[X] My Assistant

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Yet another SR5 nerf, it seems, but one I reluctantly agree with. In SR4, you could get ludicrous unarmed damage levels by combining levels of critical strike with martial arts damage bonuses, bone density augmentation or bone lacing, and Strength boosts. I like the concept of an unarmed martial artist type, but it was a bit jarring having unarmed attacks outperforming claymores and battle axes.

Jarring indeed...
Easy to keep in line in SR4A, but the ability was definitely there. Of course, now you don't even need to try to hit those levels in SR5, since Strength is no longer halved. Thankfully, Critical Strike was reduced in power.. Not quite as useful as it used to be, though still nice. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Samoth]

I wouldn't say "thankfully" as Critical Strike was absolutely essential to any build that wanted to focus on melee other than MurderTroll. Options are very limited now for doing any significant melee damage that can outpace firearms, especially when factoring in defender penalties like Full Auto from a machine pistol.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

I wouldn't say "thankfully" as Critical Strike was absolutely essential to any build that wanted to focus on melee other than MurderTroll. Options are very limited now for doing any significant melee damage that can outpace firearms, especially when factoring in defender penalties like Full Auto from a machine pistol.

Rarely did I ever take Critical Strike above 2 Levels (though I was a Fan of all 3 levels of Penetrating Strike), so I have no application on that one to fall back upon. My One "Brutal" Physad was an Oni Ninja Throwing Adept who hit with the power of PAC's with Shuriken, though. Which was fairly ludicrous when you really think about it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Routinely assassinated targets with simple items like toothpicks. But he was an interesting and fun character with a lot of depth. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
Would like to replicate him in SR5, but there is currently no ability to do so, due to lack of proper rules on race and adept abilities. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

Think I will try out my Shark Adept Instead.

[Sendaz]

Think I will try out my Shark Adept Instead.

With all these Shark Adept running around, might be time to see about getting a Roy Scheider Mentor spirit. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Sponge]

With all these Shark Adept running around

I feel like a Shark Adept hipster now, I made mine in SR4. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

[FuelDrop]

I think that it is time to found the SPC.
AKA, the Shark Punching Center. Researching new ways to punch sharks since 5 minutes ago.

[Sendaz]

I think that it is time to found the SPC.
AKA, the Shark Punching Center. Researching new ways to punch sharks since 5 minutes ago.

Shark Boxing (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Glyph]

I think this topic has jumped the shark.

[Stahlseele]

I think the shark has jumped this topic

[FuelDrop]

Quickly, someone punch it!

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

I feel like a Shark Adept hipster now, I made mine in SR4. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

Had the idea for mine in SR4, but never got around to playing it. I was enjoying my Ninja too much. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Sendaz]

Had the idea for mine in SR4, but never got around to playing it. I was enjoying my Ninja too much. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Why not be BOTH? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Why not be BOTH? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

There's a thought. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[RHat]

Im not entirely sure why he wants to do more physical beyond it some how be in "keeping" with his shark Adepts theme, and perhaps because in the last run he wasnt able to do physical damage most of the time (he had to AttributeBoost to have a chance). I told him about weapon foci but he said that not only where they not worth it/nor fit his character, but also he didnt want to deal with addiction which is crazy since he is using a force 4 Ki foci to give him better reflexes. He just seems to be intent on being able to kill people with his fists , and has even preposed a fist weapon with blades on it to give him -3AP (though it is more expensive than any fist weapons.) He is also the most bland of the characters playing, as he seriosuly takes no interest in anything outside of combat, though that could be either his metagaming desire(which he tried to pull at durring creation) and that he has piginholed himself.

Given this, I'm not sure how much you really want to be warping the game around what this guy wants - after all, the more you do, the more he's liable to push. You could houserule in some of the missing powers if you wanted.

[Beaumis]

Im not entirely sure why he wants to do more physical beyond it some how be in "keeping" with his shark Adepts theme, and perhaps because in the last run he wasnt able to do physical damage most of the time (he had to AttributeBoost to have a chance). I told him about weapon foci but he said that not only where they not worth it/nor fit his character, but also he didnt want to deal with addiction which is crazy since he is using a force 4 Ki foci to give him better reflexes. He just seems to be intent on being able to kill people with his fists , and has even preposed a fist weapon with blades on it to give him -3AP (though it is more expensive than any fist weapons.) He is also the most bland of the characters playing, as he seriosuly takes no interest in anything outside of combat, though that could be either his metagaming desire(which he tried to pull at durring creation) and that he has piginholed himself.

Frankly, the only real question you wanna ask then is this: Is he being blatantly outperformed by the other players? If yes, this is a balance issue and needs to be addressed, but I doubt that's the case. If not it's really just an issue of a player wanting special rules to do more damage. In other words, entitlement. This does not need a GM fixing it, this needs a GM explaining to the player that every play style has drawbacks and tradeoffs and he has to face those.

As previously mentioned, if all he wants is physical damage, have him take killing hands. It does exactly what he wants and its extremely cheap.

Playing a melee combatant can be viable but it's harder than playing a "normal" character simply because you are handicapping yourself. You have to close in, deal with counterattacks etc. That's the nature of melee. But it is still a viable route. It just works differently. Instead of having a high damage code and armor penetration off the bat, it relies on having many hits to increase the damage code beyond the armor level of the opponent.

P.S. As a sidenote. Attribute Boost does not work that way. It's worded a bit weirdly, but it specifically says that it only affects dice pools. Hence, it does not increase the damage of melee attacks.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Frankly, the only real question you wanna ask then is this: Is he being blatantly outperformed by the other players? If yes, this is a balance issue and needs to be addressed, but I doubt that's the case. If not it's really just an issue of a player wanting special rules to do more damage. In other words, entitlement. This does not need a GM fixing it, this needs a GM explaining to the player that every play style has drawbacks and tradeoffs and he has to face those.

As previously mentioned, if all he wants is physical damage, have him take killing hands. It does exactly what he wants and its extremely cheap.

Playing a melee combatant can be viable but it's harder than playing a "normal" character simply because you are handicapping yourself. You have to close in, deal with counterattacks etc. That's the nature of melee. But it is still a viable route. It just works differently. Instead of having a high damage code and armor penetration off the bat, it relies on having many hits to increase the damage code beyond the armor level of the opponent.

P.S. As a sidenote. Attribute Boost does not work that way. It's worded a bit weirdly, but it specifically says that it only affects dice pools. Hence, it does not increase the damage of melee attacks.

Please note that as an Adept Follower of Shark, he gets Killing Hands for Free... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Beaumis]

Oooops..... uhm... free is cheap? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Jack VII]

Oooops..... uhm... free is cheap? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Extremely, LOL

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Oooops..... uhm... free is cheap? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Heh... can't get Cheaper than Free... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[FuelDrop]

Heh... can't get Cheaper than Free... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

well they could pay you to have it...

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

well they could pay you to have it...

Then they tend to generate Suspicion (or at least it should). Why are they paying me to have it? What is wrong with it? Will I be betrayed by this in the future? Etc... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Beaumis]

Fear the devious plots of the killing hands.

[FuelDrop]

So making that a run. Adept powers that have a negative cost, provided you worship the right totem...

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Fear the devious plots of the killing hands.

Naah... was more commenting upon the "Free" things you get with apparently no strings attached. Every campaign tends to have them...
It amazes me that so many people never look askance at them. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Shark has a pretty hefty penalty attached for those Free Killing Hands and Extra Unarmed combat dice. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/eek.gif)

[Stahlseele]

Naah... was more commenting upon the "Free" things you get with apparently no strings attached. Every campaign tends to have them...
It amazes me that so many people never look askance at them. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Shark has a pretty hefty penalty attached for those Free Killing Hands and Extra Unarmed combat dice. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/eek.gif)

if you consider going berserk a penalty, yes . .