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HELP! Humanitarian Aid....

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Dr. Meatgrinder

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« Reply #15 on: <11-06-13/2016:49> »
Spirits have both skills, Assensing and Perception.  They're also dual-natured when materialized (or possessing), so they can use both skills and observe both meat space and astral.

The trees should have given some concealment in the astral, but Auslander's Assensing (and Perception) dice pool starts at 16 and even the lesser F6 shedim start at 12 dice.  Since the background count on the island is aspected toward the shedim, it wouldn't have penalized them.
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Michael Chandra

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« Reply #16 on: <11-06-13/2028:33> »
It doesn't penalize their magic, yes, but Background Count came with Astral Visibility penalties in SR4. A muddy environment is hard to see through even if it's your kind of mud.

Their Perception would still be penalized at a -2 since they're not paying attention. Even though dual-natured means they bypass Visibility and Lighting penalties, they'd still face the Astral Visibility penalty in SR4, it's not clear whether this will still be in SR5's magic book.
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Dr. Meatgrinder

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« Reply #17 on: <11-06-13/2219:13> »
The only rules we have for background counts in SR5, for now, are the Hot Patch and those in the Missions.  Those rules do not mention astral visibility modifiers (except in listing Assensing as a magical activity), but rather are a blanket dice pool penalty to any magical activity (or all activity, for dual natured creatures and spirits) not aspected toward the background count.  As they stand, the rules make it easier for an appropriately aspected viewer than for others to see in astral space.
Guiding principle for game balance:  Players avoid underpowered stuff and flock to overpowered stuff.
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Stainless Steel Devil Rat

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« Reply #18 on: <11-09-13/1210:16> »
I have a few questions about the quarantine in this mission.

Since the writeup doesn't mention anything about the matrix not working inside the quarantine area, I assume that means it does still work?
Since Silva never heard from the archaeologists after the quarantine began, I assume that means that if the Matrix works, one cannot contact the rest of the world while inside the quarantine zone?
« Last Edit: <11-09-13/1211:51> by Stainless Steel Devil Rat »
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.

Michael Chandra

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« Reply #19 on: <11-09-13/1558:05> »
Not hearing from them was why he was worried. Given how you can still search for info on Shedim or call contacts for intel on them, I don't think a full lockdown is in place. Note that you don't even experience Noise.
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Stainless Steel Devil Rat

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« Reply #20 on: <11-09-13/1634:21> »
I theorized in my linked post that perhaps Horizon got the Grid Overwatch Division to help out with the matrix side of the quarantine.. using plot magic to allow Horizon and police/security forces to use the matrix but not the townies or archaeologists who happened to be caught inside.  Since the PCs are Horizon's 'special consultants' that plot magic could be extended to include their use of the matrix from inside the quarantine.

Then again, maybe the timeline works out that the team's sudden end of communication had more to do with turning into zombies than the quarantine going up...
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.

Pollution

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« Reply #21 on: <11-11-13/1025:51> »
I thought I'd update on how this all went down.

Long story short:

Fight vs Spirtis only:

Spirits dislodged a few gasmasks and knocked out the Johnson with Paralyzing Touch.  Everyone managed to make their fear check.  The mage had 5 spirits on his side, so that kinda helped a bit.  I was AMAZED that our gunbunny with his Krime Cannon didn't do more damage.  The most damage done was actually my character (small group this game, so I helped in combat) with his Ares Alpha loaded with APDS rounds.  Suppression Fire is AMAZING BTW.

The combat with the spirits lasted 3 initiative rolls (we've never had to reroll initiative).  Nobody got hurt, spirits were dispatched.

Fight vs. Big Bad:

OMG.  The good doctor cast a F8 Toxic Wave (didn't overcast as suggested, TY!).  Nobody died.  although EVERY character was on his ass.  ALL the Mage's spirits died (big time).  The mage was down to 1 condition box, my own character was down to 3, and the gunbunny I think only had 4 left. 

Fairly stressed, I decided that Doc would NOT cast Toxic wave again.  That'd just be mean.  The runners ended up actually taking him out....eventually.

Things I learned:

1)  Toxic Wave is the most OP spell I've ever seen.  Holy Crap!
2)  If you can't hit your target because he's dodging with 7 hits EVERY attack (lucky dice for GM) then you REALLY need to use Full Auto (-9 Def = "dodge this" moment).
3)  The worst thing in the WORLD that can happen to your runners in this module is to let the doc Overcast, or use edge on that Toxic Wave.  15P incoming is B.A.D.  And whatever you do, don't have him cast it twice.  For fuck's sake, don't cast it twice.
4)  This module needs another 2-3 Karma added to it's rewards, MINIMUM.  Another 5k Nuyen wouldn't be bad either.
5) I HIGHLY advise anyone running this to use the -6 vision modifiers suggested above.  My team ended up at -3, and the baddies at the full -6.  SAVED THEIR ASSES!

Rough module.  Holy crap.

Stainless Steel Devil Rat

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« Reply #22 on: <11-11-13/1222:22> »
I'm running a campaign set in Denver and I moved the location for this adventure to a small town in present day NM close to Chaco Canyon.  It ended up fitting so well that I'm convinced it shoulda been set there from the get go :D

Unfortunately we had to call the game session early, so we left on a cliffhanger with the PCs rummaging through the archaeologists' motel rooms and the lone Shedim shambling into the room.

I'll post the results after we finish.. I'm kinda scared for them as they're playing decided non-optimized characters.. and it's a small party (of 3).  I'm thinking of dropping the shedim at the snowblowers to only 3 or 4 to give them a chance before facing off with the good doctor.
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.

Michael Chandra

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« Reply #23 on: <11-11-13/1615:26> »
Paranoia is your friend. :) Never group together.

Devil Rat: You definitely want to let them spread out a tiny bit at the point where Auslander hits John, and let John get up at -10 Initiative and join the fight from the very start. This way they're not Toxicable and got a good attacker by their side. You'd probably also want to half Auslander's Edge to 4, and then it will still be a reaaaaally tough fight.

Speaking of John, let him supply some advice and carefulness as they approach the island, and use the entire team at 6 Shedim. The first Shedim at the motel should make clear they should just kill all the Shedim with a bit of legwork, and the Shedim are limited in movement range so if you engage them from a distance, you can get some potshots in before they reach the players.
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Gripper

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« Reply #24 on: <11-21-13/1035:54> »
I'll post the results after we finish.. I'm kinda scared for them as they're playing decided non-optimized characters.. and it's a small party (of 3).  I'm thinking of dropping the shedim at the snowblowers to only 3 or 4 to give them a chance before facing off with the good doctor.

I just finished running with a group of three who were optimized for roll playing rather than min/maxed. Not surprisingly, the good doctor proscribed two doses of beatdown (see http://forums.shadowruntabletop.com/index.php?topic=13713.0).

Needless to say, give them whatever help they need in order to get this guy. He's one tough old bugger.
« Last Edit: <11-21-13/1948:38> by Gripper »

Critter

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« Reply #25 on: <11-21-13/1201:07> »


Well, as the Shaman from the situation I can explain it from my point of view. Firstly, the background count for the whole area (a huge area) was at 3. That's -3 to all magical abilities. As it also applies to drain that had me running with 5 drain dice in the 'city' and the additional -1 for the island dropped me down to 4 dice to resist drain. We went to the island for a scouting mission, ideally we would have been able to send the drones out and spotted whatever was going on out there. We had a gaggle of flyspy drones. Instead we were pretty much put in medias res for the main combat scene. If we'd have been able to scout the island properly, we could have fallen back, done a regroup and come at it from a better angle. The Background count was murder for me, as a Shaman, I felt I was basically screwed the entire encounter. I had a light pistol (hur hur hur) and any casting I did that would pack any punch was just as likely nearly knock me out, and then the second casting (because there were so many of them) would have killed me.
« Last Edit: <11-21-13/2000:40> by Critter »
There's always one PC who just can't go with the flow.  They have to have something that sets them apart.  Something blatantly obvious to everyone who plays with them.

ZeConster

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« Reply #26 on: <11-21-13/1227:05> »
Wait, Background Count affects Drain resist rolls?

Crunch

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« Reply #27 on: <11-21-13/1228:16> »
Not to the best of my knowledge...

Here's the text from the hotpatch.

Quote
Background Counts impose a negative Dice Pool penalty equal to their rating for all tests that are linked to or utilize magic in any way (i.e., spellcasting, summoning, assensing, any test made while astrally projecting, and any active skill that benefits from active adept powers such as killing hands, critical strike, great leap, or improved skills, etc). Dual Natured creatures and spirits suffer this penalty to all actions.

I can see a reading of that where it includes drain rolls, but it's not how i would have read it.
« Last Edit: <11-21-13/1229:56> by Crunch »

Critter

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« Reply #28 on: <11-21-13/1234:30> »
Had I known that, I would have been a little more confident in casting and summoning. I read that info and said, "Looks like I am screwed."
There's always one PC who just can't go with the flow.  They have to have something that sets them apart.  Something blatantly obvious to everyone who plays with them.

Michael Chandra

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« Reply #29 on: <11-21-13/1825:40> »
Also, in this scenario the GM should definitely not just use In Media Res, and make sure to let the players announce clearly what they're doing, even if that interrupts the cinematic description.
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