Help - Search - Members - Calendar
Full Version: New to shadowrun and have a few questions...
Dumpshock Forums > Discussion > Shadowrun
Vestax
There will probably be many more questions from me but to begin with.

The adept power Improved Reflexes, it says you get +1 die to reaction test and 1 extra initiative pass. Initiative pass is essentially another turn during each combat round. To me this seems WAY to good to be correct, when maxed you get 4 passes each combat turn. So while other characters could get 1 turn I get 4?! This spell is also always active from what I can tell.

Is there anyway to effectively dual wield katanas? The weapon itself is described as a two handed weapon and an attack with a blade requires a complex action.

Besides boosting magic and being initiated is there any way to get more power points?

Characters can start with any gear that has an availability of 12 or less. It also says a rating of 6, what does that mean?

If you have a smartlink gun with thermographic imaging you can use this during low light or darkness to see normally correct?
Rad
Nobody's posted yet, chummer, but I bet a whole slew of them are poised to tell you to RTFM.

Seriously, 90% of those questions will be answered by pursuing the books, and like the shadow-boards in SR fiction, we dumpshockers tend to be a surly bunch that doesn't hand out information we had learn the hard way. Not for free, anyway.

I will tell you this though: Yes, the Improve Reflexes adept power gives you +1 to reaction and +1 pass each turn. Yes, it is always active. (though it's not technically a spell) And yes, it is awesome. cool.gif
Medicineman
Is there anyway to effectively dual wield katanas?
there are Dual wielding Rules in the Arsenal(From personal experience I would advise 2 Wakizashi,they're easier to handle )

So while other characters could get 1 turn I get 4?!
and he spent most of his Ki-Powers (Not a Spell !!) to be fast like Quicksilver.So what? He'll be lacking in other fields.Ki-Powers,Spells and 'ware are supposed to make the Runner better,Thats what they're there for smile.gif

with a better'n faster Dance
Medicineman
Dancer
QUOTE (Vestax @ Oct 23 2009, 06:17 AM) *
There will probably be many more questions from me but to begin with.

The adept power Improved Reflexes, it says you get +1 die to reaction test and 1 extra initiative pass. Initiative pass is essentially another turn during each combat round. To me this seems WAY to good to be correct, when maxed you get 4 passes each combat turn. So while other characters could get 1 turn I get 4?! This spell is also always active from what I can tell.

Some pieces of cyberware and bioware do this too, as well as combat drugs. Increasing your initiative passes by one means or another is more or less compulsory for combat characters, but there are a number of ways.

Note that Increased Reflexes 3 costs a lot of power points. It's a big advantage, but it'll be your only real schtick.

QUOTE
Is there anyway to effectively dual wield katanas? The weapon itself is described as a two handed weapon and an attack with a blade requires a complex action.

Get smaller katanas?

QUOTE
Besides boosting magic and being initiated is there any way to get more power points?

No.

QUOTE
Characters can start with any gear that has an availability of 12 or less. It also says a rating of 6, what does that mean?

Look in the Equipment chapter. It indicates the quality of various pieces of miscellaneous gear (a little first-aid kit would be a Rating 1 medkit, a paramedic's bag would be a Rating 5 medkit).

QUOTE
If you have a smartlink gun with thermographic imaging you can use this during low light or darkness to see normally correct?

Yes, but only if you're wearing (or have implanted) a smartlink unit, and are pointing your gun at whatever you wish to see. It would probably be wise to get Thermographic Vision in a set of contact lenses, they don't cost much.
Tymeaus Jalynsfein
QUOTE (Vestax @ Oct 23 2009, 12:17 AM) *
There will probably be many more questions from me but to begin with.

Besides boosting magic and being initiated is there any way to get more power points?


There is an optional rule that an Adept can purchase a Power Point for 15 Karma Points... you can never have more levels of a single power (for those that have levels, like Cloak, Iron Will, Mystic Armor, Spell Resistance, or Analytics, etc) than your Magic Rating however...

Keep the Faith
Cardul
QUOTE (Tymeaus Jalynsfein @ Oct 23 2009, 09:20 PM) *
There is an optional rule that an Adept can purchase a Power Point for 15 Karma Points... you can never have more levels of a single power (for those that have levels, like Cloak, Iron Will, Mystic Armor, Spell Resistance, or Analytics, etc) than your Magic Rating however...

Keep the Faith



That carried over into SR4 and SR4A? I thought it died its death with the death of SR3?
Thanee
Wasn't that in SR4 pre-Shadow Magic (because there was no way to advance for Adepts in the base game, otherwise)?

Bye
Thanee
Thanee
QUOTE (Vestax @ Oct 23 2009, 08:17 AM) *
So while other characters could get 1 turn I get 4?!


People with just 1 initiative pass are not supposed to be in combat, really. wink.gif

The average (for actual combat characters) whould be about 3. 2 is low, 4 is high. 1 is suicide.

Bye
Thanee
hobgoblin
QUOTE (Thanee @ Oct 24 2009, 11:25 AM) *
Wasn't that in SR4 pre-Shadow Magic (because there was no way to advance for Adepts in the base game, otherwise)?

it showed up in SR3 because SR3 did not have initiation rules in the main book.

with SR4 there is no need as the initiation rules are right there, along with buying up magic rating as one initiate.
Stingray
QUOTE (Medicineman @ Oct 23 2009, 11:05 AM) *
Is there anyway to effectively dual wield katanas?
there are Dual wielding Rules in the Arsenal(From personal experience I would advise 2 Wakizashi,they're easier to handle )

So while other characters could get 1 turn I get 4?!
and he spent most of his Ki-Powers (Not a Spell !!) to be fast like Quicksilver.So what? He'll be lacking in other fields.Ki-Powers,Spells and 'ware are supposed to make the Runner better,Thats what they're there for smile.gif

with a better'n faster Dance
Medicineman

Katana is one handed bladed weapon (reach is less than 2),(Arsenal p 161 Using one handed melee weapons)
"Character can use to use a one-handed melee weapon (reach 0 or 1) "... and Katana have reach of 1,
and so it is one-handed weapon..just take Ambidexterity quality and you would be fine..
Tymeaus Jalynsfein
QUOTE (hobgoblin @ Oct 24 2009, 03:14 AM) *
it showed up in SR3 because SR3 did not have initiation rules in the main book.

with SR4 there is no need as the initiation rules are right there, along with buying up magic rating as one initiate.



My Mistake... It MUST have been SR3 that I am remembering, because I cannot find it in the SR4 Books... COuld have sworn that it was there though... Must be going a little bit crazy...

Keep the Faith
hobgoblin
heh, i wonder how many little gotchas i have bumped into after AR4 came out.

i keep having to go back and check my assumptions, basically...
Tymeaus Jalynsfein
QUOTE (hobgoblin @ Oct 24 2009, 08:36 AM) *
heh, i wonder how many little gotchas i have bumped into after AR4 came out.

i keep having to go back and check my assumptions, basically...



Goes to show that I should not tout an optional rule without consulting the books...

Keep the Faith
Dr Funfrock
QUOTE (Rad @ Oct 23 2009, 02:28 AM) *
I will tell you this though: Yes, the Improve Reflexes adept power gives you +1 to reaction and +1 pass each turn. Yes, it is always active. (though it's not technically a spell) And yes, it is awesome. cool.gif


Wait 'til he gets to Move-By-Wire. That'll really blow his mind wink.gif

QUOTE (Stingray @ Oct 24 2009, 07:30 AM) *
Katana is one handed bladed weapon (reach is less than 2),(Arsenal p 161 Using one handed melee weapons)
"Character can use to use a one-handed melee weapon (reach 0 or 1) "... and Katana have reach of 1,
and so it is one-handed weapon..just take Ambidexterity quality and you would be fine..


No, it's two handed. You're thinking of a Wakizashi.

Also, re: adepts and power points, whilst you can't buy a power point for 15 Karma anymore, there is an optional rule in Street Magic allowing adepts to take a power point in place of a metamagic technique when initiating.
Dr Funfrock
((ignore me, I'm just a double post))
hobgoblin
arsenal basically say that anything with a reach of 2+, polearms, or anything the GM say is two handed, is.

anything reach 1 or 0 is one handed, but can be wielded with two hands for extra damage.
Tymeaus Jalynsfein
QUOTE (Dr Funfrock @ Oct 24 2009, 09:00 AM) *
Wait 'til he gets to Move-By-Wire. That'll really blow his mind wink.gif



No, it's two handed. You're thinking of a Wakizashi.

Also, re: adepts and power points, whilst you can't buy a power point for 15 Karma anymore, there is an optional rule in Street Magic allowing adepts to take a power point in place of a metamagic technique when initiating.



Maybe that is what I remember... Thanks Dr. FunFrock

Keep the Faith
Medicineman
QUOTE (Dr Funfrock @ Oct 24 2009, 12:00 PM) *
No, it's two handed. You're thinking of a Wakizashi.


The Katana is by Raw a Weapon that can be wielded either1-Handed or 2-Handed. By RAW you can
use 2 Katanas Akimbo smile.gif
But personally i Think using 2 Katanas has no/less Style. Either a Daisho ,2 Wakizashis or 2 Ninjato

with a more stylish Dance
Medicineman
Rad
QUOTE (hobgoblin @ Oct 24 2009, 08:07 AM) *
arsenal basically say that anything with a reach of 2+, polearms, or anything the GM say is two handed, is.

anything reach 1 or 0 is one handed, but can be wielded with two hands for extra damage.


Really? When did this happen?! Can you give a page number?

If that's true, I may have to revisit a few of my builds... biggrin.gif

The trick I always used was just to dual wield monoswords and say they *looked* like katanas, since monofilament swords are one-handed but otherwise have the same damage code. (Yay for cheap knockoffs--with monowire edging, right?)
hobgoblin
arsenal p161
Vestax
Thank you for all of the help.

You are correct, the move by wire is insane! It's the augmentation of Improved Reflexes but twice as good for the same essence cost. Though it's availability is through the roof so finding a maxed setup of this would be difficult.

The two weapon fighting seems flat out worse then two pistols. With the pistols you can use a simple action to split your dice and use another simple to do it again. With the melee the best you can do is spend a complex to split your dice pool. From a mechanics point of view the pistols are obviously better but I guess it makes sense, who brings a sword to a gun fight?

I was looking over the shapeshifting from runner's companion p. 86. Their regeneration / sapience powers are the same as the spells in the SR4 corebook correct? From what I see their enchanced senses other then low light are up to GM to determine what effects it has?
Tymeaus Jalynsfein
QUOTE (Vestax @ Oct 25 2009, 11:03 AM) *
Thank you for all of the help.

The two weapon fighting seems flat out worse then two pistols. With the pistols you can use a simple action to split your dice and use another simple to do it again. With the melee the best you can do is spend a complex to split your dice pool. From a mechanics point of view the pistols are obviously better but I guess it makes sense, who brings a sword to a gun fight?


However, Most dual wielded firearms cannot get you into the realm of 14DV+ Damage per attack before net hits either... Melee can do that with room to spare...

Keep the Faith
Vestax
How is that even possible? Katana for example which is a decent DV melee weapon is STR / 2 + 3 so u would need 22 strength to hit those damage values. From what I saw all modifications are for ranged weapon too so that isnt a factor unless I missed somthing.
Tymeaus Jalynsfein
QUOTE (Vestax @ Oct 25 2009, 12:31 PM) *
How is that even possible? Katana for example which is a decent DV melee weapon is STR / 2 + 3 so u would need 22 strength to hit those damage values. From what I saw all modifications are for ranged weapon too so that isnt a factor unless I missed somthing.



Well, for Unarmed Combat, A Physad can boost soem Farily unrealistic damage adds via adept powers... Martial Arts can also provide bonuses to Unarmed/Bladed Damage Values... High strength is only one way to boost damage... there are several characters posted on Dumpshock that have DV values for Bladed/Unarmed Attacks that exced 15 DV...

None of my characters get there, but Just Sayin...

Keep the Faith
Axl
"The average (for actual combat characters) whould be about 3. 2 is low, 4 is high. 1 is suicide." - Thanee

I agree. In the rulebook, it's ridiculous that the example shadowrunners don't have extra initiative passes.
Tymeaus Jalynsfein
QUOTE (Axl @ Oct 25 2009, 01:17 PM) *
"The average (for actual combat characters) whould be about 3. 2 is low, 4 is high. 1 is suicide." - Thanee

I agree. In the rulebook, it's ridiculous that the example shadowrunners don't have extra initiative passes.



3 or 4 of them do...

Keep the Faith
Axl
In my opinion, every PC should ensure extra passes during combat. A character with two passes can achieve twice as much (more or less) as a character with one pass, and it's well worth the expense (wired reflexes, Increase Reflexes, etc.).
Axl
I regard three passes as the optimum.

E.g. wired reflexes 1 uses 2 Essence. Rating 2 uses 3 Essence - only slightly more. However rating 3 (for 4 passes) requires 5 Essence, severely cutting into the remaining Essence available for other cyberware.
Weaver95
Hmm...the only thing I could tell you about being a shadowrun GM is that when in doubt, blame Aztechnology.
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.
Dumpshock Forums © 2001-2012