 Pick on my character again, Second time's a charm? |
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 Dec 20 2005, 12:36 AM
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#1
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Shooting Target  Group: Members Posts: 1,632 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Portland Oregon, USA Member No.: 1,304  |
So, what have I missed, screwed up, or failed to properly min/max?
Sam Heart, former Lonestar Cop. Quit soon after being promoted to detective. Body - 3/5 Agility - 5/8 Reaction - 4/7 Strength - 3/5 Charisma - 3 Intuition - 4 Logic - 3 Willpower - 3 Edge - 6 Init 8/11 Passes 3 Skills: rating(# of dice) ACTIVE: Longarms 3 (13) Pistol/Semiauto 5/7 (16/18) Unarmed Combat/JuJitsu 3/5 (11/13) Influence skill group: Con, Etiquette, Leadership, Negotiation 3 (6) Pilot Ground Craft/car 1/3 (8/10) Gymnastics 3 (11) Infiltration 3 (11) Palming 1 (9) Perception 3 (7 +2 vision/+6 scent) Shadowing 1 (5) Swimming 1 (6) Computer 1 (4) KNOWLEDGE: Street:Seattle AK 3 (7) Street:Underworld Politics 3 (7) Street:Vory Controlled Establishments 3(7) Academic:Law 3 (6) Professional:Law Enforcement Procedures 3 (6) Interest:Chess 3 (7) English - Native Russian - 3 (7) NEGATIVE QUALITIES SINner, Standard Addiction, Mild (Stimulants) Allergy, Uncommon/Moderate (gold) CONTACTS Alexi Leonov, Street Doc 2/2 Sean Bean, Lone Star Detective 2/2 Lucy Chen, Fixer 2/2 Yuri Volkov, Vory Soldier 2/2 CYBERWARE Wired Reflexes II Olfactory Booster VI Cybereyes IV - Capacity 16 + Flare Compensation [1] + Low-Light Vision [2] + Smartlink [3] + Thermographic Vision [2] + Vision Enhancement II [2] + Vision Magnification [2] Reaction Enhancers I BIOWARE Bone Density Augmentation II Muscle Augmentation II Reflex Recorder, Pistols Muscle Toner III |
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Dec 20 2005, 12:39 AM
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#2
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,479 Joined: 6-May 05 From: Idaho Member No.: 7,377 |
You can only have muscle toner up to 2 at char gen....Don't smack me!
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Dec 20 2005, 12:40 AM
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#3
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 715 Joined: 4-September 05 From: Metaplane GEPLK136 (The one with the lizards. You remember the lizards, don't you?) Member No.: 7,684 |
Olfactory booster 6 and muscle toner 3 both have availabilities higher than 12.
Also, make sure you and your GM agree on which tests your martial arts specialization will apply to; that can be tricky. |
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Dec 20 2005, 12:43 AM
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#4
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,632 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Portland Oregon, USA Member No.: 1,304 |
Crap, you're right. Rating X 5 availability code |
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Dec 20 2005, 12:44 AM
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#5
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,632 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Portland Oregon, USA Member No.: 1,304 |
Yea. I'm hoping on basically defense and grappling. |
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Dec 20 2005, 12:58 AM
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#6
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 715 Joined: 4-September 05 From: Metaplane GEPLK136 (The one with the lizards. You remember the lizards, don't you?) Member No.: 7,684 |
If I were your GM, I'd make you pick one of those -- based on the fact that "defense" (parrying) and "grappling" (subdual combat) are already two separate specializations. But I'm not your GM. |
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Dec 20 2005, 01:16 AM
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#7
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 834 Joined: 30-June 03 Member No.: 4,832 |
To pick on your character, he's ugly and his mom dresses him funny.
Actually, you have cyber eyes IV but only 12 capacity used, so unless you are planning on upgrading later, you could go with just a Cybereye III. |
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Dec 20 2005, 01:35 AM
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#8
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 718 Joined: 10-September 05 From: Montevideo, in the elusive shadows of Latin America Member No.: 7,727 |
Nice character, I do not like the olfactory boosters myself, and beware of the availability ratings, too.
I like that you spent 16 points in contacts, it'll prove useful eventually. BTW, no commlink? Also, What does "Seattle AK" mean? (I'm dumb today) Cheers, Max |
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Dec 20 2005, 01:43 AM
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#9
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,479 Joined: 6-May 05 From: Idaho Member No.: 7,377 |
seriously consider getting a cyberware scanner in your eye. Takes one capacity, and it works nice. Plus, its cool as hell.
Edit---- Seattle AK==Seattle Area Knowledge? |
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Dec 20 2005, 04:14 PM
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#10
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,632 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Portland Oregon, USA Member No.: 1,304 |
AK = area knowledge :)
It's hard to get around a 100 by 50 mile sprawl without knowing a little about where you are going. I couldn't find an entry for a cyberberware scanner added to an eye. Could you give me a reference? I will fix the availability stuff, and figure out where to spend the extra cash. Yes, I have a comm link, and some other gear. I just didn't want to bother with posting the gear. |
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Dec 20 2005, 07:11 PM
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#11
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 829 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 770 |
It's...debateable...(being generous here) On pg. 325 there are entries for different types of "scanner functions" and the "capacity" they require. A conservative reading would assume that the table is self-contained and that all capacity requirements mentioned directly refer to the capacity available in the different sized "sensor packages" in the same table. Rules Lawyers and Munchkins will have a field day justifying putting 12 capacity points of sensor functions in their cybereyes when the table clearly refers to a 12 capacity sensor package as being "Vehicle" sized. Admittedly, some of this stuff may make it into cyberware when that splatbook comes out, but doesn't appear to be valid cyber accessories in the BBB. |
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Dec 20 2005, 07:17 PM
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#12
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,168 Joined: 15-April 05 From: Helsinki, Finland Member No.: 7,337 |
Again, I like the character. Good skill distribution(i still end up spreading some of mine too thin somehow, but then again, a solid attribute helps there). If he were in one of our games, you would not have to worry about availability, like i said, but in a lot of games you do, so yeah, guess it should be tweaked.
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Dec 21 2005, 05:29 PM
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#13
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Target Group: Members Posts: 66 Joined: 24-October 05 Member No.: 7,887 |
This character doesn't make too much sense to me.
Why gymnastics? I really can't see a beat cop who worked his way up to detective practicing gymnastics. He'd get so much hazing from the other cops. And why juJitsu? Cops usually practice boxing, judo, or other less spiritual martial arts... His perception, and computer skills seem rather low for a detective. And no intimidation skill?! You never questioned a witness? And did he recently get addicted to stimulants? Most police and corp security would have had drug tests on a routine basis. You don't have many contacts, and none of them are very loyal. Most cops deal with people all day. You'd bound to make one or two friends, and have a ton of "buddies". You also have a ton of 'ware. That's pretty impressive gear for an ex-detective... Your background doesn't really seem to match the character, and there's nothing in your character that makes him really stand out. I tell all my players the same thing. There are much better hack n' slash games out there, with MUCH better combat systems. Shadowrun is for roleplaying and having fun. Detailed back grounds, and well flushed out characters with personalities are way more interesting to everyone than just another run of the mill "street sam", or "troll phys ad" or whatever. I'd lose some of the cyberware, make him an alcoholic, and have him specialize in revolvers. You could make him really old fashioned too and give him simsense vertigo. It's a little more formulaic, but a lot more interesting. |
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Dec 21 2005, 05:38 PM
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#14
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,222 Joined: 11-October 02 From: Netherlands and Belgium Member No.: 3,437 |
OMG, that is the worst reply I've ever seen. :P
1) Gymnastics as a cop isn't unheard of at all, people did things before they were cops, and usually stick to these hobbies if possible. 2) Jujitsu is taught to cops, that's why cops are so quick to do wrist locks and other joint locks. It's one of the best martial arts for a cop that doesn't want to beat his target to death. I'm gonna quit numbering. :P His perception seems low, but I don't know that many cops (even investigators) that have above average computer skills. And not all cops are intimidating, some refuse to be, believing in the moto of "serve and protect". I'd beat you with a wiffle bat if you were GMing my game, you're just too damn critical and take all the fun out of making a fun character. Hell, I'd beat on you with 2 wiffle bats just to make sure I hit you enough times! :P Sphynx |
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Dec 21 2005, 06:00 PM
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#15
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,174 Joined: 13-May 04 From: UCAS Member No.: 6,327 |
Increase the contacts list and get rid of the allergy to gold, make it something else that's more relevant like peanuts or something if you really want to make it something. The allergy to gold makes me think of that stupid post in the general thread where someone made their character have severe allergies to gold. A bit munchkiny.
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Dec 21 2005, 07:26 PM
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#16
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Genuine Artificial Intelligence Group: Members Posts: 4,019 Joined: 12-June 03 Member No.: 4,715 |
Unless it's a campaign where the PCs are jewel thieves. Then it's cool.
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Dec 21 2005, 07:28 PM
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#17
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,632 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Portland Oregon, USA Member No.: 1,304 |
I actually have a friend with a severe alergy to gold. That's where I got the idea. He actually spends a lot of his time off dry panning in the mountains. If he sticks his hand into a rich enough area, he'll start swelling up immediately.
So far as the complaints about the skills, I took everything the Lone Star cop in the book has, then added to it. I dropped clubs and upped unarmed to save a couple of points. About the rest. Gymnastics was suggested. It's essentially dodge + jump. I don't know if I'll keep it. Every cop I know studies martial arts. In some departments it's required. He's been out of the cop life for a couple of years. Hence the ware and only one contact left in the department. |
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Dec 21 2005, 07:37 PM
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#18
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 129 Joined: 3-November 05 Member No.: 7,923 |
IIRC, the dwarf rigger in the book has an alergy to gold.
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Dec 21 2005, 07:55 PM
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#19
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,026 Joined: 23-November 05 From: Seattle (Really!) Member No.: 7,996 |
Believe it or not an Injectable or Ingestible gold compound was a common treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis before Enbrel hit the market. Conceivably gold compunds could still be in medicine. A gold Allergy could be difficult for a Hacker, Rigger, or Techie character as gold plating is used in eletronics in trace amounts because it is a good conductor, this could include Cyberware as well. Oh and don't forget Orichalum is part gold as well (IIRC it was described as a metalurgical nightmare of Gold, Silver, Copper, and Mercury), that means you'd be allergic to your foci as a mage. So my thought is that Gold isn't that common, but it is common enough to be a realistic hindrance.
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Dec 21 2005, 08:15 PM
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#20
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,086 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 364 |
And I could have sworn there was something in one of these editions of SR that stated that because it's an alchemical alloy, that it didn't actually count as any of its constituent metals for the purposes of alergies, that the magic that allows those metals to alloy in the first place effectively keeps the indivdual component metals from displaying their individual characteristics. (More than just for the purposes of alergies, even: wearing an orichalum bracelet wouldn't turn your skin green when you sweat, or cause risk of mercury poisoning.) However, I don't remember exactly where I saw that, so I may be mis-remembering it entirely. |
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Dec 21 2005, 10:12 PM
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#21
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 715 Joined: 4-September 05 From: Metaplane GEPLK136 (The one with the lizards. You remember the lizards, don't you?) Member No.: 7,684 |
Oh... I took it with my mage character assuming it *would* apply, and that I would have to be very careful with my foci (either making sure that the oricalcum was consumed by the ritual, or that the oricalcum was contained within the focus and not on the outside.) I guess it's good to know that isn't the case. Of course, I'll still have to avoid luxury style fix'ns, like fancy limousines and meets with johnsons in exorbitantly priced restaurant.
Stick with one bat, otherwise you have to split your dice pool.
The same line of thinking leads to getting strength enhancements for your eye (also only one capacity -- cyberarm capacity that is! -- which would make you wonder: Why would an arm only have 8, and an eye 16?) Of course, that strength is only useful if you have the occular drone implant -- then you can just toss your eye and have it blink *really hard* on your opponent! Actually, in a more serious note, how do others handle the 'occular drone' cybereye mod? Would *that* allow you to get vehicle sensors mounted in your eye? It is a small vehicle after all. Those things create some odd situations.
No doubt the police pay actual computer professionals to handle much of the computer investigation. He's got enough to get by and do is job, I'd say. And I disagree that his perception is low for someone who just got promoted to detective. A skill of 3 is supposed to be "professional." A detective generally has a lot of experience on top of that; I'd guess 3 would be a bit low for a seasoned detective. But this character was described as leaving the force just after his promotion.
Since some of the drugs are listed as designed to give beat cops the edge over cybered up thugs (at a low cost), I'd have to say the presence of minor amounts of stimulants in his system would probably be overlooked in 2070 -- or even prescribed, if he was in a bad part of town.
His contacts look more like they are on the informant level. Maybe he didn't make many friends in the precinct, or maybe they're all dead. Heck, maybe the lack of real friends and support is part of the reason he left -- he had just enough contacts to get the job done, but that wasn't enough to give his life meaning.
That is a lot of ware for an ex detective. Of course, rather than telling him to go play a hack-n-slash, I'd ask him if he had a background story for why he got it (Big BTL bust, found out the cops where going to let the guy go on a technicality, so he offs the guy on his own. Then he has to leave the force, and grabs the "evidence" money from the bust on the way out because he found out the corrupt cops that where letting the guy go where stealing it anyway; used that to buy the ware and become a vigilante -- for one example.) |
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Dec 21 2005, 10:51 PM
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#22
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Prime Runner Group: Banned Posts: 3,732 Joined: 1-September 05 From: Prague, Czech Republic Member No.: 7,665 |
BTW, generally people don't have gold allergies. They have allergies to Nickel, or similar substances that are often alloyed/found with gold. I have no doubt that your friend can stick his hand into gold rich areas of the High Sierra and have it swell up. But most likely this is because he is allergic to some other metal.
Allergies to dental gold or jewelry gold are very real and often life threatening, but are almost invariably not caused by the actual gold metal (which is itself almost completely unreactive). Unless you habitually eat gold with nitrates, gold shouldn't even be bio-available to have a reaction with. -Frank |
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Dec 21 2005, 11:06 PM
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#23
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,026 Joined: 23-November 05 From: Seattle (Really!) Member No.: 7,996 |
New from Stuffer Inc., Glitter Gum! Comes in a 8 great flavors and makes your teeth sparkle! Warning may contain Gold Nitrate and Peanuts. |
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Dec 21 2005, 11:09 PM
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#24
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 715 Joined: 4-September 05 From: Metaplane GEPLK136 (The one with the lizards. You remember the lizards, don't you?) Member No.: 7,684 |
Agreed, on the first part. I know someone who is of this type; she can't wear any gold unless it approaches 24 carat (Titanium is also an option for the same reason, so long as it doesn't contain nickle.) To me, this was as suspicious as an allergy to diamonds under a carat, but having seen the evidence it's true. As for gold not being available for biological reactions, this is mostly true. It's why we can eat the stuff as gold leaf. However, these allergies showed up with the awakening -- they are magical in nature not biological. They are similar to a werewolf's vulnerability to silver, for instance. |
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Dec 21 2005, 11:13 PM
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#25
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,026 Joined: 23-November 05 From: Seattle (Really!) Member No.: 7,996 |
http://www.webelements.com/webelements/ele...xt/Au/biol.html
http://www.webelements.com/webelements/ele...ext/Au/key.html Just for fun some gold reference material |
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