| From: | Felix Hoefert <FHoefert@********.DE> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: Fictional Cards |
| Date: | Tue, 28 Apr 1998 02:28:31 +0200 |
>
> Felix Hoefert wrote:
>
> > My friend Olaf Kramer thought up a few cards which he wants me to
> > forward to the list for evaluation. I know theyīre not as developed as
> > they possibly could be. I regret the Yen/Nuyen symbol isnīt available
> > with my software. Here they are (translated from German):
>
> > 1) GMC Banshee
> > Gear (Vehicle/Helicopter)
> > Deployment cost 10
> > Threat rating: +8/+4 (A3)
> > Play on Rigger with Piloting 2 or Mercenary. User may hold but not use
> > other Gear. Not usable against Indoor Challenges. Trashes Barrier
> > Challenges.
>
> Mmm, a Banshee isn't exactly a helicopter. "Panzer" has different
> implications in German, though. By Rigger 2, they're actually in a
> class called "thunderbirds" (which makes me think of classic Chevys -
> alas).
>
I didnīt look at the books to check this, I just presumed it was a Heli
- although the GMC part did make me wonder :)
In German, basically any armored vehicle with a caterpillar tread is
called a Panzer, so there are Panzerartillerie, Kampfpanzer,
Schützenpanzer, Transportpanzer, Schwimmpanzer etc.
> I'm wary of big big vehicles like this; the Threat Rating essentially
> adds in another Runner, which can get abusive (suddenly Wheeler is a
> 12/8 (A3) for 6Y (!), and as soon as he gets it he can just shift it to
> Roadrash (same stats, no upkeep) ). The secondary ability is a bit too
> much like the Big Rig, but I can't think of an alternative at the
> moment.
>
> > 2) Rocket Launcher (Yes! And he didnīt even know of our list discussion
> > on this.)
>
> Isn;t it great when things work that way? :)
>
> > Gear (Ranged Weapon/Rocket Launcher)
> > Deployment 5
> > Indirect Fire.
> > Turn user to inflict 6 AP damage to one target Runner and any other
> > present Runner receives D6 damage. Place a Usage token on Rocket
> > Launcher and roll D6 after each use. If the result is equal to or lower
> > than the number of tokens, frag user.
>
> Indirect Fire I can see. I take it the D6 is a 'backblast' effect?
>
> A bit too many drawbacks.. I'm surprised it's not limited to Gunnery,
> though (although, iirc, most grunts in Viet Nam were trained to use
> LAWs). I'd open it up to any target (include Challenges!) at the very
> least. A bit too strong for an anti-Runner weapon (forget about
> Shuriken - give this puppy to Static, let the trogs soak up the
> backfires!)
>
> > 3) The Mall
> > Location
> > Deployment 4
> > Turn a Runner to visit and name any Gear/ Non-Vehicle card in Your deck.
> > Roll D6. 1-3: Gear not available, 4: Draw named Gear card from deck, pay
> > cost and deploy on visiting Runner. 5: Gear is over-priced. Deploy at
> > +1D6 cost. 6+: As 4, cost -1D6, minimum 1.
>
> Innnnnnnteresting.
>
> > 4) The Lot
> > As 3), only Vehicles
>
> Hehehe. 'Used Auto Lot' -- place any trashed Vehicles there. Hey look
> - someone crashed a Banshee here! :)
>
> > 5) Hiro-matsu - Yakuza Assassin
> > Human/Asian Runner
> > Deployment 8
> > Melee 3
> > Threat 5/5 (A1)
> > May only hold Gear (Hand-to-Hand Weapon) cards. 3 Nuyen: turn Hiro-matsu
> > to attack Target Runner in one-on-one combat.
>
> Yeep. A bit abusive (one Katana -- 10/5 (A1); two Handrazors - 13/5
> (A1) ). The humans definitely need someone buff, though.
Btw, I came up with the name myself, since Olaf left the card nameless.
It means "Ironfist" - I hope.
>
> > 6) Trauma Patch
> > Gear (Bioware)
> > Deployment 3
> > Essence -2
> > User receives Stamina
>
> ...Until end of turn? I could see this being more like the Stim Patch
> -- regular Gear, trash to give Runner Stamina until the end of the turn.
>
> > 8) Master Control
> > Gear (Matrix/ Program)
> > Deployment 5
> > Play on Runner with Decking 2. User must be present on Run to use Master
> > Control. Turn MC to gain control of a just revealed Electric Challenge
> > with threat rating. This Challenge may be used against the next revealed
> > Challenge or against the Mission Requirement(s) if it was the last
> > Challenge. MC automatically triggers the alarm.
>
> Ack! More abbreviations on cards! :)
>
> Hmm. Hmm. I'd almost suggest opening it up to only Decking-3 Deckers
> (which is nothing if you have cyberdecks, and even a few Runners have it
> naturally). Pretty big - like a Lone Star Undercover in reverse, only
> you can use it again and again.
>
> > 9) Rigger Control Unit
> > Deployment 4
> > Gear (Cyberware)
> > Essence -2
> > Play on Rigger. User may use number of drones equal to his Piloting
> > skill simultaneously.
>
> -? I don't understand the difference this is supposed to make.
Iīm always confused by this - again, can a Rigger add up his dronesī
threat ratings if heīs got the multiple Piloting?
>
> > 10) Blood Restrainer
> > Gear (Bioware)
> > Deployment 2
> > Essence -1
> > Damage user receives is reduced by 1.
>
> (!) Much better than Armor, I'll say that, since not even AP damage gets
> through. Make this non-cumulative and a little more Essence-hungry and
> I (might) see it happening, though.
>
> > 11) McNeil - Lone Star Commander
> > Deployment 7
> > Human Runner
> > Social, Street
> > Stamina
> > Threat Rating 3/2 (A2)
>
> High cost, low threat ... why? (Admittedly, another Lone Star Runner
> never hurts .. but the Stamina isn't going to kick in until another two
> or three cards get played on this guy).
>
> > 12) Sniper
> > Challenge (Miscellaneous)
> > Unique
> > Threat Rating 8/10 (A2) Armor-piercing
> > One target Runner must face Sniper alone. Only Gear (Ranged Weapon)
> > cards may be used in this combat. +10 Reputation when Sniper is defeated
> > in combat. Killed Runners are fragged.
> > Sleaze Req: Street 2, Stealth 4
>
> ...and folks thought the Yakuza Assassin was a powerful card! Not sure
> how to interpret the "only Ranged Weapons" bit -- if I don't have any
> weapons, do I still damage?
>
> But honestly -- this is a pure munchkin card. It's not affected by
> Spells or Gear; it's not, feasibly, sleazable; it's a card that tilts
> things far over to the Big Tough Guy decks we all gripe about.
>
Iīm not sure if Olaf meant the Sleaze Reqs as AND or OR, since his ideas
were merely sketched out on his papers. The Ranged Weapons part means
that the Sniper is indeed safe from any non-Ranged attacks - presumably
gone by the time Louie gets up those stairs...
> I'd drop the Threat Rating, change him to a Outdoor Challenge (in
> keeping with Sniper Roost, and a decent yin to the Yak Assassin's yang)
> and possibly Personnel as well if the AP damage is kept. The fragged
> bit .. I dunno, there are a *lot* of cards now that frag Runners. The
> sleaze requirement doesn't quite make sense (Stealth I can see, but
> Streetwise?) and I'd probably tame it to Firearms-3 or Stealth-3 (either
> you out-shoot him, or you never get noticed).
>
> > 13) Mercenary Camp
> > Challenge (Personnel)
> > Threat 8/8 (A1)
> > 1 Nuyen: A+1
> > 3 Nuyen: Burst Fire (add D6 to attack value)
> > Owner of MC may choose to add Mercenaries he controls to the fight.
> > Sleaze req: Gunnery 2 or Stealth 2
>
> Another over-the-top Challenge. 1Y for A+1!
>
> I do like the "add Mercenaries to the fight" bit, although I don't know
> whether it should be treated as a Runners-on-Retainer sort of thing, or
> Lone Star Undercover (they add to the Threat Rating, but won't be
> damaged). R-on-R makes more sense, but makes this even more crazily
> powerful than before.
>
> I'd at least reverse the "pump" costs. 1Y for Burst Fire sounds about
> right, and then 3Y for each level of Armor isn't *too* bad. But for 1Y
> to change this into a possible 14/8 (A1) - or even higher - you just
> don't need to add more Mercs to it.
>
> > 14) Double Dare
> > Mission 40 Reputation
> > No Gear or Specials may be used against the Challenges on this Mission.
> > Requirement: Fight a Runner team controlled and chosen by owner of
> > Double Dare.
>
> Ow. "Hmm. Who should my gang of Stompers and Skwarks attack -- Torgo
> and five Gangers.. or those deckers over there? Deckers? OK!"
>
> Another Big Tough Guy delight. I'd at least let a random opponent
> determine the team (although that's very problematic). Not sure how it
> fits into a "double dare" either.
>
> What *might* be a cool idea is to have two simultaneous teams running;
> and then at the end they have a chance to duke it out, and whoever
> survives (or survives best?) gets the Rep. That sort of fits into a
> double-dare-ya, but not really.
>
Since my friend called this mission simply "The Challenge", I thought
Iīd think up a better title. The Objective might be nice for Tough guys,
but at least it uses "real" Challenges.
Felix
