looking for a way to nerf a cannon Options

[Kesslan]

[TBRMInsanity]

If you are having trouble with a cannon then have the lone star take it away from them. Think about it, if you were to walk down the street carrying a rocket launcher today what would most likely happen to you? You would be beaten within an inch of your life and then you would be placed in a cell to rot for the rest of your life. Not much has changed in the SR world. The second they take their cannon on a run, you have the star show up and arrest them. If they complain, have the officer state that their spotter drone caught them on tape and they are busted.

[Jrayjoker]

If the PCs are just running around blasting with the PAC like the criminals in Robocop (yeah, thats how I think of the PAC), then I totally agree that they have been recorded by a drone and there is now a warrant for their arrest with relatively accurate descriptions. Let the hassle of changing their appearance and MO do the talking. if they keep using it, then escalate the response like others have said. [ed.] Of course their fixer will have to call them and warn them about the warrants, for a fee. [/ed.]

With regard to the hassling of a GMPC: If it is reasonable, have the GMPC freak out and scream at the PCs about not letting them rape her and then go catatonic. The GMPC is no longer an asset, and will need a lot of TLC to recover and be useful again. And if they keep up the BS, she disappears.

Of course, you probably want to have an OOC discussion with the whole group about what they want out of a gaming session, campaign, etc..

This post has been edited by Jrayjoker: Jan 16 2007, 01:58 PM

[Dashifen]

[Moon-Hawk]

Another thought about the GMPC. It sounds like you've created a GMPC that has an interesting backstory, and you've obviously invested more into her than a standard "shopkeeper NPC". You probably like this NPC more than most, and are a little attached to her, and all that is fine.
However, as you mentioned, this GMPC is sometimes used to steer the group. From the very little that you have told us about the players, it occurs to me that they may be the type that, if they feel as though they are being steered by said GMPC, they may resent that aspect of the game and thus, resent and hate the GMPC. Since you are fond of the GMPC, you may not be seeing this.
This is just an idea, I don't know near enough about the situation to call it a theory. But oh, how I wish I could decide which NPCs my players would decide to love and which ones they'd decide to hate ahead of time. But hey, if I wanted predictable I'd be a novelist, not a GM.
I've said it before, but it's worth repeating. One of my personal GM rules is: Never become so attached to an NPC that you're not willing to see them die. This includes GMPCs. If you find yourself so attached to an NPC, they must be retired to a minimum safe distance away from the campaign.

[cristomeyers]

Fair enough, Moon Hawk. Yes, I am a bit attached to her, but the odds of her making it through the campaign are pretty slim. I don't think there's resentment at being prodded a little. When I say steering, I mean that if the PCs are having trouble figuring out a particular point in the campaign, she pipes up with an idea that leads them there. So far, the only way I've used her to steer the campaign was that she was the group's objective (bodyguard). I am definitely going to start watching that a lot more carefully now, though.

The only reason the runners went into the situation fully armed for bear was some my fault and some the tactical mind of the group's fault. When I said the Humanis cell was in control of the neighborhood, I meant that they essentially policed it (protection, small groups patrolling, things like that). He thought I meant they were going into Mogadishu with folks every five feet firing automatic weapons and RPG's. Miscommunication there. The situation turned into essentially a FPS fragfest, but it was fun and that's my goal. Like someone said earlier, sometimes it's fun to just let loose with heavy weaponry. Now they've had their fun and I just want ways to make sure it doesn't happen again and really mess up the campaign.

On the group, they are looking for a long-term campaign. The reason the PAC came into play in the first place is because the "if the players can, NPC's can" rule backfired. If the NPC's can, the players can.

[kigmatzomat]

Simple ways to get the PAC under control and the players aware of the situation and taking it seriously.

1. They get called to a meet; the Johnson turns out to be a local who recognizes the PCs. He immediately cancels the meet, possibly to the players faces but maybe through the fixer, citing their use of unreasonable ordinance. Have that be a function of their notoriety.

2. Sting. have Lonestar "pollute" a shipment of PAC ammunition with a tracer so that people who are close to the PAC firing glow under UV light. Naturally, this is the ammo the party has. Oh yeah, there's also some RFID tags in the propellant so they can be sure where the tagged ammo was fired (meaning if they get caught, they'll be blamed for every use of the ammo). BTW, using a tag eraser will cause the ammo to detonate. Boo-yah!

3. Bounty. PACs scare people with good reason. Have a 1,000Y reward for information leading to arrest of the persons who posses and used a PAC. It's enough that gangers and little old ladies will readily roll over but not so much that people start hunting the party.

4. Media. Use of a PAC in the city, even in the barrens, is perfect for a sweeps week expose. Have the runners' stomping grounds seeded with small aerial camera drones, looking to catch a glimpse of the numnuts. The other local dirtbags are displeased with the attention and consider outing the party.

[sunnyside]

Honestly I wouldn't worry about the assault cannon. Death comes easy in shadowrun and with the combination of physical attacks vs mana spells it's hard to get a character shielded from everything.

I didn't restrict my characters access to those sorts of toys at all (beyond the difficulties in aquiring items as described in the books).

However they knew that to get paid more they had to take tougher missions and they could either take more skill based/sneaky/thinky missions or they could take bigger gun missions. The system is deadly enough they didn't want to take the big gun missions.

I did however let them occasionally toss them missions where they could just go to town. Every so often players just like reveling in being bad mofos.

[Charon]

An assault rifle with 5 points of recoil compensations firing a long burst :

11P, -1AR

A Panther AC

10P -5 AR

Statistically, 11P -1AR is worth pretty much the same thing as 10P -4AR.

So there isn't much difference against a soft target. Well, there's range, but in an urban situation it's not much of an issue.

As I said in my first post, I consider an HMG on a tripod or gyromount to be much more dangerous than a PAC.

Unless you rule that AR and MG bullets are stopped cold by armored vehicle, there's really bot much use for the PAC at all in your arsenal.

[Konsaki]

That -5 AR really helps with busting through armor though. Course AP rounds for a rifle will do the same thing...

[Hagarzen]

Hello Alex ;)

Why take away our BFG9000? I used that claymore fair and well it doesn't matter because they got blown up good!

Okay for real, yes we went loaded for bear but who wouldn't? This isn't a duel! I'm also very ticked off at A20K for a personal matter, good thing we didn't start taking out houses!

See ya next game :)

Cross

edit for spelling

[Zen Shooter01]

It's NPC, not GMPC.

[cetiah]

[sunnyside]

[hyzmarca]

If the GMPC has PTSD due to a gang rape and if she is a danger to the PCs because of it, then the PCs would be better off editing her memories to remove the offending incident. In fact, if they were in a position to cast Mind Probe her and cast Alter Memory on her while she was unconscious, it would be ideal. This is probably a far worse violation than the rape, but she'll never know.

[cetiah]

[Kesslan]

[cristomeyers]

Was wondering when Cross would show up. Careful man, or I'll make the guys elect you leader. :D

Right now, watching ammo is seeming like the best option, it just never occured to me. It's amazing what you don't think about when you're actually LOOKING for a solution.

As to the Mind Probe/Memory Wipe. If they're going to try it while she sleeps, they'll probably fail. People with similar conditions tend to be very light sleepers (go figure), a Blackberry Cat padding across the floor would probably wake her up, much less a Mind Probe. Secondly, they damn well better succeed, otherwise every runner in the place is going up in flames. As for ritual magic, the runners have enough issues to worry about without trying to set her off. They're more than welcome to try, but again, word gets to her and someone's turning extra crispy. The trauma is also a plot point that I have yet to fully flesh out because it wouldn't come into play until much later.

As to GMPC, you're right, I'm using the term wrong. Persistent NPC is probably a much better description.

[Zen Shooter01]

major or recurring NPC is the standard nomenclature.

This has been said, but the Panther is a large, heavy, impossible to conceal, noisy, thoroughly illegal piece of equipment. That should be enough to curb its mission applications.

[toturi]

[Hagarzen]

Good morning all,

Alex for your first problem of the BFG that will take care of it's self since we have very few chances to use it. (we have had it for a while now without using it).

For the second issue. One remember that Syphon has a SIN criminal. Second I don't want that leading back to my place of employment ( I also have a legal SIN). So I will be talking to them next time about that. For the wacked out firestarter, have her to them into fried chicken. It is Shadowrun, they might need a example made.

Best
Cross

[cristomeyers]

Thanks for all the advice guys.

Trust me, the PAC is safe for now. I've been thinking about this for awhile and on second thought, there's not much reason to go out of my way to take it out. Though if it gets out of hand...


Cross:
There's a reason I don't use my magic all that often. Sypho (or whatever he calls himself) isn't worth the...effort, yet.

Gabryel

[pbangarth]

[pbangarth]

I guess I should have read ALL the posts before replying. My post above is redundant. Sorry.

[lorechaser]