[Poindexter]

I found a face for Sister Rebecca!

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01686/army-3_1686135c.jpg

And i just realized i need to change out something. This chick should speak latin, or at LEAST read it, y'know?

[rednblack]

8-bit has agreed to join the game, so that gives us our 3.  The character has been built to reflect being in the vamp hunting game for awhile, so he might be a natural choice for group leader.  The big hole in the team right now is matrix overwatch and tech support, so I'll drum up a GMPC rigger/tech character to play a support role. 

[Poindexter]

now, correct me if im wrong, but this is two people who have been vamp hunters for a while, cause of the money, but now the money is starting to dry up and other teams of vamp hunters are dropping like flies. Into this mix, comes sister rebecca, defender of the light, and slayer of demons, who mis-identifies this team of mercs as persecuted foes of darkness and rushes to their aid?

Am i seeing this correctly, so far?

[rednblack]

now, correct me if im wrong, but this is two people who have been vamp hunters for a while, cause of the money, but now the money is starting to dry up and other teams of vamp hunters are dropping like flies. Into this mix, comes sister rebecca, defender of the light, and slayer of demons, who mis-identifies this team of mercs as persecuted foes of darkness and rushes to their aid?

Am i seeing this correctly, so far?

I think that's 1 way to run it, and probably the most interesting should she start to become disillusioned with the team for whatever reason. 

Sister Rebecca might also already know that they're a bunch of bloated apostates whose principle vice is avarice, but she can do the Lord's work -- and maybe even bring these poor sinners into the fold -- through joining them.

[Tecumseh]

I'm thinking of having my character fall under the charisma of Sister Rebecca, maybe even have that be the catalyst for my character's late Awakening. (Or, perhaps my character was Awakened the whole while and just didn't realize it until Sister Rebecca came along).

Very happy to have 8-bit as the group leader.

Any feedback on the draft I put out there? Needs more of something, less of something else? I can tailor it to the game style and setting, once we know more.

[Poindexter]

Did we decide if we were doing 10 or 15 post char gen karma?

[8-bit]

Any feedback on the draft I put out there? Needs more of something, less of something else? I can tailor it to the game style and setting, once we know more.

As a low magic character, I see nothing really wrong with it. I like the concept actually. Only things I would do would be take one point out of Armorer to put into Automatics or Blades, and maybe one point out of Sneaking to put in the other. I also question the Betaware Synaptic Boosters, as I wasn't aware we were allowed to have Betaware.

I'll try to get a backstory up for you guys soon, but here's a draft of the character sheet. I wasn't aware when I first made it that we got a free Fake SIN; so it's probably going to change a bit.


== Info ==
Street Name: Stake
Name: Alejandro Circo
Movement: 12/24
Karma: 0
Street Cred: 0
Notoriety: 0
Public Awareness: 0
Elf; Male; Age 87
Height 182.88 cm; Weight 110 kg
Composure: 13
Judge Intentions: 13
Lift/Carry: 7 (45 kg/30 kg)
Memory: 7
Nuyen: 30

== Priorities ==
Metatype: D - Elf
Attributes: B - 20 Attributes
Special: E - Mundane
Skills: C - 28 Skills/2 Skill Groups
Resources: A - 450,000¥

== Attributes ==
BOD: 4
AGI: 4 (6)
REA: 2 (5)
STR: 1 (3)
CHA: 8
INT: 5
LOG: 2
WIL: 5
EDG: 2

== Derived Attributes ==
Essence:                   0.005
Initiative:                10 + 2d6
Physical Damage Track:     10
Stun Damage Track:         11

== Limits ==
Physical:                  5
Mental:                    5
Social:                    11
   Mortimer of London: Argentum Coat [+1] (Must be visible)

== Active Skills ==
Automatics 6 [Assault Rifles] - Pool: 12 (14)
Con 1 - Pool: 9
Disguise 1 - Pool: 6
Etiquette 1 - Pool: 9
Gymnastics 1 - Pool: 7
Impersonation 1 - Pool: 9
Intimidation 6 [Interrogation] - Pool: 14 (16)
Negotiation 6 [Bargaining] - Pool: 14 (16)
Palming 1 - Pool: 7
Perception 6 [Visual] - Pool: 11 (13)
Performance 1 - Pool: 9
Pilot Ground Craft 1 - Pool: 6
Running 1 - Pool: 4
Sneaking 1 - Pool: 7
Swimming 1 - Pool: 4

== Skill Groups ==
Acting 1
Athletics 1
Stealth 1

== Knowledge Skills ==
Alcohol 4 - Pool: 9
Area Knowledge: Wherever we go; assuming we start there; otherwise, default Seattle 4 - Pool: 9
English N
Infected Behavior 4 - Pool: 9
Infected Physiology 4 - Pool: 9
Infected Theory 3 - Pool: 8
Japanese 6 - Pool: 11
Music 2 - Pool: 7
Spanish N
Street Drugs 2 - Pool: 7

== Qualities ==
Addiction (Moderate) (Alcohol)
Aged (Rating 1)
Bilingual
Consummate Professional
First Impression
Low-Light Vision
SINner (National) (UCAS)

== Lifestyles ==
Bolt Hole 4 months
House 1 month
Storage Facility 2 months

== Cyberware/Bioware ==
Bone Lacing (Titanium)
Datajack
Muscle Augmentation Rating 2
Muscle Toner Rating 2
Platelet Factories
Reaction Enhancers Rating 2
Smartlink
Tailored Pheromones Rating 3
Wired Reflexes Rating 1

== Armor ==
Armor Jacket                        12
   +Chemical Protection 6
   +Electrochromic Clothing
   +Nonconductivity 6
   +Radiation Shielding 3
   +Shock Weave
   +YNT Softweave Armor
Custom Ballistic Mask               2
   +Biomonitor
   +Bug Scanner Rating 6
   +Flare Compensation
   +Gas Mask
   +Micro-Transceiver
   +Vision Magnification
Form-Fitting Body Armor             8
   +Concealability
   +Custom Fit
   +Electrochromic Clothing
   +Shock Weave
Mortimer of London: Argentum Coat   4
   +Chemical Protection 4
   +Concealability
   +Custom Fit (Stack)
   +Electrochromic Clothing
   +Insulation 4
   +Nonconductivity 6
Securetech PPP: Arms Kit            1
Securetech PPP: Legs Kit            1
Vashon Island: Synergist Business Line9
   +Custom Fit
   +Electrochromic Clothing
   +Insulation 2
   +Shock Weave
   +Concealable Holster
Vashon Island: Synergist Business Line Longcoat3
   +Custom Fit (Stack)
   +Electrochromic Clothing
   +Nonconductivity 6
   +Holster

== Weapons ==
AK-97
   +Advanced Safety System, Basic
   +Gas-Vent 3 System
   +Personalized Grip
   +Safe Target System, Additional set of RFID or GPS data (10 data sets)
   +Safe Target System, Base
   +Safe Target System, Extra image profiles (10 profiles)
   +Safe Target System, Image Recognition Capabilities
   +Smartgun System, Internal
   +Spare Clip
   +Spare Clip
   Pool: 12 (14)   Accuracy: 8   DV: 10P   AP: -2   RC: 4
Ares Alpha
   +Advanced Safety System, Basic
   +Gas-Vent 3 System
   +Personalized Grip
   +Safe Target System, Additional set of RFID or GPS data (10 data sets)
   +Safe Target System, Base
   +Safe Target System, Extra image profiles (10 profiles)
   +Safe Target System, Image Recognition Capabilities
   +Shock Pad
   +Sling
   +Smartgun System, Internal
   +Spare Clip
   +Spare Clip
   Pool: 12 (14)   Accuracy: 8   DV: 11P   AP: -2   RC: 7
Grenade: Flash-Bang
   Pool: 5   Accuracy: 5   DV: 10S (10m Radius)   AP: -4   RC: 1
Grenade: Fragmentation
   Pool: 5   Accuracy: 5   DV: 18P(f) (-1/m)   AP: +5   RC: 1
Grenade: High Explosive
   Pool: 5   Accuracy: 5   DV: 16P (-2/m)   AP: -2   RC: 1
Steyr TMP
   +Advanced Safety System, Basic
   +Concealed Quick-Draw Holster
   +Gas-Vent 3 System
   +Laser Sight
   +Personalized Grip
   +Safe Target System, Additional set of RFID or GPS data (10 data sets)
   +Safe Target System, Base
   +Safe Target System, Extra image profiles (10 profiles)
   +Safe Target System, Image Recognition Capabilities
   +Smartgun System, Internal
   +Spare Clip
   +Spare Clip
   Pool: 12   Accuracy: 7   DV: 7P   AP: -   RC: 4
Unarmed Attack
   Pool: 5   Accuracy: 5   DV: 6P   AP: -   RC: 1

== Commlink ==
Renraku Sensei (ATT: 0, SLZ: 0, DP: 3, FWL: 3) x3
Transys Avalon (ATT: 0, SLZ: 0, DP: 6, FWL: 6)
   +Sim Module

== Gear ==
Ammo: APDS (Assault Rifles) x300
Ammo: Flechette Rounds (Assault Rifles) x100
Ammo: Flechette Rounds (Machine Pistols) x100
Ammo: Gel Rounds (Assault Rifles) x200
Ammo: Regular Ammo (Assault Rifles) x200
Ammo: Regular Ammo (Machine Pistols) x100
Ammo: Stick-n-Shock (Machine Pistols) x100
Bug Scanner Rating 6
Certified Credstick, Gold x2
Certified Credstick, Silver x4
Certified Credstick, Standard x4
Contacts Rating 3
   +Vision Enhancement Rating 3
Fake SIN (Gregory Maxwell) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Restricted Cyberware) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Restricted Bioware) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Infected Hunter) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Gas-Vent 3 System) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Smartgun System, Internal) Rating 4
   +Fake License (AK-97) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Gas-Vent 3 System) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Smartgun System, Internal) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Flash-Bangs) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Concealed Carry) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Kamikaze) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Bug Scanner) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Tag Eraser) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Stealth Tags) Rating 4
Grenade: Flash-Bang x10
Grenade: Fragmentation x10
Grenade: High Explosive x10
Jammer, Area Rating 4
Jammer, Directional Rating 6
Kamikaze x5
Laés x5
Long Haul x10
Medkit Rating 6
Medkit Supplies x3
Micro-Transceiver
Sensor Tags x100
Slap Patch, Stim Patch Rating 6 x2
Slap Patch, Trauma Patch x2
Stealth Tags x100
Survival Kit
Tag Eraser
Tool Kit (Disguise Kit)
White Noise Generator Rating 6

== Vehicles ==
Hyundai Shin-Hyung (Sport Sedan)
   +Sensor Array Rating 2

== Karma Expenses ==
25 Starting
+24 Negative Qualities
-16 Positive Qualities
-10 for Edge 2
-10 for 20,000 nuyen
-2 for Etiquette 1
-2 for Pilot Ground Craft 1
-5 for Athletics 1

4 Remaining


I'll make it pretty to look at later, just pasting from Chummer for the moment. I did use the free Knowledge Points, but no extra Karma yet.

Edit: And I already see that I forgot to license my Steyr TMP, whoops.


Also, I heard some talk about specialized weapons. What about a Stake Launcher? I would totally respec points to get one of those. Although, I suppose that's probably the same as a crossbow, just stakes instead of bolts. Are we going to go with Silver bullets at all, or something along those lines? I assume coating weaponry in silver while hunting a Banshee, for example, would be ideal (bypass regeneration and the like), and probably not unreasonable for hunters of the Infected. Just my thoughts.

[Poindexter]

that wired reflexes really hurts the essense, man.

You SURE that extra d6+1 is worth 2 essense?

[8-bit]

Ugh, Chummer doesn't show the Grade of 'Ware.

It's actually 1.6 Essence because they are Alphaware. I actually am not that sure, but I wanted some sort of initiative enhancement. Drugs can be unreliable, are addictive, and I can't exactly double dose on Kamikaze that well. I figure if my guy is in the business of hunting Infected, he needs something.

I also kind of created the guy to be a Face, but also really tanky (well, somewhat tanky anyways). I do notice the 0.005 Essence now ... that's probably the lowest I've ever gone.

It's definitely something to think about; that way I can upgrade Reaction Enhancers to still get 10 + 1d6.

Here is the grade of all the 'ware.

Titanium Bone Lacing - Used | 1.875 Essence
Datajack - Alphaware | 0.08 Essence
Reaction Enhancers 2 - Alphaware | 0.48 Essence
Implanted Smartlink - Alphaware | 0.16 Essence
Wired Reflexes 1 - Alphaware | 1.6 Essence
Muscle Augmentation 2 - Used | 0.5 Essence
Muscle Toner 2 - Used | 0.5 Essence
Platelet Factories - Standard | 0.2 Essence
Tailored Pheromones 3 - Standard | 0.6 Essence

[rednblack]

@Tecumseh, I think your character looks solid.  I'm down for the hook you described as well.  I do not think that Randori (Vitals) will stack with Sharpshooter.  Could be really cool to have the grizzled and disillusioned professional heading up a team of idealistic -- and zealous -- recruits.  Sir Dodges-a-Lot/She Who-Dodges-a-Lot could be a good in between there.

Re: XM 30, I'm actually tempted to go Availability 15 for this game, given the higher power threshold already in place.  Let's do it.  Availability 15 is the limit.  Happy toy hunting.

@All, I'm going to with a total of 15 bonus karma to use to augment your characters.  Note that these are 15 post char gen karma, so you can start the game with more than 1 specialization for a given skill, etc. 

Right now I'm toying with the possibility of having either 1 GMPC character to cover tech needs or having a stable of runners y'all can contract for jobs.  Any ideas? 

Last items on the agenda

1. Location.  I'm still not sure about this.  Leaning more toward globe-trotting runners, but Manhattan, Winnipeg, or Seattle all seem like natural candidates.  There's not much on Winnipeg that I can find, though.

2. Contacts.  At your convenience I'd like to see some write-ups on who y'all know.  I'll be creating a fence, a fixer, and an information broker who are all somehow involved in the vampire hunting game, or are at least knowledgeable about it.  I'll post those shortly.

ETA: not stakes per se, but I'll allow wooden flechettes for firearms.  You don't really need stakes to put a vampire down.  Wood will make it lose regeneration, and then a steady application of bullets should put it in the dirt for good.  Silver bullets will indeed be handy for Banshees, so those will be available for regular APDS, and Explosive ammo to the tune of an extra ¥150 per box.





 

[8-bit]

Availability 15 is the limit.  Happy toy hunting.

Sweet.

@All, I'm going to with a total of 15 bonus karma to use to augment your characters.  Note that these are 15 post char gen karma, so you can start the game with more than 1 specialization for a given skill, etc. 

Right now I'm toying with the possibility of having either 1 GMPC character to cover tech needs or having a stable of runners y'all can contract for jobs.  Any ideas? 

Last items on the agenda

1. Location.  I'm still not sure about this.  Leaning more toward globe-trotting runners, but Manhattan, Winnipeg, or Seattle all seem like natural candidates.  There's not much on Winnipeg that I can find, though.

2. Contacts.  At your convenience I'd like to see some write-ups on who y'all know.  I'll be creating a fence, a fixer, and an information broker who are all somehow involved in the vampire hunting game, or are at least knowledgeable about it.  I'll post those shortly.

ETA: not stakes per se, but I'll allow wooden flechettes for firearms.  You don't really need stakes to put a vampire down.  Wood will make it lose regeneration, and then a steady application of bullets should put it in the dirt for good.  Silver bullets will indeed be handy for Banshees, so those will be available for regular APDS, and Explosive ammo to the tune of an extra ¥150 per box.

1. Seattle is always a classic; I don't know much about Manhattan. Is there a source book I could get my hands on?

2. I'll try to get that to you tonight or tomorrow.

3? (response to ETA) All right, cool. I like that thought. Are the wooden flechettes more expensive? Either way, I'll make sure I separate the different ammo types on my sheet when I finalize it.

Edit: On NPCs, I think it depends on how we decide we know each other. Are we a more closely-knit group, or just meeting each other? If we are just meeting each other, a stable of runners makes sense; making them sort of other players in the Infected hunting game. If we are a more closely-knit group, then 1 NPC would be easier to trust, I would think.

[Tecumseh]

I did take Beta synaptic boosters. I was only going by Availability 12; I forgot that chargen only allows up to alphaware. If Beta gets nixed I would have to drop a point of muscle toner or aug. Alternatively, I could drop the boosters, rely on Jazz and Cram, and fill the remaining essence with more aug/toner (now that the Availability limit is higher).

I always vote Seattle, since I live there. My primary association with Manhattan is a lot of red tape and jumping through hoops when it comes to the permits that are required to move about freely. What I know about Winnipeg is what I read on Wikipedia just now.

I'm in a bit of a time crunch at the moment, trying to finish a report by Wednesday, holiday shopping, then getting out of town on Saturday, all while keeping my other games going. I should have some additional time by Thursday or Friday but I won't be very quick for the next couple days.

[Tecumseh]

Also, might be an interesting story element if 8-bit is the grizzled leader trying to repopulate his team after recent "losses" due to increased competition. I was thinking my character would be not a rookie but still junior to 8-bit. Enough experience to explain ¥450k of resources but maybe second-guessing himself/herself after recent casualties for which I may or may not feel responsible. (This would tie into either Bear or Dog as a mentor spirit.) Feeling threatened and hitting the combat stims harder as a result, but also open to Sister Rebecca's faith to hedge my bets.

Are we playing that Cram/Jazz would stack with other initiative boosters or are they incompatible?

Did we decide if we're collapsing Automatics into Pistols and Longarms?

I could go Longarms (for shotguns and sniper rifles) to further differentiate from 8-bit. My character appears to be shaping up as the stealthy one of the group, maybe the perceptive guy/gal on point.

I might drop Randori (Vitals) if it's only for melee since it costs a good deal of karma and I'll have a weapon focus to address a vampire's Regeneration power. Shooting-wise I still might use the Sharpshooter quality to go for headshots, although the value of that is somewhat dependent on what dicepool modifier rednblack requires to hit the brain or spinal cord.

[8-bit]

Also, might be an interesting story element if 8-bit is the grizzled leader trying to repopulate his team after recent "losses" due to increased competition. I was thinking my character would be not a rookie but still junior to 8-bit. Enough experience to explain ¥450k of resources but maybe second-guessing himself/herself after recent casualties for which I may or may not feel responsible. (This would tie into either Bear or Dog as a mentor spirit.) Feeling threatened and hitting the combat stims harder as a result, but also open to Sister Rebecca's faith to hedge my bets.

Just to clarify. My guy is trying to repopulate his team after recent "losses". Who is hitting the stims harder, you or me?

Anyway, I could get behind that.

[rednblack]

Also, might be an interesting story element if 8-bit is the grizzled leader trying to repopulate his team after recent "losses" due to increased competition.

Where the losses are coming from is anybody's guess, but this was my thought as well.  I'd like for the team to trust one another, so Sister Rebecca would probably know Tecumseh's character for awhile, but as the game gets underway, it might be there first time out as the new crew.

I was thinking my character would be not a rookie but still junior to 8-bit. Enough experience to explain ¥450k of resources but maybe second-guessing himself/herself after recent casualties for which I may or may not feel responsible. (This would tie into either Bear or Dog as a mentor spirit.) Feeling threatened and hitting the combat stims harder as a result, but also open to Sister Rebecca's faith to hedge my bets.

Cool.  I dig this.

Are we playing that Cram/Jazz would stack with other initiative boosters or are they incompatible?

Drugs stack with other initiative boosters.

Did we decide if we're collapsing Automatics into Pistols and Longarms?

We're going to keep the firearms types as listed in SR5.

I might drop Randori (Vitals) if it's only for melee since it costs a good deal of karma and I'll have a weapon focus to address a vampire's Regeneration power. Shooting-wise I still might use the Sharpshooter quality to go for headshots, although the value of that is somewhat dependent on what dicepool modifier rednblack requires to hit the brain or spinal cord.

Just the dicepool modifiers for Called Shots.  Defense and soak rolls will determine whether or not you hit the brain or spinal cord.

ETA: the sourcebook for Manhattan is The Rotten Apple, but I don't have my grubby little hands on it.  I think we'll probably go Seattle.  Fair warning, I don't have any books outside of 5th edition stuff, and I don't have all of those, so we'll be straying from canon for things that I can't find on ye olde interwebs. 

ETA 2: Wow, the Manhattan book is only like four bucks.  Hmmm.