Unlike reprogrammable personal nanotech, nanoaugmenters latch onto a specific biological system and provide consistent bonuses for as long as the nanites remain active. Most nanoaugmenters are injected into a character or creature to permanently enhance performance and continue to function indefinitely. Because they operate intimately with the biological systems of the living host, characters with the 'Medical Incompatibility' cannot use nanoaugmenters. Nanoaugmenters are only removed by other nanites or by commanding the nanocolony to cease all activity (requiring a nanotech control check against DC 15). When this occurs, the nanoaugmenters are absorbed and recycled by the host body.
Theoretically, a characer can have nanoaugmenters injected at any time. The in-game conceit is that characters only get nanoaugmenters when they select the following talents:
'Special' talents may be selected by any class, but require GM permission.
These talents can be selected multiple times. Their effects stack.
Listed below are a number of sample nanoaugmenters:
Brain Boost (Medium): The thought and memory abilities of the creature or character are increased greatly. Any creature injected with brain boost immediately gains a +4 bonus to Intelligence. This bonus remains in effect as long as the nanoaugmenters remain attached to the brain.
Chatter (Minor): These useful nanoaugmenters were frequently injected into soldiers on covert missions. Characters with chatter nanoaugmenters may communicate with one another without speech to a range of 1 mile. The character can key the nanites to only communicate with certain other chatter colonies.
Doppelganger (Medium): A devious nanoaugmentation popular with criminals, the doppelganger nanoaugmentation acts as a dynamic plastic surgery system. This effect mimics the 'Faceshift' mutant perk, allowing the character to Disguise Spell (as spell) 3/day.
Micro Muscles (Major): Micro muscles are nanoaugmenters that attach themselves to muscles and enable them to perform beyond their normal limitations. Any creature or character injected with micro muscles gains a +4 bonus to Strength while the nanites are functioning.
Prophecy (Medium): Another of the brain-altering nanoaugmentations, prophcy allows the character to receive visual and audio data from a remote source. Characters with prophecy nanites can receive sensory input from others, seeing and hearing through one another's eyes and ears to a range of 1 mile. While receiving someone else's sensory inputs, the character is treated as being blind and/or deaf to his current surroundings. Like chatter, the character can key his nanites to only communicate with certain other prophecy colonies.
Soullink (Minor): Once an extremely common augmentation, soullink nanites connect the mind of a character to computers and other devices that are soullink-enabled. The mind of the character directly links to the device, melding his consciousness with it. A character with this nanoaugmentation gains a +6 bonus on Operate Computer, Operate Vehicle, and Use Technology checks while soullinked. This nanoaugmentation works only with those devices that support soullink technology, as determined by the GM.
Twenty/Twenty (Minor): One nanoaugmentation that can be incredibly useful to scouts and investigators is the 20/20 nanocolony. By attaching to and enhancing the sensivity of a creature's optic nerves, the 20/20 nanites improve his vision. The character immediately gains low-light vision and a +6 bonus on all vision-related Awareness checks.
Watchdog (Minor): The watchdog nanoaugmentation is a catchall phrase used to describe nanocolonies that monitor the health condition of a creature to coordinate appropriate immune responses. The character's natural healing rate is doubled and he receives +2 on all Fortitude saves against diseases, poison, and radiation.
Some nanoaugmenters items mimic the effects of mutations and talents. Over time, the GM may add new nanoaugmenters with different capabilities. Like new mutations, the design of new nanoaugmenters is the exclusive purview of the GM.