Shadowrun
Shadowrun General => Gear => Topic started by: DigitalZombie on <02-06-19/1601:32>
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Looking through the rules for p-tac in run&gun and the speshul apps for it in Kill Code. I find it concept very cool.... but Im somewhat uncertain of what the real benefits are.... wouldnt most of the stuff be doable already for the average prepared runner team?
For instance:
Standard benefits of all P-tacs are
1) real time gps location ..... doesnt sound too hard to gain your own coordinates and share it.
2) image and audio link .... so like normal sharing of data?
3) team biomonitor ..... eeh people could already do that, right?
4) weapon status.... sounds like normal stuff you could share as well
5) enhanced perception..... a real bonus, you cant have enough perception (unless you saw something you regretted)
So lvl 1 p-tac gives the above bonuses, with a cute +1 perception bonus for the whole team... not really worth those hundred of thousands nuyen to me.
Lvl 2 p-tac gives:
1) a +2 (or 3?) Bonus to the main users data or firewall..... nice cool bonus, but why not just write it gives a +2 or +3 bonus... its not like the lvl 2 comes in other ratings.
2) Trauma module .... just a normal autoinjector?
3) other stuff with real benefits like bonusses on perception, sneaking, a combat skill and allowing the main user to transfer initiative points and do combat maneuvers easier.
P-tac 3 gives the same stuff as 2 just with much better dicepools.
In addition to that, it also grants members the option of controlling the teams drones and vehicles....... soooo like invite marks and control device .... that everyone could do anyway...
So to sum it up: I like the dicepool bonusses, but all that sharing info stuff... that just feels dumb to me, as everyone could do that anyway.
On to the tactical apps.
Co-pilot mk1,2 and 3 : Im not sure what the benefits are?
Door gunner ?
Ecm warrior: nice bonus, .. is it for all team members or just the main operator?
Mobile cnc: nice bonus, I guess it can also be used in a single p-tac system. Is the +2 against noise a normal noise negation rating.?
Shield wall: nice bonus, guess its to all users?
All in all I love the idea of the P-tacs... it just seems like 70% of all the features are already included in your standard 100 nuyen metalink and an autoinjector.
What do you guys think?
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Arguably a lot of the stuff you can do for free (like designate a target via a crosshairs or giant red arrow ARO, or share a guncam feed) costs some kind of an action to perform or initiate. If PI-Tac does it for free (not even as a free action) then that's not negligible.
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Hhhm that makes sense. Although a cursory glanze at the CRB and R&G doesnt really mention anything about actions :/
I would imagine a normal team could easily have their teammates biomonitor readouts at the bottom of their AR vision as standard during a run- wirh or without p-tac. That wouldnt require any actions after the initial setup.
Maybe the p-tac has all the camera/audiofeeds of all teammates their 10 drones and 3 vehicles, weapon readings from 20 guns etc. In every team mates AR vision. But the advanced software automagically filters so you only see the top 5 relevant stuff at any given moment... which in turn gives you the perception/sneak/combat bonusses. ? And all mentioning of thise feeds and connections are merely fluff, as anyone could do that anyway.
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I've been looking into the viability of PI-Tacs again.
First the basics:
Level I: Avail 12R, cost 115,000¥ DR4 Perception +1, 6 members
Level II: Avail 18R, cost 325,000¥ DR5 Perception +2, Sneaking +1, 8 members, +2 to either Firewall or Data Processing, Leadership Actions as Simple instead of Complex Action - transfer up to 5 ini points to one member, one Combat skill +1 (switch skill as simple action), remote control drug injections
Level III: Avail 18F, cost 855,000¥ DR6 Perception +3, Sneaking and Tracking +2, 9 members, +6 to either Firewall and Data Processing, Leadership and Combat Maneuver Actions as Simple instead of Complex Action - transfer up to 10 ini points to one member, one Combat skill +2 (switch skill as simple action), can take control of linked drones through commands
Kill Code adds:
PANTHEON INDUSTRIES “ECM-WARRIOR” +3 for all Electronic Warfare tests
PANTHEON INDUSTRIES MOBILE CNC +2 Noise reduction, +6 bonus dice to navigation, teamwork or combat maneuver tests
PANTHEON INDUSTRIES SHIELD WALL +3 Firewall against Attack Actions (Brute Force, Data Spike etc.)
PANTHEON INDUSTRIES “MERCURY-ALPHA” BATTLEFIELD SIGNAL BOOSTER double base ranges, 4 noise reduction, +2 Electronic Warfare,
Price reduction:
-25% cost per lost main function, glitches cause one main feature to fail, +1 additional point of matrix damage and physical damage per attack.
So a Lvl 1 can be reduced to 75% by losing it's perception bonus, reducing it's price to 86,250¥
a Lvl 2 can sacrifice 3 functions, reducing it's price to 81,250¥
Lvl 3 stays with it's AVA out of range for nearly everyone, but can be reduced to 213.750¥
Getting a used Lvl 2 will be the best option. If you add this to a given cyber deck with these four modules you net
- 6 Noise reduction (2 in aggressive mode)
- +2 Firewall/ +5 vs. Attack Actions
- +5 dp to Electronic Warfare
- 200m auto detection range for devices (in passive mode)
For a hacker that's a very nice package, especially now that you can use EW to create MARKs with "Watchdog"
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..sounds (and is priced) like something more fitting for a battlefield situation than the back alleys of a sprawl. Yeah, I could see an HTR team maybe using it.
Unless they bring back the Million Nuyen Sammy, don't see many PCs investing in this hardware.
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Unfortunately the poorly written "used rules" make these very affordable, if your willing to put up with a few quirks (maybe), and lose a few abilities. 25% reduction per ability lost? Pretty easy to part with 2 IMHO right off the bat. Lose Biomonitor status and the team drone use... But my question is the language of the level III one for the Firewall and Data Processing boost. Is it either/or? A total combination of both? Or applies the full rating to both?
Book language-
Upgraded host unit enhancement. The full device
rating can be used to enhance both the firewall
and processing power of the host device.
Seems to imply BOTH are boosted by +6... But that seems... excessive jump from level II version...