I really like the flavor of Ablative Cyberlimb armor back in SR3. I have an NPC I'm trying to bring forward and he needs this.

(ablative armor was actually supposed to be a weakness for the character because everytime he got shot up UPS would deliver a big box of new cyberlimb armor to where ever he was. *sigh* not that the players ever caught on. cleverness is waisted in some groups.)

Anyhow I need ablative armor for my guy, any idea how this could work in SR4???

Thanks

[oh, I'll type the SR3 rules for the gear in a bit. or if anyone has a nifty PDF could you pastem? thanks]

i can't do much for cost or anything like that, but there is something similar (but not actually the same as, iirc) ablative armor in the vehicle modding rules in arsenal. personally, i would just use those.

Doh!

Right I'll check that. Thanks!

Here are the SR3 rules:


Basically each point added +2 to both ballistic and impact, but a hit with Power > [rating x 3] reduced the bonus to +1 and presumably a second hit with Power > [rating x 3] would reduce the bonus to zero. Plates thusly damaged had to be replaced with an appropriate B/R Skill (5) test at a base time of 5 minutes per rating point.

Don't have time to convert at length right now, but things that will clearly need to be changed are:
-- Armor (SR4 armor values are roughly 2 x SR3 so I'd add +4 per rating of ablative armor)
-- Power (maybe if modified DV exceed the rating a la physical to stun mechanic?)
-- Cost (SR4 is cheeper than SR3 in general)
-- ECU (converted to appropriate Capacity)
-- B/R test (converted to Extended Test)

hi hi

If I were to make new rules from scratch having no understanding of how they might have worked before and based on what I know about how ablative armor works in real life: I would have each rating give you another damage box on your physical track that doesn't return until the armor is repaired. It would not be subtle though.

[EDIT] OOPS frag me for a slow typer Thanks method [/edit]
K. didn't find ablative armor in Arsenal. probaly you ment smart armor which would be more accurately called ablative armor as it is today.

but as SR uses the word. here's 'ablative body plating from M&M

i did say it was *similar* to ablative armor, not that it *is* ablative armor. in any case, i would tend to think the mechanic presented for smart armor would work fine, just reflavor it. and of course, remove the part about being able to explode it in other people's faces, since that really doesn't fit with "Ablative armor absorbs kinetic enercy from attacks and then vaporizes." i would probably also lower the threshold for the test of how likely it will break some of the armor... DV 7 or 8 should be enough for a human target, maybe even less...

or you can feel free to make up your own rules. it's all a question of how you feel like spending your time; if the smart armor rules can be reflavored and fit close enough to keep you happy, then do that. if it's gonna drive you nuts how those rules work, then obviously you should make something new. i know i personally would just reflavor and slightly tweak the smart armor rules, but what works for me does not necessarily work for you, nor does it have to.