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FAQ Addition Discussion

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Tsuzua

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« on: <06-01-11/1339:21> »
This thread is for discussing FAQ additions mainly so we can keep the sticky request thread as clean as possible.

While some of my questions in the sticky thread are fairly straight forward, I do want to discuss my opinions on some of them. 

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1.) Though mystic adepts must split their Magic between Magic-based skills and adept powers, it says that for all other purposes, including the limits of adept powers, the mystic adept uses his full Magic attribute. Does this mean that a mystic adept with Magic 6 who has allocated 2 points to Magic skills and 4 points to adept powers can cast Force 6 spells without flinching?

SR4A (p.195) and the official FAQ question stated above have conflicting answers.  The Missions FAQ as written doesn't make it clear which ruling prevails. 
I do think mystic adepts should use their total magic rating for the purpose of spells and the like.  This is the SR4A reading of the rules which should take precedent over the very old Official FAQ.  In addition, it makes mystic adepts much more viable.  Adepts do become much less useful, but fixing adepts is outside Mission's job to do.  Honestly, I'm not sure why the FAQ should be followed at all in Missions since its answers tend to be at best mildly useful and at worst wrong.

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3.) How does a mundane use infiltration against astral observers?

Is it an opposed infiltration versus assessing test?  Or is a mere success test for the astral observer?  The Official FAQ covers astral on astral perceiving stealth but not mundane on astral stealth.  I wish I had pages to reference, but this is a very not touched upon issue rulewise.

There's two ways to answer this question.  One is that a mundane rolls agility+infiltration versus the astral being's intuition+assessing (maybe with the +2 stands out bonus).  The other is that the astral being merely needs 1 hit on a assessing test.  While I believe the former to be better for the game, the latter is follows the general trend SR rules more closely (i.e. **** you mundanes). 

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1.) What "Battlefield Skills" rules from War! (p.136-145) are allowed?

There's a lot of new rules in here and it'll be nice to know which if any are used in Missions.

I must admit I was rather brief mainly because otherwise it becomes "Tsuzua Reviews War!".  So I'll do it here. :p

Some of the rules are more suited for a war campaign such as Composure, PTSD, Flight Time, Suppressive Fire, and Availability in a Warzone (War! 136-7, 138-9, 144).  I'm not sure what Composure would add to Missions besides making PCs and NPCs with Charisma + Willpower < 9 very sad.  Due to Mission time, you could actually deal with PTSD in a reasonable time frame but is likely not a great topic at a convention table.    Flight Time and Suppressive Fire are way too detailed to deal with at a Convention table.  However Advanced Demolition Rules were allowed so I might be wrong.  Availability in a Warzone isn't needed due to the availability changes already in SRM.

I would include the Leadership rules (War! 137-8).  It isn't because they're good since the best is "I spend a complex action to give my friends +1 dice against a certain target!" which is meh at best.  It's more so that Leadership actually has an use.  Otherwise it's just the cheap throw-in for the Face's Influence's skill group (if he bought it instead of grabbing Con 6).  You might see the odd decent charisma hacker or technomancer defaulting on it when they are providing remote overwatch and have no drones to control.

Large Dice Pools (War! 138) is fine (though getting rounded down sucks).  The math is alright.  The only thing is that in my experience PCs who are going to roll enough dice for this to come up are also ones who own a brick of D6s.  The same applies to GMs.  So I don't think it's needed.  Very Large Dice Pools (138) does have issues and shouldn't be used.

Grenade rules (139-140) shouldn't be used.  Most parts aren't really needed for Missions and will just clutter things up.  The overlapping grenade rules need to chucky salsaed.  Things get really bad.  Thankfully I'm sure they won't be allowed.

Landmines (140-141) are too niche for me to care too much about.  I doubt any missions will use them and I doubt very many PCs will use them.  Strategic Combat (141-144) is the same way.  However in that case, I believe it's better than the Chase Rules in SR4A, but most things are. 

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2.) Can I purchase Military Grade programs (War! p. 144, 162)?  And if so, do they degrade?

If they do exist for missions, do they degrade or are they covered by the Unwired SRM4 FAQ?

MilSpec In Cyberspace (or rather MilSpec Programs) are cool and shouldn't degrade.  Since you can't program your horde of rating 10 programs in your basement nor pirate, it'll cost you 100,000Y to buy that Stealth 10 program.  Sure you're going to faction reward it down to say 60,000Y.  That's still 6 missions worth of average pay to afford.  So that should be reasonable. Command 10 is 10,000Y and thus you can grab it after 1 mission is a bit more iffy.  However, all that does in put another nail in the coffin that is the jumped in rigger.  Anyways rating 10 programs is what technomancers reach in their spare time so it isn't too much of an upset of the status quo.

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3.) What skill do you use for Battle Rifles (War! p. 154-155)?

Technically they use the Exotic Weapon (Battle Rifles) skill right now.  That seems like an error.  It's arguable that they should be used with either Automatics, Longarms, or Heavy Weapons.

While it sounds like you, Bull, don't like Battle Rifles and don't want them around, they aren't that bad.  In addition when their actual skill is revealed (either in a future product, leak, or when hell freezes over and erratas are released), they're going to be around.  While they're just better than LMGs and MMGs, those guns weren't that heavily used but were instead just throw-ins to the heavy weapon skill so you can SnS spam when you didn't feel like gauss rifling or using a WP/splash grenade.   

SnS spam throws off gun balance all out of whack to the point you might just want to use them in your battle rifle anyways so damage and AP values are minor concerns (-2 DV for 1/2 armor, stun damage, and debuff can often be a good trade).  Having to use a mod slot to change the firing mode to FA (you really want this) does make it slightly worse than ARs for pure SnS spamming (range often is rare and minor when it comes up).   

I would recommend finding out what the skill actually is and then updating the FAQ.  It gets the word out sooner and everyone has more time to get used to it.  If I was a betting man, I'll say it'll be automatics, but I hope it's longarms or heavy weapons.

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4.) Can I use MRSI software (War! p. 162)?

This software is quite unusual.  Is it allowed in Missions play?

Kill it with fire kthx.  Throw in Iron Wills and Emotoys too.  ;D  I'll like SnSs gone too, but I doubt those can be removed.