Stealth Spotter Character |
Stealth Spotter Character |
May 12 2007, 11:55 PM
Post
#1
|
|
Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,159 Joined: 12-April 07 From: Ork Underground Member No.: 11,440 |
Here is the first run thru on a pc who, sneaks around and perceives things. aka spotter
[ Spoiler ] Not looking for a min/maxer but for issues with the design or equipment, or anything I might have left out TIA Edited out astral chameleon and added the last to biowares. Edited skill list, added Athletics group, increased and decreased other skills. Added Synthacardium 2 Edited included SINer(criminal) and increased Intuition to a 4 Increased Intuition to a 5 Removed some skills and reduce/specialized others, added Electronics Group Removed reflex recorder for perception(just do not feel they should work together) Added another level to Synthacardium bringing it to a 3. Removed Sequencer Rating 4 and Ares Viper IV Added Electronic Tool Kit, 20 uses Neurostun, Ares SuperSquirt, Medkit 6 Increased BK:cooking, cuisine and electronics to 4's Added BK:Stealth and Thrown Weapons WearzManySkins |
|
|
May 13 2007, 12:52 AM
Post
#2
|
|
Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,883 Joined: 16-December 06 Member No.: 10,386 |
I'd strongly suggest looking into shaving some points and dropping climbing and dodge in favor of taking the Athletics skill group and some Synthacardium. Between your blades skill and gymnastics, you'd still be able to use full defense quite effectively even without dodge, and it'd make you a much better all around athlete. Gymnastics covers feats of balance and breakfalling techniques as well as just jumping around, so it's a definite plus if you're going to be spending any time crawling around high places. Plus, it pays to be well practiced in the ancient art of run-fu, perhaps the greatest of self-defense techniques :P
|
|
|
May 13 2007, 05:18 AM
Post
#3
|
|
Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,251 Joined: 11-September 04 From: GA Member No.: 6,651 |
Aptitude is 10 points and only applies to Perception.
Since Disguise and some other stealth skills share the use of Intuition with Perception, I'd focus more on Perception. Strength only adds into a few skills. If you want those high its probably more point-efficient to buy up the skill not the STR. Also, I count 210 points spent on attributes. Normally the max is 200 unless its a 500 point character. Why get Astral Chameleon? Doesn't that merely modify astral signatures left when you use magic on a person/object? What level is your Stealth Group at? All in all looks like a good general purpose character. Not highpowered, but shave points to get Edge up to 6 and this character could be a jack of all trades when it really really counts. |
|
|
May 13 2007, 05:41 AM
Post
#4
|
|||
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 208 Joined: 3-May 06 From: On the Run Member No.: 8,521 |
He's not eligible for Astral Chameleon anyways. ;)
Other than that - it also provides a -2 penalty to others assensing the character. |
||
|
|||
May 13 2007, 05:46 AM
Post
#5
|
|||
Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,159 Joined: 12-April 07 From: Ork Underground Member No.: 11,440 |
Hmm by the spreadsheet by Blakkie I used Stats 150 points Skills 192 points Resources 50 points Contacts 14(but used the Free contacts option on the spreadsheet) Knowledge/Language 19 points Advantages 25(dropped now to 20 due to astral chameleon being removed) Negatives -25 Stealth groups is at level 4 As for astral chameleon your are correct. Will remove that Opps forgot to display Muscle Toner level 2 Muscle Augmentation level 2 Synthacardium level 2(added) perception is the main focus of this pc. I really do not want to design a Jack of all trades, but will look into your advise. As for strength, I am old school, refuse to play a str 1 character that is not sitting in rigger box. :) Thanks for your input |
||
|
|||
May 13 2007, 07:03 AM
Post
#6
|
|
Canon Companion Group: Members Posts: 8,021 Joined: 2-March 03 From: The Morgue, Singapore LTG Member No.: 4,187 |
What race is this?
|
|
|
May 13 2007, 07:36 AM
Post
#7
|
|
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 718 Joined: 10-September 05 From: Montevideo, in the elusive shadows of Latin America Member No.: 7,727 |
reflex recorder for perception? I think not...
|
|
|
May 13 2007, 07:40 AM
Post
#8
|
|
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 718 Joined: 10-September 05 From: Montevideo, in the elusive shadows of Latin America Member No.: 7,727 |
Oh, I didn't say, but the concept of a recon oriented character is quite nice. I would also have focused more points into Intuition.
Cheers, Max |
|
|
May 13 2007, 08:49 AM
Post
#9
|
|||||
Hoppelhäschen 5000 Group: Members Posts: 5,807 Joined: 3-January 04 Member No.: 5,951 |
No, it provides a -2 penalty to assensing the signatures the character left using magic. As a sidenote - there is no level in vision mag. |
||||
|
|||||
May 13 2007, 10:41 AM
Post
#10
|
|
Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,251 Joined: 11-September 04 From: GA Member No.: 6,651 |
I'd max out disadvantages with whatever ones make you happy. Thats an extra stat point in intuition.
A Mnemonic Enhancer aids in remembering what you saw with a perception roll as well as adding dice to any knowledge skill you use even knowsofts. Photographic memory even further aids memory tests. |
|
|
May 13 2007, 01:48 PM
Post
#11
|
|||
Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,159 Joined: 12-April 07 From: Ork Underground Member No.: 11,440 |
He is human. Unfortunately his gear is maxed out so, taking -10 points of negative, will only gain him 10 for stats or skills. Hmm intuition..... As for reflex recorder for perception...reading the reflex recorder and then reading the section on Active skills...perception is a Active skill ..SR 4 th Ed...Physical Active Skills begins on page 113, on page 114 it lists Perception right before Running... Now is that a formating error, Typo etc...I do not know. As for the reflex recorder for perception it can be removed or tied to another "Active Skill". As for the concept, I try not go down the common paths of character concepts if I can. :) Besides look at it this way, if the GM gives this character a "chance" at a perception roll just before ambush or surprise... Party conversation... Troll Samurai says "Hey Sloe why are you running back that way?" Elf Mage says "Stimpy yur such an idiot!!!, If Sloe is running that way, that means something REAL bad is this way" sound of a Elf mage running the way Sloe ran. :D |
||
|
|||
May 13 2007, 02:09 PM
Post
#12
|
|
Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,159 Joined: 12-April 07 From: Ork Underground Member No.: 11,440 |
Here is the write up for his background....SINer(Criminal maybe?)
He is 5'6" in height, 165 pounds in weight. Royce is a average looking guy, brown hair medium length, brown eyes, light tan. Could pass for a light skinned Hispanic, Caucasian, or Amerindian. His clothes are in good repair, not new nor worn old. Tends to wear slightly tinted sunglasses. Where ever he goes he seems to be very in touch with his surroundings. His eyes seem to in constant movement and he seems to have more head movements than most. Background, Royce grew up in Texas near Paris, Texas. He parents had a rural farm/business out away from town. He has one older brother and two older sisters. Attended high school in Paris, and attended three years at Texas A&M University. Seems while he was attending college he fell into a different crowd of students. He first began exploring the various tunnels underneath the university there. He got a reputation for being able to warn his fellow tunnel explorers of those trying to catch them. It is illegal for students to be in those tunnels. Thru other tunnel explorers, he met up with various groups conducting a low key campaign against Aztlan, who had invaded Texas years ago. Names like Sons of Texas, Corps of Liberty, and The Fallen of the Alamo have been associated with his name. Of those various groups it seems there are some well financed backers of their activities. He made many ventures across the battle lines/borders in the Aztlan territory. His ability to spot things became more developed, the various groups backers offered up some perks to improve his skills in that area. Once he had his perks installed, he became even more useful to the various groups in their activities against the invaders. He learned to speak Spanish and to pass as a Hispanic. His ventures took him as far as Corpus Christi, San Antonio and El Paso. During his last venture into Aztlan territory, in El Paso, he was able to overheard a conversation between a Aztlan Intelligence Colonel and a operative. Seems the operative was discussing the Corps of Liberty activities and of Royce's role with that group. He recognized the operatives voice, as someone who he had worked with many times. After the operative left the presence of the Aztlan Intelligence Colonel, Royce followed him to his resting place. Once there Royce, reported it to those in the Corps of Liberty. He then watched and waited. He was able to record all of the activities of the operative until others arrive to deal with the traitor operative. He made his way back into Texas and CAS. Once there he decided that he had been burned for any activities in the Aztlan territories. He various groups he worked with agreed, but extended an offer to take up his services at some later time. |
|
|
May 13 2007, 06:13 PM
Post
#13
|
|
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 811 Joined: 30-January 07 From: Portland, OR Member No.: 10,845 |
Hate to crash your party, and I love your character, but Im pretty sure you way overspent, Im counting 210BP on attributes, 192BP on skills, 10CP on contacts (14-Chax2), and +5BP on qualities. Now before even paying for Resources (which I see you have a lot of), you are already 7BP over. Are there anyhouse BP rules to explain this or will we have to start helping you min-max :vegm:
|
|
|
May 13 2007, 06:27 PM
Post
#14
|
|||
Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 7,089 Joined: 4-October 05 Member No.: 7,813 |
would it help to point out he doesn't seem to mention when something is an augmented attribute as opposed to the base attribute? :P specifically, he has muscle toner and muscle augmentation 2 ;) i suspect that strength and agility should be 1(3) not 3. he also has cerebral booster 2, which may or may not indicate that logic should be 3(5), and he has reflex recorders on stealth group and perception, which may or may not make it stealth group 3(4) and perception 5(6), though it's hard to say. if you could clarify which are base stats and which are augmented, that would be helpful (given he's said 150 points on attributes, i'm guessing all of the attributes mentioned are in fact the augmented, not the base) |
||
|
|||
May 13 2007, 06:32 PM
Post
#15
|
|||
Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,159 Joined: 12-April 07 From: Ork Underground Member No.: 11,440 |
Hmm double check what the Blakkie spreadsheet is doing... Body 3(starting at a 1 going to 3 is net gain of 2 which costs 20) Agility 5(starting at a 1 going to a 3 is a net gain of 2 which costs 20, muscle toner adds 2 to the final score bringing it to 5) Reaction 3(starting at a 1 going to 3 is net gain of 2 which costs 20) Strength 5(starting at a 1 going to a 3 is a net gain of 2 which costs 20, muscle augmentation adds 2 to the final score bringing it to 5) Charisma 2(starting at a 1 going to 1 is net gain of 1 which costs 10) Intuition 4(starting at a 1 going to 4 is net gain of 3 which costs 30) Logic 5(starting at a 1 going to a 3 is a net gain of 2 which costs 20, cerebral booster adds 2 to the final score bringing it to 5) Willpower 3(starting at a 1 going to 3 is net gain of 2 which costs 20) Edge 2(started at 1, being human adds 1 free) Body 20 Agility 20 Reaction 20 Strength 20 Charisma 10 Intuition 30 Logic 20 Willpower 20 Edge 0 20+20+20+20+10+30+20+20+0=160 points SR 4th ed 4th print Page 73 "All characters start with the minimum attributes as noted for their metatype on the Metatype Attribute Table." That means all attributes are at least a 1. From what I can tell the Blakkie spreadsheet, I am using has figured the skill points correctly. Spreadsheet is showing 192 points spent on skills Contacts 16 points Qualities Positive 20 Negative -35 Yes Jaid all stats include any augmentation from bioware/cyberwear. My gaff. :D |
||
|
|||
May 13 2007, 07:19 PM
Post
#16
|
|
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 811 Joined: 30-January 07 From: Portland, OR Member No.: 10,845 |
Okay Im sorry about that, I thought you were paying for the attribute at 5, this makes more sense.
The spreadsheet is wrong about qualities cost. Aptitude(Perception) 10 Blandness 10 Addition Mild(Alcohol) +5 Allergy(Uncommon, Severe)Gold +15 Scorched +5 Which ends up at +/- 5 depending on whether you count up or down from 400. EDIT: Also, I think it is charging too much for contacts Bleu Dog (Fixer) 3/3 |6| Cookie(Chef/Food Expert 3/5 |8| 6+8 = 14, 14-4(Cha x 2) = 10BP |
|
|
May 13 2007, 09:04 PM
Post
#17
|
|
Target Group: Members Posts: 48 Joined: 9-March 07 Member No.: 11,188 |
Aptitude is usually worthless, more so if you do not max out the skill it is linked to. I suggest removing said quality and bumping up intuition to 5 with those points, which amongst other things will add 1 to your perception checks. Nice concept, by the way :) .
|
|
|
May 13 2007, 10:13 PM
Post
#18
|
|||
Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,159 Joined: 12-April 07 From: Ork Underground Member No.: 11,440 |
Well it is the "plan" to max out perception. :) But thanks for your suggestions. |
||
|
|||
May 13 2007, 11:03 PM
Post
#19
|
|
Bushido Cowgirl Group: Members Posts: 5,782 Joined: 8-July 05 From: On the Double K Ranch a half day's ride out of Phlogiston Flats Member No.: 7,490 |
...I must concur, definitely a neat idea, and could be a very useful member of a runner team. My only misgiving is the 1 IP (of course this kinda works with his street handle). I would have at least take Wired or Synaptic 1. Yes he may not be a primary combatant but if caught in the open against someone who is boosted, he will be a sitting duck unless he dives for cover on his first and only IP.
I always believed Perception to be incredibly important (& all my characters have at least a couple levels + some enhancement (implanted or worn). It can be the difference between the team being "at the ready" or walking into an surprise situation unawares. I would have opted for taking the Electronics Group at 4. This would increase both his data search and Computer skill (which figure into the pools of his Browse and Analyze programmes). I would also look at a few more of the Common Use programmes such as Edit (useful if he wishes to use Nanopaste disguises), and Scan (useful for knowing who else is out there even when you are not a hacker). Since he has two Ranged Combat related skills he could ditch the Throwing Weapons skill and apply the 12 BPs to the cost of the skill group. After the character enters play, he can improve the individual skills independently with Karma The only downside I see to this is that since Sloe is not a hacker, he has kind of a useless skill in Software at 4. (Personally, my take is that the Software skill should have been included in the Cracking Group & Electronics Warfare skill in Electronics Group since the EW also comes into play when using non-matrix based surveillance countermeasures. You could also drop the First aid skill (pretty useless at rating 1 as you can only heal as many damage blocks as you have rating in the skill). This would free up another 4 BPs that could go to your Electronic Warfare, or Automatics skill or purchasing a couple specialisations. With Hardware and Logic, you don't need the sequencer for it doesn't add to the dice pool as the autopicker does to Lockpicking (p227). With the change to Flechette damage in the FAQ release, I would drop the Ares Viper in favour of something like a Hammerli 650 or Fichetti Security loaded with Stick & Shock rounds. In the scenario I ran last night, S&S proved to be very effective in taking down targets since it cuts the Impact armour value by half & has an extra side effect. Since he has Automatics skill he has access to other weapons with burst fire capability including machine pistols. I also agree with Nostalgic Jester on the Aptitude quality. Since Sloe only has 160 BPs applied to attributes it would be better spent on raising Intuition to 5 (which would also add 3 to the Knowledge skill pool and add +1 to his Initiative). |
|
|
May 13 2007, 11:10 PM
Post
#20
|
|
Old Man of the North Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 9,666 Joined: 14-August 03 From: Just north of the Centre of the Universe Member No.: 5,463 |
Many minds processing the same data can come up with wonderful new ideas. I too had never thought that reflex recorders could be used for the Perception skill. Cool.
|
|
|
May 14 2007, 01:03 AM
Post
#21
|
|
Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,159 Joined: 12-April 07 From: Ork Underground Member No.: 11,440 |
The concepts behind this character is that he can be in a bar and be able to overhear/record conversations at a nearby table, even though those at the nearby table have a white noise generator running. He could be the quiet drunk at the bar or slumped over at a nearby table.
He was designed to be a sneaking, eavesdropping peeping tom with both audio and visual recording abilities. As for his normal tactics when combat happens, if he gets the "chance" he will start using his smoke, thermal, flashpak etc grenades. Use of such types of grenades will level the playing field so to speak, the fastest initiative, still has low chance of hitting something he can not see. As for the opposition using ultrasound, well that is what the area jammer is for. I have a plan to have the area jammer linked to the "electronics" carried on him so he can reduce the effects of his own area jammer, so when he uses it, it screws over the opposition more than it does himself. But having been in many games where some of those who threw grenades and did not have "any" skill in doing so, made things very fun for the GM and "interesting" for the rest of the party. So I will keep the Thrown Weapons skill but will tweek the skill with specialization in grenades. Also grenade launchers have a minimum range so dropping them near oneself is impossible. So I do not see him have Heavy Weapons skill. Being the "normal" looking being, most of the time the opposition is seeking out the Trolls(Thug Bunnies) and or Mages. So unless he makes himself obnoxious he "should" not be high on the oppositions list of who to shoot/cast on first. I will keep the aptitude ability for perception, if and when he ever gets to a 7 in perception... things will be interesting to say the least. :) I will remove First Aide and see about reshuffling some skills and seeing how much I can get Electronics group too. I have played under several "hard arsed" GM's, most of them did not use "linear" adventure runs, so if we the players found a way, achieve the objective with out large amounts of violence, we did not get penalized. We did have one GM who tried using "linear" adventures against us, he gave up on "linears" after almost every time we short circuited his plans. but he found out that having players like our selves made things for him also. :D I have found in game play and from in RL if one goes somewhere expecting a "fight" one usually gets what they expect. So when I play a "recon" character I usually carry a knife, no not a great axe, but just a knife, into most recons. Why you ask, if all you have is a knife and the opposition you are trying to sneak around has firearms, you tend to think very carefully about your actions, since you know if a fire fight breaks out, you will more than likely get body bagged. The sequencer is fairly cheap, but look again at that. The viper slivergun is silent naturally, but I have yet to have read thru the FAQ on Flechette damage. Will read thru it and make changes needed. As for reflex recorders being used to aide in perception, but that is the way I read the rules in the book. Yes that abit of a "rules lawyer" coming out, but rules evolve due to such "rules lawyering" attempts like the one with reflex recorders. :) Thanks to all for their suggestions/comments. |
|
|
May 14 2007, 01:27 AM
Post
#22
|
|
Bushido Cowgirl Group: Members Posts: 5,782 Joined: 8-July 05 From: On the Double K Ranch a half day's ride out of Phlogiston Flats Member No.: 7,490 |
...my bad on the throwing skill. Missed seeing the Grenades on the bottom of the gear list. One thing, with thrown grenades they go off on the thrower's next IP or end of the combat turn whichever comes first. This would still give a quicker character time to react before it detonates (as my character Hurricane Hannah unfortunately found out).
I can see the thing about the GL minimum range, but again, if the oppos get a chance to fire back before the grenade goes off, the character could be in a world of hurt since he already used his IP. In earlier editions of SR Demolitions skill covered a wider variety of situations allowing the character to also rig grenades to explode as he or she saw fit. In the SR4 description of the skill it only seems to cover determining the amount of explosive needed and placement for maximum effect. |
|
|
May 14 2007, 01:35 AM
Post
#23
|
|
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 113 Joined: 11-July 06 Member No.: 8,863 |
one runner i was going a run with taped a thermal smoke grenade to the back of his bike when trying to get away once via/ gecko gloves, which made the people in the pursuing car crash when they failed their perception check to see the building in front of them.
|
|
|
May 14 2007, 02:46 AM
Post
#24
|
|
Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,696 Joined: 17-February 07 From: Middle Sized City, Ontario, Canada Member No.: 11,025 |
Hey ManySkins can you post a run log when you get this guy going, he looks like he'd be fun to watch. I'd suggest skillwires to get more skills but it might not fit your style, concept, or essence remaining. I like skillwires because they give you instant mad skills. Which is nice in a pinch. :)
|
|
|
May 14 2007, 03:46 AM
Post
#25
|
|
Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 7,116 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 1,449 |
You should put the ultrasound sensor in your eyes to save some essense, since you still have capacity left (I didn't think an ultrasound sensor could go in cybereyes, until someone else on the board pointed out that the bounty hunter archetype had it that way).
|
|
|
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 24th April 2024 - 06:39 AM |
Topps, Inc has sole ownership of the names, logo, artwork, marks, photographs, sounds, audio, video and/or any proprietary material used in connection with the game Shadowrun. Topps, Inc has granted permission to the Dumpshock Forums to use such names, logos, artwork, marks and/or any proprietary materials for promotional and informational purposes on its website but does not endorse, and is not affiliated with the Dumpshock Forums in any official capacity whatsoever.