I have been wondering what people think of tasers. They are completely legal and have a +0 concealability modifier (same as heavy pistols). Of course they could be detected by MAD scanners (unless you modify them, but then that would change their legality) and could break them down (with the easy breakdown mod). I guess one thing I'm asking is how legality affects security procedures. Maybe someone could give me examples of places that wouldn't even allow you to bring in a taser. Also I was wondering how noticeable internal modifications are, will MAD scanners pick up internal modifications or could people perceive that the taser/gun has been changed in some way. I guess this is a concern because most internal modifications are restricted/forbidden which would defeat the purpose of carrying around a completely legal taser.

I reckon most internal modifications are invisible to a metal detector. Maybe a cyberware scanner would say "the insides don't match our schematics of this model," but I doubt it'd be able to say "this has been modified with a smartlink!"

If you like electricity, electroshock orthoskin is (IIRC) COMPLETELY undetectable.

Related question; when I shoot someone with a taser, they need to make a BOD+WILL(+1/2 impact armor + nonconductivity) test and get three hits, or he falls down. Why do A. my net hits and B. the damage done with the attack not matter? You'd think the Defiance EX Shocker (8S) and the Cavalier Safeguard (5S) would differ in how easily they stunned people, but not so.

As far as where they are allowed.
I know that in modern times, there are not allowed on federal property where weapons are prohibited.
Also many places of business and manufacturing plants that also expressly prohibit weapons prohibit tasers.
Even though they are for "self-defense" they are still legally considered a weapon.
You will be prosecuted as if using a weapon if someone dies from 'improper applications' as well.

Damm, i never noticed that taser are same size as heavy, i've always tought of them as more of a hold-out sized.
My armed escort build Sasha has a pair of taser in hidden arm-slides excatly becouse thier fully legal, but now that you pointed out that tasers are as big as heavy pistols, i have to think about changing them to hold-outs loaded with stick&shock.

I'd prefer a Super-Squirt with Pepper Punch loaded for a fully-legal character. Otherwise, run the S-S with Slab or an Ares Crusader with Stick-n-Shock (it's like a 40-clip BF taser).

Seriously though, a Pepper Punch (heretofor "PP") Super-Squirt and some PP gas grenades are fully legal, and 7S against a Toxic Resistance Test is nothing to sneeze at, especially considering that if your 6/4 armor has Nonconductivity 4, you actually end up giving the guy more armor to resist your attack, as opposed to a Toxin Resistance Test.

Don't forget the armor options that grant extra protection against certain attacks (like electric). If tasers start to get out of control in any given game, and security team after security team ends up taken out of commission with them, it makes perfect sense for the bad guys to start busting out the non-conductive armor (and it makes sense for Lone Star, or anyone else who carries tasers, to be wearing it in the first place).

Electricity damage is pretty uber in shadowrun though. What I've always liked is the -2 to all action tests regardless of whether they make the Body + Willpower test or even take damage. So long as you hit the guy, they're taking a -2 to everything they do for (2 + net hits) turns.