I know that allowing more than one free per pass would lead to SA bowmen and such mad-ness but looking at nimble fingers and reloading a clipped weapon. I would still take you a free and a simple to do and there are cases where one free action just doesn't add up. I was thinking of doing some thing like recoil reduction from strength but for extra free passes from reaction or agility.

What is DS's thoughts on this house rule. Game braking or just ups the global power level a bit.

I'm against it. There are plenty of ways to turn simple actions into free actions (Nimble Fingers being one). The simple fact is, you just have to learn how to use the free actions you've got more effectively.

For example, you might not realize that using Nimble Fingers you can in fact reload a smartlinked gun without missing a simple action (aka no missing a shot). You just have to use the eject free action at the end of 1 IP, and the reload free action (thank you nimble fingers) at the start of the next IP. This means you can fire 2 shots, drop the clip, reload, and fire 2 more shots; all in 2 IP.

I wouldn't use a houserule that gave even more free actions. Then you get nothing but called shots, and if you're fast enough free reloading, all as if it takes no time.

also, Multi tasking gives you 3 free actions per initiative pass when not involved in combat, you don't want to take away from someone who spent points on that

Thought it gave you one extra for a total of 2. Also, how often do you keep track of actions outside of combat?

Only when there's combat going on around a character that isn't fighting. Tends to be rare, though.

And an adept tricked out for speed with 4 IPs a turn and Multi-Tasking could take 16 free actions a turn as long as he/she is not involved in combat and not even taking a simple action in an IP. A technomancer can move even faster in the matrix, gaining up to 5 IPs while in VR for a total of 20 free actions (again, as long as he/she is not involved in any combat or not performing any simple actions). Average Joe (no cyber, no magic, etc.) can only get 3 at most.

At least in 4th anniversary, Free Actions can be held to use later in the initiative pass, but only after your action phase.

Proper use of held free actions can do a lot to help your efficiency in combat. For example, a rigger with more than metahuman who never uses their free action doesn't have to fear dumpshock from losing a drone - they just hop out if its going down. Or a krav maga user who Takes Aim at the end of a pass, the beginning of the next one, and enjoys some bonus dice when firing right after.

You're math is off there. 4 IP would be 12 free actions and 5 IP would be 15 free actions. I'm not convinced however that you get 3 free actions with multi-tasking.



I've always read that to mean you gain a total of two free actions (including the one you already have) as opposed to you gain two additional free actions.

Still, as I said before, the instances in which you are actually counting actions outside of combat are very rare, and in combat but not directly participating, there aren't alot of things that burn up free actions.

I'm not convinced that you can get those free actions when combat is occurring near the character either. Would seem to me that "in combat" would be any time initiative is rolled and guns are being fired, that character firing a gun or not.

(Imagine trying to multitask during a fire fight, even if you're playing around on the floor: the concentration penalties due to noise would be insane!)

So if an adept has the Multi-Tasking power that gives him two Free Actions per IP instead of the usual one, and downgrades his two Simple Actions for two Free Actions, totaling four Free Actions for an IP, how is my math off that an adept can then take 16 Free Actions if he has four IPs in a round?

Beyond that, yes, such circumstances will be exceedingly rare.

I'm combat and free actions when not in combat. when there are part of the fragging combat sequence is a bit stupid. The only time you can use them is when your hacking with no IC on the scene or braking in to some hardware while the team covers you're ass. Both dot'n really gain much form more free actions.

Personally, I allow several free actions if it seems possible. For example, I allow a character to drop to the ground AND yell "Grenade" as a single free action even if RAW would be two free actions.