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Message no. 1
From: Jonas Gabrielson <m94jga@*******.TDB.UU.SE>
Subject: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 13:13:22 +0200
I have a problem. Th problem is a nifty little thing called the
ENCEPHALON. The decker in my group pooled his fortune, and bought one.
Suddenly, he became the crack shot of the group.

The major drawback is of course the Task Pool that you get with
the chip. Three extra dice to use on every skill test you could ever
think of is quite a bonus. However, as a balance, the adds in
Intelligence for Tech skills and the like are rather pathetic - anyone
who wants those adds already has the real skill, and doesn't have to use
Intelligence in their place.

To counter this, I first told the player in question that the
task pool could only reduce time - the successes made with these dice did
not count as improving the achievment, but only making it go faster. I
figured this was pretty logical, given the Encephalon's multi-tasking.

Unfortunately, this didn't work - the player complained that it
said in the description that the Task Pool could be used on any tests.
Have any of you a better solution. I'd be glad to get some input.
Message no. 2
From: P Ward <P.Ward@**.CF.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 13:39:34 BST
Jonas Gabrielson (who seems to ahve a damn rules lawyer to play
against, and I mean against).

> I have a problem. Th problem is a nifty little thing
> called the ENCEPHALON. The decker in my group pooled his fortune,
> and bought one. Suddenly, he became the crack shot of the group.

Oh man, you let the fragger get away with that!

As far as I am concerned; THAT IS A PRINTING ERROR.

It's 'supposed' to say adds to intelligence, and adds +1 Dice
to all technical, B+R, knowledge, etc skills.

secondly, if you do let him have it (literally if it solves
the problem), then insist that the Task Pool counts as
combat pool for combat purposes; ie. you can't put more than
the original skil in, that'll limit it a bit.


It has to be a mistake, please, diety let it be a mistake.

Phil (THE GM, who had to put up with two months of the
same, whining crap from a player who thought his
character wa invincible!)

PC: I have 7 spurs, noone can take me in armed combat.

--Enter the troll witha combat axe--
troll :- CHOPPO!
Message no. 3
From: Bona na Croin <MHILLIARD@****.ALBION.EDU>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 09:29:39 -0500
> Unfortunately, this didn't work - the player complained that it
>said in the description that the Task Pool could be used on any tests.
>Have any of you a better solution. I'd be glad to get some input.

That's easy. Tell the player "Screw FASA, *I* am the GM!!" It's your game,
guy.
Besides, as someone else pointed out, I think it's only +1 to certain skills,
not +3 dice.

Ffelann the Undisciplined
list.member.ticklish
Message no. 4
From: Stainless Steel Rat <ratinox@***.NEU.EDU>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 10:00:49 -0400
>>>>> "Jonas" == Jonas Gabrielson
<m94jga@*******.TDB.UU.SE> writes:

Jonas> I have a problem. Th problem is a nifty little thing called
Jonas> the ENCEPHALON. The decker in my group pooled his fortune, and
Jonas> bought one. Suddenly, he became the crack shot of the group.

Huh? The Encephalon applies to technical skils, B&R skills, and the like,
not all skills.

--
Rat <ratinox@***.neu.edu> | Caution: Happy Fun Ball may suddenly
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/ratinox | accelerate to dangerous speeds.
PGP Public Key: Ask for one today! |
Message no. 5
From: Robert Watkins <bob@**.NTU.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Sat, 22 Apr 1995 00:22:15 +0930
Jonas Gabrielson wrote:
>
> I have a problem. Th problem is a nifty little thing called the
> ENCEPHALON. The decker in my group pooled his fortune, and bought one.
> Suddenly, he became the crack shot of the group.
>
> Intelligence in their place.

It's been a while since I read ShadowTech, and I admit I'm very tired right
now, but...

Isn't the Task Pool only for technical tasks, anyway? And second, what's
better, having the skill, or having the skill AND the bonus?

> To counter this, I first told the player in question that the
> task pool could only reduce time - the successes made with these dice did
> not count as improving the achievment, but only making it go faster. I
> figured this was pretty logical, given the Encephalon's multi-tasking.

> Unfortunately, this didn't work - the player complained that it
> said in the description that the Task Pool could be used on any tests.
> Have any of you a better solution. I'd be glad to get some input.

See the above... However, DON'T let them get hold of a tactical computer.

--
Robert Watkins bob@**.ntu.edu.au
Real Programmers never work 9 to 5. If any real programmers
are around at 9 am, it's because they were up all night.
*** Finger me for my geek code ***
Message no. 6
From: Jani Fikouras <feanor@**********.UNI-BREMEN.DE>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 18:40:56 +0200
> > Unfortunately, this didn't work - the player complained that it
> >said in the description that the Task Pool could be used on any tests.
> >Have any of you a better solution. I'd be glad to get some input.
>
> That's easy. Tell the player "Screw FASA, *I* am the GM!!" It's your game,
> guy.
> Besides, as someone else pointed out, I think it's only +1 to certain skills,
> not +3 dice.

The Task Pool is not the Combat Pool, end of story.

--
"Believe in Angels." -- The Crow

GCS d H s+: !g p1 !au a- w+ v-(?) C++++ UA++S++L+$>++++ L+>+++ E--- N+ W(+)(---)
M-- !V(--) -po+(---) Y+ t++ 5++ R+++ tv b++ e+ u++(-) h*(+) f+ r- n!(-) y?
Message no. 7
From: Marc A Renouf <jormung@*****.UMICH.EDU>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 14:46:12 -0400
On Fri, 21 Apr 1995, Jonas Gabrielson wrote:

> The major drawback is of course the Task Pool that you get with
> the chip. Three extra dice to use on every skill test you could ever
> think of is quite a bonus.

My copy of Shadowtech has the following line on page 23. Under
the description of the Cerebral Booster, it says:

"The Task Pool refreshes along with the other pools. Technical,
Knowledge, and B/R skills are the only skills that can be modified by the
task pool."

> However, as a balance, the adds in
> Intelligence for Tech skills and the like are rather pathetic - anyone
> who wants those adds already has the real skill, and doesn't have to use
> Intelligence in their place.

No, but the increase of the Intelligence attribute can raise your
reaction by default, which can be handy at times.

> Unfortunately, this didn't work - the player complained that it
> said in the description that the Task Pool could be used on any tests.
> Have any of you a better solution. I'd be glad to get some input.

Show your player the quote from above. If they still bitch
saying that it doesn't say so in the description of the Encephalon
itself, smack them around for a little while.
Look at it logically. The Encephalon is designed to give a sort
of multitasking coprocessor ability for enhancing technical skills, not
for any skill the player can think of. Don't let them get away with
this.

Marc
Message no. 8
From: Paul Jonathan Adam <Paul@********.DEMON.CO.UK>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 19:13:11 GMT
In message <Pine.SOL.3.91.950421125636.24681E-100000@********>
SHADOWRN@*****.nic.surfnet.nl writes:
> I have a problem. Th problem is a nifty little thing called the
> ENCEPHALON. The decker in my group pooled his fortune, and bought one.
> Suddenly, he became the crack shot of the group.

I read the (perhaps ambiguous) description to be that the Task Pool adds
dice to Technical, Knowledge and B/R skills *only*. Otherwise it is much
too powerful.

> The major drawback is of course the Task Pool that you get with
> the chip. Three extra dice to use on every skill test you could ever
> think of is quite a bonus. However, as a balance, the adds in
> Intelligence for Tech skills and the like are rather pathetic - anyone
> who wants those adds already has the real skill, and doesn't have to use
> Intelligence in their place.

As I said, I interpreted that to mean that the skills assisted were only
the technical ones. The encephalon is quite good enough without being
Skillwires Everything-3.

> To counter this, I first told the player in question that the
> task pool could only reduce time - the successes made with these dice did
> not count as improving the achievment, but only making it go faster. I
> figured this was pretty logical, given the Encephalon's multi-tasking.
>
> Unfortunately, this didn't work - the player complained that it
> said in the description that the Task Pool could be used on any tests.
> Have any of you a better solution. I'd be glad to get some input.

Easy enough: he gets shot in the head next run and his encephalon saves his
life. Unfortunately it's now too damaged to remove unless he wants to risk
major brain damage...so he can't have it repaired or replaced. Or if he does
it only helps him with Tech/Know/ B/R skills now. The techs listen with
amazement when he described what it used to do, and pull guns to keep him in
while they spend ten years trying to replicate it. He learns to keep quiet
about it real fast.

I don't like munchkins who won't take a hint and won't accept "The GM says
that..." as an answer after reasonable debate. Can't you tell? :-)

--
When you have shot and killed a man, you have defined your attitude towards
him. You have offered a definite answer to a definite problem. For better or
for worse, you have acted decisively.
In fact, the next move is up to him.

Paul J. Adam paul@********.demon.co.uk
Message no. 9
From: "Mark D. Fender" <mfender@******.SGCL.LIB.MO.US>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 15:32:29 -0500
On Fri, 21 Apr 1995, Jonas Gabrielson wrote:

> I have a problem. Th problem is a nifty little thing called the
> ENCEPHALON. The decker in my group pooled his fortune, and bought one.
> Suddenly, he became the crack shot of the group.
>
> The major drawback is of course the Task Pool that you get with
> the chip. Three extra dice to use on every skill test you could ever
> think of is quite a bonus. However, as a balance, the adds in
> Intelligence for Tech skills and the like are rather pathetic - anyone
> who wants those adds already has the real skill, and doesn't have to use
> Intelligence in their place.
>
> To counter this, I first told the player in question that the
> task pool could only reduce time - the successes made with these dice did
> not count as improving the achievment, but only making it go faster. I
> figured this was pretty logical, given the Encephalon's multi-tasking.
>
> Unfortunately, this didn't work - the player complained that it
> said in the description that the Task Pool could be used on any tests.
> Have any of you a better solution. I'd be glad to get some input.
>
Well,no one said you have to use everything in the books. If you don't
like the way it overpowered him, why don't you take it away? Allergic
metahumnas are the easiest to deal with ("What? You're allergic to
cats? Well, the encephalon chip actually uses catgut to hold it in
place. Ever had a rash on the brain?")

PAX
Mark Fender
Death
Scurge
"When something important i going on, silence is a lie."--A.M. Rosenthal
Message no. 10
From: Sebastian Wiers <seb@***.RIPCO.COM>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Sat, 22 Apr 1995 01:59:01 -0500
>
> On Fri, 21 Apr 1995, Jonas Gabrielson wrote:
>
> > I have a problem. Th problem is a nifty little thing called the
> > ENCEPHALON. The decker in my group pooled his fortune, and bought one.
> > Suddenly, he became the crack shot of the group.
> >
> > The major drawback is of course the Task Pool that you get with
> > the chip. Three extra dice to use on every skill test you could ever
> > think of is quite a bonus. However, as a balance, the adds in
> > Intelligence for Tech skills and the like are rather pathetic - anyone
> > who wants those adds already has the real skill, and doesn't have to use
> > Intelligence in their place.
> >
I was under the impresion the task pool only aplied to technical,
build/ repair, and non-magical knowledge skills, but i don't have the book in
my lap, and i might be thinking of the cerebral booster. If i'm right, it
boosts hacking pool, and can add dice to sills like electronics and coputer
programing, cuting time but not iproving things like maximun program level a
caracter can write. It indirectly adds to combat pool and reaction by
boosting intellegence, but doesnt aid combat skill roles (a troll samuria of
mine had a combat pool of 11 with the help of a litle Karma, muscle aug,
suprathyroid, and a cerebral booster. I got the booster cause i wanted a high
reaction and was facing bio-stress on quickness. As a mater of fact, I was
close to it on reaction, also.)
Check both descriotions for what a task pool can and can't do. I'm pretty
sure it can't help dirrectly on combat rolls- othwise, why have the Tactical
computer ot enhanced articulation- we'd just see brained out samurai running
around, andwe know that's not the case.
Message no. 11
From: Bob Ooton <topcat@**.CENCOM.NET>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Sat, 22 Apr 1995 02:20:40 -0500
Shadowtech, Page 23. Under the heading "Cerebral Booster"

"Technical, Knowledge, and B/R skills are the only skills that can be
modified by the Task Pool."

A Task Pool, by definition, is only usable for the above-mentioned skill
groups. Whether it comes from an Encephalon or not changes nothing. Combat
Pool gained from high Intelligence is no different than Combat Pool gained
from high Quickness. Karma Pool gained from karma acquired in one run is no
different in use from Karma Pool gained in another fashion. Thus, the
problem is solved.


-- Bob Ooton <topcat@******.net>
Message no. 12
From: P Ward <P.Ward@**.CF.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Sat, 22 Apr 1995 10:40:48 BST
What it says in my version of Shadow tech under Encephalon is (roughly);

"The intelligence boost given by the encephalon applies to all Technical,
B+R and Knowledge skills, and gives a task pool bonus on _all_ skill tests"

I immediately took that to be a mistake, particularly in the light of
the task pool description under cerebral boosters.


Mind you, lots of my sammies still use it, that slight boost to reaction
and combat pool can make all the difference, plus I allow them to use it
for perception checks (anyone else out there do this?).

Assuming it's the same task pool for cerebrals and for the encephalon,
then there should be no confusion. Go and hit your player with a carp,
if he doesnt acccept, kill his character and rule encephalon's are
restricted military-grade gear because of their _massive_ tactical
applications, so he had better HAVE A REASON for having mil-spec
cyber in his head.

'Read em the riot act, then shoot for the head.'
Lt Grisim on discovering that BWANT (Big Weapons And No Tactics)
are once again 'dark-jogging' in Seattle.

Phil (the GM AKA Diety)
Message no. 13
From: Sebastian Wiers <seb@***.RIPCO.COM>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Sat, 22 Apr 1995 05:07:24 -0500
>
> What it says in my version of Shadow tech under Encephalon is (roughly);
>
> "The intelligence boost given by the encephalon applies to all Technical,
> B+R and Knowledge skills, and gives a task pool bonus on _all_ skill tests"
>
> I immediately took that to be a mistake, particularly in the light of
> the task pool description under cerebral boosters.
>
>

I'm not pro-munchkin or anything, but have you *noticed* that the firearms BR
shill is not even one circle away from firearms on the skill web (same thing
aplies for most other forms of weponry). That would mean you could use the
task pool on BR skills, and get a bonus to shoot, cut, blow up things/people.
NOT that i like that concept (I always found the skill web kinda dorky and
makeshift, especially since it makes it harder to add new skills). It kinda
makes sense that a brainy person could figure out how to use a gun, with physics
and knowledge of how to make one, but the bunus 3 dice/action is pretty out of
proportion, IMHO. Anybody got a fix for this? My feeling is, tough shit, it
doesn't work in combat (for all reasons described in othe posts, rules on
task pool, etc)- cognitive multitasking is one thing, winging off a shot while
helblasts engulf you is qite another, stick to enhancements designed for
combat if you don't want them to jam up under pressure. But I'd like to see
something "from the book"

Seb@*****.com
not a rules lawer, just a guy with a good memory
and to much spare time
part time elven Samurai (mongoose)
looking for a pet hellhound that can
keep up with me jogging ;>
Message no. 14
From: P Ward <P.Ward@**.CF.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Sat, 22 Apr 1995 11:12:35 BST
Seb Wiers Wrote :-
<some stuff about B+R bonuses going across the web>


good point, isn't there something near to physical adept bonus
skills that say the bonuses decrease each time you move through
a cricle on the skills web. Apply that.


ALSO (good one this)

The maximum amount of COMBAT POOL you can use in a success test
is equal to the skill you have, in the skill needed for the test !
(it says something like that, my wording is not too good...)

ie. if you use firearms for gunnery, you CAN'T put pool in.

I use this to reduce the effectiveness of Skillwires too, if
you're useing the wire, your pool can't help you...
Message no. 15
From: Menard Steve <menars@***.UMONTREAL.CA>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Sat, 22 Apr 1995 11:21:54 -0400
On Sat, 22 Apr 1995, Sebastian Wiers wrote:

> >
> > What it says in my version of Shadow tech under Encephalon is (roughly);
> >
> > "The intelligence boost given by the encephalon applies to all Technical,
> > B+R and Knowledge skills, and gives a task pool bonus on _all_ skill tests"
> >
> > I immediately took that to be a mistake, particularly in the light of
> > the task pool description under cerebral boosters.
> >
> >
>
> I'm not pro-munchkin or anything, but have you *noticed* that the firearms BR
> shill is not even one circle away from firearms on the skill web (same thing
> aplies for most other forms of weponry). That would mean you could use the
> task pool on BR skills, and get a bonus to shoot, cut, blow up things/people.

Have you had a copy of the errata for the SRII hardback? What you
describe was changed, you out a dot between firearms, gunnery, and
projectile and their assiciated B/R skill. Furthermore why would you give
them any bonus on a defaulting skill? A character who uses another skill
to do something always uses the base skill(no concentration or
specialization) or his NATURAL attributes. Cyberware/bioware should NOT
give any kind of bonus when you're using you're natural talent or using a
skill for something it was not meant!

> NOT that i like that concept (I always found the skill web kinda dorky and
> makeshift, especially since it makes it harder to add new skills). It kinda
> makes sense that a brainy person could figure out how to use a gun, with physics
> and knowledge of how to make one, but the bunus 3 dice/action is pretty out of
> proportion, IMHO. Anybody got a fix for this? My feeling is, tough shit, it
> doesn't work in combat (for all reasons described in othe posts, rules on
> task pool, etc)- cognitive multitasking is one thing, winging off a shot while
> helblasts engulf you is qite another, stick to enhancements designed for
> combat if you don't want them to jam up under pressure. But I'd like to see
> something "from the book"
>
> Seb@*****.com
> not a rules lawer, just a guy with a good memory
> and to much spare time
> part time elven Samurai (mongoose)
> looking for a pet hellhound that can
> keep up with me jogging ;>
>

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- |\_/| Still The One and Only Wolfbane! ---
--- |o o| " Hey! Why ya lookin' at me so weird? Ain't ya 'ver seen a ---
--- \ / decker witha horn ?" --- Scy, Troll decker with a CC ---
--- 0 Steve Menard menars@***.UMontreal.Ca ---
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Message no. 16
From: Damion Milliken <adm82@***.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 1995 01:27:15 +1000
P Ward writes:

> plus I allow them to use it for perception checks (anyone else out there
> do this?).

The Encephalen automatically assists in Percpetion tests, because it
increases the Intelligence Attribute. If that's what you mean, then yeah, I
do too. But if you mean we allow the Task Pool to be used for Perception
tests, then no, I don't.

-----------------------
Sebastian Wiers writes:

> [There's no dot between Firearms and Firearms B/R]

I say "add one". Solves everything nicely. Makes sense too.

--------------
P Ward writes:

> The maximum amount of COMBAT POOL you can use in a success test
> is equal to the skill you have, in the skill needed for the test !
> (it says something like that, my wording is not too good...)
>
> ie. if you use firearms for gunnery, you CAN'T put pool in.

It says "The maximum number of Combat Pool dice that a character can add to
any offensive Success Test is equal to his rating in the skill for which he
is making the test." I read that to mean that if I'm using Gunnery to make
my skill test, then I can add no more dice to assist the test than I have
Gunnery. I don't see it making a difference that I should be using Firearms
rather than Gunnery. Obviously the Combat Pool dice will have the same
modifier as the defaulting skill would.

> I use this to reduce the effectiveness of Skillwires too, if
> you're useing the wire, your pool can't help you...

I also can't see why you'd do this ('cept to limit the effectiveness of
skillwires).

--
Damion Milliken University of Wollongong E-mail: adm82@***.edu.au

(GEEK CODE 2.1) GE -d+@ H s++:-- !g p0 !au a19 w+ v(?) C++ US++>+++ P+ L !3
E? N K- W M@ !V po@ Y+ t+ 5 !j R+(++) G(+)('''') !tv(--@)
b++ D B? e+$ u@ h* f+ !r n----(--)@ !y+
Message no. 17
From: Damion Milliken <adm82@***.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 1995 01:43:39 +1000
Menard Steve writes:

> A character who uses another skill to do something always uses the base
> skill(no concentration or specialization) or his NATURAL attributes.
> Cyberware/bioware should NOT give any kind of bonus when you're using you're
> natural talent or using a skill for something it was not meant!

The concentration/specialisation bit I agree with, but why should I not get
my Muscle Augmentation bonus if I default to Strength? Why only the natural
attribute? If a piece of cyber/bioware or a spell adds to an Attribute, then
I'd say you could use the bonus when defaulting to that particular Attribute.

--
Damion Milliken University of Wollongong E-mail: adm82@***.edu.au

(GEEK CODE 2.1) GE -d+@ H s++:-- !g p0 !au a19 w+ v(?) C++ US++>+++ P+ L !3
E? N K- W M@ !V po@ Y+ t+ 5 !j R+(++) G(+)('''') !tv(--@)
b++ D B? e+$ u@ h* f+ !r n----(--)@ !y+
Message no. 18
From: Menard Steve <menars@***.UMONTREAL.CA>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Sat, 22 Apr 1995 15:33:59 -0400
On Sun, 23 Apr 1995, Damion Milliken wrote:

> Menard Steve writes:
>
> > A character who uses another skill to do something always uses the base
> > skill(no concentration or specialization) or his NATURAL attributes.
> > Cyberware/bioware should NOT give any kind of bonus when you're using you're
> > natural talent or using a skill for something it was not meant!
>
> The concentration/specialisation bit I agree with, but why should I not get
> my Muscle Augmentation bonus if I default to Strength? Why only the natural
> attribute? If a piece of cyber/bioware or a spell adds to an Attribute, then
> I'd say you could use the bonus when defaulting to that particular Attribute.

Well, it depends on how you see the web. For my part, I see it as using
your natural talent(represented by an attribute). In your argument any bozo
with wired-3 and who never touched a car could be a stunt driver! Then
again, depends on your view, neh?

I also do not let increased skill cary on the web(thats for PAs).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- |\_/| Still The One and Only Wolfbane! ---
--- |o o| " Hey! Why ya lookin' at me so weird? Ain't ya 'ver seen a ---
--- \ / decker witha horn ?" --- Scy, Troll decker with a CC ---
--- 0 Steve Menard menars@***.UMontreal.Ca ---
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Message no. 19
From: Marc A Renouf <jormung@*****.UMICH.EDU>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Sat, 22 Apr 1995 19:27:09 -0400
On Sat, 22 Apr 1995, Menard Steve wrote:

> Well, it depends on how you see the web. For my part, I see it as using
> your natural talent(represented by an attribute). In your argument any bozo
> with wired-3 and who never touched a car could be a stunt driver! Then
> again, depends on your view, neh?

I figure, if you really want to choke down the +6 modifier to
your handling, who cares if you're rolling 12 dice? The skill web exists
to represent skill groupings that can be used in place of other skills in
a pinch. And being able to react quicker to your car's situations, you
*will* be a better driver.
To me, the skill web is one of the unique characteristics of the
game. It's better than a horde of countless other games where if you
don't have the actual skill in question you are totally helpless, which
is aggravating and unrealistic.

> I also do not let increased skill cary on the web(thats for PAs).

I agree with you on this one. There's a difference between
similarity of skills and magical aptitude at a specific thing. But even
FASA's rule is that when defaulting from a magically augmented skill you
lose one die per dot passed *in addition to* having the +2 modifier, so
extra dice rapidly become useless (it does get ridiculous if you take 24
extra dice in Stealth, though). So, like you, I just disallow it all
together.

Marc
Message no. 20
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 1995 11:03:41 +0200
> I'm not pro-munchkin or anything, but have you *noticed* that the firearms BR
>shill is not even one circle away from firearms on the skill web (same thing
>aplies for most other forms of weponry).

There should be a circle between it. Says so in the errata, and it was there
in the SR1 rules as well.


Gurth@******.nl - Gurth@***.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
Sanity is contagious
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Message no. 21
From: P Ward <P.Ward@**.CF.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 1995 12:50:21 BST
Damion spake :-
> The Encephalen automatically assists in Percpetion tests, because it
> increases the Intelligence Attribute. If that's what you mean, then yeah, I
> do too. But if you mean we allow the Task Pool to be used for Perception
> tests, then no, I don't.

Yeah, the intelligence boost only is what I meant.

> [a bit about combat pool]

I just use this to ensure that playesr are encouraged to get the right
skill for the job, after all, if you have 10-odd dice in another skill
which is only +2 away on the web, why bother getting the new skill.

In the case of firearms vs gunnery, theres a lot of difference between
waving an SMG around and launching a missile, so I don;t let them use
Combat pool. Besides, if they're sensible :-), they'll use it for
dodging anyway.

And I always default from the general skill (isn;t that in the rules
somewhere?), though I do allow stat bonuses due to cyberware. (I think,
in all cases, there hasn't been one I've disallowed yet), if I'm huge
becuase of nmy Muscle Augs, why shouldn't I be better at unarmed combat?

Ahh, the car-reaction problem, get it all the time;
"who can drive helicopters?"
"I can'"
"No you can't, you lying fragger!"
"Yes I can, I have 17 reaction"

Let them use reaction, at +4 to +6 penalty, then apply all the other
penalties due to driving, such as unfamiliar vehicle (if you don't
have the skill, then NO WAY are you familiar with it), etc.

I can't drive, but I do OK on race-games in the arcades, if you can react
faster, you should be able to correct your (driviing) mistakes faster.

But don't make it easy for them...


Phil (Renegade)
Message no. 22
From: Damion Milliken <adm82@***.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 1995 22:34:28 +1000
P Ward writes:

> In the case of firearms vs gunnery, theres a lot of difference between
> waving an SMG around and launching a missile, so I don;t let them use
> Combat pool. Besides, if they're sensible :-), they'll use it for
> dodging anyway.

But there's a lot of similarity between a LMG and a MMG...

> And I always default from the general skill (isn;t that in the rules
> somewhere?), though I do allow stat bonuses due to cyberware. (I think,
> in all cases, there hasn't been one I've disallowed yet), if I'm huge
> becuase of nmy Muscle Augs, why shouldn't I be better at unarmed combat?

Yes, the general skill rating bit is in the rules (pg 70). And I agree with
you on the Attributes thing. It doesn't say anywhre that the cyber/bio/magic
bonuses do not apply (OTOH it doesn't say the opposite either...).

--
Damion Milliken University of Wollongong E-mail: adm82@***.edu.au

(GEEK CODE 2.1) GE -d+@ H s++:-- !g p0 !au a19 w+ v(?) C++ US++>+++ P+ L !3
E? N K- W M@ !V po@ Y+ t+ 5 !j R+(++) G(+)('''') !tv(--@)
b++ D B? e+$ u@ h* f+ !r n----(--)@ !y+
Message no. 23
From: P Ward <P.Ward@**.CF.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 1995 13:41:07 BST
Our fearless Guru Wrote :-

> But there's a lot of similarity between a LMG and a MMG...

Mostly, yes.

But then there's an L-85 as Squad auto and as Assault rifle,
compared with say, a GP-MAG.

Anyway, it doens't really matter, It's GM Fiat, I do it to ensure
that the player do something lese with their Karma other than
build huge stats monsters.

Are there any situations where you don't allow the stat bonuses due
to cyber/bio to move across the skill-web?

Phil (Renegade)
Message no. 24
From: Damion Milliken <adm82@***.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: F***ing Encephalon!
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 1995 23:04:53 +1000
P Ward writes:

> Are there any situations where you don't allow the stat bonuses due
> to cyber/bio to move across the skill-web?

Not that I can recall or think of off the top of my head, but there is
probably going to be some situation, somewhere, which will require a ruling
like that.

--
Damion Milliken University of Wollongong E-mail: adm82@***.edu.au

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