| From: | Marc A Renouf <jormung@*****.UMICH.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: "Wimpy" Archtypes |
| Date: | Tue, 4 Apr 1995 13:40:38 -0400 |
again. This is in response to this pointless threat about physad vs
sammy vs mage. Read and grok.
On Wed, 14 Sep 1994, Marc A Renouf wrote:
> All right. I have listened to people spout off about how physads
> are wusses or how any sam can kick physad butt or why riggers are
> pussies. ENOUGH.
> Every character has an element. In that element, the character
> is eminently capable, and can do things that can completely hose those
> who are out of their element. I'll use street sam vs. physad as an
> example since y'all seem to be stuck on it.
> Say samurai A decides that he wants to be firearm death. He
> equips himself with wired reflexes, multiple smartgun links, eye mods and
> two SMG's. If anything presents itself as a target at a range of 150
> meters or less, it dies. But there is a critical range, here. Outside
> of 150 meters, he is useless. So say Physad 1 takes extra dice in
> Inintiative and projectile weapons. Now arm him with a Ranger-X, and
> Sammy A dies an ignoble death before he can close the distance. But
> wait, there's more. Say Physad 2 takes all his powers in extra dice in
> Stealth and Unarmed Combat. It's hard to use guns in hand-to-hand (+2, I
> think), and you just plain can't shoot what you don't know is there (at
> least not well). So once Physad 2 sneaks into HTH range, Sam A dies yet
> another ingnoble death. Surprise!
> But let's turn the tables. Say Physad 1 is hanging out with his
> extra 'flexes and his Ranger-X. Now take Samurai B, who is a dangerous
> close in customer. He has muscle aug, reflex recorder, enhanced
> articulation, cyberspurs, a but-high stealth skill, and a bad attitude.
> Needless to say, if he closes with Physad 1, poor physad 1 is meat for
> the beast. And Physad 2 might be stealthy and foul in HTH combat, but
> Sam C knows where he lives, and is going to plant a whopping demolitions
> charge in poor physad 2's favorite refrigerator.
> Meanwhile, while Sam B and Physad 2 test each others' martial
> prowess, Merc D hoses them both down with the mortar launcher out the
> sunroof of his Bronco. Rigger E does a Wandjina flyby on poor Merc D,
> who immolates himself in the midst of all his White Phosphoruous mortar
> ammunition. Shortly thereafter, Rigger E is cacked by Private
> Investigator F, whose friends tell him where said rigger jams from. He
> pays a visit to Rigger E and puts a hail of pistol rounds through his
> skull as he merrily drool on his drone deck.
> After which, Decker G hacks into Lone Star's "Most Wanted List"
> and frames P.I. F for the death of all those cops in that drug raid last
> week. Whoops. At which point Johnson H has all of the above eliminated
> by the large, violent-minded gang so firmly attached to his pocketbook.
> Mage I takes offense to this and manabolts Johnson H into oblivion, after
> which, Corporate Official J seeks a little payback after Mage I has
> eliminated his middleman, and contracts a car-bombing out at poor mage
> I's favorite hangout to serve as an example. Double whoops.
> So you see, it's stupid to say one archtype is any better than
> another. They all have talents and abilities that help them in certain
> situations. In other situations, however, that person is dogmeat ripe for
> the chewing. The trick is finding out your opponent's weak spot and
> using it to your advantage. So no more of this "physads whip sammy butt"
> stuff because it's pointless, stupid, and patently untrue.
>
> Marc (stealth and superior range...the two great equalizers)
In addition, I'll make one more comment. Whether one archtype is
any easier to roleplay than another is another pointless argument. A
good roleplayer will take the simplest thing and do it very well. A
lousy roleplayer can take the most interesting thing and do it poorly.
So it depends on the player and NOT the archtype.
Marc (list.exasperated.member)
