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Message no. 1
From: Dennis Steinmeijer dv8@********.nl
Subject: Off hand (was: Ambidexterity)
Date: Fri, 25 Jun 1999 09:15:57 +0200
Mongoose wrote:
> Nope. And just what is that "off hand penalty", anyhow? I've not
ever
> seen a listed "not using dominant hand" modifier. Might be good for
> impersonating somebody who was left (or right) handed, though.

Shadowrun Companion (p. 25):

Ambidexterity
Value 2:
Ambidexterity enables a character to use either hand equally well. The
character applies no target modifiers for using his or her "off" hand.
However, the +2 target modifier for two weapons at once still applies.
The ambidexterity Edge may be used to replace the Special Skill:
Ambidexterity provided on page 81, Fields of Fire.

I gather that the off hand rule is should be something like a +1 or +2 to TN
for making physical tests with your off hand. I am not happy with the ruling
that the +2 TN for using two weapons at once (reason for the original
Ambidexterity post).

Dennis

"Abashed the Devil stood,...and felt how awful Goodness is..."
Message no. 2
From: Mongoose m0ng005e@*********.com
Subject: Off hand (was: Ambidexterity)
Date: Fri, 25 Jun 1999 03:14:43 -0500
:Mongoose wrote:
:> Nope. And just what is that "off hand penalty", anyhow? I've not
:ever
:> seen a listed "not using dominant hand" modifier. Might be good for
:> impersonating somebody who was left (or right) handed, though.
:
:Shadowrun Companion (p. 25):
:
:Ambidexterity
:Value 2:
: Ambidexterity enables a character to use either hand equally well. The
:character applies no target modifiers for using his or her "off" hand.
:However, the +2 target modifier for two weapons at once still applies.
: The ambidexterity Edge may be used to replace the Special Skill:
:Ambidexterity provided on page 81, Fields of Fire.
:
:I gather that the off hand rule is should be something like a +1 or +2 to
TN
:for making physical tests with your off hand. I am not happy with the
ruling
:that the +2 TN for using two weapons at once (reason for the original
:Ambidexterity post).
:
:Dennis


"I gather". Exactly. The isn't any listed penalty for off hand use
that I've seen. Ambidexterity in SR is a big bamboozle... and I'm not sure
its a huge edge in real life. If it were, wouldn't it be more common, due
to evolution?

On the other hand (yuck yuck yuck), as a bonus, I'd say a character who
was ambidextrous could apply combat pool used offensively to BOTH of the
weapons he was using- his shots would be more accurate, and his range of
motion more free, than somebody who is not only splitting their
concentration, but working with their off hand. This would keep the
modifier in place, but make the shots by the ambidextrous character
potentially more effective. If you use the old FoF ambidexterity skill, you
could even limit the "two handed pool" to the skill level.

Mongoose
Message no. 3
From: Sven De Herdt Sven.DeHerdt@***********.be
Subject: Off hand (was: Ambidexterity)
Date: Fri, 25 Jun 1999 13:45:42 +0200
On Friday, June 25, 1999 10:15 AM, Mongoose
[SMTP:m0ng005e@*********.com] wrote:
>
> "I gather". Exactly. The isn't any listed penalty for off hand
use
> that I've seen. Ambidexterity in SR is a big bamboozle... and I'm not
sure
> its a huge edge in real life. If it were, wouldn't it be more common,
due
> to evolution?

I would see it as an edge in RL if you were able to handle two weapons
at the same time. (IMO) it would increase the death rating if you were
able to co-ordinate both weapons to fire at once instead of shooting one
weapon at the time. I don't know if this is somehow possible in RL
since I never fired 2 weapons at once in RL and have thereby no
experience at all in this field. I just thought it MIGHT be possible
with enough training and practice?

--
Sven De Herdt :)
"It might look like I'm doing nothing, but at the cellular level I'm
really quite busy."

SRCG v0.2 SR1! SR2++ SR3++ h b++>+++ B>+ UB->++ IE+(-) RN+(-) dk++>+++
sa- ma++ sh++ ad+ ri+ mc- m+ gm+>++(+++) M-(+)
Message no. 4
From: Patrick Goodman remo@***.net
Subject: Off hand (was: Ambidexterity)
Date: Fri, 25 Jun 1999 07:07:56 -0500
> > Nope. And just what is that "off hand penalty", anyhow? I've not
ever
> > seen a listed "not using dominant hand" modifier. Might be good for
> > impersonating somebody who was left (or right) handed, though.
>
> Shadowrun Companion (p. 25):
>
> Ambidexterity
> Value 2:

This was the second edition rule, and it didn't work any better than the
FIELDS OF FIRE rule, IMHO. The house rule I just threw to the list is meant
for 3rd edition, by the way.

> I gather that the off hand rule is should be something like a +1 or +2
> to TN for making physical tests with your off hand. I am not happy with
> the ruling that the +2 TN for using two weapons at once (reason for the
> original Ambidexterity post).

Okay, there's a difference between being able to use both hands equally well
(ambidexterity) and being able to fire two weapons at once (a separate
coordination issue). I don't particularly like the +2 for using both
weapons at once (and I think a lot of people are a little upset about it).
However, since the rules don't actually have anything in them about dominant
hands, that particular edge from the SR2 companion or the FIELDS OF FIRE
rule has no real use.

--
(>) Texas 2-Step
El Paso: Never surrender. Never forget. Never forgive.

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