[Sterling]

I'm still strongly biased by that original Elmore cover, so I'll say Ingram Smartgun.

[Sendaz]

I suppose the Katana would still be something I would expect the sammie to have, even if he never draws it during the run.

It is as much a status symbol as a weapon and it does help to project the calm certainty that he can kill everyone in the room if need be, but only if necessary.

[Sipowitz]

For me it is

e) Smartsmg (Ingram and friends)

[Xenon]

Personally I'd say pistols are more a trademark of gun adepts (hello Revy Two Hands) and also the weapon of choice for faces. For a street samurai it would mostly be a sidearm or a weapon to use in situations where you can't bring anything larger....

[Reaver]

"The best Weapon for the Job"

Is the answer that best comes to mind for a Street Samurai. Unlike other Archtypes that may see combat and need something to defend themselves, the Street Samurai IS combat. that is the one thing they bring to the group. So they should have a Variety of weapons and be very good with all of them.

A pistol is a great weapon to have when you need something for short range and need it to be hidden. But it is a poor weapon to take on fully armored guards.

A SMG is good weapon for short to medium range, suppression, and rate of fire. But it is a poor weapon for long range combat.

A Assault rifle is good for medium to long range combat, suppression, Armor targets and lots of opposition. But it is a poor weapon if you need to bring something concealable or hidden.

A melee weapon is great for close combat, silent take downs, and (depending on the weapon - swords/axes not so much) easy to hide. But it is a poor weapon to bring for ranged combat...


A Samurai should be the most combat adaptable member of the team and have the weapons and the skills to cover just about any tactical situation.

[Bull]

Katana.  It's what makes it a "Samurai".  That and the code of honor, IMO.  that was what separated the Samurai from the other combat focused characters in SR1. 

Now it's a generic term that defines the overall role of the character (Combat oriented). 

So it depends on when you're talking.  Now, or originally.

[Deadborder]

For me, what defines the Sam is "a combat oriented character who is heavily augmented with cyberware" more then anything else. You may have a katana and/or a code of honor, but that's less defining to me then the 'ware.

As for the signature weapons, I  would say "an assault rifle with a smartgnu and lots of mods"

[Dinendae]

Katana.  It's what makes it a "Samurai".  That and the code of honor, IMO.  that was what separated the Samurai from the other combat focused characters in SR1. 

I seem to remember one of the Jackpoint comments in a book making the same point: To be a 'real' Street Samurai, you needed the blade and a code of honor.

In my opinion, I agree with that completely: Without those two, you're just a hired gun otherwise.

[Wakshaani]

Time for more questions!

2) When you picture "Street Samurai" in your head, what race are they?
A) Dwarf
B) Elf
C) Human
D) Ork
E) Troll

3) One thing that everyone agrees on is that a Street Samurai has cybernetics. But which upgrades are the *definitive* ones? The ones that change "Guy with cyber" into "THAT one is a samurai"? Not only do you get to pick three on this one, but you get to put them in order of must have, should have, and probably has.
A) BOD enhancement (Dermal plating, Skeleton upgrade, etc)
B) AGI enhancement (Muscle replacement, Muscle toner, etc)
C) REA enhancement (Reaction enhancers but NOT Wired Reflexes (se below))
D) STR enhancement (Musce replacement, Muscle augmentation, etc)
E) INITIATIVE enhancement (Wired reflexes, synaptic accelerator, etc)
F) Cyberlimbs (Arms, legs, etc)
G) Cyberweapons (Spurs, Cybergun, etc)
H) Cybereyes (NOT including Smartgun link)
I) Smartgun Link
J) Skillwires
K) Other (Please define)

Remember, on this one, you get three, but you need to put 'em in order of importance. I'm still looking for *Iconic*, not neccessarily "Most effective".

[Jack_Spade]

BCD: Elf, Human and Ork have the right "size" in my head to be a samurai with a katana without it looking somehow funny

E: Speed and Initiative is the defining trait: Clear a room full of people with a melee weapon within one round...

[AJCarrington]

1) b / d / e - I've always envisioned the street sam as a "wolf in sheep's clothing"...power and lethality wrapped in an unassuming "mortal" shell.

2) c / d / e - humans be default as (for me) cyberpunk has always been about humans first; Orks and Trolls simply because...

3) e / h / a - enhanced reflexes are key/paramount here...then the "mirrorshade eyes". A but of a toss between body enhancement and a cybernetic arm, but edged in terms of the body as I think it leans more to the desire/intent of the street sam to go "beyond" to get that extra edge.

[psycho835]

1. B, D, E.
2. C. Was tempted to add orcs and trolls, but decided against it.
3. G, E, can't decide on last one.  Seriously, THAT is a difficult one. I think I only played a street sam once and THIS was the reason for it. Picking the appropriate 'ware was a road through hell. That being said, a street sam MUST have an implanted weapon (preferably some sort of blade) and be lightning-fast.  I'm really torn between cyberlimbs (with improved strength and either armor or agility), cybereyes, smartlink and BOD enhancement.

[Vibral]

Question 1:
Katana no ifs ands or butts about it. This is the quintessential true Street Samurai weapon and I mean those that follow the code of honor Street Samurai.

Question 2:
Humans, Elves, and Ork. Just my personal feelings on it.

Question 3:
Samurai can be counted on to without a doubt be the quickest guy in the room, and sporting obvious chrome of one kind or another. However I think it is the role as well to hit and hit HARD so that means high pools and high damage. Muscle replacement is number three.

[Tecumseh]

Fun survey! I find myself wishing that the questions each had their own threads, but I'll defer to the Wakshaani. Perhaps he doesn't want to spam the board with a dozen threads.

Question 1
B/C (primary) + E (secondary): In my head, I see a street samurai dual-wielding a katana and an Ingram Smartgun. If forced to pick one weapon over the other, I would say that the iconic weapon is the katana. Any ganger can spray-and-pray with an SMG or an assault rifle, but the katana requires skill and training. The katana says, "I can bring a knife to a gunfight and still survive." Bonus points for the katana being silent and elegant. A cyberspur isn't as stylish but I would label it an acceptable substitute, especially for the upwardly-mobile samurai who came up through the ranks of gangers and street scum.

Question 2
C: I picture a human, mostly because I envision street samurai as heavily augmented, and humans need the most augmentation to be physically competitive with the other races.

Question 3
E / B / I in descending order (initiative most important). Speed first, because speed kills (the quick and the dead). Agility second, because a samurai has grace (and also needs to be good at what they do). The third is the toughest. Cybereyes are iconic, but are too common among the general population to be unique. I went for Smartgun Link because it was the one where if a cybernetically enhanced samurai didn't have one, I'd be asking, "well why the frag not?"

[JmOz01]

Coming late to the party

For me the iconic weapon is a sword (probably but not necessarily a katana).  However this is a nonesentiial element

As for race, again non essential, but human is my first go to

On cyberware: Other.  I do not feel that a Samurai needs to be cybered.