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kerbarian
post Jun 30 2011, 10:57 AM
Post #1


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I was playing around to see how much armor you can pack onto a starting character, and what I came up with surprised me. As far as I can tell, you can build a legal starting character with 35/29 armor and no encumbrance (except for the automatic -1 penalty for using a shield). He can even have pretty solid magical defenses, mostly thanks to the Astral Hazing metagenic quality.

I wouldn't expect any GM to allow this character, but it's an interesting study in where all the bonuses come from, as a way to consider what might be worth disallowing. At the end, I'll list the detailed build. First, though, a summary of where all that armor came from -- the character has 64 combined (B + I) points of armor, which come from:
35 - SR4 core book (armor jacket, helmet, ballistic shield, dermal plating, troll natural armor)
16 - Arsenal -- new, stacking armor types (form-fitting body armor, Securetech PPP, gel packs)
13 - Runner's Companion -- gear allowed by the Restricted Gear quality (upgrade armor to SWAT, titanium bone lacing), plus the Dermal Deposits metagenic quality
Also, a character with Body 10 (troll max) should only be able to wear 40 combined points of armor without encumbrance, so there are 24 points of encumbrance reduction, either through natural armor that doesn't add to encumbrance, explicit encumbrance reduction, or ways to boost Body. Those come from:
8 - SR4 core book (dermal plating, troll natural armor)
4 - Arsenal -- form-fitting body armor
8 - Runner's Companion -- gear allowed by the Restricted Gear quality (titanium bone lacing), plus the Dermal Deposits and Metagenic Improvement (Body) qualities
4 - War! -- softweave armor
I think the biggest offenders are the stacking armor types (FFBA and PPP) from Arsenal. The Restricted Gear quality also makes a big difference, though that's an issue of frontloading character power rather than long-term power creep. Metagenic qualities and softweave armor are each minor contributors on their own, but they add up. Note that Genetic optimization, while not necessary in this build, is another cheap way to increase Body (and thus the encumbrance limit).


The build (only the parts that apply to armor rating and encumbrance):
Metatype: 40 BP (Troll)
Attributes: 65 BP (Body 11)
Qualities: 25 BP
  • Restricted Gear x2 (SWAT armor, Titanium bone lacing)
  • Class III Surge (Dermal Deposits, Metagenic Improvement (Body))
Resources: 15 BP
  • SWAT armor + helmet (9,200¥) with Gel Packs (1,500¥) and Softweave (900¥)
  • Form-fitting body armor, full suit (1,600¥)
  • Securetech PPP, all pieces except helmet (900¥)
  • Ballistic shield (1,500¥)
  • Dermal plating 3 (15,000¥)
  • Titanium bone lacing (40,000¥)
While this takes up a good chunk of the character's build, he still has 255 points left with which to round himself out -- not too bad!

Did I miss anything? Are there ways to boost starting armor even further?

One last note: A more balanced defensive build would be a Fomori mage, wearing this same gear but dropping the cyberware. You'd lose a bit of armor (-5/-5, or -2/-2 if you spend 1 point of Essence on Orthoskin 3) and gain massive magical defenses. Here, though, I was just looking at max armor.
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Posts in this topic
- kerbarian   Starting character with 35/29 armor (no encumbrance)   Jun 30 2011, 10:57 AM
- - Aku   Why do i remember dermal plating and troll natural...   Jun 30 2011, 11:46 AM
|- - Stahlseele   QUOTE (Aku @ Jun 30 2011, 01:46 PM) Why d...   Jun 30 2011, 04:00 PM
|- - Aku   QUOTE (Stahlseele @ Jun 30 2011, 11:00 AM...   Jun 30 2011, 04:13 PM
|- - Shaikujin   QUOTE (Aku @ Jun 30 2011, 04:13 PM) QUOTE...   Jun 30 2011, 04:25 PM
- - Mäx   QUOTE (kerbarian @ Jun 30 2011, 01:57 PM)...   Jun 30 2011, 12:15 PM
|- - Brainpiercing7.62mm   QUOTE (Mäx @ Jun 30 2011, 02:15 PM) Oh, i...   Jun 30 2011, 12:22 PM
|- - Tymeaus Jalynsfein   QUOTE (Brainpiercing7.62mm @ Jun 30 2011, 06...   Jun 30 2011, 12:27 PM
- - hermit   QUOTE I think the biggest offenders are the stacki...   Jun 30 2011, 12:28 PM
|- - Draco18s   QUOTE (hermit @ Jun 30 2011, 08:28 AM) No...   Jun 30 2011, 01:43 PM
|- - Critias   QUOTE (Draco18s @ Jun 30 2011, 08:43 AM) ...   Jun 30 2011, 01:46 PM
|- - Tymeaus Jalynsfein   QUOTE (Draco18s @ Jun 30 2011, 07:43 AM) ...   Jun 30 2011, 04:10 PM
- - Shaikujin   Dump the SWAT armour which is only 12/10 (or 13/11...   Jun 30 2011, 12:55 PM
|- - Tymeaus Jalynsfein   QUOTE (Shaikujin @ Jun 30 2011, 06:55 AM)...   Jun 30 2011, 01:00 PM
||- - Shaikujin   QUOTE (Tymeaus Jalynsfein @ Jun 30 2011, 01...   Jun 30 2011, 01:03 PM
||- - Shaikujin   QUOTE (Tymeaus Jalynsfein @ Jun 30 2011, 01...   Jun 30 2011, 03:34 PM
||- - Tymeaus Jalynsfein   QUOTE (Shaikujin @ Jun 30 2011, 09:34 AM)...   Jun 30 2011, 04:12 PM
||- - Shaikujin   QUOTE (Tymeaus Jalynsfein @ Jun 30 2011, 04...   Jun 30 2011, 04:36 PM
|- - Mäx   QUOTE (Shaikujin @ Jun 30 2011, 03:55 PM)...   Jun 30 2011, 04:09 PM
- - Shaikujin   Or if defense against Impact is more important tha...   Jun 30 2011, 01:02 PM
- - Shaikujin   Ohhhh, and add Gel packs to each of the pieces of ...   Jun 30 2011, 01:11 PM
|- - Tymeaus Jalynsfein   QUOTE (Shaikujin @ Jun 30 2011, 07:11 AM)...   Jun 30 2011, 01:16 PM
|- - Shaikujin   QUOTE (Tymeaus Jalynsfein @ Jun 30 2011, 01...   Jun 30 2011, 01:37 PM
|- - suoq   QUOTE (Shaikujin @ Jun 30 2011, 07:37 AM)...   Jun 30 2011, 02:15 PM
|- - Shaikujin   QUOTE (suoq @ Jun 30 2011, 02:15 PM) Actu...   Jun 30 2011, 03:39 PM
|- - suoq   QUOTE (Shaikujin @ Jun 30 2011, 09:39 AM)...   Jun 30 2011, 05:04 PM
|- - Shaikujin   QUOTE (suoq @ Jun 30 2011, 05:04 PM) Look...   Jun 30 2011, 05:42 PM
|- - suoq   QUOTE (Shaikujin @ Jun 30 2011, 12:42 PM)...   Jun 30 2011, 08:49 PM
- - hermit   I'd prefer Bod+Agi, instead of 2*bod, to nerf ...   Jun 30 2011, 01:58 PM
- - Teulisch   this thread raises the question, whats the highest...   Jun 30 2011, 03:02 PM
|- - Draco18s   QUOTE (Teulisch @ Jun 30 2011, 11:02 AM) ...   Jun 30 2011, 03:21 PM
|- - Shaikujin   QUOTE (Teulisch @ Jun 30 2011, 03:02 PM) ...   Jun 30 2011, 03:54 PM
- - Summerstorm   Hm... possibly the way to go is the MP-Laser III? ...   Jun 30 2011, 03:32 PM
|- - Shaikujin   QUOTE (Summerstorm @ Jun 30 2011, 03:32 P...   Jun 30 2011, 04:04 PM
- - Summerstorm   Oh... and just adding: you might be able to enhanc...   Jun 30 2011, 03:40 PM
|- - Tymeaus Jalynsfein   QUOTE (Summerstorm @ Jun 30 2011, 09:40 A...   Jun 30 2011, 04:14 PM
- - DireRadiant   This troll is an excellent candidate for a Vessel ...   Jun 30 2011, 04:59 PM
- - KCKitsune   Or if you're a mage with the Fashion spell, ch...   Jun 30 2011, 05:30 PM
|- - Christian Lafay   QUOTE (KCKitsune @ Jun 30 2011, 06:30 PM)...   Jun 30 2011, 07:47 PM
- - eyeBliss   Does it seem like a horrible omission to anyone el...   Jun 30 2011, 07:02 PM
|- - kerbarian   QUOTE (eyeBliss @ Jun 30 2011, 11:02 AM) ...   Jun 30 2011, 10:13 PM
- - Stahlseele   QUOTE (Aku @ Jun 30 2011, 06:13 PM) huh t...   Jun 30 2011, 07:15 PM
|- - Aku   QUOTE (Stahlseele @ Jun 30 2011, 02:15 PM...   Jun 30 2011, 07:17 PM
- - Stahlseele   Nope, if anything, Troll Skin is the same as Derma...   Jun 30 2011, 07:21 PM
- - Bigity   I'd allow the character from the OP. Then the...   Jun 30 2011, 10:37 PM
|- - Christian Lafay   QUOTE (Bigity @ Jun 30 2011, 11:37 PM) I...   Jun 30 2011, 10:41 PM
|- - Mäx   QUOTE (Bigity @ Jul 1 2011, 01:37 AM) I...   Jun 30 2011, 10:43 PM
|- - suoq   QUOTE (Mäx @ Jun 30 2011, 04:43 PM) So yo...   Jun 30 2011, 10:55 PM
|- - Bigity   QUOTE (Mäx @ Jun 30 2011, 05:43 PM) So yo...   Jul 1 2011, 02:24 AM
- - Glyph   I don't generally have a problem with stacking...   Jul 1 2011, 02:41 AM
|- - Tymeaus Jalynsfein   QUOTE (Glyph @ Jun 30 2011, 08:41 PM) I d...   Jul 1 2011, 03:10 AM
- - Brainpiercing7.62mm   An interesting side point of this thread would be ...   Jul 1 2011, 08:15 AM
- - suoq   I don't think there's a sweet spot for eve...   Jul 1 2011, 10:20 AM
|- - Tymeaus Jalynsfein   QUOTE (suoq @ Jul 1 2011, 03:20 AM) Perso...   Jul 1 2011, 01:12 PM
|- - Brainpiercing7.62mm   QUOTE (suoq @ Jul 1 2011, 12:20 PM) ** Pe...   Jul 1 2011, 01:43 PM
- - Cain   QUOTE this thread raises the question, whats the h...   Jul 1 2011, 12:28 PM
- - Stahlseele   Why stop at one? Use multiple (Fire)Arms.   Jul 1 2011, 01:12 PM
- - Draco18s   I personally aim for about 8/6 worth of armor. Ma...   Jul 1 2011, 01:53 PM
- - Teulisch   looking at what the rest of the team can potential...   Jul 1 2011, 05:43 PM
|- - Tymeaus Jalynsfein   QUOTE (Teulisch @ Jul 1 2011, 10:43 AM) ....   Jul 1 2011, 06:04 PM
|- - suoq   QUOTE (Teulisch @ Jul 1 2011, 11:43 AM) l...   Jul 1 2011, 07:01 PM
|- - Mäx   QUOTE (suoq @ Jul 1 2011, 10:01 PM) That ...   Jul 1 2011, 08:11 PM
|- - suoq   QUOTE (Mäx @ Jul 1 2011, 03:11 PM) Only t...   Jul 1 2011, 09:24 PM
- - Xenefungus   Use TWO Shields   Jul 1 2011, 07:31 PM
- - Makki   I'd like to build a guy/girl that looks as inc...   Jul 3 2011, 12:21 AM
- - Glyph   The trouble with the mystic adept route is that th...   Jul 3 2011, 01:43 AM


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