When you know you have succeeded in hitting a npc character and your determining damage what factors come into effect eg. body, armour.
and how do they effect the damage that will be applied to thier condition table.
if someone can give me an example with a specific weapon i'd appreciate it so i know better how it works.
Thanks
Full Version: Shadowrun Combat
First, let's cover the terminology. A weapon has a code that gives us both its power and damage level. For instance, an Ares Predator has a damage code of 9M. The power of the shot is 9 and the damage level of the shot is M. Different kinds of ammo can change these numbers, but we'll ignore that for now.
Let's say you tag someone with an Ares Predator (9M) with one success and they don't dodge (the simplest case). Your target is about average (Body 4) and is wearing an armor jacket (5/3 armor). The first thing you do is take the armor value of your target and subtract it from the power of your attack (9M damage - 5 ballistic armor = 4M damage). This gives you the target number for the victim's body test to avoid damage.
The victim rolls his body (4) against a number equal to the damage after armor (also 4). Let's say he gets three successes. Now we are in a step called "staging damage" (p 114). The victim had three successes, and the attacker has one (from his shot). We subtract those two numbers and come up with a net two successes in favor of the defender. Every two successes lets you move the damage level up or down by one, so he gets to stage down the damage by one level (M to L). The victim thus takes a number of boxes of damage equal to the wound level. Simply put, they are:
L = 1 box of damage
M = 3 boxes of damage
S = 6 boxes of damage
D = 10 boxes of damage
Finally, the victim gets to make a knockdown test (SR3, p. 124). Since it is normal ammo, the victim rolls Body (4) against half of the weapon's power (9/2=4) plus his wound modifier (+1) or TN 5 (4+1). The victim gets one success and stumbles back a few steps, but if he doesn't come flat up a wall, he suffers no game effect from it. Had he made no successes at all, he would have fallen prone. Had he managed two or more successes (from the chart on p. 124 for a light wound) he would have not stepped back at all.
Now a more complete example. Let's start from the beginning of the combat and add in some variables. We have to Runners, we'll call them A and B. Runner A has a pistols skill of 5, a combat pool of 7, an Ares Predator, and is going to shoot Runner B. Runner B has a body of 4, an armored long coat (4/2 armor), and a combat pool of 8.
Some TN is set for the shot (beyond the scope of the example) and Runner A throws his five pistol dice and five dice of combat pool into the shot. He gets six successes. Runner B can see death coming his way and throws his entire combat pool into a dodge. He manages to get just two successes.
Now, B has to make a damage resistance test. Like above, we take his armor value for ballistic attacks and reduce the power of the attack by it (9M becomes 5M). He rolls his four body against the modified power of the attack (4) and gets two successes. Now we take all of B's successes (2 for dodging and 2 for damage resistance) and add them together (2+2=4). We compare this total to the total successes A got on his attack (6) and determine the difference (6-4=2).
Now we look at the damage chart (p 114) and move the damage up or down one level for every two net successes. Since the attacker had the more successes, we move the damage up one level (2 successes/2= 1 level). The damage is now S. Our happless Runner B marks off six boxes and makes his knockdown test. The base TN is (9/2=)4, plus his wound modifier of +3 leaves him with a TN 7 roll. He makes no successes with his body test (4 dice) and falls prone.
The two most important page references are page 113 (where the process is explained) and the section on knockback (and also physical overflow, which we didn't get into).
Let's say you tag someone with an Ares Predator (9M) with one success and they don't dodge (the simplest case). Your target is about average (Body 4) and is wearing an armor jacket (5/3 armor). The first thing you do is take the armor value of your target and subtract it from the power of your attack (9M damage - 5 ballistic armor = 4M damage). This gives you the target number for the victim's body test to avoid damage.
The victim rolls his body (4) against a number equal to the damage after armor (also 4). Let's say he gets three successes. Now we are in a step called "staging damage" (p 114). The victim had three successes, and the attacker has one (from his shot). We subtract those two numbers and come up with a net two successes in favor of the defender. Every two successes lets you move the damage level up or down by one, so he gets to stage down the damage by one level (M to L). The victim thus takes a number of boxes of damage equal to the wound level. Simply put, they are:
L = 1 box of damage
M = 3 boxes of damage
S = 6 boxes of damage
D = 10 boxes of damage
Finally, the victim gets to make a knockdown test (SR3, p. 124). Since it is normal ammo, the victim rolls Body (4) against half of the weapon's power (9/2=4) plus his wound modifier (+1) or TN 5 (4+1). The victim gets one success and stumbles back a few steps, but if he doesn't come flat up a wall, he suffers no game effect from it. Had he made no successes at all, he would have fallen prone. Had he managed two or more successes (from the chart on p. 124 for a light wound) he would have not stepped back at all.
Now a more complete example. Let's start from the beginning of the combat and add in some variables. We have to Runners, we'll call them A and B. Runner A has a pistols skill of 5, a combat pool of 7, an Ares Predator, and is going to shoot Runner B. Runner B has a body of 4, an armored long coat (4/2 armor), and a combat pool of 8.
Some TN is set for the shot (beyond the scope of the example) and Runner A throws his five pistol dice and five dice of combat pool into the shot. He gets six successes. Runner B can see death coming his way and throws his entire combat pool into a dodge. He manages to get just two successes.
Now, B has to make a damage resistance test. Like above, we take his armor value for ballistic attacks and reduce the power of the attack by it (9M becomes 5M). He rolls his four body against the modified power of the attack (4) and gets two successes. Now we take all of B's successes (2 for dodging and 2 for damage resistance) and add them together (2+2=4). We compare this total to the total successes A got on his attack (6) and determine the difference (6-4=2).
Now we look at the damage chart (p 114) and move the damage up or down one level for every two net successes. Since the attacker had the more successes, we move the damage up one level (2 successes/2= 1 level). The damage is now S. Our happless Runner B marks off six boxes and makes his knockdown test. The base TN is (9/2=)4, plus his wound modifier of +3 leaves him with a TN 7 roll. He makes no successes with his body test (4 dice) and falls prone.
The two most important page references are page 113 (where the process is explained) and the section on knockback (and also physical overflow, which we didn't get into).
Though you may want to limit knock by firearms in some way, since you don't want people using their paired up predators as a 'jump assister'.
Knockdown/back is only applied to someone who gets shot and takes damage. If you want to inflict yourself a serious wound for a chance at an extra meter of movement, by all means, go for it 
Shouldn't be possible to do it to yourself, actually... it'd be like trying to pick yourself up by the bootstraps. Now, if you want to get your friend to shoot you as you jump to give you a little extra range... hell, I'd allow it. I'd probably give out Karma for it, even...
except that doesn't work. at all. the impact of a bullet hitting something has roughly the same kinetic energy as the gun had recoil. Equal and opposite reaction and all that. Physics are good.
the knockdown is not so mutch about kinetic impact but the body reacting to the pain of the wound. allso, the only rules are flat on the back or takeing a step or 2 back, not the hollywood "fly 3 meters tru a plate glass window" style. and anyone can end up on his ass from shock and pain, even more so if its not prepared for...
| QUOTE (BitBasher) |
| except that doesn't work. at all. the impact of a bullet hitting something has roughly the same kinetic energy as the gun had recoil. Equal and opposite reaction and all that. Physics are good. |
Yeah, that's why doing it to yourself won't work. The weapon's recoil will be equal and opposite to the bullet's energy, so it'll just cancel. Similarly, the energy imparted by the bullet impact will be, at best, the same as the recoil of the gun. A light pistol won't do jack, a heavy pistol'll give you a little push, but nothing really useful, a shotgun is starting to get somewhere, and something like an anti-material rifle or assault cannon could give you a real kick. And if anyone's willing to get themselves shot with a Barrett just to get another meter or so out of a jump, I'll let 'em have it....
Of course, the smart way to handle it is to notice that you can get the same energy from firing the weapon as you can from getting hit by it...
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