| From: | Brett Borger <bxb121@***.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: SRII Lethality |
| Date: | Wed, 17 Dec 1997 11:56:46 +0000 |
> I can argue this a couple of ways. First if the pistol does 5L, compare
> it to a .22. Unless I hit you in the head or the heart. A .22
> is far from fatal or even serious (not counting shock of course).
> I do agree that knives are useless unless you have a strength of 3+
> but that is due to the way Melee works, and we all know those
> rules need to be fixed. (And have been by most of us).
I still hold that a gun, (Say even a light pistol, not a hold out) or
a knife should have a much higher base damage. And how about those
SMG's? 5M? Granted, bursts increase damage, but you acheive so
fewer successes because of recoil....
Try this. you get into a nice bullet-proof vest (we'll use Armored
Jacket, 5/3) and I'll pick up a Predator. You stand 5 meters away,
and I'll shoot you a few times. I'm not much of a gun-guy (line up
the sights, squeeze the trigger, right? I've read all about it :) )
so I'd say by SR standards I'm probably a 2 skill. (being generous).
I'll assume you are an average guy, body 3.
Not giving me bonuses for careful aim, I just point and pull the
trigger a bunch of times. You stand there and try to look tough.
9M: target 4, skill 2, average 1 success. 5 armor, body 3, 2
success average damage/shot: L
Okay, so I'm plinking you with a bunch of light wounds. You DO have
that nifty jacket on. So I convince you to lose the jacket (I guess
you're kind of gullible :) )and fire a few more times.
This time the base damage is Moderate.
In a world where children and adults all too often bring out guns and
kill each other, I find it hard to accept a system where it takes so
many shots to do the same thing.
SR has always talked about the "gritty world, where some punk with a
light pistol can ruin your day". I can't see it. No punk (skill <
6) with a LIGHT pistol (What is that, 6L?) is going to bother anyone
but the wussy mage in the group without being a cunning and tricky
bastard.
I'm all for cunning and tricky bastards, but the simple truth is
players don't fear getting shot as much as they should.
-=SwiftOne=-
>
> Today's heavy pistol? Glock? Desert Eagle? A single shot is may or may
> not be instantly fatal, but doing a serious wound is not a laughing
> matter. (I describe it to PC's as having a large bleeding chest wound,
> and their too stupid/brave/desperate to stop and collapse).
>
> The other problem may be in the skills rating. How good is somebody
> with a skill of 3? Your average gun nut? My mother who may go
> shoot with us once a year? The average sam has a rating of 5 or 6.
> In most campaigns that is still below what a spec force person would
> possess.
>
> Anyway just my .02 cents. I tend to like shadowrun, because it
> strikes a decent balance (in most cases) between reality and
> fantasy violence. It does tend to break down on the extreme edges howeever.
>
> --
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> Lehlan Decker 644-4534 Systems Development
> decker@****.fsu.edu http://www.scri.fsu.edu/~decker
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> Time is the best teacher. Unfortunately it kills all of its students.
>
Brett Borger
SwiftOne@***.edu
AAP Techie
