Street Samurai Survey, You can only pick one! Options

[Wakshaani]

(reposting from the official boards)

Street Samurai. We know 'em, we love 'em, they've been with us since day one (with 0.1 Essence!), and they're with us even today.

But I'm curious to see how y'all define 'em. Obviously, the default answer to every question that'll follow in here is "It depends", or "Well, THIS character is X while THAT one is Y..." but I'm hoping that you guys can nail it down a bit, grit your teeth, and give a definitive answer. Rather than slap all the questions in here at once, I was hoping for more organic flow,as some answers might generate more questions.

So, I'd like to start with an easy-hard one.

1) What single weapon best defines the Street Samurai archetype in your mind.
a) Raw physical striking (punching, headbut, etc)
b) Retractable cyber-melee weapon
c) The Katana
d) Smartpistol (Ares Predator and friends)
e) Smartsmg (Ingram and friends)
f) Assault Rifles
g) Big Guns
e) Other (Fill in the blank, please!)

If you want to give a bit more detail on why you chose one answer over another, I'd be much obliged.

[Critias]

It's a hard answer, because to me part of the Street Sammie's job really is being able to point at that list and say "all of the above, bro. That's my job."

[Bull]

Are we discussing classic, original Street Samurai, or are we discussing the current "Class" that uses that name?

If the former, it's the Katana, hands down. that and a code of honor are what separated the Sammy from the Merc.

Modern Day? It's a "Class" that encompasses pretty much any non-magical, physical-combat focused character.

[Medicineman]

to me its all of the above and more
A Streetsam is a Char that is(should be) prepared for any kind of Combat
and with a Mindset that sets him apart (and above) from Gangers, Merceneries or Cyberclaws
To narrow him down to just one kind of Weapon ist the most stupidest thing I could imagine

HougH!
Medicineman

[Critias]

Now, trying to unpack it and pick just one answer to the "iconic" question, gun to my head, and I have to pick just one?...I'm gonna go with some sort of cyberspur or other implanted weapon. Not because they're necessary, or because the rules necessarily support it (with bone lacing making you almost as nasty without them, with the way skills have broken down across various editions making their actual utility questionable, and on and on and on), but because that's where "razorboy" comes from, or similar nicknames...and for good reason.

At that level, you're making yourself a weapon. There's an implication there, that such augmentations often go hand-in-hand with being faster, stronger, more willing to take a hit (because you're modding your body to get in close and stab people). Replacing part of your arm with knives is friggin' hardcore. It's a statement of intent. That's important. That intent, that purpose, that willingness to augment yourself for combat, is a big deal.

[Glyph]

Yeah, I concur with the others, option E. Iconic street samurai combine a range of ranged and melee skills with augmentations to make them tougher, faster, and more accurate.

[Pendaric]

For me its not the weapons. But the code of honour and the 'ware.

[binarywraith]

It's the code, full stop. Sprawl's full of gangers, toughs, and Gillettes with any pile of chrome and guns, but what makes a samurai is in the head and the heart.

Doesn't matter if it's some drek hot slitch with eyes like mirrors and razors under her nails, or a gunman with a duster and a chip on his shoulder the size of Texas.

That said, I've always considered any weapon to fit a sam, but the iconic image is a monokatana for me.

[Sendaz]

Now we have to go back and watch Ghost Dog again.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

I have to agree with some of the others here... The Samurai is the specific Code of Honor that he embraces (strict and inviolate), not the Equipment that he uses (which is interchangeable based upon need).

[Wakshaani]

Oh, questions about the Code are on the way as well. I'm just giving the questions out a lil' at a time. Some of the answers might naturally evolve future questions. For now, what I'm looking for is "When you picture "Street Samurai" in your head, what weapon do they have?" It gets trickier later.

[Sendaz]

I suppose the Katana would still be something I would expect the sammie to have, even if he never draws it during the run.

It is as much a status symbol as a weapon and it does help to project the calm certainty that he can kill everyone in the room if need be, but only if necessary.

[Wothanoz]

Street Samurai is a matter of mentality, not physical equipment. ever seen Ghost Dog, with Forrest Whittaker? That's a street samurai. Much like a traditional Samurai, he should be skilled with a variety of weapons, and have a solid grounding in tactics. He should be able to operate in a variety of roles.

Nowadays, if they are not actual street sams, I call'em Trigger Pullers, Gilletes, Razor Boys, Stepping Razors, or Vending Machines.

[hermit]

While the Katana's iconic, what defines the Street Samurai - the urban, cyberpunk cyber-warrior - are retractable blade,s hands down. It's the one weapon that's unique to them.

And actually, with cyberpunk urban warriors, "Street Ronin" IMHO would have been much better a fit, but Gibson made a different choice.

[Teulisch]

i would go with the Ingram smartgun, for several reasons. its a good weapon, concealable, sound suppressed, and yet cost effective and easy to replace because its an off the shelf weapon.

as for what weapons a sam will have... i would expect at a minimum a knife, pistol, SMG, assault rifle, and scoped rifle, and several grenades. he wont normally carry all of that at once, but he should have them available, and carry what the job needs.

likewise, i would expect a sam to be able to ride a motorcycle, and do so with skill. driving a car takes less skill, and you often have a rigger to do that job with skill, but on a motorcycle you are on your own. its sort of like riding a horse for the modern world. some will prefer faster, more agile bikes, while others will want larger, tougher machines. combat biking is the new mounted combat.

[binarywraith]

Honestly, I need to play SR again. Real street sams are a blessing, and should be encouraged at every turn.

[Deckbeard]

Gonna mimic what some of the others have already said here and go with it depends on what you mean by street samurai. If you mean A) someone who is a follower of the bushido or some code of eithics and offers his services as a sell sword, then the katana. If you mean B) a non magical, non razorboy/vatjob murderer then i would go with all of them. The sniper will always be better then the street samurai at sniping people, but the street samurai is better at pistols and submachine guns and assault rifles and heavy weapons and baseball bats and katanas and monofilament whips. They are the jack of all trades of murder.

[Cochise]

1) What single weapon best defines the Street Samurai archetype in your mind.
a) Raw physical striking (punching, headbut, etc)
b) Retractable cyber-melee weapon
c) The Katana
d) Smartpistol (Ares Predator and friends)
e) Smartsmg (Ingram and friends)
f) Assault Rifles
g) Big Guns
e) Other (Fill in the blank, please!)

e) All and none of the above.

I never saw a particular weapon as the defining element of a Street Samurai. For me it was always about a certain mindset within a very specific social environment which - if anything - created a certain preference for melee weapons but never to a degree where firearms (of any size) would be totally neglected. For me a Street Samurai is someone who is driven by the idea of instilling a certain amount of fear into "lowlier" people and respect into those of equal or higher social rank through the implicated knowledge that if need would be the Samurai could pretty much instantly end the lives of people surrounding him in various and mainly gruesome but still somewhat artful or even artistic ways. The main focus for achieving that goal is turning himself (and thus his body) into a living weapon with any available means ... and that happens to include augmentations to his natural physical traits like strength, quickness, dexterity, reaction and/or incorporating weapons like spurs and other blades into his system.
The tendency towards melee oriented combat is because unlike ranged weaponry this particular combat type always involves and allows for showcasing the Samurai's body as a whole instead of just the weapon used.

And whatever cannot be fitted into the body is simply used as an external tool to the same end: Master whatever weapons you come across, turn them into an extension of your body and display them openly in order to tell your surroundings which social group you belong to.

Unlike the historical prototype the Street Samurai isn't born into his social position but must claim it by his own choice. His weapons - while still representing his social status - are not granted or gifted by any ruler for the Street Samurai is his own ruler that decided to rise above the "peasants" in his surroundings.

Whether or not the Street Samurai is ultimately recognized as being one heavily depends on whether or not he manages to avoid looking like the next crazed murder hobo in the line ... and that's where his adherence to the "code" comes into play. And no, that code doesn't necessarily have to be Bushido.

[Sendaz]

Really need a Like /+1 button for the Cochise's post above. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Link]

While the Katana's iconic, what defines the Street Samurai - the urban, cyberpunk cyber-warrior - are retractable blade,s hands down. It's the one weapon that's unique to them.

And actually, with cyberpunk urban warriors, "Street Ronin" IMHO would have been much better a fit, but Gibson made a different choice.

I agree. Early Shadowrun emphasised blades and spurs as archetypal Sam weapons through its art and fiction. Not that they weren't adept with a variety of weapons but the cyber weapons were a signature.
As for Gibson I think alliteration influenced his choice, Street Samurai rolls off the tongue.

[Sendaz]

At one time he did play about with the term Road Ronin, but it just did not come off as smoothly. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)


Some other terms that (thankfully) never made it off of the cutting room floor:

Backalley Bushi

Avenue WuShu

Super Slab Super Stab (Honestly don't know what they were thinking on that one.....)

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

I would go with the Ingram smartgun, for several reasons. its a good weapon, concealable, sound suppressed, and yet cost effective and easy to replace because its an off the shelf weapon.

Well, if we are not discussing the Code, then I Gotta agree here... the Street Samurai's Sidekick^TM is so iconic that it is directly supported by its moniker. Ingram Smartgun X all the way, backed up by Cyberspurs and Katana.

[Glyph]

I think the main things defining a street samurai are his augmentations, and his professionalism/competence. I prefer the pragmatic, hard-edged SR1 street samurai to the later versions that had a ludicrous code of honor, studied thing like Zen koans and ink brush painting, etc.

[Sengir]

For me its not the weapons. But the code of honour and the 'ware.

That doesn't preclude some weapon being the definite street samurai weapon


For me it would also be the spurs, it's just the classic cyberpunk image to me.

The Smartgun (or generally an SMG with brain interface) coming close second. Guns linked to the brain are another obvious classic, and IMO pistols are just too "ordinary", while longarms...you can't pull an assault rifle from a trenchcoat (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Link]

At one time he did play about with the term Road Ronin, but it just did not come off as smoothly. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)


Some other terms that (thankfully) never made it off of the cutting room floor:

Backalley Bushi

Avenue WuShu

Super Slab Super Stab (Honestly don't know what they were thinking on that one.....)

I may borrow Back alley Bushi as the level title for first level Street Samurai in my AD&D SR hybrid.