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Characters specialized in grenades?

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badneighbor

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« on: <08-31-15/0858:06> »
Hey all,

I was looking over some character options and I got to thinking about the possibility of building a character's combat skills around using grenades. Seemed like the sort of thing to check with you folks. I'm sure I'm not the first to ever have this idea, so have any of you tried building/playing a character like this? How did it go? Would you recommend it? Interested in your thoughts.

Jack_Spade

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« Reply #1 on: <08-31-15/0909:47> »
Well, it's a rather expensive way to fight.
Pepperpunch grenades would be the cheapest ones. You can do it if you are otherwise a very strong character with melee capability (Strength helps to increase your reach)

Bolas are of particular interest since they can be used to hit someone with two or three grenades simultaneously.

If you get immunity to your attack you can be a very scary combatant (chemical seal and gas grenades)

For a pink Mohawk game certainly doable - with mirror shades you'll soon have problems through civilian casualties and property damage.

talk think matrix

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Revenant Kynos Isaint Rex

CitizenJoe

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« Reply #2 on: <08-31-15/0912:31> »
Barring chemical seal, you can get an immunity to a specific toxin.  These are only good for a single dose though. 

Hobbes

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« Reply #3 on: <08-31-15/1101:05> »
IMO most chemicals take too long, even the instant ones.  Smoke, Flash, Concussion, and a mix of different radius explosives and you're good to go.

If you go with high strength and thrown weapon skill you can also carry an assortment of sharp, pointy, and/or electrified objects.  And grab a decent Blade skill for back up.

The other thing you'll want is Armor from the Ares line of specialty armors for the Gear Access quality since you'll be constantly readying a new weapon each action. 

I tried to build this character as an adept but kept running out of money and was never quite happy with the results, but it certainly can be done.

firebug

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« Reply #4 on: <08-31-15/1251:50> »
Ah, like the grenade adept from the fiction near the end of Run & Gun?  That was badass.  And terrifying.

As others have said, it's an expensive idea.  You need to budget your grens or else you'll be out of money fast.

A dwarf/ork Adept can be very effective with throwing weapons.  I'd suggest a few throwing knives for times when you just don't want an explosion or someone isn't worth the money (why waste a grenade on a ganger when a throwing knife will get them to leave you alone?).  You definitely need Gear Access on your armor like Hobbes suggests.  Throwing knives also work for when it's just one or two opponents left.  Again, it's about budget.

Adept powers can make you more flexible too.  Missile Mastery is great for saving money...  Ask your GM if he'd allow you to count hitting someone with the grenade as an improvised thrown weapon, and then having it go off from the impact (if it's motion sensing).  The downside being it'd take more than just 3 hits to get it where you want it--  If you miss the opponent, you roll for scatter, no matter how many hits you had.  That's how I'd rule it.

Nimble Fingers, Rapid Draw, and maybe one or two other powers would also be helpful (beyond the obvious of Improved Ability).

Grenades are quite varied on what they can do.  A gas mask or armor with chemical seal can mean a CS or Pepper Punch grenade can be great.  HE grenades and frag grenades can take care of drones and people.  Flash-bangs are great for taking out groups non-lethally--  That they have no damage fall-off means it's perfect for certain situations.  Doing things like throwing a grenade into a room of hostiles is perfect for making an entrance too, even if it doesn't do much (like a frag into a widely-spread group of armored targets).

I'm Madpath Moth on reddit (and other sites).  Feel free to PM me errata questions!
Jeeze.  It would almost sound stupid until you realize we're talking about an immortal elf clown sword fighting a dragon ghost in a mall.

Hobbes

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« Reply #5 on: <08-31-15/1310:04> »
I'm not sure on Adepts being the best way to do the throwing weapon thing.  For a high resources cyber'd character you can spend 10k on "ammo" and be set for a years worth of runs for a relatively trivial expense.  Plus DataJack for remote detonation becomes an easy thing instead of something that costs a PP.  The wireless bonus for throwing knives is hilarious btw.   

Anyway, I suspect the optimal way to do this specific build is medium to high resources and Augmentation.  Metahuman or not.  Although the Metahuman version will likely get pretty tight on skills and edge, but certainly doable.  It's essentially a standard melee Samurai build with Thrown weapons instead of a firearm skill.  Shake a bit more cash loose for the weapons budget. 

If you're stumped throw up a post down in the character creation sub-form and you'll get lots of suggestions. 

firebug

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« Reply #6 on: <08-31-15/1328:22> »
You don't need remote detonation when you can be good enough to always land the hit with it set to motion sensor.
I'm Madpath Moth on reddit (and other sites).  Feel free to PM me errata questions!
Jeeze.  It would almost sound stupid until you realize we're talking about an immortal elf clown sword fighting a dragon ghost in a mall.

antaskidayo

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« Reply #7 on: <08-31-15/1441:25> »
Quote
Bolas are of particular interest since they can be used to hit someone with two or three grenades simultaneously.

I saw the boom bolas on run and gun and its really nasty, but you need wireless to detonate them on your next action

- what happens when the target have a Rating 6 jammer? I looked up the grenades and they fall into the rating 2 device category, how do you overcome this snag?

Hobbes

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« Reply #8 on: <08-31-15/1443:10> »
More for traps and whatnot.  Cheap drone flying or hiding nearby watching the area, *boom* on demand, as needed.  Or when you need a distraction to make your exit.  Many uses for clever characters. 


Jack_Spade

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« Reply #9 on: <08-31-15/1500:09> »
Quote
Bolas are of particular interest since they can be used to hit someone with two or three grenades simultaneously.

I saw the boom bolas on run and gun and its really nasty, but you need wireless to detonate them on your next action

- what happens when the target have a Rating 6 jammer? I looked up the grenades and they fall into the rating 2 device category, how do you overcome this snag?

Have a datajack, a receiver dongle and or fresnel fabric for your cloths (laughting at jammer is optional)
talk think matrix

To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield
Revenant Kynos Isaint Rex

antaskidayo

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« Reply #10 on: <08-31-15/1523:59> »
Quote
Have a datajack, a receiver dongle and or fresnel fabric for your cloths (laughting at jammer is optional)

no what I meant is, when you throw the bola at the target, but the target has an area jammer - so once the grenade enters the radius it loses its wireless capability so you can't trigger it anymore. I doubt you can put a datajack on the grenade or a fresnel fabric on it too

Jack_Spade

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« Reply #11 on: <08-31-15/1531:33> »
You can send a command through your noise canceling capabilities. Otherwise just set a timer.
talk think matrix

To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield
Revenant Kynos Isaint Rex

antaskidayo

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« Reply #12 on: <09-01-15/1523:36> »
where can I see the mechanics for setting the timer? =)

Hobbes

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« Reply #13 on: <09-01-15/2008:42> »
P. 181

antaskidayo

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« Reply #14 on: <09-01-15/2037:52> »
ah so that's where it is hiding,

- So it is included on the Simple action to set the timer and throw 1 grenade. Does it become a complex action when you set the timer on 2-3 grenades on a boom bola + throw it at a target?