Crazy
Crazies are aptly named in every way. Like Juicers, they accept dramatic augmentations to mind and body in exchange for exceptional power and capabilities. Instead of trading away their life, however, Crazies exchange
their sanity. Some say it takes an unstable person to go this route to enhancement in the first place. True or not, there’s no denying mental instability becomes part of the daily existence for any recipient of the treatment.
According to sketchy historical records, the original technology leading to Mind Over Matter (more commonly referred to as M.O.M.) implants first appeared in South America during the last years before the Coming of the Rifts. Initially intended for the treatment of mental disorders, scientists discovered that nanotechnology could be used to rewire mind and body to perform at superhuman levels. Medical applications were quickly abandoned for more lucrative military purposes.
HERO’S JOURNEY (TWO ROLLS)
Crazies gain one roll on any of the following tables: Body Armor, Close Combat Weapons, Psionics, Ranged Weapons, Training, and Underworld & Black Ops.
Crazies gain one additional roll on any table except those dealing with magic.
CUCKOO FOR COMPETENCE
The main part of the M.O.M. conversion involves placing a series of small implants in the subject’s skull, using
nanotechnology to stimulate the brain in complex ways. Effectively, it overclocks the body into superhuman
performance levels. Though the actual implants of today’s iteration of the tech can be made smaller and more concealable, the vast majority of Crazies insist on the traditional rods and domes that extrude prominently from the head.
M.O.M. implants permanently enhance a Crazy’s speed, endurance, strength, and senses, as well as dramatically increasing her healing factors. She gets all this at the low, low price of rational thought and emotional stability. In a world where Hell can literally erupt right around the corner and a large percentage of the population of the planet wants to kill her, many would consider her choice ironically rational.
LOSING IT
The Crazy always enjoys a certain level of preternatural capabilities, but she also has moments where she can completely unleash her potential by Losing It. Throwing caution to the wind and shoving rational thought to the back of her mind, a Crazy gains the effects of being Berserk (as per the Edge).
This can be done at will, as an action.
While she is Losing It, the Crazy is Fearless (see Special Abilities in Savage Worlds), making her immune to Fear and
Intimidation. While in this state, she cannot use her psionic abilities, nor anything requiring concentration.
GETTING IT TOGETHER
A Crazy comes out of Losing It using the standard Smarts roll for Berserk. Then she’s critically hampered by one or more psychological Hindrances. The game effect is a −2 to all Trait rolls for the duration of Getting It Together. From a roleplaying perspective, this could be wracking guilt, crippling depression, irrational fear, rampaging delusions, or any number of other effects which fit the character’s various Hindrances and other issues.
The duration of the penalty is based on the results of the Smarts roll made to come out of the Losing It state in the first place:
Raise: She only spends 1d6 minutes Getting It Together.
Success: She spends 1d6 × 10 minutes in the Getting It Together state.
Failure: She spends 1d6 hours Getting It Together.
Critical Failure: She spends the next 24 hours Getting It Together.
A Crazy may not employ Losing It while in the Getting It Together state.
CRAZY ABILITIES AND BONUSES
Crazies are super commandos, difficult to lead, but fantastically capable in high risk situations. Their steadily degrading mental state makes many of them inevitably nearly impossible to work with, even as they become masters of their combat and physical skills. The Crazy's superhuman prowess combined with psionic powers and
the ability to wield Techno-Wizardry gear make them extremely dangerous to foes—and sometimes friends.
Bio-Regeneration: Awakening certain portions of the brain via the Mind Over Matter implants grants the Crazy a
natural healing roll once every 24 hours. Permanent injuries may be recovered once all other Wounds are regenerated; treat each injury as an additional Wound for purposes of recovery (the Crazy may try once per week).
Enhanced Attributes: Crazies gain +2 die types to Agility, Strength, and Vigor; increase Trait maximums an equal amount.
Enhanced Endurance: Crazies begin with the Nerves of Steel Edge, require only half the normal amount of sleep,
and gain +4 on checks to resist Fatigue from sleep deprivation.
Enhanced Speed: Crazies double their base Pace and move twice the normal distance, horizontally and vertically, when Jumping.
Heightened Senses: Crazies gain +2 to Notice and Survival (tracking) rolls, and ignore two points of Range penalties.
Minor Psionic: Unlocking the brain’s potential grants Arcane Background (Psionics), 10 ISP, three powers, and
Psionics d6. Crazies have access to the following powers (Rank permitting):
arcane protection*, boost Trait†, confusion, darksight*, detect/conceal arcana*, disguise*, divination, empathy, environmental protection*, farsight*, fear, healing, mind link, relief, warrior’s gift*.
Powers marked asterisk (*) have the reduced Power Points cost from the Range (Self) limitation, while those marked dagger (†) have both the Range (Self) and Aspect limitations (see Trappings in Savage Worlds).
Quick: Begin with the Quick Edge.
Uncanny Reflexes: A Crazy’s reflexes are superhuman, granting them –2 to be hit by any attack they are aware of
as well as +2 on Evasion rolls.
CRAZY COMPLICATIONS
Crazies have that name for a reason, which many of the following complications demonstrate clearly.
Cybernetics: Crazies suffer −1 to Psionics per point of Strain (page 71).
Distinctive Appearance: The protrusions from the skull alone mark a Crazy, but most also indulge in tattoos, body piercings, and other means of declaring themselves to the world.
Magic: M.O.M. implants jumble the mind in such a way as to make the use of magic impossible.
Needs Action: Crazies live in a constant state of heightened adrenaline and awareness, even those suffering from
depression cannot escape the feeling. During particular slow periods, the Game Master may call for a Spirit roll. Failure means the Crazy gains −1 Persuasion as she becomes irritable and impatient. She also suffers a −1 to all Trait rolls from the distraction of her frenzied mind, until some kind of high alert status or action kicks in.
Unstable Psyche: From the start (and for no added benefit), the character gains a psychological or emotional Hindrance determined by rolling on the Psyche Degradation Table. Representing the constant degradation of the Crazy’s psychological state, the character gains an additional Hindrance from the table each time she achieves a new Rank.
CRAZY STARTING GEAR
Standard Starting Gear substituting a Wilk’s 237 Backup Laser Pistol, plus a TW Fireburst Rifle and Vibro-Longsword.
- Benefits, table rolls, etc