Happy November!

Today is another update on Monolith 2e. Today I'm looking at how I can simplify the Augmentations system and tie other elements into it to be more streamlined. In the current edition, there are specific Body Sockets for your two arms, slots for your insides, eyes, etc. It's too granular in my experiences.

So what I'm doing is abstracting Body Sockets. You just have 10 now. They represent your body's capacity for change, similar to how your 10 inventory slots (also abstracted) represent the weight and logistics of your inventory and equipment. Now you can place whatever you want with those 10 Sockets. Want to bolt 3 extra metal arms onto your side? Want an extra couple of eyes? Maybe you just want to deck out your insides with so much bio-ware that you can breath, eat, and drink whatever you want? That's all feasible now.

Another thing abstract Body Sockets does is serves as a repository for other diegetic advancement, such as your Astral Secrets (formerly called Astromancies) and Psionic Gifts. These "spells" or abilities each take up a Body Socket. So if you want to lean into progressing as a character that uses these sorts of powers, it comes at the cost of having less space on/in your body for other augmentations.

Cybernetics, mutations, psionic gifts, astral secrets...these all take up Sockets (sometimes more than 1). And with how some of the Stress and Psionics (coming soon) changes work, you're not always choosing for these things to happen. They become foreground growth that stem from difficult situations. These situations can also arise from eating a weird fungus and gaining a psionic gift or possible some sort of mutation, submitting to ancient idols, or your mind being invaded by a living sea on alien shores.  These changes will all take up a Socket. And sometimes these augmentations have a way of replicating, changing, or growing. 

As more Body Sockets are filled, you grow closer to losing your humanity. I'm still working on the rules for this, but the idea is that at 10 Sockets filled, whether with chrome hardware, mutations, or mental capabilities...you aren't really fully human any more. But the nuances of what that means in play are still being worked through.

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Augmentations

Body Sockets

Players have 10 Body Sockets in which they may install or replace with technologies, mutations, psionic gifts, and astral secrets. These are abstract slots representing the PCs body, mind, and the burden placed upon changing their natural makeup. Players can fill sockets as they please as long as it makes sense. If they want to install 2 more cyberarms and carry four knives, they can do that. If they want to soup up their brain with reflex modules and gun-fu software, that’s up to them. Some players may opt to go all-in on psionic gifts. Some more powerful upgrades take up multiple Body Sockets. Some upgrades have a cost to use, such as fatigue, stress, or regular maintenance to keep them working. Each specific power, mutation, or cyberware will describe those details.