Extra initiative passes don't make a sammie invincible, but they are still very effective. A sammie doesn't simply go once - he can take an action, then call full defense as an interrupt action to dodge bullets from the slower-moving security goons, and then attack again on his last initiative pass.
There are plenty of ways to hurt the sammie, but extra IPs do matter. They are supposed to matter. In combat, sammies with wired reflexes, or adepts and mages channelling magic through their bodies to move faster, should have an advantage over slower opposition. If you don't have extra IPs, it's probably because combat is not your particular character's main focus.
Full Version: Questions from a new running team
Everyone in the game (short of maybe hackers outside of the 'Trix) easily start the game with the equivalence of Wired Reflexes 2 if they so wish. The only difference is that there's a few flavors to choose from as an implant junkie over, say, an adept or magician. Not really sure why you're making it sound like extra Initiative Passes are the sole domain of street samurai and their ilk.
Even the hacker can start with multiple IPs if he's got a mage buddy willing to dump a small chunk of karma on a sustaining focus.
Plus, for Mr. Lucky, there's always using a bit of Edge to get an extra pass when you really need it. And, don't forget drugs ... IIRC Kamikaze, and maybe others, all give you an extra IP.
Yeah, it's a shame those drugs don't have prices attached to them. 
| QUOTE (James McMurray) |
| Yeah, it's a shame those drugs don't have prices attached to them. |
first one's always free =)
| QUOTE (James McMurray) |
| I know it's not possible, which is why I was surprised to see hyzmarca say "literally." Anything else I'd just have taken as hyperbole. |
Hehe, I have the same pet peeve regarding the use of the word "literally".
Anyway, IMG drug prices are covered by lifestyle. Including Street level. And I don't hammer them with addiction for casual usage, either, they have to really binge. Why? Because I can't get my players to make drug-addicted characters! DARE-brainwashing must've worked, because they don't give a crap about hacking character's limbs off or replacing their nervous system, or any other level of soul-selling, but they won't touch a hit of jazz to get an extra IP to save their lives. It's cyberpunk! It's supposed to be gritty, dammit! I want to see PCs using BTLs occasionally, or the hacker addicted to hot SIM, but noooooooo, they're a shadowrun team of frickin' mormons.
Okay, I'm ranting again, I need to calm down.
My point is, I want a gritty cyberpunkish future where main characters (ab)use drugs/BTLs. If you charge a lot of nuyen and hit them with nasty addiction rules then as players they simply won't do it. Since making the above changes, I've actually gotten some characters with addictions to longhaul, jazz, and hot sim, but it's mostly a RPing device. If I turn it into a punishment they'll just clean up, and that's no fun.
| QUOTE (Moon-Hawk) |
| I want to see PCs using BTLs occasionally, or the hacker addicted to hot SIM, but noooooooo, they're a shadowrun team of frickin' mormons. |
actually, mormons aren't supposed to even get tattoos or body piercings (beyond 1 in each ear for women, that is; the human body is described as being a temple, and tattoos and body piercing is likened to spraying graffiti on the temple. i don't think it's enough to result in anything formal happening, but it is definitely not met with approval, though people who have them from before are not expected to remove them or anything)... i mean, i'm not in the 2070s or anything, so i can't say for all cases, but i would say that any non-medical implant would not be looked on favorably unless it is required for some reason =P
so unless they refuse to use cyberware or bioware other than to replace lost/damaged body parts etc, they're not really all that mormon (this side track brought to you by Jaid)
back to the price of drugs, i tend to agree with just letting lifestyle cover it for the most part, unless they start using a lot of psyche or something...
Well...thank you for that. That's a good point. My comment was formed in igorance, and no actual mormons were harmed in the making of either post. 
| QUOTE (Moon-Hawk @ Aug 2 2007, 12:25 PM) |
| I can't get my players to make drug-addicted characters! |
I can't get mine to spend their money on anything else.
Me: Low lifestyle -- looks like you get
300 in starting cash.Player: Sounds like I have
50 and some novacoke.
| QUOTE (stable_sort) | ||
I can't get mine to spend their money on anything else. Me: Low lifestyle -- looks like you get 300 in starting cash.Player: Sounds like I have 50 and some novacoke. |
Awesome.
| QUOTE (Gelare) |
| 5. DocWagon. I think DocWagon is cool, but there's not enough rules about it to make it useful. For starters, when is DocWagon summoned? When a person's physical track becomes full? Then the person will be dead within the minute, not nearly enough time for DocWagon to get there and stabilize them. Do the tags or whatever that DocWagon puts into them upon signing up make wireless noise that security at the team's next job could pick up? If so, that would make DocWagon nearly useless for shadowrunners. Also, it says that resuscitation and HTR service carries high prices, but it doesn't say what those prices are, so those freebies that you get from having a higher level contract don't really do much. Does DocWagon provide a discount on long-term recovery? Do they ask questions, i.e. would they treat a customer (runner) who is still hot from a job without turning him over to Lone Star? |
To come back on DocWagon: they are cool! We're still planning on playing a DocWagon HTR team, although they might be a little more violent then needed.
How to use DocWagon rule wise: Shadowrun Companion (p90-91). There are response and cost tables available. So to answer some questions:
Q. When is DocWagon summoned?
A. When you signal them (that is, if you still can). We also rule that with the appropriate equipment, you can make the call via DNI (so a mental command is enough: Cogito, ergo sum
). Otherwise: when physical track is full. Note however that they will not come when you're on extraterritorial corporate or government property (unless they have permission from the controlling authority).Q. ...Then the person will be dead within the minute, not nearly enough time for DocWagon to get there...
A. Response after Companion: 3D6 combat turns +/- modif. (see p.91: according to where you are, are they using a ground or air vehicle,...) Now if your overflow boxes are less then your Body, you get +1 box per Body combat turns. So you can wait for maximum Body*(Body-initial overflow) combat turns. So you have a fair chance. Realistic? Nope, but eughm... they are cool?
Q. Does DocWagon use the RFID info? Do they turn runners over to the Star?
A. DocWagon doesn't want to lose there prime customers I suppose, but evil GMs always come up with nasty ideas.
Q. HTR and other costs?
A. Companion p.91 (HTR=5.000
and my personal favorite "Employee Death Benefits: 20.000 " > DocWagon Sprawl Hunt for rich people )
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