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Message no. 1
From: Philip Hayward <Philip.Hayward@***.UK>
Subject: Mages vs Sams
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 1995 13:52:18 +6000
Subject: Re: Mage bias (This is a long one)

Bob writes:
>> When you think about street samurai, you are thinking about poeple who are
>> willing to undergo piles and piles of surgery to become stronger and faster;
>> to have claws pop out of the backs of their hands and to be fast and
>> accurate pistol shots.
>
> Hmmm... when I think street samurai I don't see it that way. Have you read
> the novels? Many samurai in there to disagree with that bit.

I'd agree, heck there's alot of stereo typing here. Is having cyberware
a part of the definition of a street sam, ours has relatively little
prefering to rely on his skill.

< stuff about Sams being of limited inteligence>

> So now Samurai can't have intelligence above 3? Or is that language skills
> above 3? (falls through another hole and ends up back in the US) Re-read
> them thoughts too...

Actually our street sams have high intelligence as they tend to put
attributes as top priority in generation and use it for perception
and social/knowledge areas etc...

>> This truth is more than just the wishful
>> thinking of munchkinism: this flaw is common to all the role-playing games I
>> have ever played that involve magic. Eventually, the magicians overwhelm all
>> other characters in their ability to do damage.

If they live long enough :) Stop thinking about damage its not too
important. Both speed and stealth can help get two lighter wounds
in and is just as effective as one big wound. That and all the
non-combat in the game (which non-mages excell at due to spare karma)

> (has never seen an 18D powerbolt or anything like that, but has owned a
> Panther Assault Cannon)

But all Sams, Mages and Phys-ads can carry an assualt cannon - so what?


>> It is much easier to devolop interesting and powerful characters
>> using the other character classes and it might just be more fun .
>
> You develop characters with your imagination and roleplaying. Not your
> cyberware or your spell list. Powerful? Anyone with a calculator, a
> rulebook, and an hour or so to spare can do that. If fun =
> power...nevermind...I won't even get into that.

Agreed, I think Sams have more variety as they have less constraints
on what to spend karma and generation points on instead of
(a mage I need sorcery 6, conjuring 5, magical theory 5, firearms 3
now what have I got left to play with?)

Actually precious few of our characters fit the archtypes.
Our group includes:
An elven decker/rigger
A Physad
A Sam (with very little Cyberware)
A Shaman (with technical skills, such as
electronics (and B/R), vehicle B/R etc...)
A Former Company man
A jack of all trades - Firearms B/R, engineering
some decking, rigging, negotiations etc...)

The Physad is the only one who really fits any stereotypes
and I see the 'who is best in a combat situation' as really
artificial, use creativity to make unique interesting characters
(as most of you probably do) with personality

Gee, I'm out of breath

Phil
<Philip.Hayward@***.UK>

-- Bob Ooton <topcat@******.net>
"Founder of the Three Mohicans...errr...Street Samurai"
Message no. 2
From: Bob Ooton <topcat@**.CENCOM.NET>
Subject: Re: Mages vs Sams
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 1995 18:49:24 -0500
>< stuff about Sams being of limited inteligence>
>
>> So now Samurai can't have intelligence above 3? Or is that language skills
>> above 3? (falls through another hole and ends up back in the US) Re-read
>> them thoughts too...
>
>Actually our street sams have high intelligence as they tend to put
>attributes as top priority in generation and use it for perception
>and social/knowledge areas etc...

Thank you for agreeing with me :^)

>> (has never seen an 18D powerbolt or anything like that, but has owned a
>> Panther Assault Cannon)
>
>But all Sams, Mages and Phys-ads can carry an assualt cannon - so what?

They weigh a little bit, chief. And not too many mages are going to buy up
that gunnery skill over their sorcery. The "Gandolf Schwartzenegger" bit
would be interesting if it were anything less than totally munchinous, but
if there's a decent explanation as to why the mage would want gunnery skills
and want to carry an assault cannon, then it's fair game.

>Agreed, I think Sams have more variety as they have less constraints
>on what to spend karma and generation points on instead of
>(a mage I need sorcery 6, conjuring 5, magical theory 5, firearms 3
>now what have I got left to play with?)

Thank you for explaining my last point <G>

>Actually precious few of our characters fit the archtypes.
> Our group includes:
> An elven decker/rigger
> A Physad
> A Sam (with very little Cyberware)
> A Shaman (with technical skills, such as
> electronics (and B/R), vehicle B/R etc...)
> A Former Company man
> A jack of all trades - Firearms B/R, engineering
> some decking, rigging, negotiations etc...)

We just don't use the archetypes. You make what you want to be. Archetypes
are good for quick npc's and suchlike.

I call my "samurai" a samurai because that's what he's closest to by his
history.

>The Physad is the only one who really fits any stereotypes
>and I see the 'who is best in a combat situation' as really
>artificial, use creativity to make unique interesting characters
>(as most of you probably do) with personality

YES!!! More kudos!! (breaks out a new box)


-- Bob Ooton <topcat@******.net>

Further Reading

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