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Shadow
Ok, I'm back. After an extended stay away dealing with (RL) I have returned to my glorious home on DSF... and I want to run a game. Standard SR4 Character creation, no optional or house rules. I'm looking for 4 players not 4 characters. The runners should be a team so made in concert with the other characters. All books are in play.

Players should be team players not lone wolves, able to get a long and not screw things up. I want character concepts that you might actually see in the shadows(if they were real). No children or mentally disabled characters need apply. Proffesionals, people who know how to do their job and do it well.

I am not going to micromanage your characters though so just stick to those guidelines while creating them. Game is standard Seattle 2070.

Any questions please post them in the thread. Do not PM me.
BlackHat
I'm game. I assume that since you said you wanted the character's made in concert, you're not making any decisions based on concepts... so... do I need to do anything other than put my name in the hat, for now?
Shadow
QUOTE (BlackHat @ Mar 11 2008, 07:42 AM) *
I'm game. I assume that since you said you wanted the character's made in concert, you're not making any decisions based on concepts... so... do I need to do anything other than put my name in the hat, for now?



Nope. Not being picky here. Three more and we go.
BlackHat
Awesome.
Gray
I'm game as well. I'm thinking Shaman or Mystic Adept, but I'll play anything you need.
quentra
Yeah, so am I. My current game is a lone wolf type thing, so itd be nice to run in a crew based gig.
Shadow
Ok you three are in. One more person and were full. Why don't you guys figure out what you want to play, and who is filling what role.
BlackHat
Well, Gray wanted to be a Mystic Adept or a Shaman. Unless Quentra was gunning for the same thing, I'm cool with assuming that is what he will make.

Was there anything you had in mind, Quentra?
Gray
By no optional rules, does this include the Martial Arts rules from Arsenal? I'm thinking Combat/Stealth oriented Mystic Adept or Shaman (Lion totem).
quentra
I was thinking of playing a face/hacker, prolly, with a rigger emphasis.
Shadow
QUOTE (BlackHat @ Mar 11 2008, 07:23 AM) *
Well, Gray wanted to be a Mystic Adept or a Shaman. Unless Quentra was gunning for the same thing, I'm cool with assuming that is what he will make.

Was there anything you had in mind, Quentra?


You got me biggrin.gif Yes you can use the MA rules. I was thinking more along the lines of the rules in BBB in black that say "optional" but the MA rules start with "these are optional rules". No I didn't mean those and yes you can use MA.


FYI: I can post more in the morning than I can at night. So the longer the day goes on the less I can post.
Fortune
Wanna play Alistair, my ex-but-not-ex-Ancients mage. I ain't gonna say any more though. biggrin.gif
quentra
OMFG Fortune!

[fanboy]
XDXDXDXDXDXD
[/fanboy]

Sorry.
BlackHat
With 4 of us, I think it will be a good idea if we can each claim more than one "job" we can help with... so the face/hacker/rigger thing sounds good, even if you end up spread a little thin (even though there is a lot over overlap in hacker and rigger).

Mystic Adept, given the question Gray had about martial arts, might mean hand-to-hand-combat as well as magical use. (Although, if you're going to be lacking in a particular area, magically, that might be good to point out. Astral perception? Spirit summoning? etc).

Our forth spoke up, and it sounds like he wants to play a mage, and that sounds good, but I think it woudl bea good idea to make sure that between our two (okay, 1.5) mages, we have our bases covered.

Given the two ideas that are already out there, I could put together a sammie, weapons specialist, or something along those lines. I'd similarly liek to get more information from Grey reguarding what kind of martial artist he plans to make - since if he expects to be our close-combat specialist, it might make sense for me to lean toward firearms.
Shadow
Ok here is our team,

Blackhat
Gray (any relation to grey?)
Quentra
Fortune (woot)

ok I do recomend one sammie at least (I like Sam's). I am going to try for a good balance in the game, let everyone shine at their chosen skill set.
Fortune
Now I just have to figure out a way to whittle him down to regulation size. biggrin.gif
BlackHat
Yeah, I haven't played a combat-oriented character on the boards, yet, so I'm game for filling that niche. Hearing that the GM likes sammies, and wants to see everyone shine is encouraging, though, since a lot of forum games focus on dialog (since combat slows things down).
Shadow
I have my own ways of speeding up combat (argubly my favorite part of the game). I used to say I was the "John Woo" of GM's. But with the new hacker rules actually being viable it's nice to round things out.
quentra
We can use Augmentation, right? Wish I had Arsenal.
BlackHat
Yeah, its usually just the fact that when you're not in combat, someone can post a whole paragraph, and move time forward by minutes, but in combat, everything is in lock-step in about one-second intervals - so, at least in the games I have been in, combat was like bullet time, especially if you have a lot of players, who all deserve a turn to act (in dialog, its easier to move along if someone isn't speaking up). I've at least found that in table-top games it seems to work out better than in forum games - but I'm certainly up for the challenge, either way. smile.gif

If you've got some rules of thumb you want us to use to speed things up, I'd be interested to hear them while putting together a character. For example, if you want us to declare (and roll) multiple IPs worth of actions ahead of time, that would help the speed issue, but would limit my ability to make situational decisions in combat, so might suggest a more straightforward fighter than a maneuver-based one. Given that you like combat, I'm not too worried about you skipping over important parts of it, but I'd be interested to hear what plans you've got.

Also, is there a particular method for dice rolling you want us to use (I've seen a lot of games using the honor system, but I have no idea if that is the standard around here or not)?
BlackHat
QUOTE (quentra @ Mar 11 2008, 11:24 AM) *
We can use Augmentation, right? Wish I had Arsenal.


He said all books were available, so I would assume so.

For a rigger, Arsenal would be nice. Whether or not you have it, though, the items out of it should be in the game, and around. It doesn't help you plan for character-creation much, but if you had questions that you were hoping were answered in arsenal (so long as it doesn't violate any rules) I'm sure we'd be happy to answer them. I'm assuming its mostly because they've more than doubled the number of vehicles and drones, though, and we can't really post that part of the book. wink.gif
BlackHat
Also, regarding the MA stuff, I'd appreciate it if Shadow gave us his impression of how he wants the multiple-interrupt-actions things to work. Its not exactly an optional rule, so much as a not-very-clearly-explained rule. Someone else started a topic about it (that goes on for pages and pages of arguing) but you'll get the gist out of the first few posts.

http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?showtopic=20890

I've heard a lot of different interpretations of what "next available action" is supposed to mean. I don't know that it will matter for my character, but will probably matter to someone who makes heavy use out of the MA maneuvers.
Shadow
The only availible actions you have are that turn. You can't use actions you don't have. So if you have 3IP's and you eat up all three using riposte and the like on your first pass, your fodder for the rest of the two. You can't use a pass you haven't rolled for yet. So if y ou only have 1IP you can't use any ability that requires "next availible action" as you do not have a next availible action.

Addendum: Full Defense is an exception to this rule as it specifically states you can use the first pass of your next turn.
Gray
QUOTE (BlackHat @ Mar 11 2008, 10:44 AM) *
I'd similarly liek to get more information from Grey reguarding what kind of martial artist he plans to make - since if he expects to be our close-combat specialist, it might make sense for me to lean toward firearms.


I was thinking melee/covert ops specialist (Lion totem Mystic Adept). But depending on what the mage is doing we might need a medic/healer (Bear totem full Shaman). Either way I'm taking Martial Arts to try out the new rules from Arsenal.
BlackHat
I am still brainstorming, since I am at work (I'll probably get something together tonight). So, feel free to make what you want to make. Either way, the character I make will probably be competent in both melee and ranged, and I certainly won't complain if there are other sweet combat characters around. In an ideal world, we would all kick ass in combat.

I more meant that if you're making a black-belt martial arts master adept, it might make sense for me to focus more on ranged stuff, since we don't otherwise have that base covered, and you could break the neck of anyone who gets within arms reach, but if you were just hoping to pick up some of the style bonuses, and weren't actually planning to karate-chop anyone, I would need to make sure I spread myself more evenly. biggrin.gif

Also, since you're covert-ops, I'm assuming you're planning to focus on unarmed combat (as opposed to, say, martial arts maneuvers performed with a katana, or something)?
Gray
QUOTE (BlackHat @ Mar 11 2008, 12:53 PM) *
Also, since you're covert-ops, I'm assuming you're planning to focus on unarmed combat (as opposed to, say, martial arts maneuvers performed with a katana, or something)?


I was actually thinking of having a weapon focus (knife or katana) as a backup. I'm at work too, so I don't have any books with me. It will all depend on what I can squeeze out of 400 points.
BlackHat
Oh yeah, I forgot about weapon foci (given that you're an adept).
Like I said, I haven't made a lot of combat characters.
In any case, that all sounds cool. I'm more just curious about whatever combat stuff you'll be into (since we're supposed to know each other and work well together), I doubt it'll influence my decision making too much. So, as you brainstorm, feel free to clue me in, as appropriate.
Gray
QUOTE (BlackHat @ Mar 11 2008, 01:32 PM) *
So, as you brainstorm, feel free to clue me in, as appropriate.

The more I think about it, mystic adept might spread his powers out too thin. Maybe a full Lion Shaman with karate.
BlackHat
I'm not sure. it probably depends on what you intend to do with him.

An mystic adept will have to split his magic between adept powers (presumably to make yourself a supernaturally good warrior) and casting spells (presumably to also help make you a good warrior, maybe healing, potentially some non-combat utility spells).

Going with full shaman frees up the adept powers, part, but since you're losing whatever adept powers you were thinking of taking, you'll probably be spending resources to make up for them with spells (new spells, sustaining foci, etc) - whether those resources approach what you would have invested in being an adept depends on what the build looks like before and after.

To me, it would probably come down to what adept powers you were thinking about taking, and whether you were going to have the same level of magic, either way (since that's the big BP sink for adepts at chargen)
Gray
QUOTE (BlackHat @ Mar 11 2008, 03:09 PM) *
To me, it would probably come down to what adept powers you were thinking about taking, and whether you were going to have the same level of magic, either way (since that's the big BP sink for adepts at chargen)


One adept power is definite, the very expensive Improved Reflexes II (3 magic). The spell to do the same thing has a very nasty drain value, and you need to sustain it.
Eyeless Blond
Yes, but the 3 magic points you invest in the spellcasting version to get the same results apply to everything else you get with that (spirits, other spells such as ranged Combat spells, Levitate, Combat Reflexes, etc). A Force 3 sustaining focus doesn't cost all that much...
Gray
QUOTE (Eyeless Blond @ Mar 11 2008, 04:35 PM) *
Yes, but the 3 magic points you invest in the spellcasting version to get the same results apply to everything else you get with that (spirits, other spells such as ranged Combat spells, Levitate, Combat Reflexes, etc). A Force 3 sustaining focus doesn't cost all that much...


Yeah, I think you are right. Only 30,000 nuyen for the sustaining focus.
Fortune
I haven't started yet. nyahnyah.gif biggrin.gif
quentra
Lalz. Stuck trying to choose drones/vehicles, and cutting down my expenses. Sigh.
BlackHat
Yeah, I'm bogged down in equipment as well. biggrin.gif
Otherwise, I think he is coming along quite nicely.
Fortune
Was I supposed to start already?

What's the deadline?
BlackHat
Don't think one was given.
Fortune
That isn't necessarily a Good Thing™ where I am concerned. biggrin.gif
Shadow
The Deadline for Fortune is tomorrow noon biggrin.gif

In all serious I would like to see concepts by tomorrow, and full fledged characters the next day. The sooner we get characters the sooner we can start.

Gray
QUOTE (Shadow @ Mar 11 2008, 10:07 PM) *
The Deadline for Fortune is tomorrow noon biggrin.gif

In all serious I would like to see concepts by tomorrow, and full fledged characters the next day. The sooner we get characters the sooner we can start.


My character ended up being a full fledged shaman, no martial arts. frown.gif I'm playing a variation of my namesake, and Missions character Gray.

Nathan "Gray" Reynolds ==>Gray's Picture

Concept: Street Shaman (Lion Totem, Spirit Hunter)

Background:
I've always had a problem with technology, chummers. Even as a kid, all kinds of gizmos would occasionally just go haywire in my presence. You don't know how many alarm clocks, and school 'puters and such, my folks had to buy, because they always broke. Then I started seeing spirits. The local hermetic organization noted my potential, beginning to help me unlock my talents. I left my studies at the University of Pittsburgh's Veterinary school to study Magic. But all that mumbo jumbo didn't really sink in. I'm not really cut out for books and scrolls. One day, Lion spoke to me and showed me a different path. One not so cluttered by machines.

I drifted for a while in NAN, picking up new nuggets of truth, and attuning myself to the spirit realm. I discovered that I had a particular knack (with the strength of Lion) to banish malevolent spirits, and with my well rounded knowledge of paranormal critters, my gifts are often sought out among the shadows. And Spells. They took me a while to learn, but the intuitive nature of the Shamamnic Tradition came to me much more quickly than the arcane formulae of the Hermetic Tradition.

I ended up in the Redmond Barrens a few years ago. Running with a bad crowd of misfit shamans and street mages. They started messing with Toxic spirits. Me? I hate toxic spirits, unless you're talking moonshine or something, so I didn't hang around when they did their summonings. One day the whole lot of them got wiped during one of their rituals gone south. Then those toxic fraggers came after me!

I don't go back to The Rat's Nest or Glow City much anymore. I got me a little place in a Touristville, still in the Barrens, but at least there's not anarchy in the streets. It's not much, but it's a place to take off my boots, watch some trid, and my cat seems to like it.

Why do they call me Gray? Just look at my hair, chummer. How did it get that way? You don't really want to know.


Description:
Gray is 6'2", 30-something, human, lanky, and roguishly handsome with shoulder length prematurely gray-white hair, and a thin, black beard and steel blue eyes. He wears beaded native ornaments hanging from a chord on the right side of his face. He wears a leather shirt reminiscent of Davy Crockett, black slighty worn jeans and high leather biker boots. His worn, armored long coat bears the stylized image of a lion head on the back. He is fairly new to Seattle, but is streetwise, and knows his surroundings well. His magical contact is an Ork Talismonger named Dances With Weasels. His only other real friend in town is his on again, off again girlfriend, news reporter Katie Bauer, to whom he cannot even tell his real name. Gray loves animals, and is the owner of a 25 pound orange tomcat named Willis.

To most, Gray is a man of few words. He is a keen listener, and is very empathetic. Gray is driven more by passions, than logic, and will often have trouble backing down from a fight. He is highly protective of those he cares about, even more so than Lion demands. When he does open his mouth to speak, Gray is insightful and charming, with a side order of smart alec thrown in for good measure.
Fortune
QUOTE (Shadow @ Mar 12 2008, 02:07 PM) *
The Deadline for Fortune is tomorrow noon

In all serious I would like to see concepts by tomorrow, and full fledged characters the next day.


So, fresh back to Dumpshock and already your imagination is running wild. biggrin.gif
BlackHat
Also, Shadow, how much of the team stuff did you want us to work out between ourselves ahead of time? Like, were you asking for runners that could work together and wanted us to make them together, or are we making runners who are part of an established team, and presumably know about one another? If it is the latter case, we can compare notes on contacts a bit, to further help our coverage - maybe elect a leader (the face/hacker/rigger?). It'll definitely help to know what spells we have at our disposal. That sort of stuff. Tying in backgrounds might be a good idea, too.

If you'd rather handle that during the beginning of play, that's cool too.
Shadow
The more of that you do before game play, the more we can just focus on playing. I would like it if you were an established team before the game starts. You work together so go ahead an compare notes and if you guys can, apoint a leader. At least someone who does the talking for the team.
quentra
Huh. Well, I got my sheet almsot done, so here's the background. Heh, this chara is almost like my techo/face, except with edge. Good times. I need to play trolls or something...Anyway.

Uleso "Lyssius" d'Artragon

Concept: Ex-Corp Prince Face/Rigger/Hacker

Background:

You wanna know my story, chica? It ain't to odd, or anything, considering. Just the crash, scan? Yeah, my parents used to be bigwigs at Cross Applies, till the Crash happened. My mom, she was all Japanese and commitied seppuku over a loss of honor or some drek. My dad was caught in the trix during the Crash, and I haven't heard from him since. Not that I cared. Barely knew my parents, what with them working literally twenty eight hours a day, plus another ten tacked on somewhere.

I ain't gonna complain, though, s'not like I grew up in the Barrens, scan? Nah, Seattlite all my life, and I was a rich little sonuvaslitch. Decent life, boring. Never really got into shooting squatters fer fun, maybe that was part of the problem. Nah, I've always been an independant sort. Ain't too hard, things simply seem to work out for me. Like the Crash. Blessing in disguise, it was.

Cracked my trust fund a bit early, and an old friend of my dads took me in. He was a runner, and I bought some decent 'ware with my cred. Been running the shadows since then. Never looked back, and I haven't had one day of boredom. I'll give ya a call sometime, neh? Name's Lyssius.

OOC Background:

Uleso d'Artragon was born in 2048, to two high ranking Cross Applied Technologies execs. He had the basic corp prince life, luxury and intense boredom. Corp indoctrination never seemed to take hold, but he was still being primed for a top job. The Crash changed all that, eliminated his SIN, killed off his parents. His 'Uncle Travers,' a bioadept, took him in and taught him the ropes, and Uleso learned he liked nothing better than jumping into a drone or bike and letting loose, whether with bullets or speed, or both. He goes by the name 'Lyssius' now, seeing Uleso as dead skin he shed when the Crash struck.

Description:

Uleso is about 5'10, and lithly built. He has deep brown locks layered with deep green, and he has a California surfer tan. His features are a mix of white and Japanese, which combine into a handsome, clean cut face. He has a small goatee, dyed neon-purple, and AR sensitive piercings cover his face. His hair is a mixture of Neo-Otaku spiked styles along with a more traditional Beach Boy cut. He's moderately athletic, but no real muscle to speak of. Uleso doesn't handle pain well, both in the 'trix and the meat, bruising easily. He's a bit smarter than most people, but his main attribute is luck, which has let him coast the edges of Seattle's shadows for two years without dying or pissing someone off. He usually wears 'old-school Neopunk,' a style from the Fifties updated for 2070, involving losts of black and red, synthleather (real leather is too expensive to take care of), and buckles and chains, though he removes those whenever stealth is needed, but he isn't very stealthy.

Uleso is a smooth talker, and his knowledge of corporate politics and culture has won him quite a few friends on that circle. He's charming, and always seems to know what to say, or something always occurs for him to comment on. Uleso is polite, but likes a challenge. He's a bit afraid of pain, but usually represses that. However, he doesn't like to go 'hot' for that reason, perferring 'coldsim' unless he's rigging, where his thrill of 'being the machine' overrides his fears. Uleso is drawn by the natural 'glamour' of shadowrunning, and plans to move to LA after he gets a bit higher rep for himself in Seattle.


quentra
Oh, and are there vehicle upgrades or mods in Core anywhere? Or is that just in Arsenal?
BlackHat
For the most part, they are in arsenal, but some thing (such as weapon mounts and rigger adaptation) that were in core, have become vehicle modifications.

Well, I am finishing up my concept at work today, and hope to have it posted around lunch. I really like the two that have gone up, so far.
Gray
QUOTE (BlackHat @ Mar 12 2008, 06:59 AM) *
It'll definitely help to know what spells we have at our disposal. That sort of stuff. Tying in backgrounds might be a good idea, too.

Gray has the following spells. I may drop Physical Mask or Levitate for Armor. Who needs Physical Mask when you're invisible? Gray does not carry a gun. And due to Gremlins, he has the cheapest comm on the market. The Gremlins part is loosely based on Harry Dresden, however Harry would use a gun, and Gray does not.

I have a possible connection to the Hacker before we started running together. Gray is a huge Steelers and Penguins fan, and he coud have set up a pirate Trid feed to the 2070 equivalent of Fox Sports Pittsburgh in Gray's apartment.

Spells (24 BP)
Powerbolt
Stunball
Improved Invisibility
Physical Mask
Increase Reflexes
Heal
Mana Barrier
Levitate
Shadow
I second that Black, both concepts are very good. I look forward to seeing more.
Fortune
I'm old and slack, and may not be able to keep up with the pace of this game. eek.gif
BlackHat
Okay, here is my first draft at a concept/description. I'm pretty open to modifications, still, so Shadow should feel free to let me know if anything sounds bad. biggrin.gif I can work on a background in the afternoon, and get the stats up tonight.

Anthony Marks (Aka Piece)

Piece usually dresses corporate-chic - smooth and elegant armored business attire, usually black, with a stylish and similarly expensive longcoat. However, rather than coming off as a cunning and successful corporate shark, his toned and muscular frame, and somewhat dull wit, give the impression of a high-paid bodyguard, or corporate goon, at best. Piece prefers to pack as much heat as the situation allows. Within his longcoat, it is not uncommon for him to have a half-dozen firearms concealed, but within easy reach. He always keeps at least two taser-guns on himself, except when circumstances forbid it.

He is a skilled in both close-combat and ranged, and has blended the two together in a flashy-theatrical style heavily influenced by Ares Firefighting techniques, and the swift efficient maneuvers borrowed from various Armed Forces. His style is very cinematic, perhaps deceptively so. He dances, rolls, and flips through combat, using broad sweeping kicks as well as whatever weapons he has on him (or can improvise from items laying around, nearby). In typical Firefight form, he usually fights with a pistol in each hand, but unlike many Firefight artists, he is as likely to pistol-whip an opponent as kick them. His firearms have all been modified and hardened, such that they could be used to deflect away an incoming blade, or strike with the barrel, without risking damage to the internal firing mechanisms. He prides his style on its adaptability in combat, and has trained in a wide range of hand-to-hand weapons as well as one-handed firearms. He considers himself a jack-of-all-blades and master-of-none - though what he lacks in experience he has made up for, in cyberware.

Like any good street-samurai, there isn't much of him left, anymore. He looks human, and unaugmented, from the outside, but, inside, he has been made stronger, faster, tougher, and all-around deadlier than any normal human - which is to say, that he meets the minimum requirements of any street-sam hoping to make it in Seattle's shadows.

Piece also drives a fairly nice car. The Hyundai Shin-Hyung matches his professional corporate look, but Piece has had it modified for use in the Shadows. The vehicle has a spoof-chip, that constantly changes its registration information, and is even able to change the license-plate and color of the vehicle to blend in, or evade pursuers. The tires are run-flat, and the GridLink has been overridden to allow the vehicle to draw power from the city, while ignoring the enforced speed and safety restrictions. The most important feature, however, is the shielded smuggling compartments installed within, housing Piece's collection of firearms and other weapons - so that they are always nearby, when needed. The vehicle sits four, comfortably, and Piece doesn't usually mind carting the team around, when they want to ride in style - but he prefers to drive the vehicle manually, and is as much of a daredevil and showoff on the road, as he is in combat. combat.

------------------

Crunch-wise, I will be making heavy use of the martial-arts and weapon modification rules (and a little of the vehicle modification rules) from Arsenal. I'd also like to make sure that Shadow is okay with the Katana being a one-handed weapon (despite the description saying two-handed). It's statisticly identical to the monofiliment longsword, and I always thought the No-Dachi (in Arsenal) was a two-handed katana. In any case, I can work around it, as necessary.

Also, another clarification. He will be using the two-handed fighting rules, and I wanted to double-check that Shadow's impression is that you have to "wield" two weapons (ie, that martial arts can't be used as both, or either, of the weapons in a two-weapon style). I'm okay with that, since, mechanically, it probably makes sense, but if Piece can elbow someone as easily as pistol-whip a guy, it would be good to know.
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