Bio-Tech (GURPS, 4th Edition)

✍ Scribed by David Morgan-Mar, David Pulver

• Publisher: Steve Jackson Games
• Year: 2006
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 242
• Edition: 4
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

The Future is Alive "Who needs chrome, pal? Meat is where it's at now. Mother Nature always did it best - she just needed a little help. Get down to the black clinic, old-timer, and you can be 15 again. That is, if you still want to be human at all." It's the technology of the posthuman age: biotech! Upgrade your old body with steroids and smart drugs, transplants, and viral nano . . . or just get a new one. Maybe you don't think being human is so great? Then improve on nature with eugenics and gene-fixing. Or just go parahuman: if you love cats, become one! The technology's changing fast, but you'll have lots of time to get used to it - death is a temporary inconvenience with cryonics and immortality drugs. And who needs silicon and steel? Vatbrain biocomputers are where it's really at! But it's not just about the future. GURPS Bio-Tech includes a full range of 19th, 20th, and 21st-century medical equipment, from early vaccines to surgical robots, along with game stats for the world's most deadly diseases. GURPS Bio-Tech also includes a complete set of character templates for biotech professions, rules for biotech magic, and two original campaign settings: an alternate Earth ruled by a clone of Alexander the Great, and a a living starship on its way to colonize an alien world! Say goodbye to your old body. Have you upgraded your genetics this year? This is the second edition of GURPS Bio-Tech. It has been revised to the GURPS Fourth Edition rules and expanded to cover medicine, drugs, magic, and new technologies. Some entries were introduced in GURPS Space, GURPS Robots, and the Transhuman Space series.

✦ Table of Contents

About the Authors......Page 5
1. Biotechnology......Page 6
Mendelian Heredity......Page 7
DNA Sequencing......Page 8
DNA Testing Procedures......Page 9
Selective Breeding......Page 11
Genetic Engineering......Page 12
Gene Cloning......Page 13
Horizontal Gene Transfer......Page 14
Genetic Reconstruction......Page 15
Biotech Facilities......Page 16
Genetic Engineering in Play......Page 18
Fertility Treatments......Page 20
Growth Tanks......Page 21
History of Cloning......Page 23
Clones and Uniqueness......Page 24
Biometrics......Page 25
Mimicking Biology......Page 27
Lifebanks and Genome Libraries......Page 28
Biotronics......Page 29
Magical Biotech......Page 31
Biotech Development Pathways......Page 34
Different Biologies......Page 36
Eugenic Germline Gengineering......Page 37
Genetic Engineering and Other Species......Page 38
Objectives of Human Gengineering......Page 39
Why Make Ubermenschen?......Page 40
Nature Versus Nurture......Page 41
Experimental Procedures......Page 42
Brain Modifications......Page 43
Cosmetic and Minor Transgenic Modifications......Page 45
Digestive and Filtration Modifications......Page 47
Glandular Modifications......Page 48
Immune System Modifications......Page 50
Lifespan and Self-Repair Modifications......Page 51
Morphological Changes......Page 52
Musculo-Skeletal Modifications......Page 54
Nervous System Modifications......Page 55
Respiratory Modifications......Page 56
Sensory Modifications......Page 57
Sex Ratios......Page 59
Transformations......Page 61
Bioroid Modifications......Page 62
Linked Traits......Page 63
Other Features......Page 65
Beyond the Probably......Page 66
Genetic Upgrades......Page 67
Homo Superior Parahumans......Page 68
Genetic Mixing......Page 69
Pantropic Parahumans......Page 71
Specialists and Slaves......Page 73
Processed Bioproducts......Page 76
Control Using Microorganisms......Page 77
Propagation......Page 78
Crop Modifications......Page 79
Rapid-Growth Plants......Page 81
Gengineered Fungi......Page 82
Insect Bioweapons......Page 83
Gengineered Animals......Page 85
Levels of Sapience......Page 86
Creating Biomodified Animals......Page 87
Animal Modifications......Page 88
Sample Gengineered Animals......Page 89
Cinematic Templates......Page 93
Industrial and Research Animals......Page 94
Symbiotic Parasites......Page 95
Care and Feeding of Biogadgets......Page 96
Designing Biovehicles......Page 97
Spacecraft......Page 99
Airships......Page 100
Other Considerations......Page 101
Gaia: Planet-Sized Organisms......Page 102
Types of Microorganisms......Page 103
The Domains of Life......Page 104
Industrial and Commercial Microbes......Page 105
Purchasing Microorganisms......Page 106
Pollution Control......Page 107
Targeted Microbes......Page 108
Bioelectronics......Page 109
Terraforming......Page 110
Biofilm Growth......Page 111
Giant Blobs!......Page 112
Biological Agents......Page 113
Cleanup......Page 115
Target-Seeking Pathogens......Page 116
Germ Delivery......Page 117
Germ Warfare and Terrorism......Page 118
Anti-Material Bacteria......Page 119
Fighting Disease......Page 120
Symbiotic Bacteria......Page 121
5. Medical Technology......Page 123
Stabilization......Page 124
Medical Treatment Flow Chart......Page 126
Vital Signs......Page 127
Exploratory Surgery......Page 128
Monoclonal Antibodies......Page 130
Blood Types......Page 131
Non-Surgical Treatments......Page 132
"Do You Have Insurance?"......Page 135
Anesthesia......Page 136
Surgical Procedures......Page 137
Exploring Inner Space......Page 138
Cinematic Surgery......Page 139
Autopsy......Page 140
How Fast Does a Body Decay?......Page 141
Rejection and Immunosuppression......Page 142
Types of Transplants......Page 143
Neurological Procedures......Page 144
Cryonic Preservation......Page 145
Nonhuman Cryonic Suspension......Page 146
Suspended Animation......Page 147
Temporal Stasis......Page 148
Chemical Drugs......Page 149
Therapeutic Drugs......Page 150
Storage and Handling......Page 154
Capability-Enhancing Drugs......Page 155
Xenodrugs......Page 157
Lifestyle Drugs......Page 158
Longevity Drugs......Page 159
Name That Drug!......Page 160
Psi Drugs......Page 161
Examples of Nanodrugs......Page 162
Transformational Nano......Page 163
Examples of Nanosymbionts......Page 165
Drug and Nano Delivery Methods......Page 168
Elective Surgery......Page 169
Acquiring Biomods......Page 170
Biomod Transplants......Page 174
Polykeratin Grafts......Page 178
Xenotransplants......Page 179
Neuromods......Page 180
Genetic Surgery Biomods......Page 182
The Genetics of Aging......Page 184
Proteus Nanovirus......Page 185
Types of Proteus Virus......Page 186
Metamorphosis Virus......Page 188
Proteus Virus Options......Page 191
Nanowarfare......Page 192
Biotech Corporations......Page 193
The Medical Rescue Campaign......Page 194
Trade in Body Parts......Page 195
Playing God......Page 196
Cloning and Religion......Page 197
Fetus Farming......Page 198
DNA Profiling and Identification......Page 199
Bioroids, Parahumans, and Uplifts......Page 200
Defining Who Is Human......Page 201
Messing with the Environment......Page 202
Activist......Page 203
Bioengineer or Gengineer......Page 204
Ecological Engineer or Ecoteur......Page 205
Epidemiologist......Page 206
Forensic Pathologist......Page 207
Organlegger......Page 208
Physician......Page 209
Advantages......Page 211
Disadvantages......Page 213
New Meta-Traits......Page 214
New Enhancements......Page 215
New Limitations......Page 216
About Our Commentators......Page 217
Alexander Athanatos......Page 218
History......Page 219
Anthropithekos......Page 220
The Empire......Page 221
Technology......Page 222
Organizations......Page 223
Characters......Page 224
The Fleet......Page 225
The Sigma Draconis System......Page 226
Bioshuttle......Page 227
Settling In......Page 229
Adventure Seeds......Page 230
Variants......Page 231
Glossary......Page 232
Bibliography......Page 235
Index......Page 239

✦ Subjects

GURPS