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Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

From: "Abadia, Teos" <Teos.Abadia@****.COM>
Subject: Re: Chipjacks (was more questions, less controversial)
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 1997 14:49:29 -0500
Yay, semi-new topics!

> ----------
> From: Matb[SMTP:mbreton@**.NETCOM.COM]
> Crane wrote:
> > Has anyone tried playing with chipjacks, while allowing the runner
> to hold
> > multiple chips? Why not! I guess I will.
>
I agree on what Matb answered for your questions. I have a
rigger-chipjack deck, and I just played over my lunch brake, and was
very pleased to not get a single chipjack or skillsoft during the game
(just by random chance). My deck was much stronger without the
chipjacks and skillsofts.

> Actually, I'm ambivalent on the topic. Chipjack-1's become mighty
> powerful when you allow the holder to wield any number of Skillsofts
> (assuming, of course, he only encounters Challenges with skill-1
> sleaze
> requirements).
>
> OTOH, when you allow only one skillsoft, they become exceedingly weak.
> There's a balance to be made, somewhere...
>
I agree. Chipjack 3 would be a particulalry useless card if you could
have a few chipjack 2s and/or 1s and a lot of skillsofts. Currently, I
see no strategic benefit to having skillsofts, except to increase a
rigger's piloting or to add firearms if you want to have one or more
Ranger Arms sniper rifles in a deck. Even in a firearms deck, you are
better off using laser sight than skillsofts.

> Thought: Lower all Skillsoft costs by one (since they are,
> essentially,
> three-card combo with minor effect).
>
I have thought about that as well. This would work well. Paying 4 or
more for a chipjack and one skill is way too expensive when you could
have a weapon or another runner and just blast your way through.

> Thought: Allow Chipjacks to get the first X softs for free (X equal to
> level), then perhaps a slightly higher cost on the rest.
>
This would work well for the Chipjack 3 card, if it allowed you to
search your deck for one free skillsoft. Maybe Chipjack 2 could have a
"first skillsoft is free". This in and of itself could validate
chipjack decks... Maybe.

> Thought: Improved Skillwires (Street Samurai Catalog) which allow you
> to
> load double the number of Skillsofts, at much higher base cost.
>
> Thought: Skill Hardwires (another SSC item) that combine Chipjack and
> Skillsoft, for higher nuyen and Essence cost.
>
Nice thinking! I'm forwarding this message to FASA, I like your ideas!


Also, there could be a Skillsoft Dealer contact card, which could be
similar to Talismonger and Mr. Black:

Roll D6 before paying for a skillsoft.
1: Bad skillsoft! Suffer 1 Armor-piercing and trash skillsoft.
2-4: -1 Nuyen to item cost. (If we keep the current cost, then that's
all this line would say, since this would bring the cost of skillsofts
to 1 or 2 Nuyen. If FASA lowered the cost of skillsofts, either the
card would read "you must pay at least 1 Nuyen", or have 2-4 result in
"Take 1 skillsoft from your draw pile and put it in your hand".
5-6: Take a Chipjack or 2 skillsofts from your draw pile and put the
card(s) in your hand.
Cost of the card could be 4 Nuyen.

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