The Synthetic-Oriented is not a cyborg. A cyborg is a human with implants. The Synthetic-Oriented is a human who has crossed the line -- more chrome than flesh, more machine than meat, a body that has been rebuilt so many times the original parts are a minority shareholder. The Synthetic-Oriented does not fear augmentation rejection. The Synthetic-Oriented's body has forgotten how to reject. The chrome is home.
Asset Realisation books the Synthetic-Oriented as "augmented capital -- high-value." A baseline Soldier costs the corp recruitment, training, and burial. A Synthetic-Oriented costs the corp recruitment, training, and a six-figure rek investment in military-grade chrome. The corp expects returns. The Synthetic-Oriented is deployed to the worst fronts, the heaviest fighting, the operations where a baseline human would be dead in minutes. The chrome pays for itself in combat-hours survived. When the Synthetic-Oriented finally falls, the corp recovers the implants for reissue. The flesh is incidental.
The Synthetic-Oriented's power is the chrome: cybernetic limbs that strike harder, subdermal armour that turns blades, neural interfaces that speak directly to machines. The Synthetic-Oriented installs more implants, overclocks them past rated limits, and uses them in ways the manufacturer's warranty explicitly forbids. The Sawbones installs the chrome. The Synthetic-Oriented makes it sing.
Operating on the Combat chassis (d10 HD, full BAB, Fort good, Ref/Will poor, 4 SP). All armour, all weapons -- the chrome handles the weight. Prime requisites: STR (the augmented body) and INT (the neural interface that controls it). The Will save is poor because the Synthetic-Oriented has replaced enough of themselves that the self is no longer entirely sure what it is.
Rules Reference
Field
Value
Armor Allowance
All
Bab Tier
full
Base Skill Points
4
Hd
d10
Hd Sides
10
Max Level
20
Primary Abilities
STR, INT
Prime Requisites
STR, INT
Save Tiers / Fortitude
good
Save Tiers / Reflex
poor
Save Tiers / Will
poor
Weapon Allowance
All weapons
Notes
Archetype Niche: The Synthetic-Oriented is the augmentation specialist. Chrome Integration allows more implants, more powerful implants, and fewer rejection penalties -- a high-level Synthetic-Oriented is more machine than flesh. Overclock provides burst power by pushing implants beyond their rated limits, with a cool-down penalty that creates risk/reward decisions. Machine Interface gives the Synthetic-Oriented hacking and system control abilities normally reserved for Deck Hackers, but with a physical-connection mechanic that distinguishes the classes. The Synthetic-Oriented's niche is becoming the weapon -- their body is their build.
Multiclass Notes: Synthetic-Oriented characters can multiclass with Soldier and Sawbones archetypes. Non-humans use simultaneous multiclassing rules.
Level Table
Chrome Soldier
Field
Value
bab
1
fortitude
2
level
1
reflex
0
skillPoints
16
title
Chrome Soldier
will
0
xp
0
Augment
Field
Value
bab
2
fortitude
3
level
2
reflex
0
skillPoints
4
title
Augment
will
0
xp
2250
Synth-Warrior
Field
Value
bab
3
fortitude
3
level
3
reflex
1
skillPoints
4
title
Synth-Warrior
will
1
xp
4500
Overclocked
Field
Value
bab
4
fortitude
4
level
4
reflex
1
skillPoints
4
title
Overclocked
will
1
xp
9000
Chrome Centurion
Field
Value
bab
5
fortitude
4
level
5
reflex
1
skillPoints
4
title
Chrome Centurion
will
1
xp
18000
Half-Machine
Field
Value
bab
6
fortitude
5
level
6
reflex
2
skillPoints
4
title
Half-Machine
will
2
xp
36000
Synth Commander
Field
Value
bab
7
fortitude
5
level
7
reflex
2
skillPoints
4
title
Synth Commander
will
2
xp
75000
Chrome Praetorian
Field
Value
bab
8
fortitude
6
level
8
reflex
2
skillPoints
4
title
Chrome Praetorian
will
2
xp
150000
Machine Lord
Field
Value
bab
9
fortitude
6
level
9
reflex
3
skillPoints
4
title
Machine Lord
will
3
xp
300000
High Machine Lord
Field
Value
bab
10
fortitude
7
level
10
reflex
3
skillPoints
4
title
High Machine Lord
will
3
xp
600000
Synth Overlord
Field
Value
bab
11
fortitude
7
level
11
reflex
3
skillPoints
4
title
Synth Overlord
will
3
xp
900000
High Synth Overlord
Field
Value
bab
12
fortitude
8
level
12
reflex
4
skillPoints
4
title
High Synth Overlord
will
4
xp
1200000
Chrome God
Field
Value
bab
13
fortitude
8
level
13
reflex
4
skillPoints
4
title
Chrome God
will
4
xp
1500000
High Chrome God
Field
Value
bab
14
fortitude
9
level
14
reflex
4
skillPoints
4
title
High Chrome God
will
4
xp
1800000
Mechanarch
Field
Value
bab
15
fortitude
9
level
15
reflex
5
skillPoints
4
title
Mechanarch
will
5
xp
2100000
High Mechanarch
Field
Value
bab
16
fortitude
10
level
16
reflex
5
skillPoints
4
title
High Mechanarch
will
5
xp
2400000
Neural Titan
Field
Value
bab
17
fortitude
10
level
17
reflex
5
skillPoints
4
title
Neural Titan
will
5
xp
2700000
High Neural Titan
Field
Value
bab
18
fortitude
11
level
18
reflex
6
skillPoints
4
title
High Neural Titan
will
6
xp
3000000
Flesh-Metal God
Field
Value
bab
19
fortitude
11
level
19
reflex
6
skillPoints
4
title
Flesh-Metal God
will
6
xp
3300000
Supreme Synthetic
Field
Value
bab
20
fortitude
12
level
20
reflex
6
skillPoints
4
title
Supreme Synthetic
will
6
xp
3600000
Special Abilities
Chrome Integration
Field
Value
level
1
name
Chrome Integration
description: The Synthetic-Oriented ignores the first 4 points of CON rejection from cybernetic implants (normally each implant imposes a cumulative -1 penalty to CON-based checks per implant beyond the first). They may install one additional implant beyond the normal limit per body slot. At level 5, the CON rejection buffer increases to 8 points. At level 10, the Synthetic-Oriented may install 2 additional implants beyond the normal limit. At level 15, they ignore all CON rejection penalties entirely.
Overclock
Field
Value
level
3
name
Overclock
description: As a free action once per encounter, the Synthetic-Oriented can overclock one installed cybernetic implant or cyberlimb. The overclocked implant's primary function is enhanced for 1d4+1 rounds. Examples: strength-enhancing arms grant +4 STR (instead of +2), subdermal armour grants +2 additional AC, targeting optics grant +3 to ranged attacks (instead of the implant's normal bonus). After the overclock ends, the implant is disabled for 1 minute (cool-down). At level 8, overclock can be used twice per encounter. At level 13, overclock lasts 2d4+2 rounds.
Machine Interface
Field
Value
level
5
name
Machine Interface
description: The Synthetic-Oriented can interface directly with any computer system, automated defense, drone, or vehicle by making physical contact (typically via a dataport in their cybernetics). The Synthetic-Oriented may use Computers and Hacking as class skills and gains +3 to checks made through direct neural interface. When interfacing, the Synthetic-Oriented halves the time required for system intrusion (from standard action to move action, or from 1 minute to 5 rounds). At level 11, the Synthetic-Oriented may interface wirelessly within 30 feet. At level 17, the Synthetic-Oriented overrides hostile ICE programs as an immediate action.