new FAQ answers, shadowrunrpg.com rulings on regen Options

[Sokei]

ok so did anyone else notice that the ruling on regen for shape shifters and critters is that stun damage DOES affect the being. I know i have had this issue with my shape shifter PC before where the team is taking fire from gel rounds and he walks through them like they are not even there. They also have optional regen rules that make regen a lot less sick and wrong.

and for anyone interested in drakes, there is a HUGE chunk in there on them.

[Tarantula]

First, I think it is an outdated FAQ answer, mostly from "Why do Deadly wounds evaporate with Regeneration, but near-deadly wounds take long periods to heal?" statement. According to the critters sourcebook, "For any other result, the creature suffers the standard damage penalties for the Combat Turn in which the damage was inflicted, but the damage vanishes at the beginning of the next Combat Turn." So, all damage regens at the start of the next combat turn. Including stun.

[toturi]

I think the FAQ is introducing a completely new mechanic for Regeneration. The statement that Tarantula quotes could be taken to mean that on any other result other than rolling a 1 and/or 2 when taking deadly Damage, other Damage is not regenerated. I can see how some GMs see it that way, it depends on how they see "any other result".

But yes, the FAQ mechanic makes Regeneration less powerful than it was previously.

[Sokei]

[Tarantula]

I realize that, but because the faq is asking why only deadly wounds regenerate with regen, it tells me that it is outdated, as I already read and played it as everything regens unless they died.

By the way, why doesn't it specify why it does/doesn't work on stun damage? Regen power says "the damage vanishes at the beginning of the next combat turn." Not "the physical damage" just "the damage" meaning all damage.

[Sokei]

yeah its not worded real clearly. first you have this line:

[Tarantula]

Heres a question, why, would a small bullet wound heal in 3 seconds... while a small bruise takes a minute?

[Eyeless Blond]

Because it's magic, and regeneration on the timescale SR has it occur is biologically absurd.

So, God looks at the shapeshifter with the bullet hole and says, "Okay, you're wounded enough. Be healed," and it is so. God looks at the shapeshifter with the bruise and says, "Come back later when you're not wasting my time."

Then He looks at the shapeshifter who puts a bullet through his bruise, and heals the bullet hole but puts the bruise back, "Just because I'm a bastard." :D

[nezumi]

I think it's more than just 'bruising'. For instance, I'm running on 5 hours of sleep, but no amount of spell casting will cure that. With 'luck', I"ll take an hour long test on Microsoft Project this afternoon. Healing won't help with that either.

Bruises runners can ignore. It's the fact that apparently bruises make you feel like you've been hit by a truck that's the problem (of course, one wonders then why getting blown down with an MMG doesn't cause stun too.)

[Sokei]

of course that opens up the question what does one consider stun to be in damage terms. i know unarmed combat , gel rounds etc cause stun but does one see that as minor physical wounds (ie black eye, swollen lip, kick to the nuts) or something else? then to say that the swollen lip wouldnt heal is ... well, absurd. whole new can of worms, ill play with the optional rules abit and see if i like them , but ill stick with the idea that the faq is something i can ignore when im running my games. between the invisibility issue and this, it kind of muddied the waters more than cleared things up.

[BitBasher]

Good thing the FAQ isn't canon. Until they errata the book to make it physical damage in the description, the FAQ now blatantly contradicts the book, and the book IS canon. (Like the errata.)

I want to know if the FAQ author actually reads the books sometimes, or considers consequences.

[Tarantula]

Heres a better example. 20 strength troll hits guy with regen in chest with sledge hammer, causes a S stun wound. Why would this not regen?

[BitBasher]

Can someone request the person in charge of the FAQ come on ehere and tell us what he was smoking? ;)

[Garland]

Don't they usually come around and get a little defensive?

[Adam]

Well, Rob, who maintains the FAQ, and is the final person responsbible for it, doesn't post here very often. It is, after all, hard to argue with "What were you smoking?" ...

I've re-read the FAQ, and skimmed the relevant sections of Critters and SR3Comp, and I'm really not sure where the "blatant contradiction" is. I'm not so sure it's an intentional contradiction, but rather Critters and SR3Comp playing fast and loose with what type of damage can be regenerated, and Rob reading it one way while others read it another way.

Page numbers and quotes, anyone? Let's be productive, and not just throw dung.

[BitBasher]

I don't remember it happening before, but before I can;t remember them directly contradicting the book on more than one point either.

[mfb]

the 20 Str + sledgehammer example is ridiculous, but not because of the regeneration power. it's ridiculous that someone that strong, hitting that hard, should be doing stun damage. any ridiculosity in the FAQ ruling is a reflection of this more basic ridiculosity.

it's also worth pointing out that the SR Comp does specifically note that regeneration only works on physical damage, though the Critters rules do not. one might come to the conclusion that it was the authors' original intent that regen only work on physical damage.

as well, in critters, the "for any other result" line refers to the die roll. in other words, if your shifter takes S physical damage from any source, by the book he heals it at the same rate any other living being would. only when the damage pumps up to D+ do its wounds magically disappear.

[ShadowGhost]

[Tarantula]

I was quoting. Firstly, mfb, any rules laywer can argue quite easily that "any other result" includes the result of not having to roll the die at all. It is something other than getting a 1 or 2. And thus, regen regens everything each combat turn.

Second, in SRComp, its talking about shifter regen. I'll have to check the wording, but unless it explicitly states that shifters get critter regen ala critter book, they have their own, to prevent magically regenning all magic drain and being the super-casters. Thats the reason I think SRComp specified physical only for shifters, while critters lacks this specification.

[mfb]

tarantula, any other rules lawyer would laugh at your rules lawyer until he ended up crying in the corner, never to crack open a rulebook again.

[Fortune]

Personally, I think it's inane that if a 'shifter takes a Moderate wound, it heals at 1 box per turn, but if the damage is Deadly, it heals immediately.

[mfb]

yeah... but it's more inane that a shifter who takes a Moderate wound doesn't regenerate at all.

[Fortune]

True. The damn thing should just regenerate all damage (physical and stun) unless it fails its roll.

[BitBasher]

Nerf regeneration! Let's all play Burrows and Bunnies or Chutes and Laders! :P

[Tarantula]