From:	Matb <mbreton@**.NETCOM.COM>
Subject:	Re: New Thread - What is broken/what needs revising?
Date:	Mon, 21 Dec 1998 18:16:16 -0800

Donald Arganbright wrote:

> Some of the stuff that I would really like to see changed go as follows=
.

> - Limit the use of Media Chick.
> - Rework Torgo's special ability.

What really should be done (and may just happen after the next
net.expansion) is that a list version of errata or revisions to cards be
compiled and posted on someone's website. I'm of the mind that the name
'Second Run' should be reserved for FASA's (not-released) second core
set; I'll volunteer calling the set "Shadowrun 2060" and take things
from there.

> - Alternitive methods of winning other than rep gathering. It just
> doesn't make sence for the Lone Star to go around gathering rep. I lik=
e
> the AEX idea of the Kivas for winning, but I think some other methods
> should be available... it allows for completely new stradiges.

The upcoming (?) Street Life net.expansion contains an alternate win
that will probably offend most players: it's cheap. I could see an
alternate win for Mafia, Yakuza, and Lone Star decks; probably specials
running 4-6Y in cost, and requiring soem absurd condition to be met to
win the game.

LAW ON THE STREETS / Special / 5¥
Play only when all your Runners are Lone Star Runners, and when no other
player has Runners in play. Roll D6 (+1 for each Runner you arrested
this turn). On a 6+, you win the game. Frag Law on the Streets after
playing.
[A street-mall in downtown Seattle; the streets are barren except for
uniformed policemen and patrol cars.]
"There is nothing to see here. Move along."

Okay, that might actually create a first turn win (although, as the
cheapest 'Star is Sisko, at 4Y, you need to somehow gain 1Y on your
first turn without playing another Runner and using Moonlighting; that's
actually possible using AEX cards). But with a heavy-arrest deck, or
lots of Loaded Dice, it *is* possible to pull off an early win.

> - Indirect Fire. Needs lots of work to make it a functioning part of
> the game. I'm not sure how to go about doing this, but more weapons
> with its trait would be nice.

I dunno. This just seems like an alternate form of the bully deck;
Runners with Indirect Fire don't take any damage, so the damage they
deal remains constant; all you need is one or two Runners with, say, a 6
Body each, and then a bunch of munchkins with Ranger Arms or
what-have-you, and the run's yours.

Same goes for Silenced damage: I don't think, so much, that there need
to be more cards with the trait (although maybe *one* other card each
might help), but, rather, than the 'core' idea behind each (help on run
dfrom safehouse / tickle Challenge without mucking up next Challenge)
could use some interesting twists.

> - Melee damge and ranged damage. I don't like the fact that a gun adds=

> to the runners current attack value. That attack value is ROUGHLY base=
d
> on the muscle of the runner.

This really isn't true.

In Shadowrun (the role-playing game), each character has what's termed a
'Combat Pool': basically, how proficient a character is in combat, and
it deals both with defense and attack, but, pretty much, a character
with a high Combat Pool is more dangerous than one with a lower one.

So, Stomper isn't a 6/7 because he has big bones; he's got an Attack of
6 because he's a bad-ass who grew up brawling on the streets. He
_should_ be better with Stilettos than, say, a ex-military merc -- and
he *is*, and the cards show that. (I suppose it could also be argued
that, just as guns "shoot bullets" and should do damage regardless of
the person holding it, hand weapons just "push blades in": the
combat/threat rating shows how _adept_ a character is at putting the
bullet, knifetip, or back of his hand into a particular spot, however,
and that is why Ranged Weapons add to the Threat Rating: to show that a
Ganger is deadlier with weapons than a Legendary Flirt who doesn't even
_believe_ in guns, yet alone have any ability with them.)

At least that's my understanding of it. Ranged Weapons really need to
be made better in the game, because (right now) every one uses
Melee-Katana-Hand Razors, which would _rarely_ show up on a real
shadowrun (except maybe for style points).

> - fame. I really like fame, I think it is a cool thing... I just think=

> it sucks that all of the runners have weak bodyies, and are easy to kil=
l
> off...

That's game balance for ya.



- Matt