I've been thinking about this on and off for a while. One of the weirder ideas in Cyberpunk that has always bothered me was the almost archetypal division of classes and abilities and the way that special abilities work. So of course I decided to try fix it. This may well be the closest to a rules mod I've ever posted at this page, so bear with me.
I've never really liked the definition or the process of special abilities in Cyberpunk 2020. I won't deny it. The system as it stands allows starting characters with lower skills to make money and have the same kind of rep that a much more skilled and experienced character would have. Think of it this way...who is most likely to win a battle? A child prodigy with the gun, or a soldier who's been fighting on battlefields for 10 years? The rules almost call it into doubt...from a special ability point of view at least. This is irrational. But built out of the idea that the special abilities are skills that can be improved on with just training.
And that's where the problem lies. I see the special abilities as a reward for experience. Something indefinable that a skilled character eventually acquires. Just look at them. Combat Sense...how do you learn to anticipate ambushes and react faster? By surviving lots of combat. Credibility...how can you add skillpoints to this at all, it should be based solely on the media's activities, fluctuating with their career. Authority? I see it as part reputation and part comfort with the power of the law, either good or bad. Family? Another special ability that makes no sense to add skillpoints to. Shouldn't the family rating be based on what you do for the family? Or Resources? Where's the fun in spending 10 points initially and getting to be the least skilled CEO on earth... Then of course there are jury rig, interface, and streetdeal...how do you increase them with skillpoints
While skillpoints do in a way represent experience I don't think it should be possible to spend them on special abilities from day one. Unless the character is older and more experienced, in which case the GM can workout the details in advance. But as far as I'm concerned the special abilities should be rewards for good playing, not something the player can determine through simple math. The media who breaks a big story and can prove it will get more credibility...and as long as he can keep it up, he'll keep it. But screw the pooch and your credibility could plummet. A solo who manages to survive a few missions may be rewarded by the GM with a point in combat sense as a sort of...this is what explains it. A fixer who makes that crucial deal, and meets the right people... A techie who learns a few new tricks... A rocker who's songs hit the charts.... The corp who brings in the budget... The runner who all but lives in the net...
I'd originally thought about creating a series of tables outlining the various rewards that might be possible...but the way I see it, each GM is different, with a slightly different take on the world. I'll leave it up to them to determine what is rewarded and what's not.
Okay since I've taken away the ability for players to purchase special abilities lets look at the next stumbling block. The roles. Without the special abilities to divide them we start losing the reasons to have them in the first place. Why be so narrow? Why not a solo who uses the net to research his opponents? Or a netrunner who's a gifted sword fighter? Or a medtech who knows where to get less than reputable drugs?
There may be some justification for the career packages approach, it made things easy and essentially streamlined the team. But the skills in them are essentially arbitrary picked by the writers as what they thought might make a good this or that. We've really always been free to disagree.... The only time I think career packages should even come into things is if you take a training program to become whatever...ie soldier or cop. But I hated the idea that your points had to spent in specific ways to explain additional training you received after those skillpoints could have been spent.
I think taking a training program should be an advantage and not a disadvantage. I think training programs should definitely be lifepath material. For instance...going to college. I'd say the player has to spend a few points to get in (the points representing the work needed to get in) and then it would show up on the lifepath as a debt yet to be paid off. More initial points would allow the character to get a scholarship and thus no debt. It all trades off. Time, money or starting points. But why go to college? Cause at the cost of time, money and a few starting points the character gains more levels in a few skills than he could have otherwise.
Going into the army would be the same thing. 6 months of dedicated training to equip the soldier with essential skills. A few starting points, a few years of their life, and they get a package of skills that reflects being a soldier. Advanced training would have entry requirements that would have to be built up to, but they too would have their debt to be paid in time, money and points.
The biggest danger of this idea is the super character and its up to the GM to set his foot down about what is realistic. College takes 2 to 3 years, and attendance at class does play a role. University and things like med school add more years. The idea of a 16yr old medtech has always bugged me. Military training is in phases, basic does provide some skills, but the full tour of duty is required to get them all. Advanced training would have even more requirements.
So its up to the GM to decide. I'd at the very least require an additional d6 to be rolled for age, without getting any lifepath details. They are in school. I'd probably even consider adding a major new debt to the character who went to college, tuition fees.
I think I'll come back to this idea on the next update.
Now here's the real shocker. Depending on the character's actions...in my mind they should theoretically be able to get any of the special abilities. Based of course on the situation. If a solo gets interviewed on the news and plays a role in a major story he might get some credibility for himself. That doc who deals with the drug dealers may eventually build up contacts and get streetdeal for himself. It all varies. Nothing is permanent. Today the character might have combat sense, and tomorrow lose it cause of arrogance and lack of experience.
If special abilities reflect the indefinable aspects of experience then they are open to anyone in the right situation. The TV actor who plays a cop may have credibility and authority, as an example.
Just an idea.