[Multifish2]

Apologies if already discussed, but I couldn't find with a search on these forums. On p.103 of Firing Squad there is a break out box called 'A Note on Called Shots' which states that as a clarification "The Called Shots on pp.47-48 of that book may be made either by taking a -4 penalty to your roll, or spending Edge to attempt the Called Shot without a dice pool penalty."

This clarification seems to have confused me even more. Assuming "that book" is the core SR6 rulebook, the called shots referred to are Called Shot -Disarm and Called Shot - Vitals. If we can get 3 extra damage from Vitals why would we ever use the 2 extra damage normal bonus from Call a Shot?

Also if the intent is to allow more variety of Called Shots without using Edge, it's unclear why is it only the original Called Shots that this can be done with and not the new ones in Firing Squad.

Any help interpreting this greatly appreciated!

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

Ok, yes first of all it's unnecessarily confusing that there's two different kinds of mechanics that share the "Called Shot" name.  But for now, it helps to clarify that there ARE two completely different mechanics that are both called Called Shot.

First kind of Called Shot is spelled out in the CRB on pg. 41 where it's technically named "Call a Shot", but is narratively referred to as "called shots" even in its own descriptive fluff.  "Call a shot" requires the expenditure of a Minor Action in conjuction with a Major Action to execute an attack.  Additionally, it incurs a -4 dice pool penalty, but for the price of those two costs you gain +2DV to your attack.

The next kind of Called Shot is a categorical grouping of Edge Actions that all bear "Called Shot" in the name.  Note that again these have nothing to do with the "Call a Shot" minor action from page 42.  Here, these Edge Actions incur no cost in action economy nor in dice pool... instead you pay in Edge.  And they give different benefits than "Call a Shot".

It's unnecessarily confusing due to the similarity in terminology, but hopefully that clears it up.  At least until we open the cover on Firing Squad, right?

The sidebar on p. 103 of Firing Squad is indeed referring to pgs. 47-48 of the SR6W book.  What it's saying is that if you use a Called Shot that is an Edge Action, you don't have to also pay the Minor Action for "Call a Shot" nor take the -4 dice penalty.

I'd also add that this gives reasonable inference that you can't do BOTH... that is pay a minor, take -4 dice, spend X edge, and then gain +2DV AND the edge action benefit.  Do one or the other.

[Xenon]

Whoever approved to include that 'helpful' text box didn't really know what he or she was doing ;-)

why would we ever use the 2 extra damage normal bonus from Call a Shot?

And why would we ever spend 5 edge on Called Shot - Vital to do 3 extra damage if we can just spend 4 dice.

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

Whoever approved to include that 'helpful' text box didn't really know what he or she was doing ;-)

The sidebar text COULD use some errata to specify which book they're talking about....

why would we ever use the 2 extra damage normal bonus from Call a Shot?

And why would we ever spend 5 edge on Called Shot - Vital to do 3 extra damage if we can just spend 4 dice.

I dunno. I think there's viable room for both options.  On one hand, spend a minor, 0 edge, -4 dice to get +2DV.  On the other I spare the action and keep a full dice pool for an even better +3DV, but it costs Edge.

I could see using either option depending on the circumstances.  The names maybe shouldn't have been so similar, but I think there being the option to pick between the two mechanics is a nice bit of flexibility.

[Multifish2]

What it's saying is that if you use a Called Shot that is an Edge Action, you don't have to also pay the Minor Action for "Call a Shot" nor take the -4 dice penalty.

I'm not sure I can see that from the text at all, it specifically states that the Edge Action Called Shots on p.47-48 can be made either with a -4 penalty or by spending Edge. It doesn't refer to Minor Actions or "Call a Shot" at all; it just seems to state that you can choose to take a -4 penalty and do these actions without Edge. In fact, I completely forgot that "Call a Shot" is actually a minor action and as there is no mention of minor actions here it seems Vitals is +3DV and NO minor action, so even better than I thought compared with "Call a Shot".

Whoever approved to include that 'helpful' text box didn't really know what he or she was doing ;-)

I'm definitely leaning that way as well :-) So what do we think; should we just ignore this box and pretend it never happened or as Called Shots are so expensive/underpowered compared to other Edge Boosts is there some middle ground.

My thought was to rework "Call a Shot" minor action to say - perform any Called Shot Edge action for 0 Edge and -4 penalty. This would then require a slight rework of Shank 1 Edge action to be - increase damage by 2 by taking a -2 penalty.

[Xenon]

spend a minor, 0 edge, -4 dice to get +2DV. 

Why? "Firing Squad p. 103 A note on Called Shots" allow you to spend 4 dice to take the Called Shot - Vital that give you +3 damage.

On the other I spare the action and keep a full dice pool for an even better +3DV, but it costs Edge.

Why? "Firing Squad p. 103 A note on Called Shots" allow you to get the same +3DV by spending 4 dice instead of 5 edge.

I think there being the option to pick between the two mechanics is a nice bit of flexibility.

As written in Core I fully Agree.
But it seem as if "Firing Squad p. 103 A note on Called Shots" broke it... :-(

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

spend a minor, 0 edge, -4 dice to get +2DV. 

Why? "Firing Squad p. 103 A note on Called Shots" allow you to spend 4 dice to take the Called Shot - Vital that give you +3 damage.

On the other I spare the action and keep a full dice pool for an even better +3DV, but it costs Edge.

Why? "Firing Squad p. 103 A note on Called Shots" allow you to get the same +3DV by spending 4 dice instead of 5 edge.

I think there being the option to pick between the two mechanics is a nice bit of flexibility.

As written in Core I fully Agree.
But it seem as if "Firing Squad p. 103 A note on Called Shots" broke it... :-(

As I said before, yes the sidebar is worded very unfortunately.

But it should be read as saying you don't have to spend the minor action and -4 dice to use the Called Shot: Vitals Edge Action.  That's all it's SUPPOSED to be conveying.

[Xenon]

it should be read as saying you don't have to spend the minor action and -4 dice to use the Called Shot: Vitals Edge Action.

I can understand the intention as you describe it (because this would have just clarified what was already stated in CBR and the minor action and the edge action in CBR are perfectly balanced as is), but unlike many other phrases in SR6 this one is actually pretty explicit and no matter how I try I have a hard time reading the text (as written) in the way you describe. I still agree with Multifish2 that the text box (as written) break far more than it fix.

To me it seem clear that the text (as written) says that you can take Called Shot - Vitals (which is one of the two listed Called Shots on p. 47-48) by either take a -4 penalty to your roll (without spending edge) or by spending 5 edge (without a dice pool penalty):
...either by taking a –4 penalty to your roll, or spending Edge to attempt the Called Shot without a dice pool penalty.


Which mean there is no point spending both 4 dice and a minor action to just get +2 damage when you can (now) get +3 damage for 4 dice.
And it also mean that there is no point spending 5 edge (the equivalent of 10 dice) when you can (now) get the same effect by just spending 4 dice.

[Multifish2]

As I said before, yes the sidebar is worded very unfortunately.

But it should be read as saying you don't have to spend the minor action and -4 dice to use the Called Shot: Vitals Edge Action.  That's all it's SUPPOSED to be conveying.

Thank you for confirming the intent of this side box. In my mind there was no confusion between "Call a Shot" minor actions and Called Shot edge actions prior to the existence of it and this box RAW says nothing like what you suggest, but I'm happy to just pretend this sidebar never happened which ends up with the correct result :-)