Dear all,

I have a question about chemestry (from arsenal or the new book i believe).

The character has a total dice pool of 7 against making stuff (that is about what i would expect the average educated labor in the field has or close).

So, using the cumulative -1 dice on extended tests (according to errata SR4A) and buying successes 4:1 (honour downtime system), the only thing he can make is regular gunpowder !

Do he just have a low dice pool or are we getting this wrong ?


Regards

You are doing it wrong

The cumulative -1 die on extended tests is just an optional rule to add more drama to the game. You don't have to use this rule at all for such high dramatic tests like adding some salpeter to your sawdust.

The dicepool is not particularly high, but you should read up on the rules regarding dicepool degradation. Is is an optional rule for the GM to use if wishes a higher failure possibility. Cooking up chemicals in between runs IMHO should not be one of them. Picking a lock or making an acid to melt through a door or wall with what you can find in a corp facility during a run is a different story. But even then I would prefer to limit the character has rather than taking away dice.

Buying hits also limits your potential. With seven dice you only get one hit, had you rolled you'd get bout 2,3 on average but with the potential for glitches.

We only use that rule for limiting tests which could fail/ or limits possible outcomes based on skill. (Like a information gathering, getting equipment and so on) For something like a build/repair tests, where you can't do anything wrong (Except for a glitch) and will eventually succeed one shouldn't use that rule.

Just my opinion of course, but seems logical. Oh and i think if you have a good laboratory and good recipies you should get some extra dice (prod your GM) *g*

sounds like he might be playing the new missions, which does use that optional rule.

in which case, the only advice i can give you is to boost your dicepool if you want this to be your main focus. that or do it during gameplay rather than during downtime.

Thanks for some good replies.

We are playing the denver missions (although not the current campaign, but using latets FAQ and stuff). We are using the honour system albeit it is a home game and currently trying to grasp the rules.

So is there any ruling for this matter if you playing missions ? Are you simply limited to making gunpowder or do you have to boost your dice pool ?

Since it is a home game we will be changing some rules along the way, however we want to try with the rules as written first.

Good point about doing it ingame, if time can be found for that.

Cheers

Keep in mind, rolling 7 dice only not only means that the character isn't all that good at chemistry, but that he doesn't use any outside help which would give him a dice pool bonus, either.
Not being able to mix up complicated compounds as an averagly competent chemist without at least looking its chemical formula up or using a well stocked laboratory is quite realistic, I'd say.
So, use AR-help at mixing, a decent lab bigger than the kit you minimally need and you're looking at an easy 5 dice pool bonus. Now, roll instead of trading dice (which equals about 1 hit every 3 dice, not every 4) and you can accomplish stuff even while using the optional rule.

What I'm starting doing for the cumulative -1 rule is, once you run out of dice, you start again, but the time interval is doubled. So for something that was originally 1 hour, now takes 2 on your second set / round of dice rolls. It's something we came up with last session and haven't had a chance to test it yet. Haven't really thought about it actually until tonight. Hmm, it'll give me something to think about while I try to sleep and fail.