The Transhuman Files are an irregular posting of material for the Transhuman Space setting.
by David Pulver and Kenneth Peters
Additional Material by Constantine Thomas
TL: GURPS BioTech includes a lengthy discussion on human genetic engineering, and may be used in conjunction with Compendium I to create genemod templates for genefixed, genetic upgrade, parahuman and bioroid characters. Transhuman Space is the setting described in most of the GURPS Bio-Tech vignettes, and all TL8-10 genetic modifications are possible. (TL11+ modifications may be possible a few decades in the future, or already exist in secret laboratories.)
Alternatively, the GM is free to ignore Bio-Tech's guidelines and simply create a genemod individual using the racial generation guidelines in Compendium I
Advantages and disadvantages that would normally be acquired after birth may not be included in a genetic upgrade template. For example, this would preclude a disadvantage like Vow. The exception is a social advantage or disadvantage such as Reputation or Social Stigma which applies to a particular upgrade series, such as all Ishtar upgrades having a reputation as being party animals. In addition, these strictures apply:
A genefixed human's template will include only Taboo Traits.
A genetic upgrade will include only those advantages and disadvantages that a normal human could possess. Occult and Paranormal and Racial and Super advantages and disadvantages are not allowed.
The same applies to 0-point features.
A genetic upgrade's attribute modifiers should not exceed +3 to ST or +2 to other attributes, or drop below -3 in any of these attributes
Arranging a genetic upgrade for a fertilized egg cell costs about $25,000. If the cost of the template is positive, add a further $1,000 times the template's point cost.
A parahuman template may incorporate racial or super advantages and disadvantages as well as non-human features. When choosing what racial or super advantages or disadvantages to include, exercise restraint. In general, genetic engineering cannot create humans with abilities that other terrestrial animals do not possess. Thus, a human with chameleon skin is possible, but that turned invisible is not.
Similarly, engineering limits such as the square-cube law impose certain basic restrictions. A human could be given wings, but he couldn't fly in anything close to normal gravity. He could be made smaller, but would have to eat more relative to his body mass, and his smaller brain would reduce his intelligence. He could be made bigger and stronger, or tougher, but a giant human would collapse under his own weight. Drastic morphological changes (such as armor plate or extra limbs) are possible, but are pushing the envelope. They rare and expensive, and can often result in numerous unintended defects.
A parahuman's attribute modifiers should not exceed +10 for ST, +5 for DX and HT, and +4 for IQ, nor be below -5 in any of these attributes.
A parahuman genetic upgrade is more expensive. It costs about $50,000. If the cost of the template is positive, add a further $1,000 times the template's point cost.
A bioroid is simply a parahuman who is treated as a product rather than a person, and has been grown for a particular job. Bioroids often have the Short Lifespan and Self Destruct disadvantages.
A bioroid costs the same to create as a parahuman. Bioroids can be purchased as trained young adults or adults rather than as babies: add an extra $5,000 per year of real or simulated training, e.g., an 18-year old bioroid (with potentially 36 points in skills) would cost a further $90,000.
The cybershells of Transhuman Space are created as characters rather than as machines. Hard-and-fast rules are not provided, since individual cybershells can be radically different.
Instead, the GM should approve any cybershell design just like he would any other race, taking care that new designs are not unbalancing in comparison to existing ones and fit in with the overall background. As with Parahumans, use the rules for Race Generation (p. CI173).
A very wide range of advantages and disadvantages are appropriate for cybershells, which can simulate various technological capabilities. Just about any advantage or disadvantage might be appropriate, provided it can be justified by the background technology. The sample cybershells in Chapter 4 and the technology described in Chapters 3 and 5 should give GMs a good idea of what is feasible.
A cybershell may have various built-in gadgets and weaponry. If weapons or gadgets do not duplicate specific existing advantages or disadvantages, use the following table, basing their point value on Legality Class:
| Legality | Points |
| 6 | 5 |
| 5 | 10 |
| 3-4 | 15 |
| 2 | 25 |
| 1 | 50 |
| 0 | 100 |
| -1 | 200 |
Trivial items such as built-in microwave ovens or hair dryers should not cost points. A cybershell with internal space for cargo or passengers will have either Flesh Pockets (p. TS131) or a cargo bay (which costs no points).
A good estimate of a cybershell's weight (Statx10) + (DR + points) % where Stat is the lower of its average ST or HPs (i.e., racial bonus + 10), and DR + points is the sum of its damage resistance and point total as a percentage. However, weight can easily vary widely from this -- it's just a guideline.
The dollar cost of a cybershell can vary widely. A suggested estimate is its point value squared plus the cost of the computer installed in it.
The list below shows all the published bioroids, genetic upgrades, parahumans, uplifts, infomorphs, cybershells, and bioshells that have appeared in the Transhuman Space corebook and its supplements released so far (biomods and nanomods are not included, neither is material from playtest files). Fan-created templates are not listed.
The most current version of this list (which also lists fan-created templates) can be found at http://www.evildrganymede.demon.co.uk/rpg/ths/bioroids.htm.
| DEFAULT HUMANS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Points | Desc. | Year | Page |
| Baseline Human | 0 | Totally unmodified human | TS115 | |
| Genefixed Human | 0 | Bogstandard human template with fixes | (2020) | TS115 |
| Floater | -43 | Baseline human in zero-g/micrograv | (2028) | TS115 |
| UPGRADES | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Points | Desc. | Year | Page |
| Alpha | 35 | Eugenic upgrade | 2050 | TS115 |
| Olympian | 65 | Alpha variant | 2065 | TS115 |
| Ishtar | 25 | Celebrity upgrade | 2064 | TS116 |
| Siduri | 39 | Ishtar variant | 2079 | TS116 |
| Metanoia | 36 | Intelligence upgrade | 2065 | TS116 |
| Helot | 12 | Social/tractable upgrade | 2080 | FW118 |
| Helot II | 14 | Even more tractable variant | 2081? | FW118 |
| Orion | 55 | Athletic upgrade | 2063 | BIO45 |
| Mahatma | 39 | Religious upgrade | 2057 | FW119 |
| BIOROIDS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Points | Desc. | Year | Page |
| Felicia | 146 | Feline bioroid | 2076 | TS116 |
| Felicia II | 114 | Postban variant | 2082 | TS117 |
| Felicity (Black Panther) | 160 | Bodyguard variant | 2091 | TS Templates |
| Tianyi (ZR-7) | 71 | "social interface"/pleasure bioroid | 2072 | TS117 |
| Incubus | 83 | Gender-switching pleasure variant | 2084 | TS117 |
| Chronos | 40 | Canine soldier bioroid | 2075 | BIO48 |
| Eros | 37 | Pleasure bioroid | 2082 | BIO37 |
| Spartan | 85 | Soldier Bioroid | 2084 | FW120 |
| Hecate | 24 | Hazmat Cleanup bioroid | 2093 | FW119 |
| Xenocop | 88 | Police/Paramilitary bioroid | 2089 | FW120 |
| PARAHUMANS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Points | Desc. | Year | Page |
| Dryads (Nguoi Rung) | 25 | Human/Plant hybrids | 2090 | TS Templates |
| Aquamorph | 65 | Underwater parahuman | 2075 | TS116 |
| Sea Shepherd | 80 | GenTech Pacifica bioroid | 2080 | TS116 |
| Tennin | 24 | Zero/Microgravity parahuman | 2058 | TS117 |
| Wu Tsao | 38 | Margaret Station variant | 2084 | TS117 |
| ZR-5 | 26 | Xiao Chu bioroid | 2075 | TS117 |
| Yousheng | 53 | Xiao Chu Mars Adapted parahuman | 2068 | TS117 |
| Viking | 53 | Colonial Genetics version | 2080 | TS117 |
| ZR-3 | 48 | Mars soldier bioroid variant | 2070 | TS117 |
| Ziusudra | 75 | Homo Superior parahuman | 2073 | TS118 |
| Nyx | 70 | Genehackers Inc sleepless version | 2084 | TS118 |
| Camazotz | 45 | Bat-like wings parahuman | 2082 | BIO47 |
| Pandora | 36 | Limited Sigma parahuman | 2074 | BIO51 |
| Void Dancer | 6 | Zero-G vacuum parahuman | 2096 | BIO56 |
| Drylander | 35 | Desert-adapted parahuman | 2077 | FW114 |
| Misha/Kodiak | 19 | Cold-adapted parahuman | 2055 | FW115 |
| Ranger | 60 | Wilderness-adapted parahuman | 2079 | FW115 |
| Brownie | 19 | "Dwarf" homo superior parahuman | 2055 | FW116 |
| Herakles | 171 | "Ultimate" Homo superior parahuman | 2086 | FW116 |
| Ariadne | 47 | Feminist Ideal parahuman | 2066 | FW116 |
| Ariadne II | 62 | Upgraded variant | 2086 | FW116 |
| Avatar (Male) | 77 | Very male Ideal parahuman | 2061 | FW117 |
| Avatar (Female) | 53 | Very female Ideal parahuman | 2061 | FW117 |
| Guardian | 135 | "Mastery" Ideal parahuman | 2081? | FW117 |
| Kouros | 32 | Hermaphrodite parahuman | 2082 | FW118 |
| Sigma | 70 | "Accelerated Cognition" parahuman | 2079 | FW119 |
| UPLIFTED ANIMALS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Points | Desc. | Year | Page |
| Astropus | 40 | micrograv/water-adapted Octopus | 2085 | TS118 |
| K-10A Postcanine | -1 | Uplifted dog | 2033 | TS118 |
| Jagrilla Hound | 37 | Hybrid combat monster | 2051? | BIO102 |
| Neo-Coon | -56 | Uplifted racoon | 2059? | BIO103 |
| Neo-Horse | 68 | Uplifted horse | 2045? | BIO103/104 |
| Octosap | -53 | Sapient octopus | 2072? | BIO104 |
| Space Cat | -46 | Space-adapted feline | 2080? | BIO104 |
| War Dop | 32 | Combat dolphin | 2055? | BIO104/105 |
| Ganesh | 305 | Uplifted elephants | 2081 | FW120 |
| Monkey Plus | -87 | Uplifted monkey | 2082 | FW120 |
| Neo-Pinniped | 4 | Uplifted sealion | 2079 | FW121 |
| INFOMORPHS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Points | Desc. | Year | Page |
| NAI-4 | -25 | Default Non-Sapient AI | 2015 | TS119 |
| NAI-5 | -20 | 2022 | TS119 | |
| NAI-6 | -10 | 2032 | TS119 | |
| NAI-7 | 0 | 2049 | TS119 | |
| NAI-8 | 10 | 2067 | TS119 | |
| NAI-9 | 20 | 2079 | TS119 | |
| NAI-10 | 35 | 2090 | TS119 | |
| LAI-6 | 40 | Default Low-Sapient AI | 2035 | TS119 |
| LAI-7 | 50 | 2054 | TS120 | |
| LAI-8 | 60 | 2067 | TS120 | |
| LAI-9 | 70 | 2083 | TS120 | |
| LAI-10 | 80 | 2093 | TS120 | |
| SAI-7 | 65 | Default Sapient AI | 2066 | TS120 |
| SAI-8 | 75 | 2072 | TS120 | |
| SAI-9 | 85 | 2087 | TS120 | |
| SAI-10 | 95 | 2095 | TS120 | |
| Ghost Mind Emulation | 17 | Fully uploaded sapient | 2076 | TS120 |
| Fragment | 7 | Partially uploaded sapient | 2076 | TS120 |
| Shadow | varies | Edited uploaded sapient | 2074? | TS120 |
| SAI Citizen/Orphan | +40 | Citizen or Orphan AI | Varies | TS120 |
| EI | +60 | Emergent Intelligence (NAI/LAI only) | ? | TS120 |
| Rogue | +10 | Restrictive programming removed (N/LAI) | ? | TS120 |
| Gypsy | +45 | Free-roaming AI (on web) | ? | FW122 |
| Free Meme | 17 | Sentient meme | ? | FW122 |
| CYBERSHELLS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Points | Desc. | Year | Page |
| Bush Robot | 400 | Fractal arm design | 2097 | TS121 |
| Buzzbot | 18 | Aerial reconaissance | 2075 | TS121 |
| Cryobot | 485 | Ice-penetrating/aquatic | 2073 | TS122 |
| Cyberdoc | 400 | Medical | 2070 | TS122 |
| Cyberdoll | 170 | Human looking | 2080 | TS122 |
| Clockwork Souls Custom | 182 | Artistically designed humanoid | 2080? | TS122 |
| Infiltration Android | 340 | Combat Cyberdoll | 2090 | TS122 |
| Microframe | -44 | Small sessile computer | Any | TS122 |
| Mainframe | -9 | Medium sessile computer | Any | TS122 |
| Macroframe | 4 | Large sessile computer | Any | TS122 |
| Mobile Helmet | 252 | Mobile helmet | 2072 | TS123 |
| Polypede | 655 | Engineering polybot | 2078 | TS123 |
| RATS | 695 | Combat design | 2070 | TS124 |
| Snakebot | 295 | Snakelike design | 2067 | TS124 |
| Combat Naga | 400 | Combat variant | 2067? | TS124 |
| UCAV | 963 | Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle | 2090 | TS124 |
| Virtual Interface Implant | -11 | Computer implant | 2047 | TS125 |
| Puppeteer Impant | -11? | Allows control of body by AI | 2047? | TS125 |
| Volkspider | 71 | Multi-legged general purpose | 2070 | TS125 |
| Tech-Spider | 235 | Space engineering | 2070? | TS125 |
| Wearable Virtual Interface | -1 | Portable AI | ? | TS125 |
| Cyberdog | 104 | Robotic animal | 2063 | FW121 |
| Wingbot | 163 | Security bot | 2078 | FW121/122 |
| BIOSHELLS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Points | Desc. | Year | Page |
| Bioshell | 41 | Default Bioshell | 2070 | TS126 |
| Necromorph Bioshell | 41? | Reanimated corpses | ? | TS126 |