From:	Matb <mbreton@**.NETCOM.COM>
Subject:	Re: What do the totem cards do?
Date:	Thu, 19 Mar 1998 17:21:14 -0800

Norman McLeod wrote:

> Sorry, but again I have to disagree. The Armor rules specifically statethat
> unless an armor card says otherwise, it is not cumulative.

Actually, no. The Armor rules say that (A1) is a non-cumulative effect,
where (A+1) is. (Incidentally, the cards repeat this.) Armor's
generally not going to be cumulative because most Runners don't have
natural armor - and a Runner can only hold one Armor card (Lined
Coat/Armor Vest excluded.)

> The skill (i.e. special traits as well)

Mmm, where does it say traits are treated as skills? They *are* set up
in different sections, you know.

> rules say that unless otherwise marked, they are
> cumulative. You would be able to trash two spells from Scarecrow for two
> levels of streer

..and, if Scarecrow's ability read, "Trash a Spell to gain Street + 1",
you would be able to. And if the Croawler Drone read Recon + 1, you
could spend six nuyen and look at an entire Objective stack - and I hope
you;ll agree that's a wee bit unbalancing.

Again: If an effect reads "(foo) + 1", it's cumulative - otherwise it
only acts as the basic level, no matter how many times "(foo)-1" is
repeated.

Think about it the other way: If all skill levels were cumulative, then
you'd never need to differentiate between Stealth-1 (granted by
Stiletto) and Stealth + 1 (granted by a Skillsoft). Th differentiation
exists for a reason.

(So why do we never see it written as Stealth-1? Because it could be
misread as Stealth *minus* one; that is, the Runner loses a level of
Stealth.)


-Matt


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