My first trollbow, Ich bin der Jaeger. Options

[Tanegar]

Please excuse any errors in my Deutsch; I haven't actually spoken it in years.

Jaeger, troll huntsman

[crash2029]

I like it. Interesting concept, excellent execution. I might use it as an NPC or as inspiration for a PC. Kudos.

[Tanegar]

Thank you. One glaring deficiency (from a strictly optimization standpoint) is the utter lack of any initiative enhancer. I would have liked at least a rating 1 synaptic booster, but at 80,000 nuyen I just couldn't afford it and didn't want to sacrifice any of his skills or attributes. In the short term, he can make up for it with combat drugs, and rely on the massive damage from his bow (10P, or 11P with explosive arrows) to drop an enemy every IP.

Overall, I'm very pleased with him. I wanted a troll with a clear and comprehensible reason for using a bow over a nominally more efficient weapon, and I think I succeeded. Plus trolls are just awesome.

[Xenefungus]

Actually, the lack of IP is only the most glaring problem with your build (and you are correct. someone with 1 IP is no fighter whatsoever. he is more like a random citizen with an assault cannon, dangerous but no warrior.). So get those IPs.

Get Archery 6. You will use it all the time.

Buy Metagenetic improvement (Agi) instead of Natural Athlete and Outdoorsman (which suck anyways, just level up those groups. you only have them at 3, costs only 20 to go to 4 as well and you dont need to spend precious quality points. those skills only (if ever) make sense after you already got level 4 in a group). So you can have natural 5 + muscle toner 4 for the standard 9 agi.

You dont need both blades and unarmed, pick one (i would choose unarmed so you can always block).

You seem to want to do gymnatics dodge. consider the martial arts that improves it (you can get 2 dice to make up for the lack of spec.) and synthacardium.

There is a special skill in running wild for taking care of animal wounds, it's called VetTech and part of the group animal husbandry, which you may want if you wanna be the critter man as well.

Aptitude is really costly, and you dont even make use of it. Altogether that one dice of skill 7 compared to 6 costs you 34 karma. not worth it imho.

Dont take restricted gear for an 800 nuyen bow and some arrows. buy them ingame, start with a weaker one if you like.

Swap Cha and Log, you have 2 Cha skills and its also used in more tests as defence (but oh well, you will lose those nevertheless). While you're at it, skimp Logic to 1. No difference basically, saves 10 Karma though.

Speaking of it, get Intimidation and some of the cheap stuff to boost it. Theres even a metagenetic *negative* quality that boosts it at the cost of other social skills. 6 dice for etiquette wont get you far anyway.

Willpower 3 is enough. 4 is inefficient because of stun track, get 5 if you really want lots of it (wont save you against stunbolts neither though)

On the same note, sure bows use STR as damage [which is a bad design decision btw, same goes for wrestling damage], melee weapons dont though. consider strength 9 to improve those.

Get more armor. You have your high body for a reason.

You will never use your crossbow. Those are for weak people. You are a big fat trog.



Apart from all that you may want to consider Shiva Arms for dual troll bow action. Well, Just kidding (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Have fun pimpin'!




Edit: All of that seems more mean that it is meant. Kudos for using KarmaGen Chummer, it's far too seldomly used here on dumpshock still!

[Tanegar]

While most of your points are valid, from a strictly optimization-oriented standpoint, there are a couple of things I want to address. Jaeger's First Aid specialization isn't in treating wounded animals, but wounds caused by animals. In other words, if you get mauled by a bear, Jaeger's your man. I see him as not just a hunter in his own right, but someone who leads hunting expeditions for rich city folk. Gotta keep those greenhorns healthy; losing customers is bad for business.

Second, he absolutely has a use for a crossbow: it has an internal magazine and does not require a Ready Weapon action every IP. It makes up for only doing 7P (8P with explosive arrows) by being able to fire twice per pass. The bow is for big game; the crossbow for lesser game.

Third, Jaeger resents your characterization of him as fat. He is, in fact, in excellent physical shape. Also, if you call him a trog again he'll rip your arm off. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Basically, he's heavily concept-driven. I'm aware that there are many ways in which he could be better optimized, but most of them involve compromising the concept more than I'm comfortable with.

[Elfenlied]

You may want to consider the Krav Maga martial art, which allows you to take ready weapon actions as free actions. This allows you to alternate between 2 shots/1 shot per IP. Also, I would suggest getting at least 1 extra IP, e.g. via Wired Reflexes 1, which are affordable at 10000. Purchase Aptitude after Chargen, and use the free points for more money.

[Ryu]

Some changes I´d do:
- Replace Blades/Unarmed with the Close Combat group to open up blunt improvised weapons (piece of wood, stone)
- Get rid of all your positive qualities.
--Replace with:
--- Perceptive 2 (good for an uncybered hunter, strong running synergy)
--- Guts (to actually face large game, see Composure Checks)
--- 40 karma for other stuff
- Reducing strength to 7 saves another 40 karma
- Add Armorer skill for arrow fletching (say 10 karma for Armorer 2 (Arrows+2))
- Get the Synaptic Booster and Muscle Aug/Toner 2 (110k¥, so 44 karma)
- Spend 26 leftover karma

[Stahlseele]

Your german is actually pretty much perfect.
It means:"i am the hunter".
It could be seen as "Hi, i am(as in "my name is") Hunter!"

And i welcome another Troll-Bow!

[Xenefungus]

While most of your points are valid, from a strictly optimization-oriented standpoint, there are a couple of things I want to address. Jaeger's First Aid specialization isn't in treating wounded animals, but wounds caused by animals. In other words, if you get mauled by a bear, Jaeger's your man. I see him as not just a hunter in his own right, but someone who leads hunting expeditions for rich city folk. Gotta keep those greenhorns healthy; losing customers is bad for business.

My bad, your spec definetely makes sense then.

Second, he absolutely has a use for a crossbow: it has an internal magazine and does not require a Ready Weapon action every IP. It makes up for only doing 7P (8P with explosive arrows) by being able to fire twice per pass. The bow is for big game; the crossbow for lesser game.

You are definetely right in that you wanna be able to shoot more often per IP. I think Krav Maga is cheesy though, but you should definetely be an adept, totally forgot to mention that. Even Magic 2 gives you +2 dice for shooting plus Quick Draw plus half a power point to do whatever you want with. Quick Draw is awesome because you can then quickdraw each arrow and shoot twice per turn, so its even better than krav maga in that sense. It's really a big optimization (basically "Double Damage").

My point with the crossbow is that it's not synergistic with your build. If you are fine using a crossbow, you could just be a human, don't need to spend anything on strength and still do good damage. You would still be a man of the woods, but it's just another build. If you invest so heavily on using your bow efficiently, you should definetely use it as much as you can.

[Umidori]

I kinda wanna muck around with making a dwarfbow at some point. (And no, I don't mean a bow that shoots dwarves as ammunition.) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

~Umi

[crash2029]

I kinda wanna muck around with making a dwarfbow at some point. (And no, I don't mean a bow that shoots dwarves as ammunition.) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

~Umi

Damn. And I wanted to see a dwarf projectile. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sarcastic.gif)

[Umidori]

See various threads regarding Throwing Adepts. I believe someone once threw a dwarf through a tank, but don't quote me on that.

~Umi

[Sengir]

I kinda wanna muck around with making a dwarfbow at some point. (And no, I don't mean a bow that shoots dwarves as ammunition.) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

~Umi

I've got a decent human archer, should work just as well with a drawf (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Umidori]

Yeah, but you'll be stuck using a short bow.

*pulls a heavy pistol round from the Pun Jar, chambers it, and blows his brains out*

~Umi

[yesferatu]

I wrote up a similar concept a while back.
I went with the traditional gathering skills - and quite a bit of stealth, but that might not be necessary.

A few extra IPs would be helpful, but not necessarily essential.
You're a damn troll. Bows are silent, so they lend themselves to stealth and one shot-one kill scenarios.
You could always lean on combat drugs.

[Stahlseele]

i'd say one of the best archer troll builds would be the ultimate mundane climber. strip off some points here and there and invest these into trollery(troll archery).
you can get anywhere you want and shoot from there. hell, you could even hang upside down from the ceiling under a bridge and shoot from there . .

[crash2029]

i'd say one of the best archer troll builds would be the ultimate mundane climber. strip off some points here and there and invest these into trollery(troll archery).
you can get anywhere you want and shoot from there. hell, you could even hang upside down from the ceiling under a bridge and shoot from there . .

That reminds me of a scene in The Dark Knight Returns where Green Arrow was hanging upside down from a fire escape and shot his bow one-handed using his teeth to draw it. He still made the shot and the kryptonite arrow did a number on Supes.

[Stahlseele]

Ahem?
1.) Spoilers?
2.) Dark Knight Returns with Green Arrow and Superman? What?

[Darksong]

what is the official Dumpshock policy on spoiling 26-year-old comic books?

[Stahlseele]

Ah, so not a Movie.
And if it's indeed 26 Years old, then i think i can be forgiven for forgetting about that . .

[Darksong]

I had to double-check the publication date, then immediately felt like yelling at some kids to get off my lawn...

[CanRay]

I had to double-check the publication date, then immediately felt like yelling at some kids to get off my lawn...

Go ahead, we all do.

[Stahlseele]

Not me.
I don't have a Lawn.
And that comic is only 2 or 3 years younger than me <.< . .

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Not me.
I don't have a Lawn.
And that comic is only 2 or 3 years younger than me <.< . .

*Shakes Head*
"Young'ins these days."

[almost normal]

Just pop drugs for the extra IP.