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Message no. 1
From: Patrick Goodman <remo@***.NET>
Subject: Another physad question
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 16:54:52 -0500
This might be silly, though it's never stopped me before. I'm working
on an NPC; the way I seeher, she's supernaturally gifted in the fields
of electronics B/R and cybernetics design. I was wanting to make her
magically-based, kind of an interesting variation on a physical adept,
only she builds things rather than slapping people around.

All of the physad powers I've seen were athletics- or combat-oriented.
Are there rules for magically enhanced artists or technicians? I didn't
see anything in SHADOWBEAT, where I sort of expected to find such
things; I don't have AWAKENINGS yet, which might have more physad
powers. However,the stuff in SR2 BBB and GRIMOIRE don't seem to lend
themselves to what I'm trying to do. Any pointers would be gratefully
received.

---
(>) Texas 2-Step
El Paso: Never surrender. Never forget. Never forgive.
Message no. 2
From: Robert Watkins <robert.watkins@******.COM>
Subject: Re: Another physad question
Date: Thu, 6 Aug 1998 08:56:24 +1000
Patrick Goodman writes:
<idea of tech physad snipped>

The reason, Patrick, is that magic and tech don't normally mix.

However, there is one glaring exception that I would advise you to look at:
the otaku. Otaku rules can be found in the Denver Boxed Set.

--
Duct tape is like the Force: There's a Light side, a Dark side, and it
binds the Universe together.
Robert Watkins -- robert.watkins@******.com
Message no. 3
From: Pantherr <pantherr@*****.NET>
Subject: Re: Another physad question
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 18:02:43 -0500
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> Patrick Goodman writes:
> <idea of tech physad snipped>
>
> The reason, Patrick, is that magic and tech don't normally mix.
>
> However, there is one glaring exception that I would advise you to look
> at: the otaku. Otaku rules can be found in the Denver Boxed Set.

An incomplete and somewhat confusing set of Otaku PC rules is
also in VR2. Unfortunately, I don't have Denver or know where to
get it, so I have no idea what it's got for Otaku rules

Pantherr

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A lifetime spent repressing our animal natures and instincts is a lifetime wasted
--
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Message no. 4
From: Patrick Goodman <remo@***.NET>
Subject: Re: Another physad question
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 18:05:42 -0500
On August 05, 1998, Robert Watkins writes:

>Otaku rules can be found in the Denver Boxed Set.

Got one of those lying about handy? I might be able to do a trade....
<g> (I hate it when people refer me to egregiously out-of-print source
material....)

---
(>) Texas 2-Step
El Paso: Never surrender. Never forget. Never forgive.
Message no. 5
From: Robert Watkins <robert.watkins@******.COM>
Subject: Re: Another physad question
Date: Thu, 6 Aug 1998 09:11:48 +1000
Patrick Goodman writes:
> >Otaku rules can be found in the Denver Boxed Set.
>
> Got one of those lying about handy? I might be able to do a trade....
> <g> (I hate it when people refer me to egregiously out-of-print source
> material....)

As a matter of fact I do have one lying about (it's not handy, though...
it's at home, and I'm at work). But, as I stated for my copy of the UB, the
price is your first born child, and it must be house broken. I'll examine
the goods before agreeing to the trade. ;)

(In other words, no I won't trade... but I didn't realise it was
out-of-print)

I'd imagine Otaku rules are in the new BBB, and I'm sure someone here will
correct me if I'm wrong.

This brings up a question of my own... what colour is the new BBB? Are we
going to have to change the acronym?

--
Duct tape is like the Force: There's a Light side, a Dark side, and it
binds the Universe together.
Robert Watkins -- robert.watkins@******.com
Message no. 6
From: Mike Bobroff <Airwasp@***.COM>
Subject: Re: Another physad question
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 19:32:50 EDT
In a message dated 8/5/98 4:54:37 PM US Eastern Standard Time, remo@***.NET
writes:

> This might be silly, though it's never stopped me before. I'm working
> on an NPC; the way I seeher, she's supernaturally gifted in the fields
> of electronics B/R and cybernetics design. I was wanting to make her
> magically-based, kind of an interesting variation on a physical adept,
> only she builds things rather than slapping people around.

A favor ... check out the Mechanics Initiate Group ... at
http://members.aol.com/hhackerh/mag/newmechs.htm

Should prove interesting at least ...

> All of the physad powers I've seen were athletics- or combat-oriented.
> Are there rules for magically enhanced artists or technicians? I didn't
> see anything in SHADOWBEAT, where I sort of expected to find such
> things; I don't have AWAKENINGS yet, which might have more physad
> powers. However,the stuff in SR2 BBB and GRIMOIRE don't seem to lend
> themselves to what I'm trying to do. Any pointers would be gratefully
> received.

One of the things we allow is for the Increased Skill Dice to be applied to
other things beyond just the combat ones ... I think we use 0.5 Magic per
additional die for any of the skills which are not combat oriented at all ...
I think ... I'll ask K when he gets back ...

-Herc
------ The Best Mechanic you can ever have.
Message no. 7
From: Lady Jestyr <jestyr@*******.DIALIX.COM.AU>
Subject: Re: Another physad question
Date: Thu, 6 Aug 1998 09:34:35 +1000
> I'd imagine Otaku rules are in the new BBB, and I'm sure someone here will
> correct me if I'm wrong.

They're in VR2.0 anyway.

> This brings up a question of my own... what colour is the new BBB? Are we
> going to have to change the acronym?

No - as Bleach pointed out, no matter what colour the new book is, the
acronym stands.

"Bloody Big Book"

:)

Lady Jestyr

- It's not pretty being easy -
| Elle Holmes | jestyr@**********.com | http://jestyr.home.ml.org |
| Shadowrun Webring Ringmaster | GeoCities Leader | RPGA Reviewer |
Message no. 8
From: Erik Jameson <erikj@****.COM>
Subject: Re: Another physad question
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 19:50:51 -0400
At 04:54 PM 8/5/98 -0500, you wrote:

>All of the physad powers I've seen were athletics- or combat-oriented.
>Are there rules for magically enhanced artists or technicians?

Not as such. Some of the sensory powers might be applicable though. The
best thing would be either making an Enhanced Skill power up (kind of like
Athletics or Armed Combat) for these technical skills, OR damn...I can't
recall the specifics...allow Centering to Reduce Target Numbers for
non-magical skills, like B/R skills. Then you really get Zen and the Art
of Motorcycle Maintainence.

Erik J.


http://www.fortunecity.com/rivendell/dungeon/480/index.html
The Reality Check for a Fictional World
Message no. 9
From: Justin Bell <justin@******.NET>
Subject: Re: Another physad question
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 19:24:37 -0500
At 09:11 AM 8/6/98 +1000, Robert Watkins wrote:
# > Got one of those lying about handy? I might be able to do a trade....
# > <g> (I hate it when people refer me to egregiously out-of-print source
# > material....)
#
I have one laying around too but....

# This brings up a question of my own... what colour is the new BBB? Are we
# going to have to change the acronym?
I believe it looks green on the web page....

hey, did anyone else notice that the online catalogue shows the Mechwarrior
companion where the SR Companion should be?

--
/- justin@************.com ---------------- justin@******.net -\
|Justin Bell NIC:JB3084| Time and rules are changing. |
|Simon & Schuster | Attention span is quickening. |
|Programmer | Welcome to the Information Age. |
\------------ http://www.mcp.com/people/justin/ ---------------/
Message no. 10
From: Bai Shen <baishen@**********.COM>
Subject: Re: Another physad question
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 20:59:32 -0400
> >All of the physad powers I've seen were athletics- or combat-oriented.
> >Are there rules for magically enhanced artists or technicians?
> Not as such. Some of the sensory powers might be applicable though. The
> best thing would be either making an Enhanced Skill power up (kind of like
> Athletics or Armed Combat) for these technical skills, OR damn...I can't
> recall the specifics...allow Centering to Reduce Target Numbers for
> non-magical skills, like B/R skills. Then you really get Zen and the Art
> of Motorcycle Maintainence.

IIRC, there's rules in the Grimoire from using Centering on nonmagical(I
think) skills.
--
Bai Shen
Nemo Me Impune Lacessit
http://www.series2000.com/users/baishen
UIN 3543257 (Don't ask to join if you aren't going to send me anything.)
Message no. 11
From: Bai Shen <baishen@**********.COM>
Subject: Re: Another physad question
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 20:51:16 -0400
> This might be silly, though it's never stopped me before. I'm working
> on an NPC; the way I seeher, she's supernaturally gifted in the fields
-snip-
> powers. However,the stuff in SR2 BBB and GRIMOIRE don't seem to lend
> themselves to what I'm trying to do. Any pointers would be gratefully received.

Why not just use a variation on the enhanced skill rules?
--
Bai Shen
Nemo Me Impune Lacessit
http://www.series2000.com/users/baishen
UIN 3543257 (Don't ask to join if you aren't going to send me anything.)
Message no. 12
From: Iridios <iridios@*********.COM>
Subject: Re: Another physad question
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 21:13:01 -0400
Patrick Goodman wrote:
Wed, 5 Aug 1998 16:54:52 -0500


> I was wanting to make her
> magically-based, kind of an interesting variation on a physical adept,
> only she builds things rather than slapping people around.
>
> All of the physad powers I've seen were athletics- or combat-oriented.
> Are there rules for magically enhanced artists or technicians? I didn't
> see anything in SHADOWBEAT, where I sort of expected to find such
> things; I don't have AWAKENINGS yet, which might have more physad
> powers. However,the stuff in SR2 BBB and GRIMOIRE don't seem to lend
> themselves to what I'm trying to do. Any pointers would be gratefully
> received.

Powers for Physad: Way of Technology

Att boost (intel, maybe quick) .5/lvl
Enhanced Coord .25/lvl (good for working on
micro-electronics)
Enhanced Percep Variable (possibly good for
examination of equipment troubles/unique capablities)
Imp Ability Variable (extra dice for skills; I would make it .5
for non-combat skills)
Enhanced Centering 2 (once initiated "Zen and the art of
xxxxx")
Temp Tolerance .25/lvl (good for doing work in extremes)


And of course "new" powers are being discovered all the time...

--"Any science, sufficiently advanced is indistinguishable from
magic."
--Arthur C. Clarke

Iridios
iridios@*********.com
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shadowlands/9489
http://members.theglobe.com/Iridios

-------Begin Geek Code Block------
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PE Y+ !PGP>++ t++@ 5+ X++@ R++@ tv
b+ DI++ !D G e+@>++++ h--- r+++ y+++
-------End Geek Code Block--------
Message no. 13
From: Michael vanHulst <Schizi@***.COM>
Subject: Re: Another physad question
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 21:42:30 EDT
In a message dated 8/5/98 5:44:53 PM Pacific Daylight Time, justin@******.NET
writes:

> I believe it looks green on the web page....
from what I can see, it looks like the same border and probably binding, they
just changed the picture.
Message no. 14
From: Grahamdrew <mnemonic25@*********.COM>
Subject: Re: Another physad question
Date: Thu, 6 Aug 1998 01:11:12 -0400
> This might be silly, though it's never stopped me before. I'm working
> on an NPC; the way I seeher, she's supernaturally gifted in the fields
> of electronics B/R and cybernetics design. I was wanting to make her
> magically-based, kind of an interesting variation on a physical adept,
> only she builds things rather than slapping people around.
>
> All of the physad powers I've seen were athletics- or combat-oriented.
> Are there rules for magically enhanced artists or technicians? I didn't
> see anything in SHADOWBEAT, where I sort of expected to find such
> things; I don't have AWAKENINGS yet, which might have more physad
> powers. However,the stuff in SR2 BBB and GRIMOIRE don't seem to lend
> themselves to what I'm trying to do. Any pointers would be gratefully
> received.

Enhanced Centering

I'm pretty sure it's in the Grimore... Alows you to use your centering
skill for reducng peneltys to B/R and other Knowlage skills. Can't
reduce the base Target Numbner but still may be worth a look.
Message no. 15
From: Patrick Goodman <remo@***.NET>
Subject: Re: Another physad question
Date: Thu, 6 Aug 1998 00:35:49 -0500
>> However,the stuff in SR2 BBB and GRIMOIRE don't seem to lend
>> themselves to what I'm trying to do.
>
>Why not just use a variation on the enhanced skill rules?

That's what I'm leaning towards, but I was wondering if there was already
stuff written. See no reason to reinvent the wheel if I can avoid it.

---
(>) Texas 2-Step
El Paso: Never surrender. Never forget. Never forgive.
Message no. 16
From: Patrick Goodman <remo@***.NET>
Subject: Re: Another physad question
Date: Thu, 6 Aug 1998 00:41:41 -0500
>A favor ... check out the Mechanics Initiate Group ... at
>http://members.aol.com/hhackerh/mag/newmechs.htm
>
>Should prove interesting at least ...

Interesting notion; thanks for the pointer. Dunno how she'd feel about
belonging to a union, but.... <g>

>One of the things we allow is for the Increased Skill Dice to be
>applied to other things beyond just the combat ones ... I think we
>use 0.5 Magic per additional die for any of the skills which are
>not combat oriented at all ... I think ... I'll ask K when he gets
>back ...

That seems to be the general concensus; I didn't know if there were any
rules in AWAKENINGS or not; I picked it up this evening on the way home from
work. I notice they mention the Way of the Artist but don't seem to include
any rules for that, either. Of course, I've not read the whole thing yet,
but....

---
(>) Texas 2-Step
El Paso: Never surrender. Never forget. Never forgive.
Message no. 17
From: Patrick Goodman <remo@***.NET>
Subject: Re: Another physad question
Date: Thu, 6 Aug 1998 01:03:06 -0500
>Powers for Physad: Way of Technology

<major snippage>

*Thank you.* I hope you didn't make up the Way of the Grease-Monkey just
for my benefit; that's way above and beyond the call, etc.

>And of course "new" powers are being discovered all the time...

I'm sure they are. Thanks again.

---
(>) Texas 2-Step
El Paso: Never surrender. Never forget. Never forgive.
Message no. 18
From: Patrick Goodman <remo@***.NET>
Subject: Re: Another physad question
Date: Thu, 6 Aug 1998 01:06:47 -0500
>>All of the physad powers I've seen were athletics- or combat-oriented.
>>Are there rules for magically enhanced artists or technicians?
>
>Not as such. Some of the sensory powers might be applicable though. The
>best thing would be either making an Enhanced Skill power up (kind of like
>Athletics or Armed Combat) for these technical skills....

Thanks for the pointers; this seems to fall in line with the general
consensus.

Is such a character, in your opinion, a waste of time? She's just an NPC,
but I like to make my NPCs actual characters and not stat collections. The
game seems to specialize in damaging things, but it doesn't offer many
options for characters who want to build. Guess that's not very popular....

---
(>) Texas 2-Step
El Paso: Never surrender. Never forget. Never forgive.
Message no. 19
From: Erik Jameson <erikj@****.COM>
Subject: Re: Another physad question
Date: Thu, 6 Aug 1998 12:41:48 -0400
At 01:06 AM 8/6/98 -0500, you wrote:

>Is such a character, in your opinion, a waste of time? She's just an NPC,
>but I like to make my NPCs actual characters and not stat collections. The
>game seems to specialize in damaging things, but it doesn't offer many
>options for characters who want to build. Guess that's not very popular....

As an NPC, certainly not. As a PC, it would be somewhat difficult and
challenging, but done right and in the right group and campaign, a mechanic
adept could be very helpful. You'd have to give *some* element of combat
to the PC, probably thru controlling custom built drones, but they wouldn't
have to have combat skills themselves per se.

But as an NPC, this could be a pretty cool character.

Erik J.


http://www.fortunecity.com/rivendell/dungeon/480/index.html
The Reality Check for a Fictional World

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