Biker Adept Options

[Yerameyahu]

Ugh, every thread, people.

Back in reasonable-land, it seems clear that 'a task' doesn't mean 'a battle scene'. It means something much closer to 'a test, extended test, or *small* handful of *closely* related tests'.

[Banaticus]

I agree with the interpretation that Heightened Concentration refers to a single dice roll test in return for the loss of a complex action. Focus, concentrate, get it in your head, slam dunk the action while ignoring the penalty. Not, spastically flip back and forth and somehow be concentrating more while you're simultaneously concentrating less.

Seriously -- Heightened Concentration to decrease the penalty of responding to literally everything (both Matrix and real world events) at the same time? That's the antithesis of heightened concentration. Although if you went haltingly and kept stopping to examine the situation (spend half your complex turns eliminating the penalty of the other half) then that's fine.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

On Heightened Concentration...

The problem is that some "tasks" take a simple action to complete, while other "Tasks" may take a day ... and the interesting thing is that each might only require a single roll to complete...

See where everyone is coming from yet?

I agree that it should not allow someone to focus and then just ignore a single penalty for a good long time whilst in the middel of a chaotic combat, but come on, the fact that a "task" has no delineated time increment is a big reason that there is so much contention...

Just Sayin'

Keep the Faith

[Banaticus]

What's HtH?

[Stingray]

What's HtH?

hand to hand (close range melee combat)

15bp in-debt?? ....
taking Born Rich 10bp) quality from Runner's companion, using 3 bp then adds 15k to usable cash..
then (if needed) taking 5 bp in-debt quality would work too..
Sinner
Day job (bike mechanic )
In-debt
all 5 bp qualities.

[Dakka Dakka]

I'd lower the Attribute Boost to one. Level 3 only gives you 2 more dice and higher drain. On average level 1 gives you an increase of 2 to strength, level 3 2.67.

I'd really reconsider taking Astral Perception. You have nothing to defend yourself against spirits. When you astrally perceive they don't even have to materialize to harm you. If you drop it and reduce attribute boost to 1 you can increase Combat sense to 5. This helps against all attackers, including materialized spirits.

[Zyerne]

Going to replace In Debt with Illiterate and 5pts of something I think.

As to Astral Perception, taking a weapon focus or dropping Boost Strength to 1 and adding Killing Hands would fix the vulnerability there?

[Dakka Dakka]

Going to replace In Debt with Illiterate and 5pts of something I think.

How can he have learne Mechanics without being able to read? How did he acquire his magical Background knowledge? Would you really want to pay 10 Karma just for the possibility to learn reading?

As to Astral Perception, taking a weapon focus or dropping Boost Strength to 1 and adding Killing Hands would fix the vulnerability there?

It would mitigate the vulnerability but IMHO going dual-natured is not a good idea without astral ranged weapons. If you go down that path, I'd suggest you take killing hands. Unarmed adepts can be a lot more powerful than armed melee adepts.

[kzt]

Except that they often get turned into hamburger before they get to melee range.

If you want astral perception or being able to fight spirits take a real mage who can cast spells. Stunbolt is a lot more reliable against a F8 spirit than trying to punch it. It's hard to beat 16 dice of attack or defense, particularly if you also take damage from his energy aura when you finally do punch him.

[Zyerne]

All right, Astral Perception can go. It's been a while since I played, I'd forgotten a spirit was going to have to materialise to kick his ass without it.

On the qualities: Moderate addiction, Spirit Bane and Sensitive system gives 35BP. I think I'll go with that, it at least helps justify the lack of control rig.

Entirely unrelated, it seems you can't dual wield T-250s, which is a shame.

[Dakka Dakka]

On the qualities: Moderate addiction, Spirit Bane and Sensitive system gives 35BP. I think I'll go with that, it at least helps justify the lack of control rig.

If you have Runner's Companion there may be some more interesting Negative qualities. Also without Sensitive System you could get the control rig, Muscle Toner 3 and a Reflex Recorder(for a skill other than Pilot Groundcraft) all for a single point of lost magic.

Entirely unrelated, it seems you can't dual wield T-250s, which is a shame.

Who would want to dual-wield pump-action shotguns? You essentially make them single shot weapons. Also shooting two weapons in the same action is generally a bad idea (less dice, no smartlink, two dodge rolls, two soak rolls). On the other hand there is a rule in Arsenal for using big weapons one-handed. I don't see why you couldn't use that mechanic combined with the dual-wielding rules (hint: don't do it the dice pool would get even smaller). If this optional rule is used nothing prevents you from first shootin one shotgun and then the other(doubles ammunition, reduces recoil).

[Stingray]

..and Spirit Bane.. driving 200/ kmh +*** ed off Fire Spirit is not good for your health.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ork.gif)

[Dakka Dakka]

..and Spirit Bane.. driving 200/ kmh +*** ed off Fire Spirit is not good for your health.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ork.gif)

Bah that guy can do the crash test, no risk no fun (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I was talking about the accident power. engulf shouldn't be much worse at high speeds.

[Zyerne]

I don't want a control rig, character isn't supposed to be a rigger so I think sensitive system would work well.

As to the T-250s, they are described as self loading, despite what the picture may seem to indicate. Shotguns exist now that incorporate both, typically using the pump when the rounds have the power to cycle the next round (less lethal munitions mostly)

On that one-handed use of two-handed weapons, the only reference in arsenal I can see relates to melee weapons. Is there one for firearms too?

[Stingray]

I don't want a control rig, character isn't supposed to be a rigger so I think sensitive system would work well.

As to the T-250s, they are described as self loading, despite what the picture may seem to indicate. Shotguns exist now that incorporate both, typically using the pump when the rounds have the power to cycle the next round (less lethal munitions mostly)

On that one-handed use of two-handed weapons, the only reference in arsenal I can see relates to melee weapons. Is there one for firearms too?

pg. 162 Arsenal (Using two-handed firearms)

[Dakka Dakka]

As to the T-250s, they are described as self loading, despite what the picture may seem to indicate. Shotguns exist now that incorporate both, typically using the pump when the rounds have the power to cycle the next round (less lethal munitions mostly)

Ah, I confused the T-250 with the Remington 990, that used to be a pump-action shotgun. In SR4A there is no reference of it.

[Stingray]

Addiction (red orchid). do u mean Crimson Orchid from Arsenal pg. 76? if so..
" users get astral beacon quality during effect"
attracting every spirit in sight in astral (including insect,fire.. etc)
adding Spirit Bane..RIP
(i would really change that addiction to something else) (IMOO)

[Zyerne]

pg. 162 Arsenal (Using two-handed firearms)

Thanks. Useful for another char setup to use ARs one handed.

Addiction (red orchid). do u mean Crimson Orchid from Arsenal pg. 76? if so..
" users get astral beacon quality during effect"
attracting every spirit in sight in astral (including insect,fire.. etc)
adding Spirit Bane..RIP
(i would really change that addiction to something else) (IMOO)

Yes, I mean Crimson Orchid. I'm more likely to dump spirit bane than the addiction, It's a lot more flavorful than being addicted to stim patches (both being High pain tolerance 6) and the -2 rea makes it more meaningful as well. Also, as I read it, Spirit Bane doesn't make spirits automatically hostile, nor does Astral Beacon attract every spirit in sight.

[Stingray]

Thanks. Useful for another char setup to use ARs one handed.




Yes, I mean Crimson Orchid. I'm more likely to dump spirit bane than the addiction, It's a lot more flavorful than being addicted to stim patches (both being High pain tolerance 6) and the -2 rea makes it more meaningful as well. Also, as I read it, Spirit Bane doesn't make spirits automatically hostile, nor does Astral Beacon attract every spirit in sight.

ok, no automatically hostile..
Spirit bane: affected spirits are likely to harass character ( " what would happen if i push him/her when driving bike?.." )
Astral Beacon: sticks like a sore thumb on the astral plane
you must also choose spirit type when choosing Spirit Bane quality
and very few spirit type are actually friendly..

[ZeroPoint]

This seems kinda obvious to me...but if your going to be using Cram for the initiative boost why not just make your addiction to cram?

I feel like I may have some other pearls of wisdom around here somewhere but i seem to have lost my marbles.

[RedFish]

This seems kinda obvious to me...but if your going to be using Cram for the initiative boost why not just make your addiction to cram?

I feel like I may have some other pearls of wisdom around here somewhere but i seem to have lost my marbles.

That's a slippery slope - you already need increased amounts due to the addiction, and before you know it you need to take it on a regular basis as well as combat and then you're burned out!

[Zyerne]

Intially he was going to have Increase Reflexes and the addiction to Crimson Orchid was based on the supposition that Combat Bikers might well develop an addiction to "painkillers". Crimson Orchid seemed more interesting than an addiction to Stim Patches.

He'll infact be using Cram and Betameth as his combat drugs in the short term buit I didn't want to have to buy off the addictions to those once he gets Synaptic Boosters in.

(Unrelated, why is Betameth considered riggger drug when it has very little value in VR?)

[ZeroPoint]

So he'll get the addiction anyway from taking it before missions. Also I believe augmentation has rules for removing addictions as well as healing essence loss due to being a complete burnout.

And don't bring slippery slopes into the equation. DRUGS are a slippery slope whether you start with an addiction or not. but making your addiction to one that your going to be using anyway is better than getting an addiction to one that you don't really use, and then very likely getting another addiction to a drug that you are going to be using anyway.

Also its kinda humorous to me to force the player to resist taking a dose at the start of a day when they have to do a run later that night and have him crash right before the run. But that just makes the character have more depth.

[Zyerne]

If he gets the addictions in game, that's fine. As far as I'm aware, I don't need to buy those off with karma whereas I would I took them as qualities.

[ZeroPoint]

Intially he was going to have Increase Reflexes and the addiction to Crimson Orchid was based on the supposition that Combat Bikers might well develop an addiction to "painkillers". Crimson Orchid seemed more interesting than an addiction to Stim Patches.

He'll infact be using Cram and Betameth as his combat drugs in the short term buit I didn't want to have to buy off the addictions to those once he gets Synaptic Boosters in.

(Unrelated, why is Betameth considered riggger drug when it has very little value in VR?)

Remember that just because you didn't take the negative quality at creation doesn't mean you won't get it.
So he could end up addicted to 3 different drugs. And yes you would have to pay them off with karma. As soon as you get addicted you get the negative quality (without the nice perk of getting some BP back).

In my opinion stick with cram and leave out the crimson orchid and betameth. just take the one addiction so it can be controlled more easily. But thats just my opinion.