stupid/brutal.....but funny Options

[Critias]

It's amazing how a story about a ridiculous drop-kick to the gonads to kill someone can turn into a "fixed TNs suck" versus "TN 7 sucks" argument.

[Jaid]

am i missing something about shadowrun d8 that didn't fix the floating TN problem with 7, 13, 19, etc?

[Kerenshara]

And your point is? I never claimed Floating TNs were perfect either, but they do scale better then Fixed TNs.

My point was just that "scalability" in either version has some odd bumps and baubles.

[Ravor]

Actually what I think is really funny is the fact that at lower dicepools I prefer Fixed TNs.

[Dikotana]

My group uses a homebrew system that has semi-fixed TNs that scale with the lunar calendar. We have to use two decks of cards and 2d8 for each d10 rolled, but it balances perfectly!

[Cheops]

I had a player once who thought that a gnome physad with 2 monowire yo-yos would be a cool concept. The yo-yos had lights in them and he performed shows under the street name "Mr. Sparkles." Somehow this creature was able to make it through to the end of Brainscan and was trying to get out of the Arcology along with everyone else. They made it to a security control room where they were going to use the cameras and maps to figure a way out. However, there were 2 anthroform drones holding shotguns defending the place. At this point the gnome is using cable and electrical wire as his whips.

Mr. Sparkles: Is the shotgun welded to their hands?
GM: What do you mean?
Mr. Sparkles: Are they holding them or is it built in?
GM: They're holding them.
Mr. Sparkles : Okay I try to disarm them with my whip.
GM: You're going to try and disarm a drone with some wire?
Mr. Sparkles: Well they're only holding them so I should be able to.
GM: Theoretically...but I mean they're machines. Their grip is hydraulic or something like that. They're very strong.
Mr. Sparkles: But it can be done so I'm going to try.
(relying on his twinked out pile of dice which was his one-trick wonder. Rolls two big fistfuls and doesn't get a single 6)
GM: Okay you fail to disarm the robot. It turns to you and fires the shotgun. (Rolls dice and stages to something that = instant death)
Mr.Sparkles: (who tricked out dodge as his only other trick, rolls and does pretty well) Okay I manage to get it back down to a point where I'm not dead. I try vaulting over the console to get some cover.
GM: Roll.
(Rolls another double fist full of dice and comes up with nothing.)
Mr. Sparkles: Whu?... I karma pool and try again. (click clack...nada -- no buying successes in SR3 and certainly not in combat)
GM: As nimble as Mr. Sparkles is his experience in the UV host must have affected his jumping ability. You fail to make it over the console and are now in the full blast of the shotgun. Mr. Sparkles is now a gnome pate splattered all over the console. Those of you watching outside what do you do?
Other Players: Uh...we try to find a different way out.

The Mr. Sparkles player ended up storming out of that session upset that he couldn't disarm the drones. Felt that I'd set the TN unfairly high (even after a warning that it'd be tough). There is sometimes a big advantage to Fixed TNs. For silly players like this guy was it is easier to understand the chances behind getting X number of 5s when he sees his dice pool being raped by penalties. When he still gets his 20 odd dice but the TN is in the double digits it is harder to visualize.

[hobgoblin]

mostly it adds a whole extra level of noise...

[resident-securit...]

It's amazing how a story about a ridiculous drop-kick to the gonads to kill someone can turn into a "fixed TNs suck" versus "TN 7 sucks" argument.

0.o very true

[Blade]

Regarding OP's story, I'd have the glass inflict some damage on the character. I don't remember SR3 damage scale good enough to tell which damage code I'd use (anyway with a security armor it shouldn't be a problem). In my games I warn players who wants to jump through a window that we're not in Hollywood and glass shards cut (except if the glass was made not to).