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[bull30548]

Naw this was mostly just observations and what not.  Though our players had a ton in athletics (like 12 dice roll).  Anyway we were trying to jump onto a moving trailer from a stationary platform.  So out of all of us only who had the skill.  So we all try to make this jump (there was a plan b) and we jump at the same time.  We all barely make it but she actually glitched and almost rolled off the thing.  If it wasn't for enhanced reflexes on me and another guy we caught her.  It was pretty funny but he didn't find it amusing because he had bad luck with dice.  I mean constantly had bad luck with dice.

[kv]

I usually post this when I run Shadowrun PBP games:

Special Note: "Obtaining the following skills: Etiquette, Perception, Dodge, and Unarmed Combat are strongly encouraged, because Fixers and Mister Johnson don't like dealing with runners with no etiquette skills, even if they have a really shiny Panther Assault Cannon. Your antisocial troll with good friends can still come along for the ride (per previous posts), but in some situations they'll be a serious liability- so will the hacker with no real-life weapons skills. Characters who default on these basic skills will find the world a much more difficult place."

I think I posted it before, but that was back in the days of Fliss Softwind, and who has time to go back and read old posts?

  - kv

[kv]

Posted, bizzatches.

  -kv

[Yogi]

Still working on a character.  Should have it finished today.   Going with a Elf face/street sam. 

[kv]

Hey Yogi Berra,

Welcome to the Shadowrun Pub. We'll be glad to have you join us for the PBP, although I'll be the first to admit that the game isn't a fast-paced action adventure as much as I would like, but it's steady and we'll keep going until everyone gets bored.

You'll notice there are a few threads in this sub-forum that have the title Welcome to Denver - Character : X_Mr Machismo_X (or whatever name you make up for your character). I'd appreciate it if you would start the thread, that way you can edit the intro post and keep the character up to date. Since I'm one of the mods, I can edit it as well, and that way we have a working sheet to crib off of. Once you're done with your character and posted him or her, I'll double-check the math, make sure you didn't accidentally end up with too many skills or a bunch of BP and leftover money that you could spend to improve your character. It's also my way of getting familiar with the characters, so I can think up challenges and ways to let your character shine in the game.

If I have questions about your character, please don't take it personally, I'm not trying to take away the unique snowflake that is your character concept, I'm just trying to understand that build and help patch holes I can see in the concept.

Once that's done, we'll shoe-horn you into the plot, and you'll be playing. YAY!

  - kv

[Yogi]

Roger that.  I believe I am done except for just a couple prices of gear.   I'm using the Chummer program.   It does a pretty good job of keeping track of things.    Much better than I would making a character by hand.

As far as fast pace posting that's alright.   As long as things are steady I'm good.   RL has a way of popping up here and there.   

I look forward to gaming with you all. 

[bull30548]

Yogi-  I just glanced at your character sheet and this isn't a critique just a question. Are you sure you want your essence that low?  To coin the phrase we are playing with live ammo here. If you actually take enough damage you could die from it even if you only get into wounded boxes. Also when anyone astrally looks at you they are going to see a dull spot of aura.  I mean I could just be remembering the third edition rules but my gm warned me of going below 1 essence.  Also make sure you have all the options on because I remember reading in augmentation (and possibly main rules) you calculate your essence cost not from the total of both cyber and bio ware but the one that pulls the most essence from you and then half the other. I could be wrong on this though.

[kv]

Bull is right about the essence calculation (max of higher, half of other), and there are ways to lower the cost with alphaware and other tricks.

But, I think they did away with more of the essence loss in 4th edition, especially when it comes to drug use (I'll wait for Ingo to chime in on that, it was just my impression). I mostly use the 'dimmer auras' as flavor text because I like the mental image it gives me, not for any other purpose.

I glanced at your character, Yogi, but I didn't have a chance to sit down and look it over, so I'll reserve my comments just yet.

  -kv

  - kv

[Yogi]

Yeah the whole having less than 1 essence and being kind of zombie like was in past editions.  Now just just having a low essence is just having a low essence.  Other than causing "void" or having a dimmer aura there really is no side effect of a low essence. 

And her cyberware is at full essence loss rating and the bioware is at half essence loss rating.   

Scarlet was made with the Chummer program.   It's a great tool for making characters.   It's updated regularly and pretty easy to use. 

[Ruski]

there are spells that target essence (most noteable healing), and drug use /injury can reduce it further. cybermancy (sub-0 essence) makes you into robocop personality wise, and close to 0 essence, although a bit of a social taboo, isn't as 'dangerous' as it use to be. no psychotic breaks, or the like; just adds some interesting RP options. then again: so does walking arround with an RPG.

[Bullet Sponge]

You want to play a screaming hot elven chick with no soul who sends so much fire down range the enemy'll be swearing its raining metal? Have fun. Trick question: Did you buy enough ammo? Answer: You can never have enough.

[Yogi]

lol

Bullet she'll be doing that as she's talking her way out of trouble with Lone Star while expending rounds. 

[Ingo Monk]

Bull is right about the essence calculation (max of higher, half of other), and there are ways to lower the cost with alphaware and other tricks.

But, I think they did away with more of the essence loss in 4th edition, especially when it comes to drug use (I'll wait for Ingo to chime in on that, it was just my impression). I mostly use the 'dimmer auras' as flavor text because I like the mental image it gives me, not for any other purpose.

I glanced at your character, Yogi, but I didn't have a chance to sit down and look it over, so I'll reserve my comments just yet.

  -kv

  - kv

ESSENCE CALCULATION

Essence losses from cyberware and bioware are tracked separately.
Only the higher of the two totals deducts from Essence in full, with
the other deducting at half. For example, if a character has an Essence
loss of 1.5 from cyberware and 2.5 from bioware, then the character’s
Essence is 6 – 2.5 (full bioware) – 0.75 (half cyberware), or 2.75.
Players should keep track of both, as it’s possible one can outpace the
other as the character implants more cyber or bio into his body.

Which I think I forgot to do for my character :O

DRUGS
Drugs aren't as bad in SR4, essentially role playing addiction until you get to the "Burnout" level of addiction and the GM gets to have fun with your character.

Characters who continue in this state for long will continue to
suffer deteriorating health effects determined by the gamemaster. Such
effects may include:
• Lost Essence.
• Attribute loss (Mental or Physical); this will also affect a character’s
natural attribute maximums.
• Psychological problems such as flashbacks, blackouts, drastic and
violent mood swings, paranoia, schizophrenia, amnesia, and so on.
• Physiological health issues as appropriate to the substance, including
such fun things as as abcesses, incontinence, a weak
immune system (p. 96), lower pain tolerance (p. 95), slurred
speech, and so on.
• Stun damage that cannot be healed.

Going into damage overflow then being stabilized doesn't seem to cause an essence loss test anymore.  However, when trying to stabilize or otherwise heal someone medically high levels of cyber give a negative dice pool modifier to the tone of -1 per 2 points of lost essence.  In Scarlet's case that would be a loss of 5.13 points of essence, rounds to 6, for a total of -3 per test (or KV could say otherwise). 

So anyone using a medical skill and/or medical devices (i.e. a medkit) will get a -2/-3 (depending on what Kid says) to their pool. 

...that doesn't sound like fun

[kv]

So... I'm curious if anyone clicked the 'first link' in Ingo's search for the info broker? I was very amused by it, but judging by the stony silence I was the only one?

Also, there are more than one of you in a room now, feel free to interact with each other.

  -kv

[Yogi]

Going into damage overflow then being stabilized doesn't seem to cause an essence loss test anymore.  However, when trying to stabilize or otherwise heal someone medically high levels of cyber give a negative dice pool modifier to the tone of -1 per 2 points of lost essence.  In Scarlet's case that would be a loss of 5.13 points of essence, rounds to 6, for a total of -3 per test (or KV could say otherwise). 

So anyone using a medical skill and/or medical devices (i.e. a medkit) will get a -2/-3 (depending on what Kid says) to their pool. 

...that doesn't sound like fun

Yeah it's a draw back no doubt about it.  And mages will suffer a -5 to their DP to magically heal her.  Another whammy but it's about the enjoyment of the game and character. 

I don't foresee her going any lower in Essence.  I'd like to get her move-by-wires R2 and dump the wired reflexes and reaction enhancers giving her an essence hole of .6 to play with.  Thus allowing room for a superthyroid gland and reflex recorder or two. 

Oh the options are endless.  Needless to say I'm looking forward to playing. 

Side note I don't seem to be able to edit the OP for Scarlet.  I wanted to fix the smiley face for her reaction stat.