All Skill Point Allocation in Pathways into Darkness

Explore the 'Background: Enhancements' for Pathways into Darkness. Learn about cybernetics, biomods, and genegineering, and how they affect your character's stats and gameplay.

Hey there! So, you're diving into Pathways into Darkness and want to know about the 'Background: Enhancements' trait? It's a pretty cool way to customize your character right from the start, giving them some unique advantages. Think of it as either getting some sweet cybernetic upgrades or being genetically engineered for peak performance. But, like anything powerful, there are trade-offs, so let's break it down. With this Background, you've got two main paths: 1. Cyborg: You've got biomechanical devices integrated into your body. This could be anything from biomesh armor and Primium bones to plasma cannons or infra-red scanners. The higher your Background rating in Enhancements, the more cybernetics you can have. The catch? These devices add permanent Paradox points to your total. This means when you use your powers, the universe is more likely to react, and those Paradox points stick around unless you can get the devices removed (which is a whole other can of worms). * Vulnerabilities: Your cybernetics are machines keyed to your body. Control can potentially remove them, which could be crippling or even fatal. Reality Deviant mages can also target these devices. For example, a Virtual Adept might mess with your tech. Also, destructive Life spells can inflict extra unsoakable aggravated damage, and certain spells can even shut down your enhancements temporarily. * Maintenance: Cybernetics run on Primal Energy (Quintessence). If their internal battery runs out, they'll drain your personal supply, and if that's depleted, they'll go offline. * Damage: If you're Incapacitated, someone skilled enough could potentially operate on you and remove parts, costing you permanent health levels. It's a rough world out there for a cyborg! 2. Genegineered Human: You've been enhanced through genetic engineering. This means you might be stronger, faster, tougher, smarter, more beautiful, or more perceptive than a normal human. Your Background rating lets you boost certain Attributes above their usual maximums. The downside? You have to take permanent Genetic Flaws to balance it out. * Subtlety: These enhancements are often more subtle than cybernetics. Unless you're doing something incredibly obvious, like lifting a car, you might appear perfectly normal. However, genetic engineering isn't perfect, and these Flaws can manifest as chronic insanity, poor health, spontaneous cancer, or other nagging issues. * Social Impact: Even if you're obviously enhanced (like super strength or beauty), it can draw unwanted attention, jealousy, or suspicion from others. Important Rules for Both Paths: * No Mixing: You absolutely cannot mix cybernetics and genegineering. Experiments like that have historically gone very, very wrong. * Attributes Affected: The Attributes you can modify are Strength, Dexterity, Stamina, Appearance, Perception, Intelligence, and Health. No other Traits can be modified this way. * Attribute Caps: You can raise Attributes up to a maximum of 8 using Enhancements. You can split these points across several Attributes. * Cost: Each 'dot' of Enhancement costs _two_ Background points, not one. This is because these modifications are like built-in devices or talismans. * Recommendation: While some Technocrats might have more than five dots in Enhancements, it's generally not recommended for player-characters to go that high, as it's already a very powerful Trait. So, think carefully about which path you want to take and what trade-offs you're willing to make. Good luck out there!