Full Version: 'unsuspicious' Bioware Street Sam
I've always liked the idea of a combat character that can walk through almost any security scanner or pass any mage without raising any alarms, but then raise hell once inside. I guess a magical character could try masking, but theres always the risk of a better mage seeing through the disguise. I only recently bought the shadowrun 4 book, but I used to use shadowrun 2 extensively. The bioindex was often the main limitor for how much bioware I could cram into a starter character, so I often went with an ork with the human-looking trait. Have any of you come up with interesting all-bioware characters with the 4th ruleset? Assuming you had the standard build points, what would you go with for a bioware-only steet sam?
Synaptic Boosters
Muscle Toner
Platelet Factories
Synthacardium
Pain Editor
Suprathyroid Gland
Reflex Recorder (your two favorite skill groups)
At maximum ratings that costs only 4 Essence before any of that is even Alphaware. For double the yens it comes in at 3.6 Essence.
That leaves room for explainable cyberware, for which I suggest:
Cybereyes (Rating 4) with:
Flare Comp
Smartlink
Thermographic
Vision Enhancement
Vision Magnification
Ultraviolet Vision
Milimeter Radar System
Cyberears (rating 4) with:
Audio Enhancement
Balance Augmentor
Damper
Select Sound Filter
Spatial Recognizer
Ultrasound Sensor
Datajack
---
For your weapons of choice, you'll want to use the Raecor Sting and a Monofilament Whip.
Of course, a lot of this isn't starting level equipment, but you'll be a world-class badass who can pass through any security checkpoint that doesn't require a bloodtest. And you still have 2 Essence left.
-Frank
Muscle Toner
Platelet Factories
Synthacardium
Pain Editor
Suprathyroid Gland
Reflex Recorder (your two favorite skill groups)
At maximum ratings that costs only 4 Essence before any of that is even Alphaware. For double the yens it comes in at 3.6 Essence.
That leaves room for explainable cyberware, for which I suggest:
Cybereyes (Rating 4) with:
Flare Comp
Smartlink
Thermographic
Vision Enhancement
Vision Magnification
Ultraviolet Vision
Milimeter Radar System
Cyberears (rating 4) with:
Audio Enhancement
Balance Augmentor
Damper
Select Sound Filter
Spatial Recognizer
Ultrasound Sensor
Datajack
---
For your weapons of choice, you'll want to use the Raecor Sting and a Monofilament Whip.
Of course, a lot of this isn't starting level equipment, but you'll be a world-class badass who can pass through any security checkpoint that doesn't require a bloodtest. And you still have 2 Essence left.
-Frank
cyberware scanners can pick up bioware. They just probably won't.
Full Made Troll, with no cyber. -Knowledge/Laguage skills. Not tweaked for full min/max. Character made in under 10 minutes.
Troll
Mundane
Troll
Mundane
[ Spoiler ]
| QUOTE (nick012000) |
| cyberware scanners can pick up bioware. They just probably won't. |
What SR4 rule are you referring to?
| QUOTE (nick012000) |
| cyberware scanners can pick up bioware. They just probably won't. |
| QUOTE (Page 255) |
Millimeter wave scans can detect any nonbiological item by its shape and composition, assuming the item is listed in the device’s database. |
No, they can't.
Biowear is not a nonbiological item.
Cyberwear scanners will not "see" biowear.
Thyme....
4 hits on an Assensing Test reveal standard bioware. Alphaware (or better) bioware requires 5 hits.
Bye
Thanee
Bye
Thanee
*checks*
You're right. I thought they just needed 5 hits to do so.
You're right. I thought they just needed 5 hits to do so.
Bioware Synaptic Acceleration is one of those things I'd be really touchy about getting, especially if I'm trying to stay low-profile. It's way cool and it's very essence friendly, but you cannot turn it off. Having an asthma inhaler loaded with Jazz (or maybe an SR3-style Toxin Sac, once the gear book comes back out) would be a more controllable method of doing this, albeit short-term only and running the risk of addiction.
The only real drawback of SAs is the penalty while trying to sneak through motion sensors.
As bioware is natural, you are even less likely to over-react than when using wired reflexes - especially if you seldomly turn those on and are not as accustomed to their effects.
As bioware is natural, you are even less likely to over-react than when using wired reflexes - especially if you seldomly turn those on and are not as accustomed to their effects.
That's the only thing written into the RAW so far. M&M from 3rd ed had rules for overreacting to situations due to reflex boosting, and the higher the rating, the more problems you had. Being able to turn that stuff off was fairly important.
I can see how you'd be less likely to overreact with your accelerators than your wired reflexes. This is, of course, why the reflexes have an "off" switch.
Synaptic Boosters so drastically outperform Wired Reflexes in the essense-savings department that it's ridiculous. Hell, Delta-grade wired doesn't even begin to approach the essence-efficiency of basic synaptic boosters, and it's ridiculously more expensive. Being able to be turned off is about the only non-monetary advantage they've got.
I can see how you'd be less likely to overreact with your accelerators than your wired reflexes. This is, of course, why the reflexes have an "off" switch.
Synaptic Boosters so drastically outperform Wired Reflexes in the essense-savings department that it's ridiculous. Hell, Delta-grade wired doesn't even begin to approach the essence-efficiency of basic synaptic boosters, and it's ridiculously more expensive. Being able to be turned off is about the only non-monetary advantage they've got.
| QUOTE (Shrike30) |
| M&M from 3rd ed had rules for overreacting to situations due to reflex boosting, and the higher the rating, the more problems you had. Being able to turn that stuff off was fairly important. |
For cybernetic reflex enhancements, as those were the only ones covered by that rule.
Really? Huh. I thought it was worded as reflex enhancement in general. I'll have to go look that one up.
Makes sense, SR3 had this almost annoying thing of all things were better if they were natural.
And of course, adept and bioware counted as natural.
And of course, adept and bioware counted as natural.
| QUOTE (Ranneko) |
| Makes sense, SR3 had this almost annoying thing of all things were better if they were natural. |
Just remember, Cyanide, is "natural".
Therefore it most be good for you.
Thyme...
Now if we could just get anyone who believes nature is always better to test my statement.
The suprathyroid gland would not be available at chargen, though definitely on the long-term shopping list.
I suggest putting bone density enhancement on the shopping list. More close combat damage, higher damage resistance, not that expensive.
I suggest putting bone density enhancement on the shopping list. More close combat damage, higher damage resistance, not that expensive.
A Tiger has 3 initiative passes, naturally. Its also pretty sneaky and able to move slowly. 
Therefore it should be pretty foregone that bioware reflexboosters does not cause you penalties when trying actively to move slowly, nor that you are unable to use all your passes in a situation where you have to "slow down".
As for the cyberware ditto, it seems to me to be a ruling based on an assumption that cyberware is not as advanced as it could be. In SR4 its obvious that newer cyber has gone through another step of advancement, perhaps the poor control issue is now a thing of the past, eliminated with new devicedrivers and a few hardware adjustments to existing cyber.
But, however much it annoys me that this issue has yet to be beaten to death here on these forums, ver. 3 or 4 for that matter, this remains my opinion alone and you are free to ignore this post if you disagree.
Therefore it should be pretty foregone that bioware reflexboosters does not cause you penalties when trying actively to move slowly, nor that you are unable to use all your passes in a situation where you have to "slow down".
As for the cyberware ditto, it seems to me to be a ruling based on an assumption that cyberware is not as advanced as it could be. In SR4 its obvious that newer cyber has gone through another step of advancement, perhaps the poor control issue is now a thing of the past, eliminated with new devicedrivers and a few hardware adjustments to existing cyber.
But, however much it annoys me that this issue has yet to be beaten to death here on these forums, ver. 3 or 4 for that matter, this remains my opinion alone and you are free to ignore this post if you disagree.
Motion Sensors, p. 254.
Tigers will take the same penalties as metahumans there.
Tigers will take the same penalties as metahumans there.
| QUOTE (nick012000) |
| Motion Sensors, p. 254. Tigers will take the same penalties as metahumans there. |
Actually no.
The exact wording is:
Characters amped for speed may find it difficult to maneuver in this way; apply a negative dice pool modifi er equal to their extra Initiative Passes.
Emphasis mine. First off it specifically mentions characters, secondly it says the word "amped" which means "amplified". Neither is applicable to the tiger, as its not a character nor is it "amped" in any way beyond natures design.
Conclusion remains, the tiger sneaks just fine. I feel bioware should make a character fall into this category as for an unamped person/critter.
But according to the book, amped methods implanted in characters will make it harder for them.
It does not mention spells or adept powers. But technically you can argue with the exact weight of the word "amped", it might not apply to magic, as "magic is better."
That again leaves cyberware with the short end of the stick, implying that cyberware is not yet at a pinnacle of development.
| QUOTE (weblife @ Mar 10 2006, 01:08 PM) |
| First off it specifically mentions characters, secondly it says the word "amped" which means "amplified". Neither is applicable to the tiger, as its not a character nor is it "amped" in any way beyond natures design. |
Uh, well, a tiger (usually) is a NPC - thus a 'character', too, and as it is naturally amped...
| QUOTE (Rotbart van Dainig @ Mar 10 2006, 06:25 AM) | ||
Uh, well, a tiger (usually) is an NPC - thus a 'character', too, and as it is naturally amped... |
Bleh, pedantic now. Ok, NPC might cover the Character part, but it is NOT "amped", and the rule will not apply to it.
Otherwise drones and spirits would also be hit by that train of logic.
And mostly tigers would go into the critter category, leaving the NPC term to be used toward intelligent (or in the case of elves, semi-intelligent) species.
Point remains, IMO the rule is silly.
EDIT: Naturally amped?!?! You can't say that. Natural=untampered, Amped=Amplified=tampered with=enhanced.
As pedantic as argumenting augmentation effects via critters is ,ahem, freeform... 
I was just wondering, why is alphaware harder to assense than bioware?
Uhm, standard bioware is as hard to assense as beta cyberware.
Tigers were born being fast enough to get 3 init passes. They're not augmented in any way to move at that speed, it's what they've done their entire life.
Humans were born being fast enough to get 1 init pass. I don't care if it's "natural" (read, bioware) or cyber, a human moving with 3 initiative passes did not learn to walk that way, avoid falling down that way, flinch away from moving objects that way, and it's not going to have the same kind of fine control that you get from being born a certain way. The RAW agrees with me here... it makes no differentiation between cyberwear, bioware, or magical initiative boosts. You simply get penalties for every extra init pass. If you stuck Cerebral Accelerators into a tiger and got it up to 4 init passes (and then were somehow able to convince it to try and sneak past a motion detector), it'd be at a -1 penalty (because it has 1 extra init pass).
Humans were born being fast enough to get 1 init pass. I don't care if it's "natural" (read, bioware) or cyber, a human moving with 3 initiative passes did not learn to walk that way, avoid falling down that way, flinch away from moving objects that way, and it's not going to have the same kind of fine control that you get from being born a certain way. The RAW agrees with me here... it makes no differentiation between cyberwear, bioware, or magical initiative boosts. You simply get penalties for every extra init pass. If you stuck Cerebral Accelerators into a tiger and got it up to 4 init passes (and then were somehow able to convince it to try and sneak past a motion detector), it'd be at a -1 penalty (because it has 1 extra init pass).
Shrike30
That's assuming that no human could ever adapt to living with a change to their body.
That's just downright false. Any runner worth his
is going to train with his enhanced reflexes whatever they are to get used to how they work.
I'd only penalise players in an RP fashion like someone with SA that isn't 100% used to it might talk incomprehensibly fast if he gets too excited.
That's just downright false. Any runner worth his
is going to train with his enhanced reflexes whatever they are to get used to how they work.I'd only penalise players in an RP fashion like someone with SA that isn't 100% used to it might talk incomprehensibly fast if he gets too excited.
Perhapse we can word it another way: Felines are graceful (usually)
Amped for speed does not make you naturally gracefull, it makes you move faster. To the untrained eye, an amped meta would appear to move jerky and suddenly, no matter how slow they try to move - ever watch someone with ADHD on a sugar rush?
Amped for speed does not make you naturally gracefull, it makes you move faster. To the untrained eye, an amped meta would appear to move jerky and suddenly, no matter how slow they try to move - ever watch someone with ADHD on a sugar rush?
You can let your PCs take a knowledge skill representing their acclimation to their reflex enchancements (maybe will based?) with every hit removing -1 from the penalty.
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