Cyberware Activation, How do you handle ... Options

[Luke Hardison]

How do you handle your Wolverine wannabe combat monsters with twin retractable cyberspurs getting them out? I've always thought that they should be able to activate both cyberspurs with a single free action, but, looking back, I don't see any canon indication that they're allowed to do that. Am I being too anal?

Also, does anyone think there should be bonuses for using more than 2 cyberspurs in combat? Canon says you can have them along any long bone structure .... should a sammy get a bonus for having one coming out of each wrist, and another coming up out of each knee? (other than his free freak points) :cyber:

[mfb]

sure. he just has to take off-off-hand cyberspurs, and off-off-off-hand, and...

[Ancient History]

If some combat-monster had cyberspurs implanted, I'd let him selectively extend any combination he wanted as a free action. But that's just me.

As for bonuses? Nah. The only person that might conceivably get a bonus would be Hatchetman for originality; anyone else? Bah. Hell, you could have spurs, fingerblades, an oral whip and footblades out all at once, with a third arm carrying a submachine gun and a third cybereye to guard your back, and you don't get any bonus except to intimidate.

Heh. I just pictured a cyber-sammi named Argos covered with cybereyes, each one with an eyegun or tool laser...

[GrinderTheTroll]

Rules are already a mess for multiple weapons in combat, I know I have folks that want to have 2+ sets of cyber weapons, but I am not sure how effective it would be using 4 sets of spurs.

SR2 used to add +50% to the powerlevel of the melee attack for 2 of the same weapon... perhaps you could adapt something similar for 3+ weapons.

As far as opening the spurs, maybe say they have to always open both sets a free-action, else it's a free+simple to open them seperately.

Just some thoughts.

[Halabis]

on that note, what are the rules for using a weapon in each hand?

[mfb]

CC page 94 and following, for melee, and SR3 page 112 for firearms.

[RedmondLarry]

SR3.121 for an attack with a PAIR of Hand Razors or Spurs adding 1/2 Strength to the power of the attack.

[Canid13]

I've nixed the part from the rulebook about increased Power levels. I don't see how having multiple would make it any more powerful since you most likely only tag the enemy with one.

Did anyone watch the Guyver anime? He had 'spurs' which came out of the eblow and back. This is an effective technique for blocking and also for some rather unusual, and therefore surprising, combos and strikes.

I've not encountered someone with say four sets of spurs, but if I did I'd probably allow them to use their skill(s) as complimentary again - so if you had Cyber Implant Weapons and Off-Hand Cyber Implant Weapons and 4 sets of spurs, I'd let them roll 1.5x Cyber Implant and 1x Off-Hand Cyber Implant.

But that's just me :o)

[Hasaku]

What if they had full Ambidexterity? Would you give them 2.5x dice?

[TheScamp]

[Canid13]

[hyzmarca]

I'd requre a specialized martial art and specialized manuver for using multiple sets of spurs, with the number of extra dice limited by the the level of the martial art skill.

A character with
4 spurs
6 cyberimplant combat,
6 off-hand cyberimplant combat,
2 new-age cyber martial art and the approperiate manuver
would only by able to roll 11 dice or multiply the attack's power by 1.5 and roll 7 dice.

The same character with 6 in his martial art skill would be able to roll 15 dice or multiply the power of the attack by 1.5 and roll 9 dice.

However, this martial art woul dnot be available at chargen.

[Canid13]

There are martial arts howadays which have this kind of maneuver in them - sorta.

Tonfa and knight sticks are much like what I'm talking about - Wolverine with single blades coming from his elbows and goingbackwards. Now, those will allow blocks and parries much easier than the forward pointing spurs, but the forward ones will allow more offensive moves easier than the back canted ones. It's a trade off, but I see the combat success contest as being a combination of blocked, feints and parries, which eventually leads to a single blow landing effectively.

I might, depending on which set was installed first, require specialisations such as 'back canted spur' and 'spur claws' but it's never come up so I've never really had to worry about it too much.

[Edward]

I would say you can get them out at the same time provided they are connected threw a buss (instead f individually directly to the brain or muscle activation) unless canon makes it easier. It gives a slight extra cost but not much.

As to bonuses the 2 weapon fighting rules cover this (in there way) more than 2 gives no appreciable bonus but there are times when the leg mounted spurs could be useful. Especially if there graded enough not to show up on the cyber wear scanner you can let them deactivate your arm mounted spurs. Or at diner you can activate them under the table and rub them down the leg of the person you’re talking to as an intimidation and the others at the high class restaurant won’t see.

Edward

[mfb]

full ambidexterity wouldn't cover this. i would require a seperate off-hand skill for each set of spurs you wanted to use. ambidex would cover two sets of spurs, total; beyond that, it's off-hand for each.

[The White Dwarf]

I wouldnt even require an action per se to deploy them. Theyre supposed to be wired to be usable as refelxivly as youd open or close a hand. I would require the character to be in a position of awareness, such as in combat and concious not tied up and knocked out in a dumpster; but I wouldnt make him take an action.

As for any advantage, ambidexterity covers the use of wielding 1 weapon in/on each hand; no more no less. Using a paired set of implanted weapons adds half the users base strenght rounded down to the weapons power. Past that theres no canon reference for any advantage, nor do I think they should be one. Id let the player do it, but make it clear that the only real advantage would be more backup blades; so if his hands get cuffed or something he could still fight with the knee blades at his normal skill value etc.

[ES_Riddle]

Like white dwarf said, extending your cyberspurs is as easy as flexing a muscle. If you will let a player drop 2 pistols in the same free action, you should let her extend both pairs of cyberspurs. If you want a rule-based justification for it, just remember that it says "activating cyberware is a free action" and not "activating one piece of cyberware is a free action." Lump all of there activations for one round as a single thing, IMO.