energy in each of your active modules.

If you understood that, you know everything you really need to know about the core mechanics of cybernetics. The rest of this section is filled with rules that don't really matter except in edge cases and special circumstances. Some of them, like negative levels and expending energy, are more likely to come up than others, but you can just check back here when they do.

Now go read about the classes and modules and stuff in the following chapters. That's where the good stuff is. Shoo!


Modules
A module is a continuous cybernetic effect. The various activating classes allow you to activate a number of cybernetic modules, granting you improved skills and new abilities, depending on the modules used. Modules are also energy receptacles, and their benefits usually improve as you allocate more energy to them (see below for more information about allocating energy to modules).

Whenever you refresh your energy, you can choose to deactivate any of your modules and activate any number of modules you know, up to your limit of active modules. Usually, this is limited to the number of modules granted by your class levels, but some feats and other effects can grant you additional active modules.

If you have the ability to activate modules from multiple sources, track them separately. You can only activate modules that you know from a given source with your limit of active modules associated with that sourcex. If you know a module from more than one source, you choose which source it counts as being activated from when you activate it.

Unless otherwise stated, an active module remains active until you deactivate it, usually as part of refreshing your energy. However, if you lose the ability that allowed you to activate the module in the first place, that module is suppressed until you deactivate it or you regain the ability to activate it.

You can only have a given module active once at any given time. If you would activate a module a second time while it is already active, you can choose to have it supplant the previous instance, causing that module to be treated as from the newer source. If you don't the new activation has no effect.

Modules are supernatural abilities, unless otherwise stated. As supernatural abilities, the effects of modules usually do not allow spell resistance. If they do, use the module's activator level in place of the effect's caster level.

Unless otherwise stated, the save DC of any of a module's effects is equal to 10 + the amount of energy invested in the module + your Constitution bonus. Certain abilities can modify this. For example, the Technical Activator feat allows you to use your Intelligence modifier in place of your Constitution modifier to determine the save DC.

Unlike other supernatural abilities, modules with the Fire descriptor are effective underwater. Fiery effects produced by modules usually manifest as bubbles of steam or metallic flares when used underwater.

Suppressing Modules
As supernatural abilities, the effects of modules cannot simply be dispelled by a dispel magic or similar effect. However, the modules themselves can be suppressed, much like a magic item. Any effect that could suppress a magic item can also suppress an active module in the same way. Similarly, effects that permanently remove the magic of a magic item (such a mage's disjunction) can deactivate modules, although modules deactivated this way can still be activated once more later on. Effects that would suppress (or deactivate) a module as an item use the module's activator level in place of an item's caster level and its activator's saving throws in place of an item's saving throws. Where relevant, the module's spell level is equal to the amount of energy allocated to it. Use other statistics as appropriate. Modules cannot be sundered or damaged.

Suppressed modules grant no benefits and have no effects other than those already produced. Any constant, passive effect that a suppressed module normally produces stops. Any active effects that require concentration end as though concentration was broken (although effects that continue on after concentration ends continue as normal). Any effect that ends when the module is deactivated, or that only lasts while it is active, is suppressed as long as the module is suppressed, but returns as soon as the module is no longer suppressed (assuming that it is still active when that happens). Suppressed modules are not energy receptacles, so energy allocated to them is returned to your energy pool.


Sockets

Types of Sockets
There are ten normal sockets, divided into four grades based on the power and versatility of the effects they can enable. The effects granted by attaching modules and other cybernetic effects to a given socket aren't necessarily stronger for higher grade sockets, but they are generally either more versatile or provide options not available at lower grades.

The first and lowest grade of sockets are referred to as Least sockets. The three Least sockets are the feet, hands, and visor sockets.

The second grade of sockets are referred to as Lesser sockets. The three Lesser sockets are the arms, back, and utility sockets.

The third grade of sockets are referred to as Greater sockets. The three Greater sockets are the helmet, shielding, and support sockets.

The fourth and highest grade of sockets are referred to as Core sockets. The sole Core socket is the aptly named core socket.

Certain other, special sockets exist, such as the energy emitter socket. These sockets are generally restricted to specific classes and provide extremely focused effects. Special sockets are not considered to be part of any given grade of sockets.

Table: Sockets by Grade

Grade	Socket
Least	Feet, Hands, Visor
Lesser	Arms, Back, Utility
Greater	Helmet, Shielding, Support
Core	Core
Special	Energy Emitter

Each standard socket is associated with a magic item body slot. While this has no effect in and of itself, most effects granted by socket attachments have effects similar to those of magic items that can be found for the associated body slot. Socket attachments do not interfere with the use of body slots in any way, although certain attachment effects may provide additional effects to items in the associated slot, and some items may provide bonuses to modules attached to their slot's associated socket.

Table: Socket/Body Slot Equivalencies

Socket	Body Slot	Chakra Bind
Helmet	Head	Crown
Visor	Face	Brow
Hands	Hands	Hands
Arms	Arms	Arms
Feet	Feet	Feet
Support	Throat	Throat
Back	Shoulder	Shoulder
Shielding	Torso	Heart
Utility	Waist	Waist
Core	Body	Soul
Energy Emitter	N/A	N/A
N/A	Finger (x2)	N/A
N/A	N/A	Totem

Attaching Modules to Sockets
While activating your modules as part of refreshing your energy, you can also attach them to any sockets that you have access to. Even if you do not activate any of your modules, you can still add and remove socket attachments while refreshing your energy. Some other cybernetic effects can also be attached to your sockets, usually in the same way.

The number of modules (and other cybernetic effects) that you have have attached to your sockets at once is limited by your class levels, although certain other feats and effects can grant you additional attachments. Like activating modules, you cannot have more total attachments at once than the amount of allowed attachments granted to you. Unlike activating modules, the attachments you make ignore the source that granted them. You can attach any module you have active to any socket you have access to, regardless of their respective sources. You can use any number of attachments with any of your accessible sockets, even if they are from different classes. Each module-socket attachment counts against your total limit of attachments from all sources, regardless of the source of the module.

A given module (or other cybernetic effect) can normally only be attached to a single socket at once. If you have the ability to attach a module to more than one socket at once, each such module-socket attachment counts against your limit of attachments. The actual limit is not of how many modules you may have attached to sockets at once, but how many unique module-socket attachments you have.

You cannot attach a module to the same socket more than once. Doing so has no effect, but neither does it count more than once against your limit of attachments.

A given socket cannot normally have more than one module attached to it at once. Only effects that explicitly function otherwise can allow you to attach more than one module (or other cybernetic effect) to a given socket at once. Despite being associated with a body slot, having a socket attached to a module does not impact your ability to use its corresponding body slot in other ways, be it for wearing magic items, shaping and binding soulmelds, or other purposes.

If you lose access to a given socket, anything attached to that socket is immediately detached. If your limit of socket attachments is reduced below the number of attachments you already possess, you must choose which of your attachments are detached.

If a module attached to a socket becomes deactivated (but not merely suppressed), it becomes detached from that socket. If a cybernetic item attached to one of your sockets becomes removed from your person or destroyed, it likewise becomes detached from that socket. Other cybernetic effects that can be attached to your sockets may indicate what conditions cause them to become detached automatically, but generally, if it becomes separated from you or is rendered unusable, is becomes detached from your sockets.


Energy
Energy is the universal term for the power that allows cybernetic modules to function. Many other cybernetic effects also rely on energy to determine their effects. All characters, even those without any energy, have an energy pool where unallocated energy is stored.

Energy Receptacles
Energy receptacles are cybernetic effects that use energy. Energy can be allocated to energy receptacles. Each point of energy can only be allocated to a single energy receptacle at once.

Energy receptacles have limited energy capacities. You cannot allocate more energy to a given energy receptacle than its energy capacity. If the receptacle's energy capacity or allocated energy changes such that the energy allocated to it is in excess of its capacity, the excess is returned to your energy pool (you choose which energy is returned if multiple types are allocated). Unless an energy receptacle has a specific energy capacity, you use your energy capacity value for the receptacle's base capacity, plus any modifiers to its capacity it may have. Your energy capacity value varies based on your character level, as indicated in Table: Energy Capacity by Level.

Table: Energy Capacity by Level

Character Level	Energy Capacity
5 or less	1
6-11	2
12-17	3
18-23	4
24-29	5
30+	1 + Character Level/6

Allocating Energy
You can allocate energy to your energy receptacles. Some receptacles have specific ways of allocating energy to them and dealing with allocated energy, but unless otherwise stated, you can add, remove, or shift any energy you possess between your energy pool and any energy receptacles you possess. Doing so (called reallocating your energy) is a swift action.

If an energy receptacle ceases to exist, if it stops being an energy receptacle, or if you lose access to it as an energy receptacle, any of your energy allocated to it returns to your energy pool. If the receptacle's energy capacity changes such that the energy allocated to it is in excess of the new capacity, the excess is returned to your energy pool (you choose which energy is returned if multiple types are allocated).

If multiple energy sources (typically creatures, but sometimes items) have access to an energy receptacle at once, only one of them may allocate energy to it at once. If there is any energy allocated to the energy receptacle, no energy sources (other than the current allocator) may allocate energy to it. If multiple energy sources attempt to allocate energy to a receptacle at the same time, an opposed activator level check determines who can allocate to it. The energy source with the highest check can allocate to it, while all others have their allocated energy returned to their respective energy pools. A energy source can pass the ability to allocate energy to the energy source with the next highest check if it so chooses. Some special energy receptacles can accept energy from multiple energy sources. In such a case, an opposed activator level check is required only if more energy sources than the receptacle can still accept energy from attempt to allocate energy to it at once.

Allocating Energy to a Module
You can allocate energy to a module. Allocating energy to a module functions as normal for an energy receptacle, except that it is not considered to be an energy receptacle while it is suppressed, and thus any energy within it is returned to your energy pool. When a module is deactivated, it also stops being an energy receptacle.

Allocating Energy to a System
You can allocate energy to or from a system only as part of refreshing your energy. Any energy allocated to a system remains allocated until you refresh your energy, at which point you can use it once more (or simply leave it in the same system). You can allocate temporary energy to a system, but the benefits of that energy allocation will still be lost when the temporary energy disappears.

Expending Energy
Expending energy makes that energy unavailable until you refresh your energy. It's similar to spending power points to manifest a power or expending a spell slot to cast a spell. Simply reduce your available energy by the indicated amount. You can remove this energy either directly from your energy pool or from energy currently allocated to one or more energy receptacles, divided as you choose. If you have multiple types of energy available to you (see below), you can choose how much of which types of energy you expend. You can't expend energy that is already expended, nor can you expend energy allocated to an energy receptacle that you cannot allocate energy to or from. If you do not have enough energy among your energy pool and the energy receptacles that you can modify, you can't expend that much energy. An effect that forces you to expend energy beyond what is available to you still causes you to expend as much energy as is available to you. You cannot choose to expend more energy than an effect asks you to expend. You cannot expend temporary energy.

Shared Energy Allocations
Some energy receptacles share their allocated energy with other energy receptacles. In most ways, these energy receptacles count as only a single energy receptacle. All energy allocated to any of them counts towards being allocated to all of them (although it is only truly allocated to a single one), although effects that modify how much energy an energy receptacle counts as having without actually allocating energy to it, such as the Floating Current feat, only affect that specific energy receptacle. All shared energy receptacles have the highest energy capacity among any of them. If an energy receptacle ceases sharing its energy allocation with other energy receptacles while any energy is allocated to them, the energy remains allocated to the energy receptacle to which it was originally allocated.

If multiple energy receptacles being sharing energy while some energy is already allocated to them, excess energy above the shared receptacles' energy capacity is not removed, but is instead suppressed, acting as though it was not allocated to any energy receptacle at all. While this is similar to being in a character's energy pool, the energy remains restricted as to how it can be reallocated if the receptacle to which it was allocated is a system or otherwise imposes restrictions on reallocation.


Types of Energy
The basic form of energy has no special properties. It can be allocated to energy receptacles and expended, as described above. Some energy has one or more types, which cause it to function differently in some ways.

Energy can have multiple types. A point of energy with multiple types follows the rules for each of them. If two or more of the energy's types have contradictory rules, the most restrictive applies.

Temporary Energy
Some effects grant a temporary spike of energy, allowing a cybernetic creature to access more energy than normal. Temporary energy usually only lasts for a short time before disappearing. Temporary energy functions just like normal energy while it lasts, for the most part. Temporary energy cannot be allocated to systems. You cannot expend temporary energy. If it is somehow expended, temporary energy disappears permanently. It does not return when you refresh your energy.


Activator Level
Your activator level is a numerical representation of your skill at activating and using modules and other cybernetic effects. Few cybernetic effects directly use your activator level, and it primarily serves to determine how difficult your modules are to suppress. Assuming you have any activating abilities, your activator level is normally equal to your total levels among all activating classes + 1/2 your levels in non-activating classes, minimum 1. Some feats also modify your activator level. Prestige classes that stack with your levels in existing activating classes at some or all class levels count fully as activating classes when determining your activator level, even for levels at which they do not directly improve your existing activating abilities.

Modules activated from cybernetic devices and other cybernetic items use the item's activator level. Modules activated from other special abilities may occasionally specify the module's activator level, but otherwise they use your own.

Without any activating abilities (the ability to activate a module), you do not have an activator level.


Refreshing Energy
Refreshing energy requires 1 hour of concentration or meditation. Refreshing energy requires enough peace, quiet, and comfort for proper concentration. Your surroundings need not be luxurious, but they must be free from overt distractions, such as combat raging nearby or other loud noises. Exposure to inclement weather prevents the necessary concentration, as does any injury or failed saving throw you might experience while refreshing your energy. You do not need access to any materials to refresh your energy. You can refresh your energy any number of times per day, as long as you spend the required amount of time each time you do so.

The effects of refreshing your energy are multiple. First, you regain any expended energy. Energy lost in other ways, such as negative levels or energy burn, is not recovered. Energy regained in this way is placed directly into your energy pool, from which you can later allocate it as you see fit.

Second, you can activate or deactivate any of your modules. This allows you to change which modules you have active for the day. You needn't activate your maximum limit of modules if you so choose, but you must still respect your maximum limit of modules active.

Third, you can attach or detach any of your modules to or from any of your sockets. Certain other cybernetic effects can also be attached to your sockets. You needn't form all of your possible socket attachments if you so choose, but you must still respect your maximum limit of socket attachments. You can only form socket attachments with sockets you have access to.

Finally, you can allocate your energy among the energy receptacles you have access to. For the most part, this functions as allocating your energy normally, although certain energy receptacles (such as systems) can only have energy allocated to or from them as part of refreshing your energy.

The above steps are all considered to occur simultaneously. Thus there is no time between deactivating one module and activating and attaching another.


Negative Levels
Much like spellcasters, cybernetic creatures are affected by negative levels in more ways than normal creatures. Each negative level you possess reduces the amount of energy you possess by 1 and your activator level by 1, in addition to the other effects of negative levels. As a level-dependent effect, your energy capacity may also be reduced as a result of negative levels.


The Cybernetic Subtype
Any creature with cybernetic abilities has the cybernetic subtype. A cybernetic creature can be born with the subtype or can gain the subtype during its life. A creature meeting any one of the following criteria has the cybernetic subtype:

• Creatures with any levels in an activating class.
• Creatures with integrated module abilities, including creatures that have racial integrated module abilities.
• Creatures that have any cybernetic or system feats.

Certain effects allow a creature to temporarily fulfill one or more of the criteria listed above. In such a case, the creature gains the cybernetic subtype for only as long as the effect lasts.

Traits
Other than the fact that all cybernetic creatures have cybernetic abilities, energy, or integrated module abilities, cybernetic creatures have no specific traits. The cybernetic subtype serves to identify creatures that may be vulnerable to powers, spells, and effects targeting cybernetic creatures.