What skills do these weapons use? Options

[Tarantula]

I think this is the area that there is disagreement on - does Pistols (Semi-Automatics) mean Pistols with a specialisation in pistols with a semi-automatic firing mechanism or does it mean Pistols with a specialisation in firing them in the SA firing mode.

My view (and I didn't even think of the later option until I read this thread) is that it means pistols with a semi-automatic firing mechanism, in the same way that Pistols (Hold out) means any holdout pistol (irrespective of its firing mechanism), Pistols (Light Pistol) means any Light pistol and Pistols (Taser) means any taser.

To support that view I'd suggest looking at other firearm skills which don't (iirc - I'm at work and my books are at home) have specialisations like 'burst fire' or 'full burst' but instead have specialisations like 'sniper rifle', 'sport rifle' or 'smg'.

Kithran

So, if i buy an ares pred, and put on burst fire on it, i can still use the (semi-auto) firing spec?

[Kithran]

So, if i buy an ares pred, and put on burst fire on it, i can still use the (semi-auto) firing spec?

If I was the gm yes.

At the end of the day the gm should be the final arbiter - if you want clarification on how he will rule ask him.

And to turn the question on its head - would you have a problem with a player using Automatics(smg) using the spec for both SA and BF firing modes, because it is effectively the same thing.

Kithran

[Shiloh]

At the end of the day the gm should be the final arbiter - if you want clarification on how he will rule ask him.

QFE. True for all specialisations. It's the GM's decision on how broadly applicable any specialisation can be.

[Tarantula]

If I was the gm yes.

At the end of the day the gm should be the final arbiter - if you want clarification on how he will rule ask him.

And to turn the question on its head - would you have a problem with a player using Automatics(smg) using the spec for both SA and BF firing modes, because it is effectively the same thing.

Kithran

Hrm, perhaps it would've been clearer if they had spoken more towards the slide mechanism instead of the firing mode.

[Ranger]

If I was the gm yes.

At the end of the day the gm should be the final arbiter - if you want clarification on how he will rule ask him.

And to turn the question on its head - would you have a problem with a player using Automatics(smg) using the spec for both SA and BF firing modes, because it is effectively the same thing.

Kithran

That makes total sense to me, and I agree with this interpretation. Excellent point about SMGs.

Otherwise, it's odd to me that using the same weapon but with a different mode of fire requires a different specialization. The game simply doesn't go into that fine of differentiation between specializations.

[Kithran]

Hrm, perhaps it would've been clearer if they had spoken more towards the slide mechanism instead of the firing mode.

I think it could have been due to assumption on the part of the writer - afterall if you were to ask a non-shadowrun player to list types of pistols you would probably end up with some (or all) of the following - revolver, semi-automatic, flintlock, wheelock. The later two aren't relevant for shadowrun but the former two are both listed as specs.

Kithran

[Tarantula]

I think it could have been due to assumption on the part of the writer - afterall if you were to ask a non-shadowrun player to list types of pistols you would probably end up with some (or all) of the following - revolver, semi-automatic, flintlock, wheelock. The later two aren't relevant for shadowrun but the former two are both listed as specs.

Kithran

And, if I was asked for "types" of pistols, I'd probably start trying to name manufacturers. A bad assumption, I think.

[JBlades]

Hrm, perhaps it would've been clearer if they had spoken more towards the slide mechanism instead of the firing mode.

It is clearer, but only if you're aware that context is an integral part of the English language, and reading in general. There is no "burst" specialization listed under the pistol skill, there is a "revolver" specialization.