Cyberpsychosis
In the Kagoma System, Magitech Augmentations allow characters to enhance their physical and mental capabilities - see Cyborg. However, excessive augmentation risks the development of Cyberpsychosis, a dangerous condition that arises from the strain on the mind and soul caused by integrating too much artificial enhancement into a mortal body.
Humanity Theshold
Characters have a Humanity Threshold that represents their resistance to cyberpsychosis. This value is based on their Wisdom and Constitution, reflecting their mental fortitude and physical resilience.
Humanity Threshold Formula
10 + Constitution modifier + Wisdom modifier
Example: A character with a 14 Constitution (+2) and 12 Wisdom (+1) has a Humanity Threshold of 13.
Each magitech augmentation a character receives reduces their Humanity Threshold by a specific amount, depending on the augmentation’s power. When a character’s total augmentation cost exceeds their Humanity Threshold, they begin to suffer from Cyberpsychosis.
Stages of Cyberpsychosis
Cyberpsychosis is a progressive condition with escalating effects. The higher the Humanity Threshold is exceeded, the worse the symptoms become. Excess Above Humanity Threshold Stage Effects:
0-2 Stage 1: Strain
The character experiences mild mental strain. Disadvantage on Wisdom (Insight) and Charisma (Persuasion) checks.
3-5 Stage 2: Stress
Paranoia begins to set in. Disadvantage on all Wisdom saving throws, and Charisma-based checks except Intimidation.
6-9 Stage 3: Unstable
The character suffers from erratic behavior. At the start of combat, roll a d6. On a roll of 1-2, the character attacks the nearest target.
10+ Stage 4: Psychosis
The character loses touch with reality. They are considered hostile to all creatures and must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw every hour or fall into violent madness.
Augmentation Costs
Each magitech augmentation has a Humanity Cost, which reduces the character's Humanity Threshold when installed. Here are some examples of augmentations and their humanity cost:
Minor Augmentation( -1 Humanity)
Enhanced eyes (darkvision), magitech limb replacement (standard functionality).
Moderate Augmentation (-2 Humanity)
Magitech arms with built-in weapons, arcane focus graft, basic defensive plating.
Major Augmentation (-4 Humanity)
Fully integrated armor systems, advanced cybernetic limbs with enhanced strength (+2 STR).
Experimental or Forbidden Tech (-6 Humanity or more)
Arcane cores implanted into the body, AI uplink systems, life-extension modules.
Resisting Cyberpsychosis
Characters can take steps to mitigate or reverse the effects of cyberpsychosis:
Humanity Restoration:
Characters can restore their Humanity Threshold by removing augmentations. For every augmentation removed, they regain the Humanity Cost value. However, they take 2d10 psychic damage per augmentation removed unless the procedure is done by a professional artificer.
Therapeutic Measures:
Regular therapy with a magitech psychiatrist or priest can delay cyberpsychosis progression. Costs typically range from 100 gp (basic therapy) to 1,000 gp (specialized care) per week. This can temporarily increase the Humanity Threshold by 1d4 for 7 days.
Special Items or Spells:
Spells like Greater Restoration or specially designed magitech items can temporarily suppress cyberpsychosis. For example: Neural Stabilizer (Rare, 1,000 gp): Grants immunity to Cyberpsychosis for 24 hours.
Feats:
Characters can take a custom feat, Resilient Mind, to permanently increase their Humanity Threshold by +3. See Backgrounds, Proficiencies & Feats for more info.
Roleplay
Stage 1-2:
These stages are best for subtle roleplay elements, with characters showing slight paranoia, irritability, or difficulty connecting with others.
Stage 3-4:
These stages introduce combat and social challenges, forcing the party to weigh the character’s value against the risk they pose. The condition can also drive narrative hooks, such as needing to find a cure or escaping Imperial agents who seek to terminate unstable augmented individuals.
Variant Rule: Soul Cost
For a more magical explanation, the Humanity Threshold could represent the strain augmentations place on a character’s soul rather than just their mind and body. Excessive augmentation causes a severance from their divine essence, making the character vulnerable to being "hollowed out" by dark forces or the Empire's experiments.