How much to y'all use multi "class" chars?

How much to y'all use multi "class" chars?, example: spell slinging gun user

Shadow Beast View Member Profile	Mar 1 2005, 06:34 PM Post #1
Target Group: Members Posts: 11 Joined: 1-March 05 From: PhoeniX, AZ Member No.: 7,128	I know Shadowrun doesn't have classes but there comparable builds, street sam, full mage etc. It seems like my character is a rarity. He uses hermetic spells and has dual pistols with smartlinks. He has utility spells and wears armor of a gunfighter. I wanna know what kind of odd combination characters anyone else has.

GrinderTheTroll View Member Profile	Mar 1 2005, 06:30 PM Post #2
Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,754 Joined: 9-July 04 From: Modesto, CA Member No.: 6,465	I say this is more common than you realize. Excessive implants would put you in the "burn out" category, but it's all how you role-play your character IMO.

hahnsoo

Mar 1 2005, 06:34 PM

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Mr. Johnson

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QUOTE (Shadow Beast @ Mar 1 2005, 01:34 PM)

I know Shadowrun doesn't have classes but there comparable builds, street sam, full mage etc. It seems like my character is a rarity. He uses hermetic spells and has dual pistols with smartlinks. He has utility spells and wears armor of a gunfighter. I wanna know what kind of odd combination characters anyone else has.

My current character is a Magician's Way adept, Hermetic spell slinger with dual revolvers here. Not rare at all, I'd say.

Dual Pistols with smartlinks, eh? How did you pull that off?

In the past, I've had a Fire Elementalist/decker/sniper, a street sam/rigger, a corp suit/decker, a Hermetic Mage/Rigger/Decker, and a Cyber Adept/Street Doc. I don't think "multiclassing" is really an appropriate term once you get into shadowrun character creation.

Critias View Member Profile	Mar 1 2005, 06:38 PM Post #4
Freelance Elf Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 7,324 Joined: 30-September 04 From: Texas Member No.: 6,714	I'm running a fantastic street sam, mediocre decker, decent face, awful Adept. Does that count?

Sharaloth View Member Profile	Mar 1 2005, 06:41 PM Post #5
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 351 Joined: 17-February 05 Member No.: 7,093	Indeed. Many a game has seen 'multi-class' characters. Personally, I've seen mage/deckers, Face/Adepts, Sammy/Riggers, etc, etc. The way SR works is far more free-form than 'class' based. There are archetypes, but it's very easy to cross archetypes in character creation, and even easier to develop across archetype bounds as the game progresses (assuming, of course, your character survives). There's no reason you can't have a Covert Ops / Weapons Specialist / Face / Mage. It get's hard to balance things, yeah, but you could do it. And if you don't mind the hit in power points... why the hell NOT have an Adept with Smartlink?

Mortax View Member Profile	Mar 1 2005, 06:57 PM Post #6
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 571 Joined: 9-January 05 From: In the 9th circle of hell Member No.: 6,950	There was one guy in our group who made a conjuring adept with a weapon focus and a tac computer. It would have worked okay, but he only had a charisma of 4. The Wildcats use physads with cyber. Scarry. Come to think of it, so do both Tirs. I made a mage rigger once, but never got to play it. Maybe soon. (insert evil grin)

Shadow Beast

Mar 1 2005, 06:53 PM

Post #7

Target

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QUOTE

I'm running a fantastic street sam, mediocre decker, decent face, awful Adept. Does that count?

I guess so. :grin:

QUOTE

Dual Pistols with smartlinks, eh? How did you pull that off?

Did my group house rule for 2 smartlinks? I went through a big ordeal to get cybereyes(delta) and smartlinks(delta) and took the -1 to magic attribute and -.45 essence or something.

I guess its my group giving me a distorted view of things, Im the only magic character with ANY cyber/bioware, the only mage thats fights hand to hand (when needed), the only etc.
The sam is just that, the mage just a mage.

ShadowGhost View Member Profile	Mar 1 2005, 07:03 PM Post #8
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 376 Joined: 14-July 03 Member No.: 4,928	I like running Full Shaman/Sammie, taking 2 Ess. pts of Cyber, and two points Bioware for a final magic rating of 3. I usually take spells that complement the cyber/sammie, stealth, Imp. Inv., a Force 1 Power foci so I can cast at force 4 without taking physical damage, some Elemental Manips, rarely take combat spells, and lots of health spells.

Sharaloth View Member Profile	Mar 1 2005, 07:19 PM Post #9
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 351 Joined: 17-February 05 Member No.: 7,093	A sammy in the game I'm running did the 'firing with two smartlinked weapons' thing too. It took me two sessions to figure out what he was doing, then I asked for his character sheet saying: "You realize that the Smartlink bonus only applies to one weapon, you don't get the -2 for both." Then I noticed something on his sheet, looked back up. "You have two smartlinks, don't you?" He just grinned and nodded. I figured, hey, if he wants to pay the cost in money and essence for both of them, he can have the bonus applied to both (It can't be that hard to set the colour of the targeter different for each smartlink). Of course, the penalties for firing two weapons still apply, so it wasn't something game-breaking. (Well, not until later, when I decided to give him access to as much Delta tech as he could conceivably pay or bargain for) I've never seen a magician or Adept PCin any of my games take a smartlink, which is kinda odd, considering the firefights we get into. Even the Awakened characters who took on cyber or bio enhancements (decker/mage, face/adept), didn't go in for a smartlink, even when they had the Essence to spare.

hahnsoo

Mar 1 2005, 07:19 PM

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Mr. Johnson

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QUOTE (Shadow Beast @ Mar 1 2005, 01:53 PM)

QUOTE

Dual Pistols with smartlinks, eh? How did you pull that off?

Did my group house rule for 2 smartlinks? I went through a big ordeal to get cybereyes(delta) and smartlinks(delta) and took the -1 to magic attribute and -.45 essence or something.

So you get 4 shots all with a -2 Smartgun modifier? That sounds like smelly cheese to me (since the whole point of the 2 smartlinks not working is because you can't concentrate on two targets simultaneously, sans Encephalon or Tac Comp), but I'm not complaining... I have a Force 6 enhanced aim, which makes my character even more disgustingly powerful, especially after I get the Attuning metamagic.

EDIT: I'm basically saying that your setup isn't munchkin, since it sounds like you went through some effort to get what you have, and apparently magic can do better than the Cyber.

ShadowGhost View Member Profile	Mar 1 2005, 07:23 PM Post #11
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 376 Joined: 14-July 03 Member No.: 4,928	Of course, Enhance Aim is resisted, just like ALL detection spells, plus it's only good for Pistol Range

hahnsoo

Mar 1 2005, 07:27 PM

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Mr. Johnson

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QUOTE (ShadowGhost)

Of course, Enhance Aim is resisted, just like ALL detection spells, plus it's only good for Pistol Range

I also have a specific spell focus for it, and probably roll about 20 dice total when it comes down the pipe... resist that! *grin*

My main problem, actually, are those darn projecting mages and spirits, since they have a nasty habit of dispelling my Enhanced Aim or the Elemental/Sustaining Focus that is sustaining it. I always have to wait for our Raccoon shaman to do astral overwatch before using it.

ShadowGhost View Member Profile	Mar 1 2005, 07:31 PM Post #13
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 376 Joined: 14-July 03 Member No.: 4,928	And you require two successes on TN 6 for each -1 YN modifier it provides, up to a max of 1/2 the force of the spell.... so you're needed to roll six 6's to get that -3 max. On the other hand, this spell is cumulative with optical vision mag (not electronic), laser sights, and non-cybered smartlink... so it's got its good and bad sides to it. Off topic... is there a goggles version of Smartlink 2, or is that Smartlink 2 Cyber only?

hahnsoo

Mar 1 2005, 07:44 PM

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Mr. Johnson

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QUOTE (ShadowGhost)

And you require two successes on TN 6 for each -1 YN modifier it provides, up to a max of 1/2 the force of the spell.... so you're needed to roll six 6's to get that -3 max.

Correct. I usually go for about 8 or 9 successes using Karma before sustaining it in a sustaining focus or with an Elemental, for the potential resistance tests. It's a bit expensive, but the edge it gives is pretty cheesy.

Kagetenshi View Member Profile	Mar 1 2005, 07:47 PM Post #15
Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,012 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802	In my experience, it's exceedingly common. The rarity is single "class" characters; in our game, specialized means only doing two things (Rigger/Face, Streetsam/Electronics Guy, Combat Decker) instead of lots (Riggerdeckerfacemage). ~J

BitBasher View Member Profile	Mar 1 2005, 09:09 PM Post #16
Traumatizing players since 1992 Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 3,282 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Las Vegas, NV Member No.: 220	I agree with Kage, I find "pure" characters to be very rare.

mfb View Member Profile	Mar 1 2005, 09:34 PM Post #17
Immortal Elf Group: Members Posts: 11,410 Joined: 1-October 03 From: Pittsburgh Member No.: 5,670	it depends on your terms. i mean, is a street sam with Electronics 6 'multiclassing', or just realistically diversified?

DragginSPADE View Member Profile	Mar 1 2005, 10:57 PM Post #18
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 130 Joined: 25-February 05 Member No.: 7,119	I've noticed that the larger a group is, the more specialized the characters get. In my old game in high school, we had a medium sized group where everyone played a relatively specialized character. Anymore, I'm either running solo or with one other player, so our characters are jacks of all trades.

Snow_Fox View Member Profile	Mar 1 2005, 11:34 PM Post #19
Prime Runner Group: Members Posts: 3,577 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Gwynedd Valley PA Member No.: 1,221	peopel have already said it, but it's pretty common because htis frees you up in ways you can't with classes. True the more cyber you load on a character the less mojo she'll have but it's more role playing than anything. My main character is a shaman but she acts more like the gorup's face and that's where many of her skills lie.

Kagetenshi

Mar 1 2005, 11:49 PM

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Manus Celer Dei

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QUOTE (mfb @ Mar 1 2005, 04:34 PM)

it depends on your terms. i mean, is a street sam with Electronics 6 'multiclassing', or just realistically diversified?

A combat specialist being a top-of-the-line professional in Electronics is a dual-specialized character, not "realistically diversified".

Electronics 1 or 2, maybe 3, but not 6.

~J

mfb View Member Profile	Mar 1 2005, 11:48 PM Post #21
Immortal Elf Group: Members Posts: 11,410 Joined: 1-October 03 From: Pittsburgh Member No.: 5,670	hm. i guess i 'multiclass' a lot more often than i thought.

Arethusa

Mar 1 2005, 11:58 PM

Post #22

Runner

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QUOTE (Sharaloth)

The way SR works is far more free-form than 'class' based.

That's not really entirely true. The game may at first appear free form, but it is in fact soft classed based (the only true departure from more traditional DnD mechanics, in that regard, is level progression, and that's not even really true with awakened characters). Yes, there is some overlap in using cyberware for the awakened (and, if you're metagaming, you damn well better be using cyberware, because the downsides are dramatically outweighed by what you get), but it's not that significant. SR is still very much a class based game, and what overlap there is plays more like multiclassing than anything truly freeform.

This is even more true with DnD 3.0/3.5, where skills are open to everyone, anyone can take levels in almost any other class, etc.

Kagetenshi

Mar 1 2005, 11:52 PM

Post #23

Manus Celer Dei

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QUOTE (mfb @ Mar 1 2005, 06:48 PM)

hm. i guess i 'multiclass' a lot more often than i thought.

I suppose I misspoke.

Do you take Computers as well, or Electronics or Computers B/R? One of them I can see as not being dual-specialized per se, though it's definitely outside the realm of believably diversified. Once you get into two or three, or the Holy Quad, you're suddenly into Streetsam/Tech realm IMO.

Arethusa: I have to disagree pretty solidly. There are soft classes, but they smudge so much that you only hit multiclass-like things when trying to go three or more different directions at once, IMO.

~J

mfb View Member Profile	Mar 1 2005, 11:56 PM Post #24
Immortal Elf Group: Members Posts: 11,410 Joined: 1-October 03 From: Pittsburgh Member No.: 5,670	only because players tend to gravitate towards specific, provided archtypes. there's nothing that keeps you from playing a completely useless (from a runner perspective) scientist, for instance.

Guest_Crimsondude 2.0_*

Mar 2 2005, 12:33 AM

Post #25

Guests

QUOTE (Shadow Beast @ Mar 1 2005, 11:34 AM)

It seems like my character is a rarity. He uses hermetic spells and has dual pistols with smartlinks. He has utility spells and wears armor of a gunfighter. I wanna know what kind of odd combination characters anyone else has.

That's rare?

QUOTE (hahnsoo)

Dual Pistols with smartlinks, eh? How did you pull that off?

Same way I did: Two smartlinks (actually, it's more like 1.5 if you use the components from M&M), and the 8 pt. Ambidexterity Edge.

You can't shoot 4 rounds per round while using the SL mod, but it makes it possible to carry two pistols, SMGs, or a mix and switch off within a round without having to switch weapons.

QUOTE (Mortax)

The Wildcats use physads with cyber. Scarry. Come to think of it, so do both Tirs.

Ask Critias about how scary TT Ghost physad hostage rescue assault teams can be. I have little doubt that he's partially responsible for why the Ghosts in Corporate Punishment are so badass.

QUOTE (hahnsoo)

So you get 4 shots all with a -2 Smartgun modifier?

No. The rules don't allow that.

QUOTE (Snow_Fox)

peopel have already said it, but it's pretty common because htis frees you up in ways you can't with classes. True the more cyber you load on a character the less mojo she'll have but it's more role playing than anything. My main character is a shaman but she acts more like the gorup's face and that's where many of her skills lie.

I've been patient long enough.

Use the friggin' spellchecker! Jesus. You're a grown, educated English-speaking woman. Yet whenever I see a post, I am never surprised to see it full of typos. Something is wrong with this picture.

Please. Baby Jesus will thank you.

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