[AffreuxLex]

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First round players have been chosen but feel free to add your name to the waiting list.  Names are listed in the order that they will be contacted.
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This will be my first PbP GM experience but I am looking to bone up on my skills since I've been out of the game for awhile now.  I'm terrible at coming up with names so even though the title is "Cannon Fodder", this is not necessarily indicative to the game's story.  I intend to post major IC plot points at least once daily, though a proven method to make the gods laugh is by making a plan.  I don't expect a ton of action but when does a run ever go as expected?  I am looking for 4 players of any profession, overlaps are fine.  Magic is common knowledge and generally accepted but actually meeting someone with real magical talent is very rare.  Technomancers are scary and need to be dissected.

Requirements:
- For the sake of fairness, please do not already be involved in another PbP game.
- 400 BP characters, any core book rule is fair game.
- Characters will need to be pre-approved.
- Character background story.  The more detailed, the better.  Make sure to include why your character has turned to running in the shadows.
- Please use the character sheet code provided by FastJack here: http://forums.shadowrun4.com/index.php?topic=948.0 or link to an existing character in the big black book as long as it uses that format.
- When posting IC, please use a different color based on your action AND have a legend in your signature stating what is what.  Several people already do this and it makes life much easier.
- Always remember that AffreuxLex is incredibly handsome, supremely intelligent, and totally available.  Tell this every cute girl over the age of 25.

House Rules:
- Except when edge is used, all hits are limited to 2X skill level.  Example: Pistols[1]+Agility[6], Roll[5,6,6,5,5,5,6] = 2 hits.
- In the event that a conflict with me can not be resolved, the court of public opinion will preside.  A new topic in the appropriate forum will be created with a poll and the community can decide what will happen.  I will abide by this decision even if I hate it and so will you!

Notes:
- If your character is a freak, expect to be treated like one.
- I will not just accept the first 4 posters, I will select players based on what they post.  Selected players will be PM'd by Midnight (CST) Saturday, May 11th at the latest.
- Dice rolls will be done through http://invisiblecastle.com/.  This way when you critical glitch and kill everyone in a 15 mile radius, you only have yourself to blame.  In the event of a mistake and a single roll is rolled multiple times, the earliest roll recorded will be used.
- This campaign will be easy...

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Updates:
- Defaulting on dice rolls without edge have a maximum of 1 hit.
- Edge will refresh based on actions since there are no sessions to speak of.

- No posts IC for 3 days without prior notification will render your character officially brain dead and open your spot to the next person on the waiting list.


Listed in order of "add me" posts.
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Waiting List:
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HydroRaven
Necrogigas
mtfeeney = Baron

[HydroRaven]

If you ever decide to forgo your "no players already in a game" rule, count me first on the application list.

[AffreuxLex]

It's not a hard and fast rule.  I guess to be more specific, players not already in a game will be given preferential treatment simply in the interest of fairness.  I've seen multiple posts of people who really want into a game but miss out so I want to give them a chance.

[mtfeeney = Baron]

So edge is the only way to default on a skill?

[AffreuxLex]

So edge is the only way to default on a skill?

Defaulting will have a maximum of 1 hit without edge.

[Necrogigas]

If you ever decide to forgo your "no players already in a game" rule, count me first on the application list.

Ditto.

[HydroRaven]

It's not a hard and fast rule.  I guess to be more specific, players not already in a game will be given preferential treatment simply in the interest of fairness.  I've seen multiple posts of people who really want into a game but miss out so I want to give them a chance.

Alright, so I'll throw a concept put here and if there aren't enough first-timers, I'll expand. A face adept, raised in Paris with a silver tongue and quick hands.

[Necrogigas]

It's not a hard and fast rule.  I guess to be more specific, players not already in a game will be given preferential treatment simply in the interest of fairness.  I've seen multiple posts of people who really want into a game but miss out so I want to give them a chance.

Throwing in this description then, if you don't have enough people not already in a game.

Lucky human, generalist build, gambling addict with average attributes and skill ranks, but maxed out Edge. He's an average Joe with a huge gambling debt, and has turned to the shadows as a means of paying off his bookie.

[mtfeeney = Baron]

I have a sloppy-looking, clumsy ork mage that just got kicked out of an elite military force in the Ork Underground, so he turned to his best alternative as a SINless ork mage...  shadowrunner.  I'm in another game that's going to start soon, so I guess add me to the waiting/interested list.

[Ren]

Might be interested in playing but i have a few questions first:
- What are the maximum number of hits on a pure ability test, like Reaction to dodge a shot or Strength + Body to lift heavy weights?
- How do specializations affect maximum number of hits?
- What are the maximum number of hits when using a skill twice on a test (full dodge) or when using two skills on a test (full gymnastics dodge)?
- Do you use the following optional rules (sorry, no rulebook with me currently, will get page references up later):
   1) high strength affects recoil (Arsenal p. 163)
   2) fighting with two weapons  (Arsenal p. 163)
   3) dice pools capped at 20 or 2x ability + skill (SR4A p. 61)

[AffreuxLex]

- What are the maximum number of hits on a pure ability test, like Reaction to dodge a shot or Strength + Body to lift heavy weights?
Without edge, maximum hits will be lowest ability X2.

- How do specializations affect maximum number of hits?
Maximum hits will be affected by specializations. 
Ex:  Pistols[1] (Revolvers), using a semi automatic will have a maximum of 2 hits whereas a revolver will have a maximum of 6 hits.

Now that I've actually written that down and looked at it, that seems to create quite a large gap and I'm not sure if it's reasonable to believe that a person could be that much more efficient with only a slightly different weapon.  Perhaps I might change that to a specialization adds 2 to the maximum hits.  I think what I'll do is play with the rule as is for now and if it does prove to be an issue I will adopt the variation in future games.

- What are the maximum number of hits when using a skill twice on a test (full dodge) or when using two skills on a test (full gymnastics dodge)?
Skill Level X3

- Do you use the following optional rules (sorry, no rulebook with me currently, will get page references up later):
   1) high strength affects recoil
Yes, it seems reasonable that a significantly stronger person would have more control than a weaker one.

   2) dice pools capped at 20 or 2x ability + skill
This one I need to think about.  On the one hand, a person with such exceptional abilities would be expected to perform better consistently and large dice pools would reach the hit cap more often.  On the other it would make it easier to metagame to know that you will get a certain number of hits almost every time.  Then again, a highly skilled person should also be expected to be confident and cocky in their abilities.  I'll get back to you on this.

Anyone reading this thread have any pros / cons / opinions to this optional rule?

[Thrass]

it'll hardly come into playe because the absolute maximum you can have at a skill is 10 (aptitude + a bonus of 3) and will in always all cases cap at 9 (6 + skillrecorder + 2 from specialization)
with a skill of 10 and your houserule you kinda are capped at 20 automatically... so you can as well leave that part out

2* skill+ability will never be lower then 2* skill so you can leave that one out too...

ofcourse if you do have an adept with an aptitude and an improved skill rating 3 with a specialization he could get  24 hits with your houserule but he will most certainly not have an attribute of 1 for this task which is the only ever circumstance your houserule would allow 24 dice and the other one only 22 and thus less...

so, yes your houserule covers that one and you don''t need to apply it ontop of another

[mtfeeney = Baron]

it'll hardly come into playe because the absolute maximum you can have at a skill is 10 (aptitude + a bonus of 3) and will in always all cases cap at 9 (6 + skillrecorder + 2 from specialization)
with a skill of 10 and your houserule you kinda are capped at 20 automatically... so you can as well leave that part out

2* skill+ability will never be lower then 2* skill so you can leave that one out too...

ofcourse if you do have an adept with an aptitude and an improved skill rating 3 with a specialization he could get  24 hits with your houserule but he will most certainly not have an attribute of 1 for this task which is the only ever circumstance your houserule would allow 24 dice and the other one only 22 and thus less...

so, yes your houserule covers that one and you don''t need to apply it ontop of another

...What?  His rule caps the number of hits.  If you have a skill of 10, it'd take a dicepool of 30 to average max hits consistently. 

Now, assuming that not everybody is going to cyber or adept up their skills, a reasonable max is going to be 8.  That means a cap of 8 hits, which would need 24 dice to average max hits.  You would need to get 16 dice from attribute + other bonuses.

[Gustovness]

Hi.  I'm coming off of a game that I was just GM'ing that died due to the majority of players going AWOL.  I tried to provide a game, I tried to run it (it was my first time GM'ing), so I'm hoping someone will do me the favor this time! If you'd like, read up on THE BUNRAKU BREAKOUT which is relatively recent on this board for an idea about my role playing ability.  If you'd like to offer me the opportunity, PM me and let me know what archetype you're looking for and I'll build a character from scratch over the weekend!

[Ren]

- What are the maximum number of hits on a pure ability test, like Reaction to dodge a shot or Strength + Body to lift heavy weights?
Without edge, maximum hits will be lowest ability X2.

The next example will be intentionally extreme, to show why this doesn't work all the time. Let's take a look at a combat situation. A person shots at the runner, who is currently running in good cover. He has Reaction 9, which allows him maximum 18 hits. He rolls Reaction(9) + running(2) + good cover(4) for defense, averaging 5 hits. Now, he knows that he is being shot at, so he decides to improve his chances to dodge by full defense. Unfortunately, he has a dodge skill at 1, so when he rolls his 16 dice (easily averaging 5 hits), his hits are capped at 2.

Dodging ranged attacks is the only case which comes to my mind, when you roll a single ability without defaulting, so this is truly an extreme exception. I also understand (hopefully right) the intent behind a house rule. Still, there are cases when i think this isn't that good. Especially on the side of physical skills, when a very athletic person, who didn't learn how to run or hide effectively, cannot achieve more, than Joe Average.

Still, this is your game, and i don't want to contest your houserules. Just some food for thought.

- How do specializations affect maximum number of hits?
Maximum hits will be affected by specializations. 
Ex:  Pistols[1] (Revolvers), using a semi automatic will have a maximum of 2 hits whereas a revolver will have a maximum of 6 hits.

Now that I've actually written that down and looked at it, that seems to create quite a large gap and I'm not sure if it's reasonable to believe that a person could be that much more efficient with only a slightly different weapon.  Perhaps I might change that to a specialization adds 2 to the maximum hits.  I think what I'll do is play with the rule as is for now and if it does prove to be an issue I will adopt the variation in future games.

I like your second option better.

- What are the maximum number of hits when using a skill twice on a test (full dodge) or when using two skills on a test (full gymnastics dodge)?
Skill Level X3

In case of using two skills, lower skill counts?

And an additional question: do you use the optional rule of using two weapons, on p. 163 of Arsenal?