 I hate rats, Lions, Tigers, Bears, Sure, Rats, No |
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 Feb 11 2005, 09:14 AM
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#1
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Moving Target  Group: Members Posts: 349 Joined: 28-January 05 From: Phoenix, Arizona Member No.: 7,030  |
Another Feature of my board, also something picked up from my Gm.
Demon Rats: Attributes and Powers, unknown. Genetic experiment that failed miserabley. An attempt to creat a cockroach with the intellegence of a rat. Instead they got a Rat with the Intellegence, and Survivability of a Cockroach. If encountered, leave alone, do not attract it's attention, and walk away. They can and will consume anything, people, dumpsters, garbage, nuclear waste, vehicles, magick, elementals, spirits, fruitcake, rubber, plastic, kevlar. The only thing they seem to dislike eating is Oricalchum, but they'll still eat it if put in front of thier nose. They are immune to Damage of any kind, and are usually attracted to it. It is especially a bad idea to throw spells at it, they eat magic, and immediately belch it back. (one fellow player threw a fireball at one, it tossed a chaos storm right back, he countered with a Redirect [will send spell right back if successes are equal to or more then the level/force of the spell], Rat tossed back a Manaball +1 Level/Force. I saw instantly it was a losing battle, but he didn't, and so Redirect-Teleport +2, Redirect-Toxic Blast+3, Redirect-Charm+4, BOTCH No Karma available for Save. The Rat Charmed my Buddy and was about to make him into a nice snack. I tried to drag my buddy away, when he resisted I clocked him out cold, threw him on the Bike, and took him to another mage that we knew to have the Charm Removed.) When I GM I don't actively hunt characters with these, they are just in the background now and then, gnawing on a Dumpster. Until somebody decides to Shoot one. I'm sorry but I think it's common sense, a Rat is eating a Dumpster, I'd leave the thing alone, it's not doing anything to me. Ergo, to shoot at rat or cast spell at it is to draw it's attention, after that it's a simple choice between running away from it, or attempting to out "bad ass" it which will ultimately fail. The only known way of Killing a rat is to have it fed live to a Dragon, which will ultimately die of indegestion. Thankfully the things do Die of old age eventually, and only reproduce (in which the female ingests the male) at a rate of 2 offspring per life time. I'm interested to hear what nasty critters Players have faced, and GM's have created. |
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Feb 11 2005, 09:22 AM
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#2
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 596 Joined: 18-February 03 Member No.: 4,112 |
That seems pretty overpowered. Almost along the lines of an orbital cow launcher, except that you can hide underground from the cows.
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Feb 11 2005, 09:25 AM
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#3
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Canon Companion Group: Members Posts: 8,021 Joined: 2-March 03 From: The Morgue, Singapore LTG Member No.: 4,187 |
Canon Demon Rats are available in YOTC.
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Feb 11 2005, 09:37 AM
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#4
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Immoral Elf Group: Members Posts: 15,247 Joined: 29-March 02 From: Grimy Pete's Bar & Laundromat Member No.: 2,486 |
What 'board' is it that you keep refering to?
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Feb 11 2005, 09:49 AM
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#5
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 349 Joined: 28-January 05 From: Phoenix, Arizona Member No.: 7,030 |
Every human being is different, Ergo every GM is different, Ergo there will be certain differences between the "world" a GM will create for thier game, differences of NPC's, Governments, Corps, Timelines, Critters and such. The "Board" is the term used for those differences. Like my GM I do not rely on the Canon of the Books 100%, Most of the Timeline I do agree with although I do throw in a few things not covered in the timeline.
Well if you or your GM are using the YOTC Rats, then give these rats a different name. Haven't ready anything from YOTC and don't know if there's any differences.
Overpower is balanced by the fact that unless attacked they will leave the characters alone. |
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Feb 11 2005, 09:55 AM
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#6
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 401 Joined: 7-June 02 From: Living with the straw sheep. Member No.: 2,850 |
That sort of answers most of my questions, after a fashion.
[ Spoiler ]
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Feb 11 2005, 10:20 AM
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#7
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 942 Joined: 13-May 04 Member No.: 6,323 |
A slightly toned down, and I think more interesting idea, would be an awakened cockroach. Make it much larger than a normal cockroach, maybe 2 feet long or so, with complete immunity to radiation and the vast majority of poisons and diseases. Perhaps even give it an allergy to clean air and water. High body, and amazing reflexes, perhaps giving it double the normal combat pool for dodge tests only. Able to eat virtually any organic matter. An infestation of the things would be a fun thing for runners to fight... perhaps they're eating through wooden buildings or rubber tires.
JaronK |
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Feb 11 2005, 10:27 AM
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#8
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 349 Joined: 28-January 05 From: Phoenix, Arizona Member No.: 7,030 |
ROTFLMAO... I like that Idea. Go ahead and let the characters waste thier ammo at trying to shoot the things, out of ammo they go for thier melee weapons, after passing out of exhaustion several hours later they should realize that some critters are best left alone.
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Feb 11 2005, 03:33 PM
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#9
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 230 Joined: 3-December 04 Member No.: 6,863 |
YES!!!! I can't wait. Thanks for the great idea. Now to scare the heck out of some players. And they thought they had it easy stuck in a room with ghouls on the outside trying to break there only door down while rats where eating there way through the walls.. muuuuhahahahahahahahahahaha
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Feb 11 2005, 04:11 PM
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#10
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,453 Joined: 17-September 04 From: St. Paul Member No.: 6,675 |
Even a dragon can be taken down by these things. Hmmm, seems broken to me. If these things breed at all then eventually they will take over the world. There has to be some limit. But, like you said, not every GM plays the same game.
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Feb 11 2005, 04:22 PM
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#11
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Running, running, running Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 2,220 Joined: 18-October 04 From: North Carolina Member No.: 6,769 |
actually, they wouldnt, since the males are consumed for reproduction, and the females will only ever produce two offspring, and they can die of old age., actually, this rat would go extinct VERY fast. consider a starting population of 4 rats 2 male, two female. Each female consumes one male, and then produces one rat again, lets say they're both males. They again consume both males, , and this time, one has a male, and the other a female. At this point, both older females have had as many offspring as they can, and they can essentially be written off as dead. So now you're down to two. one male, an the female, who eats the male has another rat-baby, and it this point, it doesnt matter the gender. if it's a male, the female has had all of the offspring she can. if it's a female, there are no males left to consume. end of line once they two rats natural lifespan ends. |
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Feb 11 2005, 04:30 PM
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#12
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,840 Joined: 24-July 02 From: Lubbock, TX Member No.: 3,024 |
You only gave the 2nd generation female one offspring.
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Feb 11 2005, 04:44 PM
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#13
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Running, running, running Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 2,220 Joined: 18-October 04 From: North Carolina Member No.: 6,769 |
because it doesnt matter at that point. no matter what happens with the last female. If she has a female first, the line ends there, no more males to eat. If she has a male first, she can have one more offspring, but again, it doesnt matter. If it's a male, she can't have any more offspring. if its a female, well, there arent any more males to reproduce with.
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Feb 11 2005, 05:29 PM
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#14
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,840 Joined: 24-July 02 From: Lubbock, TX Member No.: 3,024 |
Ah, read it as two births per lifetime not meaning just one offspring per birth.
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Feb 11 2005, 05:38 PM
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#15
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Running, running, running Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 2,220 Joined: 18-October 04 From: North Carolina Member No.: 6,769 |
well, he said 2 offspring per lifetime, so i would rule that as no more tha two baby rats per mother in her life. Whether that could happen as twins or not would be debateble i suppose, but in the end, it wouldnt affect the math.
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Feb 11 2005, 05:49 PM
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#16
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,840 Joined: 24-July 02 From: Lubbock, TX Member No.: 3,024 |
Nah, twins wouldn't make much of a difference.
Makes me wonder how fast the real Demon Rats breed though. |
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Feb 11 2005, 06:51 PM
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#17
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,006 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
Demon Rats only give birth twice each week.
~J |
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Feb 11 2005, 07:35 PM
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#18
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 230 Joined: 3-December 04 Member No.: 6,863 |
:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: |
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Feb 11 2005, 08:41 PM
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#19
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Chrome to the Core Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 3,152 Joined: 14-October 03 From: ::1 Member No.: 5,715 |
Cockroach Spirit? |
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Feb 11 2005, 08:56 PM
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#20
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,453 Joined: 17-September 04 From: St. Paul Member No.: 6,675 |
No, just a f-in' big bug...
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Feb 11 2005, 10:49 PM
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#21
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,032 Joined: 6-August 04 Member No.: 6,543 |
Um, and let's add gods to the game. Look, this just may be me, but one of the best things about shadowrun is that you can kill anything. ghostwalker, is killable if you plan long enough,have enough fire power and don't plan on seeing the next day. These rats are plot devices,at best and Dues Ex Machina the rest of the time. |
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Feb 11 2005, 11:02 PM
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#22
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 292 Joined: 24-September 04 Member No.: 6,701 |
It's not just you. I had exactly the same reaction when I read this writeup. Dunkelzahn was apparently easier to kill than these creations. Toss these in the same trash bin as that so-called trap of doom he came up with in the Traps thread. If that sounds harsh, then too damn bad. Post something that's actually supportable in Shadowrun Canon and Genre if you want something other than disdain. |
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Feb 11 2005, 11:06 PM
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#23
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,430 Joined: 10-January 05 From: Fort Worth, Texas Member No.: 6,957 |
You mean like Harlequin, Scale, and any of a large number of other canon walking talking plot devices / Deus Ex Machninae?
Every NPC on the planet is a plot device. Yeah, most of them can be killed, but not all of them. Heck, most pieces of inanimate matter that make it farther into the scenario than the flavor text are also plot devices. People around here like to say that Shadowrun is different from that other game, but from what I've read there's more "Ultimate NPCs" running around the 6th world than there are in the Forgotten Realms, aka the demi-plane of NPC plot devices. And at least all of those FR chraracters at least have stats. Sure, they're ungodly powerful stats, but they're stats. Something that can't be said for the Ultimate NPCs in Shadowrun. |
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Feb 12 2005, 12:36 AM
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#24
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Beetle Eater Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 4,797 Joined: 3-June 02 From: Oblivion City Member No.: 2,826 |
They give a base line stats for the average Great Dragon and every other critter including metahumans. Everything else is left up to the GM.
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Feb 12 2005, 12:52 AM
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#25
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,430 Joined: 10-January 05 From: Fort Worth, Texas Member No.: 6,957 |
Except in those instances where it says "NPC ___ has no stats. he can easily surpass the runners". Scale (one of Lofwyr's agents) and Harlequin are two examples of that. I'm sure there are others out there.
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