DocWagon, Help! I've fallen and I can't get up... Options

[Apathy]

What triggers when DocWagon comes to haul your remains to safety? Whenever you get a serious wound? My group seems to be getting them all the time, then healing them via their mage, so should DW show up, pissed, because they drove all that way for nothing?

And how long would it take for them to arrive? How much should this be modified for coming out to the Barrens? To Glow City?

[Siege]

DocWagon has two primary notification methods by card holders.

1. Voluntary activation -- the client breaks the card or snaps the bracelet, sending a signal to alert DocWagon.

2. Involuntary activation -- a biomonitor in the bracelet detects a "dangerous anomaly" in the client and contacts DocWagon directly.

However, the involuntary activation requires a "Super Platinum" service.

Would they be pissed? Not really -- they're still on the clock. Of course, at GM discretion, DocWagon corporate may start to seriously evaluate your PCs as clients if this happens on a semi-routine basis.

Page 304, BBB.

It's interesting to note that DocWagon will not cross into extraterritorial government or corporate property to pick up a client without the express consent of that authority. Last line in the paragraph, BBB, page 304.

-Siege

Edit: Dangerous locations probably get lumped together which include costs for employee deaths, injuries and so on. Alternatively, DocWagon may simply refuse to service certain areas without a minimum DocWagon contract. "You'd better be Super-Platinum if you're going into Glow City."

[techboy]

[Siege]

Look carefully at the "expenses for employee death" clause of the DocWagon scenario.

That's going to be an expensive proposition, PDQ.

-Siege

[techboy]

[Apathy]

[techboy]

[Siege]

[Apathy]

[Frag-o Delux]

A character of mine had an Ares contact from a few runs before. We were ambushed by a bug spirit and we had no way at hand to fight off. So while running around a giant factory, I called my buddy and tried to get an Ares Bug squad out there. We ended up fighting Ares a little also as they wanted to take us in for testing to make sure we were not Bugs.

[Siege]

[Kagetenshi]

I'd say that the Super-Platinum devices would always trigger a call at Serious damage. That's equivalent to a lost limb or other massive trauma, and at Deadly there's no way anyone who isn't extremely healthy is going to still be alive when the EMTs get there (nine seconds for a typical person? Ambulances go fast, but not that fast).

~J

[BitBasher]

Remember if you are anowhere outside a B or so rating neighborhood they need to send an HTR team, and if they send HTR you have to pay for it, only Gold or platinum and above have HTR included in the fees. Also, you still have to pay for associated medical care unless your contract type is high enough.

If a nornam, non HTR doc wagon team shows up and theres a firefight or dangerous situation, its likely they will do NOTHING except send for an HTR team and wait for them to arrive to handle it.

HTR = High Threat Response team.

[Apathy]

For my game, I guess I'll declare that the default is 'involuntary activation only occurs when they get a Serious Physical wound or worse'.

I won't do the unconscious thing, because I don't think they'd react to stun damage. (They can't heal it anyway.) After all, they're a medical service, not a bodyguard service.

[Siege]

[Abstruse]

Also note that every DocWagon bracelet comes with a PANICBUTTON attached, and that his pals outside could go to the nearest streetside PANICBUTTON and place a call to DocWagon saying their friend was just incapacitated (thus unable to trigger his bracelet), taken inside such-and-such place, has a Platinum contract, and might be in danger of physical harm. DocWagon may (please note the MAY) check their files and trace the guy's location, see that he is a Platinum contract and is where he says he is, and might send an ambulance of HTR team to check on his status. DocWagon may be an uncaring megacorp, but Platinum contracts are Platinum contracts. That's a good 50,000¥ a year I'm sure they wouldn't want to lose. Depends on how busy, what area, and how serious the operator takes the call (in other words, it's up to the GM whether or not the DW operator takes the call seriously or thinks it might be a prank or, worse, a group of gang members wanting to geek the amulance/HTR crew and steal their vehical and gear).

The Abstruse One

[Nikoli]

Actually, the bio-monitor alerts DW when the patient receives a medium wounds. It's stated int he game mechanics of the Super-platinum contract I believe.

[Siege]

[ShadowPhoenix]

I read through BBB, Matrix, M&M and couldn't find any reference as to when Docwagon Bracelets make the automated call, According to BBB the Superplatinum makes the call when the Characters health signs waver from "safe" limits. and the qoutations are the books, meaning the GM can decide when their bracelet feels it's time for the call. Also don't forget the Docwagon bracelet is a phone, and they generally will call to verify that the bracelet wasn't activated by mistake, it's just more efficient than rolling a HTR only to find out the guy accidently hit his bracelet against something and set it off.

[Nikoli]

I think it was noted back in 2nd edition. In the books that originally listed it. Try fields of Fire. I remember distinctly reading that a medium wounds would set the bracelet off, but I can't remember where that was.

[ShadowPhoenix]

As I don't have 2nd Ed books(except a couple) I'll have to defer to someone who does :P anyone have the 2nd core/FoF as reference, I'd like to know what it says too.

[Nikoli]

It's not in the 2nd ed BBB. Nor in cybertech nor shadowtech.

[Siege]

Someone may want to check SoNA or NAGtNA if they're bored.

The SR Companion includes a list of additional DocWagon costs, which includes a flat HTR response fee (pages 90-91).

Of course, 5k doesn't like that much, considering how much everything else costs in the SR world.

I seem to recall a paragraph mentioning ammo costs would be included for HTR calls, but I don't remember where I read that.

-Siege

[Shockwave_IIc]

[Voran]

Neo-anarch's guide also seemed to indicate that if anyone gets caught popping their bracelet in the hopes they get a free butt-saving by a HTR docwagon team, gets their coverage revoked.

It may have also been Sprawl Survival Guide that noted that what runners consider 'safe zones' for their biorythyms is not what Docwagon would for its higher contract people. Probably would actually trigger a response with a moderate physical wound.