Cyberzombie for a Freaks Campaign, Or, Yeah, my GM's lost it Options

[Stahlseele]

No.
You can not get a license for FORBIDDEN.
You can get a license for RESTRICTED.

[WhiskeyJohnny]

No.
You can not get a license for FORBIDDEN.
You can get a license for RESTRICTED.

Then Bone Density sounds like the way to go.

[sabs]

If I'm the Ares Security Mage at the Facility and a CyberZombie walks into the atrium of the building who isn't giving off the Ares all clear commlink signals. My protocol would be, "kill it now, ask questions later."

I didn't mean every mage on the street is going to OMG kill him now! I meant, every security mage is going to say that.

If you're the security mage, and you let a CZ slip past you? You're so fired it's not even funny.

although did you miss the description about Cyberzombies?

The procedures that create a cyberzombie are powerfully
magical and emotional events. Even after the procedure is over,
mana continues to pool and distort around a cyberzombie.
Whether this is a result of the dark magic used or an unconscious
psychosomatic manifestation of the spirit’s anguish at its unnatural
condition is unknown.

Cyberzombies are an abhoration, unlike Shapeshifters. It's not about being Dual Natured, it's about being a walking 4 Background count.

[WhiskeyJohnny]

If I'm the Ares Security Mage at the Facility and a CyberZombie walks into the atrium of the building who isn't giving off the Ares all clear commlink signals. My protocol would be, "kill it now, ask questions later."

I didn't mean every mage on the street is going to OMG kill him now! I meant, every security mage is going to say that.

If you're the security mage, and you let a CZ slip past you? You're so fired it's not even funny.

If the CZ is going to be a problem, being fired is the least of your concerns. More like the bullets/blades he brings to bear.

[sabs]

If the CZ isn't yours, he's by definition a problem.

He's a CZ. That's like asking if the Terminator is going to be a problem.

[Yerameyahu]

I like that coinage: an abhorrent aberration. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Also, abominable.

[WhiskeyJohnny]

...although did you miss the description about Cyberzombies?

The procedures that create a cyberzombie are powerfully
magical and emotional events. Even after the procedure is over,
mana continues to pool and distort around a cyberzombie.
Whether this is a result of the dark magic used or an unconscious
psychosomatic manifestation of the spirit’s anguish at its unnatural
condition is unknown.

Cyberzombies are an abhoration, unlike Shapeshifters. It's not about being Dual Natured, it's about being a walking 4 Background count.

Well, yeah, that's bad. But the other members of the team are bloodsuckers and cannibals, so am I really that much of an aberration, given the company I keep?

[Yerameyahu]

I mean, yes. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Manunancy]

We'll, I'm trying (probably in vain) to make this guy not light up like a christmas tree (or the lowglo) when he gets scanned. Same with trying to make him awakened - I want to be able to hide the fact that he is what he is (the Ghoul can do it with nanopaste - I'm gonna need a little more work I think). So I'll probably want to go with the Bone Density in that case.

No amount of nanopaste is going to do the ghoul any good from the astral side of things - though with a CZ's aura around to draw attention, it might go unnoticed. But as a CZ you'll need at least two initiations if you want your astral presence to pass under the radar - or at least not hitting every red alert button.
- one to disguise your aura as someone more mainstream
- cleansing to stop leaking nasty stuff into the astral like a Total oil platform

SR2 and SR3 were a bit more explicit on that side of things, but basically very few things looks as bad in the astral as a cyberzombie and the astral trash he's leaking around. Think a beat up rust bucket of a car shedding used oil and rusty bits all the time. Even with a good paintjob, odds are the customer won't be fooled. In comparison, a ghoul or vampire's aura will look pristine...

[Glyph]

The thing to keep in mind with a ghoul is that mundane ghouls who get any 'ware at all will lose their dual-natured quality. And they can disguise themselves pretty well with enough 'ware - digestive expansion (they don't lose their dietary requirement, but can eat "normal" food when they have to), major cosmetic biomods to look "normal", clean metabolism to take care of the smell, and cybereyes to get rid of their blindness. They still need to eat metahuman flesh to survive, but their problems pale in comparison to those of a cyberzombie.

[WhiskeyJohnny]

Initiate twice or initiate once and take Cleansing for 15 karma?

I'm not sure if the Ghoul has 'wares or if he's awakened or not - I think it might be both.

I will say this - I'm starting to think that disguising myself isn't going to work so well. Either I cleanse and lose my Astral Hazing (which is a potent defense) or I don't and my mere presence screams "Aberration! Warning! Warning!"

[Yerameyahu]

I'm not even sure Cleansing would work in the first place. Tricky.

[Glyph]

Since a cyberzombie's Magic Attribute can not be increased by any means, an awakened cyberzombie could only initiate once, at any rate.

Honestly, I wouldn't worry that much about stealth in a "freaks" campaign - your group will likely stand out one way or another, in any situation.

[WhiskeyJohnny]

Since a cyberzombie's Magic Attribute can not be increased by any means, an awakened cyberzombie could only initiate once, at any rate.

Honestly, I wouldn't worry that much about stealth in a "freaks" campaign - your group will likely stand out one way or another, in any situation.

Yeah, that's probably true. I'll just have to make sure the Awakened guys get Filtering, so they can still do their thing despite my Astral Hazing.

[WhiskeyJohnny]

Ok, so I was looking over Quake's thread on Martial Arts, and I had some questions which pertain to this character. I'm going for the Grammaton Cleric style combatant, namely, one who can use one or (usually) two pistols in combat at any distance, but focused on arm's reach, either as clubs or as guns. I'd also like skill with blades, and unarmed as well (as previously mentioned, my GM has said there is underground-bare-knuckle-no-holds-barred-cage-fighting going on, and I will be expected to kick some butt). So how do I get effective at these things? I understand, from a previous thread, that I can get pretty impressive dice pools for dual pistols (14 dice each, after the split), but I'm not sure how to do the same for clubs. Also, I understand that a huge DV is less important than throwing lots of dice, so I'm basically looking to maximize those skills.

So, are there any combos (martial arts, tactics, etc.) that would help me fight in that style, and do so effectively?

Going in another direction, are there any tricks to building a good sniper? Can sniper's rifles be used effectively at close range (i.e. like a "Quick Scoper" in CoD)?

[Glyph]

From looking at that thread, all I can say is that if I ever had a player try to use Full Offense as a maneuver for ranged combat and I was the GM, I would cave in and finally buy SR4A - so that I could use the thicker, heavier book to beat him about the head with.

For melee combat, being able to hit them at all is usually the more important component, but high base damage can also be an important factor when you run into the tougher tank-type builds, which you might see in an underworld bare-knuckle boxing arena. For a mundane, you get that from the martial arts quality (up to +3DV), bone lacing or density augmentation (up to +3DV), and a high Strength score. You might not feel like investing 15 points/30 Karma into qualities, but you plan on having the bone density augmentation, and should certainly have some kind of Strength augmentation if you don't want all of the other cyberzombies to laugh at you. Get your Strength augmented up to 7 or 8, and you will, with your denser bones, at least do a respectable 7P damage. As a cyberzombie, you should get most of your advantages from having 4 IPs and freakishly high Agility and Reaction.

[WhiskeyJohnny]

From looking at that thread, all I can say is that if I ever had a player try to use Full Offense as a maneuver for ranged combat and I was the GM, I would cave in and finally buy SR4A - so that I could use the thicker, heavier book to beat him about the head with.

For melee combat, being able to hit them at all is usually the more important component, but high base damage can also be an important factor when you run into the tougher tank-type builds, which you might see in an underworld bare-knuckle boxing arena. For a mundane, you get that from the martial arts quality (up to +3DV), bone lacing or density augmentation (up to +3DV), and a high Strength score. You might not feel like investing 15 points/30 Karma into qualities, but you plan on having the bone density augmentation, and should certainly have some kind of Strength augmentation if you don't want all of the other cyberzombies to laugh at you. Get your Strength augmented up to 7 or 8, and you will, with your denser bones, at least do a respectable 7P damage. As a cyberzombie, you should get most of your advantages from having 4 IPs and freakishly high Agility and Reaction.

I'm fine investing karma in qualities, actually. And I'm not quite sure what you mean with the Full Offense ranged maneuver bit - but that's probably just lack of familiarity with the system (the only game I've played in so far has been combat light) more than anything else.

Which qualities increase Unarmed DV?

[Mardrax]

Check out Arsenal's Martial Arts rules, page 156 onward. There are a bunch, plus more funky qualities to increase your combat prowess.

[WhiskeyJohnny]

Check out Arsenal's Martial Arts rules, page 156 onward. There are a bunch, plus more funky qualities to increase your combat prowess.

I will - I was already thinking about Krav Maga, and it's ability to lower the "Shooting while in Melee" penalty, as well as the "Aim as a Free Action" ability. Those seem salient to the Grammaton Cleric Gun Kata style of fighting. But I was wondering, what sort of interesting things can I do in melee, both Unarmed and Armed?

[InfinityzeN]

Well a -6 essence CZ is going to be a monster in bare knuckle brawls because he has... 12 points of hardened armor. Very few if any would be able to hurt him. You would ether need a base damage of 12 (Strength 11, +3 damage from bone lacing/bone density, +3 damage from martial arts) or be an Adept with some serious points into magic unarmed damage boost (since you'll be inside that 4 background count).

*Edit*
As a little side note, with that 12 points of hardened armor, you'll be bouncing everything short of .50 cal sniper rifles and Assault Cannons in your birthday suit (unless they use APDS rounds in some of the heavier guns). Add on some decent armor and a really low essence CZ is a super tank.

[WhiskeyJohnny]

Well a -6 essence CZ is going to be a monster in bare knuckle brawls because he has... 12 points of hardened armor. Very few if any would be able to hurt him. You would ether need a base damage of 12 (Strength 11, +3 damage from bone lacing/bone density, +3 damage from martial arts) or be an Adept with some serious points into magic unarmed damage boost (since you'll be inside that 4 background count).

*Edit*
As a little side note, with that 12 points of hardened armor, you'll be bouncing everything short of .50 cal sniper rifles and Assault Cannons in your birthday suit (unless they use APDS rounds in some of the heavier guns). Add on some decent armor and a really low essence CZ is a super tank.

Yeah, I'm expecting most fights to be like the quick bout between Gorgeous George and Micky the Traveller in Snatch - I get knocked about a bit by the larger, tougher looking guy, but then Bam! KO.

[InfinityzeN]

As a CZ, your one of those rare cases where most things that manage to hurt you will be actual physical rather than stun damage. Your hardened armor will stop most damage cold, with no chance of doing anything to you. Heavy pistols loaded with APDS rounds "tickle" you and that's about it.

Also, your reaction can be pretty monstrous. With that 4 your planning on buying, you can get a 4 (14). That's move by wire 3 (+6), reaction enhancer 3 (+3), and suprathyroid (+1). That is 14 dice to non-actively defend against ranged attacks and 14+skill to non-actively defend against melee attacks. With a Dodge skill of 6 and specialization in ranged, you would be throwing 25 dice against ranged on full defense (14 reaction, +6 skill, +2 specialization, +3 Move-by-Wire 3).

You're naturally a damage tank against most things, so what you should focus on is your passive and active defense, since nothing can get in the same range as a CZ. Your max reaction will be 12 (18) without any gene op, exception attributes, or surge. Using the genetic optimization and exceptional reaction, you can get a # (21) reaction, which would make you damn near unhitable by anything. Your active defense would be 30+.

[Stahlseele]

And if you do that to your agility, you will out fight anything else, even if you're defaulting on pure attribute.

[WhiskeyJohnny]

Wow...I can really get messed up can't I. And I was worried that my stats would be low, even with augmentation.

zeN, where can I find that 800 BP thread? I searched but it didn't work.

[InfinityzeN]

The 800BP thread is over in community projects.
http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?showtopic=23592

And this is my 400BP CZ with unlimited budget to give you an idea
http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?s=&a...st&p=837172