Since every superhero needs a signature weapon..., My new assault rifle; comments? Options

[HMHVV Hunter]

I've got a vampire hunter character (of course) named Helios that I'm currently playing right now, and I got to thinking: I sort of designed this guy along the lines of a superhero (sort of like Blade).

Well, every superhero needs a signature weapon - John Constantine's holy shotgun, Blade's sword, etc. So I figured: why not give this guy a signature weapon?

So here's the assault rifle I designed specifically for Helios. I haven't pitched this to my GM yet since the game's a play-by-post and we're currently in the midst of heavy combat, but once the run's over, I'll pitch this. Before I do though, I was just wondering what you guys thought.

While you're at it, if any cool names come to mind for this weapon, I'd appreciate them; I'm really bad at naming stuff.

So here it is, the as-yet-unnamed vampire hunter's assault rifle:

Helios’s Assault Rifle

Frame:
Assault Rifle
-Damage Code: 8M
-Firing Modes: SA/BF/FA
-Concealability: 3
-Weight: 6 kg.
-Ammo Capacity: 30 ©
-Mount: Top, Barrel, Under
-FCU: 3
-DPV: 225

Customizations

Barrel Reduction
-DP: +8
-FCU: -.5
-Weight: -.25 kg.
-Concealability: +2

Bullpup Configuration:
-DP: +25
-FCU: -.5
-Weight: None
-Concealability: +2

Ceramic Components (Level 1):
-DP: +20
-FCU: -.25
-Weight: -.1 kg.
-Concealability: +2 vs. MADs

Easy Breakdown:
-DP: +40
-FCU: -1
-Weight: None
-Concealability: None

Improved FCU:
-DP: +10
-FCU: +.25
-Weight: None
-Concealability: None

Increased Power (Level 1):
-DP: +80
-FCU: -.25
-Weight: +.25 kg.
-Concealability: None

Selectable Clip:
-DP: +35
-FCU: -.5
-Weight: +.1 kg.
-Concealability: -1

Weight Decrease (Level 8 ):
-DP: +40
-FCU: None
-Weight: -2 kg.
-Concealability: None

Modifications

Embossing/Engraving:
-Mount: None
-Weight: None
-FCU: None
-DP: +20
-Phrase: “It’s open season on all suckheads.” – Blade

Extended Clips (+40; 20 extra rounds/clip):
-Mount: None
-Weight: None
-FCU: None
-DP: +80

Personalized Grip:
-Mount: None
-Weight: None
-FCU: None
-DP: +25

Underbarrel Weapon (Grenade Launcher):
-Mount: Underbarrel
-Weight: +2 kg.
-FCU: -.25
-DP: +360
-Concealability: -3

Final Stats

-Frame: Assault Rifle
-Damage Code: 9M
-Firing Modes: SA/BF/FA
-Concealability: 3
-Weight: 6 kg.
-Ammo Capacity: 50/50 (c/c)
-Mounts: Barrel, Top
-FCU: 0
-DPV: 968

Street Samurai Catalog Entry

Constructed specifically for the vampire hunter Helios, this rifle is designed for the hunting of the undead. Two switchable clips allow Helios to carry two different specialty ammunition loads, and a grenade launcher allows for some heavy firepower in a pinch. Its ergonomic grip and bullpup configuration provide extra control (2 points of RC when Helios is using it, 1 RC when someone else is using it), and its rounds pack extra punch. Its range suffers somewhat from a shortened barrel, but Helios considers the trade-off worth it.

-Concealability: 3
-Ammo: 50 ( c )/50 ( c )
-Modes: SA/BF/FA
-Damage: 9M
-Weight: 6 kg.
-Cost: 4,840 nuyen
(Ranges: Short: 0 – 45, Medium: 46 – 135, Long: 136 – 315, Extreme: 316 – 495)

Grenade Launcher:
-Conceal: -
-Ammo: 6 (m)
-Mode: SS
-Damage: as grenade

After-Market Modifications

Extended Laser Sight:
-Mount: Top
-Weight: +.25
-Concealability: -1
-Cost: 1,500 nuyen

Gas Vent IV:
-Mount: Barrel
-Weight: +.75
-Concealability: -2
-Cost: 1,000 nuyen

Shock Pads:
-Mount: None
-Weight: +.25
-Concealability: None
-Cost: 200 nuyen

[Krazy]

I love it, the mental pic is stunning. now for names are you thinking badass, or witty like Re-Death or the usual way of naming personal weapons a female name like Alexa which incidently means protector of men, and happens to be the name one of my paint-guns.

what kinda ammo are you going to be using?

[HMHVV Hunter]

Nah, I'm not looking for female names (that tradition always seemed a bit dumb to me), but I'm looking for something like, say, the Holy Shotgun, but something cooler than that.

As for the types of ammo, he has his own custom-made ammo for hunting the Infected. He has three types: silver-jacketed, iron-jacketed, and oak-jacketed. He just uses normal ammo for ghouls and other HMHVV types with no particular weaknesses.

[Foreigner]

HMHVV Hunter:

I realize that this isn't exactly on-topic, but would an Ares Viper Slivergun be a viable weapon against those infected with HMHVV?

I know that wooden flechettes won't work, but what about plating them with silver, or coating them with silver nitrate?

(I seem to recall reading about a PC who used an Ares Superquirt loaded with a mixture of distilled water, silver nitrate (or colloidal silver, I forget which), and Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO). NASTY weapon. For that matter, a gas grenade--either hand-thrown or launched from a weapon-- using that mixture might also be worth looking into.)

P.S.: Would this work for your weapon's grenade launcher? A timed-airburst or "intelligent" grenade (modified Smartlink, I think) loaded with a gaseous mixture of the aforementioned chemicals, or possibly buckshot pellets (cast from pure silver) would be nasty against massed targets of the Infected. After all, don't the Infected (particularly Krieger-strain, i.e, Ghouls) tend to congregate in fairly large groups?

--Foreigner

This post has been edited by Foreigner: Apr 4 2005, 02:45 AM

[HMHVV Hunter]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking for grenades too - silver or iron, or wood shards. And yeah, it'd be very useful for cleaning out ghouls if I used AP or HE.

As for sliverguns, I've never liked the idea of those. They're nearly useless against armored opponents, and SR vampires are intelligent enough that if they knew someone was coming for them, they'd be wearing at least armor clothing (the other HMHVV types might not be so intelligent though).

[toturi]

psst... Called Shots with SL2?

[HMHVV Hunter]

He's an adept; no cyber for this guy (you're in the game with me; you should know! ;) )

[toturi]

SL2 Smart Goggles. I know.

If I had the cash, I'd would have gone with the Steyr AUG CSL with SL2 goggles.

[FlakJacket]

It doesn't explicitly say in the book, if I was the GM I'd make you take a -1 hit on concealability for the extended clips since you're practically doubling their size. Although by the letter of the rules you don't have to.

[Pthgar]

You should have Melee Hardening for if the vamps get to close. Also, don't forget the U.V. flashlight. Every little bit helps. My vamp hunter Ender has a sig sword. Weapon Foci are just too useful verses vamps.

[BitBasher]

[Wit]

[toturi]

[SpasticTeapot]

Name for the weapon:
Maccabee shel HaNair
("Hammer of the light" in hebrew.)
It's tricky to pronounce, but you'll get many brownie (and possibly karma) points from your GM for well-researched roleplaying.

[Ol' Scratch]

So basically a fully automatic heavy pistol (albeit with a vastly superior range) with grenade launcher and no recoil in BF mode and neglible in FA mode. Oh, at the price of not being dual-able and with a minor Concealability hit over some other big pistols. Joy. Nothing wrong with that. No sir. Well balanced weapon, that. <thumbs up>

[toturi]

Here's a name for the weapon: Daystar.

[Austere Emancipa...]

[Ol' Scratch]

True, true. My mistake.

[Arethusa]

[Ol' Scratch]

It's hardly limited to that system. Every one of them out there can be abused. It's more about the player designing the weapon, not the guidelines used to create 'em.

[Arethusa]

Oh, come on. They may all be unavoidably abusable, but CC creation rules are in a class of screwed up reserved just for them.

[toturi]

[Ol' Scratch]

[HMHVV Hunter]

[Vuron]

I think he's definitely referring to it as munchy. If that fits with your campaign style then fine but it might be percieved as a bit superheroic for most people's tastes.