This is something I just noticed about the Projectile Spur in Augmentations (pg43). Per RAW, it is used with the thrown weapon skill.

Per the fluff text it can "be supplemented with a compressed-air catapult, allowing the user to spring the spur as normal or to fire the spur as a projectile over short distances at will."

Sounds like a 1-shot cyber-weapon speargun to me. As such, why doesn't the Projectile Spur use the Exotic Ranged Weapon skill like all the other ranged cyber weapons?

Where are you getting that cyberguns require an exotic ranged weapon skill?

Possibly assuming the requirement for exotic ranged skill for cyberguns in unusual places to be universal?

It is mentioned as an example for the skill.

SR4A makes no mention of ranged cyberweapons in unusual places requiring an exotic skill, only melee cyberweapons in unusual places. I read it as all cyberguns required an exotic skill.

Makes sense to me, though. Pointing the palm of your hand at something doesn't seem similar to any firearm training I am aware of. Even in a system where longbows and crossbows use the same skill.

I dunno why people insist on implying that two different actions governed via the same skill must necessarily be learned in the same manner or even be performed in the same way. And what really puzzles me is why it always seems to get brought up in the context of guns and weapon skills. It smacks of a li'l knowledge proving dangerous, since I rarely see people complaining about how Gymnastics covers too many things yet that skill covers far more disciplines than the entire Firearms group can lay claim to-- I always get the sense that DS is a community in which cognitive dissonance comes into play with the weapon rules more than any other category simply because an inordinate number of us are familiar with guns. Meanwhile the Electronics Group and others like it provide further evidence that skills and skill groups are structured based on what is relevant to the game world rather than being based on how people learn. For example, I suspect that Data Search comes bundled with Hardware because they both fall under things you expect the Hacker to do, not because they are learned in the same manner-- My search-fu is strong, but I couldn't even imagine how to attempt how to do half the things the Hardware skill is purported to represent. These things are tied together by themes, roles and practical needs, with everything else being a secondary concern.

If I can ever avoid the stupid that is Exotic Ranged Weapon skill I will. So yeah I'll stick with throwing.

we Houseruled the 1-Shot-Spur as Projectile Weapon(similar to our Wrist Crossbows from our MadMax/SR Crossover )

with a Housedance
Medicineman

I was thinking about including the Exotic Weapons in the Firearms and Close Combat groups. It would finally give a use to these groups and make all those funky flamethrowers / whips / whatever more playable.

Here is how I see it:

1-Gymnasts are hot but but seeing as this is not Olympics RPG most don't really care for realism in SR soprt.

2-Anybody who has looked inside a computer has seen just how complicated Hardware is. Do you really wanna try to keep track something that complex while corpsec is shooting your ass off.

3-Guns are cool. If Hollywood has taught us anything it is that the more detail in the fight scene the cooler it gets. Thus we like to pick apart the rules and implementation of weaponry and combat style. Since guns are the most complex weapon currently in widespread use they will naturally gain more attention.

Anyways, that's kinda how I see it.

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Also if I were to change the projectile spur skill I'd change it to archery.

All I'm saying here is that it's an inconsistent standard that gets pretty silly sometimes.

I consider that a very generous description.