| Body | Agility | Reaction | Strength |
| 3 | 6 (9) | 5 (8) | 5 (8) |
| Logic | Intuition | Willpower | Charisma |
| 4 | 5 | 5 | 2 |
| Edge | Essence | Initiative | |
| 5 | 0.0025 | 1d6 + 13 | |
| Physical l. | Mental l. | Social l. | |
| 9 | 6 | 3 | |
| Physical box | Stun box | Overflow | |
| 0/10 | 0/10 | 0 |
| Name | Notes |
| Agile Defender | Agility for Full Defense |
| Barrens Rat | -1 Concealability for items hidden on person (up to five) |
| Biocompatability (Cyberware) | |
| Perfect Time | +1 Performance, Extra Free Action, always knows time to the minute |
| School of Hard Knocks | 2 for 1 Street Knowledge skills |
| Steely Eyed Wheelman | Terrain Modifiers are reduced by 1 |
| Vehicle Empathy | +1 Pilot tests, +1 Handling |
| Name | Notes |
| Dead Emotion | Shame/Guilt |
| Family Curse | -2 to addiction tests |
| In Debt IV | Owe ¥30,000 to Koshari, 10% due every month |
| Ork Poser | |
| Prejudice (Common, Outspoken) (Humans) | -4 to social interactions |
| SINner (National) | Salish-Shidhe |
| So Jacked Up | +1 Reaction -1 Logic, or vice versa |
| Name | Rating | Notes |
| Firearms skill group | 4 | +1 smartlink when applicable |
| ...Automatics | 4 | |
| ...Longarms | 4 | |
| ...Pistols | 4 | |
| Athletics skill group | 1 | |
| ...Gymnastics | 1 | |
| ...Running | 1 | |
| ...Swimming | 1 | |
| Outdoors skill group | 1 | |
| ...Navigation | 1 | |
| ...Survival | 1 | |
| ...Tracking | 1 |
| Name | Rating | Notes |
| Automotive Mechanic (Wheeled) | 1 (3) | |
| Computer (Matrix Search) | 2 (4) | |
| Etiquette (Street) | 1 (3) | |
| Intimidation (Physical) | 1 (3) | |
| Locksmith | 1 | |
| Palming | 1 | |
| Perception (Hearing) | 5 (7) | +3 audio enhancers |
| Performance (Drumming) | 1 (3) | +1 Perfect Time, linked to Agility |
| Pilot Ground Craft (Wheeled) | 1 (3) | +1 Vehicle Empathy |
| Sneaking (Urban) | 5 (7) | |
| Throwing Weapons (Blades) | 5 (7) | |
| Unarmed Combat (Wildcat) | 6 (8) |
| Name | Rating | Category |
| Gangs | 4 | Street |
| Music (Orxploitation) | 2 (4) | Interest |
| Sports (Combat Biking) | 1 (3) | Interest |
| Sprawl Life | 4 | Street |
| Street Drugs | 4 | Street |
| Syndicates | 2 | Street |
| Underworld | 4 | Street |
| Name | Rating |
| English | N |
| Or'zet (Speak) | 3 (5) |
| Name | Location | Profession | C/L | Description |
| Fish Boy | Daly City | Low-Ranking Koshari Ganger | 2/2 | TBD |
| Doc Sands | Near SFSU, by Lake Merced | Back-Alley Street Doc | 2/1 | TBD |
I've always thought Intimidation should run off of BOD, but I never bothered to implement it as a house rule in any of my games.
Which reminds me, I've been meaning to start a thread it make a post somewhere that puts all my house rules in one spot. I should do that.
Can I get a ruling on how you want to handle licenses? Specifically, how granular you want to be. Possible licenses my character would need:
- Cyberware
- Bioware
- Firearms (shotgun and rifle)
- Driver's license
- Hunting (more for backstory)
If I give up some cyberware then I might be able to afford a vehicle for team use. A Toyota Gopher would fit the character well, but for story reasons I'd like to buy it used. Can I get one at a discount?
I'm thinking about picking up a point in Performance for fluff purposes. It would be for drumming, although I can't afford the specialization to say so. Not that I ever expect it to come up, but can I tie that to an attribute other than Charisma?Hrm, Performance feels pretty tied to Charisma to me. Get me a justification and what you'd tie it to, and I'll give you a decision. I can probably be talked into the point of performance w/spec for fluff purposes. I dig the story and don't see it being over powered. Yeah, technically it's a free 9 karma, but I don't see it being a big deal for balance.
Any idea what time of year the game will be set in? I'm trying to figure out whether to get an armored jacket or vest. He'll want to wear a vest to show off his muscles, but, you know, "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco."
I'm trying to keep in mind that he's from Boise, where it's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. The San Fran weather will probably confuse him. Wearing a vest is obviously sub-optimal from an armor perspective, but it might fit the character. Or it might not. He's not stupid, just brash. I'll think about it.Makes sense to me. Agility for Drumming and I'll give you the 1 with spec for fluff.
Specializations of Performance include Acting, Comedy, Presentation, and [Musical Instrument]. I would definitely agree that Acting, Comedy, and Presentation are all Charisma-driven, but I certainly don't think that someone's ability to play the piano or guitar or drums should be linked to their "force of personality, persuasiveness, and charm". I would link Performance (Musical Instrument) to either Agility, to represent the physical finesse of playing, or Intuition, if you wanted to use Artisan as a parallel. If we're looking for a precedent, instruments were rolled up under Artisan in Fourth Edition. As I said, it's a fluff hobby, so it doesn't really matter, but I figured I would ask.
As for the truck, I'm not sure my vehicular vocabular is very extensive. I was thinking of something that was maybe 4-5 years old and had seen some off-roading use (which is what Toyota Gophers are popular for in the NAN, according to the fluff). I imagine the paint is scuffed up, maybe some chips and dings on the hood and the windshield. The ride might not be as comfortable as it once was, the upholstrey might have some tears and repairs, and the interior smells like snuff, hurlg, and the wrong end of a bean burrito. So, a functional ride, but not socially prestigious. Something that would identify him as an outsider to the city folks.
== Cyberware/Bioware == (all Used, except Biosculpting+Tusks)
@badneighbor, Uffington's decidedly low class and an elf, so there's a chance that he and your dwarf combat face know one another from the hood. I don't know anything about SF as far as neighborhoods go, but maybe we're from around the same way, or at least know one another by reputation.
I'm open to suggestions, critique, whatever. I picked up a motorcycle just cause I understand SF sucks to travel on foot and it seemed weird for the Face to take the bus to a meet. I might drop it though.
I'll probably fill out a 20 Questions for him, as well as a brief writeup for my contacts. Speaking of which, should I have thrown a Fixer in there? I've played with groups that have required everyone to have a fixer, and groups that take that as a given.
What SIN(s) do you have? I see you've got the National SINner NQ, I'm assuming that's going to be what he does his art under and possibly where the Downtown SF lifestyle is associated with? Speaking of, what rating is your lifestyle? Low, Medium, High? Guessing it's not street or squatter and pretty sure it's not luxury :P
You'll want at least 1 fake SIN to commit crimes under.
Would like to see a bit more invested in your Art Gallery contact, and/or another artist-type contact given that he's supposed to be one of the best artists in the area (the Inspired PQ along with the heavy investment in the Artisan/Performer skills).
If you can afford it, the Mortimer line is probably more useful than the actioneer, and better armor than the jacket when paired with one of the overcoats. Especially as the actioneer and the armored jacket don't stack.
I'm sure you'll get more into this with the 20 questions, but a few off the top:
Is he going to be from Halferville and moved into Downtown?
How long has he lived in Downtown?
Background is up under a spoiler tag on my initial IC post.
Starting Nuyen (http://orokos.com/roll/373943): 3d6*60 ¥780
What SIN(s) do you have? I see you've got the National SINner NQ, I'm assuming that's going to be what he does his art under and possibly where the Downtown SF lifestyle is associated with? Speaking of, what rating is your lifestyle? Low, Medium, High? Guessing it's not street or squatter and pretty sure it's not luxury :P
You'll want at least 1 fake SIN to commit crimes under.
Would like to see a bit more invested in your Art Gallery contact, and/or another artist-type contact given that he's supposed to be one of the best artists in the area (the Inspired PQ along with the heavy investment in the Artisan/Performer skills).
If you can afford it, the Mortimer line is probably more useful than the actioneer, and better armor than the jacket when paired with one of the overcoats. Especially as the actioneer and the armored jacket don't stack.
I'm sure you'll get more into this with the 20 questions, but a few off the top:
Is he going to be from Halferville and moved into Downtown?
How long has he lived in Downtown?
I made pretty much all of the changes you suggested. I had to ditch the motorcycle to afford the fake SIN and better armored suit, but I think that's a good trade. I dropped his stripper contact in favor of a low-level art dealer, and buffed up his art gallery contact.
His lifestyle is Medium, and I made a note of that on the sheet (dunno why Chummer doesn't list it by default). To answer your other question, he's originally from Halferville but he's been living downtown for about five years now.
The updated sheet and 20 questions are in my first post on pg 1.
Starting Nuyen (http://orokos.com/roll/373958): 4d6*100 1700
The contacts would know his street name ("Knucks") but not his fake SIN.Cool, thanks.
Zwei, that's weird. I checked through the sheet, and it doesn't look like chummer made any other strange gaffs. Char sheet updated, and I should get 20 Qs and background info on contacts up this week/weekend.
Do any of your contacts know you by your street name and/or your fake ID or does everyone know you as Marlowe?
I've been swamped the past couple days, and I'm not sure if I'll have the time today to get everything down. If I can I'll put down the twenty questions and the broad strokes today, and fill in the details early next week.No worries mate. Life happens :) Get us what you can and we'll get started then. The more time you take, the more time I have to try and figure out WTF I'm doing as a GM :P
Good questions.
I was thinking that he might either be in debt to the Ancients or the Koshari. As I understand the canon, the Koshari smuggle things north to San Fran and then pass them off to the Ancients, who smuggle things north through the Tir. I figure that the gang from Boise was affiliated with the Koshari so that he probably borrowed the money from them, and the Koshari (and their affiliated gangs in San Fran) know it. But, if the Ancients are a better fit for the campaign, we can make it the Ancients. (As in, he came to town looking for his brothers. He talked to the Ancients, thinking they might know. One thing let to another and the easily duped Knucks found himself in debt.) The same goes for his contact. I figure he was given the name of a low-ranking peon from one of those groups when he set off to find his brothers.
For So Jacked Up, I was thinking both generics and specific drugs. I was thinking the generics as a default but one of the specific drugs when a situation calls for it. I'll make sure to make it clear whether he's up or down at a given moment.
Got my 20 questions in. That also covers his background.
@Red: I'll buy that Uff is distinctive. Make the woad paint a facial tattoo and I think we are good to go there. I like the story behind it. That works for me. If you want an Addiction, just start poppin' Psyche every week. But honestly, what are you adding it for?
And yeah, that rolling is shite. Mine's been pretty bad as well.
I don't think I'm going to be happy if LoC applies to Longarms. I was hoping to experiment with shotguns since I don't see them come up a lot, as most people go straight for Automatics. From an OOC standpoint, the LoC was intended to discourage any temptation to slip back into the warm embrace of an assault rifle. From an IC standpoint, it seems odd that someone with Loss of Confidence would be carrying weapons that he's not confident with.
If the quality isn't a good fit, there are other options that might have a good IC justification to them:
- Insomnia (popping too many pills and/or too much Essense loss)
- Weak Immune System (too many implants)
- Cyberpsychosis (although this technically requires the Antipathy negative quality, which might reasonably apply but which would require more karma juggling since it would push my negative qualities past the -10 threshold of my positive qualities)
- Dead Emotion + Family Curse (the pills, again)
- Poor Self Control: Combat Monster (which I was subconsciously avoiding since I feel a lot of people take it)
I'm calling it a miss-roll. Do it again.
If Zweiblumen doesn't want to repeat himself, we can have Legolas and Boromir intercept the Uruk-hai and bring him up to speed. Knucks doesn't know that he's working with anyone else though.
My mental math was figuring that it wasn't quite 4:30 yet. Knucks gets some tacos for lunch, takes a siesta, packs his stuff, drives over. I was thinking he had an hour to kill before the meeting with Marianna.
As for browsers eating posts, it happens to me all the time. I almost always Ctrl-A + Ctrl-C before posting. And if the browser does eat it, I have decent success using the Back button in Chrome, which often retains the values in form fields like the posting window.
I'm not seeing any GM fails, Zwei. GM can't do everything. I was wondering about time though myself, as in: does Uffington have an hour to try to rest off that 1 Stun, but I figured that with traveling back and forth, he probably didn't.
By the way, do you want me to pay cab fare or something to get down to the gallery? I don't know how far the Dogpatch is from Halferville, if the buses run in Halferville to the Dogpatch, and that sort of thing.
Growing up on the streets, you learned quickly that to
keep what little you had, you better get good at concealing
the things you are carrying and that one of
those things better be a weapon. Any objects you attempt
to hide on yourself receive –1 to their Concealability
modifier. A number of items up to half your Agility
(rounded up) can gain this bonus.
Yeah, GC completely crushed me. I'm *really* sorry for dropping the ball last week. I'm finally home, need to get caught up at work today but tonight I can get that post I owe you all up.
Again, I'm *really* sorry about disappearing like that.
So how much did you have to pay to transport and lodge yourself so that you could "volunteer"? How expensive was that t-shirt?
Drek happens, omae. You've been a solid poster. I wasn't worried. Glad you're back and hope it was a good time.
A couple OOC questions. I can make the first one IC if Zweiblumen prefers:Priority is to keep the Gallery and the people in there safe. If you can make it so that the people visiting the Gallery don't even know there's any trouble to be afraid of you get the bonus. How you accomplish that is up to you.
1) What's the definition of success for this mission? It was described to us in subtly different ways:
@Expo: "help to keep things quiet" ... "we don't want any of these clients to feel threatened here"
@Uffington: "they are paying good money just to show up and keep any eye on things. And better money to keep folks safe" ... "another 500 if you keep the trouble off their front porch"
@Knucks: "keep the gangs off that block for the night" ... "keep any outside problems outside"
2) Related to the above, how involved did you want this to be? Is this a simple shake-out encounter for the PCs to meet and get to know each other, no big deal? Or did you want us to approach it like it's a significant encounter? I'm sure that we can spend two weeks doing social recon and laying the ground work, but if you had a different pacing in mind (e.g. "just wing it so we can get on to what's next") then I'm not opposed to taking some GM direction/hints.
Love the Charlie Brown and Peter Pan call there :) Really nicely done. Between that and the Domino's reference, you've earned a second NERPS.
Zweiblumen is correct. Force acts as a negative modifier for the target to shake off the effects of Control Thoughts, so it will be easier to break free from a low Force casting that uses reagents. Plus the target is aware that their thoughts were manipulated, and are usually pissed. It's a good spell for making someone throw their weapon (or themselves) off a cliff but not ideal for a negotiation where you want the agreement to hold up longer than 30 seconds.
Knucks is ready for a fight (hence the uppers) and probably wouldn't mind given that it's a bunch of human teens (easy pickings). But he's not going to pick a fight. Expo (and the idea of a deal with the Chulos) can be the carrot and Knucks can be the stick. The Technoids can take their pick.
Knucks likes Expo's outline.
Given that the Chulos are cruising then, as opposed to parked and just revving their engines, we'll have to flag them down somehow.
What Uffington described to the group Knucks is able to label as a crew of Chulos. We'll sort the Browns vs Orange and Blue as a specific crew within the Chulos. If Knucks hadn't rolled so ridiculously well I'd retconn to have that sorted, but he knows that this is the Bayview Crew as that's near his doss.
Lets chat out how you want to proceed in OOC. You are at the corner of the alley coming out onto Tennessee and Uff can see that they are taking up the whole road cruising down armada style. Again, right now they are just being loud.
All three of you know these are Chulos and they currently 4 blocks to the south and cruising slowly. Still well outside of anything considered "bothering the gallery" but headed your way.
To throw another angle in this (and I'll IC it today) Expo's 'link goes off with a response from Mickey saying he'll make an intro for you, but it's gonna cost. Nuthin in the Sixth World is free chummer :P "Oi Émeric, I'm happy to get you in touch with an Ell Tee from the Chulos. Even put in a good word for ye, but it's gonna be jing! 25% and you'll be talkin' with 'em in 5."
That's the meat of the message as is pertinent to planning. I'm a little crushed at work and class today, but I'll get an IC up before I go to class.
Playing along for the moment, I'll roll Knucks' Music knowledge skill: Intuition 5 + Music 2 (http://orokos.com/roll/392628): 7d6t5 3 hitslike
He will internally roll his eyes and categorize this as "Stuff Breeders Like". Which means that he likes it too but will die before he admits it.
Personally I'd rather keep it in spoilers. I like things a little grittier than the idea of gangers playing music from 90-100 years ago. For example, I'm not aware of any modern gangs playing swing music / jazz from the 1920s, but I confess that my street exposure is limited these days.
But if they don't like the sound of that and are just looking to rumble, well then Knucks can oblige. (Logically he understands that it makes more sense to team up with the Chulos to beat down the teenage Technoids, but the Chulos are right there right now and are so conveniently available!)
FYI, I'll throw an IC post in after MeatWagon responds :D
Knucks on Downers would probably wonder about the wisdom of blowing 250 nuyen on magical supplies for a job that only pays 2,000 (provided, of course, that Knucks would even know what reagents cost). Knucks on Uppers will certainly not think of that and will be transfixed on the novelty of WOAH I AM INVISIBLE!
Casting Force 3 Improved Invisibility on Expo, using 5 Reagents. Focused Concentration brings Sustained Penalty to -1. I have: MAG (6) + Spellcasting (6) + Illusion Spec (2) - Sustained Penalty (1) = 13 dice.
Force 3 Improved Invisibility + 5 Reagents (http://orokos.com/roll/402406): 13d6t5 5
Expo is at -5 for Visual Perception Checks.
A technomancer or magic user with the Focused Concentration quality has the discipline to manipulate mana or Resonance more precisely than otherwise possible. This precision reduces stress to the magic user’s or technomancer’s body. She is able to sustain one spell/complex form with a force/level equal to her Focused Concentration rating without suffering any penalties. For example, a magic user with Focused Concentration rating 3 may sustain a Force 3 Armor spell without taking the negative dice pool modi er for sustaining a spell. Sustaining any additional spells or complex forms incurs the standard –2 dice pool modi er per spell or complex form sustained. This quality may only be taken by magic user characters that are able to cast spells and technomancers.
Perception (http://orokos.com/roll/402862): 8d6t5 5
+Visual (http://orokos.com/roll/402863): 2d6t5 0
...so the visual specialization doesn't get me anything extra.
I don't have any knowledge skills that are a particularly tight fit. I have Gangs but that's more along the lines of knowing which gang is which, and what gang life is like. I'll roll that, since it's as close as I can get, but I presume the threshold will be high.
Gangs knowledge skill: Intuition 5 + Gangs 4 (http://orokos.com/roll/412157): 9d6t5 5 hits, pretty sharp
I'll roll Combat Biking too for giggles. It's probably not as applicable as Urban Brawl would be, but combat biking is still a big game of capture-the-flag that probably involves ambushes and chokepoints.
Combat biking: Intuition 5 + Combat Biking 3 (http://orokos.com/roll/412158): 8d6t5 1 hit, perhaps not a good parallel after all
Only applicable roll I can make with Uffington is Area Knowledge: San Francisco. I have: INT (5) + Area Knowledge (3) = 8 dice.
Area Knowledge (http://orokos.com/roll/412160): 8d6t5 1
Not so great.
Uffington may suggest the trio go in as a radar and then call in backup when we see what route they're taking.
1) Knucks' likes the idea of bottling them up near the end of the ramp so that they can't retreat very easily. Side-to-side means they have to jump off the ramp. Retreating doesn't provide any cover, meaning they have to advance into fire.
2) He also likes the idea of letting them pass by, then nicking them one-by-one from the rear, perhaps quietly with fists or throwing knives so that the ones further up aren't alerted.
Who would be able to make the most surgical attack on the leader?
Sounds like we're close. Badneighbor's point about giving them an opportunity to retreat is an interesting idea. Alternatively, we could surround them and get them to surrender. That will probably only work if we take down WizKid first, and hard.
Sounds like the rough steps are:
1) Identify WizKid
2) Knucks throw a knife into WizKid (if possible)
3) Uffington lightning ball the kiddos
4) Knucks and Expo mop up remaining resistance
5) Profit!
Uffington's spirit can probably do... something. I'll let rednblack strategize that. Uffington only has one service, so we'll have to make it count. (Rednblack, don't forget to pick your Optional Power.)
Zweiblumen, what do you want for IC posts to cover this?
Update: was half way through my post when family drama exploded. Once we find a hotel and get settled for the week I'll have the IC posted.
Sorry this run has been so scattered. I swear I usually don't have this much drama in my life.
Knucks will paint himself with NoPaint. The rules say that humans need one dose and orks/trolls need two doses. Knucks is technically human but he has the Strength (and Physical limit) of an ork, so I'm going to use two doses.
He now has High Pain Tolerance 3 for NoPaint duration (http://orokos.com/roll/402971): 1d6 6 hours
Knucks will also pop some Cram. I'm going to say this overrides the generic stimulants that he takes for So Jacked Up. He is now at Reaction +1 plus +1d6 initiative for the next 9 hours. He'll crash and suffer 6S sometime around sunrise.
Here's his loadout:
Armor
Armor Vest
Custom Ballistic Mask
Forearm Guards
Weapons
Plasteel Toe Boots
Throwing Knife x10
Urban Tribe Tomahawk
Grenade: Flash-Bang x1
Grenade: Fragmentation x1
Grenade: High Explosive x1
Electronics and Gear
Hermes Ikon (DP: 5, FWL: 5)
Autopicker Rating 5
Stim Patch R6
Tranq Patch R6
Trauma Patch
Knucks will skip guns for now unless one of the others rags on him for not bringing any. He'll stick with throwing weapons and fists. He's ready to get his hands dirty, by which I mean wet.
As the group approached, Uffington would also Assense them to make sure he knows who WizKid is. I have: INT (5) + Assensing (5) + Aura Reading Spec (2) - Sustaining Penalties (2) = 10 dice.
Assensing (http://orokos.com/roll/426057): 10d6t5 5
I trust that will pick him out.
As the group approached, Uffington would also Assense them to make sure he knows who WizKid is. I have: INT (5) + Assensing (5) + Aura Reading Spec (2) - Sustaining Penalties (2) = 10 dice.
Assensing (http://orokos.com/roll/426057): 10d6t5 5
I trust that will pick him out.
The plan was for Uffington to Assense as soon as they were within eye sight to make sure Uffington targets the right one. He will not continue to Assense after that's done so it shouldn't affect the CT or Initiative at all.
sorry for the jarring speed.
Expo needs to take a Simple Action to turn his link on. That will get the Chulos down for "backup."
Let's see if Uffington knows to stay away. I have CHA (3) + Etiquette (2) + Mentor Spirit (2) = 7 dice.
Etiquette (http://orokos.com/roll/434509): 7d6t5 1
Meh. He may come out and make a nuisance of himself until he catches the eye from Expo.
I don't speak a word of French, so the phrase Expo used is straight from Google Translate. He's supposed to be saying "please be calm".
I don't speak a word of French, so the phrase Expo used is straight from Google Translate. He's supposed to be saying "please be calm".
S'il vous plaît, restez calme Mademoiselle is the correct way to say it ;)
Voire même Il n'y a pas de quoi vous inquiéter Mademoiselle, ne vous en faites pas. The previous sentence could be used, but it's less natural in French. Not that it matters much for what you want though of course.