Initiative Passes, Help with a goon Options

[Ruby]

So I have a special minion in my current game and I was wondering if she can't get the full effect of a drug I created that's like K-10 only it won't outright kill her from Stun damage.

BOD: 3
AGI: 4
REA: 4 (7)
STR: 3
CHA: 3
INT: 4
LOG: 3
WIL: 4
EDG: 2
MAG: 5

== Derived Attributes ==
Essence: 5.68
Initiative: 8 (11)
IP: 1 (4)

She has Warrior's Way so I put all the points I could into Improved Reflexes & she also has the permanent infusion of "Sideways" from Augmentation. Everything I've been taught says that you can't go to 5 IP without using some kinda cyberware. Is this true?

[phlapjack77]

Only people who can get 5 passes are deckers/technos when going full VR in the matrix. Noone can have 5 passes in meatspace.

[Udoshi]

Only people who can get 5 passes are deckers/technos when going full VR in the matrix. Noone can have 5 passes in meatspace.

The only sole exception to this is Cyborgs, who can get 5 physical action passes, but are also exempt from the 'waste an action' part of vehicle driving.

Other wise, yes. 4 passes is the written-in-stone hardcap unless something explicitly gives an exception to it.

Up for rules debate, however, is whether you can attain a 5th pass by using edge for another action. THAT I haven't seen anything really for or against, since edge is pretty much the 'bend the rules and do cool shit' stat.

[phlapjack77]

The only sole exception to this is Cyborgs, who can get 5 physical action passes, but are also exempt from the 'waste an action' part of vehicle driving.

Other wise, yes. 4 passes is the written-in-stone hardcap unless something explicitly gives an exception to it.

Up for rules debate, however, is whether you can attain a 5th pass by using edge for another action. THAT I haven't seen anything really for or against, since edge is pretty much the 'bend the rules and do cool shit' stat.

Good points - I forgot about cyborgs, mostly since they're so hella rare.

I'd say the hardcap applies even to Edge...total judgement call there though.

[DWC]

Cyborgs aren't really getting 5 physical actions. They're getting 5 Matrix Passes, it just happens that they are piloting their bodies in Hot VR.

[Sendaz]

Good points - I forgot about cyborgs, mostly since they're so hella rare.

I'd say the hardcap applies even to Edge...total judgement call there though.

From the preview they show the following:
Edge may be used on this (Initiative) test to roll the maximum of 5D6 for a single Combat Turn.

Assuming edge in this case could surpass normal limits, but won't know until someone look at all of it in the book.

[Ruby]

Okay, so I should probably drop the +1 IP the drug gives. I basically took the bonuses from K-10 and halved it to justify a weaker Stun damage from the end of the duration.

[Mantis]

You know by halving the bonuses from K-10 you end up with basically Kamikaze right? The base drug that k-10 is derived from on pg 258 of SR4A. This assumes you use the usual SR standard of rounding down rather than up.

[Ruby]

You know by halving the bonuses from K-10 you end up with basically Kamikaze right? The base drug that k-10 is derived from on pg 258 of SR4A. This assumes you use the usual SR standard of rounding down rather than up.

...


I don't know how I missed that page. :-\ Well still, the drug in my game has some different side effects such as keeping the user passive by dulling their emotions until they're wounded in combat.

This is what I had made up. It's basically the haphazard four-way lovechild of K-10, Dopadrine, Cram and Jazz.

"Catharsis"

Effect: +1 Body, +2 Agility, +1 Reaction,
+1 Initiative Pass, High Pain Tolerance 2, Berserk
Duration: (12-Body) hours, min. 1 hour

Users of this experimental combat drug automatically go berserk when wounded, in a manner similar to Bear magicians (see Bear, p. 192, SR4). At the end of the duration, the user suffers 6S and is left flooded with despondent emotions, suffering the effects of Disorientation* for the half the duration.

*The target suffers a –2 dice pool modifier to all
actions due to confusion and disorientation for 10 minutes.


Prior to the berserk stage, users feel an increased sense of apathy & disconnection from the world around them but not so much that it hampers their perception. It feels much like a very strong anti-depressant.

I hadn't quite thought of any OD effects or long term effects (it's literally an experimental drug in my game as it hasn't been mass-tested.

[Neraph]

The only sole exception to this is Cyborgs, who can get 5 physical action passes, but are also exempt from the 'waste an action' part of vehicle driving.

Other wise, yes. 4 passes is the written-in-stone hardcap unless something explicitly gives an exception to it.

Up for rules debate, however, is whether you can attain a 5th pass by using edge for another action. THAT I haven't seen anything really for or against, since edge is pretty much the 'bend the rules and do cool shit' stat.

... The sole exception are riggers, of which cyborgs are. A TM/Hacker with 5 IP rigging a drone causes the drone to work at 5 IP also.