Parachuting house rules for your perusal Options

[James McMurray]

Thanks to the folks in my other thread I've put together some house rules for parachuting in 4E. I tried to keep the general flow of the 3E rules but updated it for the fact that 4E parachutes come with failsafe systems instead of secondary ripcords like the 3E ones had.

Without further ado, here they are. Please check 'em out and let me know what you think.

[TheOOB]

They seem interesting, but I can honestly say I have never seen the parachuting skill either taken or used...err scratch that, one time I did have someone who had every single activesoft at 1.

[Muspellsheimr]

Asside from what OOB said (basically, parachuting as a whole needs to be reworked entirely to be even remotely viable as a skill; should be merged into something else), there is problems with this in particular.

The character makes a Body + Parachuting test against the base damage level listed on the table for the altitude at which he opened his chute. Armor does not help on this test.

First, skill tests are not damage resistance tests. Second, half Impact armor explicitly applies to resisting falling damage.


Finally, these house rules are to complex, especially for something as niche as parachuting.

[Yerameyahu]

I'd just make a Gymnastics test, since that (for some reason) covers Jumping. In 2070, the parachute should be smarter than you to begin with; idiot-proof. All you're doing is sticking the landing, which is Falling, which is Gymnastics. Done. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

I'd just make a Gymnastics test, since that (for some reason) covers Jumping. In 2070, the parachute should be smart than you to begin with; idiot-proof. All you're doing is sticking the landing, which is Falling, which is Gymnastics. Done. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Well, using a Military Chute, I would agree with you... A Dash Chute is different.

[K1ll5w1tch]

Asside from what OOB said (basically, parachuting as a whole needs to be reworked entirely to be even remotely viable as a skill; should be merged into something else), there is problems with this in particular.

First, skill tests are not damage resistance tests. Second, half Impact armor explicitly applies to resisting falling damage.


Finally, these house rules are to complex, especially for something as niche as parachuting.

Turn it into base jumping you could pull a Batman or Sam Flynn. Jumping from building tops as apposed to standard military style parachuting which isn't very functional in the standard megaplex setting of shadowrun.

[James McMurray]

They seem interesting, but I can honestly say I have never seen the parachuting skill either taken or used...err scratch that, one time I did have someone who had every single activesoft at 1.

Me neither. If there wasn't a decent chance that the next run will involve parachuting I wouldn't bother.

Asside from what OOB said (basically, parachuting as a whole needs to be reworked entirely to be even remotely viable as a skill; should be merged into something else), there is problems with this in particular.

First, skill tests are not damage resistance tests. Second, half Impact armor explicitly applies to resisting falling damage.

True. I was just copying the 3E rules and trying to make the skill more relevant. I've only parachuted once, but knowledge of all the different ways to land and why to do them would have saved me some pain. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) It'll be Body + 1/2 Impact instead, and Parachuting will only be used to determine scatter.

Finally, these house rules are to complex, especially for something as niche as parachuting.

They're complex, but not overly so. It's basically a couple of quick table look-ups.

I'd just make a Gymnastics test, since that (for some reason) covers Jumping. In 2070, the parachute should be smarter than you to begin with; idiot-proof. All you're doing is sticking the landing, which is Falling, which is Gymnastics. Done. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

SR4 parachutes don't have a pilot rating or any ability to control themselves. If the group opts to spend more to get those things, these rules will never come up. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Yerameyahu]

They don't need a Pilot. They're just 'smart' devices, they deploy when the sensors tell them too. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Are you talking about making the chute glide to a specific location? I can see how that would be different. Your rules didn't really imply this, though.

[James McMurray]

Automatic deployment of the chute is already in there.

[Yerameyahu]

I know. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I'm saying, that's all there is, unless you're talking about a skill that should be called 'Pilot: Parachute'.

[James McMurray]

Sorry, I must have misunderstood your first post. Since auto-deployment was already there and you said all there was to do was stick the landing I assumed you meant "smart" in the electronic/piloting sense. Looks like we're on the same page though, so it's all good. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[InfinityzeN]

I had a character with the Parachute skill. Of course, he used it for base jumping from buildings and such. It was his emergency escape plan. They also work great with roller blades.

[CanRay]

Flying Fox Gliding System, very useful for some escapes!