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Interest check for a PbP by a journeyman GM.

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Tecumseh

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« Reply #120 on: <08-22-18/0217:41> »
@Beta
What's the ETA on the sheet?

Astral combat is woefully undetailed, a pain point which has come up several times for me. I've played with it several ways, tweaking as I went along. I've even gone back through previous editions looking for clues about how they handled things, but even those introduce as many questions as they answer. I don't think the fluff and the crunch align very well, which makes the foundation of the rules weak.

I generally opt for a weapon focus that has the most utility in the real world. Sure, I have a lot of fun swinging a claymore around both the physical world and the astral, but its concealability is a major headache. Give me a combat knife or a sapphire knife that I can carry around without looking like the Highlander. 

gilga

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« Reply #121 on: <08-22-18/0950:25> »
Well, in my opinion since you would normally project leaving your body in a safe place (e.g. the team's car, or even from home.) There is essence in a larger combat focus. Even if you do not get reach bonus, you would get bonus damage.

Beta

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« Reply #122 on: <08-22-18/1247:51> »
I'm pretty sure that I'm not starting play with a weapon focus, so I have some time to make a final decision there.

For the character sheet, it is coming, really!  Because I'm not using a standard Chummer priority I won't be printing direct from there -- have some parts worked out on Chummer, some on paper, now just need to make a bit of time to write it up in one place.  I can't promise today for that, although if I can get to it I will.

Beta

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« Reply #123 on: <08-22-18/2218:32> »
Character build mostly done in Chummer (haven't finished spending nuyen on things like commlinks and glasses yet).  Anyone know if there is a way to generate a text file out of Chummer (just to save some time on putting the whole thing in text format -- I'll have to edit anyway as we have some non-standard build stuff that I just approximated).

And despite the previous post, looks like Jaw-Jaw will start with a weapon focus.  I was at 24 points of negative qualities, and the easiest way to get to 25 points was to pump the debt up by one ... (and yes, I'm staying with the sword cane).

Jack_Spade

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« Reply #124 on: <08-23-18/0050:52> »
So we are all in debt... that will be a very, very motivated bunch of detectives :D

as for getting a textfile:
If you hit the print option you can exchange the format in which it will be printed - including as a text file. You can copy that text instead of printing.
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Lorebane24

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« Reply #125 on: <08-23-18/1228:33> »
So we got a vehicle, characters are nostly done.  I think we need to finalize/set in stone a few details of the lifestyle/office (were you guys going to be in Touristville?).  Is there anything else I am missing before we get rolling?
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Jack_Spade

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« Reply #126 on: <08-23-18/1321:35> »
I'm fine with Touristville.
We all get to roll our starting money before we begin but since we are sharing accomodations I'd suggest we all just roll on the low lifestyle table (that way I don't have to recalculate  ::) )

I'm ready to go otherwise.
talk think matrix

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Revenant Kynos Isaint Rex

Lorebane24

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« Reply #127 on: <08-23-18/1341:24> »
Well, if we are all good with that, then I can start the IC and OOC threads tonight.  I would be comfortable with starting as long as all the characters are done by the time the meet with the first client is finished.
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Tecumseh

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« Reply #128 on: <08-23-18/1432:13> »
Touristville is technically too nice for our Medium lifestyle. I would recommend either Capitol Hill, just uphill from Downtown, or Union Bay / Laurelhurst, which are ridiculously high class in real life (right on the lake) but are only Middle class according to Shadowrun. Both locations would be central / close to the city center and potential corporate customers.

I can have my sheet ready by the time I post in the OOC thread. I'm just tweaking inventory.

Beta

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« Reply #129 on: <08-23-18/1458:32> »
Touristville is the only non-disastrous part of Redmond, as I understand it.  How would it be too nice?  (I thought it was something like a security rating C?  But I'm not at my books, can't check for sure)

I seem to recall that some of the southern parts of Seattle (Seattle proper, as opposed to the larger sprawl) were of lower security rating, and would then be reasonably close to the nice areas downtown and in Bellevue, and the varied combinations of gangs, grit, and ghastliness of Auburn, Tacoma and Puyallup, and near the airport for those quick trips to places where we don't yet know the people who want to kill us.  Would that work, to be not as far out as Puyallup downtown as one suggestion was, but still reasonably accessible to all of that?

Tecumseh

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« Reply #130 on: <08-23-18/1702:28> »
It depends on how by-the-book Lorebane wants to be. Run Faster says that Middle lifestyles have to be in B or A neighborhoods, and we didn't pay to upgrade to A.

If we want to be in Touristville, we'll have to have a Low lifestyle. It will cost less but security will be garbage and we'll be in constant jeopardy of break-ins and either having our car stolen (because we can't get a garage) or fatigue damage (because Comforts & Necessities isn't high enough).

SeaTac is a B neighborhood right next to the airport. I still think Capitol Hill is a good idea, given its proximity to downtown. The reality is that we have, what, 18 ranks of debt between us? That means our debt and lifestyle payments are collectively in the neighborhood of 20K per month. We need monied clients, so we should hover around rich neighborhoods.

Beta

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« Reply #131 on: <08-23-18/1750:09> »
Pretty final, finally.


Note: karma spent: 10 on attributes, 24 on qualities, 3 on bonding a focus, 13 on skills.
==========================
== Personal Data ==
Street Name: Jawsie
Name: Guujaw Thompson
Movement: 8/16 (2m/hit)
Swim: 3 (1m/hit)
Karma: 0
Street Cred: 0
Notoriety: 0
Public Awareness: 0
Elf
Composure: 13
Judge Intentions: 13
Lift/Carry: 5 (30 kg/20 kg)
Memory: 10
Nuyen: 319

== Priorities ==
Metatype: C - Elf
Attributes: A - 24 Attributes
Special: D - Mage (2 magic, 1 skill at 2 (assensing), 3 "spells"
Skills: B - 36 Skills/5 Skill Groups
Resources: E - 6,000¥

== Attributes ==
BOD: 3
AGI: 4
REA: 4
STR: 2
CHA: 8
INT: 5
LOG: 5
WIL: 5
EDG: 4
MAG: 2

== Derived Attributes ==
Essence:                   6.00
Initiative:                9 +1d6
Rigger Initiative:         9 +1d6
Astral Initiative:         10 +3d6
Matrix AR:                 9 +1d6
Matrix Cold:               10 +3d6
Matrix Hot:                10 +4d6
Physical Damage Track:     10
Stun Damage Track:         11

== Limits ==
Physical:                  4
Mental:                    7
Social:                    9
Astral:                    9

== Active Skills ==
Asensing (aura reading)  Base: 6          Pool: 11 (13)
Astral Combat (wf: blades)Base: 6         Pool: 11 (13)
Computer                 Base: 1          Pool: 6
Con                      Base: 6          Pool: 14 
Disguise                 Base: 4          Pool: 9
Etiquette                Base: 5          Pool: 13
Gymnastics               Base: 1          Pool: 5
Impersonation            Base: 1          Pool: 9
Leadership               Base: 5          Pool: 13
Melee (Swords)           Base: 1          Pool: 5 (7)
Navigation               Base: 1          Pool: 6
Negotiation              Base: 5          Pool: 13
Perception (hearing      Base: 1          Pool: 6 (8)
Running                  Base: 1          Pool: 3
Small Arms (M.Pistols)   Base: 1          Pool: 5 (7)
Sneaking                 Base: 4          Pool: 8
Spellcasting (manip)     Base: 1          Pool: 3 (5)
Summoning (Man)          Base: 1          Pool: 3 (5)
Swimming                 Base: 1          Pool: 3
Tracking                 Base: 1          Pool: 6

== Knowledge Skills ==
Haida                    Base: 4          Pool: 10
Japanese                 Base: 6          Pool: 12
Lakota                Base: 6          Pool: 12
Russian                  Base: 6          Pool: 12
Spanish                  Base: 6          Pool: 12
Sperethiel               Base: 4          Pool: 10
Architecture             Base: 3          Pool: 8
Faerie Courts            Base: 4          Pool: 9
Private Investigator     Base: 4          Pool: 9
Seattle Free Spirit CommunityBase: 1          Pool: 6
Seattle music scene      Base: 2          Pool: 7

== Contacts ==
Bowdash; (Seattle Downtown) Fixer (C4, L2)
Green Toes; (Seattle, Courts) Free Fae Spirit (C2, L2)
Mr. Jabowski; (Auburn); Mafia Lieutenant (C3, L2)
Adeline Peters; (Seattle) KE Forensic Magician (C2, L3)
Zwipe (Touristville) Ganger (C1, L3)
Free Contacts
Lysander; (Seattle?) Info Broker (C3, L2)
Five-Fingers Gao & Fenghuang; (Seattle?), Talismongers, (C3, L4)

== Qualities ==
Addiction, mild, Psyche (4)
Alibi
Creature of Comfort (Middle)
Human-Looking
In Debt ( 5)
Infirm
Linguist
Low-Light Vision
Method Actor
Quick Healer
Records on File (MCT)


== Lifestyle ==
Medium (shared)

== Tradition ==
Shamanic, Resist Drain with: 13

== Spells ==
Astral Armor (mana, LOS, sustained, drain = F-2)
Levitate (physical, LOS, sustained, drain = F-2)

== Spirits ==
Spirit of Man (B+1, A+2, R+2, S-2, I+1 / Accident, concealement, Confusion, Enhanced Senses (low light, thermographic), guard, influence, search. / Optional: Fear, Innate spell, movement, phychokinesis)


== Armor ==
Armor Vest                         9
Good Suit                          0

== Weapons ==
Glock 51
   + Ceramic/Plasteel Components
   + Laser Sight
   Pool: 5 (7)   Accuracy: 6 (7)   DV: 7P   AP: -   RC: 2
Mortimer of London ‘Belgrave’ Sword Cane w/personalized grip
   Pool: 5/6 (7/8)     Accuracy: 6   DV: 5P      AP: -2   RC: n/a  <== Meat
   Pool: 12/13 (14/15) Accuracy: 6   DV: 10s/p   AP: -2   RC: n/a  <== Astral 
Unarmed Attack
   Pool: 3   Accuracy: 4   DV: 2S    AP: -   RC: n/a  <== Meat
   Pool: 12  Accuracy: 9   DV: 7S/P  AP: -   RC: n/a  <== Astral

== Commlink ==
MCT Blue Defender (rating 3 ATT: 0, SLZ: 0, DP: 1, FWL: 5)
   + wrist-band formfactor, Commlink Functionality [Camera, Micro, Chip Player, Credstick Reader, Earbuds, GPS Guidance System, Micro Trid-Projector, Music Player, RFID Tag Scanner, Shock- and Water-Resistant Case, Touchscreen Display]
Sony Angel (ATT: 0, SLZ: 0, DP: 1, FWL: 1)

== Gear: Equipped ==
Ammo: Gel Rounds (Machine Pistols) ×30
Ammo: Regular Ammo (Machine Pistols) ×60
Black Panther (2 doses)
Earbuds Rating 2
   + Sound Link
   + Select Sound Filter Rating 1
Fake SIN (Hector Vega) Rating 4
   + license (machine pistol) 4
   + license (blade) 4
Glasses Rating 3
   + Flare Compensation
   + Image Link
   + Magnification
Micro-Transceiver
Psyche (2 doses)
Reagents, per dram ×25
Tool Kit (Disguise)
Trodes
Weapon Focus (Bonded Foci) (Mortimer of London ‘Belgrave’ Sword Cane) Rating 1
« Last Edit: <08-26-18/1438:48> by Beta »

Lorebane24

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« Reply #132 on: <08-23-18/1826:35> »
I'm not going to be too by-the-book on this.  To me, for a small agency operating out of a place like Touristville (I admit, I know little of the canon for this place, but it sounds very cool), the cost of a middle lifestyle seems appropriate to cover the cost of dormitory-style housing (which is what the floor plan looks like to me, albeit with nicer decor) and overhead.  This is where pnp RPGs have the edge over video games, because we can easily just say that, reflected in the costs of the lifestyle, you've spruced the space up a little so it looks niceish for clients, and you've invested in above-average security measures because let's face it you're still in the Barrens.

This might be a good time to clarify where I stand on the general state of the world and how it relates to what's been published.  Through my own experiences in different campaigns, everyone seems to have a slightly different interpretation of what they've read, and there are inconsistencies even within published material, so here are a few examples of what I imagine to be then "norm" in Shadowrun.  Gonna use spoilers to avoid a wall.

<spoilers=Food>I don't know what I always feel like starting with this one - maybe because it's one of the details that's been so different in each game I've played in.  In my campaigns, it's probably not as scarce or out-of-reach as printed stuff makes it out to be.  The people who are surviving exclusively on nutrisoy tubes and krill are squatters and hobos.  At low lifestyle people can generally expect to eat some sort of shaped, textured, and flavored staple food for most meals.  Soy burgers and such.  Soy always gets talked up, but krill, rice, and other easy-to-mass-produce "filler" foods are often used as well.  Even at low lifestyle, they can afford to sample "real food" now and again, just not the best.  They can find, for example, a couple packaged (lab-grown) apple slices at the Stuffer Shack, but it's price is such that it's more of a luxury item, akin to what a high-shelf block of aged cheese might be for most of us today.  These people will never taste a steak in their life, though.  At mid lifestyle, people can expect to enjoy about one portion of real food in each meal that adds a little less "humans are supposed to eat like this" feeling to their food.  Their burger might be made with C grade beef, or their soy steak's sauce might have actual mushrooms in it.  At high lifestyle, it's pretty typical, and luxury eats dishes each meal that would make a squatter weep, and when they splurge on food at least one of the ingredients is probably awakened.</spoilers>

<spoilers=Wageslaves and the workweek> Wageslaves make the world go round.  To me, the world of Shadowrun is very much about capitalism run rampant, and in spite of the horrific exploitation it has led to, it also ensures that the world has become straight up 1984 because of one key fact of the system - the corps need customers.  They control everything, but someone needs to buy their products, spend money on their services, and drive their economy, and the Corporate Court also ensures that some degree of competition is always allowed for everyone's mutual interests.  So while there are always exceptions, I imagine a 60 hour workweek to be 2018's "nine-to-five."  Ten hours a day, six days a week.  And on that day off, they are looking for distractions that the corps are happy to provide.  The corps are also smart enough to realize that a burnt-out employee is unproductive and unprofitable, so they each have their own way with working to avoid it.  Shiawase puts antidepressants in the water.  Horizon is pretty lax about unscheduled breaks.  But ultimately wageslavery (and the typical sixth-world citizen) is a state of barely tolerable oppression where they're thrown a bone just often enough to keep them passive.</spoilers>

<spoilers=Shadowrunners, Security, and my KE>I think I may of mentioned this once, but I imagine the Shadowrunning industry to be akin to "the Game" as portrayed in the Wire, and, in-universe, you may here people talk about it that way.  The Shadows is that metaphorical grey (or black) area of society were shadowrunners and those associated with them work, and someone (the characters in this campaign, for example, along with Johnsons, made men, and a lot of dirty cops) might be considered to be "of the Shadows" (or "part of the Game") without actually being considered shadowrunners.  Generally speaking, the world is not built to keep shadowrunners out, because most people never expect to deal with one (meaning this won't be a game where, for example, a middle-manager has electrified windows in their home).  Corporate property is another matter, of course.

I've never been a fan of the grunt stats (or gear) as presented in the book, so I print my own, but to get an idea of what I use as a baseline, I run with the book's suggestion that 4 ranks in a skill is typical "professional" level.  That's what you can expect from the typical schmo for whatever it is they have to do every single day.  IT workers have 4 ranks in computers, a beat cop has 4 ranks in small arms, and the local gang's sneakiest dude has 4 ranks in stealth.  I figure a stat of 4 to match in most cases, with a small bump from gear when it is readily available (like a smartlink) for a typical die pool of 8-10 for a mook (generally enough for them to by 2 successes for routine tasks).

Now I mention KE up there because I figured it would be reasonable to assume your characters would be familiar with what sort of artillery and protocols would be on the streets.  I've fallen in love with these little setting writeups so other outfits will operate differently, but for KE, a standard patrol is 2 officers and a scouting drone (like in Bladerunner!) and the accompanying car, kinda like typical cops.  But, since cyberpunk is dystopian, the uniform and gear for an average patrolman (not their SWAT guys) is a ballistic trenchcoat (functionally a lined coat) and a hardened helmet with a few HUD assists like smartlink and low-light vision.  Standard issue weapon in 2080 is the Ares Sigma SMG (from Gun Heaven) with an Ares Predator as a sidearm.  They all carry extra gear in the trunks that allows any unit to be quickly mobilized for riot suppression, including a few pieces of modular armor (securtech PPP), a single ballistic shield, a few flashbangs, and two drums of stick-n-shock rounds for their Sigmas</spoilers>

<spoilers=Magic: Commonality, commercialization, and security>  Along with my tweak of the magic priorities comes certain assumptions about magic and its place in the world.  Full mages are unicorns, and if they want it, they have ample opportunities they can sell out for regardless of where they come from, so if you see a mage who's not attached to a corp, a government, or a crime syndicate, they've probably got some baggage.  Sorcerers and conjurers are relatively more common, and what you are most likely to see when dealing with grunts (KE HRTs typically have a sorcerer, for example).  Aspected mages are often in a spot to work freelance - in fact, many sorcerers an conjurers make good money simply by charging to maintain a few wards and bound spirits in place that cannot afford to keep a mage on payroll full-time.

Just as rare as mages (but you guys will be running into them more than that) are magicians of any sort of with a Magic higher than 4 or 5.  Most mages who aren't in the Shadows or in the security industry stop there because by that time their spells are enough to do what they need to do.  Even if they are involved in research, they tend to focus more on initiation than on upping their force potency - universities and R&D labs have plenty of magicians who are Grade 3+ initiates but only have a Magic score of 4.

I think that the different traditions are a lot of fun, so I like to imagine that as of FA, the world is in the middle of a sort of a traditions renaissance - it's no longer the case that hermeticism and shamanism are what 90% of magicians practice.  More people are becoming interested in lesser known and obscure traditions.  Most corps still harbor biases, but they may not always be what you'd initially assume (Shiawase prefers Shinto shaman, as expected, but MCT prefers hermetics because they find that loyalty to the kami can conflict with loyalty to MCT).

Finally I want to get this out there right up - magic is not mass-produced (though regeants are often mass-harvested).  Magic has thus far firmly resisted any and all attempts to commercialize it.  It can't be put in a can (except, literally, with hobo alchemy), and it can't be grown on a farm.  Attempts to factory-farm awakened animals have had very mixed results, and reagents that usually grow don't seem to do well when the conditions for their creation are engineered.  The closest the corps get to routine magical "products" are really just them selling reagents they've harvested and spell forumla they've created.  The magical side of the corporate world is all about services (mages on retainer, magical forensics, etc...) and lots and lots of research.</spoilers>

EDIT: How do I do spoilers again?
« Last Edit: <08-23-18/1829:49> by Lorebane24 »
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Lorebane24

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« Reply #133 on: <08-23-18/1844:44> »
Also, I have been following the thread on weapon foci in astral combat, and here is were I stand: I dont think it was intended in the ruled, but I think it's cool, so it's in.  But I may give astral reach to a few critters too.  For now, a§sume that typical spirits do not have reach
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Beta

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« Reply #134 on: <08-23-18/2037:02> »
I don't think spoiler tags work in the new boards :-(

I'm not too fussed one way or another on reach and AP, he's going with the sword cane because it works with the infirm and everything.  I figure dice pools adjust out appropriately so there is no point in chasing lots of extra dice.