Chopper
The chopper is a kind of biological mechanic, they take many forms and specialisations, some moving toward cyberware, others looking more into genetics, others straight out surgeons. The name comes from the operator of a chop shop, who is often a generalist knowing a little about all areas of medicine and technology.
The chopper can get you fixed up, rip out that cyberware that’s poisoning you, custom build a genetic mutation that makes you battle ready, or remove that bullet lodged in your brain, all without questions asked, or overly worrying about the Hippocratic Oath.
Role in Striker
The chopper is focused on the acquisition of skill ranks, centred on one of the biology-related engineering skills (being one of Cybernetics, Genetics, Medicine, or Neuronetics). They combine this with field expertise in the sciences and a smattering of societal skills to help them get about. Through these skills they can boost their allies with healing, immunities and helpful information, while blighting their enemies with plagues and madness.
Chopper Conjugates
All choppers practice at least one Conjugate technique (there is a Conjugate technique corresponding to each of the engineering skills), most practice two and a few practice three. Conjugation, schamateering or tooling can make a crucial difference in combat.
Making a Chopper
A chopper is usually very clever and very dedicated, otherwise they wouldn’t be able to keep up with the demands of the profession.
Quick Build
You can make a chopper quickly by following these suggestions.
Choose Talents
Select the following 10 skills as talents:
Health, Focus, Perception, Resolve, Agility, Insight, Science, Investigate, Persuade, Society.
Choose Background
Choose the combat medic background to optimise your initial skill choices.
Apply Ranks Per Level
At each level (including the first), you distribute:
- 4 ranks to the range of skills, and
- 4 ranks to the range of techniques
presented under your chosen archetype.
Archetypes
The chopper profession comes in four archetypes, with four separate skill spreads. These archetypes represent the type of chopper you are; your areas of expertise. The archetypes are: Cybermancer, Cytomancer, Doctor and Neuromancer.
Cybermancer
The name cybermancer suggests a technical wizardry, when it comes to all things cyborg. But many of these classic choppers also have an enthusiasm for transhumanist ideas, verging on fanaticism in some cases. Their love and uptake of cyber-enhancements demonstrating an intense practice of what they preach, or, at the very least, a nice advertisement.
The cybermancer’s primary skill is Cybernetics. You should try to have at least half your level as ranks on this skill.
Skill Choices
Aegis, Forensic-Tools, Scan-Tools (you gain qualification in Medicine-Tools automatically)
Health, Focus, Insight, Investigate, Science, Society, Cybernetics, Medicine, Neuronetics, Robotics
Technique Choices
Forensics (Investigate), Bureaucracy (Society), Bypass (Cybernetics), Conjugate (Cybernetics), Conjugate (Medicine), Conjugate (Neuronetics), Bypass (Neuronetics), Bypass (Robotics), Conjugate (Robotics)
Cytomancer
In and around the chop shops of the less well-reputed parts of cities in danger of breaking under their own weight, are specialists that see cyberware as a bit of a cheat, and instead go for the difficult work of genetic modification. Cytomancers are the real hard-core. Their work, or experimentation, can be impressive, expensive, and dangerous, all in one. The news is replete with the accounts of some abomination escaping an illegal chop shop in the “Pleasure Districts”.
In the rarified world of government-funded labs, are where the scientists among this group go. Contributing to (usually) bioweaponry.
The cytomancer’s primary skill is Genetics. You should try to have at least half your level as ranks on this skill.
Skill Choices
Aegis, Forensic-Tools, Scan-Tools (you gain qualification in Medicine-Tools automatically)
Health, Focus, Deceive, Insight, Investigate, Science, Society, Genetics, Medicine, Neuronetics
Technique Choices
Disguise (Deceive), Forensics (Investigate), Bureaucracy (Society), Bypass (Genetics), Conjugate (Genetics), Conjugate (Medicine), Conjugate (Neuronetics), Bypass (Neuronetics)
Doctor
The doctor is what you would normally visualise, when you’re thinking about the chopper. These are more generalists in the medical sciences, and the most effective in healing you up. “No, I don’t want the titanium, quick-draw, Killmaster 2000 robotic arm, what I want is for you to fix my chest trauma!”.
The doctor runs the gamut from high society, down to the depths of typhoid-laden under-cities, or out in the distant colonies as a combat medic. The doctor is also, erm, popular in adventuring parties.
The doctor's primary skill is Medicine. You should try to have at least half your level as ranks on this skill.
Skill Choices
Aegis, Forensic-Tools, Scan-Tools (you gain qualification in Medicine-Tools automatically)
Health, Focus, Insight, Investigate, Science, Society, Cybernetics, Medicine, Neuronetics
Technique Choices
Forensics (Investigate), Bureaucracy (Society), Vital-Harm (Medicine), Bypass (Genetics), Conjugate (Genetics), Conjugate (Medicine), Conjugate (Neuronetics), Bypass (Neuronetics)
Neuromancer
The neuromancer is somewhat of an unusual chopper, they focus largely on the workings of the brain and other neuronetic systems, neural interfaces, neural processing and software programming. This skill positioning allows them to be part cybermancer and also be a computer and control system expert like a any non-medical engineer.
The neuromancer’s primary focus is Neuronetics. You should try to have at least half your level as ranks on this skill.
Skill Choices
Aegis, Forensic-Tools, Scan-Tools (you gain qualification in Medicine-Tools automatically)
Health, Focus, Insight, Investigate, Science, Society, Cybernetics, Genetics, Neuronetics, Robotics
Technique Choices
Forensics (Investigate), Bureaucracy (Society), Bypass (Cybernetics), Conjugate (Cybernetics), Bypass (Genetics), Conjugate (Genetics), Conjugate (Neuronetics), Bypass (Neuronetics), Conjugate (Robotics), Bypass (Robotics)