 Radioactive Sponge, Is it actually useful? |
  |
  Sep 9 2015, 04:21 PM
Post
#1
|
|
|
Moving Target  Group: Members Posts: 482 Joined: 27-May 09 From: Ann Arbor, MI Member No.: 17,213  |
I'm curious if the Radioactive Sponge positive quality is worth making a character with. It's a quality in the hazardous environment section of Run Faster, and it has two effects: First, radiation hazard levels are one less for the character, so they are never in a lethal environment due to radiation (they do get sick). Second, they absorb that environment and spit it back out again for a while after being in it.
Can a decent character be built with this idea? I imagine you could get a radiation shielded set of clothes to contain your radiation, and they take it off when you want to be hazardous, but I can't imagine it would be effective on a scale fast enough to aid runners outside of very specific situations where you want to freak out people with radiation detectors. Even then you are likely to get a dedicated anti-terrorist squad or worse involved if they think a dirty bomb or nuke is involved. Outside of using the quality with NPCs for a nasty twist on a mission (extraction or capture of a radioactive target)... what good is it? |
 |
 
|
|
Sep 9 2015, 04:27 PM
Post
#2
|
|
|
Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,102 Joined: 23-August 09 From: Vancouver, Canada Member No.: 17,538 |
It seems like one of those niche qualities that really is better off reserved for NPCs. As a player, you can and do see your character in all sorts of environments and while it might be nice to have some level of immunity to the bad parts of a given environment, that always seems to come with a load of penalties in every other environment.
You listed some of the big ones already, like the fact that you are setting off rad-meters everywhere you go. This quality on a PC would be fine if you were only playing in the barrens and around places where radiation was a large factor. Otherwise it seems more of a hindrance than a boon as you have to deal with the down sides and would rarely get to use the bonuses. |
|
|
|
|
Sep 9 2015, 08:48 PM
Post
#3
|
|
|
Great Dragon Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 5,082 Joined: 3-October 09 From: Kohle, Stahl und Bier Member No.: 17,709 |
Well, as written the extra duration for your personal radioactive contamination only applies in Deadly-rated areas. So if your character regularly spends time in radioactive area, but stays out of Deadly environments like everybody else, it's a clear win for just 5 Karma.
|
|
|
|
|
Sep 10 2015, 12:37 AM
Post
#4
|
|
|
Old Man of the North Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 9,669 Joined: 14-August 03 From: Just north of the Centre of the Universe Member No.: 5,463 |
Sounds like something for runners in Los Angeles, no?
|
|
|
|
|
Sep 11 2015, 08:02 PM
Post
#5
|
|
|
Moving Target Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 586 Joined: 27-January 07 From: United States Member No.: 10,812 |
Sounds good for someone from SOX or the Glow in Seattle. Especially nice for a toxic mage NPC.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 25th April 2024 - 04:29 AM |
Topps, Inc has sole ownership of the names, logo, artwork, marks, photographs, sounds, audio, video and/or any proprietary material used in connection with the game Shadowrun. Topps, Inc has granted permission to the Dumpshock Forums to use such names, logos, artwork, marks and/or any proprietary materials for promotional and informational purposes on its website but does not endorse, and is not affiliated with the Dumpshock Forums in any official capacity whatsoever.