A shell commonly describes an artificial and in most cases humanoid body. Artificial bodies come in a dizzying array of shapes these days. Not all of them are machine bodies either. For those Earthlings who can afford it, gengineered bodies are usually the preference. These artificial bodies are genetically optimized, modified, and altered. Gengineered, living shells are generally referred to as "softshells" - usually housing a brainframe inside an otherwise completely or partially bio engineered body. Most rich people and especially Old Bracers frequently use soft shells in their everyday lives. Softshells tend to be preferable to machines bodies, due to machines lacking biofeedback which many baseline humans find confusing and unpleasant.

Some softshells are tailored to specific needs, extra-terrestrial environments, or terrestrial extreme conditions.

Another variation are machine bodies, referred to as “hardshells.” These sophisticated robots come in a large variation of shapes and sizes. Hardshells are often used for work in space, or in the stormlands, where softshells either would require too specific an adaptation, or in conditions where a metal body is the only thing that can survive. Most hardshells are equipped with a brainframe, although some models can be used specifically with telepresence operation.

Some experimental spaceships are currently getting equipped with brainframes, introducing a whole new class of hard shell.

Both kinds of shells can be equipped to enable an informorph to be farcasted into them.