Making riggers godlike again Options Track this topic Email this topic Print this topic Download this topic Subscribe to this forum Display Modes Outline Switch to: Standard Switch to: Linear+

[Da9iel]

This is my problem. Jumping into a drone in SR3 used to be a no-brainer. If you wanted performance, you jumped in. A VCR 3 made you a god among men. Even a VCR 1 was a major step up. I'm going by memory - my books are with a new home - but didn't you get a -2 to your target number for each level of your VCR?

In SR4, it's not so simple. Let's go with a medium example. Let's say a character has both skill and un-augmented reaction of 4.

Case 1: Get wired reflexes 2, drive with AR assist and your pool jumps to 11. 3 IP.
Case 2: Get a good comlink and Command 6, go Hot, and your pool is 10. 3 IP. /edit Leehouse is right. 11 /edit no, 12. :(
Case 3: Jump into a security vehicle with response 4 and your pool is 8 w/-1 threshold. (Sometimes or always, depending on GM) equivalent to a pool of 11. 3 IP. A Control Rig adds just 2 to the pool. Damaging feedback when the vehicle gets hurt. Dumpshock when it goes down. /edit Thank you Aaron. I just read the FAQ. +2 for hot sim.

I guess a rigger could modify all his vehicles to response 6, but that's expensive especially if the GM uses SOTA rules for computer tech. And even then, is that really a god among men ability like riggers used to have with vehicles?

I think I want to create (house rule) a VCR 2 and VCR 3 with +4 and +6 added to driving tests. A really difficult maneuver under really difficult conditions is a threshold 7 test. -1 for jumping in, you'd need 18 dice (and no negative modifiers) to pull it off semi-consistently. To be consistent with SR3 and earlier I think a great driver with a great vehicle and top of the line cyberware should have a half decent chance of pulling off that 7 threshold test. To my knowledge there are no +6 handling vehicles, but skill 6, response 6, and a VCR 3 giving +6 does exactly what I'm looking for.

Here's where I need the most help. What were the prices and essence values of the SR3 VCRs? The SR4 VCR seems to be just the "drive well" part of the old VCR without the initiative enhancement, so I'm thinking I'll subtract out the prices and essence values of the SR3 wired reflexes so I need those too. Is the price difference of the SR3 VCR 1 and SR3 WR 1 times the price ratio of the SR4 WR / SR3 WR (to adjust for cyberware price deflation) anything close to the SR3 VCR ( :nuyen: 10,000)? Is the essence difference between SR3's VCR 1 and WR 1 close to the SR4 VCR essence of 0.5?

Help me out here. Did I miss anything? Is this a crazy idea?

/edit Now I'm remembering. The VCRs had lower essence cost than wired reflexes (naturally because of decreased utility i.e. balance). I guess that part won't work. Was the VCR more expensive? If that math doesn't work either, I'll just have to pull prices out of my hinder as well as essence. Suggestions?