CHARACTERS

standard cybervaran

mental attributes

The mental abilities of the varans are not as impressive as the physical ones, but they are not mindless automatons either. The following things are characteristic for them:

• They are as bright as an average man when it comes to mission accomplishing, tactics and strategy
• Cybervarans have no clear identity nor any pesonality attributes. They have no name, no friends nor history (in fact they were bred in laboratory environment a few weeks ago!) They do not think about their existance, since are here only to fulfill their mission (the self-consciousness of a varan may, however, awaken during the missions. This is left as roleplaying aspect of the character)
• Cybervarans cannot do things like lock pickings, security systems override, complex computer operations or taxing dexterity tasks.
• Cybervarans have an implanted/integrated computer system, which have memory banks of all common things, like buildings, vehicles, weapons, plants, animals, tools, items and similar things. Simple conversation can be made with the computer system if needed to, but it has simply a stupid program, it does not have an AI.
• Cybervarans can learn new things, and maybe they start to wonder some day, why this all is happening...

physical attributes

Varans are strong, fast and agile creatures, and are able to sustain and regenerate horrible wounds. Even lost limbs can be recovered in medical labs. The standard varan has following physical advantages:

• The height is around 2 meters and weight 100 kg (plus 10 kg per tough and strength enhancement). Skin (or better say, scale) color is dark green, with a possible splash of blue, brown or black. They have no sex and they do not reproduce. They have no sexual instincts. Or at least they should not have.
• Cybervarans are bipedal and they have arms with 4 fingers. Their tail is a short one (only half a meter) and not for any practical use.
• Vision is similar to humans, although some long range problems may occur. Hearing is also similar but smell is much better, although this advantage is not exploited well.
• Cybervarans can speak in their own simple language, but communication is mainly done via integrated radio system. They usually cannot understand any language other creatures speak nor read any text. However, they might be taught some languages, and is left to GM's discretion if they can understand the language used in current location.
• Cybervarans do require oxygen to breathe, but can survive without air for 5-10 minutes. They are immune to all weak poisons and venoms, and suffer reduced effect from strong ones. The air they breath is automatically respirated in their bioengineered lungs.
• Cybervarans are stronger than strongest normal man. They can lift around 200 kg without problems, and carry 40kg (20%) of load. This load is additional to their standard electronics/systems.
• Cybervarans move with a speed of jogging man (movement speed 10/20 meters per combat turn), but some are much faster. The running speed (the larger number) is reduced if the varan carries too much load, see equipment for details.
• Cybervarans have strong leg muscles and can jump 4 meters if stationary, 8 meters with running start (this is of course reduced by the load they are carrying, see equipment for details). They also endure a drop from 10 meters without problems as long as they land on their feet.
• Cybervarans can use their claws to cling on walls or even on the roof. They may climb almost sheer surfaces with ease. Consider them as very strong human mountaineers with built-in climbing spikes. However, the load carried greatly affects their ability to cling on walls and especially roof.
• Cybervarans have exceptional endurance and can keep on running and fighting for hours. Extra hard work can still tire them, however.
• Cybervarans are fierce hand-to-hand fighters, and have 3 melee attacks by standard. That is, they normally roll 3 dice in melee combat and can cause 3 hits. Their hands have durable and sharp claws, so target has only +1 armor save when hit by varan claws.
• Cybervarans are very tough and durable. They have 3 hit points and regenerate lost hit points at the rate of 1 point per 20 minutes.

electronics

All cybervarans have enhanced visionary equipment, mapping systems, radio, light intensifiers, sound dampers, flash protectors, thermographic filters, target tracking and pattern matching. This allows, but is not limited, to following features:

• The location of the other cybervarans in the team is always known
• Communication with other varans and HQ is possible over a long range
• Cloaked targets can be seen with thermographic vision (use of thermographic vision must be specifically announced)
• HUD and mapping systems allow graphical representation of other varans of the team, so that they are not shot. It also allows mapping of the surrounding area.
• In certain environments, life forms can be detected in close vicinity with a bio-scanner. The exact location and number or size of the life forms are always a mystery, but this allows the general scanning of the target area without seeing it. The use of scanners must be announced.

Of course the electronic systems are fragile and may be damaged when varans are hit by gunfire or melee attacks.

cloaking device

In addition to advanced electronics (of which some are cybernetically implanted to varans) the varan battle suit has an advanced visionary cloaking (chameleon) device. This system makes them almost invisible, especially in dark or gloomy location. However, when moving and especially against a bright and/or animated background the varan can be seen as a transparent humanoid form.
The battle suit and cloaking device grant an armor value of 5 to the varans, which is increased to 6 if attacker has no clear idea of where the varan is. In addition, any creature/system limited to standard vision must succeed in perception roll to notice the varan. Even those with thermographic vision may have problems spotting the varans as their body temperatory is close to the surrounding environment. The cloaking device also makes the varan quite invisible to the bio-scanners.

cybervaran enhancement

• Accurate: the varan has +1 dice for all shooting (but not grenade throwing, which there is no skill)
• Fighter: the varan has +1 dice for melee rolls. Moreover, if the varan is target of a melee attack, these dice are reduced from attacker's dice.
• Extra Attack: the varan has +1 melee attack
• Tougher: the varan has +1 hit point and regeneration is enhanced to 1 point per 10 minutes (5, 3 minutes). Varan weight is increased by 10 kg (20, 30)
• Enhanced Sensors: the varan has +1 dice for perception rolls and better scanners.
• Fast: the varan has increased movement rate of 15/30 (if this advantage is taken multiple times, 20/40, 25/50 respectively)
• Strong: the varan can lift easily 300 kg and carry more load. Jump distance is increased to 5/10 meters (400 kg and 6/12, 500 kg and 7/14 if taken multiple times). Maximum load is modified accordingly (60/80/100), and varan weight is increased by 10 kg (20,30)
• Strong legs: the varan has extra strong legs and its jump distance is increased by +3/+6 meters. In addition, safe fall distance is increased by 2 meters (if landing on feet). This enhancement can be taken only once.
• Extra Agility: the varan is a very agile one, and has +2 dice for all agility tests. This enchancement can only be taken once.

Created varan can be written on character sheet (neosheet.ps, 17kB)

sample cybervaran - assault varan

basic varan

We create a fast assault varan, with melee/speed/armor essential. Note that 8 enhancements because we take no x3 enhancement.

• 2x Extra attack (for a total of 5 melee attacks)
• 2x Fighter (for two extra melee dice)
• 2x Fast (for a final speed of 20/40)
• 2x Strong (for lift 400 kg, jump 6/12, improved melee damage)
• Base health (3 hit points) and regeneration (1 per 30 minutes)

equipment

The light assault/melee varan needs sufficient armor protection and weapons for close quarter fighting. So we fit it with following things:

• Heavy carbon-composite armor (15kg) - good defense
• Combat blades (1kg) - backup weapon
• Extinguisher (1kg) - in a case of fire emergency
• Sword (2kg) - long reach
• Nailer (4kg), 5 clips (5kg) - sufficient firepower
• Flame Thrower (4kg), 3 loads (3kg) - special firepower
• 3x HE grenade (3kg) - large/multiple targets
• 2x Melta grenade (2kg) - ditto

Total 40kg of equipment/accessories (jump limited to 4/8 meters)

sample cybervaran - backup/firepower varan

basic varan

We create a backup varan for fire support

• 3x Accurate (for +3 shooting dice)
• 3x Tougher (for total of 6 hit points, regenerate 1 per 3 minutes)
• 1x Strong (for lift 300 kg, jump 5/10)
• Base movement (10/20) and melee attacks (3)

equipment

The backup firepower varan needs just that, heavy firepower. And lots of it, so it does not run out immediately.

• Standard carbon-molecular armor (6kg) - sufficient armor
• Plasma Rifle (12kg), 3 packs (15kg) - heavy firepower
• 3x Bazooka (9kg) - some targets are too big
• 3x HE Grenade (3kg) - special locations

Total 45kg of equipment (jump limited to 3/6 meters, movement 10/15)

sample cybervaran - scout varan

basic varan

We create a fast and light scout varan for surveillance

• 3x Fast (total movement 25/50)
• 2x Enhanced Sensors (+2 perception rolls)
• Fighter (+1 melee dice)
• Tougher (4 hit points, regenerates 1 per 15 minutes)
• Base melee attacks (3)

equipment

The scout varan has little equipment so that it may move silently and in walls/roof.

• Light carbon armor (1kg)
• Mini-rockets (1kg) - emergency weapon
• Cable system (1kg)
• Buzz-saw (1kg)
• Extinguisher (1kg)
• Sniper Rifle (3kg), 2 clips (2kg) - basic weapon
• 2x HE Grenade (2kg) - always needed

Total 12kg of equipment/accessories