Device Slots
Since not all cyphers are limited and artifacts are, cypher slots are device slots. They are still limited in the same way as outlined for cypher slots in the base rules.
Anoetic Cyphers
These items are simple to use, pre-package and self contained. Pills and chemicals or simple devices with small batteries or capacitors. As a result, they do not risk destabilizing and do not require device slots.
Occultic Cyphers
These items are more complex or jury-rigged. As a result they are more prone to problems, including leaking various sorts of radiation or creating strange interactions with other devices. As a result they fill device slots at a 1:1 (rather than the default 2:1).
Artifacts
While often Artifacts are self contained or otherwise pre-packaged, they are also complex and highly charged devices. As a result they are, in many ways, simply Occultic Cyphers with bigger batteries. These items fill device slots at a 1:1 basis.
I've discussed my issues with the Cypher management in Numenera (and by extension the Strange) previously. This is another route to shift the balance of how Cyphers are managed. By making certain types of Cyphers something that can be hoarded players can look for those "perfect fit" moments. However, by separating the Anoetic and Occultic Cyphers the GM can determine a particular Cypher that is outstandingly powerful becomes part of a limited class. Similarly, artifacts which have a much deeper and long term effects on player experience because of their reusability and thus much more akin to player abilities than Cyphers, become limited. This forces players to determine how they want their characters to behave, both in terms of role play and mechanics, rather than simply collecting options.
One concern is that, if players start collecting combat Cyphers they can become unwieldy. However, this can be checked by moderating their number of combat vs non-combat Cyphers, particularly as that's exactly the goal of these rules, or simply challenging them in ways other than combat so their overwhelming combat power has less of a distorting effect on the overall game.
Since not all cyphers are limited and artifacts are, cypher slots are device slots. They are still limited in the same way as outlined for cypher slots in the base rules.
Anoetic Cyphers
These items are simple to use, pre-package and self contained. Pills and chemicals or simple devices with small batteries or capacitors. As a result, they do not risk destabilizing and do not require device slots.
Occultic Cyphers
These items are more complex or jury-rigged. As a result they are more prone to problems, including leaking various sorts of radiation or creating strange interactions with other devices. As a result they fill device slots at a 1:1 (rather than the default 2:1).
Artifacts
While often Artifacts are self contained or otherwise pre-packaged, they are also complex and highly charged devices. As a result they are, in many ways, simply Occultic Cyphers with bigger batteries. These items fill device slots at a 1:1 basis.
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I've discussed my issues with the Cypher management in Numenera (and by extension the Strange) previously. This is another route to shift the balance of how Cyphers are managed. By making certain types of Cyphers something that can be hoarded players can look for those "perfect fit" moments. However, by separating the Anoetic and Occultic Cyphers the GM can determine a particular Cypher that is outstandingly powerful becomes part of a limited class. Similarly, artifacts which have a much deeper and long term effects on player experience because of their reusability and thus much more akin to player abilities than Cyphers, become limited. This forces players to determine how they want their characters to behave, both in terms of role play and mechanics, rather than simply collecting options.
One concern is that, if players start collecting combat Cyphers they can become unwieldy. However, this can be checked by moderating their number of combat vs non-combat Cyphers, particularly as that's exactly the goal of these rules, or simply challenging them in ways other than combat so their overwhelming combat power has less of a distorting effect on the overall game.
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