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

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Wow, its' hard to drop into negative essence, when you can afford delta grade.
I'm at .37 essence and I have:

...

Indeed it is... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smokin.gif)

[sabs]

on the plus side, I'm the 6 million dollar man (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[InfinityzeN]

You don't want to use Orthoskin and Bone Density Aug, unless you want to start getting even more `ware. They are Bioware with a much cheaper essence cost. Since Bioware is your lower total, all essence cost from Bioware is halved. I was already at the point of having trouble finding things to implant as it is (you got pretty much everything but the kitchen sink, unless you want to start adding cyberlimbs which are a whole other can of worms). Dermal Sheathing has the highest protection (4/3, compared to Orthoskins max of 3/3) and you can pull the "Ghost in the Shell" bit of taking off your cloths and turning invisible since your whole body is a stealth suit. The Titanium Bone Lacing gives 1/1 armor, while giving +3 to body for soak test compared to the no armor and +4 body for soak test from the Bone Density. They both do the same damage unarmed.

The reason you want to take Dodge 6 is your Move by Wire 3 gives you a +3 skill mod for Dodge. With a Dodge 6 and MBW3, your effective Dodge skill is 9. For Gymnastics, you only have a +2 on skill test (+1 from Enhanced Articulation and +1 from Neo-EPO). You can also get a +1 skill mod if you take Reflex Recorder for Gymnastics or Athletics SG. Skill test bonus dice and skill mods are different, especially on full defense. Skill test bonus dice are only added once no mater what. Skill mods are added every time a skill is added. Since Full Dodge and Full Parry both add the skill twice, you get double out of a Skill mod.

As an example, I'll work the numbers if you max out Gymnastics (+2 skill checks, +1 skill mod, no specialty helps) and Dodge (+3 skill mod, Ranged specialty).
- You passive defense against ranged will skill be 17 and your passive defense against melee will be 17+skill. The skill has to be from the Close Combat SG or Dodge, since you can't use Gymnastics in passive defense. Gymnastics fails here.
- For active defense against ranged attacks: a Full Dodge would net you 28 dice as stated before, while a Gymnastics Dodge would net you 26 dice. Not much difference granted, but the GM is perfectly in his rights to say you don't have enough room to use Gymnastics Dodge.
- For active defense against melee attacks: a full Dodge would net you 35 dice, while a Gymnastics Dodge is a little complicated. If the GM says you can add Gymnastics twice (which is a bit of a house rule, Gymnastics Dodge says "add Gymnastics skill to their dice pool against ether ranged or melee attacks") -and- considers it a Gymnastics roll (most likely in the case of this house rule), you would 33 dice. Best case scenario and still has the "not enough space" problem. If he rules that it must be combined with a basic Melee defense (the way it is written), you would take your Reaction (15) + Reakt (+2) + Gymnastics w/ mods (+9) + Dodge/Unarmed/Blade/Blunt depending on your base defense. Most GMs that go this route will normally make you use a base defense of Dodge. With a maxed out Dodge you would end up with 35 dice, but this would require maxing two skills and still has the "not enough space" problem.

[sabs]

You forgot +3 from Synthcardium for Gymnastics.

And currently Bioware is the largest number on the stuff I listed, not cyber.

Even with MBW3 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[WhiskeyJohnny]

You forgot +3 from Synthcardium for Gymnastics.

And currently Bioware is the largest number on the stuff I listed, not cyber.

Even with MBW3 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I think he meant me, actually. I'll have to check out your list as well sabs, see what I can pull from it.

[InfinityzeN]

I was talking to Whiskey. And if he goes heavier on the Bio he'll never get down to -6. He would have to get more than 16 points of Bioware (Genetics doubled since there is no grade for them) and that means pretty much taking everything even if he doesn't need it. Plus it would bust his 15 mil budget since my Cyber heavy list comes in not to far short of 13 mil and Bio is a heck of a lot more expensive.

As a side note, my hands are nice and tingly after firing off 300 rounds of 45 acp. Wow I love the new XDm-45.

[WhiskeyJohnny]

I was talking to Whiskey. And if he goes heavier on the Bio he'll never get down to -6. He would have to get more than 16 points of Bioware (Genetics doubled since there is no grade for them) and that means pretty much taking everything even if he doesn't need it. Plus it would bust his 15 mil budget since my Cyber heavy list comes in not to far short of 13 mil and Bio is a heck of a lot more expensive.

As a side note, my hands are nice and tingly after firing off 300 rounds of 45 acp. Wow I love the new XDm-45.

Well, to throw another potential wrench into my plans, what if I wanted to get lower cyberlegs? I was planning on it, so I could have the hydraulic jacks, but that could cause problems if I were to put some of the stuff currently taking up essence into the legs, wouldn't it?

And I tend to prefer .22 for plinking, much cheaper that way. Not as much fun, but much cheaper.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

And I tend to prefer .22 for plinking, much cheaper that way. Not as much fun, but much cheaper.

Definitely much cheaper... .22 is my choice for plinking as well... Ruger 22/45 Target Model...

[InfinityzeN]

Hydraulic Jacks require two full cyberlegs. And if you wanted to go cyberlimbs you should have said so in the beginning. Totally different build since you really don't have to put any points into Strength or Agility. Buy all the limbs and torso, customize them all to Strength 12, Agility 13, and Body 12. That raises the cost of each limb by $42k, without taking any of their space. You would drop the bone lacing since it won't help you all cyberlimbed up like that. Hell, buy Genetic Optimization in each of those attributes, spend +$46.5k extra per limb, and get them at Strength 13, Agility 14, Body 13. Then make sure you get an Articulate Weapon Arm for the Torso, pop a White Knight LMG on it, and rock&roll.

I've been firing my XDm-45 (.45 acp), Kahr PM-9 (9mm Para), and NAA Pug (.22 WMR) lately. Sometimes I pull out the Ruger 10/22.

[WhiskeyJohnny]

Hydraulic Jacks require two full cyberlegs. And if you wanted to go cyberlimbs you should have said so in the beginning. Totally different build since you really don't have to put any points into Strength or Agility. Buy all the limbs and torso, customize them all to Strength 12, Agility 13, and Body 12. That raises the cost of each limb by $42k, without taking any of their space. You would drop the bone lacing since it won't help you all cyberlimbed up like that. Hell, buy Genetic Optimization in each of those attributes, spend +$46.5k extra per limb, and get them at Strength 13, Agility 14, Body 13. Then make sure you get an Articulate Weapon Arm for the Torso, pop a White Knight LMG on it, and rock&roll.

I've been firing my XDm-45 (.45 acp), Kahr PM-9 (9mm Para), and NAA Pug (.22 WMR) lately. Sometimes I pull out the Ruger 10/22.

My GM is allowing jacks with two partials. I'd rather not go for a full cyberlimbed monstrosity, if I can, just the two partials for the jumping jacks and the capacity (though looking at that last part makes me wonder why I thought that was a good idea).

I just got back from work, so I should be able to buckle down and get a list out for your perusal.

Oh, and apparently we're getting a Pixie Tech Adept Gnome Technomancer Rigger, too. And they're all fine with me being an Adept. So now I have a question - can an Adept counterspell, or would I have to be a Mystic Adept?

[Mardrax]

An adept can't counterspell.
And he did say much earlier on he considered taking lower legs for the jacks, but nothing else.

I'll just go sit back and get back to enjoying this now ^^

[Dahrken]

(...) would I have to be a Mystic Adept?

And how are you supposed to split your single Magic point between spellcasting and adept ? (assuming you are still going the CZ route and your astral hazing does not dampen your magical abilities into oblivion)

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

And how are you supposed to split your single Magic point between spellcasting and adept ? (assuming you are still going the CZ route and your astral hazing does not dampen your magical abilities into oblivion)

You do not have to split the one point... one point to Adept abilities, and then you purchase Counterspelling, because you have a Magic Point... Since the Magic point is not actively used in Counterspelling for counterspelling on the fly, the argument is that you can still counterspell... I do not necessarily agree with that, but there it is...

[Edana]

Mystic adepts have the option to split their magic between adept powers/spellcasting. There's no requirement for you to have either one be above zero. So, 1 point in adept powers, 0 in casting. The only requirements for taking counterspelling are: Magician or Mystic Adept and Magic >= 1, both of which are being met.

[Yerameyahu]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) It's like 'freak' means 'actively abusing loopholes'. Oh well. I'm not sure you'll even *need* counterspelling, but it's nice to have!

Yeah, that's what I mean, sabs. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[sabs]

does he need counter spelling with a BC of 4?

[Edana]

With a BC of 4 and most stats above 6 it's really not a case of need so much as, 'why not?'.

And I wouldn't really consider the mystic adept thing a loophole, considering the quality itself explicitly tells gm's not to let it be abused. So if the gm will allow it, there's not really any issue (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) .

[sabs]

I just had this idea for an Adept/Magician killer.

Cybered up Wrestler character with Astral hazing.

He charges the adept/Magician, and grapples them. Slowly killing them inside his 4 BC.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

I just had this idea for an Adept/Magician killer.

Cybered up Wrestler character with Astral hazing.

He charges the adept/Magician, and grapples them. Slowly killing them inside his 4 BC.

Well, Mages/Adepts do not die just by being in a BC... Personally, I like shooting them a lot... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wobble.gif)

[sabs]

hydraulic arms

basically squeeze them to death (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Glyph]

You can do stun damage equal to your Strength with each complex action - you don't need hydraulic arms, just someone reasonably strong.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

You can do stun damage equal to your Strength with each complex action - you don't need hydraulic arms, just someone reasonably strong.

Still prefer a Gun Myself... Anyone with a BC4 is not someone that I want to be in melee combat with...

[WhiskeyJohnny]

So I know it seems silly, but what does a Dermal Sheath look like? Can it/does it pass for normal skin? That's the only reason I balked at it, I thought we were talking about Dermal Plating, which doesn't really work with how I picture this guy in my head. If it can pass as normal skin, then I'm all over it (Augmentation doesn't make it clear).

[Manunancy]

I had a look at cybertechnology (SR2) for more information on the dermal sheathing - apprently it looks like real skin - mentions of healing and scaring hints that it's actually under the skin. So it looks juste like normal skin when you're not moving. The description mentions it's fairly easy to spot for someone who knows what he's looking for since the reinforced skin doesn't flex like an unagmented one. The resulting bunching and wrkinkling can be noticed but isn't blatant. Of course the less clothes you're wearing, the more it get noticeable. Touch will imediately revel the sheath.

But no numbers were given, so it's up to you and your GM/

[WhiskeyJohnny]

I had a look at cybertechnology (SR2) for more information on the dermal sheathing - pprently it looks like real skin - mentions of healign and scaring hints that it's actually under the skin. So it looks juste like normal skin when you're not moving. The descirption mentions it's fairly easy to spot for someone who knows what he's looking for since the reinforced skin doesn't flex like an unagmented one. The resulting bunching and wrkinkling can be noticed but isn't blatant. Of course the less clothes you're wearing, the more it get noticeable. Touch will imediately revel the sheath.

But no numbers were given, so it's up to you and your GM/

In that case, I'll be picking up Dermal Sheathing instead of Orthoskin. Sorry for the delays in getting the list up, real life happened.