Yes, I saw that the number of devices you control is equal to your net successes.
What I'm saying is "sensors" is too broad of a category for things you turn off with a single test. You could turn off all the cameras, or all the pressure sensors (if there were any), but not a combination of different types of sensors.
Full Version: The Found Arcana - Chapter 8 [OOC]
@Tecumesh - normally yes, but part of the many benefits of having an ally spirit is that it can sustain spells for a few seconds for you. Thus when AM needs to concentrate on that difficult task, Trouble just does his thing. They can do any service a bound spirit can. So I did not roll with any negatives for spell sustaining, but as Trouble is autonomous-- the last time I hacked (and failed) I did not use Trouble because he was with Bobby.
AM's intention is to make sure as little evidence from Huge's security to this B&E exists. At this point she'll feel it would have been easier to just buy explosives.
AM's intention is to make sure as little evidence from Huge's security to this B&E exists. At this point she'll feel it would have been easier to just buy explosives.
QUOTE (Gilga @ Apr 16 2022, 10:57 PM) 
AM's intention is to make sure as little evidence from Huge's security to this B&E exists. At this point she'll feel it would have been easier to just buy explosives.
Don't be so sure about that - buying explosives is a whole other minigame according to R&G. You are almost always better off steaing or cooking explosives (btw: that's a task drone excell at with swarm and good autosofts you can create very high quality with little investment)
But yes, this all could have gone better
But it wouldn't have been nearly as interesting
It is also fun when we stumble.
Sometimes the most memorable runs are the ones that wander off the beaten path. Like funneling booze and drugs into a small sloth.
Well I meant for this to be very open-ended so I guess I can't be too surprised.
Gilga, the URLs for your rolls got messed up a bit but I found the relevant rolls. Looks like a 2 at the end of a URL got turned into a 4.
AM gets her MARK and gets inside the host.
AM gets enough net hits on the Subvert Infrastructure to turn off all the cameras both inside and outside the garage. I'll be coy about the exact number because I'm trying to conceal the precise number of hits for Overwatch Score purposes.
How are things being communicated with Bobby? Is Trouble playing messenger?
As for the ward, it's a decent one for a small auto shop (Rating 4). Here's the resistance:
Force * 2: 8d6t5 3 hits
You need a net hit to pass through, so the ward keeps Bobby out for now.
On to Shattershield. I'll point out that Shattershield, as written, doesn't make a lot of sense: it basically does the same thing as Death Touch but for MORE drain (F-3 instead of F-6). The only possible reading I can come up with that would make Shattershield better is if the mana barrier only resists Shattershield with Force * 1 (i.e. Structure) vs. resisting Death Touch with Force * 2 (Structure + Armor), but that reading depends on the interpretation that Death Touch would be resisted with "Armor" and I'm . What I think is just as likely is that the Drain value of F-3 is an error from when the spell was converted from 4th Edition (when Drain was F/2-3). In 4th Edition that made its Drain 1 point less than Death Touch, but that still isn't a very good value for such a niche spell.
Nobody is counterspelling so it resists with its Force: Force: 4d6t5 2 hits
That makes for 3 net hits, which brings its structure rating down to 1. If Bobby can get one more net hit on it he'll blast through.
Gilga, the URLs for your rolls got messed up a bit but I found the relevant rolls. Looks like a 2 at the end of a URL got turned into a 4.
AM gets her MARK and gets inside the host.
AM gets enough net hits on the Subvert Infrastructure to turn off all the cameras both inside and outside the garage. I'll be coy about the exact number because I'm trying to conceal the precise number of hits for Overwatch Score purposes.
How are things being communicated with Bobby? Is Trouble playing messenger?
As for the ward, it's a decent one for a small auto shop (Rating 4). Here's the resistance:
Force * 2: 8d6t5 3 hits
You need a net hit to pass through, so the ward keeps Bobby out for now.
On to Shattershield. I'll point out that Shattershield, as written, doesn't make a lot of sense: it basically does the same thing as Death Touch but for MORE drain (F-3 instead of F-6). The only possible reading I can come up with that would make Shattershield better is if the mana barrier only resists Shattershield with Force * 1 (i.e. Structure) vs. resisting Death Touch with Force * 2 (Structure + Armor), but that reading depends on the interpretation that Death Touch would be resisted with "Armor" and I'm . What I think is just as likely is that the Drain value of F-3 is an error from when the spell was converted from 4th Edition (when Drain was F/2-3). In 4th Edition that made its Drain 1 point less than Death Touch, but that still isn't a very good value for such a niche spell.
Nobody is counterspelling so it resists with its Force: Force: 4d6t5 2 hits
That makes for 3 net hits, which brings its structure rating down to 1. If Bobby can get one more net hit on it he'll blast through.
Hm, in that case Bobby would have continued to try to press through as his Charisma+Magic Rating is above Force*2 - even with the sustaining penalty.
And yes, since you can communicate on the astral, Bobby would have talked directly to Trouble
Press through: 10d6t5 3
Resist: 8d6t5 3
So, in that case it would be two more tries to get through without destruction
Press through: 10d6t5 4
Resist: 8d6t5 0
Edit:
Wow, that's a dream roll for analyze device
@Tecumseh: Would it be reasonable to allow Bobby to assist AM with a teamwork roll to hack the device? (Like pressing the right buttons to get into admin mode or something?)
If yes, I'd add Teamwork: 6d6t5 2 dice to her roll.
And yes, since you can communicate on the astral, Bobby would have talked directly to Trouble
Press through: 10d6t5 3
Resist: 8d6t5 3
So, in that case it would be two more tries to get through without destruction
Press through: 10d6t5 4
Resist: 8d6t5 0
Edit:
Wow, that's a dream roll for analyze device
@Tecumseh: Would it be reasonable to allow Bobby to assist AM with a teamwork roll to hack the device? (Like pressing the right buttons to get into admin mode or something?)
If yes, I'd add Teamwork: 6d6t5 2 dice to her roll.
Jack, remind me how we're doing on sustaining penalties. I think we have shapechange spells on you and and Huge, plus Analyze Device now.
Beta, there is now more spellcasting to scrub if you want. The gecko shapechange isn't particularly close to the garage but you'll need to decide whether Jawsey (or Bobby) scrub the Analyze Device casting.
It seems like a pity to let a 7-hit casting go to waste, so let's say that Teamwork applies. The commlink, with a resistance roll that has the odds of 1 out of 400, rolls over and gives up all its secrets.
Gilga, hack away.
Beta, there is now more spellcasting to scrub if you want. The gecko shapechange isn't particularly close to the garage but you'll need to decide whether Jawsey (or Bobby) scrub the Analyze Device casting.
It seems like a pity to let a 7-hit casting go to waste, so let's say that Teamwork applies. The commlink, with a resistance roll that has the odds of 1 out of 400, rolls over and gives up all its secrets.
Gilga, hack away.
Okay, some hacking rolls - no more edge so let's do what the dice say.
Hacking link (TEAMWORK): 15d6t5 3
The second one should be edit file - I just clicked back and reroll as its the same dice pool.
Fix: 11 dice + 4 dice from augmented logic + 2 dice from hot sim -2 dice from silent +2 dice from Bobby = 17 dice.
teamwork dice: 2d6t5 1
Hacking link (TEAMWORK): 15d6t5 5
Hacking link (TEAMWORK): 15d6t5 3
The second one should be edit file - I just clicked back and reroll as its the same dice pool.
Fix: 11 dice + 4 dice from augmented logic + 2 dice from hot sim -2 dice from silent +2 dice from Bobby = 17 dice.
teamwork dice: 2d6t5 1
Hacking link (TEAMWORK): 15d6t5 5
@Tecumseh
Yepp, one spell taken care of with Focused Concern, so -4 penalty currently on all other tasks as long as I keep the Analyse Device going.
Yepp, one spell taken care of with Focused Concern, so -4 penalty currently on all other tasks as long as I keep the Analyse Device going.
I click back and reroll in Orokos all the time. Jack just did it too for his drain rolls.
AM gets her mark on the commlink and I don't mind saying that it was the Teamwork die that made the difference.
AM manages to find multiple alerts on the commlink, both from the Host itself plus the security company (which turns out to be Vector Matrix Services, a subsidiary of Shiawase).
She can delete one of these alerts with her first Edit roll.
AM can make another roll to delete the second alert. I rolled the defense roll for the commlink and it's pretty good, but AM can defeat it if she rolls decently.
Was there something else to do on the commlink? It's late at night, I'm not done with work yet, and I'm blanking.
AM gets her mark on the commlink and I don't mind saying that it was the Teamwork die that made the difference.
AM manages to find multiple alerts on the commlink, both from the Host itself plus the security company (which turns out to be Vector Matrix Services, a subsidiary of Shiawase).
She can delete one of these alerts with her first Edit roll.
AM can make another roll to delete the second alert. I rolled the defense roll for the commlink and it's pretty good, but AM can defeat it if she rolls decently.
Was there something else to do on the commlink? It's late at night, I'm not done with work yet, and I'm blanking.
She will continue until she fixes the comlink.
Edit file(2: 15d6t5 6 As good as it gets.
Edit file(2: 15d6t5 6 As good as it gets.
That's good enough to delete the second file!
Why not have either Trouble or Jawsey's spirit use their powers to float Huge inside and into his bed? Saves Bobby having to be inside, and even if the drone sees a spirit it is less direct link back to the team (I'm sure Bobby would like to take care of it himself, but it really does seem like potential extra exposure.)
I don't mind, but as AM is not on scene I don't see her suggesting it.
Spirit powers won't work through the ward.
Orokos is down and, given the recent database troubles, one wonders if it will come back.
I looked around a bit online and found rolz.org, which allows you to create a room where everyone can see the rolls. You do not have to create an account to view rolls. See here:
https://rolz.org/dr?room=the_found_arcana
You don't have to have an account to make rolls either, but if you don't make an account you'll have a randomly generated screen name. Basic syntax is #__d6e5, with the number of dice you're rolling in the __ space.
If Orokos comes back we can continue using it.
In this case, the host only rolled 1 success to resist AM's spoofing so the spoof command succeeds.
Orokos is down and, given the recent database troubles, one wonders if it will come back.
I looked around a bit online and found rolz.org, which allows you to create a room where everyone can see the rolls. You do not have to create an account to view rolls. See here:
https://rolz.org/dr?room=the_found_arcana
You don't have to have an account to make rolls either, but if you don't make an account you'll have a randomly generated screen name. Basic syntax is #__d6e5, with the number of dice you're rolling in the __ space.
If Orokos comes back we can continue using it.
In this case, the host only rolled 1 success to resist AM's spoofing so the spoof command succeeds.
@Tecumesh Rollz seems fine I created an account and experimented a bit, not so different than Orokos but working.
They seem to have more features there but I haven't figured these up yet. Seems like a good place for tactical maps for example (if we do figure it out).
They seem to have more features there but I haven't figured these up yet. Seems like a good place for tactical maps for example (if we do figure it out).
Orokos seems to be working again, but this diceroller looks interesting. Have to experiment a bit though 
Let's get posts from gilga and Beta about what AM and Jawsey are doing to wrap things up at the garage. Let's be fairly specific; Jack's post is a good example.
From there we should decide where to go next. For a quick time check, we are 4 months and 430+ IC posts into this chapter, which is about our usual length. This is a sandbox so you can keep things going with your plotting, or if you want to let things cool down to lure folks into a false sense of confidence then that could be done too. Either way, go ahead and have your say.
From there we should decide where to go next. For a quick time check, we are 4 months and 430+ IC posts into this chapter, which is about our usual length. This is a sandbox so you can keep things going with your plotting, or if you want to let things cool down to lure folks into a false sense of confidence then that could be done too. Either way, go ahead and have your say.
I'd say, we keep to the plan and lie low for a bit before we do anything with the explosives.
We robbed Huge, who was the immediate culprit for Mato's condition. We can conclude this chapter with that.
Who wants to do the next one? I have an idea for a low key operation where beta could introduce his new character - Bobby would go on his next initiation.
We robbed Huge, who was the immediate culprit for Mato's condition. We can conclude this chapter with that.
Who wants to do the next one? I have an idea for a low key operation where beta could introduce his new character - Bobby would go on his next initiation.
I am alright for wrapping up, AM would like to wait for a while to see if we got away with stealing the explosives before increasing the stakes and actually using them to cause mischief.
One thing is there is the surveillance we placed on the clown car hoping to dig something about Carn-evil, that remains open, and it would be interesting to read if it yields something interesting or not.
One thing is there is the surveillance we placed on the clown car hoping to dig something about Carn-evil, that remains open, and it would be interesting to read if it yields something interesting or not.
If we're closing here then I have an idea for a short interlude to bring Mato back into the fold. We could also use it to say our goodbyes to Jawsey.
I'll let Beta chime in.
I'll let Beta chime in.
Hopefully that was enough detail, the astral is vague enough I wasn't sure what else might be needed.
I'm fine with wrapping this up, with perhaps a few more posts. Or we can do that follow-up in the interlude. Jawsey needs to officially say that he is leaving, then the team needs to decide what that means a little bit (he'll make it easy, he's not looking to take any of the common property with him -- he wants SIS to continue to thrive). We need to decide where to put the explosives. And Jawsey would like to host a last big meal, with a bit more time to prepare.
For what is next, Gilga had something to run that got bumped first by me and then by Tecumseh, so it may be time for that? (also: Gilga, would you need Jawsey to stick around for that? Or is Bobby enough magical presence, given that you conceived the idea before knowing that Jawsey was leaving)
I'm fine with wrapping this up, with perhaps a few more posts. Or we can do that follow-up in the interlude. Jawsey needs to officially say that he is leaving, then the team needs to decide what that means a little bit (he'll make it easy, he's not looking to take any of the common property with him -- he wants SIS to continue to thrive). We need to decide where to put the explosives. And Jawsey would like to host a last big meal, with a bit more time to prepare.
For what is next, Gilga had something to run that got bumped first by me and then by Tecumseh, so it may be time for that? (also: Gilga, would you need Jawsey to stick around for that? Or is Bobby enough magical presence, given that you conceived the idea before knowing that Jawsey was leaving)
Let's cover Jawsey's departure in the Interlude. That will allow Mato to be involved. You can have a "Welcome Back, Mato" and an "Adios, Jawsey" party at the same time.
It's currently the first week of February so let's have the Interlude be mid-February.
We'll let the IC thread keep running for a bit. Where to store the explosives is a good question.
It's currently the first week of February so let's have the Interlude be mid-February.
We'll let the IC thread keep running for a bit. Where to store the explosives is a good question.
This part is fluff and not intended to be anything consequential, so feel free to RP it as you wish. Unless you're doing something exotic, you can mostly buy hits to succeed.
@Gilga, did you have a chapter lined up or do you want Jack to run his first?
@Gilga, did you have a chapter lined up or do you want Jack to run his first?
@Beta, I wanted to perhaps move on with the arcana cards and a bit about Nightmare that collects them.
I designed based on the arcane knowledge/contacts of SIS - and Jawsey being a mage and having witnessed some of the abilities of the arcane cards might appreciate it more - but that said. I would rather that you play the character you enjoy playing rather than the one which is the best fit for my designated plot line. I'll make adjustments to accommodate.
I designed based on the arcane knowledge/contacts of SIS - and Jawsey being a mage and having witnessed some of the abilities of the arcane cards might appreciate it more - but that said. I would rather that you play the character you enjoy playing rather than the one which is the best fit for my designated plot line. I'll make adjustments to accommodate.
We're back.
Yay!
So I think we left things that Bobby was going to use his fake ID (he declined Jawsey's offer), and we'd rent a new storage locker. That about right?
So I think we left things that Bobby was going to use his fake ID (he declined Jawsey's offer), and we'd rent a new storage locker. That about right?
Yes, that will work. It's a bit of overkill but that seems to be Bobby's style.
A 2m x 2m storage until will run about 30 nuyen/month. (These are Touristville rates. In a better area is would be double that, and in an upscale area it would be triple that.) You only need it for a day or two, so you're paying for a bunch of days you don't need, but maybe that's just the price of doing business.
A 2m x 2m storage until will run about 30 nuyen/month. (These are Touristville rates. In a better area is would be double that, and in an upscale area it would be triple that.) You only need it for a day or two, so you're paying for a bunch of days you don't need, but maybe that's just the price of doing business.
Indeed - but with explosives, you better play it save, as we learned tonight
And yes: Weeeee, welcome back everybody
And yes: Weeeee, welcome back everybody
Jack, we were exchanging PMs over on the official forums. Did you receive any notifications about those and/or see them?
Are folks feeling comfortable continuing on Dumpshock? I say let's spend a few days wrapping up things here and talking about next steps OOCly just to make sure the site doesn't derp again before launching into a new Interlude + Chapter.
Are folks feeling comfortable continuing on Dumpshock? I say let's spend a few days wrapping up things here and talking about next steps OOCly just to make sure the site doesn't derp again before launching into a new Interlude + Chapter.
No, I didn't - despite logging in at the forums.
Dumpshock has been pretty steady over the last 20 years. Sure, there are outages, but usually no loss of data. and it always came back
Dumpshock has been pretty steady over the last 20 years. Sure, there are outages, but usually no loss of data. and it always came back
Bobby's fake SIN is R2 and the U-Store-It is only using an R1 scanner so it has no hope of detecting the fake.
Jack, go ahead and deduct the 30 nuyen and you will succeed.
As I said via PMs on the official forums, let's go with 50 karma and 25 knowledge karma for this chapter.
We'll do an Interlude next and then I think we're doing gilga's chapter. We'll get Mato back on his feet and say goodbye to Jawsey.
Beta had some questions about drone riggers that Jack might have more insight on than gilga and I do.
Jack, go ahead and deduct the 30 nuyen and you will succeed.
As I said via PMs on the official forums, let's go with 50 karma and 25 knowledge karma for this chapter.
We'll do an Interlude next and then I think we're doing gilga's chapter. We'll get Mato back on his feet and say goodbye to Jawsey.
Beta had some questions about drone riggers that Jack might have more insight on than gilga and I do.
Sounds good - I'll put a post down and get down to spend some karma
Hint: for those of you purchasing qualities (*cough* focused concentration), the Interlude reward will include the perk where you don't have to double the cost for one rank of a Positive Quality.
So one rank of, oh, say, Focused Concentration would be the chargen 4 karma instead of the default 8 karma. (But subsequent ranks would cost the usual 8 karma each.)
So one rank of, oh, say, Focused Concentration would be the chargen 4 karma instead of the default 8 karma. (But subsequent ranks would cost the usual 8 karma each.)
Neat - but I think I'll spend the four karma and get one of the more expensive ones instead
I'm also for now improving:
Focused Concentration 3 (24 Karma), Demolitions 1 (2 Karma), Escape Artist 1 (2 Karma), Free Fall 1 (2 Karma), Knowledge: Small Unit Tactics 4 to 6 + Specialty (18 Knowledge Karma), Architecture 0 to 3 (6 Karma), Drugs (1 karma)
Keeping the rest in reserve for my next initiation (really need to start on that aura control with Flux as the longterm goal)
I'm also for now improving:
Focused Concentration 3 (24 Karma), Demolitions 1 (2 Karma), Escape Artist 1 (2 Karma), Free Fall 1 (2 Karma), Knowledge: Small Unit Tactics 4 to 6 + Specialty (18 Knowledge Karma), Architecture 0 to 3 (6 Karma), Drugs (1 karma)
Keeping the rest in reserve for my next initiation (really need to start on that aura control with Flux as the longterm goal)
As you wish. The goal is for this to be a modest discount (4-6 karma) rather than a bonkers one, as it is just an Interlude. But I would say any quality (or rank of quality) under 10 karma is probably fine. Not sure if this helps Tamarind or not.
I've been eyeing pain resistance for a while, but 14 karma is pretty steep - 7 is much more managable.
Also I'm correcting myself: I'm only aiming for Extended Masking. Flux would be a bad idea for someone who regularly transforms himself.
Also I'm correcting myself: I'm only aiming for Extended Masking. Flux would be a bad idea for someone who regularly transforms himself.
High Pain Tolerance is a great example. The goal is to improve the affordability of qualities that make sense thematically but perhaps not mechanically due to a doubled karma cost. That's perfect.
Guts is one I think about a lot. It's very expensive for something that comes up approximately never, but I like the narrative aspect of it. I don't think Mato will take that now but he might in the future.
@Jack Good IC post. A good way to cap things off.
@Beta @gilga Anything to add?
Mato's going to be bed-ridden for a bit which is going to remind him what life was like pre-cyber, when he was sickly. This will force him to be a little more mental, a little more cerebral than he's been up until now. This will lead to things like Logic 4 (20 karma) and Biotech 2 (10 karma) as he better understands the damage done to his body and what is/was required to repair it.
He also had his cyber SMG replaced with a cyberpistol. He has the Automatics skill but not Pistols so he'll need to start over from scratch.
Guts is one I think about a lot. It's very expensive for something that comes up approximately never, but I like the narrative aspect of it. I don't think Mato will take that now but he might in the future.
@Jack Good IC post. A good way to cap things off.
@Beta @gilga Anything to add?
Mato's going to be bed-ridden for a bit which is going to remind him what life was like pre-cyber, when he was sickly. This will force him to be a little more mental, a little more cerebral than he's been up until now. This will lead to things like Logic 4 (20 karma) and Biotech 2 (10 karma) as he better understands the damage done to his body and what is/was required to repair it.
He also had his cyber SMG replaced with a cyberpistol. He has the Automatics skill but not Pistols so he'll need to start over from scratch.
I'm done with the IC after that my post just now.
I'm still trying to assemble Tamarind from various spreadsheets and pieces of paper (house rules, drone customization, that I'm back at the office part time but work blocks all file sharing sites have all made actually getting all of the details lined up more challenging than for most of my characters). I should have an 80% sheet up tomorrow at some point, with some bits just lagging (like spending the 250+ "in game" karma, along with directed rewards)
I'm still trying to assemble Tamarind from various spreadsheets and pieces of paper (house rules, drone customization, that I'm back at the office part time but work blocks all file sharing sites have all made actually getting all of the details lined up more challenging than for most of my characters). I should have an 80% sheet up tomorrow at some point, with some bits just lagging (like spending the 250+ "in game" karma, along with directed rewards)
@beta
Let me know if you need some help - I've still got some tricks and strategies for a drone rigger I never got to play that I'd be happy to share 🙂
Let me know if you need some help - I've still got some tricks and strategies for a drone rigger I never got to play that I'd be happy to share 🙂
Jack: I absolutely want your help! And that was what some of the messages on the official forums (that you didn't see) were about. Copying the key one in below:
=====================
- Gilga: I'm OK to keep Jawsey going for one more section to provide some more magical coverage, if that helps. Although i'll note that his actual knowledge of magic is not good (magic theory 2, arcana 3). He never had any formal magic training, but in off hours at SIS he's been going through some bootleg copies of introduction to magic taught in certain schools, so I could bump those up by another point before the next segment. (flipside of that is that Tamarind is not awakened, but I'm planning on her having a better magical theory pool than that, for story reasons)
We agreed after that I'd move to Tamarind
- About Tamarind: I think where I have landed is her being a drone user rather than a rigger per se -- in that she won't have a control rig. I get tired of playing 'limp noodle' characters who keep leaving their bodies behind, so I think a mix of "Control Action" commands for direct control and the Swarm program* (backed by a few good drones and a bunch of cheap ones for numbers) for remote control looks like it would give OK dice pools. Not needing a control rig nor the logic boosting bioware to make full use of it makes the rest of the build a lot easier. But I would very happily accept thoughts, experiences, and recommendations around this.
*I'm talking about the Swarm program in Rigger5, not the Swarm action in Rigger5. The latter requires jumping in (and looks pretty powerful, but wouldn't be available with this build), the former should allow autonomous drone action pools of 12+ much of the time (can base pilot off rating of the RCC, use the highest rated autosoft in the swarm or on the RCC, which means can run high rated autosofts on RCC I think (rating 5 RCC, so rating 5 autosoft, giving 10 dice), then +1 for each drone in the swarm after the 1st, so even a couple of extra drones gives 12 dice)
=========================
A few specific things I'd love thoughts on:
1) RCC choice
One thing that I'm debating right now is the RCC. I'd been assuming the best RCC from the CRB (rating 5, 5/6 on Data Processing and Firewall, 72knY), but then I noticed one in Kill Code that is only rating 4, but still has 5/5 D/F, is 50knY, and gives:
Losing a point of pilot on Swarm would hurt there for sure (I think that would then also limit the autosofts, so -2 dice when you using Swarm), but +2 dice for 'Control Device' would certainly be nice (as is the limit bump). Opinions?
2) Code Slinger "Control Device":
For the purpose of the Code Slinger quality (+2 to a specific matrix action), is "Control Device" just one action, or a set of actions? (+2 on much of what she does seems pretty sweet for 10 karma)
3) One of the new actions in Kill Code is "Watchdog" (text copied in below). Is that mark a full, standard, mark? (if it is, if I can swing a sleaze rating and some edge, combined with some of the hacker-like ammo, it opens up some hacker-light options that I think I could squeeze into the build)
ETA the build may be drifting toward "Electronic Warfare specialist whose friends are drones"
=====================
- Gilga: I'm OK to keep Jawsey going for one more section to provide some more magical coverage, if that helps. Although i'll note that his actual knowledge of magic is not good (magic theory 2, arcana 3). He never had any formal magic training, but in off hours at SIS he's been going through some bootleg copies of introduction to magic taught in certain schools, so I could bump those up by another point before the next segment. (flipside of that is that Tamarind is not awakened, but I'm planning on her having a better magical theory pool than that, for story reasons)
We agreed after that I'd move to Tamarind
- About Tamarind: I think where I have landed is her being a drone user rather than a rigger per se -- in that she won't have a control rig. I get tired of playing 'limp noodle' characters who keep leaving their bodies behind, so I think a mix of "Control Action" commands for direct control and the Swarm program* (backed by a few good drones and a bunch of cheap ones for numbers) for remote control looks like it would give OK dice pools. Not needing a control rig nor the logic boosting bioware to make full use of it makes the rest of the build a lot easier. But I would very happily accept thoughts, experiences, and recommendations around this.
*I'm talking about the Swarm program in Rigger5, not the Swarm action in Rigger5. The latter requires jumping in (and looks pretty powerful, but wouldn't be available with this build), the former should allow autonomous drone action pools of 12+ much of the time (can base pilot off rating of the RCC, use the highest rated autosoft in the swarm or on the RCC, which means can run high rated autosofts on RCC I think (rating 5 RCC, so rating 5 autosoft, giving 10 dice), then +1 for each drone in the swarm after the 1st, so even a couple of extra drones gives 12 dice)
=========================
A few specific things I'd love thoughts on:
1) RCC choice
One thing that I'm debating right now is the RCC. I'd been assuming the best RCC from the CRB (rating 5, 5/6 on Data Processing and Firewall, 72knY), but then I noticed one in Kill Code that is only rating 4, but still has 5/5 D/F, is 50knY, and gives:
QUOTE
Drones that are commanded using the Control Device
action from the Global Skirmisher gain a +2 dice pool modifier
and +1 limit to their Gunnery and Perception Tests.
action from the Global Skirmisher gain a +2 dice pool modifier
and +1 limit to their Gunnery and Perception Tests.
Losing a point of pilot on Swarm would hurt there for sure (I think that would then also limit the autosofts, so -2 dice when you using Swarm), but +2 dice for 'Control Device' would certainly be nice (as is the limit bump). Opinions?
2) Code Slinger "Control Device":
For the purpose of the Code Slinger quality (+2 to a specific matrix action), is "Control Device" just one action, or a set of actions? (+2 on much of what she does seems pretty sweet for 10 karma)
3) One of the new actions in Kill Code is "Watchdog" (text copied in below). Is that mark a full, standard, mark? (if it is, if I can swing a sleaze rating and some edge, combined with some of the hacker-like ammo, it opens up some hacker-light options that I think I could squeeze into the build)
QUOTE
WATCHDOG
(COMPLEX ACTION)
Marks required: None
Test: Electronic Warfare + Logic [Sleaze] v. Logic
+ Firewall
Target must be a persona or device. If successful,
place one mark on the target. The user is now
aware of the Matrix actions the target is going to
use before they use them, and they may attempt
to stop them. A Watchdog mark allows the hacker
to use Haywire or Popup as Interrupt Actions (for
–10 initiative) or Squelch as an Interrupt Action (for
–5 initiative) against the target with the Watchdog
mark. This ability lasts as long as the target is
marked by the user.
(COMPLEX ACTION)
Marks required: None
Test: Electronic Warfare + Logic [Sleaze] v. Logic
+ Firewall
Target must be a persona or device. If successful,
place one mark on the target. The user is now
aware of the Matrix actions the target is going to
use before they use them, and they may attempt
to stop them. A Watchdog mark allows the hacker
to use Haywire or Popup as Interrupt Actions (for
–10 initiative) or Squelch as an Interrupt Action (for
–5 initiative) against the target with the Watchdog
mark. This ability lasts as long as the target is
marked by the user.
ETA the build may be drifting toward "Electronic Warfare specialist whose friends are drones"
Yes, Killcode and Rigger5 have turned Electronic Warfare from the expendable skill into a god skill
Watchdog is a fully functioning MARK through a sleaze action. So definitely get EW - especially since it can be used for matrix perception.
But one thing after the other:
RCC:
Device rating is king. Every point is worth 3 drones in your swarm. And every drone is one additional die in your pool and +1 limit - if you can manage it, go for the Triox Ubermensch, but at the very least for the Lone Star Remote Commander. Don't get distracted by any bells and whistles.
At a later date we can talk about getting you a PI-TAC
Codeslinger:
Yes this is almost a must have quality for riggers. Control Device is really that all encompasing.
Watchdog:
As mentioned, it is a real MARK and it's perfect for anyone interested in dabbling in hacking. And I'm not talking about your character but your swarm.
Electronic Warfare Autosoft is simply the best autosoft there is: It can be used for all the new actions from Kill Code and Rigger 5, but also substituted for clearsight autosoft - and it can be used to turn your drones into hacking machines.
All you need is a modded drone with a sleaze attribute and as many Sony Goldfish as you can keep in your PAN
... I'm kidding. Don't do that. Despite it being rules legal, it's one of the more overpowered exploits possible with swarms.
But where swarms excell is with build and repair as well as medicine. One anthro drone and a bunch of Bust-A-Move drones (Stolen Souls) and a high rating RCC is all you need to create all kinds of things - from intensive medicine care (medicine autosoft) to hardware recycling (hardware autosoft used to extract electronic parts from any kind of gear with a decive rating above 0) to chemistry and explosives cooking (you get the idea).
A clever rigger can have an automatic factory in his backyard working continuously during their downtime.
For combat, there is no substitute for a decent anthro drone - because drone armor sucks unless you can give them metahuman body armor. The SPARRING DRONE from Hard Targets is a pretty decent option for a low price
The best one is the S-K DIREKTIONSSEKRETAR - but also pretty expensive.
Modding is where the power lies.
For example, you can take a Horizon Flying Eye as your base, reduce it's acceleration stat by one to free up 2 BP, which is enough for a small weapon mount, or a heavy pistol. Personally, I'm a fan of a fully kitted out Ruger Super Warhawk that flies at your side. Get a few of those, turn them into a swarm and enjoy - especially when you run smartsoft and R6 autosoft.
All that said: Do not build your character to rely completely on drones. Build a functional meta human first and gradually upgrade your gear. Because letting drones solve all your problems soon turns into very boring gameplay - until the drones are getting damaged - where it turns into very frustrating gameplay.
Get some basic cybernetic enhancements - Used Reaction enhancers and Wired Reflexes I are a powerful combination if a bit Essence intensive. Get a Datajack and all the other neat noice reducing gear from Chrome Flesh. You'll need every last bit. Don't skimp on agility unless you can turn yourself into an animal with high agility - likewise keep intuition and willpower up.
Get one or two points of artificial muscle so you can dump strength.
You have lots of Karma to turn into money, so go for attributes and skills at creation.
More tipps to follow, as soon as I get around to digging through my old sheets.
Watchdog is a fully functioning MARK through a sleaze action. So definitely get EW - especially since it can be used for matrix perception.
But one thing after the other:
RCC:
Device rating is king. Every point is worth 3 drones in your swarm. And every drone is one additional die in your pool and +1 limit - if you can manage it, go for the Triox Ubermensch, but at the very least for the Lone Star Remote Commander. Don't get distracted by any bells and whistles.
At a later date we can talk about getting you a PI-TAC
Codeslinger:
Yes this is almost a must have quality for riggers. Control Device is really that all encompasing.
Watchdog:
As mentioned, it is a real MARK and it's perfect for anyone interested in dabbling in hacking. And I'm not talking about your character but your swarm.
Electronic Warfare Autosoft is simply the best autosoft there is: It can be used for all the new actions from Kill Code and Rigger 5, but also substituted for clearsight autosoft - and it can be used to turn your drones into hacking machines.
All you need is a modded drone with a sleaze attribute and as many Sony Goldfish as you can keep in your PAN
... I'm kidding. Don't do that. Despite it being rules legal, it's one of the more overpowered exploits possible with swarms.
But where swarms excell is with build and repair as well as medicine. One anthro drone and a bunch of Bust-A-Move drones (Stolen Souls) and a high rating RCC is all you need to create all kinds of things - from intensive medicine care (medicine autosoft) to hardware recycling (hardware autosoft used to extract electronic parts from any kind of gear with a decive rating above 0) to chemistry and explosives cooking (you get the idea).
A clever rigger can have an automatic factory in his backyard working continuously during their downtime.
For combat, there is no substitute for a decent anthro drone - because drone armor sucks unless you can give them metahuman body armor. The SPARRING DRONE from Hard Targets is a pretty decent option for a low price
The best one is the S-K DIREKTIONSSEKRETAR - but also pretty expensive.
Modding is where the power lies.
For example, you can take a Horizon Flying Eye as your base, reduce it's acceleration stat by one to free up 2 BP, which is enough for a small weapon mount, or a heavy pistol. Personally, I'm a fan of a fully kitted out Ruger Super Warhawk that flies at your side. Get a few of those, turn them into a swarm and enjoy - especially when you run smartsoft and R6 autosoft.
All that said: Do not build your character to rely completely on drones. Build a functional meta human first and gradually upgrade your gear. Because letting drones solve all your problems soon turns into very boring gameplay - until the drones are getting damaged - where it turns into very frustrating gameplay.
Get some basic cybernetic enhancements - Used Reaction enhancers and Wired Reflexes I are a powerful combination if a bit Essence intensive. Get a Datajack and all the other neat noice reducing gear from Chrome Flesh. You'll need every last bit. Don't skimp on agility unless you can turn yourself into an animal with high agility - likewise keep intuition and willpower up.
Get one or two points of artificial muscle so you can dump strength.
You have lots of Karma to turn into money, so go for attributes and skills at creation.
More tipps to follow, as soon as I get around to digging through my old sheets.
Availability limit of 12 means max of rating 5 RCC at character creation, and honestly that should be fine -- I'm probably not maxing swarms even at R5 at the start. This weekend I'm making a new, consolidated, equipment+drones spreadsheet, and I'll see what I can do with the nuyen, but the current draft doesn't come close to maxing out swarms. Anthro drones might have to wait until later, but I'll see what I can fit in (and what SIS has room for?)
My priorities out of character creation have been 1) Qualities (buy all 25 points of positive qualities), 2) attributes and skills, 3) anything gear related that is harder to get in play (higher availability, long healing time, illegal, customized and she won't have the facility to do the work at first, lacking the right contacts). Attributes A, skills and resources B.
My priorities out of character creation have been 1) Qualities (buy all 25 points of positive qualities), 2) attributes and skills, 3) anything gear related that is harder to get in play (higher availability, long healing time, illegal, customized and she won't have the facility to do the work at first, lacking the right contacts). Attributes A, skills and resources B.
At 5000 Nuyen the Sparring Drone is pretty affordable 😊
I'd like to emphasize this point, which is both accurate and elegantly stated:
We don't play a mechanically-intense game. Yes, you want to be good at what you do, but what you do should be provided by IC considerations rather than OOC ones. If Tamarind has some drones that can scout ahead and do surveillance, Mato will be quite content. If there's an anthro drone walking around HQ that add some flavor - domestic by day, dangerous by night? - then that sounds like a blast. Tamarind, in my opinion, does not need locust swarms of death and dismemberment at her disposal, unless we want the game to change course from its current trajectory. We're investigators, not wetworkers who shoot people in the face for money. Yet.
Speaking of nuyen and fixing things that break, did we ever agree to specific karma-to-nuyen rules? I remember discussing it but I'm not sure we landed on anything final. I'll need some nuyen for Mato in the near future.
QUOTE (Jack_Spade @ May 6 2022, 11:25 AM)
All that said: Do not build your character to rely completely on drones. Build a functional meta human first and gradually upgrade your gear. Because letting drones solve all your problems soon turns into very boring gameplay - until the drones are getting damaged - where it turns into very frustrating gameplay.
We don't play a mechanically-intense game. Yes, you want to be good at what you do, but what you do should be provided by IC considerations rather than OOC ones. If Tamarind has some drones that can scout ahead and do surveillance, Mato will be quite content. If there's an anthro drone walking around HQ that add some flavor - domestic by day, dangerous by night? - then that sounds like a blast. Tamarind, in my opinion, does not need locust swarms of death and dismemberment at her disposal, unless we want the game to change course from its current trajectory. We're investigators, not wetworkers who shoot people in the face for money. Yet.
Speaking of nuyen and fixing things that break, did we ever agree to specific karma-to-nuyen rules? I remember discussing it but I'm not sure we landed on anything final. I'll need some nuyen for Mato in the near future.
Our last discussion on that topic concluded that we leave the 2000 Nuyen to 1 Karma in place, but GM may allow the mundanes to increase to 5000 on occasion (as in: sell your memories and soul piece by piece to a spirit)
@Beta
Since you are using Karma after character creation, I'd say you are entitled to also increase the availability of your gear for anything you buy with converted Karma.
But if you want, I can also give you a build for a budget rigger with the cheapest available components, so you can get the better gear in play.
@Beta
Since you are using Karma after character creation, I'd say you are entitled to also increase the availability of your gear for anything you buy with converted Karma.
But if you want, I can also give you a build for a budget rigger with the cheapest available components, so you can get the better gear in play.
Jack, I'm pretty good on build at this point I think. I just need to now systematically go through through all of the steps +bookkeeping to build things up to a final character.
Oh, and her "wandering around SIS" drone is a "Proletariat" (mechanics helper) drone, as pictured in Rigger 5. Named "Stitch", has a personality chip and gecko tips (so that it can navigate the stairs). You will all get to know Stitch soon enough -- Tamarind tends to express herself through her drones a lot.
Oh, and her "wandering around SIS" drone is a "Proletariat" (mechanics helper) drone, as pictured in Rigger 5. Named "Stitch", has a personality chip and gecko tips (so that it can navigate the stairs). You will all get to know Stitch soon enough -- Tamarind tends to express herself through her drones a lot.
Alright, I'm looking forward to your build then
Just one tip: In Hard Targets p.190 is the Reloading Drone, costing only 500¥ more than the Proletarian, but has better stats all around (the pilot upgrade alone is worth more than the 500¥)
Just one tip: In Hard Targets p.190 is the Reloading Drone, costing only 500¥ more than the Proletarian, but has better stats all around (the pilot upgrade alone is worth more than the 500¥)
QUOTE (Jack_Spade @ May 7 2022, 12:46 AM)
Our last discussion on that topic concluded that we leave the 2000 Nuyen to 1 Karma in place, but GM may allow the mundanes to increase to 5000 on occasion (as in: sell your memories and soul piece by piece to a spirit)
Thanks for the reminder. Were we going to cap the transfer amount to Green Toes? As in, ___ karma per chapter?
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