I'm in a rush, so I'll keep this short (by the way, this is not a starting character. this is the max):

• 7 Elf
• +1 Metagenetic improvement (AGI)
• +1 Enhanced Attribute (AGI)
• +1 Genetic Optimization (AGI)
• +4 muscle toner
• +1 suprathyroid gland
• 6 longarms
• +1 Aptitude
• +3 adept improved ability (longarms)
• +2 specialization (sniper rifles)
• +2 smartgun system
• +2 home ground
• +1 synch
• +4 tacnet
• 6 edge

Right there we have 42 DP under the right conditions (you need to see the target attack something first, you need to spend edge, etc). If you take 5 consecutive take aim actions (1/2 your skill) then that's 47 DP.

That was for a partially functional character. Here's the real deal. Instead of the muscle toner and suprathyroid gland, get a cybertorso and two customized cyber arms at your normal natural attribute rating, then enhance them to 15 AGI. Using the optional rules for redlining your cyberlimbs in Augmentation, double that to 30 AGI for one use.

You will need 6+ BOD, 6+ WIL, and an autodoc or teammate on standby to pull this off. Allow me to explain, you take stun damage equal to 2X the boost you give to your limb,resisted with BOD , so with the cyber and attributes, you'll have a combined condition monitor of 25 + 6 overflow. Just enough to survive 30 Stun in the worst case.

Anyway, 62 DP with that last touch.

What the f*ck are you trying to make?! The last shot from Wanted?!
But, I like the thought exercise. Kudos.

*Shakes Head* Why?

*mumbles* Damn dragons and their magic. Let's see who's OP now. *mumbles*

Because squeezing out the last bit of math to make "The Best At What I Do" is a theme in RPGs for a long time now.

It has it's place, sometimes, however.

The most epic thought exercise I've ever seen (and no, don't ask me to find it again) was a D&D character who had 100 in every stat.

EVERY stat. All 6 attributes, armor, flat footed armor, touch armor, fort save, reflex save, will save...every single stat.

So help me Flying Spaghetti Monster, if you say Pun-Pun.....

But really, I had most of that with a level 20 Psion who infinite power points. It's doable, just not fun to put into play. The Konami Code is only fun for one-shots, mostly.

What is this I don't even.
I though DnD was practically immune to powergaming in comparison to Shadowrun. Were all the stats pretty much the result of abusing a single mechanic?

You must not play much 3.5. One of my favorite characters could run around a European nation in six seconds and when he gets back to his starting point the entire nation bursts into flames.

It's a dice pool exercise, like the pornomancer or the ultimate climber, that's all. The problem with them is that they can degenerate into questionable rules interpretations and illogical rules loopholes.

But for more straightforward bonuses, don't forget tacnet bonuses (although you would need either a lot of teammates or a lot of spotter drones to really get a decent boost out of it).

D'oh. Forgot about that! Fixing now.
I am ashamed I didn't think of that. Especially since I'm currently playing a hacker.

Note, the Elf is the same metatype for a Pornomancer... You could plan for this from the get-go, but you'll be a bit short on points. Also, you'll have to prioritize between shooting people personally, or convincing others to do it for you. Either way, what fun!?

Oh god. The agony. What will the rest of your party do?

OOoh! you forgot a dice.

Hint: Its related to synch.

You can even get it to pay for itself with a negative quality in augmentation.(though i am away from books, i'm fairly sure its aug, but might be RC)

Depends on the edition.

in 2e, it was all dependent on your ability score rolls. If you rolled high, you could easily be better off at first level than a higher-level character with lower stats. 3.0/3.5 didn't depend so much on ability scores, but you could combine feats, races, and prestige classes in such a way as to get insane benefits. Pun-Pun the infinite kobold is the worst example of this.

4e's a lot more resistant to breakage. You can still optimize the hell out of a character, but the differences aren't so glaring. Also, it's really difficult to end up with a gimped character in 4e.

I'll look, but if I haven't found it by now, I probably never will.

I think he's talking about (with a cooperative GM!) getting a permanent infusion, in this case Sideways, with the mysterious cyberware negative quality. Not sure I'd let that stack with Synch, though, since Synch is part of the "mix" of Sideways.

I remember those now. 5 hits seems a little bit hard to reach though.

Bingo.

The benefit of Sideways is that its a +1 to combat tests, instead of a +1 after observing your opponent that Synch is.

In this case, the Permant Infusion negative quality would let you start with it. It has a heft downside, but, hey, its one way to do it.

No Analyze Device and Possession spirits? I am disappoint...

If he's lucky, he can get an edge point more.
And he should also cast Analyze Device on the rifle and have a machine sprite inside.

I'm Sorry... I just see absolutely no use in it whatsoever...

Testing for game balance. Give ideas to your group's munchkin/power gamer/rules lawyer and evaluate the result.

Maybe that's the Problem... We do not care about Edge Cases in the least.

That's why I keep Longbow around!

No, I don't know how it was done. Pun-Pun, however, isn't limited to 100s.



That spell (combo) got errata'd. Chuck E. Cheese is no longer valid. Footsteps of the Divine can no longer have it's duration enhanced via any means (the cheese comes from the fact that the spell increased the subject's base move speed by 10 feet per round, and can be ended early to give the subject "10 feet" times "rounds remaining" in extra movement for one turn: if you get the spell to last for 4 days that's 57,600 rounds....).



Or in some cases, giving it to a competent player. Iron Claw looks really well balanced. Until you realize that the developers never combined classes and races that were meant for each other. Their sample characters include a rabbit anamist ("barbarian" in D&D terms): the rabbit doesn't have a natural attack (e.g. claws) that get better per the class. Bat wizard: the only flying race paired with the only class that gets flight. Etc.
(Although a friend of mine did create a rather effective elephant rogue...)

As of 4A, I don't think the possession spirits will help. At least not while possessing me.

I thought of the edge earlier yesterday, but forgot about it later on. Thanks.

I don't do magic. I have a vague idea of what it can do, but I don't know many of the specific spells. Would the bonus from analyze device stack with the machine sprite? Also, what would be the bonus from each? I won't have time to look it up at any point in the next few days.

Considering that Resonance and Magic are mutually exclusive, then probably not, unless you have a L6 Technomancer contact just falling all over themselves to keep you supplied with sprites.

Attribute impact did not really change between 2 and 3.5.

Prestige classes became awesome, which I suppose reduced the importance of stats... tho many of them are amplified by good stats. Not trolling, just saying... your wrong.

You are absolutely right about 4th edition. It is very resistant to breakage, mostly because they removed most of your ability to customize your character. Sucky way of fixing it, but it works.

With surge you can just barely get metagenetic improvement agility and exception agility, but your Positive Qualities are used up. No points for Lucky if you follow the normal 35BP limit.

For that matter, you cannot have Aptitude, Metagenetic Improvement AND Exceptional Agility, AND Adept. That exceeds the 35 bp limit by 20.

Also, lose the superthyroid and half the muscle toner and you can hit your 15 agility with adept powers with a legal starting character.

Also, you can get one more die with Enhanced Articulation. I am not sure about compatibility, but Reflex Records should give you a bonus skill die too.

For bursting, Lucky is better than an extra Agility.

Enhanced Articulation does not apply to Combat Skills.

I might note that it DOES, however, affect gymnastics dodging.

Gymnastics is not a Combat Skill... Enhanced Articulation adds nothing to actual sharpshooting.

I'm just being pedantic for its own sake.

Surge is technically on it's own BP limit. You spend the BP on the surge (5, 10, or 15), take that many points in negative qualities and then buy twice that many in positive qualities. Any overage counts towards your regular limit either way, so a 15 BP SuRGE with 20 extra points of SuRGEd Positive Qualities would cover all your positives regardless, and 20 pts of SuRGED flaws on a 5 BP SuRGE would cover 15 BP of your negative qualities limit. (you can check it in Runner's Companion, pg 73, bottom left corner)

[Metagenetic Improvement (20 BP) + Aptitude (10 BP) - 15 BP of negative metagenetic qualities] = only 15 BP SuRGE (positive quality). 20 pts left to play with for positives, and all of your negatives free for choosing.

Also, Aptitude can, technically and potentially, be purchased after character creation for twice the BP cost in Karma, with GM approval. Obviously subject to change from table to table, so YMMV.

Ah, i see the distinction there. So sensible that it adds to your perception, but not your martial arts. Clever.

Still wrong. The text states that it applies to Physical skills that are linked to Physical Attributes. Perception is linked to Intuition, which is not a physical attribute.

Indeed. Generally, it affects the athletics group as well as palming, infiltration, escape artistry, parachuting, and diving.

I could see that. Likely involves a bit of down-time to get that kind of ability. You won't be Florence Nightengale overnight.

I also realized something else that would be potentially game-breaking...

Runner's Companion section on Metagenetic qualities lists rules for picking them up as Gene-tweaking...
Augmentation has a the Genetic Heritage quality at 10 BP that allows you to pick up ANY such gene-tweaking for no additional cost beyond that 10 BP. So, if your GM is a doormat, you could arguably get Metagenetic Improvement AND Genetic Optimizaiton for 10 BP each, totaling as much as Metagenetic Improvment as it's own quality, on its own.

Also, has there been any errata on Augmentation? The description for Genetic Heritage seems to me to indicate picking up the tweak without an essence loss ("... start play with one genetic modification for free"). Without errata, that's a little too open to interpretation (and therefor munchkinism).

There's been a discussion on that quote. The generally accepted meaning is "no nuyen cost." You still pay the essence.

And where is the Machine Sprite enhancing the smartgun?

Nope, it does not add to Perception, because it is not based upon a Physical Stat (Perception is Intuition based)...

EDIT: Ooops, looks like X-Kalibur beat me to it.

What about a Reflex Recorder for longarms. That should give you another +1 to your DP. And then taking the Krav-Maga Martial art for take aim as a free action. So in one IP you Take Aim x2 (1 free, 1 simple) then shoot and have a DP of 45.

Then you also take the Lucky quality giving you +1 edge putting you at a DP of 46 re-rolling all 6s.

Sorry, But I am going to have to ask this. What, exactly, is this going to do that 20 Dice would not? In the end, the target is dead whether the DP is 45 Dice or 20 Dice. I just see absolutely no use for this in the least.

For killing the tank or Dragon (not Great Dragon) in one shot.

It's the difference between the target becoming a corpse, and the target disappearing in a red puff of logic.

*Shrug* Whatever... 20 Dice will kill a Dragon just as dead as 45.
The trick is to be in the right place at the right time to use those 20 Dice...

with 45 dice, there are more right places and right times.

Killing a Dragon is SO outside the scope of the game that I don't even care... I have yet to see a need for more than 20 dice in any given test.