Wireheading
Common Price: Strength-reliant (10-500eb)
Based on WireHeading in CyberPunk 2020 Homebrew.
The wire, as it has become known, stimulates the pleasure centers of the brain. In the original experiments, rats wired into a pleasure center device would tap their trigger unit relentlessly until they died of starvation. In humans results are only slightly less debilitating.
A standard wire, as found on the streets, is not a precision piece of electronics. Instead it's a few electrodes set into a wire mesh that fits over the user's head that is wired into a power pack which is then in turn attached to standard household current. Some few wires run on batteries instead of household current, but because of the lack of precision in the engineering of recreational wire, the effects are less than impressive.
Many wireheads who use lower-key wires also jack into simstim recordings to enhance the experience, but hard-core wireheads find more than enough to entertain them on the stronger wires.
Although not a drug in the traditional sense, Wireheading is coupled with Braindance sims in order to deride both pleasure and satisfaction from the experience. Through this, many deal with their Cyberpsychosis symptoms instead of going to expensive therapy or taking Omega Blockers.
Rules
Wires come in varying shapes and sizes, which determines their Strength, as well as their availability, safety and general experience. Risky Wires may provide you with a unique experience, but might fry your brain in the process. The best way to do Wireheading is to not do it at all, but it's benefits are powerful.
Main Effect
- +1/2 Strength to COOL
- Psychedelic, oftentimes with a forced Good Trip
- +1/2 Strength to Humanity (for a week)
Side Effect
Test Resist Torture/Drugs DR relevant to Strength (from DR 9 to DR 21) or suffer from:
- Blank
- Nerve Degeneration (+1/+2)
- up to 4d6 DMG depending on Strength
On a ±1 DR, pick only 2 from the list. On a +2 DR, pick only 1.