Modern AGE Cyberpunk Slice - Sandip Gade, murderer for hire

Sandip Gade is a murderer for hire. Yes, ‘problem solver’ is a more neutral term, preferred by many of his clients, and therefore how he usually introduces himself. But in the end, killing people is what he does. Sometimes they are between him and something his employer of the hour requires. Other times they have done something that someone of means does not like. And in rare cases, they are just the wrong person at the wrong place at the wrong time. The latter category he actively tries to avoid, but he is fine with the others. You see, Sandip learned a while back that in Night City, human life is really just a proxy for a specific sum. And the main question is who pays, who buys, and who gets sold.

Mr. Gade is a former member of Militech who went freelance a few months back. Original the son of a low-ranking Militech database entry employee couple he was recruited directly out of the corp academy. When his parents died in a corporate dispute through no fault of their own he found himself in the lucky position that he was on the team sent to “exact revenge”. Well, actually to get back the R&D asset that had been stolen. While gunning down some corp soldiers on their way in Sandip became… coldly efficient. His actions that night made him a candidate for advanced training, but once the action was over he also learned that Militech had actually screwed up a honeypot attempt - the enemy extraction team had killed Sandip’s parents when the trap was sprung. And failed. Sandip realized that if he let that slip, and let them turn him into an enhanced operative, he would become just another piece of corp property. Just like the scientist that they had just brought back. And at one point he would be discarded just like his parents were, without a second thought. A few bribes paid from his bonus, careful planning, and very, very careful negotiation with a criminal hacker later Sandip left, on his own terms. And became what he is today - an aspiring ”problem solver”.

For this one, I will use Modern AGE, with the Cyberpunk Slice that was released earlier this year. Modern AGE is a generic system, and the Slice adds options for the Cyberpunk genre. It will need a bit of adaptation to the Night City background. First of all, a decision has to be made - does Sandip have a biological or a full cyborg body, with the latter meaning bodies that are radically different from base human abilities. Now, in the CP2020 or RED full body mods exist, but they are also rather rare and expensive. And even many of those are more or less the same as base humans in their abilities, and in AGE would not use the Cyborg option. No, Sandip is not there (yet), so let’s say he still has his own body. And I mean biological flesh-and-bones body with maybe some extras.

Next: Abilities. These range from -2 to 4, with 0 as the human norm, and 1 PC average. In the Cyberpunk Slice, some of the abilities would potentially get a bonus from an artificial body if Sandip had one. Alas, not an issue. Abilities can be bought or rolled, and for the latter, there might be the option for rearranging stats. All of that is decided by the GM. Let’s assume rolling with re-arrangement. Rolls are 3D6 on a table, with nine rolls total. The numbers are 11,12,4,8,10,14,12,14,15, which is around average. This means I get to distribute 1,2,-1,0,1,2,2,2,3, which is pretty good. Let’s go with Accuracy 3, Communication -1, Constitution 2, Dexterity 2, Fighting 1, Intelligence 0, Perception 2, Strength 1, and Willpower 2. Sandip is not too gifted at talking to people, but otherwise, he does quite well, thank you. By the way, basic rolls in the game are 3d6+Ability. There are also so-called Focusses, which also get added if applicable. These will be gained later, through backgrounds, professions, and the like.

On that topic - Backgrounds. Backgrounds can be rolled, and they can also be picked based on the concept. Sandip was Military, which is Lower Class. Seems about right. He gets Fighting +1, can choose between two focusses (I take Accuracy[Pistols]), and can choose one of two Talents. I can choose a Combat Style at Novice rank, and take Cybercombat Style. This means I will have to take a fitting augmentation later, but if I do Sandip also gets one special move using that augmentation. And that style can be trained further later. Looking at the list, I take the Auto-Targeting move, which means under certain mechanical circumstances I can decide to auto-succeed in an attack, but give up the chance for critical damage. Sounds good to me. Finally, I get to roll on a benefits table. In theory, the GM might have allowed swapping out a result for something cyberpunk-specific. However, I roll a 4 and get the Accuracy focus [Longarms], which is just fine.

Now to choose a Profession. Sandip cannot have a Profession from above his current class, so Assassin is out. He might see himself as such, but there is still some way to go until he makes it into the Major Leagues, and gets to drink a Jackie Welles. He cannot even be an Operator, which is the murky cyberpunk kind-of-mercenary. No, he will be a Criminal, which actually is a class below the Lower Class - Outsider. Which fits, a lot. Again, there are focuses to choose from, and I give him Dexterity[Stealth]. The Talent I choose is Burglary (Novice) so that he can crack simple locks, analyze basic security systems, and the like. He has 15 + Con Health (17) and resources 3 (2, but he does go down a class, which adds 1).

In the next step I need to decide on a Drive Sandip has, and I think the Cyberpunk Slice offers a nice one with ELITE - Sandip wants to become the best of the best, earn the big bucks, be rich and famous. Every corp quaking at the mention of his name. That kind of thing. Another Talent list to choose from, and this one will be another combat style - Rifle Style(Novice). If he is prone or has a spot to brace his rifle, Sandip gets an additional +1 to whatever other bonuses he already has from aiming and such. Finally, I get to choose between +5 to Health, +2 to Resources, or some Reputation. Hard choice, but I think the Resources are the best idea. Sandip has done some work, and while still mostly unnoticed he does have a bit of money to spend. Resources 5 means he was successful enough to live a lifestyle equivalent to Middle Class.

Now to look at equipment. By default, Sandip has ‘ordinary clothing’, in his case I assume that usually means combat boots, a pair of leather pants in varying colors, and a trench coat, commonly in dark green. For his head, he prefers simple optical bands and a bandana in the same color as his pants. All of that should go well with a small, thin stature. Beyond that, he has any basic equipment needed for his profession (yeah, right), and one weapon for each combat focus he has. He has a Colt Waymaker Revolver and a Militech M68 Odysseus Precision Rifle. Cyberpunk weapons get a modifier in comparison to the base rule system. The Revolver is effective (+1 Damage), and the Precision Rifle uses caseless ammunition for double the ammo capacity. In theory, Sandip has to buy any other equipment, but hell, I’ll give him an armored trenchcoat.

Now to look at Cyberwear. The Slice handles Cyberwear by the GM deciding the maximum number of ‘slots’ all PCs have. Most cyberwear does not count against these slots, all the simple things that either mimic normal function or are not unbalanced. Complex tech does cost slots. Let us go with the high augmentation campaign, meaning we get three starting slots. This number can in theory be increased by background, profession, or drive, but Sandip did not have that option. Pity. In game, PCs can increase Capacity when leveling up instead of other stats. If the GM allows, Capacity can be exceeded, but that means several potentially harmful effects the GM chooses from when the inexperienced user has too much in his body to safely handle. So, let’s not forget that Sandip needs something for his Cyberwear Combat Focus - the Targeting System is an obvious choice. It also adds certain bonuses in some conditions where Sandip can aim carefully. Then he has Dermal Reinforcement and Fast Reflexes, which do what the names say. Sandip likes the solid options, and does not go for exotic tech - just killing people effectively will do, thanks. By the way, the Slice does contain options to create your own cyberwear items. But I am fine with these three. In Night City terms he has Subdermal Armor, a Smartlink, and a Kherenzikov.

Then I calculate some derived stats and determine Goals, Ties, and Relationships. His Goals are to enter the Big Leagues (hello Jackie!), to kill Jeremy Dalton (the manager who slipped up and got his parents killed by security fuckup), and finally, he would get a scenario-specific goal after some discussion with the GM. How about we say he is currently trying to get Mr. Bramble, a notorious hacker, off his back? Ties are to other PCs. These would be determined at party creation, and I will omit them here. But I do assume he has a tie to one character since whoever that is got Sandip out of Militech. The two have since then had several occasions to pay the other one back by saving them in different ways. Buddies. Finally, Sandip gets as many Relationship slots as his Communication (oops), at a minimum of 1. Yeah, he is not the type people connect to. Mmhhh… Sandip has a friend, the ripperdock Dr. Nordstrom. The two bonded over a commonality - both left Militech behind, and both have some grudges against corpos in general, Militech especially.

Done, find the sheet here.