Hmmmmm... Interesting, that. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/eek.gif)

Also, IPs have to be announced with "Round one, FIGHT!"

I'm curious why a claymore has a higher availabilty than a combat modified monofilament chainsaw...

In the interest of keeping things in perspective...

The quoted section is actually 3 parts:
Location Location Location is an optional called shot section with a ruleset for targetting specific bodyparts (you know, gutshots, deafening by hitting ears etc). You take greater or lesser penalty (minimum seems to be -6) to do special efects depending on where you targeted. Each body part also has a Net DV allowed for each shot to limit people from doing 20P to someone's hand.

Ammo Whammy is another optional section for called shots that depend on specific ammunition types (i.e. shooting ingested capsules into someone's mouth)

and finally
More Actions! Gives a list of interrupt or specialized actions (some of which require Martial Arts to use). This section is specifically listed as supplemental as opposed to optional.
For Example, "Pre-emptive Block/Dodge" lets you declare a -5 to your initiative as a free action to add your Gymnastics/Unarmed to your defense pool for the rest of the combat turn.

Isn't that...really good if you've got a half decent Gymnastics/Unarmed score 'cos that's better than adding Willpower usually would be as it's waaay cheaper to raise the skill than the stat.

I would assume it introduces a limit to the roll though, so it kind of depends on where you stand on that. But yeah, kind of weird though since I think that capability is covered under a new PQ as well...

To quote from the book (it is actually from the normal chainsaw, but still applies)

Truth is, trying to swing a chainsaw as a weapon is fragging ridiculous,
but that doesn’t stop niche market weapons manufacturers from feeding the public hunger.

Those things are not marketed at people who know what they are doing and with more zeal than Claymores. Although at first glance they are not all that bad as melee for low strength characters as they do fixed damage. Personally I am not a fan of them as they are too good. Having an entry of the normal chainsaw in the exotic department would be ok, but not actual combat chainsaws with good stats. In my games only the civilian version will be available.
Also, I only skimmed the book, but at least from the index its a bit too many martial art combos and not enough shooting stuff. Lets see what in depth study brings.

If you have any questions, ask away.
Is it ok if I post the index here?

It's good. But comes with limitations of A. having a physical limit associated and B. Requiring your pass to go BEFORE you're hit. I'm away from my book so I can't quote specifically but that seemed to be how they balanced those actions.

Also there happen to be a couple of Qualities you can pick up that do something similar: One that lets you Gymnastic for Full Defense (but apply physical limit) one that lets you PERCEPTION full defense (with mental limit) and my personal favorite: Too Pretty To Hit which lets you use Charisma instead of Willpower.

Still subject to the normal limitations of those actions. However, the qualities that let you replace Willpower in Full Defense with certain skills or attributes are probably going to see a lot of use.

"Too Pretty to Hit". BWAH!!!!

It looks so...awesome...so far.

remember, the grenade is on the ground, directly on an indistructable barrier rating.
so the grenade went from 16P all the way UP to 32P instantly because of reflections.
so yeah, no, gratulations, you have, managed to reduce the damage to the point where it would have been had it been set to explode in the air still.

Or I move 16 meters (which is how far I can run) and reduce it to 0...

You forgot Street Samurai Catalog where every entry had a full page dedicated to it.

Oh, come on, you're not seriously suggesting that's RAI, are you? And even if it does work like that, you're not re-calculating falloff for distance from blast; the order of operations would have to be falloff for distance first, followed by wave reflection, and as such the distance required to make the damage 0 would not be any different.

But is the ground really indestructible or does it instead take some of the blast and therefore does not rebound off ground? That's why you get that cute little divot in the ground.

Again depends on circumstances and what the surface was at the time.

This one is probably my favourite - it's jsut funny for some reason.

I am not by the books at the moment, but I assume the "Pre-Emptive" part means you can only perform the action on your turn? It's still not a bad deal for only -5 to initiative for the entire CT, particularly if you have a bangin' physical limit. Adept with Improved Reflexes & Improved Ability: Gymnastics anyone?

ETA: OK, so the pre-emptive stuff still applies only to melee attacks? If that is the case, then I agree that the 3 karma options to swap out Willpower for X skill is a pretty good deal. Hmm... I wonder if the adept power that specifically boosts perception would apply to the swap out. I guess by RAW it doesn't since it isn't really a Perception test, but I would guess Improved Ability would.

Jack,

Pre-Emptive Dodge can be done to avoid ranged attacks - so, as you say, Adept with Improved Reflexes and Gymnastics...

Wait, is Pre-Emptive Dodge something anyone can do or is it limited in some way (Martial Art or some such)? If it is something anyone can do, it seems like the PQ ones only edge it out due to being interrupt actions since they cost more in initiative reduction and also have a karma cost. It's just a free action, right?

Wireless Bonus of the ghillie suit

Wireless Bonus: Um … you draw in curious Hackers?

There's not seriously a wirelessbonus on a f'ing camouflage suit is there?

"I'm invisible!"

"Ummm...dude. You're pinging your location to everyone,"

Of course. This edition has wirelessly pinging smuggling compartments so of course the stealth gear beams its location out.

What I wrote is the exact quote from the book.
Decide for yourself if there is an actual bonus behind it.

Both the chameleon suit and concealable holster in the BBB feature a wireless bonus. I am vaguely surprised it doesn't have a real wireless bonus.

So a single rifle round pretty much totals a vehicle, instead of creating a single bullet hole (or two, I suppose if it punches through both sides)? That's idiotic.

It's almost as if they came up with this by assuming Vehicles handled damage the way that Barriers do - by taking a fixed amount of unresisted DV based burely on the number of bullets fired.

If you shoot a single round from an AK-97 at a locked security door, you only inflict 1 DV to the door itself because you're using a penetrating weapon - and even that requires your initial attack to defeat the 12 armor of a reinforced security door! In contrast, a big ol' Troll with a Combat Axe does full damage to the door (assuming they beat the armor), because the axe tears apart the door instead of overpenetrating through it.

If you shoot the same single round from an AK-97 at a Ford Americar, it should realistically only inflict 1 DV to the car and overpenetrate through to have a chance to hit anyone inside or behind the vehicle - unless you hit something critical like the engine, I can't see a single bullet doing much damage to the car itself.

But sadly, that's not how Vehicles handle damage, and a single bullet can apparantly rip a car in half these days.


I can go to any hardware store in the country and find a half dozen chainsaws. From this point, I just need to find someone to modify it - and a quick search on google will lead you to all sorts of "Zombie Preparedness" companies out there who will gladly take your money to make your chainsaw combat capable.

In contrast, I wouldn't have a clue where to start to find an actual battle-worthy Claymore (id est, not a piece of garbage "Wall Hanger"). I'd have to look for not just an actual, skilled, traditional blacksmith, but one who knows specifically how to make a Highland Claymore as opposed to say... an English broadsword, or a Polish cavalry savre, or a Chinese jian, et cetera.


"PLEASE PUT DOWN YOUR WEAPON - YOU HAVE TWENTY SECONDS TO COMPLY."
*winning smile, mischievous wink*
"YOU NOW HAVE FIFTEEN SECONDS TO COMPLY. YOU ARE IN DIRECT VIOLATION OF PENAL CODE 1-13 SECTION 9."
*suggestive look, playful lip biting*
"YOUR ATTEMPTS AT SEDUCTION ARE MISGUIDED. OUR INTERFACE PORTS ARE INCOMPATIBLE."
*chest fondling, moaning*
"ERROR. AROUSAL LEVELS APPROACHING CRITICAL. LOGIC SUBROUTINES COMPROMISED."
*full on dry humping*
"OH YES. BABY, OH BABY. YOU ARE A DIRTY BOY, MUNGO."

~Umi