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[5E OOC] The Further Adventures of James and Illeana

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rednblack

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« Reply #15 on: <01-24-16/1638:01> »
V. Paralyzing Touch: 27d6t5 7
Dodged.

For CT1 IP3
Free: Multiple Attacks
Complex: Attack Cockatrice #4 with Cyber Spur and #1 with Shock Hand.  We'll call the Cyber Spur the first attack again.

I have: AGI (11) + Unarmed Combat (7) + Cyber Implants Spec. (2) + Touch Only (2) = 22/2 = 11 dice per attack.
Melee Attack, Split pool: 2#11d6t5 4 4
I feel pretty good about those.

Base damage is Cyber Spur: 11P -2AP, and Shock Hand: 9S(e) -5AP
Shock Hand is at 8/10 Charges
James is at 4/5 Edge.

Initiative for CT 2: Initiative: 16+4d6 30

Re: Martial Arts:  I'm going to sacrifice Automotive Mechanic 2 and Chemistry 1.  That will leave James with 1 Karma, after buying Wrestling (Sport Style) for 7 Karma and selecting the Throw technique.  I really like the look of Wrestling.  Sweep is a pretty fantastic technique as well. I see that one in Ace's future.

Re: Electricity damage: I don't really have a strong gut feeling.  On the one hand, adding Net Hits for how solid the connection is makes sense to me, but what you wrote about electricity damage being more to "immobilize" than incapacitate makes sense to me.  It's a tricky thing to relate to the real world, as real world police will often give suspects multiple "rides" on a taser, and they stay conscious, while being completely incapacitated, and SR mechanics just can't really reflect something like that -- unless you start to play really fast and loose with what "Unconscious" means at your table.  Mechanically, I would like to stage up the DV, especially for the Shock Hand, as it's James' chief non-lethal method for rendering guards unconscious, though maybe with his present STR of 8, he should just punch them in the face repeatedly.  Splitting his dice pool would still have a mook soaking 8S + Net Hits twice in one IP.  Anyway, that tangent aside, mechanics aren't the only concern.  You and I both seem to care about immersion and the rules reflecting some idea of the game world's realism, and I'm not sure how to best accomplish that.

Note: I have not updated char sheet to reflect new MA style, or delete dropped skills. Updated 1/26
« Last Edit: <01-26-16/1357:57> by rednblack »
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Tecumseh

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« Reply #16 on: <01-25-16/0032:54> »
I'll continue to think about the shock hand, although I admit that I've been thinking about it ever since 4th Edition and still haven't settled on anything. On the one hand I'm loathe to create a special set of rules for one particular type of attack, but on the other hand the rules already do that (with electrical attacks, or fire attacks, or acid attacks, etc.). I do like my rules to have real-world parallels, but that can be tricky in a game where the rules are - by necessity of playability - going to be abstractions. And, of course, how much can our present world really parallel a world set 60 years in the future with magic and cyber and all that?

Separately, cyberlimbs to Physical damage, not Stun (see SR5, p. 456), so James should probably not punch a goon if he wants it to be non-lethal. Depending on what we rule about electricity, James' best bet might be subduing combat, although that's rarely a one-hit KO.

Back to combat.

Dodging James: Reaction + Intuition: 2#?d6t5 4 hits 4 hits

Ha, take that, Mr. Cyborg Supersoldier. That will teach you to split your attack pool.

The shock hand discharges anyway. Soaking 9S(e): Body + Armor - AP: ?d6t5 2 hits

#1 gets tazed with 7S. That exceeds its Physical limit so it is now prone. It is now at 9S and no longer actively resisting.

CT2 IP1
James: 30
Cockatrice #1: fried
Cockatrice #2: fried
Cockatrice #3: ? - 6S, prone
Cockatrice #4: ?
Cockatrice #5: ?

Go ahead and declare and roll. I'll post something short ICly for Illeana's response to James' question, but I'll leave the IC action sequence in your hands for now. Her response is going to be longer than what would fit into an initiative pass, but it's RP and doesn't impact the combat. Chalk it up as background chatter that James can listen to while he's bobbing and weaving.

rednblack

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« Reply #17 on: <01-25-16/1046:18> »
I forgot about narcojet in capsule rounds.  Ace has that for nonlethal.

Ok, CT2 IP1
Free: Short Phrase
Complex: Attack Cockatrice#4 with Cyber Spur

I have: AGI (11) + Unarmed Combat (7) + Cyber Weapons Spec. (2) = 20 dice.
Melee Attack: 20d6t5 6
Base damage is 11P -2AP
Shock Hand is at 8/10 charges
James is a 4/5 Edge

If this attack drops Cockatrice#4, he'll use Block on the remaining cockatrice's attack, knocking his Initiative down to 25.
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Tecumseh

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« Reply #18 on: <01-25-16/1225:48> »
Cockatrice #4 dodge: Reaction + Intuition: ?d6t5 1 hit, that's not going to do it.

Damage is staged up to 16P on net hits. The little bastard doesn't have enough Body to soak that down to a survivable level. You've cleaved it's head straight off.

Cockatrice #3: Stand up and run like hell. But it's injured so it needs a test to stand.

Stand: Body + Willpower - Damage: ?d6t5 2 hits, it succeeds

It stands and takes off running. You note that it's very fast, maybe as fast as you. It might be a fun foot race, or maybe you'll just shoot it in the back.

Cockatrice #5 is going to try to Paralyze you. A friendly GM hint that Block won't help you against Paralyzing Touch, and that you may wish to Dodge instead.

Paralyzing Touch: Magic + Agility: ?d6t5 3 hits

CT2 IP2
James: 15 (with Dodge)
Cockatrice #1: fried
Cockatrice #2: fried
Cockatrice #3: ? - 6S, running like hell
Cockatrice #4: decapitated
Cockatrice #5: ?

Next
James Dodge
James Counterattack
James IC post

rednblack

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« Reply #19 on: <01-25-16/1400:47> »
Ok, so rednblack will take gladly take the hint and James will Dodge.  V. Paralyzing Attack, I have: WIL (7) + INT (9) + Gymnastics (6) = 22 dice
V. Paralyzing Touch (Dodge): 22d6t5 4

CT2 IP2
Free: Run
Complex: Cyber Spur on Cockatrice#5

James is going to give chase on Cockatrice#3, trying to knock the head off of #5 on his way.  For the attack I have: AGI (11) + Unarmed Combat (7) + Cyber Implants Spec. (2) - Running (2) = 18 dice.  Assuming Cockatrice#5 is too far for a Charging Attack.
Melee Attack: 18d6t5 5

If Cockatrice#5 goes down, the plan is to start Sprinting after Cockatrice#3. 
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Tecumseh

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« Reply #20 on: <01-25-16/1450:03> »
Poor Cockatrice #5 doesn't have the Initiative to go Full Defense.

Dodging: Reaction + Intuition: 7d6t5 2 hits

That's 14P with net hits. Again, Body can't soak enough hits to make it survivable. Well, I suppose it could just be in Overflow instead of insta-kill, but either way it will be and/or already is quite dead.

Cockatrice #3 has a 7 meter head start. Its base running rate is only a tiny bit slower than James' (20 meters per turn for the Cockatrice versus 22 meters per turn for James), so it basically comes down to a sprinting test. That said, James' extra initiative passes should give him enough to catch up with the stunned cockatrice, which only gets one initiative pass on average.

Let's do the math, buying hits. The cockatrice is going to get 6 meters of sprinting per turn. James will get Strength 8 + Running 6 + Hydraulic Jacks 6 = 20 dice = 5 purchased hits * 2 meters/hit = 10 meters per sprinting test. Say three IPs on average, so 30 meters of sprinting per 3 seconds versus 6 meters for the cockatrice. That's 24 meters per turn faster, plus the extra 2 meter/turn base rate difference, equals 26 meters faster per turn. So it only takes Ace 7 meters / 26 meters/turn = 27% of a combat turn = 0.8 seconds to catch up with the cockatrice. You are free to dispatch it without rolling.

So James' base running rate + sprinting is roughly 52 meters per turn = 62kph = 39mph. Maybe even a bit better if he's not buying hits. Seems about right for cyborg supersoldier.

Next
I'll IC a response from Illeana, then you can finish off the last cockatrice and IC pose what James does next.

Tecumseh

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« Reply #21 on: <01-25-16/1815:46> »
Ball is back to you. You're free to add anything that James might be thinking of, or dreaming about, but don't have him wake up. I've actually written the next part of what happens ICly but I wanted to give you an opportunity to chime in and maybe explore some of James' thinking. If you don't have much at this juncture, that's fine too, but I wanted to give it a bit of room to breathe.

Tecumseh

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« Reply #22 on: <01-26-16/1313:58> »
Round two.

This is what it looks like. You're about the size of one paw. I'm attaching a separate .png that gives a size comparison.



You can roll Parazoology if you want. Action is to you.

rednblack

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« Reply #23 on: <01-26-16/1335:20> »
Yes, I definitely want to roll Parazoology.  I have: LOG (4) + Parazoology (4) = 8 dice.  I'll roll the N. America Spec. separately in case it doesn't count.
Parazoology: 8d6t5 7
Woo!  Let's see if I can roll that on a not-getting-squished test.  Still one shy of my limit, so let's see how it goes.
N. America Spec.: 2d6t5 0
Nope.  Just gonna keep my seven measly hits.

I remember a thread in the GM's Lounge subforum about these.  I'm terrified.  This should be fun.  Ok, questions aside from general knowledge:
1) Does James think the RV can outrun the Juggernaut? 
2) How far are James and Illeana from the RV?
3) How far away is the Juggernaut from James and Illeana and the RV?
4) If running isn't an option, would James' High Explosive minis do anything other than piss the Juggernaut off?
5) How much is their bounty again?
« Last Edit: <01-26-16/1338:15> by rednblack »
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Tecumseh

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« Reply #24 on: <01-26-16/1500:41> »
7 hits is enough to establish James as a dedicated hobbyist who knows everything there is to know about juggernauts. The North American specialization would have applied, but I can't think of anything that I would tell you at 8 hits that I wouldn't tell you at 7 hits.

1) James knows that juggernauts can jog along easily at 27kph. Despite their relatively short legs, their leg muscles are powerful and they can sprint like a boss. They can sprint up to 85kph with ease, and occasionally have been clocked going even faster. So, could the RV outrun the juggernaut? On a paved road, yes. On a gravel/dirt road? Questionable. It's 4 kilometers to the nearest paved road (to the south).

2) The RV is 400 meters to the west.

3) The juggernaut is about 100 meters to the north. It is sprinting at you. Right now you have about 2 full Combat Turns before it reaches you, although you could stretch that out by running in the opposite direction.

3a) Per the earlier post, James knows he can sprint at about 62kph. Illeana caps out around 50kph unless magic is involved, in which case she can hit 55 or so. You're both fast, but not 85kph fast.

4) They'll just piss it off. It has armor like woah. James has heard stories of juggernauts shrugging off cluster bombs dropped by t-birds. To phase it you'll need to cut through its massive armor.

5) If you can capture it alive, ¥1,500,000. Dead, probably low six-figures. They usually retreat underground if they've been seriously injured.

James thinks that this juggernaut must be at the very north end of the species' range. They are more common in the PCC, CAS, and Aztlan. He can't ever recall one appearing in the Sioux Nation, but he knows that they have been slowly migrating north over the years.

Here's what you know with 7 hits:

Quote
The juggernaut is an unstoppable force that strongly resembles a dramatically enlarged specimen of its mundane relative, the common armadillo (Dasypus praegrandis). These specimens can exceed 14 meters in length and weigh well over 7,000 kilograms. A shell very similar to that of the mundane armadillo protects its enormous body, and it shares that animal’s poor eyesight. While the juggernaut’s claws are shaped for digging, their 110-centimeter length leaves them quite effective as weapons.

A juggernaut’s metabolism is complex and amazing. These animals are capable of digesting virtually anything, including complex inorganic compounds. These mammals constantly devour everything in sight, including seemingly random swaths of earth.

A consequence of this unique metabolism is that a juggernaut can function for several hours without air. This permits these terrors to hunt a stream or lakebed even though they are incapable of swimming due to their bone density. In the absence of fresh air, juggernauts do operate more slowly; however, their size and strength often seem to more than compensate for this limitation.

In spite of their inherently flexible dietary needs, juggernauts remain diurnal, territorial predators. They are extremely aggressive and determined in their hunting but not at all selective in their prey choice. Essentially, any motion that they sense is enough to whet their appetites. Once a juggernaut has selected a target, it will pursue aggressively for hours, relying upon its sensitive smell to follow a trail for up to 15 kilometers. Along the way, the juggernaut will continuously feed and leave a rampant trail of destruction. Only an environment that is rich enough in prey to assuage its hunger will distract a juggernaut from its original target.

rednblack

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« Reply #25 on: <01-27-16/1132:11> »
Ok, we may need to rely on Illeana for this one.  Going with a potential GM hint, I think Illeana should Levitate herself and James and move to the east.  Comm the RV to start driving to the nearest paved road.  If an Air Spirit's Movement power would help them actually outrun the thing, summon one a them puppies. 

Issues: we're looking at a high Force to be able to clear 14+ meters in two CTs, and should it be close I'm expecting some severe penalties to Dodge while under the affects of a Levitate spell.  Focused Concentration 6 will come in handy for the sustaining penalties, at least, and since the range of the spell is LOS, we can start sprinting away immediately.

Initiative: Initiative: 16+4d6 32
Good.  That extra pass will help.

Free: Run
Free: Speak
Simple: Stand
Simple: Ready Alpha.

I'll get an IC up soon.
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Tecumseh

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« Reply #26 on: <01-27-16/1519:45> »
That's a good plan and was what Illeana was going to do if James had a sudden stroke.

If you start running in the opposite direction, it will buy you another Combat Turn. That should buy enough time for the Levitate to get you out of its reach. This presumes that Illeana doesn't flub the casting rolls badly, but there's Edge for that.

James @ F6: Magic 6 + Spellcasting 7 + Mentor Spirit 2: 15d6t5 7 hits
Illeana @ F6: Magic 6 + Spellcasting 7 + Mentor Spirit 2: 15d6t5 5 hits

Soaking drain 4S drain twice: Willpower 6 + Intuition 10: 2#16d6t5 5 hits 5 hits

Illeana is now at -2 for sustaining.

Illeana levitates you at 6 meters a turn. On the third turn, you are 18 meters off the ground when the juggernaut - 14 meters long and with a 4 meter reach - catches up with you. It will dramatically miss by centimeters.

That said, James may wish to shoot or otherwise distract it so that it doesn't try to jump. James doesn't know of any recorded instances of juggernauts jumping, but he knows that their legs are crazy strong and that it could probably propel itself pretty far if it is sufficiently determined.

The question is "now what"? You'll be suspended in midair above an angry monster. If it's paying attention to you, the RV can probably get away, but then how do you rejoin the RV? Presumably it will follow you. James knows that juggernauts are ornery and hold grudges.

rednblack

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« Reply #27 on: <01-27-16/1558:32> »
First, sorry for the overly brief IC. My day job is a bit hectic today as well.

I think the plan should be for the RV to get away, and James and Illeana can meet up with it later. An Air Spirit's Movement power would help a lot, or we could simply climb enough to where the wind will scatter our delicious smell and make our escape that way, as their eye sight is pretty poor.
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Tecumseh

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« Reply #28 on: <01-27-16/1604:32> »
I forgot to address the air spirit. Illeana can't summon right now because her current spirit is watching over Sam. It isn't bound - it's just providing Concealment as a remote service - so she can't conjure any more at the moment without exposing Sam.

Up up and away you go. I'll IC post... sometime.

rednblack

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« Reply #29 on: <01-27-16/1708:22> »
Ahh, gotcha.

Ok, once James goes airborne, he'll go:

Free: Switch Alpha to Burst Fire
Simple: Take Aim
Simple: Take Aim

The next IP he'll go.
Free: Called Shot: Bulls-Eye Burst
Simple: Take Aim
Simple: Three Round Burst at Juggernaut.

Boy, I wish I had my Lancer for this, but I have: AGI (11) + Firearms Group (8) + Take AimX3 (3) - Called Shot (4) = 18 dice
Called Shot v. Juggernaut: 18d6t5 8
Forgot Target Modifier Huge, +3 dice: Target Modifier: 3d6t5 0
No help.  Taking Aim with a smartlink increases the Accuracy as well as the dice pool for each Simple, but I'm not sure if that's tied into the Wireless bonuses, so I'll hold off on spending Edge this go around.

Bulls-Eye Burst would adjust AP as AP + (AP X 3) by RAW, which is -24 if the weapon's base AP stacks, or -18 if it doesn't.  I know this Called Shot has been seen as abusive, so feel free to house rule as you see fit.  It won't hurt my feelings any.

Base damage is 11P -?AP + Net Hits.  Juggernaut is at -2 to Dodge.The possibility of doing 19P -24AP makes me think that Ace might actually have a chance of scratching its hide.
Ace is at 39/42 Alpha (APDS)
Ace is at 8/10 Shock Hand
Ace is at 4/5 Edge
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