Wanted: Ghoul Hunters, Immunity to HMHVV, Own Gun, Some Travel Required Options

[Nifft]

If you were to recruit a team to take out ghoul nests, who would be in it?

Immunity to HMHVV:
- Pixies
- Naga
- Shapeshifters
- Dracoforms
- Free Spirit
- AI + drones

Some Protection from HMHVV:
- Rigger (assumes secure location)
- Mage + Astral Projection

Already Infected:
- PC ghouls?

- - -

I'm putting together an intro one-shot with the idea that it'll show some of the more unlikely stuff in the Runner's Companion. Has anyone run a game themed on ghoul-hunting, and care to share party composition & experiences?

Thanks, -- N

[Karoline]

If you were to recruit a team to take out ghoul nests, who would be in it?

Immunity to HMHVV:
- Shapeshifters
- Dracoforms
- Free Spirit
- AI + drones

Some Protection from HMHVV:
- Rigger (assumes secure location)
- Mage + Astral Projection

Already Infected:
- PC ghouls?

- - -

I'm putting together an intro one-shot with the idea that it'll show some of the more unlikely stuff in the Runner's Companion. Has anyone run a game themed on ghoul-hunting, and care to share party composition & experiences?

Thanks, -- N

I ran a game on the threads here that died out because I couldn't keep up with the work of running it, it was based on a zombie apocalypse scenario. You'd have to go dig through the 'welcome to the shadows' thread for it, last post was likely sometime in... November maybe of last year? Don't even remember what the game was called, but a search for 'zombie apocalypse' might bring it up.

Edit: Here they are.

[TBRMInsanity]

One of the best Vampire hunters in SR history was Martin DeVirus (a Vampire himself). Who knows their prey better then their own? If I was hunting infected though I would go the Mage and Rigger (with a crap load of droids) route myself. You don't want to mess around with HMHVV. I wouldn't even hold back on using FAT III if I could get my hands on it.

[Stahlseele]

complete cyber-replacement.
apply chem-seal to the body itself.

[Karoline]

Only problem with being a vampire hunting vampires is that it is hard to use some of their weaknesses against them. Can't stay out in the sun with them to make sure they dust (Not that they do in SR), or hold a wooden stake. Could still use wooden bullets I suppose.

The real problem with ghouls is that by the rules, the HMHVV is virtually impossible to resist, requiring 24 dice on average to fight off the power 8. It is also spread by simple contact not only with the ghoul itself, but with its blood, spit, or skin.

A sealed suit of armor would likely be the best line of defense for someone that isn't immune that deals with them in person. Military or something like that would be a good idea with a helmet that completely encloses the head. Then they'd have to actually bypass the armor (Deal P damage instead of S) to have any chance of infecting you.

Could throw in those nanites that give you a massive bonus against infections and such.

[Chainsaw Samurai]

HMHVV is ridiculously contagious. I've never agreed it should be simple contact with the ghoul, but more traditionally zombie styled: blood to wound contact, bodily fluid ingestion, or bite wounds. Under those circumstances, I'm alright with the absolutely asinine resistance tests with absolutely no outside help from magic or medicine.

Seriously, think about the current ability of that disease to be spread. Contact with the ghoul? Contact with spit, blood, skin? There is absolutely no way a disease that contagious with no cure or vaccine would be limited to a very small portion of the Seattle population. Especially since these things usually live in the sewers and other similarly dank areas where they have moderate access to the city's water supply. It wouldn't be long before, at a bare minimum, the entirety of the barrens was infected; then they go looking to higher class neighborhoods for food and continue spreading the disease. It is a little asinine as written.

The disease has ridiculous transmission methods and a penetration of neg six. Seriously?

[Stahlseele]

AH allready apologized for that.

[Martin_DeVries_I...]

Only problem with being a vampire hunting vampires is that it is hard to use some of their weaknesses against them. Can't stay out in the sun with them to make sure they dust (Not that they do in SR), or hold a wooden stake. Could still use wooden bullets I suppose....

Very true. My namesakes' best weapon in his fight against vampires was the special magical focus he had, which granted him additional Essence--very useful when fighting creatures that can drain E. Without that I doubt he'd be quite so feared.

Could throw in those nanites that give you a massive bonus against infections and such.

The nanites would be good as you can get them tailored to stop HMHVV. That may be the best bet for a character to avoid getting it.

[Stahlseele]

For technic mass production, go drones.
For magial mass production, go spirits.
For exotic technical, go full body replacement with chem-seal applied to the body directly.
For exotic natural go with any of the above mentioned ways.

[Traul]

Most sapient critters are immune too. A projecting mage or free spirit looks close to an I win button, unless the ghouls have planned serious astral defenses. It will probably be more fun for everyone if you forget those. If you want some spellslinging mojo, use a mystic adept instead.

[Magus]

But Ghouls don't even have the INFECTION power, so you would not really have to worry about that.

[Stahlseele]

They don't need that power.
They are carriers of HMHVV.
And that Disease has the contact vector.
After all, there is a quality of sterile carrier.
And that was one of the differences between NPCritter and PC ghouls under SR3, PC ghouls did not have infection, NPCritter ghouls did.

[Nifft]

Most sapient critters are immune too. A projecting mage or free spirit looks close to an I win button, unless the ghouls have planned serious astral defenses. It will probably be more fun for everyone if you forget those. If you want some spellslinging mojo, use a mystic adept instead.

Awesome, thanks: Pixie, Naga, and Centaur look good. Well, actually Centaur looks like it could be a bit unwieldy if the team had to sneak anywhere... hmm.

I see a lot of pixie builds around here, so those must be decent, right?

How is the Naga in play? Seems to have armor issues, if recent threads are any indication.

[Mordinvan]

Only problem with being a vampire hunting vampires is that it is hard to use some of their weaknesses against them. Can't stay out in the sun with them to make sure they dust (Not that they do in SR), or hold a wooden stake. Could still use wooden bullets I suppose.

The real problem with ghouls is that by the rules, the HMHVV is virtually impossible to resist, requiring 24 dice on average to fight off the power 8. It is also spread by simple contact not only with the ghoul itself, but with its blood, spit, or skin.

A sealed suit of armor would likely be the best line of defense for someone that isn't immune that deals with them in person. Military or something like that would be a good idea with a helmet that completely encloses the head. Then they'd have to actually bypass the armor (Deal P damage instead of S) to have any chance of infecting you.

Could throw in those nanites that give you a massive bonus against infections and such.

Since the virus takes a while to change you, ride a suborbital once infected, to kill the virus off by exposing it to space.

[Starmage21]

Dont forget the other infected. Vampires and such are immune to kreiger HMHVV

[Stahlseele]

Since the virus takes a while to change you, ride a suborbital once infected, to kill the virus off by exposing it to space.

you know . . i don't think anyone actually ever thought of that yet O.o

[The Jopp]

I would hire this man...

meet the preacher

[Karoline]

you know . . i don't think anyone actually ever thought of that yet O.o

Maybe they have, the problem is that a sub-orbital flight would be expensive, the other problem is it still might not kill the virus because the person carrying it might provide enough to sustain it even if they are in deep space.

[Johnny Hammersti...]

It isn't much fun, but an caster who can project is and is specialized in astral combat is all you'll ever need.

[Stahlseele]

Well, Space is a what?
A-10? -12? Mana-Ebb?
Dunno if Background-Count would be enough for the same effect . .
If that were the case, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Auschwitz and other such places would be the best places for stopping such things . .

[Karoline]

It isn't much fun, but an caster who can project is and is specialized in astral combat is all you'll ever need.

Astral combat?

Just stunbolt them from 100m, keep hitting till they get close, then fly strait up 100m and laugh hysterically as they run for cover. A duel natured creature's biggest fear is an astral entity with a ranged attack.

[Badmoodguy88]

As for HMHVV in the water supply. Take the scary virus of our day: HIV. It is easy to kill outside of a person, and it can not survive long outside of body fluids or excrement. Even then it is like 2-3 days tops unless you have a pool of blood thing going on. A lot of other viruses are a LOT more resilient to heat, cold, and age.

[Johnny Hammersti...]

Astral combat?

Just stunbolt them from 100m, keep hitting till they get close, then fly strait up 100m and laugh hysterically as they run for cover. A duel natured creature's biggest fear is an astral entity with a ranged attack.

Sure, this is assuming ghouls have little in the way of tactics or brains. I'd think most ghouls who have brains left would gather around awakened ghouls and have tactics to not get slaughtered by astral attackers (wards, spirits, casters)

[Karoline]

Sure, this is assuming ghouls have little in the way of tactics or brains. I'd think most ghouls who have brains left would gather around awakened ghouls and have tactics to not get slaughtered by astral attackers (wards, spirits, casters)

But how many ghouls are awakened? Does the 0.1% from metahumans hold true? In that case, it shouldn't be hard to take out a few hundred ghouls before even seeing a mage ghoul. Similarly, not alot of mages are going to want to work for ghouls to set up astral defenses for them.

And even against an awakened ghoul, the projecting mage will be at an advantage because she can simply drop into the earth or pass through a wall so that the ghoul can't target her, then pop out to blast and go right back into hiding.

Edit: Besides, the ghoul mage is going to be just as big a problem in meat as in astral, so may as well fight the mage where only the mage can really fight, and not the other ghouls.

[Stahlseele]

Technically, they are ALL awakened . .
Just about the same percentage as in the rest of the population of earth in 2060/2070 is also able to cast spells and summon spirits.