Greetings, Dan here,

When it comes to mech TTRPGs there is a spectrum of design on where the focus of the game is placed. On the one end you have the mech and on the other you have the pilot. The core mechanics will usually focus on one more than the other. Often times in crunchier, tactical games you'll find focus on the mech itself and it's capabilities, while in more narrative focused games the attention will be paid to how the pilot affects the world around them. This isn't exclusive of course. In mech fiction both the machine and pilot are linked so there will usually be some degree of mechanics given to the lesser side. It's just usually obvious which one is predominant in a system.

In Beneath Twisted Earth, the aim was always to strike a balance between the two. There would be a tactical combat system with a versatile mech and weapon customization. At the same time, the pilot would have skills that could be used in their machine or out. Still, when it came to mechanics they were leaned more towards the mech end of the spectrum. After all two thirds of character creation was dedicated to building the player's machine. Because of this, one of the goals on BTE Overdrive was to give additional pilot options that would allow for players to customize them as much as they could their mech. This wouldn't just be cosmetically, but through new features that would give a pilot more ways they could affect a battlefield than just through their skills/stats. This came in the form of Pilot Augments and Pilot Talismans. We will visit the talismans next time, today, we're going to take a look at the augments.

BTE is a cyberpunk, dystopian setting. While it was mentioned in the core book that Remnants are post humans, having technology incorporated into their bodies, in the core rules it was only a matter of flavor. This aspect of the world is fleshed out in Overdrive. The suite of standard augments all Remnants have will be detailed, and Pilots will have the option to visit augmentation saloons to further enhance themselves. These additional augments will grant new abilities that can affect combat or skill checks both in or out of the mech. Yet, a pilot cannot fully replace their body. No their, nervous system can only handle so much. Because of this, the number of augments a pilot can install past their standard suite is limited to their Spirit Bonus. Any augments installed beyond this will cause immediate, severe penalties that will stack for each excess install. This can also be accompanied with roleplaying consequences as the pilot suffers malfunctions and mental deterioration.

To help illustrate what sort of fun new options this will open up for players, I've included two examples below of augments that will be available for purchase:

• Additional Limbs: Additional limbs such as arms, legs, or tails. Can also be purchased to replace existing or missing limbs. Can be installed multiple times. Augment grants +5 conditional bonus to Body Checks involving acts of strength for the pilot, and increases the Rate of Fire of any unarmed attack the pilot makes while on foot by one.
• Nerve Accelerator: An augment increasing reaction time. During combat, the pilot may make up to two reactions per round.

As you can see, any Pilot Augments that are installed will provide significant impact on what a pilot can bring on missions. Because of this, the cost of augments are comparable to mech equipment. (The most expensive of which is comparable to a primary mech part!) This makes sense as mechanically they operate similarly to utility systems, but for pilots. It should also be noted that pilots that install additional augments will also take switch from the biological to hybrid target type for the purposes of calculating damage. I.e. if adversaries are using ammunition that deals extra damage to technological targets the pilot will be susceptible to such damage.

Pilot Augments will provide an exciting addition to play options in campaigns of BTE both mechanically and for roleplay opportunities. Next time we will look at the other pilot customization option added in Overdrive, Pilot Talismans. Until then, thank you for your interest. I look forward to seeing you at the launch of the premium editions of the core book, and Beneath Twisted Earth: Overdrive!