Stick'n'Shock is Overpowered, How to fix it. 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+

[Neurosis]

I am new to Dumpshock but you guys seem like you've collectively been around the block...a lot! I probably don't need to make the case to any of you why SnS ammo is so incredibly powerful. (These facts are based on SR4 so if any of them have changed in SR4A then I stand corrected.)

* Stick'n'Shock rounds change any weapon's base damage to 6S(e). For all weapons with a damage under six, that means more damage.
* Stick'n'Shock rounds are soaked with Body + Half Impact (rounded down) which means significantly more damage
* Every time you take electricity damage you have to make a Body + Willpower + 1/2 Impact (round down) roll and get three hits. If you fail, you are effectively dead (paralyzed for 2+ Combat Turns). At my game table we call it the flop and twitch roll.
* Even if you succeed the above test, you still take a hefty -2 Penalty on top of the wounds you have already incurred for the same duration (2+ full turns).
* Stick'n'Shock is available at character creation.
* Stick'n'Shock costs less than Flechettes which are worse in every way.
* Stick'n'Shock has an Availability of 5R and a cost of 80 Nuyen. Nothing stops every runner from starting game with a boatload of it.

In other words, Stick'n'Shock ammo effectively turns a standard pistol (light or heavy) into a Force 6 Lightning Bolt spell with no drain that you can cast twice per turn. What a mage can do once per turn for 6DV Drain, anyone can do twice per turn without risking stun. But it's not just magicians that SnS make look bad. Every ammo in the game is irrelevant compared to SnS.

* Regular Ammo: LOL.
* Gel rounds? Don't make me frigging laugh.
* Flechettes' extra damage won't necessarily exceed that of SnS, and it is soaked with IMPACT + 5 as opposed to Impact/2.
* Explosive ammo is better than the above but not as good.
* 'Novelty'/Specialty Ammo we can discount.
* That leaves APDS....which is the only ammo even close to as effective as SnS, and even it is nto as good. It is also Availability 16F.

But what does Stick'n'Shock ammo really, really, really make look bad? Almost every other form of electricity damage. Why would anyone ever, ever, ever buy a four shot Yamaha Pulsar when they can get a 30 shot Fichetti Security 600 "taser" for pennies more with Recoil Comp and a folding stock. Even a generally crappy gun like a Colt American L36 becomes a dangerous threat when combined with Stick'n'Shock.

So, then, how to fix it? I see basically three issues...

* Availability/Price
* Armor penetration.
* Flop and twitch effect.

Now my players aren't abusing it. They're really good about that! But just as an exercise, how would you fix it? Assuming of course you agree that it's a problem.

Just off the top of my head, I am thinking of increasing the availability to 13F and the price to 200. That in-and-of itself does a LOT because it means you need to invest at least 6BP (Restricted Gear) to start with 250 Rounds of the stuff as opposed to less than one BP. Next is the armor penetration. Impact - 2 sounds like a good compromise. With those two fixes, we can leave the secondary effects of electrical damage as is. Of course, I'm not married to this.

I'd love to hear alternatives. : )