[If anyone has anything that their companies can bring to this, feel free to suggest. This was origionaly created not long after I got my hands on WoR, and before 5ST was even thought of. The last time this was preposted there were issues of the tech level of rifts not supporting the birth aspect of these androids, but as Talis pointed out, in Rifter7 the CS Lurker drones are very similar to Type-3s and they mentioned plans to make them more 'anotomically correct' Between MA's clone-tech, and Zentradi clone-tech, growing reproductive organs and supporting them in a robotic frame, doesn't sound that tough I've also completely redone the 'Children of the Thirds' section.] 5-Star Technologies "Type-3" Hyper-advanced android being. (A T-Tech Robolabs, Paladin Steel, and Manga Arms collaboration) [Everything that doesn't belong to Palladium belongs to me &/or Talis D. Merrill. Armatage 3 bleongs to who ever made it. The Gemini Full Conversion Cyborg, and ExoDerm belong to R. Talsorian games. VINCent belongs to Disney, but was converted for Rifts by Jedimaster Josh] After wtching his favorite anime movie, "Armatage 3" for the 19th time head of the newly reconstructed T-Tech Robolabs and former Manga Arms technician, Dr. Clint Walker (who helped on the hardsuit project) was heard to remark "Damn I wish we could build a couple of those!" His assistant, Nathan Hunter, who was looking over some of the recently salvaged borg designs commented "Why not? We've got the tech. This Gemini borg we dug up is supposed to be almost undetectable as anything but a human. It'd be simple to rig the chasis to work as a bot. wire in an AI and you've got it made." Dr. Walker jumped on this. after retriving the plans, and a couple of survuiving pre-rifts models of the borg in question, they began wokring of fabrication. The myomer musclature was difficult to re create at first, but in time them managed to replicate it more efficiently than before! Next came the ExoDerm. Using advanced MD synthetics, and existing artificial skin and musclature techniques used to make robot animals look more convincing Robolabs technicians were able to create a completely convinceing MD skin-like overlay, complete with tiny hairs, heating elements and a fake pulse! They first attempted to simply reproduce the Gemini borg, which, after some tweaking resulted in the successful, updated Gemini Full Borg, which was released to the grneral market and met with incredible success. Satisfied that the basic chasis could be reproduced, Dr. Walker went the next step retrofitting the chest cavity to accept an AI computer brain. But what brain? Afer about ten seconds of thought Clint remembered his old pall from MA, who headed the VINCent project. The partialy organic cyber-brain used in the VINCent would be perfect! If could even pass off as human under most magic and psionic scans! (it was a human brain used as a basis for the VINCent's brain, correct?) The next hurtle was giving the normaly bland VINCents some personality, (no offence) it needed to be more than a walking databank, it needed to be human! After screening hundreds of applicants, a dozen were selected for their mental stability, and unique personalities. These people were monitored for a month, testing their reactions to different stimuli and recording their personal preferences. Due to the myriad of people used in the program you can create a Type-3 character with its own unique personality, I suggest rolling on the optional tables for 'rounding out your character' and if you roll 'cocky lone wolf' there's a 5% chance of random insanity! (there were a couple V.I.P.s thet signed up for the program and were allowed to skip the psych exam) And, as with the VINCent there's a 30% chance of minor psionics. (always empathy or telepathy) The Type-3s (or "Thirds," as they've been dubbed), are almost completely indistinguishable from a normal human! Using some of the stealth materials ussed in other MA and PS designs not even highly sensitive radar scanners and thermographs can detect a difference! Only a mdeical scanner, and/or a dorcor with an MD, or MD cybernetics roll at -80% can tell with out actually cutting one open! The chest even expands and contracts to simulate breathing, and there's an artificial pulse and heartbeat! The non-metalic composite MD chassis are set up like the human skeletal structure, the myomer muscleature is designed to mimic the human muscle system perfectally, and the ExoDerm is laced with heating elements and other items made to make it seem as human-like as possible, even tiny hairs and artificial sweat glands. Using vat-grown bio-systems the sexual organs can even be made fully functional! This makes the Type-3 a borderline cyborg, but since the brain is only partially organic, and the sexual organs are the only other real organs, and since the only organic parts are cloned, and only partially organic, the defenition is arguable. (Yes, a female Type-3 *can* give birth to a healthy human child, and a male type-3 can impregnate a human, or Type-3 female! See below for "Children of the Thirds" RCC) A simple digestive tract and taste analyzer allow it to eat for pleasure, and to mantain a human facade (yes it can urinate and deficate if it needs to). Type-3s even *smell* human! They have cloned pharamone and sweat glands and are even able to fool dogboys and other creatures with advanced senses of smell. It does not need to ingest more than one good meal a month, or one can of high-power neutriant drink (even commercially avalible power drinks can be used) per week (costs 10 Cr per can) to mantain it's partialy organic orgins. Pregnant female Type-3s need to have one meal per week, or four neutriant drinks per week to support herself and the baby. They can, of course, eat more if they want to. The whole system is made to be light and durrable, there's only a 10 lb weight difference between a Type-3 and a regular human! Some say T-Tech has gone too far in creating completely artificial (even the organic parts or the Type-3 are cloned, so they're technically artificial) lifeform that can even reproduce! T-Tech says they're simply taking robotics and cybernetics to their natural next step. They still stand by their anti bio-wizardry policy, and still do not belive in enslaving sentient beings. Any Type-3s are offered the chance to work for T-Tech (or any of the 5-Star Alliance Corperations) of their own free will, or be set free to explore on their own, so long as they never reveal their true nature (it's for their own good) most (80%) have agreed to stay on with T-Tech. T-Tech does *not* sell these beings. Many believe that the Type-3s were produced, not just for the sake of advancement, but to ensure the survival of the human race. They are strong, tough, resourecfull, protective, perfect parents. See Children of the Thirds RCC below for more info on this. T-Tech has come into docuements and infromation, 'liberated' from CS hands, concerning their new Lurker Drones. Though T-Tech will not publically confirm of deney any infromation they may have. and refuses to name their sources, if any, they have informed the other members of 5ST to be on the lookout, since the 5ST alliance is high on the CS hitlist. This infromation has also been sent to every Type-3 walking the earth, and almost all of them have decided to do something about it. Most of the T-Tech employed Type-3s have joined a secret program called the "DanClaude" program. Their job is to seek out and find any CS Lurker Drones and either find a way to remove their kill programming and allow them to lead normal lives, or if that fails, to terminate them before they strike. T-Tech's biggest fear is that the CS Lurker Drones will create massive paranoia against human-looking androids, if the Thirds were ever discovered for what they are they would be hunted down and killed! Note: The Type-3 is called that for several reasons. For the AI program: Normal AI is Type-1 and VINCents are Type-2. The unique personality aspects of the Type-3 make it just one step above the VINCent. For the chasis: Humanoid robots as Type-1 and androids with realistic skin overlay (including Lurker Drones) are Type-2. The Type-3's strict attention to anotomical details make it much more advanced than a simple skin overlay. For the blend of organic matter with robotic systems: Cyborgs are Type-1 and VINCents are Type-2. The Type-3's unique ability to give birth puts it way ahead of the pack. And finally, the androids from the anime were called Type-3s Model Type: TRL-HAA-03 "Type-3" (a.k.a. The "Thirds") Class: Hyper-Advanced Android Life Form Crew: None, self sufficient fully functuonal life form Size: Avalible in most muman sizes and builds with our effecting the MD or physical stats. Average weight: As human+10 lbs Genders: 25% Male, 75% Female Powerplant 5 year mini-nuke (T-Tech offers free powerplant replacement to all Type-3s) Since Bionics are cheaper than robotics, and the frame was origionally meant as a borg, most of the equipment is bionic rather than robotic. Repairs made to the Type-3's systems can be done at any 5-Star outlet for a modest fee (free to employes) A competant Cyber doc, or robot mechanic can attempt repairs at a -30% skill penelty. MDC by location: * Head: 70 Arms: 60 each Hands: 25 each Legs: 85 each Feet: 25 each ** Main Body: 170 *** ExoDerm skin coat: +10 MD to to all locations except hands/feet, and main body, +30 to main body, +5 to hands/feet. MDC notes * May look like a human skull, but it's made of tough MD composites. the head houses all optical sensors, optional eye and mouth weapons, translator, loud speeker, radio, audio systems, and molecular analyzer. with out the head the character cannot communicate, see, hear, taste, or smell! He is -10 to Strike, parry, or dodge, and looses 1 attack per melee ** Destroying the Main body kills the character, and if the case of pregnant female characters, the baby too! (though if a doctor is immediately present, the GM may rule that the baby could live) *** The ExoDerm covers the entire body and acts like an environmental seal (see rifts japan) allowing the PC to go underwater, even in space without adverse effects. The extra 10 points to limbs and head, 5 points to the hands/feet, and the 30 points to main body represent the damage the ExoDerm takes before it tears, esposing the artificial internal workings to damage. -Exo-Derm is partially organic, and regrows at a rate of 5 MD per hour! -Exo-Derm does have a thin skin overlay, which is SDC and contains the artificial sweat glands, and tiny body hairs. It also includes capilaries and tiny veins that contain blood. The skin overlay is also partially organic, and surface scratches, cuts and scrapes heal normally. Even when the body is hit with an MD weapon, once the exo-derm regrows, the skin will begin to recover the area of exposed exo-derm! Note: The exo-derm looks like scar tissue, so exposed patches of exo-derm simply look like bad scars. Note: They can wear any human EBA, or even PAs! But they *cannot* mount borg armor! Not for a lack of stregnth, but a lack of the propper mounting points avalible on most borgs. Bionic/Robotic Features & Stats -Mental: IQ: 2d6+10, ME 3d6, MA: 3d6 With the exception of IQ, these mental stats get a standard 1d6 bonus on a roll of 16+ IQ gets a bonus 1d4 if a roll of 12 is made on the 2d6s -Physical: PS: 25 (Robotic), PP: 22, PE: N/A, PB up to 25, character may actually choose this stat! -Speed: runs at 150 mph, but generally keeps it within human range to keep up appearences. -Leaping: 15 feet high or 25 feet long, increase by 50% with a running start -Sense of touch: An astonishing 95%!! -Bonuses: Standard cyborg bonuses of +3 save vs magic, impervious to bio-manipulation +1 vs psionics, +2 vs posession, +1 vs magic illusions and mind control from psionic electromagnetic dampers +1 Action/Attack per melee +4 initiative +5 strike/parry +6 dodge +3 Pull Punch Special Training/Skills: Type-3s can be *any* OCC they want! With the exception of Magic, Psionic, Borg, and anything that gives supernatural or magic powers. Most, however prefer the scollars and adventurers, because for the most part, Type-3s have a thirst for adventure, and in some cases, knowlage. Though the occasional Type-3 decides to become a headhunter or millitary OCC Bionic (non weapon) Features: -Psionic Electromagnetic Dampers -Multi-optic eyes (look real) -Universal Headjack (located behind the right ear, not in the chest like the movie) W/Amplified Hearing, Ultra-Ear, Sound Filtration, and wide band radio transmitter/reciver w/scrambler. (5 miles) -Built in Language Translator: Includes Elvish, American, Techno-can, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Euro, Gobbley, Faerie Speak, and three more of choice. Suplemental Language discs with up to 12 extra languages can be purchased later. -Molecular Analyzer&Taste sensor. -Motion Detector (every hair on the body!) -Sensor system equal to Sensor Hand -Audio-video recorders/players: Records/plays on standard 1 inch discs. Discs load in a slot behind the ear. Weapon Systems: -Built in eye lasers (2d6 per single blast, 4d6 per double blast. Double blasts count as 1 action. +1 to strike) Options: -Most cybernetic and bionic options available in Rifts Main Book are *not* available to the Type-3. Only things like built-in clock/callendar, Cyber-Disguise systems, sensors, etc. can be used. -Anything that must break the surface to work (pop-up weapons, most cyber finger options, vibro-blades, etc.) simply won't work and still be able to mantain the human facade. It would require visible seams in the exo-derm and thus would spoil the image, besides, the structure of the Type-3 is such that there's virtually NO free space in the limbs and torso, it's all taken up by myomer muscles, endo-skeleton, and other vital systems. -If someone wants bionic weapon systems, one or more limbs can be removed and replaced with normal bionic limbs, from there extra weapons can be mounted. It's impossible for the Type-3 to pass as a normal human now, but they can still pass for *partial* conversion borgs. "Children of the Thirds" RCC: Note: The following applies to children born of *female* type-3s *only*! Children sired by Type-3 Males are almost perfectly normal. There is, however, a 30% chance of being a minor psionic, treat as a normal minor psionic, but he/she may select *either* Telemechanics, *or* Electrokenesis *instead* of the normal two minor powers! ISP remains the same. If one or more parrents is a Minor psi, add 2% to the chance of psionics for each minor psionic parrnet, if one is major psi, add 5% And add 10% if one was a master psi.) Children of male Type-3s may also become PCCs if the GM allows; they seem to have an unnatural aptitude for Psi-Mechanics and Zappers due to their inborn kinship with machines and electricity. Note: If the child's parrents are *both* Thirds the following still applies, but for any random rolls involved, use the precentage in parenthesis () rather than the one listed. The gestation period for female thirds is a standard 9 months. Asside from looking pregnant, and neading to eat more, female Type-3s don't suffer from any of the problems associated with human pregnancy (though there are occasionally the mood swings and weird food cravings, but they're purely psychosomatic and not hormonally induced) Spd is reduced by 10% however, and most acrobatic/gymnastic feats are impossible, or at least incredibly hard to do because of the extra weight and distribution. Labor for female Type-3s is physically painless, though there is simetimes psychosomatic pain it's never as bad as human labor pains. Female Type-3s do have behavioral prompts on how to 'act pregnant' and can generally fake regular human pregnancy and labor like a pro. Note: Type-3s do not have bodyfat, (but they do have simulated fatty tissues in strategic locations to add to the human illusion) so asside from the rounded sromach and the weight of the baby, female Type-3s don't gain any extra weight, nor does their appearence change (except for the stomach of course) durring pregnancy. While pregnant, the baby is protected from the outside world by it's mother's body. There's noplace safer than inside a cozy MD incubator. After the baby is born, however, the major changes begin. There are three major differences between the children of the Thirds and regular human children. The first is *phenominal* growth after birth until puberty! The child grows at a rate of almost 1 year of growth in 1 day! This means that it will reach puberty, and it's genetic slow-down point after about 2 weeks. During this period of growth, the child eats almost constantly! It eats about 2 month's worth of food for a normal human in it's 2 weeks of growth! The child has a small bank of genetic knowlage about how to feed and care for itself and basic sociatal norms, as well as a working knowlage of American (speaks it only, *not* automatically literate!) This is a self-preservation measure, this way the parrents don't have to spend years protecting a helpless child. They're still feircely protective, and will often stay together for many years, but they don't have to devote as much time to raising the child. While the child is physically mature, and continues to gorw and age at normal human rates, they are not fully enotionally mature. It has a basic knowlage of right and wrong, and most basic human sociatal norms, they still need their inborn social skills 'fine tuned' they can often be selfish, childish and rude, it's the parrent's responsibility to fix this, and mould their child into a well-ajusted member of society. The Second major difference between normal humans and Children of the Thirds, is a high aptitude for psionic powers. *ALL* children born of Type-3 females are at least minor psionics, and *can* chose Telemechanics *OR* Electrokenesis *instead* of the two minor psionic powers. ISP and save vs. psionics remain the same. There's a 20% chance of major psionic powers, if one or more parrents are minor psionics add 2% to the chance of psionics for each minor psionic parrnet, if the father is major psi, add 5% And add 10% if he is a master psi. (Or add 10% if father is a Type-3 Male, and 12% if he is a Type-3 AND a minor psi) If a major psi is rolled, he can either select the 6-8 minor psi-powers that he would normally have, *OR* Telemechanics or Electrokenesis, and 4 minor psi-powers from any category, *OR* Both Telemechanics AND Electrokenesis, and 2 minor *sensitive* psi-powers (most select speed reading and total recall) the character still suffers from the penelties associated with Major Psionics, and the ISP and save vs. psionics remain the same as a normal Major psi. If the player wants, he may choose to become a Master Psionic, in which case he can chose any PCC acalible to humans, but 80% are either Zappers or Psi-Mechanics. The third difference is the ability to have bionics and not lose ALL their psychic abilities! Children of the Thirds have an inborn kinship with machines and electronics. If the character chooses telemechanics and/or electrokenesis, or the Zapper or Psi-Mechanic PCC he may get limited bionics with out crippling their psionic power. Children of Female Type-3s may have four bionic options, or one bionic limb (and any weapons/options that can fit in that limb only) with out damaging their psychic powers at all! They *can* get two bionic limbs, or one bionic limb and four bionic features that are not isolated to that limb. (any options that can fit in the limb don't count since they're isolated to the already bionic limb) but their powers (ISP, Range, Durration, Damage, Effect) are reduced by 25% They can also recive *PARTIAL* bionic reconstruction, but their psi-abilities are reduced by 50% Stats: IQ: 3D6+3 ME: 3D6+6 MA: 3D6+1 PS: 3D6 PP: 3D6 PE: 3D6 PB: 3D6 SPD: 3D6 Note: Stats which recive a bonus, still get the bonus 1D6 on a natural roll of i6 or higher OCCs/RCCs/PCCs Avalible: Any avalible to humans. Most prefer scolalrs and adventurers, and TWs but can be anything. There's also a high precentage who become master psionics, of those psionics, 80% are either Zappers or Psi-Mechanics. Skills: As their OCC/RCC/PCC, +5% to all mechanical/electrical skills (TWs can select mechanical or Electrical skills at the cost of only one skill slot per electrical/mechanical skill, rather than the standard 2 slots per skill.)