Getting Nanotech
In most cases, the power of personal nanotech is mostly determined by environmental conditions. Simply put, in areas where there’s a great deal of nano present, nanotech is very powerful. Conversely, in less nano-enriched areas, nanotech is weaker.
There are two types of nano-rich areas: fixed and moving areas. The first are areas where a large group of nanomachines have “taken root,” often hard at work at some pointless and long-forgotten project, such as extracting useless minerals from rock, or even constructing now-useless household appliances. The second are much harder to spot and nearly impossible to track and follow; clouds of nanomachines come and go, travelling in air currents or under their own power.
To identify a nano-rich area, the character makes a Survival check; the DC is based on the intensity of nano activity in the area (see table below). If the character is equipped with a nano detector, he gains a +5 equipment bonus on the check. (Note that the GM determines whether there’s anything to be found. A successful check does not conjure a nano-rich area out of the blue. Obviously, very rich areas are much rarer than low-nano areas.)
Devoid areas that have no nanotech at all are extremely rare, but not unheard of. There are old complexes that, for reasons of research and security, had completely separate atmospheres from the outside world, and neutralization systems set up so that those who entered did not bring any of the nanogunk from the outside world in with them. In such environments, characters can still usually employ nanotechnology, at least for a short while, but their capabilities are severely limited if they do not bring their own source materials with them. Furthermore, as long as they are in such an area, they can’t recover spent nano.
Normal areas have standard amounts of nano. This is what the majority of areas around the world are. It is still quite a bit, just nowhere near enough to be of interest to those who wish to exploit nanotech’s potential to its fullest. While it is possible to use nanotech in such areas, it is never possible to make initial contact.
Low areas are regions which have the bare minimum amount of nano to be able to make initial contact for personal use. Moderate, abundant, and rich areas have progressively more nano.
It is impossible to simply buy nanotech or decide to pick it up somewhere. There’s nano everywhere, and some of it has been designed to bond with humans. Thus, the process is actually reversed: Nanotech picks humans, not the other way around. When that happens, things get interesting.
Unbonded personal nanotech looks for both particularly strong and particularly weak hosts; in this instance, to be of average physical condition is not much of a blessing. The character makes a nanotech contact roll as follows:
1d20 + 1/2 character level (round down) + 2 x absolute value of Constitution modifier
The DC of this roll is 20 if the character has the
Nanotech Attunement feat, 30 if not.
The “absolute value of Constitution modifier” refers to the number part of the character’s Constitution modifier, regardless of whether it’s positive or negative. A character with a Constitution modifier of –2 adds (2 x 2), or 4, to the roll for nanotech contact just as a character with a Constitution modifier of +2 does.
If the roll is successful, the character gains the ability to use nanotech. Once joined with a human host, it becomes effectively impossible to separate the nanomachines from living flesh. They bond with their host; indeed, they become their host, forming the blood in his veins and the fibres in his muscles.
The nanotech contact roll can be made in an area where there are significant reservoirs of unassigned nanounits — usually this is an area with an abundant
or rich nano level, but it is never an area with normal levels. The roll can be made once per character level, plus a number of times equal to the absolute value of the character’s Constitution modifier.
Personal nanotech is extremely user-friendly. Since it has been designed to bond with humans, it comes with sort of built-in instruction manual. The exact nature of the instructions depends largely on the type of nanite in question and who manufactured it in the first place. Some use narration, others influence the bioelectrical impulses coursing through the optic nerves to project a demonstrative slideshow into a corner of the character’s field of vision, but the end result is always the same. Once bonded with the host, the nanotech quickly teaches its new user how it works.
Similar instructions also accompany many nanotech-granted abilities. In general, practically all nano-created effects include some kind of visual cues, the exact nature of which depends on the effect in question. Crosshairs, gauges, vectors, sensor data listings and other visual indicators routinely appear in the character’s field of vision. Aural cues are also common, such as alarms and synthesized voices that give status reports.
Nanounits
Nanounits are the currency that nano users “pay” for the activation of nano effects. A single nanounit is comprised of thousands of individual nanites. A character who has just achieved nanotech activation has the following number of nanounits at her disposal:
20 + 1/2 character level (rounded down) + area bonus
The character can store a maximum of twice this initial number of nanounits. Any extra nanounits bleed off into the environment at a rate of 5 per round. Each act of nanotech use the character performs depletes her store by one or more units. There’s more out in the environment, but it takes time for a character to gather back in nanounits she’s discharged and/or accumulate a fresh store from the free-floating nano around her. Every 10 minutes, the character regains the number of nanounits indicated in the nanounit recovery rate column of the nano area table, above. (Characters with the Nanotech Attunement feat double the usual recovery rate.) Carried nanoblocks do not count against the character’s personal total. Normally personal reserves get consumed first, but the character may direct nanomachines to use one or more nanoblocks first, if she prefers.
Using Nanotech
Thanks to the user-friendliness of nanotech, employing it requires little or no training. Some nanotech has chemical triggers and can activate in response to certain changes in body chemistry; typically, nanites of this type work to enhance the human body. When adrenaline starts to pump, the nanites set to work, temporarily enhancing neural pathways and improving reaction speed, for example. Others take hold of the human brain and start to scan for telepathic wavelengths and, upon encountering a special command, they activate. The host merely has to think about the desired effect to activate it. Some rely on a combination of the two methods.
Whatever method a particular nano system uses, the game mechanics are the same. It takes two rolls to produce a nanotech effect:
- Make a Concentration check against DC 15, or 10 if the character is psionic or has a major mutation that affects the brain. (If both of these apply, the DC remains at 10; the benefits don’t stack.) Apply a +2 bonus for every 5 ranks of Craft (nanotech) the character possesses, rounded down. Success on this check activates the nano system and readies it for use. The character becomes surrounded by a cloud of twinkling dust or fog, extending out in all directions for 10 feet. Others notice it if they succeed on a Perception check against DC 5 + 1 for every 5 points by which the player exceeded on the DC of the Concentration check.
- Make a nanotech control roll. This is: 1d20 + base attack bonus + Wisdom modifier (+5 if the character has the Nanotech Attunement feat)
The DC depends on the particular effect as described below. Success means that the desired effect happens as long as the character has enough nanounits to provide for it. Failing the roll still uses up the cost in nanounits even though the effect does not happen. If the roll fails by more than 15, the nanomachines do something similar to their programming but without proper guidance. At the GM’s discretion, this might include attacking the wrong target (including the character!), or spreading the effect around so many targets that each one gets barely measurable help or harm. In addition, the nanounits spent on the effect are permanently lost to the character.
Permanently lost nanounits are not recovered normally. However, characters with access to a nanoblock machine (a rare industrial device) can attempt a Craft (nanotech) check against DC 20. Success repairs a number of damaged nanounits equal to the area bonus.
Attacks are straightforward enough, but as nanofabricators are extremely versatile, the GM should always consider the nature of the effect in question. For example, a character using nanotech to regenerate destroyed tissue may well end up causing uncontrollable tissue build-up, which may not be fatal, but will still require surgery to remove. In that vein, a nano-created force field generator might project the force field in the wrong direction, blocking an escape route; an attempt to neutralize knockout gas might turn it into poison; and so forth.
Nano Effects
Thanks to the supreme versatility of nanotechnology and the highly developed user interface, there are two determining factors in any use of personal nano: the limits of the user’s imagination, and whether he can actually control the nanomachines well enough to pull off the trick he’s thought of.
Each use of nanotech requires the user to determine the effect’s scope, power and type, as indicated on the following table. These factors set the difficulty of the attempted effect and its cost in nanounits.
Scope
Scope determines whether the target is just the user himself, or the environment around him. An effect can only have a single scope parameter — it cannot be internal and combat external, for example.
Internal effects only affect the user. Healing damage by using nanobots to stitch the wound back together, temporarily improving abilities by slipping a group of nanites into your body to work alongside the muscles, neutralizing poisons by charging the machinery in your bloodstream with the task of disassembling toxins and other similar effects are all internal. Sensory effects are also considered to be internal. While the character may well send nanomachines out to map out the surrounding area, the data they relay is only received by him, and the environment remains unaffected. Internal effects are usually rather easy to pull off.
Non-combat external effects affect the space around the user (though the actual range is determined by the effect’s power). Using nanotech to purify water; sending a swarm of nanobots to knit your friend’s shattered bones back together; or severing the molecular bonds of the metal the lock is made of, causing it to lose cohesion and turn it into a cloud of dust are all non-combat external effects. They are easier to pull off simply because the user has an easier time concentrating on the task at hand and usually has a bit more time to prepare.
Combat external effects are created under combat conditions and often (though not necessarily) cause damage to enemies. Examples include commanding nanobots to form a floating lens through which sunlight can be collected, focused and amplified into a laser; dispatching a cloud of nanites to intercept and destroy incoming projectiles; or severing the molecular bonds in an enemy’s containment suit and thus breaching it.
Power
This factor determines how powerful the effect is. Attacks and other similar applications only have a duration of a single round, whereas effects such as enhancements to the user’s abilities and senses can have a longer duration.
Minor effects are reasonably simple. Most sensory effects are minor effects, adding up to +2 on skill checks using a single sense. Minor effects can cause or heal 1d6 hit points of damage, and they have a maximum range of 150 feet. Minor effects can be used to create up to 1 lb. of material. Effects only have a duration of a single round.
Moderate effects can cause or heal 3d6 hit points of damage, or cause or heal 1d4 points of ability damage to a single ability score. Their maximum range is 1,000 yards. Fire, freezing, corrosive and electrical effects are always at least moderate effects. Moderate effects can create up to 10 lbs. of material. A moderate effect can temporarily increase abilities by +1; they have a maximum duration of 6 rounds. The effect can increase the target’s speed by 20 feet. Enhancing all of the character’s senses by +5 is a moderate effect.
Major effects can cause or heal 5d6 hit points of damage, cause or heal 3d4 points of ability damage to a single ability score, or cause or heal 1 point of ability drain to a single ability score. Major effects can be used to create up to 50 lbs. of material. Their maximum range is 1 mile, and their maximum duration is 1 minute. The effect can increase the target’s speed by 50 feet.
While a nano effect can only have a single power parameter, there are several modifiers that can further fine-tune it (see the table below) or increase its efficiency from the standard parameters shown above. For example, by agitating molecules, thus causing them to generate a great deal of heat, the user can cause a fire effect; by slowing them down, she effectively lowers the temperature and creates a cold effect. The energy damage options all work as described in d20 Modern (see Chapter Seven: Gamemastering, “The Modern World”), they just have an unusual origin.
Extra damage/healing. For each count of this parameter, increase the damage or healing power of the effect by +1d6. This modifier can only be added to effects that are already of major power.
Extra ability damage/healing. For each count of this parameter, increase the ability damage caused or the amount of ability damaged healed by +1d4. This modifier can only be added to effects that are already of major power.
Extra ability drain/healing. For each count of this parameter, increase the ability drain caused or the amount of ability drain healed by 1. This modifier can only be added to effects that are already of major power.
+100 yards of range. Increase the range of an effect. This can be added to any power parameter.
+50 lbs. of material. This can only be added to effects that are already of major power.
+30 feet of speed. This can only be added to effects that are already of major power.
Fire. Attack now causes fire damage. This parameter can only be added to effects of moderate or major power.
Freezing. Attack now causes cold damage. This parameter can only be added to effects of moderate or major power.
Electricity. Attack now causes electricity damage, or the effect can be used to power certain devices. This parameter can only be added to effects of moderate or major power.
Corrosive. Attack now causes acid damage. This parameter can only be added to effects of moderate or major power.
Radiation. Attack now causes radiation damage and radiation poisoning, and may cause mutations; each instance of this modifier added to the nano effect also adds another level of intensity to the mutagenic effect. This modifier can only be added to effects that are already of moderate or major power. When this parameter is added to a major power, the target must add a +4 bonus on the roll to see whether the any mutation received as a result of this exposure is minor or major.
+1 to ability. The character’s ability (or several abilities, if she takes this modifier repeatedly) are increased. This modifier can only be added to effects that are of moderate power.
+1 round of duration. The duration of the effect is increased by 1 round for each count of this parameter. This modifier can only be added to effects that are of moderate power.
Per 5-foot square affected. The effect can now affect an entire area, the size of which depends on the user’s wishes and the level of power at his disposal. Everyone in the area is affected by the effect.
Type
This parameter defines the nature of the effect. An effect can only be of a single type.
Perception relates to sensory effects. For example, the user may command nanites to pick up radio transmissions and transmit them directly to other nanites that in turn manipulate the tympanic membrane within the user’s ear, causing her to “hear” the radio traffic. Nanites might form a tiny airborne camera that floats in the air above the character’s immediate vicinity, transmitting the image to a small nanocluster in her optic nerve, manipulating the bioelectrical impulses passing through it, and superimposing the image directly into the user’s field of vision. An industrious group of nanomachines may even retrieve data from an ancient computer’s hard drive by going through its surface track by track. The user may never directly affect the outside world in any way through use of perception effects; they can only be used to receive information about something.
Preservation effects are used when a group of nanites is instructed to maintain something in its current state. For instance, nanites can be commanded to preserve food supplies by destroying bacteria, or the user may direct them to build a force field projector that deflects incoming projectiles, while nano floating in the user’s body may be charged with the task of maintaining cells in their current condition, essentially fixing any damage the character receives even as he receives it. (Note that this is not the same thing as healing damage that has already been received.)
Creation effects either form something out of nothing or take existing material and use it to construct more complicated objects. For example, the character might instruct nanites to start building molecules using a ratio of two hydrogen atoms for each oxygen atom, effectively creating pure water out of thin air. Alternatively, the user might command nanobots to use some scrap metal to build handcuffs around the wrists of an enemy. While very useful, creation effects tend to use up ambient nano at a great rate. Healing effects are creation effects, as are effects that cause the character to move from one place to another. When using creation effects to manipulate existing material (such as healing or constructing complex objects), standard effect duration does not apply. The results of these effects are permanent (see the "Nanotech and Constructing Items" sidebar for more information on these types of effects). Standard duration does apply, however, to creating effects that produce materials out of thin air. For example, the user could create 50 pounds of gasoline from no pre-existing material (other than atoms and molecules in the atmosphere), but that gasoline would not be permanent. It would need to be used before the duration expires to gain any benefit from it. At the end of the duration, it simply degrades back into the component atoms and molecules used to create it in the first place. On the other hand, the user could have the nanites refine an existing supply of crude oil into gasoline, and that gasoline would be permanent.
Destruction effects take things apart, either by directly dissembling them or by building something with the power to destroy something else. Examples include building a swarm of monofilamented nanites that cut enemies into pieces; having nanomachines completely dehydrate a wooden door, causing it to become extremely brittle; or even instructing nanites to attack and destroy the white blood cells in an enemy’s bloodstream, disabling her immune system. Destruction effects can also be used to treat poison or disease by instructing the nanites to destroying the invading poison, bacterium, or virus. This is generally a major effect as it requires fine control to avoid damaging the patient as well. Destruction effects aren’t quite as heavy on nanoresources as creation effects are. After all, the nanites don’t need to work nearly as hard to simply sever molecular bonds as they would to assemble molecules and attach them to each other. Destruction effects are permanent.
Opposing Nanotechnology
Sooner or later a situation will surface where one nano user is attempting one thing and another is trying to oppose him, by either intentionally countering a particular effect, or attempting something that doesn’t have an end result compatible with the other attempt.
The user whose effect uses a higher power parameter always wins. A moderate effect beats a minor one, and a major effect beats a moderate one (supposing, of course, that the effect is successful to begin with; the user still has to succeed in a control roll).
If both of the effects have the same power parameter, and both of the users succeed in their control rolls, make an opposed control roll, using all DC modifiers applied to the initial roll as a penalty on the roll. Characters with the Nanotech Attunement feat get a +2 circumstance bonus on this roll. In case of a tie, the character with the higher modifiers (base attack bonus + Wisdom modifier) wins. If they’re still tied, make an opposed Will save. The one whose willpower proves stronger manages to control his nanofabricators with a greater degree of accuracy and wins the contest.
Preparing Effects
Preparation is key in many things. Personal nanites can easily be programmed to do things, and preprogrammed effects can make the difference between life and death. The character can keep a number of preprogrammed effects at hand equal to twice his Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1). These effects are normal nano effects that have simply been placed in storage, ready to be launched at will. These effects are otherwise handled like all nano effects, but the control roll for them is made with a +2 bonus. The prepared effects aren’t “spent” in any way when they are used; the character can keep on using them as long as he has enough nano to power them.
Prepared effects can be changed with a Concentration check against a DC equal to the difficulty of the control roll of the new effect. This takes a single round per effect.
Example Effects
Attribute Increase
Thousands upon thousands of nanites swarm into the character’s body and start improving it. Whether they are building new muscle fibre, strengthening bones with alloys, building new neural pathways or even reshaping the user’s facial bone structure, the end result is a temporary increase in one of the character’s abilities.
Scope: Internal
Power: Moderate
Type: Creation
Nano Cost: 13
DC: 11
Effect: An attribute of the character’s choice is increased by one. The effect lasts for five rounds.
Game Mechanics: This is an internal (+2/1), moderate (+3/4) and creation (+6/8) effect, for a total DC of 11 and a nano cost of 13. The character could, if he wished, increase the effect’s duration (which would increase the DC by +2 and the nano cost by 2) or its effectiveness (which would increase the DC by +2 and the cost by 3) — or both. He could also direct the effect at his friend during combat (+6/2), for a total DC of 15 and a nano cost of 14.
Flight
The user’s nanites form an anti-gravity field projector or a rocket pack that gives him the ability to defy gravity at will.
Scope: Non-combat external
Power: Moderate
Type: Creation
Nano Cost: 14
DC: 13
Effect: The character may now fly for 5 rounds, but cannot engage in combat. His normal speed is increased by 20 feet.
Game Mechanics: Non-combat external (+4/2), moderate (+3/4) and creation (+6/8), for a nano cost of 14 and DC of 13. The character could increase the flight’s duration by a round or two, or increase his flight speed by using a major effect. Of course, using a combat external effect instead would enable flight in combat.
Force Field
The character’s nanomachines reconfigure themselves into powerful field projectors that assume strategic positions around him and project an invisible wall of force between him and his enemies.
Scope: Combat external
Power: Moderate
Type: Creation
Nano Cost: 14
DC: 15
Effect: A 5-foot-square-wide force field that offers 3d6 additional, ablative hit points appears next to the character, facing a heading of his choice.
Game Mechanics: Combat external (+6/2), moderate (+3/4) and creation (+6/8), for a total DC of 15, and nano cost of 14. If the character wanted to protect the entire 5-foot square (and everybody in it) from all sides, he could add the area effect modifier (+5/8).
Induce Mutation
This frightening effect is caused by nanites that transmit waves and particles of hard radiation with unerring accuracy. It allows the character to bathe herself in the fierce glow of untamed radiation and take any mutations — in addition to the damage — the effect may bring, beneficial or harmful. Only a very optimistic — or foolish — person would subject herself to this effect, but there are those who are willing to take great chances for great power.
Scope: Internal
Power: Major
Type: Creation
Nano Cost: 22
DC: 24
Effect: The user suffers 5d6 points of radiation damage and has to succeed in a Fortitude save against DC 10 or suffer a mutation. If she mutates, she must take a +4 bonus on the roll to see whether the mutation is minor or major.
Game Mechanics: Internal (+2/1), major (+6/6), creation (+6/8), and radiation (+6/8), for a total DC of 20 and nano cost of 23. This effect could be directed at others by increasing the scope to combat external (+6/2).
Plasma Blast
A cluster of highly specialized nanites form a powerfully magnetic, bottle-shaped field. Other nanomachines pump in highly pressurized gases — typically hydrogen — and then ionize it, turning it into plasma and trapping it within the field. A simple manipulation of the field then causes the plasma to jet out and horribly burn the user’s enemies.
Scope: Combat external
Power: Major
Type: Destruction
Nano Cost: 14
DC: 18
Effect: The discharge of plasma inflicts 5d6 damage on an enemy of the user’s choice.
Game Mechanics: Combat external (+6/2), major (+6/8) and destruction (+6/4), for a total DC of 18 and nano cost of 14. Not an easy trick to pull off, but very effective in combat. A less effective (but easier) version would have moderate power (+3/4). A plasma attack designed to set the target on fire is an increase of (+4/3).
Tissue Repair
Combat situations often take a nasty turn — high-powered weapons can turn a man into a slowly expiring wreck in seconds. In such instances, it’s good to have a medic around, but it’s even better to have a friend with a good command of nanotech. With this effect, a cluster of nanofabricators descend on the wounds and start the healing process. They close open veins, preventing further blood loss; start replicating the existing cell structure, effectively regenerating the wound; anesthetize and reattach the broken nerve endings; and generally accomplish in seconds what would take a skilled doctor hours.
Scope: Non-combat external
Power: Moderate
Type: Creation
Nano Cost: 14
DC: 13
Effect: The user can instantly heal 3d6 points of damage suffered by someone else.
Game Mechanics: Non-combat external (+4/2), moderate (+3/4), creation (+6/8), for a total DC of 13 and nano cost of 14. This effect could also be done in the middle of a combat situation (+6/2 or with a greater efficiency as a major effect (+6/6), in which case the character could heal 5d6 points of damage. Self-healing with an internal effect (+2/1) would be very simple indeed — and even mass healing might be an option, if the user is willing to deal with the challenges of an area effect (+5/8).
Topographical Imaging
Mapping out the wasteland can be a daunting task — there’s such a great deal of space and so much to be found that it’s not difficult to simply walk through an area and not realize that just behind that hill, beyond those woods, lies an ancient wonder just waiting for someone to find it. Yet searching every place in detail takes a long, long time, and there’s no guarantee of a payoff. Sending a cloud of nanobots high up into the air to scout the area ahead and beam a detailed topographical image of the surrounding area down to the user can save a lot of shoe leather.
Scope: Internal
Power: Minor
Type: Perception
Nano Cost: 4
DC: 5
Effect: The character sees a real-time map of the surrounding area for 1 round, giving him valuable tactical data, as well as a +2 circumstance bonus on all
Survival and
Navigate checks made in the area. Other bonuses may well apply, depending on the circumstances.
Game Mechanics: Internal (+2/1), minor (+1/2), perception (+2/1), for a total DC of 5 and nano cost of 4. Turning the effect into a non-combat external (+4/2) would enable the character to create a holographic image so his friends could also see the map and make informed decisions as a group, whereas turning the image into a moderate effect (+3/4) would let the character continue observing the entire surrounding area for up to 5 rounds.
Treat Poison/Disease
The Gamma World is a dangerous place. All kinds of plants and animals carry deadly poisons or diseases, and that's not to mention the airborne bacteria and viruses that can incapacitate or kill even the strongest individuals. With this effect, nanounits head into the infected individual and break down the invading poison/bacterium/virus, giving the patient a better chance at pulling through.
Scope: Non-combat external
Power: Major
Type: Destruction
Nano Cost: 12
DC: 16
Effect: The user may immediately make a Treat Injury roll against the DC of a single ongoing poison or disease the subject is suffering from. If successful, the subject is considered to have made one successful save towards the cure requirements of the poison or disease. This is added on to any other consecutive successful saves the subject has already made. If this is enough to meet the cure requirement, the subject is cured. This happens even if the usual amount of time between checks has not occurred. This means that using this ability multiple times in succession could cure a person suffering from a disease that normally has checks once per day in just a few rounds, provided the user has enough nano and makes enough consecutive successful Treat Injury checks.
Game Mechanics: Non-combat external (+4/2), major (+6/6), destruction (+6/4), for a total DC of 16 and nano cost of 12. Reducing this to an internal effect (+2/1) lets the user use the ability on himself.
Water Purification
Impurities in water found in the environment can be deadly, but a proper application of nanotech soon breaks them down into their component parts and eliminates them from the liquid, leaving only pure H2O.
Scope: Non-combat external
Power: Minor
Type: Destruction
Nano Cost: 8
DC: 11
Effect: A quantity of contaminated water is made drinkable.
Game Mechanics: Non-combat external (+4/2), minor (+1/2) and destruction (+6/4), for a total DC of 11, and nano cost of 8. If the nano user found herself in an environment that had no water to purify, she could still get a refreshing drink by turning this into a creation effect, combining hydrogen and oxygen atoms to produce water for the additional cost of 4 nanounits.
