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[5E] Ex-Firewatch Concept

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Marcus

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« on: <07-30-14/0514:00> »
Here is my take on a tech build. Yeah I'm kinda an Ares fan boy, I won't lie.  Just wanted to show I don't always go for magic in builds!
This would be something like my version of a company man, but a lot more along the lines of weapons specialist then a face.
Thoughts?

Street Name- Anteros
A-Attributes B-Resources C- Skills D-Human (3) E-Mundane

Attributes-
Bod 3 (4)
Agi 7 (9)
Str 3 (5)
Rea 5 ( 8 )
Log 3
Int 5
Wil 3
Cha 3
Edge 5
Init 10 (13)+2d6
Essence 1.42
Limits- P-8 M-5 S-4

Qualities- (-20+25= +5)
Brand Loyalty (Ares) (-3)
Agile Defender (-3)
Exceptional Attribute (Agility) (-14)
Consummate Professional (+3)
SINNER Corporate Sin (+25)

Combat Pools-
Ares Alpha-(Concealed in Car)
   Accuracy 8, Pool 19, Damage 11P, AP -2, Modes SA/BF/FA, RC 5, Ammo 42(c)
Ares Crusader-(Concealed, Quick Draw Holster)
 Accuracy 8, Pool 21, Damage 7P, Modes SA/BF, RC 4, Ammo 40(c)
Firewatch Reinforced Combat Boots (Unarmed)-
Accuracy 8, Pool 19(20), Reach 1 (Kick and Jump Kick), Damage 8P
Defense 13, Full Defense 22, Soak 18 (AR- 14)

Cyber and Bioware- (Cost 191.1 and 4.68 E)
Alpha Muscle Replacement Rating 2
Alpha Reaction Enhancers Rating 2
Alpha Wired Reflexes Rating 1
Alpha Plastic Bone Lacing
Cybereyes Rating 2
Flair Compensation, Image link, Low-light Vision, Smartlink and Thermographic Vision
Reflex Recorder (Automatics)
Reflex Recorder (Unarmed)
Sound Link


Skills- (28/2)
Automatics 6 (Machine Pistols) +2
Computers 3
Influence Skill Group 2
Perception 4
Pilot Ground Craft 3
Sneak 4
Unarmed 6 (Striking) +2

Martial Arts-Tae Kwon Do-   (-17)
Flying Kick
Kick
Opposing Force (Block)

Knowledge Skills- (16)
Ares Products 4
Firearms 2
Local Johnsons 2
Shadow Hangouts 2
Small Unit Tactics 6

Gear- (93.9)
Ares WildHunt
   Custom Protection (Non-Conductive) 6, Gear Access, Holster, Auto-Injector (Trauma)
Urban Explorer Jump Suit 11
Auto-Injector (Trauma), Bio-monitor, Chemical Protection 4, Non-Conductive 4, Gel Packs
Urban Explorer Jump Suit-Helmet +2
   Trodes, Motion Sensor 2, Geiger Counter 2
DocWagon (Basic)
Comm-link- Apple I-link- (Functionally Identical to a Transys Avalon)
Metalink x4
Clothes (Fatigues in Arctic, Black, Desert, Forest and Urban) x5
Fake Sin Rating 4
Fake License Rating 4 (Restricted Cyberware)
Fake Licence Rating 4 (Driver Licence)
Fake License Rating 4 (Firearms)
Fake License Rating 4 (Courier)
Tag Eraser
Gas Mask
High Life Style (1 Month)

Vehicle-
GMC Commodore  (w/ Smuggling Compartment )

Weapons-
Ares Alpha
Smartlink, Personalized Grip, Extra Clip, Shock pad
(Unless Otherwise Noted in Smuggler Compartment in Car)
Ares Crusader II (x2)
   Extra Clip (x3), Personalized Grip, Smartlink, Suppressor
In Concealed, Quick Draw Holster
Firewatch Reinforced Combat Boots (Knucks for Feet) (x2)

Ammo- (MP-Machine Pistol, AR-Assault Rifle)
APDS (80 rounds MP, 50 AR)
Regular Ammo (200 Rounds, MP and AR)
Stick-n-Shocks (200 Rounds, MP)
Gel Rounds (80 MP)

Total 85.66 of 93.9 (8.24 resources open)

Contacts- (-3 karma to contacts) (12)
Fixer- 2/3 (Mrs.Johnson) (Elven Ares Parole Officer)
Master Sergeant Ernest B. Herskal (2/3) (Orcish Arms Dealer)
Dr.Buddy (2/2) (Frat Brother, turned Discount Cyberdoc)

10 Karma remaining
« Last Edit: <07-30-14/1203:25> by Marcus »
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ZeldaBravo

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« Reply #1 on: <07-30-14/0559:01> »
You can't have betaware at chargen. At least not for a player character.
*I have problems with clarifying my point in English, so sometimes I might sound stupid or rude.*

Marcus

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« Reply #2 on: <07-30-14/0607:01> »
You can't have betaware at chargen. At least not for a player character.

Dang it! I totally missed that thanks ZB.
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Gasp

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« Reply #3 on: <07-30-14/0657:59> »
Firefight would make more sense for an ex-Firewatch as martial art.

Novocrane

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« Reply #4 on: <07-30-14/0711:38> »
Quote
Ex-Firewatch Concept
Open the core book up to p384 and compare with either Professional Rating 5 or 6. You kind of come out second best against the guys you're supposed to have been part of. I'd suggest toning the background down to failing training or something similar.

Marcus

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« Reply #5 on: <07-30-14/0741:49> »
Firefight would make more sense for an ex-Firewatch as martial art.
I can understand why you think that but It actually doesn't really. Firewatch the martial art employ pistols, where Firewatch teams of course prefer the Ares Alpha, Which is no way conducive to use with that Firewatch style, IE you can't its specifically restricted to pistols not automatics. Canon talks about the firewatch martial art being developed as a show case.
This fighting style would allow the user to make optimal use of all available limbs. Even when you got both hands full your feet are still free.

Quote
Ex-Firewatch Concept
Open the core book up to p384 and compare with either Professional Rating 5 or 6. You kind of come out second best against the guys you're supposed to have been part of. I'd suggest toning the background down to failing training or something similar.

While certainly their skill base is much broader as NPC they run purely on skill groups, but if you do the math on their actual pools for shooting and unarmed combat you will discover that this character is actually a couple die up on them, and with Martial arts, capable of couple things they cannot do. Specifically Prof 5 Shoot at pool of 18 with Ares Alphas with accuracy of 7, vs 19-21 with Accuracy 8, unarmed 14 vs 19/20. Prof 6 shoot at 20 dice, and melee for 17, so again he is in that range. They clearly have edge in electronics, but he's as good as sneaking and Small unit tactics, and they are basically the same in terms of soak. He'd basically keep up with Prof 5 in terms of initiative, but he'd fall behind vs Prof 6. Ares Fireteams depending on the unit are basically private corp which means a good number of them fall into Prof 5, and I think he fits pretty well in that range. Clearly he's a couple years behind but that's fine with me, fits the character well.

 
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Gasp

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« Reply #6 on: <07-30-14/0826:14> »
Firefight would make more sense for an ex-Firewatch as martial art.
I can understand why you think that but It actually doesn't really. Firewatch the martial art employ pistols, where Firewatch teams of course prefer the Ares Alpha, Which is no way conducive to use with that Firewatch style, IE you can't its specifically restricted to pistols not automatics. Canon talks about the firewatch martial art being developed as a show case.
This fighting style would allow the user to make optimal use of all available limbs. Even when you got both hands full your feet are still free.



Well, the description in SR4 makes it indeed looks like a "just for show" martial art, while SR5 makes it look more professionnal, and i prefer to follow SR5 for that. Now, the "for show" part is gun kata. (At least when you compare the entries from Arsenal and Run&Gun. I dont know if there is other sources for firefight.) Since its described as beeing made from training for urban combat, the use of pistol (like machine pistols, which is your specialiation) makes more sense than the assault riffle. But i can understand the bonus are less interesting when it comes to unarmed combat. Its "keep fireing in melee" vs "kicking ass with my boots in melee". The first one makes more sense to me when it comes to  Firewatch.
Canon-wise, it would be like an ex Wildcat character without knowledge of Wildcat (the martial art). But its you character, so the final call is yours.

Edit : By the way, a smugling compartment cost 3500for average metahuman sized and 7000 for troll sized. Bot have an availability of 12F and can be found in Stolen Souls.
« Last Edit: <07-30-14/0836:31> by Gasp »

Novocrane

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« Reply #7 on: <07-30-14/0842:57> »
Quote
While certainly their skill base is much broader as NPC they run purely on skill groups
Which is an important point; they're elite security / military special forces. Shooting, stabbing, or punching quickly and accurately aren't the be all and end all of making the grade - but even there they're uniformly capable with anything at hand, while you're specialised in automatics and unarmed.

Taken as a whole, it doesn't say "I was accepted into Firewatch training" to me.
« Last Edit: <07-30-14/0844:57> by Novocrane »

Marcus

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« Reply #8 on: <07-30-14/1201:19> »
Edit : By the way, a smugling compartment cost 3500for average metahuman sized and 7000 for troll sized. Bot have an availability of 12F and can be found in Stolen Souls.

Thanks much!  :D

Quote
While certainly their skill base is much broader as NPC they run purely on skill groups
Which is an important point; they're elite security / military special forces. Shooting, stabbing, or punching quickly and accurately aren't the be all and end all of making the grade - but even there they're uniformly capable with anything at hand, while you're specialised in automatics and unarmed.

Taken as a whole, it doesn't say "I was accepted into Firewatch training" to me.

My opinion on it, remains that fighting and small unit tactics remains the two most important characteristics, of this type of unit. He does those as well or better. I'm happy with that.
 
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Marcus

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« Reply #9 on: <07-30-14/1217:15> »
Well, the description in SR4 makes it indeed looks like a "just for show" martial art, while SR5 makes it look more professionnal, and i prefer to follow SR5 for that. Now, the "for show" part is gun kata. (At least when you compare the entries from Arsenal and Run&Gun. I dont know if there is other sources for firefight.) Since its described as beeing made from training for urban combat, the use of pistol (like machine pistols, which is your specialiation) makes more sense than the assault riffle. But i can understand the bonus are less interesting when it comes to unarmed combat. Its "keep fireing in melee" vs "kicking ass with my boots in melee". The first one makes more sense to me when it comes to  Firewatch.
Canon-wise, it would be like an ex Wildcat character without knowledge of Wildcat (the martial art). But its you character, so the final call is yours.

I did consider it carefully, and if Machine Pistols could have been usable with it under RAW, I'd have done it. But that's just not how it is.
« Last Edit: <07-30-14/1226:17> by Marcus »
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Gasp

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« Reply #10 on: <07-30-14/1311:58> »
Ah, damn, I forgot that machine pistols use automatic skill.

Get some points in negociation and use it on your GM then. ;D

Novocrane

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« Reply #11 on: <07-30-14/1828:08> »
Get some points in negociation and use it on your GM then. ;D
Or use the One Trick Pony quality to take Close Quarters Firearms: Automatics. It even fits with where the character stands in terms of training. :P

Marcus

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« Reply #12 on: <07-30-14/1942:56> »
Get some points in negociation and use it on your GM then. ;D
Or use the One Trick Pony quality to take Close Quarters Firearms: Automatics. It even fits with where the character stands in terms of training. :P

 ??? Why you're of course clearly mistaken concern training, after all the build is a better fighter then them.  ???

But regardless One trick Pony is in fact just that a quality unlike martial arts, and a 7 point quality at that. 7 points is greater then the 5 positive quality points he has open.  Further unless a build very specifically calls for it,  I don't like the concept of One Trick Pony, it's really to costly for what it does, and vastly to random.  :o

Finally the phrase "One trick Pony" carries a very negative connotation to me. Its not at all hard to have two or even three tricks, on a given concept, so one is really just shooting yourself in the foot game wise.  8)

So for all those reasons I decline.  :P
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Novocrane

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« Reply #13 on: <07-30-14/2019:04> »
Quote
Why you're of course clearly mistaken concern training, after all the build is a better fighter then them.
Except when the character isn't a better fighter - which is when pistols, longarms, blades, and clubs come into play. (elite sec & spec ops are uniformly trained and capable with weapons) Or when it comes to physical activity like running, jumping, climbing - elite fitness levels. Or in terms of sheer professionalism. (which actually adds to some dice pools) Or for any specific skills Ares Firewatch include when you're looking at them specifically, rather than a standard template for grunts of their ilk.

Which is why I suggested failed recruit, rather than ex-elite, and why I said One Trick Pony fits - because it does carry negative connotations, and the character is hasn't completed the same broad training a full Firewatch elite would have completed.

Anyways, that's enough from me, and you can do with it as you will at your table. /opinions

Davidvs

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« Reply #14 on: <07-30-14/2042:38> »
Hi Marcus,

This is a neat concept. But, you should be prepared in case your GM nixes it. ... Firewatch is one of those groups that should strike fear into PCs. A GM is within his/her rights to say that starting PCs can't be part of a group like that because they don't have the skills. Because if the GM lets you come in as a watered down Firewatch then the PCs won't fear the stuff in-game that they should.

You don't have to scrap it though. There are ways around it. Here is one example:
Mom/dad was Firewatch and you couldn't get in - so you are in the shadows because you know that on the street you learn faster or you die. Someday Ares will come asking you to be in Fairewatch, your sure of it.