By Scott Pyle.
The Jammers have no use for the Buro's Arcanotech devices, and have thus created a "pure" technology uniquely their own. Unfortunately, being Jammers, this tech is notoriously unreliable, often going BOOM at the worst possible moments (like when a Jammer is using it!).
To simulate this unpredictability in Feng Shui, all Jammertech devices accrue Malfunction, or what I like to call Boom Points. Similar to an arcanowave device's mutation points, Jammertech devices earn Boom points when they are used in game play, building them up at the rate 1 point per sequence of active, stressful use. Some Jammertech devices may build up Boom points at faster rate, but 1 is the average.
When any Jammertech device reaches 10 Boom points, the user has the option of shutting it down (which, in the case of a cybernetic limb, for example, would mean temporary paralysis), or pushing it past its limits (the true Jammer way) and making a quick Fix-It task check at a shot cost of 4 versus a difficulty of the device's current Boom point rating. A negative outcome on this check spells disaster for the user; use the following chart as a guide:
OUTCOME SYMPTOM
-1 to -3 Minor explosions -- 12 damage value, keep on toasting!
-4 to -6 Jarring explosions -- 18 damage value, she's breaking
up, but what the hell, you can still fight!
-7 to -9 The big Boom -- 25 damage value, you're out of commission!
-10+ One with the universe -- 50 damage, there's not much left!
If the first Fix-It or Jammertech task check succeeds, make further checks at 15, 18, 21, and 24 Boom points. Anything beyond this and the device will shut down on its own and require a Boom check each turn until it "cools off" -- usually after about a half hour of inactivity.
Removing Boom points from Jammertech requires a Fix-It or Jammertech task check versus a difficulty equal to the number of Boom points built-up, and takes a number of hours of work equal to the number of Boom points built-up. For each point of success on the Outcome, remove one Boom point. Of course, if you roll box cars during the repair process, the GM has the option of blowing you and your device to atoms!
Last modified: July 18, 1996; please send comments to durrell@innocence.com.