Don't forget the follow-up short burst (again, if you have the RC). (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I'm not familiar with MRSI software - I assume it's from Arsenal? But I can comment on the other stuff:

A character with Shiva arms still has one dominant hand - to dual-wield bows, you would need to take the ambidexterity quality three times. Enhanced articulation adds to Physical skills, a category of skills, so it gives no bonuses to combat skills. Bows are capped at rating: 8 as of SR4A. Cyclops get -1 to their attack rolls (look up the cyclopean eye quality).

The trouble with rapid-firing bows is that you need the "ready weapon" simple action to reload them, and even if you take Krav Maga (to make that a free action - recommended), you only get one free action per initiative pass. So you wouldn't quite get two shots per round.

Whew, long post.
MRSI: it's from "war"

ambidexterity: why three times? I don't need two dominant hands to use one bow do I? I checked (apparently it's "ambidextrous", my bad), but I didn't see any hidden hooks of that sort.

enhanced articulation: I guess I misinterpreted. It said "Physical skills that are linked to Physical attributes" so that made me think "any skills linked to physical attributes" thanks for the catch.

cyclopean eye: I should've checked that. Thanks again.

bow cap: This is weird. I've seen the hardcopy (of the 20th anniversary core rulebook) and it's true, but the electronic copy (mostly identical) has a 12 STR cap. My GM says we can use this one for our meets.

attacks per turn: firing uses the same rule as dual wielding pistols (1 simple action p.157) so couldn't I use Krav Maga to reload one as a free action, and use my other simple action to reload the other?

Ya think that's bad, ya shoulda seen Trollbows in previous editions.



-k

D'oh, that's what I meant, War, nor Arsenal.

On the firing: yeah, I forgot you were dual-firing, so you only need one simple action for both bows, firing-wise. So you could fire twice per initiative pass.

*Does* firing two bows use the same action as firing two pistols? Most people can't even agree what action firing *one* bow uses. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I swear it's in the book, but I'm reading up on burst fire right now. That is scary stuff.

+1 physical tests => enhanced articulation
Just for the Records
Enhanced Articulation does not Help with any Combat Skills ,only with Physical Skills (like the Athletic Group)
Thats (sadly )RAW
I would've extended the Bonus to Dodge,Throwing and any close Combat Skill
But I'm not responsible for the Rules

with an extended Dance
Medicineman

One simple Action to fire the Bow and one to Prepare(load) it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
For me its very simple(but I'm also a very simple Guy )

with two simple Dances
Medicineman

Medicineman: +5 rivalry (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Yes MRSI is from WAR !
And I don't like it for Bows! It can only be used If You're able two Shoot 2 Arrows in 1 Round (physical Adepts with Quick Draw can)
At Least that is how I interpret the Rules for MRSI
Dominant Arms....
If your right Arm is dominant,than your right Arm is dominant and not ....Not-dominant! You would need Ambidexterity twice for both left Arms
,Shure, but I think its highly illogical to take Ambidexterity to make your right Arm equal to your right Arm,especially if Your right Arm is allready the dominant one

with an ambidextrous Dance (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)
Medicineman

It's not your right arm. It's your upper-right arm, and your lower-right arm. You get one dominant hand.

But can you dual-wield your dual-wielded bows?




-k

You need to be able to attack twice in one turn. extra initiative passes can suffice for that in a bind.
I always interpreted quick draw as only working for drawing a weapon, but at least the method discussed earlier should work.

As for dominance, I guess that's one way to look at it. I tend to think that having more arms changes the rules. For example, you probably won't use both right hands simultaneously to eat, just as I don't shovel food into my mouth with both hands. That said, you'd probably develop a dominant upper right hand or something.

can't you say that ambidexterity gives you one more dominant hand? Then you can say that your upper right hand and your upper left hands are dominant.

This will still give you penalties for quad wielding pistols and swords but for bows where you only need one dominant hand each it should be fine.

If I'm missing something please show me the errors of my ways.

Shure you get a Dominant Hand/Arm, If you only have 1 Pair !
But.....

If you're Born with only One right Arm then its only one but If You're Born with two right Ones then its Both
I read an article recently about swedish Scientist that could fool the Brain of Testsubjects/Students to accept three arms. the Brain accepted Stimuli to/from a fake Arm.
And If the Brain can be fooled or trained to accept this, than its no Problem (at all ! ) to grow Up with two right Dominant Arms.
Handedness can be trained and changed ,so it makes absolutely
No Sense (to Me ) not having two dominant Arms if you have 4 Arms (like a Nartaki)
same as it makes absolutely no sense (to Me) to say that you have no dominant Hand/Arm at all

with a dominant Dance
Medicineman

Well, I'm not gonna turn down the chance to skip out on a quality. If the study says that's how it is, then let it be so.

If you're going to start judging Shadowrun by what makes sense to you, you're already off the deep end. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) The rule is one single specific hand is dominant.

after 26 Years of Playing RPG and 12-15 Years of Shadowunning,8 Years of moderating the two biggest German SR sites and supporting SR in Germany for 4 Years now ...Yes, I'm in the deep end (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)
And Yes I always change what makes no sense to me/ to my Groups.
(And some of these changes appeared sooner or later in the Erratta, not only in SR )
but being in the deep end doesn't prevent You from being right
Just like being Paranoid doesn't prevent You from being followed

he who dances in the Dark
Medicineman

b-b-b-but... Powergam-I mean science agrees with Medicineman!

That's always been one of the more annoying omissions in the rules, to me. Like Medicineman, I assume a simple action to fire one (which still lets most bow-wielders only go once per round).

The basic rules stipulate two pistol-or SMG-class weapons for dual-wielding, but I don't think they were contemplating things like Shiva arms. Technically, letting someone with two pairs of arms dual-wield two bows using the second firearm rule... is a house rule. But a fairly logical one.

Honestly, it's not really worth it, in my opinion. Let's compare it to a normal bow wielder, who has Krav Maga to get ready weapon as a free action. First initiative pass, he readies an arrow, fires it, and readies another arrow. Second initiative pass, he fires an arrow, readies another arrow, and fires again. The dual-wielding archer, by comparison, basically gets one extra attack every other round. But unlike the normal bow wielder, he is splitting his dice pool in half.

If you can fire two bows for one simple action, and Krav Maga allows you to reload as a free action, then you still have one simple action left over. Can't you reload your other bow with that?
(Nevermind. I see you were thinking the same thing.)

*If* you can fire two bows as one simple action.

His post assumed the affirmative, so I decided to run with it.

no, you reload one bow with your Krav Maga free action reload, you reload the other bow with your first simple action and then fire both with your last simple action.

assuming all that has been assumed above