[X] My Assistant

[Stahlseele]

No, he is mostly sane.
He just is a bit melodramatic . .

[Critias]

As far as why Thorn's just got a random smattering of Martial Arts abilities, without a specific art listed? Well, only one can give you Ready Weapon and Take Aim as Free Actions (so why take the time to spell out that they're from Krav Maga?), and while +1 DV for Unarmed can come from quite a few, I just didn't feel like investing the word count in the...well...wordy way that Arsenal makes MA's work. Easier just to list the goodies he'd pick up from them, I thought, since I was already over wordcount from text and the rest of his sheet.

I guess in retrospect it would've given folks a better stylistic feel for how he fights (in that same sort of Jason Bourne/Taken sort of way, which is ironically actually Kali and not Krav, like most people thing), but ah well.

If the biggest complaints I get about Thorn are his lack of a Martial Art being detailed, I think things could be a lot worse. I want people to be happy with their product, of course, but in the greater scheme of things it matters more to me that the character makes sense, fits into the game world, gives people some story ideas, and otherwise adds to Shadowrun as a whole.

[Patrick Goodman]

DeVriess is actually a fairly nice guy character wise . .

Well, years of doing this kind of thing...it can wear on you. One thing I wish I'd had was about 1000 more words, so I could get into the dichotomy of his character a bit more. Just couldn't make it all fit as was. Maybe later.

And I always kind of found him to be a bit of an asshole, which is why I wrote things the way I did.

But he IS batshit.

Oh, yes. Mad as a hatter, I think. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[CanRay]

Hatters wish they were as crazy as DeVriess.

[Grinder]

The editing is really shoddy in this book - some entries list augmentations in upper cases (like Bull's at pg. 89), which has been the rule since SR1, while others list augmentations in lower cases (like Sticks' on pg. 69)...

[Bull]

There is actually some weirdness in how SR4 handles capitalization. We have a style guide, but because of the weirdness, it's hard to always follow it.

The blanket rule (for whatever reason) is that gear and 'ware is lower case. unless it has a rating or is a brand name, in which case it's capitalized.

So grapple gun is lower case, but Ares Predator is capitalized. For cyber, datajack should not be capitalized, but Dermal Sheath 2 would be.

Like I said, it's a bit odd. I tend to capitalize names, and I've been doing this a lot longer than 4th ed, and as you note some of the rules were a little different in earlier editions, so I often leave stuff capped that shouldn't be.

Augmentations: Datajack x2, Cerebral Booster 3, Encephelon 2, Math SPU, Mnemonic Enhancer 3, Synaptic Booster 3, Simsense Booster, Smartlink (all Betaware)

In that, Datajack *is* capped, because it's the first word in the list. I think. Though I should have alphabetized the list, so Cerebral booster 3 should have been first, but anyway. Along with that, simsense booster and smartlink should have been lower case as well. I'm not sure about the the SPU, but I'd guess it should be "math SPU". It's also hard to tell sometimes what is a brand name or even proper name, and what's not.

Also, under gear, Vision Enhancement 3 should have been capped.

And finally, I cheated. Bull's contacts should have had a rating, and the rating caps at 3, so he's totally over max with how many mods on on those. The no prize answer is that Bull has a set of custom designed contacts that hold more data than normal, but the real answer is that I goofed. He generally wears a set of mirrorshades anyways, so the mods should be split between the two devices. (To make life easier on everyone, we kinda house ruled ratings out for contacts/glasses/goggles ages ago, and I simply forgot about it. I've been doing the same thing in missions too, I realize).

Bull

[Slithery D]

Statwise I feel Sticks is the worst, just because his augmentations make no sense. That's it?!?

[Stahlseele]

Bull, just because i am german, and those are all names of things . . can't you fix that stupid guide line to capitalize all augmentations all the time?
Or have the augmentations and gear in CAPS LOCK?

[Bull]

Not my call, Stahl. The Style guide was set up when SR4 was initially designed, so we're following it in a likely vain attempt to be consistent (though honestly, I can't think of a single SR4 book that's really been consistent with it anyway).

At the end of the day, so long as the names and numbers are correct, I guess it doesn't mater too terribly much. Few people really notice that sort of thing anyway.

Bull

[Stahlseele]

bah, it should be your call with your reputation . . < = that's a play on words that only works in german i am afraid . .

[Grinder]

Few people really notice that sort of thing anyway.

True that, but it ticks me off nontheless. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) I'm all with Stahlseele - capitalize 'em all!

[CanRay]

Not my call, Stahl. The Style guide was set up when SR4 was initially designed, so we're following it in a likely vain attempt to be consistent (though honestly, I can't think of a single SR4 book that's really been consistent with it anyway).

At the end of the day, so long as the names and numbers are correct, I guess it doesn't mater too terribly much. Few people really notice that sort of thing anyway.

Bull

bah, it should be your call with your reputation . . < = that's a play on words that only works in german i am afraid . .

Bull the writer, maybe.

Bull the character, certainly. Doesn't he have some kind of Psychotropic IC that makes someone think they're a little girl that he can sick on people?

[Hagga]

I think most infected, especially the Ordo, will have another name for DeVries' 'Guild' - Dinner. So convenient to have it delivered to your door, essence and all. I liked the write up, though, even if the dragons didn't have their proper stats (Fuck you, I win, specifically, written on the stat line)

[CanRay]

Speaking of this, it's at some FLGS' now! My FLGS/Army Surplus Store over ordered, and I'm a little upset that I can't help them by getting a copy.

They also over-ordered "Runner's Black Book", which has cemented my decision in getting it. Support your FLGS after all, and I was on the fence anyhow.

[Patrick Goodman]

I think most infected, especially the Ordo, will have another name for DeVries' 'Guild' - Dinner. So convenient to have it delivered to your door, essence and all.

Oh, come now, give them a little credit. You haven't even seen what they can do yet. Hell, I haven't seen what they can do yet. I've got some idea and some plans, but haven't had the chance to discuss them muich. Maybe if I do that sequel e-book on the Infected....

That said, some of them might be dinner. Some of them might be Blade. Most of them will be somewhere in between. The vast majority of them will be at least competent; vampire hunting is not a forgiving profession, after all.

We'll have to see how it all shakes out. But don't sell them short.

[Paul]

And anything is in how you run it. need it to be a little more powerful at your table? Beef it up. Don't want to use it? Don't. It's a game folks not the ten commandments.

[Patrick Goodman]

And anything is in how you run it. need it to be a little more powerful at your table? Beef it up. Don't want to use it? Don't. It's a game folks not the ten commandments.

This.

[Hagga]

Oh, come now, give them a little credit. You haven't even seen what they can do yet. Hell, I haven't seen what they can do yet. I've got some idea and some plans, but haven't had the chance to discuss them muich. Maybe if I do that sequel e-book on the Infected....

That said, some of them might be dinner. Some of them might be Blade. Most of them will be somewhere in between. The vast majority of them will be at least competent; vampire hunting is not a forgiving profession, after all.

We'll have to see how it all shakes out. But don't sell them short.

At least a minority would have to be "It looks easy on the trids, I've got my silver cross, my wooden stakes and garlic - that's good enough, right?" - not realising that they're imitation silver, plaswood and soy, respectively. Which might be a little problem unless they've got that psychosomatic allergy to holy symbols (am I the only one who finds the idea of a vampire casually leaning against a cross hilarious, until it turns around, notices the cross is there and suddenly bursts into flames?) The vast superiority of most type 1 infected over the population makes me think they'd have to be group-fighters or something, drilled to work as a team. The good ones, anyway.

Oh well. We'll see.

[Paul]

I'll be honest. In my games I toss a lot of the pink mohwak stuff as written in the books. I generally ignore anything related to YoTC and WoTC, and anything remotely resembling manga or anime is pretty heavily frowned upon. We have a blast using the materials as a baseline-not as gospel. I agree that in some areas SR4 lacks, but like many out there I'll support the game because I love it. This is not to say I don't think constructive critiques shouldn't be offered, but rather we need to separate the wheat from the chaff.

[CanRay]

Well, we have another reason to whip out the nunchaku and three-section staff.

[hobgoblin]

(am I the only one who finds the idea of a vampire casually leaning against a cross hilarious, until it turns around, notices the cross is there and suddenly bursts into flames?)

Brings to mind those claiming to be allergic to EM waves, tho with less fireworks.

[hobgoblin]

I'll be honest. In my games I toss a lot of the pink mohwak stuff as written in the books. I generally ignore anything related to YoTC and WoTC, and anything remotely resembling manga or anime is pretty heavily frowned upon.

Speaking of psychosomatic, seems someone has a allergy to catgirls. Never mind that such creature in the book could only find work in the porn industry post-surge...

[Paul]

I've been lucky. My players all pretty much abhor anime and the pink mohawk crowd as much as I do. So when we hit the articulated tail section in Augmentation we all just chuckle, shake our heads and flip the page.

[HunterHerne]

I've been lucky. My players all pretty much abhor anime and the pink mohawk crowd as much as I do. So when we hit the articulated tail section in Augmentation we all just chuckle, shake our heads and flip the page.

Yeah, not so much a fan of the tail augmentations in general. At least the Surge tails you can write off as being "inflicted" with it, but I can't think of anyone (other then furries at least) that would want a tail augmentation. And even then, it would be a custom design and not outwardly mechanical.

[CanRay]

Duct tape a switchblade to that sucker and you got three limbs in a knife fight! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)