| From: | Duncan McNeill-Burton dmcneill@************.edu |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Improved Reflexes, Adepts, and truly inane questions. |
| Date: | Tue, 3 Aug 1999 00:48:48 -0400 |
> What I meant to ask was: "When using a Remington Roomsweeper, can a
> character switch between his Pistol and Shotgun skills, whichever is
> higher, or does he *have* to use Pistols?"
>
The Roomsweeper is listed as a pistol. Use Pistols.
> Oh yeah, I'm making yet another cyberdeck, when I realized that I
> can't find anything about DNI controls for the ASIST on a hot deck.
> How much would one of these cost, or does it come with a Hot ASIST by
> default?
Every Hot ASIST deck has the option of running DNI for the speed boost...but
if you run it cool, you're safer from the nasty Black IC. To0ugh choice,
ney?
> Lemme get something straight here on Physical Barriers because right
> now I have a combat mage lined up for play: The Physical Barrier spell
> actually sets up a Barrier (with a score equal to its Rating, plus one
> for every two successes), right? Wouldn't this mean that a combat
> mage with a Force 5 Physical Barrier and 4 successes is rolling with a
> Rating 7 Barrier? And this thing has double its Rating against
> Firearms, so that means the aforementioned mage is literally
> bulletproof, right? Does it count as Hardened? With the exception of
> magic, rockets, missiles, autocannons, and explosives, what would be
> able to hurt this guy? Sure, I know about the space limitations, but
> some mages like to destroy more than others...
Yep...with a Force 5 Barrier backed by 4 successes ( which is a nifty feat
with a spell TN of 6 ), you get a Rating 7 Barrier...granting you immunity
to a whole pile of stuff. But it's also a really, really big barrier if
you've got the Magic Att. to be tossing around force 5 sustained
manipulations. I, and pretty much anyone here could wax poetic about how to
deal with this goober, so I'll spare you the time.
> Also, how often will the ordinary pedestrian, wage slave, or security
> guard be wearing armor clothing or armor jackets? It JUST hit me that
> not everyone will be wearing these things, and if they were, that'd
> sort of make Hold-Outs and Light Pistols with regular rounds next to
> useless unless you always went for a head shot...
Considering the rules for wearing armor among polite society, I tend to
think that most people don't wear any armor, and the bulk of those who do
are wearing really light stuff like the armor vest ( without plates ), or
armored clothes. Either way, it's only 2 or 3 points of ballistic armor.
Thus, it all comes down to beating them senseless with dice, which I have to
admit, bothers me...since in real life lots of people die from being shot
with light pistol loads from unskilled shooters.
> Lastly, my group hasn't had enough time to try this out because all of
> the PC's are minimally boosted (in terms of initiative enhancements),
> but under SR3 rules, everyone gets a chance to act during the first
> pass, finally giving those mundanes a chance to do something. Because
> even a 6+1d6 ganger can pose a threat to even a 15+4d6 street sam,
> what benefits do wired reflexes have now, other than higher initiative
> scores (as opposed to SR2, in any case)? Sure, you get more moves for
> every Turn, but most of those come at the end, as opposed to SR2, when
> those who were fastest killed the most, which seemed realistic to me.
> This doesn't make any sense...
Speaking as somoene who, up until a few weeks ago, played someone with a
gawdawful Init in SR3, I still believe that the boost is useful, even if not
to the profane effect it had in SR2.
First and foremost, you still have a much higher Reaction than the badguys,
which gives you a whole lot of dice for Surprise tests. Remember, anyone
you beat on a Surprise test can't shoot at you for the first turn.
Second, with a gawdawful high Reaction, you can fly, drive, steer, or pilot
pretty much anything just by defaulting.
Third, you still get a lot of actions to shoot at folks...and you get them
after they've tossed all their combat pool into surviving the first
Initiative Pass.
And lastly, you still have a great shot at going before the goons, allowing
you to do something very important...namely taking cover, ideally taking a
slower teammate to safety with you. If they lack a LOS to you, they're
shooting elsewhere...and burning combat pool like there's no tomorrow.
Thus, after the first pass of gunfire the wirefreak breaks cover and uses
all his actions and combat pool to wreak havok.
Being stupidly fast is still an advantage, you just have to be a bit more
creative. Now, the chrome is a stepladder rather than a crutch.
-Duncan
