OOC- Shadow's Dawn: Diving into the past Options

[Aria]

I am afraid that it's the sum of the ratings, not the count of the programs. I may be wrong, but that's how I am running it. I agree with your comment about sprites is valid, but that's why its costs BP to start the game with them.

'drop shield', 'thread attack', 'thread shield' sounds like a faff, but as long as you do it before the attack sequence (any exchange of blows) I am happy. Go do IP 5. The Major tried and failed (he's not having a good day)

I'll treat my program options the same? I think it only drops my armour piercing rating from 3 to 2 on my attack and blackout progs...

[Seth]

I'll treat my program options the same? I think it only drops my armour piercing rating from 3 to 2 on my attack and blackout progs...

Thanks

[sabs]

Seth, you are quite allowed to run it any way you like (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) but the RAW for program options is that the number of options is limited by the rating of the program. The rating of the individual options does not come into play at all. It's a minor change, and given how high Technomancers can get their complex actions.. I can see some merit to it. But do remember that most people only get to 6 rating programs, which would be 3 options.

[Seth]

Well I guess I am running this RAW as much as possible so I will run with it.

I have to say that I think the software options part of the rules suck. I had the matrix for the pyramid pretty well mapped out, and had a feeling for how any combat would go. I didn't plan (i.e. the Matrix defense designers didn't cater for the area option). As I see it this one option increases your offensive potential (from what I thought it was) somewhere in the region of 3..5 times. I am not sure how to deal with that as the GM. I guess I will just have to redo the other sections in the Matrix

[sabs]

Well, in Angel's case. She has an area 2 option. This allows her to target 2 people, instead of the normal one. I'm not sure it's a huge giant change? And, it's perfectly viable that Major NotSoImpressive would have options like this installed on his programs. Especially if he's supposed to be some bad-ass matrix dude.

[Edana]

Actually it's area 3 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) .

But, either way is ok with me, I'll just have to respend a couple BP since I bought Attack with Area 3. If you're worried about area or armor piercing getting out of hand I'd be perfectly fine with limiting them to rating 3 instead of a max of 6 if you'd prefer. (Though I will personally never use armor piercing, 1 damage is worth 3 AP statistically, and since the cost is of 1 AP is the same as 1 damage for a technomancer, it's a strictly inferior option.) Also, keep in mind that getting Area 1 is absolutely worthless, but I still had to spend the BP for it just to get to the higher area attacks.

Just let me know which way you want to go, and I'll be happy to change things to accommodate.

[Seth]

Area 2 is double your offensive power. Double offensive power is quite a big deal. And for the cost you should just get the maximum you can (there is no downside to a program option, and they are very cheap). Area 4 is four times your offensive power. Four times your offensive power is game changing.

Anyway I have said we are doing RAW so we eat the bad with the good. Thanks both of you for being understanding and offering to change, but we will carry on RAW. I I just have to reconsider the defenses of the matrix.

[Seth]

Please correct me if you think there are any errors, Please ask me to add extra stuff if I have missed anything significant

Status:

• It is the start of round 18
• The time is 00:01:18
• Everyone has thrown on a flak jacket from the storeroom
• Red lights are flashing, but there are no audible alarms
• Aren is unconscious
• Fearghas and Bjeorn are physically in the basement fighting the Major. Alyena and Marduk are astrally in the basement fighting the Major
• Ryl and Alyena's bodies are in Snake Head's room
• Mandala and Angel's body are in Angel's room
• Marduk's body, Ol' Scratch and Aren's body are in room 27a
• Lean'drea is no longer magically co-erced and is outside Angel's room with two guards and Spirit Bane
• Marduk has identified that the codex in Warder's room is a magical tacnet, and worked out how to use it, he has recovered a knife and skull from Warder's room as well

Magical background

• The background count is zero in the reactor corridor, and most of the store room
• Near the Major it is tainted 4
• Up the stairs and on the ground floor it is Aztech 4.
• In Warder's room it is Aztech 2.
• In Snake Head's room (above the store room) it is zero
• In Angel's room it is Golden Beauty 4

Situation in the basement

• Major Nopaltzin is still knocked over, and is in hand to hand combat with Bjeorn. His biomonitor is moving into the red
• Around half the troops have been knocked out / defeated, the others have returned to kneeling position but are badly hurt. They are hyped on combat drugs though
• The enemies Tacnet has been hacked, and is now valueless to them
• Fearghas has put some shelves between him and the Major, providing cover
• Alyena has put down one of the large tainted spirits, and has badly damaged a second. As a consequence half the troops are now magically undefended
• GREMLIN still has 1 doberman left in the store room and 2 outside. The behaviour of the 2 outside will depend on whether there are cadarvermen around

Situation with Spirit Bane

• Lean'drea is awake and in temporary charge of the two guards
• GREMLIN has 4 Nissan Hover Drones that are ineffectually blasting two guards with tasers
• The guard's are on combat drugs and now have 2 combat options
• Spirit Bane has finished defeating and trapping Sanguine, and is aware that Lean'drea is up and around
• Mandala is in Angel's room, having finished blocking the door with lots and lots and lots of furniture

Matrix situation

• Jonathan and Spike are smashing into Major Nopaltzin using cybercombat. They are being very successful and sparks are starting to appear
• Ryl and Angel have met up and are engaging with the black IC in the Major's public node. They have admin accounts, but the Major and Black IC can see them
• Ryl has revoked all the accounts in the internal matrix
• Jonathan has provided access to the other networks: the air defence, the secondary security network (that the incoming forces are using as a tacnet), the external matrix and the temple system
• There is no reason why you lot cannot communicate via commlink (except Mandala)

Cadarvermen

• Have been aggravated by a spirit and are moving much faster.
• I am not sure if they are heading to the basement or Lean'drea/Spirit Bane. Let me know

Mission goals

• Goal: get to room 27a and stop anyone getting in it. Well you are in the treasure room, with more magical loot than you have seen before. No one is in here yet
• Goal: kill Warder, to bring down the magical wards and allow the external forces to move in. Well he is dead, but the blood ward surrounding the pyramid is still up and strong.
• New goal: Bring down the blood ward. Marduk has identified and found chemicals in the store room that when added to the blood stream will be bad for the blood stream
• New goal: Rescue Jonathan. There is a shadowrunning team extracting his wife, and his body is in the security room
• New goal: Rescue Angel. Angel is now alive and awake, and assisting you in the matrix. It will need someone with Biotech skills to extract her from the casing she is in.

[Seth]

@General
If you have any actions left in the last round, please post them quick!
Can everyone roll initiative.

[Aria]

Matrix Initiative (-1 response for Agent) = 18D 5 hits

= 23!

EDIT: Agent's initiative = 12D 5 hits = 17

This post has been edited by Aria: Jun 10 2011, 03:10 PM

[Ghost_in_the_Sys...]

8 + Init (8d6.hits(5)=3) = 11 Initiative

[sabs]

Initiative: 6 + 2 hits = 8
3 1 2 3 5 6

[pbangarth]

Mandala Initiative:

INT 8 + REA 4 = 12 dice ==> 3 HITS

Initiative = 15

[Alyena]

Alyena initiative

Int 4 and Rea 3 = 7 dice

3 succuesses

Initiative of 10.

[Edana]

Area 2 is double your offensive power. Double offensive power is quite a big deal. And for the cost you should just get the maximum you can (there is no downside to a program option, and they are very cheap). Area 4 is four times your offensive power. Four times your offensive power is game changing.

Anyway I have said we are doing RAW so we eat the bad with the good. Thanks both of you for being understanding and offering to change, but we will carry on RAW. I I just have to reconsider the defenses of the matrix.

No worries, I know it can be tough balancing around all the various options. (Area 4 is only 4x power when there are 4 or more available targets though. If you're only fighting 1 thing, it's a complete waste of resources. Technomancers have a bit of an advantage in that realm though, as they can use threading to fine tune to fit the situation better.)

Anyhow, IP 5:

Attack all 4 IC (4 Hits), 11 base damage (The attack rolls, they hate me. I could have bought that many successes.)

So, all 4 of the IC get to make separate defense rolls vs 4 hits. If they don't avoid the damage is 11 + net hits.

New initiative rolls:
Angel 17 + 7 Hits = 24
Paladin Sprite 7 + 2 Hits = 9

Notes

[ Spoiler ]

Current Initiative: 24 (Matrix VR)

Condition monitors:
2/11 S (No Penalty)
0/10 P (No Penalty)

1/4 Edge Remaining

R7 Paladin Sprite (Optional CF's: Expert Defense, Attack): 4 Tasks, Currently guarding Angel, Current Initiative 9
Sustaining R13 Exploit (Mute)
Sustaining R11 Attack (Area 4, Targeting)
Sustaining R8 Shield

[Sephiroth]

Dodging IP 3, Full Defense Interrupt: Reaction 2 (6) + Good cover 4 + Running 1 + Blades 4 (6) + Dodge 1 + Levitate surprise 3 - wide burst 14 = 7d6 = 2 hits (ignore last die, I forgot wound modifier) + Combat Sense 3 (oops) = 3 hits total

Going to throw another F7 Sonic Boom at him before Bjeorn gets into melee: taking a Free Action to Center, moving up above the shelves for unobstructed LOS, Magic 6 + Spellcasting 6 + Power Focus 4 - Wound mod 1 = 15d6 = 5 hits (I actually forgot Attacker Running and Attacker Firing from Cover, but luckily the last 4 dice had no hits. Since the 5 hits will be capped to 3 by the 3 Force*, he must resist 3S + net hits, up to 6S. And of course, any guards still within 3 meters of him get knocked down/maybe deafened/screwed all over again (how are they getting back up already? It's only been 3 seconds).

No possible action for IP 4 , because of the Interrupt.

Initiative for next round: Reaction 2 (6) + Intuition 5 (9) - Wound modifier 1 = 14d6 = that's a lot of two's... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif) Initiative score 15.





*Not going to argue again for changing this mid-combat, but here's some more food for thought about BGC affecting instant duration spells entering it, which was brought up on the main boards recently: Astral Hazing is supposed to be a negative quality. A common assumption on these forums is that Astral Hazing affects all spellcasting attempts, including spells cast into it from outside. As you may have noticed, this makes Astral Hazing one of the best anti-magic defenses out there. However, if one says that instant duration spells are not affected by entering a background count (easily explained as it being too quick to be affected; credit for that goes to Ghost), then Astral Hazing suddenly becomes much more of the negative quality it's supposed to be. Example: an Astral Hazer in a group can't be buffed easily by the party's mage; affects spirits to such an extent that if he's falling off a building and he asks an air spirit to carry him down safely, the spirit probably won't have enough Strength left to even lift his arm; can't easily communicate with the astrally projecting mage through the mage's watchers, because they die when he gets close; but wagemage security can still hurl lightning bolts and fireballs at him from down the hall without breaking a sweat. Poof, now you have an actual NEGATIVE QUALITY that doesn't act like one of the best positive qualities in existence.

[sabs]

Sephiroth, you can't use your blade skill to dodge ranged attacks (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

No matter how much you want to.

[Sephiroth]

@Seth regarding Area: Hey man, who says you have to limit yourself in the Matrix security to cybercombat? The Matrix is the "realm" in SR that requires the most cleverness to use effectively. That needn't involve brute force attacks. Off the top of my head: malware for the win.

EDIT: @sabs: Full dodge, good sir, may be taken as either Dodge + Dodge or Dodge + melee skill. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[sabs]

INCORRECT :)

Full Dodge: Character on full defense may add their Dodge
skill to their dice pool when defending against incoming attacks.
So a character on full defense against a ranged attack rolls Dodge +
Reaction, whereas a character on full defense against a melee attack
could roll Dodge + Dodge + Reaction, or melee combat skill +
Dodge + Reaction. Full dodge may be used against both ranged and
melee attacks.


PS
I'm not trying to get you killed, I swear. But, if I don't point it out, Seth probably will later anyways.

[Sephiroth]

INCORRECT (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Full Dodge: Character on full defense may add their Dodge
skill to their dice pool when defending against incoming attacks.
So a character on full defense against a ranged attack rolls Dodge +
Reaction, whereas a character on full defense against a melee attack
could roll Dodge + Dodge + Reaction, or melee combat skill +
Dodge + Reaction. Full dodge may be used against both ranged and
melee attacks.


PS
I'm not trying to get you killed, I swear. But, if I don't point it out, Seth probably will later anyways.

..I see.

Body 2 + Shelves 2 -AP 1 = 3d6 = 1 hit
Takes 7P damage. And is knocked down.

Seeing as how we're apparently using neither the -14 dice pool modifier imposed on a minigun user's attack roll nor the Simple Action needed for the barrels to reach firing speed first, despite the fact that both are in fact RAW, Fearghas will be dead if he is fired on again (and he will be).

[Ghost_in_the_Sys...]

Woo, I got props for breaking the astral hazing conundrum. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Also, Sabs is right, melee skills can only help you in defending against melee attacks, no mater what the trids may say (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Ghost_in_the_Sys...]

The -14 to attack is from recoil, and the simple action is only for a particular kind of minigun, not all miniguns.

[sabs]

and Major Pain in the Ass has A gyro mount.

Gyro Mount gives 6 points of Recoil modifiers
Electronic Firing 1
Hip Pad 1
Gas Vent 3
Heavy Barrel 1

Depending on his strength Major PainNZAss gets:
6-9 1 point of RC
10-13 2 points of RC
14-17 3 points of RC
18+ 4 points of RC

Even if we assume only an 8 str (which puts him on part with a mediocre troll) He's got 1 point, putting him at 14. This leaves him with 0 uncompensated recoil

The Vindicator Minigun says: When Activated the Minigun requires 1 simple action to activate.
I will note that said Simple Action happened on IP 1 of Round 17. When He began firing.

Did your initiative beat his? Your additional Knockdown may result in him missing you again. And Is he even shooting at you? I thought he was shooting at Bjoern?

[Ghost_in_the_Sys...]

Thanks sabs, Haven't caught up on all the IC stuff as it makes it easier to play Song's reactions since she has no idea what is going on, and may accidentally attack (or more likely hinder) allies.

[Aria]

Fearghas will be dead if he is fired on again (and he will be).

He really does have someone bigger and uglier to shoot at...Bjeorn!!! ...and he may even run out of ammo soon (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)