Laser Weaponry: Worth it?, Cool, but worth the Nuyen? Options

[Aberrant]

So my current character is a merc and weaponsmith. I have been debating having his gun dealer contact begin searching the shadows for an Ares Redline Laser Pistol (Arsenal p.41) and a couple of Peak Discharge Packs (Arsenal p. 36).

I actually sunk some BP into Exotic Ranged Weapon: Lasers in hopes of being somewhat useful with them, and I will be honest: it seems too cool to not at least own one (and totally in character for a guy who collects firearms).

Is the damage, however, worth the cost and the highly illegal nature of the weapon?

Pros:

• Impact Armor, and only half that
• Absolutely no recoil
• Intimidating as hell (situational)

Cons:

• Totally illegal
• Expensive
• Small Ammo Capacity (Satchel notwithstanding)
• Low Rate of Fire

I assume that, since Laser weapons can accept top and under mounted accessories, that these can indeed be smartlinked, so, my character would have a "decent" (Depending on your table) die pool of Agility 6 + ERW 2 + Smart 2 =10
Not the best, but again, no recoil and decent penetration.

As an aside, are there any 'legal' versions of the Peak Discharge Pack? Because the Sonic Rifle from Ares uses them as well, and it is a perfectly legal weapon, but the ammunition is Availability F?

[Starmage21]

So my current character is a merc and weaponsmith. I have been debating having his gun dealer contact begin searching the shadows for an Ares Redline Laser Pistol (Arsenal p.41) and a couple of Peak Discharge Packs (Arsenal p. 36).

I actually sunk some BP into Exotic Ranged Weapon: Lasers in hopes of being somewhat useful with them, and I will be honest: it seems too cool to not at least own one (and totally in character for a guy who collects firearms).

Is the damage, however, worth the cost and the highly illegal nature of the weapon?

Pros:

• Impact Armor, and only half that
• Absolutely no recoil
• Intimidating as hell (situational)

Cons:

• Totally illegal
• Expensive
• Small Ammo Capacity (Satchel notwithstanding)
• Low Rate of Fire

I assume that, since Laser weapons can accept top and under mounted accessories, that these can indeed be smartlinked, so, my character would have a "decent" (Depending on your table) die pool of Agility 6 + ERW 2 + Smart 2 =10
Not the best, but again, no recoil and decent penetration.

As an aside, are there any 'legal' versions of the Peak Discharge Pack? Because the Sonic Rifle from Ares uses them as well, and it is a perfectly legal weapon, but the ammunition is Availability F?

Laws are subject to change, especially around election time (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) If Ares' Sonic Rifle uses a forbidden item as ammunition, then you might expect them to lobby various governments to be able to make the battery packs more available.

[Aberrant]

Laws are subject to change, especially around election time (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) If Ares' Sonic Rifle uses a forbidden item as ammunition, then you might expect them to lobby various governments to be able to make the battery packs more available.

I am sure that Ares Macrotechnology is spending millions of (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) doing just that. I mean, to support the "ability for every metahuman to defend themselves with the best in less-than-lethal weaponry".

Read: to sell more product

[Rotbart van Dain...]

Short range laser weapons aren't that useful.

Long range, on the other hand... the ability to hit anything you can see, without any relevant deviation should be extremely ugly.

Then again, given to completely crappy rules for the missile defense system, it doesn't even matter.

[Mr. Mage]

I believe only one question need be asked when determining whether or not a laser weapon is needed:
"Am I as Badass as Han Solo?"

If you answered yes to the above question, then some sort of laser weapon is not only acceptable, but required.
If you answered no, then you should go home and cry because you will never amount to anything as a Runner.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (Hehehe...jk)

On a more serious note:
I can't say too much about the perks of laser weaponry since most of my characters have the Gremlin quality (Tech falls apart). I don't use them.
But on legality, whats to stop you from owning something illegal? You're a shadowrunner, almost everything you do is illegal. And what's stopping you from (A) Making your own battery packs, since they are electronics or (B) Stealing from a megacorp?

[Aberrant]

I believe only one question need be asked when determining whether or not a laser weapon is needed:
"Am I as Badass as Han Solo?"

If you answered yes to the above question, then some sort of laser weapon is not only acceptable, but required.
If you answered no, then you should go home and cry because you will never amount to anything as a Runner.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (Hehehe...jk)

On a more serious note:
I can't say too much about the perks of laser weaponry since most of my characters have the Gremlin quality (Tech falls apart). I don't use them.
But on legality, whats to stop you from owning something illegal? You're a shadowrunner, almost everything you do is illegal. And what's stopping you from (A) Making your own battery packs, since they are electronics or (B) Stealing from a megacorp?

Oh trust me, my character has plenty of illegal gear. But sometimes the illegality is a bit intense is all. But I have decided, definitely gonna go and try and grab the Redline. It'll be nice to have something to pull out for those special situations where silent, discreet killing power is required.

[HappyDaze]

Are SR laser weapons silent? Do they have an invisible discharge? If both of these are answered 'yes' then the weapon has many more perks for a runner.

[Dakka Dakka]

Could you please point out where in RAW it says that LASERs have no recoil.

As a disadvantage you forgot that the damage decreases with range and in poor weather.

LASERs are cool but the rules really suck.

I bet an automatic weapon with Tracer Ammo looks just as cool and is alot more reliable, and can be made recoilless as well. Maybe that even works with high velocity weapons. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ork.gif)

[Mr. Mage]

Could you please point out where in RAW it says that LASERs have no recoil.

As a disadvantage you forgot that the damage decreases with range and in poor weather.

LASERs are cool but the rules really suck.

I bet an automatic weapon with Tracer Ammo looks just as cool and is alot more reliable, and can be made recoilless as well. Maybe that even works with high velocity weapons. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ork.gif)

I don't know if it does say whether lasers are recoilless or not, but it would make sense if it has anything to do with lasers (as in RL lasers).
While such things have not been weaponized to this extent yet, those applications that do utilize lasers rarely have a "recoil" and even when they do, its usually because of some other part of the machine.

[Traul]

Could you please point out where in RAW it says that LASERs have no recoil.

In Arsenal description of laser weapons.

[Aberrant]

Could you please point out where in RAW it says that LASERs have no recoil.

As a disadvantage you forgot that the damage decreases with range and in poor weather.

LASERs are cool but the rules really suck.

I bet an automatic weapon with Tracer Ammo looks just as cool and is alot more reliable, and can be made recoilless as well. Maybe that even works with high velocity weapons. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ork.gif)

First paragraph under laser weapons (Arsenal, p. 41) - Laser Weapons cause no recoil and are resisted with half Impact armor (rounded up).

No word if they are silent and invisible. I made an assumption there however. I would lean towards totally silent, the visible aspect really could go either way.

[Heath Robinson]

Laser weapons cause no recoil and are resisted with half Impact armor (rounded up).

[Aberrant]

Hmm. I may change to the Ares MP Laser 3. 12 grand upfront. A satchel pack, worn on a combat vest and connected via cable is 700 nuyen for 15 shots.

Now, if my GM lets me make a firing selection change from SA to Burst Fire, I'd have one hell of a weapon

[HappyDaze]

In any event, I would probably not allow man-portable laser weapons to be modified to SA or FA unless you want a game-breaker. Fluff-wise, I don't think the tech is there yet in any event.

[Rotbart van Dain...]

Gamebreaker it ain't. Even if you upgrade to BF/FA, they still don't compare to regular weapons in atmosphere.

Ammo-breaker, it is - it would draw so much energy that you couldn't really use it.

Concerning the tech: Any laser is pulsed anyway.

[Aberrant]

Ok. My GM said "go for it" but he also said lasers are not silent or invisible.

I am sad. And it is hardly a game breaker. The MP 3 Laser rifle would be doing (assuming 2 short bursts) 10P up to 100 yards, 9 P up to 250. The no recoil is nice, but at 2 'rounds' of power per shot, it'd end up being a 5 trick pony.

Still would be fun however to burn a hole in some corpsec.

[Aberrant]

Also, just a thought - should the spell Improved Invisibility provide extra damage resistance test against lasers, being as it bends light around the target?

[Mr. Mage]

Ok. My GM said "go for it" but he also said lasers are not silent or invisible.

I am sad. And it is hardly a game breaker. The MP 3 Laser rifle would be doing (assuming 2 short bursts) 10P up to 100 yards, 9 P up to 250. The no recoil is nice, but at 2 'rounds' of power per shot, it'd end up being a 5 trick pony.

Still would be fun however to burn a hole in some corpsec.

I can see why lasers aren't silent or invisible, As a weapon, there is so much energy needed to deal any damage that it's essentially lightning, visible and accompanied by thunder. The "Sound" of the laser probably come from the energy superheating the air around it, just like thunder.

Edit: Also, it depends on the type of invisibilty, Improved, maybe, since it actually does bend light, but the normal invisibility spell just tricks the mind of the viewer into believing you aren't there, but does not hide you from cameras and other detection devices.

[Traul]

Also, just a thought - should the spell Improved Invisibility provide extra damage resistance test against lasers, being as it bends light around the target?

Maybe with 37 net hits, as there is MUCH more light to bend.

[Aberrant]

Maybe with 37 net hits, as there is MUCH more light to bend.

I was, for game purposes, simply using the same basic idea as silence and sonic weapons, but applied to lasers.

[paws2sky]

I was, for game purposes, simply using the same basic idea as silence and sonic weapons, but applied to lasers.

That seems reasonable.

-paws

[Dakka Dakka]

Does the Improved Invisibility Spell help against other devices that use lasers such as photoelectric sensors or range finders?

[Aberrant]

Does the Improved Invisibility Spell help against other devices that use lasers such as photoelectric sensors or range finders?

I imagine being invisible is a pretty good start to not being detected (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)
But that said, I'm not 100% - I know Improved Invisiblity affects machines, and that is all I know

[Mr. Mage]

Does the Improved Invisibility Spell help against other devices that use lasers such as photoelectric sensors or range finders?

As far as I can tell, the Improved Invisibilty actually warps the light around your body, rendering you invisible to electronic devices which rely on light rays. However, I don't know if it encompasses the entire Electromagnetic spectrum or just visible light. Basically, you need to figure what the device works on and whether that is covered in improved invisibility. For example, if improved invisibility also warps infrared radiation, then anything using infrared would be unable to detect whatever the spell is hiding. Examples of these devices would be Thermographic vision, IR goggles, heat sensors and ranged thermometers.

Also, as a bit of humor: If the spell covers Ultraviolet radiation as well, then it would work as a pretty good anti-sunburning method (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[TBRMInsanity]

In SR, Lasers have always been effective sniper weapons. No recoil, no way to identify the shooter, and no way to trace the wound to the gun (especially if your laser "fell of the back of a truck"). For high profile targets that have the resources behind them that could track you down quick if you use a bullet, I would consider laser weapons. As pointed out they are crappy in bad weather but if your doing a public assassination, what are the chances that it will be miserable out?