Fwurg

[Brend]

Is First Aid applicable to cybernetic components of a person?

Context: In [ Sector 7 -3 ] 20.000 lightyears out in space the use of First Aid on a cybernetic leg is denied. While I agree with the ruling there, it did get me thinking... We have two 'full cyborg' Jedi: Trigiel and Nathan. The original idea of the first aid skill is that it can be used by anyone (hence the untrained use). But if this skill isn't applicable to cybernetic components we won't be able to use it to save Trigiel or Nathan.

I think the First Aid skill should be usable to render First Aid to them as well. Of course, that would also mean that the First Aid skill is somehow usable on cybernetic components. Though it might be more difficult if the creature you're trying to safe has unfamiliar anatomy...

[Elmer]

The way I see it, is that cyborgs have two sides: the organic side and the mechanic side. You can apply first aid to safe the organic part. To safe the mechanic part you need mechanical engineer.

So take Trigiel for example, when he gets roughen up, you can stop the bleeding and treat the burned wounds with first aid (if you get past the durasteel harness that is). But you cannot safe his limbs, as those are purely mechanical. With mechanical engineering you can safe is limbs, and even make new ones, but you cannot splint his ribs (if that even is a thing to start with).

This can be a advantage or a disadvantage, depending on the situation, and is a choice of the player whether he want this element or not.

[Mercury]

I think Elmers analysis of this situation is on the money. First aid is for organic parts, engineering for mechanical parts.

I do think there are some limitations to repairing cyborgs in this manner.

Cybernetics, in my view, are extremely advanced pieces of machinery, not overpriced pieces of lego. Thus, even if you can replace the entire knee joint (and happen to be carrying a spare), the joint will need to be reconfigured for the exact weight distribution, hooked up with electronics that need configuring to properly hook up with the subjects brain, etc.

Thus, if a human breaks a knee, first aid can splint the leg so they can get to safety in an emergency, but walking will be awkward and painful at best, and depending on the damage impossible even with the splint. Likewise, if a cyborg breaks a cybernetic knee, a repair by a mechanical engineer would have the cyborg walking awkward and painful at best, and depending on the damage they may not even be able to walk.

Naturally, once they arrive in a proper hospital, super-tech can help the human heal really fast, and likewise the cyborg can get repairs from a proper cybernetics engineer who can fix the cyborg up fully, do diagnostics and configure everything properly so they are good as new.

Do you agree on this?

[Brend]

Sounds good, and it still allows the use on untrained skills to both aid biological and cybernetic entities (because First Aid and Mechanical Engineer can both be used untrained).

This does imply though, that since (First Aid, Medicine) form an untrained/trained pair, we need to fill in the blank for (Mechanical Engineer, ___) in the cybernetics direction, maybe?

[Mercury]

I can see that working, yes!

[Brend]

I propose to introduce the 'Cyberneticist' skill, which is Trained Only.

Cyberneticist

This skill covers specalistic knowledge and skills for the design, creation and maintenance of cybernetics.

Note that it is not necessary for normal run-of-the-mill maintenance as Mechanical Engineer covers most of the simple use: Cyberneticist is the highly specialized training required for development of new cybernetics applications and for the initial application of cybernetic components to a biological entity.

Trained Only: yes

Note: Depending on the difficulty of the surgery required to 'install' the cybernetic component, having Medicine (or another character with Medicine) is strongly adviced.

[Mercury]

Cyberneticist works for me and I like the medicine note. I think we should also add a note that being a cyborg does not mean you need to be a cyberneticist. You can maintain (but not create / properly repair) your own system without skill.

PS: Cyberneticists is corrected by my browser to Cybernetician T_T

[Brend]

@Mercury: That is why I wrote "Note that it is not necessary for normal run-of-the-mill maintenance as Mechanical Engineer covers most of the simple use", which is apparently not clear enouhg T_T

Also, your browser is endoresed by Norbert Wiener...

[Mercury]

Yeah, but your note mentions maintenance. I want to avoid confusion with simply "being" a cyborg and the skill. In any case, it probably wont be a big issue.

[Elmer]

I like this additional skill.

When this skill becomes official, I like to retroactive switch 1 skill point into cyberneticistician ;)

[Brend]

I have officially proposed the new skill (so nobody misses it).