I was looking at the rules for Perception Tests recently in the rulebook, and I noticed that there weren't any appropiate modifiers for commercial/military grade explosives (aside from grenades). It was late at night, and I had nothing better to do, so I worked on some obligatory custom rules for determining the sound generated by explosives. I haven't got around to finishing them yet, but I would like to get some commentary on them based on the work I have done so far. If anyone has any opinions, I would be most happy to hear them.

Custom Blast Sound Formula - Optional

The base Target Number of 4 for Perception Tests is reduced by the radius of the blast, and multiplied by an amount deterimined by the default Damage Level.

Note that the sound level is defined by the standard, unstaged Power and Damage of the blast.

Light Damage (Default modifier times 0.5)
Medium Damage (Default modifier times 0.6)
Serious Damage (Default modifier times 0.8 )
Deadly Damage (Default modifier times 1)
Light Naval Damage (Default modifier times 1.2)
Medium Naval Damage (Default modifier times 1.4)
Serious Naval Damage (Default modifier times 1.5)
Deadly Naval Damage (Default modifier times 1.6)

Offensive & Defensive Grenades/High Explosives (use rules presented above)
Concussion Grenades (Multiplier is one Damage Level higher than default Damage Code)
*more modifiers to come*

Round all non-whole numbers down when calculations are completed.
If a multiplier is increased beyond it's max Damage Level, add -2 to the TN for each extra stage.

Example: Jaxx is behind a reinforced concrete barrier. Unfortunately, his opponents are two troll cyberzombies weilding Panther Assault Cannons. Jaxx knows his protection won't last long against those big sitcks, so he feeds them a grenade (standard offensive grenade, Damage Code 10S). He cooks the grenade off for 2 seconds, and throws it at his foes. The base damage of the grenade is 10S. Since the grenade is a normal offensive grenade, there are no exceptional modifers to the sound level, meaning the situation is determined by the basic rules.

The blast has an effective radius of 10m (base Power of 10, decreasing by 1 for each meter from the epicenter of the blast). The blast radius is multiplied by the blast multiplier (in this case the multiplier 0.8, as the default Damage Level is Serious) to determine the Target Number Modifier.

10 time 0.8 equals 8, therefore rendering a -8 modifier to the Perception Test Target Number. Needless to say, the grenade may not wake up the whole neighborhood, but it'll get any nearby PANICBUTTON's pressed in short order.

LordHaHa

For some reason I thought this was going to be rules for being deafened by nearby blasts. I don't think it's ever come up that anyone disputed bystanders hearing an explosive go off.

Interesting concept. What do you mean by Navval Damage?

Naval Damage is a new damage scale for Rigger 3, used by vehicles over ~100 tons and the weapons meant to damage them.

~J

Naval Damage also follows the current step scheme for damage when put upon non Naval craft.

Light = 1 box
Moderate = 3 boxes (difference of 2)
Serious = 6 boxes (difference of 3)
Deadly = 10 boxes (difference of 4)
Light Naval = 15 boxes (difference of 5)
Moderate Naval = 21 boxes (difference of 6)
Etcetera.

[edit] I should note that one cannot stage up to Naval damage levels at this point, the weapon must start at LN or higher.

Me, I want to know what damage step SN does.

~J

I'll be sure to demonstrate in our CfC game.

You'll demonstrate naval damage ported to Earthdawn rules? Woo!

~J