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Message no. 1
From: greg basa <demipop@**********.COM>
Subject: Question about linked Attributes and Skills (mostly Physads)
Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1998 01:53:39 -0500
OK here's how it is:

I've been playing SR for about a year now, but this is my first SR3
character, and she just happens to be a physad (sniper) with a base
Quickness score of 5, but improved to 6 via magic. The question I have is
whether or not that +-1 to her quickness is counted before or after I
calculate her active skills (is that Rifle skill gonna cost me 6 points or
7?). Now I know that encephalons and whatever replaced spell locks that
enhance intelligence have no effect on Knowledge skills, but I didn't find
any mention of the effects physad powers had on active skills in the BBB.

Can a physad purchase the improved senses power of magnification 3 (as the
scope) and combine this with a smartgun link? Can she simply use an imaging
scope with a smartgun link? (I can't believe I've forgotten this rule, but I
was hoping it had changed in SR3.)

Can she use a retinal clock without having to replace an eye? Can a physad
use improved senses if the body part has been replaced by cyber? For
instance, the eyes have been replaced with an alphaware set and most of the
accessories, but there's not space for thermo (or something) without blowing
that all-important 0.1 point of Essence. Can the physad still purchase
thermographic vision and expect it to work like normal?

Also, another question: I'm not the type of player that likes surveillance
gear and electronics, but I was just wondering: Would it be cheaper to get
Rating 6 equipment at generation, or get low-grade Rating 3 stuff and a
microtronics kit with a high skill in electronics (active/knowledge) (Or
maybe I'll just steal it.)? Also, tracking signals...what do these things
look like? Can I fire one out of a gun (anyone remember Ghost in the
Shell)?

Last question: Why are the physad powers +ACo-still+ACo- dedicated to combat? Can
anyone direct me to any rules involving phyad powers that can be used for
other things, like, say...social interaction?

-----

Greg's homepage: angelkiller's domain

http://www.mindspring.com/+AH4-demipop/

ICQ: 2157053
Message no. 2
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: Question about linked Attributes and Skills (mostly Physads)
Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1998 10:42:03 +0100
According to greg basa, at 1:53 on 24 Dec 98, the word on
the street was...

First a friendly GridSec notice that you have a reply-to field set in your
mailer; this overrides that of the list, so please switch it off.

Now, on to your question:

> I've been playing SR for about a year now, but this is my first SR3
> character, and she just happens to be a physad (sniper) with a base
> Quickness score of 5, but improved to 6 via magic. The question I have is
> whether or not that +-1 to her quickness is counted before or after I
> calculate her active skills (is that Rifle skill gonna cost me 6 points or
> 7?). Now I know that encephalons and whatever replaced spell locks that
> enhance intelligence have no effect on Knowledge skills, but I didn't find
> any mention of the effects physad powers had on active skills in the BBB.

The general rule is that improvements don't count when calculating skill
costs -- you'd base your Rifles: 6 skill on your "real" Quickness of 5
rather than your improved Quickness of 6 -- IOW, it costs you 7 skill
points.

> Can a physad purchase the improved senses power of magnification 3 (as the
> scope) and combine this with a smartgun link?

I would rule yes, she can, as long as the magnification system is either
cyberware or a physad power (as in your case).

> Can she simply use an imaging scope with a smartgun link? (I can't
> believe I've forgotten this rule, but I was hoping it had changed in
> SR3.)

Smartlinks and normal telescopes don't work together, due to the scope
getting in the way of the smartlink (i.e. the smartlink projects a
crosshair, but it doesn't account for you using the scope; with an
implanted (cyberware) scope, though, it can correct for it).

> Can she use a retinal clock without having to replace an eye?

I don't see why not.

> Can a physad use improved senses if the body part has been replaced by
> cyber? For instance, the eyes have been replaced with an alphaware set
> and most of the accessories, but there's not space for thermo (or
> something) without blowing that all-important 0.1 point of Essence. Can
> the physad still purchase thermographic vision and expect it to work
> like normal?

IMHO, no, you can't buy thermographic (or whatever) if you don't have
natural eyes. I see the powers as affecting the actual eyes ("rebuilding"
them to give the power you want), but if they're not there that can't
happen.

> Also, another question: I'm not the type of player that likes surveillance
> gear and electronics, but I was just wondering: Would it be cheaper to get
> Rating 6 equipment at generation, or get low-grade Rating 3 stuff and a
> microtronics kit with a high skill in electronics (active/knowledge) (Or
> maybe I'll just steal it.)?

Getting rating 3 items would be cheaper in nearly all cases -- you can
easily compare this by making a few calculations -- but I myself wouldn't
bother with doing it this way. I'd just go for rating 6 stuff straight
away.

> Also, tracking signals...what do these things look like? Can I fire one
> out of a gun (anyone remember Ghost in the Shell)?

Out of a normal gun, I'd say "no" -- the stresses involved wouldn't be
kind to the signal. From a modified Narcoject weapon, though, sure.

> Last question: Why are the physad powers +ACo-still+ACo-

What kind of code is "+ACo-"?

> dedicated to combat? Can anyone direct me to any rules involving phyad
> powers that can be used for other things, like, say...social
> interaction?

Check out The Shadowrun Supplemental issue #4.

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
The names have not been changed to protect the guilty.
-> NERPS Project Leader * ShadowRN GridSec * Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
->The Plastic Warriors Page: http://shadowrun.html.com/plasticwarriors/<-
-> The New Character Mortuary: http://www.electricferret.com/mortuary/ <-

GC3.1: GAT/! d-(dpu) s:- !a>? C+(++)@ U P L E? W(++) N o? K- w+ O V? PS+
PE Y PGP- t(+) 5++ X++ R+++>$ tv+(++) b++@ DI? D+ G(++) e h! !r(---) y?
Incubated into the First Church of the Sqooshy Ball, 21-05-1998
Message no. 3
From: "D. Ghost" <dghost@****.COM>
Subject: Re: Question about linked Attributes and Skills (mostly Physads)
Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1998 13:38:59 -0600
On Thu, 24 Dec 1998 10:42:03 +0100 Gurth <gurth@******.NL> writes:
>According to greg basa, at 1:53 on 24 Dec 98, the word on
>the street was...
<SNIP>
>> The question I have is
>> whether or not that +-1 to her quickness is counted before or after I
>> calculate her active skills (is that Rifle skill gonna cost me 6
points or
>> 7?).
<SNIP>

>The general rule is that improvements don't count when calculating skill
>costs -- you'd base your Rifles: 6 skill on your "real" Quickness of 5
>rather than your improved Quickness of 6 -- IOW, it costs you 7 skill
>points.

I had considered the physad ability the exception. Since improving the
the stat now costs karma based on the improved stat, I consider it the
"real" stat for linked sill costs.

>> Can a physad purchase the improved senses power of magnification 3 (as
the
>> scope) and combine this with a smartgun link?

>I would rule yes, she can, as long as the magnification system is either
>cyberware or a physad power (as in your case).

I would say NO. Combine the effects of Smartgun link II, Vision Mag 3
(cyber or physad), and a rangefinder: Your base T#s are 2, 2, 1, and 0.
Anything seem wrong about that? :) However, in all regards the physad
ability vision mag x acts the same manner as the cyber version. The main
thing is that I require that a physad purchase vision mag in stages (thus
vision mag 3 cost .75 magic points).

<SNIP>
>> Can a physad use improved senses if the body part has been replaced by
>> cyber? For instance, the eyes have been replaced with an alphaware
set
>> and most of the accessories, but there's not space for thermo (or
>> something) without blowing that all-important 0.1 point of Essence.
Can
>> the physad still purchase thermographic vision and expect it to work
>> like normal?

>IMHO, no, you can't buy thermographic (or whatever) if you don't have
>natural eyes. I see the powers as affecting the actual eyes
("rebuilding"
>them to give the power you want), but if they're not there that can't
>happen.
<SNIP>

How about this ... A physad has cybereyes with thermographic vision ...
Can the physad also purchase the thermographic vision power to recieve
the mods for having natural thermographic vision? Also, if the above
physad later gets clonal replacements for those cybereyes, will s/he
still have thermographic vision?

--
D. Ghost
(aka Pixel, Tantrum, RuPixel)
"Coffee without caffeine is like sex without the spanking." -- Cupid
"A magician is always 'touching' himself" --Page 123, Grimoire (2nd
Edition)

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Message no. 4
From: "Ratinac, Rand (NSW)" <RRatinac@*****.REDCROSS.ORG.AU>
Subject: Re: Question about linked Attributes and Skills (mostly Physads)
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1998 09:21:01 +1000
> > I've been playing SR for about a year now, but this is my first SR3
> > character, and she just happens to be a physad (sniper) with a base
> > Quickness score of 5, but improved to 6 via magic. The question I
> have is
> > whether or not that +-1 to her quickness is counted before or after
> I
> > calculate her active skills (is that Rifle skill gonna cost me 6
> points or
> > 7?). Now I know that encephalons and whatever replaced spell locks
> that
> > enhance intelligence have no effect on Knowledge skills, but I
> didn't find
> > any mention of the effects physad powers had on active skills in the
> BBB.
>
> The general rule is that improvements don't count when calculating
> skill
> costs -- you'd base your Rifles: 6 skill on your "real" Quickness of 5
> rather than your improved Quickness of 6 -- IOW, it costs you 7 skill
> points.
<BigSnip (TM)>
[Gurth]

Errr...wrong - at least, as I recall.

The GENERAL rule is, yes, ignore enhancements - only natural attributes
count.

The PHYSAD (improved attribute) rule is that the improved attributes are
treated as NATURAL ATTRIBUTES, and thus effect the cost of skills.

That's either listed in SR3 itself or was made an official ruling
somewhere - I think. As usual, better check me on this. I don't have SR3
on hand atm.

*Doc' is too stuffed from Christmas and having to get up an hour early
to come in to work to think of a smartass comment. Can we see a trend
here?*

Doc'

.sig Sauer

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