I've been struggling with this since SR3. I like the idea of a lined coat, the old west style duster, the weapon-concealing coolness of it. From the Matrix to Sin City, long coats are a classic bit of the anti-hero wardrobe. But the protection offered by an armor jacket cannot be denied, and especially in the new SR4 rules, where it can turn many lethal attacks into stun.

So what does a guy do? Does he do the smart thing and just get an armored jacket, beefed up with protection? Or... does he give into his foolish fancies and go for the lined coat?

Why can't a long coat with an armor rating similar to an armored jacket's be made? Protective plate placement? Weight distribution? Manufacturing rights?

What about other armor? Camoflage suits offer similar protection to the armor jacket with the added bonus of hiding benefits. They are, however, more conspicuous than an armor jacket, I'd say. What about Armored vests? They offer decent protection and are concealable...

I used to have an armor vest w/ plates + lined coat combo that worked perfectly in SR3. But the new armor stacking rules are harsh... so what do you guys do for body armor?

Full-body Form Fitting armour with a Secure Longcoat or Secure Jacket. Armour protection from head to toe.

I picked the lined coat, just for style.

Lined coat, how else am I going to walk around without looking like a mercenary yard sale?

All the stylish Shadowrunners wear a long-coat; especially when they meet the Johnsons.

Dead runners forget to change before a run ...

Vest+longcoat.

~J

secure jacket from the SSG (bomber jacket with military squadron embroidered on the back) + forearm guards and form fitting.

Long coat says "I am a runner trying to sneak something", spec ops jacket says "I will kill you drekhead"

The real question is: which piece or armor is most appropriate for a native american hipster who is actually an elf?

I'd say lined coat because it's thematically linked to the wild west.

Vest. How to wear armor without necessarily LOOKING armored...

Securetech lined coat over the urban armor (whatever that 4/2 armor is) with FFBA, the forearm guards and a motorcycle helmet. You look like you just got off your bike, but you have 7/6 armor with no penalties if you have 6 quickness.

Long coat cause it sucks to get shot in the knees.

The armor jacket is in my opinion the best b/c it is the safest and I don't want to get shot up. However the lined coat is pretty awesome if you're goin for the western lone gunman style.

With a character that cared, it'd be form fit, full camo suit and a secure long coat.

Mine usually wind up being one of these:
Armored Vest + Coat or Jacket
Armored Jumpsuit + Coat or Jacket
Form-Fitting + Coat or Jacket
Form-Fitting + Armored Vest
Form-Fitting + Armored Jumpsuit

and sometimes,

Form-Fitting + fancy :nuyen:2000 stuff from CC

I might throw in a helmet if it fits the character. Ruthenium is pretty common for me on Form-Fitting, too.

And if the character is cybered, add Bone Lacing, Orthoskin, or Dermal Sheath (sometimes even Lacing + Dermal) to the mix, too.
If magic, a couple points in Mystic Armor, or a focus-sustained Armor spell at a decent force.

the question with the Lined coat is, what happens on a B&E run when you have to sneak around and squeeze into tight spaces? I can just see some Shadowrunner whose going for that stylish "old West" feel trying to squeeze under a chain link fence and suddenly that long bulky coat gets caught and hes either stuck there or he makes enough noise trying to get free that he alerts security.

Most of my characters own three of the four (several have access to all four of 'em, regularly). It all depends on the situation. As a result, I ended up picking "other."

hm. i don't think i have a single character that has a longcoat... maybe my Lone Star forensic mage. i'd have to check.

Ah, yes the form-fitting was fun. In SR4, however, only the highest value of any peice of armor worn is used. Stacking and layering doesn't help... which never made sense to me. More armor equals more protection, right? Two kevlar vests stop bullets better than one, right? It might be difficult to move, but it works. The rules for SR3 made armor stacking a little more fun and challenging, forcing you to get creative and buy more stuff (more stuff to buy means more adventuring!). Just use the rules from SR3? I think I might. What do you guys do?

FFBA, RTL Heavy jumpsuit and a leather long coat.

Of course, if you can apply house rules, you can always go with the Heritage line, Old West. Armored plates lining your chaps and vest alon with the reinforced duster. All you need then is a pair of six shooters, 2 belts which are a little too big for you, and a pair of snakeskin boots.

FFBA and an Armor Vest for most of the time and characters.

I don't typically put a long coat on the "squeeze through the vents" guy, and when we do (if it's a more cinematic game), we ignore things like that. It's too damn cool to penalize people for.

The bat shaman in the last game I ran had a long coat, and a sustaining focus clasp that made it constantly blow in the wind. Bad ass.

In SR3, my favourite char wore both, simultaneously. I didn't exactly plan it that way, but after I discovered she had the quickness to pull it of...
Never touched FFBA, though.

In SR I wear the same combo, since I talked my GM into a lined coat with armor 0/0. Not exactly the same, somehow .

FFBA, RTL heavy jumpsuit and armoured Longcoat of choice

+ Forearm guards with snake mesh socks.

But a unarmored clothing with Gel Packs and an Armour spells works too.

My armor choice varied drastically depending on the situation. Just cruising around the sprawl (the nicer parts of it)? Armor vest, maybe with plates. On a job, but still need some discretion (or just in a really bad part of town)? Regular armor jacket, or secure with a vest underneath. Out of town trip to a desert or jungle environment? Armor vest tops. In my view, a runner needs to stay flexible, which means wearing whatever is apporpriate to the environment and expected threat level.

for me, form fit body armor always, what tops it on the other hand is dependant on the mission.

Sewer work, i would wear a jumpsuit over them
high times, had a designer suit (post murcurial run)
regular street, generally the long coat with street clothes underneath.

My last character a hard core' "I wish I had never been discharged from the military" character wore a camouflage outfit with master Sargent stripes and the name Johnson.

If we're doing combinations... FFBA III, with a plate vest covering the torso, and a helmet.

FFBA and / or Armor Jacket.

The long coat is bad for hiding... and so on...

Auctioneer business clothes, for the low body/high agility players near you.

BVD?

Actioneer Suit, baby! If you are going to go and get yourself shot you're likely going to die anyway, so you might as well leave a stylin' pimp corpse.

P.S. My preferences was formfitting underneath. Unfortunately in SR4 that has to be houseruled until Arsenal comes out. Which, unless Fanpro picks up the pace, looks like another year away.

Yeah, they do. Any house rules for armor layering in SR4? It seems kind of bland to be restricted to "pick a peice of armor and stick with it!".

Form fitting body armor, while useful, is starting to seem a bit cliche. Is there anybody who didn't use it? Hell, the stuff really isn't that practical. I know I wouldnt want to have to slip into a catwoman suit before putting on the rest of my clothes.

Helmets and shields have always given bonuses, though. I could see writing in FFBA as being something like a +2/+1, but it's a reach from previous editions.

This might solve some of the layering issues I've had in the past, though (armored vest + armored jacket, when my interpretation of the armorjack has always been that it's basically a vest, built into a jacket for style purposes, with armored sleeves too).

..of course the really nice formfit was the Zoe Second Skin. Worn with the Actioneer or another formal line (such as Zoe Heritage) made it almost as good as an armoured Jacket

Leela had several sets which she used when on stage under various lightly armoured formalwear.

You know, that particular use of that stuff (wearing it under clothing that wouldn't cover normal FFBA) had never occurred to me. It always struck me as one of those "chainmail bikini" gag items.

..true, it does not give the same protection as standard FF but any extra protection is welcome, especially if say you are required to wear (as in Leela's case), say, a Zoe tres chic evening gown. Believe me, gunplay can break out anywhere (that's also what the Tiffany Self Defender and WW Infiltrator are for).

It depends on the situation. Usually a linded coat. on a run-armored jacket and if it's really bad, camo and jacket.

I dunno... I just don't see FFBA anywhere in SR4 and I run my game without it. We do just fine; the game is deadly for everyone involved. The best defense is to not fight or to fight smart.

Since the rules in SR4 state that layering armor only gives you the benefit of the highest rating (a bit silly, I think), you basically have to choose one piece of armor. Since SR4 doesn't have any hit location rules, I dont worry about how covered I am. Even the "called shot to negate armor" is based on the actual armor value, not the relative amount of coverage your armor provides. The real question is do you go with style or substance? Situation to situation seems to be the popular vote, which makes sense. Shadowrunners have to be adaptable.

Full-body form Fit suit with rating 10 Fire resist and chemical seal.
Best/easiest min/max for a starting character (Availability 6, +1, +1.)

After that, hell, anything. Partial to the Mortimer Greatcoat or Armante "London Fog" professional for the mages.

Player in group has Medium Mil-Grade armour and quickness to spare, it's his "Sewer-dive" armour. It actualy was used when he was almost "implanted" by 2 incubi on a run not too long ago. (We have it all on camera) Lots on in-character comments of "You new armour seems to be holding up, but there's ominous creaking from the ceramic laminate and your helmet seal"
Player: "GIT IT OFFA ME! SOMEONE!"
GM: "Uh, you know how I said there were two?"
Player: OOC - "you hate me, right?" IC: "OMFG, Magic support, a Fire-elemental would be a good friend to have right now!"
Players (OUT of the sewer): "Sure...coming right up. Elemental, go cook the things trying to molest him."
Elemental: [Cook, cook, cook.]
GM: (Seeing the dice) "Ohh, nice." (To the player) "And you know all that petro-chemical gunge you're wading in?"
Player: "It's flammable, right?"
GM: "Yup"
Player: "So spending that massive wad of cash on fire-proofing my ass is actually going to pay on in the first time I'm wearing this thing?!"
GM: (Consults) "Hmmm, Yup."
Player: "Oh yeah, I'm on fire!"
Gm: "Lucky you had that oxy-supply too, right?"
Player: "Oh, f...I'd forgotten about that."
Gm: "Good thing _I_ didn't"
Player: "Look, can we skip my narrowly-avoided anal probe and continue this mission.
Gm: "After everyone's finished laughing."
Player: "That's cool."


-Tir.