Hi!

I have two different questions.

1) Which Pistol Specialization would you use for the Ruger Thunderbolt? Semi-Automatics? It doesn't have that fire mode, even though that seems the closest.

2) Would you use the bonus from Tailored Pheromones for Negotiation tests made to acquire goods (i.e. rolling against an items Availability in order to see how long it takes to get it)?

Bye
Thanee

(1) It's an autoloader. I'd use that.

(2) I would only allow Tailored Pheromones for face-to-face interactions. If the runner is actually out on the streets, talking up people directly? I'd allow it (everyone will be that little bit extra-0inclined to be helpful). But via a phonecall? No. Also, not if there isn't "significant" shared air between the two .... for example: this weekend, I denied it to someone because they were talking to an NPC through a locked door (and didn't want to take too much time).

1) If the Thunderbolt is modded to use SA fire mode, then I would. Otherwise something pertaining to automatic weapons, like Pax said.

2) What Pax said.

1) No opinion Ask the GM.
2) Depends on how your group handles downtime and equipment acquisition. As GM, I'd allow it if we just do a roll. I just assume the face goes out and barters for the stuff. If we play it, it depends on the situation. No-go over matrix or other non-face-to-face interaction, certainly if the character tries to purchase something in the crime mall.

1) I wouldn't worry about the firing mode determining what specialization to use. Just use Semi-automatics as it most accurately describes the weapon. Basically semi-autos is what they are using to differentiate from revolvers. We use semi-autos for all pistols except the revolvers, tasers (no d'uh), holdouts and the pistol shotguns. Are you really going to make another specialization for just that pistol?
2) As has been said, depends on your game but we assume in our that you are out on the streets looking for gear, talking to folks and what not. So yes, Tailored Pheromones applies. How hard does your GM want to make getting gear?

To clarify a little on 2).

Obviously, the Pheromones only work, when you are in a face-to-face scenario.

The question is... would acquiring goods qualify for that? Does it generally involve negotiation in the flesh, or is it more of a series of phone calls? Is that a case-by-case decision?

The book doesn't really detail what you are doing when acquring goods like that.

Bye
Thanee

Speaking of Number One: What spec would you use for Yamaha Sakura Fubukis? They are not revolvers nor are they self-loading.

1) Heavy Pistol
2) only with Face to Face Negotiations


Light Pistols

HougH!
Medicineman

The Sakura Fubuki? I'd allow Light Pistol and Semi-Automatics. It does have the SA in its Mode after all.

so do many revolvers.... (Colt Asp, Taurus Multi-6, Cavalier Deputy)

Yeah, funny that it's in the core rule book.

Spellbinder, the point is that a specialisation in "semi-automatics" does not mean "any gun with an SA fire mode". It means guns that are more properly called "Autoloaders" - like the classic Beretta, Glock, or even Colt M1911A pistols.

Time to add that to the list of errors, then. And I can already hear the players trying to argue their side of the SA deal.

It's not really an error, though. It's just a result of using a single term for a given fire-rate.

See, those guns that can fire twice per Initiative Pass? On the one hand, you have "Semi-automatic Autoloaders". And on the other hand, you have "Double-Action Revolvers".

Same fire rate. Slightly different terms. And that's not the game using or making them, it's real life.

With revolvers, the "double action" part refers to the fact that the trigger does two things: it cocks the hammer, AND it releases that hammer to fire the round currently lined up. (A "single-action revolver" would require you to manually cock the hammer - and in SR, would have a fire rate of "SS" to reflect the extra time it takes to operate the mechanism that way.)

With the audoloaders, "semi-automatic" is meant to separate the "one trigger pull, one bullet" fire rate of most pistols and even rifles, with automatic firing weapons like the typical use of machine pistols or submachine guns.

In terms of game design, it's better to describe the fire rate for ALL guns, regardless of type, with the same term. Hence, we have Single Shot (SS), Semi-Automatic (SA), Burst Fire (BF), and Full Auto (FA).

But those are just and solely that: rates of fire. Not entire categories of firearms.

I wholly understood it before you even posted that. I'm just saying I expect there are players who won't care about the difference, and will try to argue the difference for Semi-Automatic = SA regardless of how the gun works. My initial confusion originally stemmed from the lack of clarification in the skill entry in the SR4a book, thanks to the writers/editors.

In my games, I break it down to weapon class, like all the other firearm skills.

So tasers, hold-outs, light pistols, and heavy pistols.

It's not unreasonable to also break it down into "Revolver" versus "Autoloader", and so forth.

Hey, I like "Called Shots" personally.