The Tournament Request, Let's See Your Assassins Options

[Drraagh]

Thirty Assassins all seeking to prove they are the best. Convicted felons running for their freedom through a maze of deathtraps while being chased. A number of average, everyday people being chosen by the lottery to compete in a fight to the death. A number of ordinary people hiding from a number of specially trained agents to complete objectives and successfully escape the maze to win cash.

That is: The movie 'Tournament', the movie 'Running Man', the movie 'Series 7: The Contenders' and finally, the TV show 'Cha$e'. Now, I am thinking of having, as background color to my game, a series where the various killers will compete against each other. I don't want to make it where the players can take part. At least not the first game. I was thinking about getting them to that point by entering them into one of those Citywide Laser Tag or Water Gun assassination contests, to get them thinking that way. But I wanted to give them a 'final round' that was hinted at ahead of time.

As such, I figure it might be fun to see what you all come up with as some of the top of the line killers out there, and then use their stats in their encounters. If you want to include some writeup on personality, strategies, etc, could even add to local color and I could post some reports about who takes out who. Part of me was thinking about taking a city map and turning it into like a Scotland Yard type board (I was seeing some commercials for the new Clue! game and it looks similar).

This is an example of the board for those of you who haven't played the game, you're chasing Mr. X around Scotland as agents of Scotland Yard. There are like thirty moves, and you don't get to see Mr. X move. Just his starting position and every fifth position or something like that. You can take a cab, bus or subway, depending on the square you're on and the number of tokens you have for each. You have to predict where Mr. X is going and try to cut him off with your agents. Can be a fun game.

Anyway, creating a map with different routes like that allows that the targets will encounter each other, but the question is in what order and what route they take to do so. I can even include updates if people are interested to see how the game goes. If people provide anything, that is. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I can make the assassins myself, but in the end, it gives variety to see people creating them their way.

I don't know how magic would play into this, because some spells really could short out the contest. But for now, I think the basics are make your assassins, and we'll see how they fare. But when they start, they only get a few melee/ranged weapons, so no drones or anything like that. Nothing saying they can't make/buy/steal/etc, but just not starting out with them.

If people don't like this, feel free to object. I'm just spitballing ideas and think it could be fun.

[crash2029]

If I am understanding this properly you want us to post assassin builds, right? If so then what are the criteria for the builds? Are we using standard chargen? Karmagen? Priority? Houserules? I think it is an interesting idea but (at least for me) I need a little more in the way of guidelines for making death-dealers.

I am looking forward to this. It should be interesting.

[Drraagh]

If I am understanding this properly you want us to post assassin builds, right? If so then what are the criteria for the builds? Are we using standard chargen? Karmagen? Priority? Houserules? I think it is an interesting idea but (at least for me) I need a little more in the way of guidelines for making death-dealers.

I am looking forward to this. It should be interesting.

I will look into it for builds, but I figure a high level point build would be the best way to do it. Probably something out of the reach of a normal character out of CG since these are the best of the best of the best. I came up with the idea at like four hours before having to leave for work (so I finally went to sleep and got maybe two or three hours sleep).

[Glyph]

Actually, you can create some decent assassin builds with the basic 400 points. Here is an exotic, graceful Wakyambi assassin. I posted a similar build in another thread, but this version is less of a one-trick pony. New to Seattle and trying to get out of his debt to his fixer, he would naturally gravitate towards this potentially lucrative contest.

[ Spoiler ]

Name: Mburu (Top Wire)
Gender: Male
Race: Elf - Wakyambi

BREAKDOWN (400 Points)
Core Attributes: 190
Special Attributes: 20
Race (Wakyambi): 35
Active Skills: 112
Qualities: -10
Contacts: 6
Resources: 47

=Attributes=
Body: 4(5)
Agility: 5(10)
Reaction: 4(9)
Strength: 2(3)
Charisma: 3
Intuition: 5
Logic: 2(3)
Willpower: 5
Edge: 3

Essence: 0.30
Initiative: 14
Initiative Passes: 3
Physical Damage Track: 11
Stun Track: 11

Current Karma: 0
Total Karma: 0
Street Cred: 0
Noteriety: 0
Public Awareness: 0

=Qualities=
In Debt (30)
Genetic Heritage: Reakt
Nano-Intolerance
Restricted Gear (x 3)

=Active Skills=
Dodge/Ranged: 4(6)/+2
Etiquette: 1
Infiltration: 4
Long Arms/Sniping Rifles: 4/+2
Monofilament Whip: 4(5)
Perception/Visual: 3/+2
Pistols/Semi-Automatic: 6(7)/+2

=Knowledge Skills=
Languages>
African(tribal dialect): N
English: 6

Other>
Bodily Augmentation SOTA: 3
Guerrilla Combat Tactics: 4
Paranormal Critters: 3
Safe Houses: 2
Seattle Black Market: 3

=Cyberware=
Attention Coprocessor: 3
Cyberears I with:
>Damper
>Increased Sensitivity
>Select Sound Filter: 2
Cybereyes II with:
>Flare Compensation
>Low-Light Vision
>Protective Covers (1-way reflective)
>Smartlink
>Vision Magnification
Fingertip Compartment with:
>Monofilament Whip
Internal Air Tank
Move-by-Wire: 2
Radar Sensor: 4
Skillwire Expert System

=Bioware=
Cerebral Booster: 1
Muscle Toner: 4
Reflex Recorders
>Monofilament Whip
>Pistols
Suprathyroid Gland

=Transgenics=
Reakt

=Contacts=
Fixer (Connection: 4/Loyalty: 2)

=Lifestyle=
Low (1 Month prepaid)
Starting Money: 3d6 x 50 Nuyen

=Equipment=
ID/Credsticks:
Fake ID (Rating: 4); Fake Gun Registration, Pistol (Rating: 4); Fake Concealed Carry Permit (Rating: 4); Fake Bioware Registration (Rating: 4); Fake Cyberware Registration (Rating: 4) x 2; 4 Certified Credsticks.

DocWagon Contract:
Basic (1 Year).

Weapons:
>Walther Secura Kompakt (smartlinked version) with skinlink, concealable holster, silencer, 90 normal rounds and 90 gel rounds of ammo, 6 spare clips.
>Walther MA 2100 Sniper Rifle with skinlink, silencer, trombone carrying case (100 Nuyen), 100 regular rounds of ammo, 3 spare clips.

Armor/Clothing:
Armor Jacket, FFBA half suit, PPP (forearm guards and shin guards - discrete protection version), Chameleon Suit with Thermal Dampening: 6; 2,000 Nuyen worth of assorted clothing.

Commlink/Software/Simsense:
Sony Emperor Commlink with Renraku Ichi OS, skinlink, sim module, trodes, and subvocal mic; Utilities (Browse: 2, Command: 2, Edit: 2, and Encrypt: 2); Mapsoft (Seattle metroplex, Rating: 6), Datasoft (Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War' annotated version with commentaries, Rating: 6), Virtual Surround Music, Electronic Paper.

Other:
Military-surplus duffel bag (50 Nuyen cost), Survival Kit, Medkit (Rating: 6) with 5 refills, Tag Eraser, Metal Restraints.


=Background=
Mburu was born in a lab somewhere in South Africa, part of an experiment to breed the next generation of augmented killers. Another group mounted an attack on the lab. His fellow test subjects fought the invaders, but Mburu, seeing that the other side was bringing much superior force to bear, did not see the logic in staying for a losing battle. Instead, he fled.

He wound up in Seattle, eventually, hopefully far enough away from both sides, if either of them even remain. He is in debt to his fixer, who helped him get set up with a new identity and get settled in. He hopes that his skills in the art of dealing violence will eventually let him pay off this debt and become a successful professional.

=Description=
Mburu is tall and thin, like most of his metatype, with sharp, chiseled features. He disdains tattoos and piercings, which he considers puny and insignificant things compared to the augmentations which make him superior to the majority of metahumanity. He prefers looser, flowing styles of clothing.

=Personality=
Mburu is a killer, and sees little wrong with that. It's simply something he's good at. He smiles to himself at the hypocrisy of most people, who decry killing, until THEY need someone killed. It can be a bit disconcerting to see how "normal" he seems otherwise. He is amused by the elf-philia he has encountered in Seattle. He considers himself a superior being, to be sure, but not because of the minor difference which is his metatype. Rather, it is his extensive bodily modifications which have evolved him past the common herd.

[Ravor]

Although I like the basic idea of the show, I'm not sure that I agree that the assassins would be "the best of the best" and would instead focus on showsmanship as opposed to things that really work in the real world.

[Drraagh]

Ravor, I will admit I don't disagree, but in the end what a lot of the games of skill like Running Man and Tournament come down to is how good you are. Sure, you can be able to put on a good show, but in the end, you're being given your prize only if you win. Unlike CP2020 where the rules are basically style over substance, this is looking for competence. The Tournament was made for the top assassins. I suppose you could make it the most showy as well, and would be fun that way too.

[Cthulhudreams]

Wouldn't the ultimate character in a Scotland Yard style scenario be a character with a sniper rifle and divination?

Find out where he is going to be

Be there with a sniper rifle.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Wouldn't the ultimate character in a Scotland Yard style scenario be a character with a sniper rifle and divination?

Find out where he is going to be

Be there with a sniper rifle.

That is an interesting soution...

Keep the Faith

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Ravor, I will admit I don't disagree, but in the end what a lot of the games of skill like Running Man and Tournament come down to is how good you are. Sure, you can be able to put on a good show, but in the end, you're being given your prize only if you win. Unlike CP2020 where the rules are basically style over substance, this is looking for competence. The Tournament was made for the top assassins. I suppose you could make it the most showy as well, and would be fun that way too.

I will jump in on this one and say this...

Top Flight, Stone-Cold Professional Assassins would probably not come anywhere within a thousand miles of such a scenario... they make their living on being anonymous, this is completely counter to everything that they would truly believe in...

It will, however, draw all of the fairly competent wanna be assassins, and yes, they would probably try to ham it up a bit to prove that they are just that good... Should be somewhat entertaining to watch...

Keep the Faith

[Glyph]

The kind of assassins who would enter a tournament against other top killers, when they can make big bucks plunking some schmuck from a distance, would tend to be like shadowrunners. They would be people in desperate circumstances (part of why I kept the In Debt flaw for my own contribution), freaks, and headcases. The producers would probably also screen people to get "interesting" contestants.

That said, you could still get some very deadly people competing in this. Especially if some of the underworld factions see it in the same light as the corporations see Desert Wars. Namely, a chance to put in a heavy hitter to demonstrate their superiority over the other criminal elements.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

The kind of assassins who would enter a tournament against other top killers, when they can make big bucks plunking some schmuck from a distance, would tend to be like shadowrunners. They would be people in desperate circumstances (part of why I kept the In Debt flaw for my own contribution), freaks, and headcases. The producers would probably also screen people to get "interesting" contestants.

That said, you could still get some very deadly people competing in this. Especially if some of the underworld factions see it in the same light as the corporations see Desert Wars. Namely, a chance to put in a heavy hitter to demonstrate their superiority over the other criminal elements.

Sure, I cannot argue with that logic... I just do not see the cream of the crop participating...

Keep the Faith

[toturi]

Wouldn't the ultimate character in a Scotland Yard style scenario be a character with a sniper rifle and divination?

Find out where he is going to be

Be there with a sniper rifle.

On that we are agreed and probably with high Intuition and one or two high rating Knowledge skills.

[Platinum]

Sure, I cannot argue with that logic... I just do not see the cream of the crop participating...

Keep the Faith

I drew the same conclusion. Remember that old movie Leon. He was professional, and no way would he be in something like that. Assassins are cold calculating and usually driven by something deeper. Of course there are a few other movies out there where characters had to bump off the reigning king in order to move into place, but 30?

I do love the idea, but see it happening a different way.

[Cthulhudreams]

On that we are agreed and probably with high Intuition and one or two high rating Knowledge skills.

I feel divination is the best ability in the game. Knowing what the other guy is going to do before he even thinks about doing is just amazing. It's like playing rock - paper - scissors when you already know what move the other guy is going to make.

[Glyph]

But remember that very specific information is a Threshold: 4 test, and that there are also going to be 28 other people mucking around. Divination rules, but it is better for singular events. It would be less useful in this kind of competition.

[Cthulhudreams]

Sorry, I was just thinking of the Board Game Scotland Yard where it is 'find one guy' - in which case it works brilliantly, but maybe not so much in a 28 player FFA.

[Drraagh]

Well, the Scotland Yard example was mostly trying to think of a way to make the game 'fair' from a OOC standpoint. I mean, thinking from an automation view, it would be really easy to turn it into something like those old 'program your bot and let it loose in an arena' games I've seen before. You give each person a set of parameters, like this one will be reckless and go charging in, this one will hang back and let two people duke it out only to come in and then kill the winner when they're distracted. Another may be a hider, making the others come to them into an ambush.

All of those would be able to be predicted by a computer or even just written into their personalities that they would follow. Turning it into a sort of 'Game of Life', where each of the cells would react a different way and the gameplay would emerge from it.

And after reading some of the posts, yes, I agree these wouldn't be the most 'professional' type of assassins, but classifying someone as a top assassin can be hard work. I mean, think about how many of the professionals don't have their name tied to anything. Yes, it makes them a 'professional', but from an outsider's perspective, ten people could say they did that job is there's no way to prove who actually did it since they didn't get themselves known. But that's just an idle thought; so yes, these would be the most 'fame seeking, showy' assassins because their records would be known, as opposed to the 'invisible, gone line a ghost' assassins.

[3278]

We regularly play PC vs PC combat contests - called Omnidrome - in SR3, usually as an out-of-continuity way of blowing off steam and honing our understanding of the combat system. Two types of characters win most regularly:

1. Magic users. "I'm invisible, floating a mile above your head. I see you, you die." Even in more closed quarters, with more possible cover and concealment, one-on-one, a well-designed spellcaster is very difficult to defeat with a mundane character, largely because the system wasn't designed for this kind of balance. [The mage is usually there to help the sam, not to kill him. Usually.] That's certainly something to keep in mind when developing the setting, rules, and allowable characters, even in SR4.

2. Characters played by clever people. We've had a player take the Street Kid archetype and win against well-designed shadowrunners, because of player cleverness. [If you require your PC vs PC combat to be in-character, this obviously won't work, as the Street Kid as written isn't going to have the tactical knowledge or raw intellect to pull this off.] Ultimately, the numbers on the sheet matter far, far less than the mind of the tactician...but they do, I freely admit, help.

[Stahlseele]

Troll with Big huge Bow. Anything he can see, he can pretty reliably kill too.
Combine with ultimate Mundane Climber Built to get into Shooting position.
Factor in Poisoned Arrow tips and even if the initial hit does not splatter the target, as long as it is a hit, it is enough for contact/injection vector Poison to do the rest.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Troll with Big huge Bow. Anything he can see, he can pretty reliably kill too.
Combine with ultimate Mundane Climber Built to get into Shooting position.
Factor in Poisoned Arrow tips and even if the initial hit does not splatter the target, as long as it is a hit, it is enough for contact/injection vector Poison to do the rest.

Agreed... But realistically, when the troll fires that small tree at the target, does it really matter that is has poison on it... it never mattered for my Troll with a Bow...

Keep the Faith

[Stahlseele]

Well, in Shadowrun, Miracles DO happen from time to time . . maybe the target is still alive with just one box . . then the poison kicks in and BAM! ^^
Also, SR3 Troll-Bows were pretty much as bad as it gets . . i still have my Robin Blood built that can do 22M Damage over 1000m completely silent.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Well, in Shadowrun, Miracles DO happen from time to time . . maybe the target is still alive with just one box . . then the poison kicks in and BAM! ^^
Also, SR3 Troll-Bows were pretty much as bad as it gets . . i still have my Robin Blood built that can do 22M Damage over 1000m completely silent.

My Troll was not quite that bad, but he was indeed close...

Keep the Faith

[Stahlseele]

And a Target Number of 2 + Modificators over any kind of distance too. That was pretty hardcore i will admit.
And in Close Combat 24M Damage. Plus 10D Stun after a successfull attack. Yes, i know, i am horrible =^.^=

[Glyph]

Unfortunately , troll bows got nerfed pretty badly in SR4A - you can only get up to Strength: 8 on bows now, barely better than a heavy crossbow. Not that 10P is bad, by any means. And someone definitely needs to stat up a troll archer/climber assassin. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

[Stahlseele]

I'd circumvent that by specifically having my troll look for older bows that are still made from car suspensions and steel wire, instead of this newfangled shape shifting metal . . much too weak . .
But that one is still easy.
Look up the ultimate mundane climber built. high Strength in there allready, just give him bow skill at reasonable level and you are done.
By the way, just what is the explanation for that nerf anyway?
Aside from people bitching about it too much?