PBEM Campaign - Suhiira - Characters and Discussion

[Suhiira]

i've considered having the bag armored, but im unsure how i armor it - is "adding armor to clothes" applicable to the bag as well?

Yep.

Most of your tools are fairly compact and made of lightweight alloys. You're not carrying a full mechanics tool chest around. These kits are designed/intended to be reasonably portable, look at the mass (when it's listed in the description) of the pics.

 

[Folkrom]

yes, thats reasonable, but most of them dont have weight listed so its kind of hard to judge how heavy those things are...
though i assume that the kits and scanners are around 1-4 kgs a piece at most, still you wouldn't want to have that many things dangling from your belt moving around since they do add up - speaking from experience

 

[Folkrom]

i've been looking at some of the cyberware items specifically at the arms/legs and i've a question,
suppose i get a limb cybered that of course has its H.L cost, now i decide to further modify the cyber limb with a custom hand/foot, is there a further H.L cost to that or is it limited to the original cost?

 

[Suhiira]

i've been looking at some of the cyberware items specifically at the arms/legs and i've a question,
suppose i get a limb cybered that of course has its H.L cost, now i decide to further modify the cyber limb with a custom hand/foot, is there a further H.L cost to that or is it limited to the original cost?

Sorta depends on the nature of the modification.
If fairly benign then no cost, an exotic (i.e. rocket feet) alteration may increase H.L.

 

[Folkrom]

so for example a surveillance hand(remote cyberhand) or catspaw stealth foot would cause an increase of H.L?

 

[Suhiira]

so for example a surveillance hand(remote cyberhand) or catspaw stealth foot would cause an increase of H.L?

Yep, UNLESS the item description specifically says it comes with a quick change mount or modular connections or option spaces. Also if the cyberware isn't designed with space available for things to be added you may not be able to add what you want. For instance a cyberarm with a hydraulic ram already built-in just won't have room for a pop-up gun to be added.

As to the items you mentioned:
Surveillance hand - the hand couldn't have any other functions because it needs the servos, batteries, sensors, and radio link. Also presumably the read-outs and controls would be built-into the forearm so it probably wouldn't have room for anything else significant (you could add a watch, comm unit [since it already needs a comm to communicate with the hand anyway], or something else fairly small).
CatsPaw foot - Again no room for a Grip, Spike, or Web foot as well; but you could probably add Talons or Tools.

 

[Folkrom]

yes, how ever i don't understand why you would have to pay extra H.L for instance where lets say the cyber leg/arm can fit the hand/foot i've taken as example?

 

[Suhiira]

yes, how ever i don't understand why you would have to pay extra H.L for instance where lets say the cyber leg/arm can fit the hand/foot i've taken as example?

I assume you don't have a CP2020 rulebook?
But additions to base cyberware (arms, eyes, legs) always has an additional H.L. loss. The base arm/leg/eye actually has a pretty low H.L. cost, it's the additions that add up.

 

[Folkrom]

you're correct i don't have a cp2020 rulebook.
it seems that they chose to "punish" too much for getting cybered, since for said example i'd assume if i got the limb replaced i'd get limb with the feature i wanted, and since its done as a whole why would i pay more for something that's already included but only customized?

don't know if i'm making sense with these questions, just this rule system seems to be warped and overly punishing and i don't get why

 

[Suhiira]

Cyberpsychosis IS a problem, and it's very much intended to be. That's why you get a basic, no frills, cyberlimb and decide which of the multiple available options you can afford in terms of both cash and humanity loss. You have to make choices, hard choices, what's most valuable/useful to you?

And everyone is "punished" (your term not mine) equally, so is it "punishment" or a level playing field?

 

[Folkrom]

of course cyberpsychs is a problem - you HAVE to draw the line some where or ppl would want to go for full body convers ALWAYS and of course to also take under consideration all the bells and whistles you want and how much its going to cost you.

what i meant by punished is that the cybering system seems to be excessively punishing on certain things (case question in point) to any one that wants to get cybered, and i am/was trying to figure why.

i understand that they didn't want ppl to get all cybered up with no repercussions, what i don't understand is we need to pay extra on H.L if we get a cyberleg with a custom foot with sound dampening (or w/e for better stealth/sneak) - sure it will drive up the $ cost of the limb, but i can't think of a reason it would cost me extra humanity just for having that custom foot...
does that make sense?

 

[Suhiira]

Well, there's also the matter that H.L. also results in loss of Empathy, and a good GM will insure sufficient social situations occur so players really want to keep their Empathy above the minimum level to avoid Cyberpsychosis.

To be honest I've never been terribly thrilled with the whole H.L. system myself simply because it's entirely to artificial and really seems to exist solely to limit the amount of cyberware you can have. But I see the necessity, because without it half (or more) the players would be running full conversion borgs because of the benefits of all that cyberware. So it's sort of a "Damned of you do, damned if you don't" situation. Much like the rigid class systems used by many games it's a strictly artificial construct who's sole purpose is to limit players from being able to min-max.

So I actually do understand, and sympathize with you, but have to fall back on what we hated as kid's (and still hate as adults) "It works the way it does and it's not going to change." Simply because I have no clue how else to impose restraint.

 

[Folkrom]

i've figured that it was mostly to limit players from going crazy (pun intended) with cybering.

i'm still of the opinion that they made this limitation excessively harsh - not without good reasons, i guess that players can still talk to their gm and possibly tweak the rules some if a consensus is achieved.

thanks for putting up with my nub questions.

 

[Suhiira]

The only dumb question is the one you don't ask.
Assuming causes FAR more problems then asking for clarification.

And yep, it's harsh. You REALLY have to make hard decisions.

As an example I usually go with one cybereye with Thermographics, Image Enhancement, Teleoptics (20x telescope), and Targeting Scope; then a set of Goggles with Anti-Dazzle, Times Square (i.e. a HUD), and Audio/Video Recorder. I leave the other eye meat in case of EMP. Neutal Processor (needed for everything), Kerenzikov Boosterware +2, Cybermodem Link, 2x Interface plug (universal jacks), Chipware Socket, Nasal Filters, Contraceptive, Muscle & Bone Lace, SkinWeave, Enhanced Antibodies, Toxin Binders, and Nanosurgeons. That's it. No limbs, no built-in weaponry, no body plating. I just wear light body armor over the SkinWeave and am relatively bullet/explosion resistant (I don't play Solos, I don't need to be a Tank). If I get zapped with EMP I just pull off the goggles and use my real eye, since my limbs are all meat they're uneffected so I'm still fully functional.

No I can't go toe-to-toe with a full borg or take on entire booster gangs ... why the hell would I want to?
"She who knows to run away lives to flee another day."

 

[Folkrom]

problem is sometimes you think you figured how something works only to realize a bit later you've been woefully mistaken about it.

and, he who frags the enemy away will have a loot fiesta day.

 

[Suhiira]

 

[Durzo_Steelfin]

Doing a few adjustments while the window is still open.


Stats:
7 Int
7 (8-1) Ref
4 Tech
4 Cool
4 Attr
3 Luck
8 (6+2) MA
6 (5+1) Body
5 (7-2) EMP

Career Skills:
7 Combat Sense
4 Awareness/Notice
0 Brawling
0+2 Xing-Chiao (3)
1 Null Boxing
0 Melee/Fencing (.5)
0 Weapons Tech
0 Rifle (.5)
2 Athletics (2)
4 Handgun/SMG (.5)
3 Stealth

Pickup Skills:
2 Streetwise
2 Education & General knowledge(3)
0 Dodge/Escape
3 Hide/Evade
0 Human Perception
2 Motorcycle (.5)
3 Pick Lock
8 Know Language (American)
3 Know Language (Chinese) [Chipped]
2 Know Language (Spanish) [Chipped]
3 Expert: Ornithology [Chipped]
3 Rifle (.5) [Chipped]
2 Cybertech (2) [Chipped]


Stats & Career Skills:
I noticed that I had over-costed stealth during my original calculations as a (2) cost skill, so re-running the numbers gave me 2 more points to spend which went into another level of Tech and an extra rank in Stealth.

Pickup Skills:
1) Noticed that I had points in Dodge/Escape when those skills are covered by Martial Arts and decided those points could be better used elsewhere. Made about as much sense before as having ranks in Martial Arts and Brawling at the same time.
2) Removed Rodik's points from Human Perception. In a negotiator it made more sense, but for someone who is just inherently not trusting it didn't make as much sense to me. In his interactions his starting position is that the scum hes talking to are lying to him. He may not be able to figure out about what or for what purpose, but those points would be better spent on ...
3) Lock Picking. Its a bit silly to me that I didn't give Rodik this at the start given my original concept for him was as a solo infiltrator. I took the Stealth and Hide for that purpose, but left off the actual "keys to the kingdom". Its not many points for now, but this plus the slight bump in his poor Tech stat give him a place to grow from. He still doesn't have a mind for Electronic Security though. He failed to inherit that specific talent.
4) Motorcycle. Can't run everywhere, and public transit, even if convenient, is a chore. Figured skill with at least one vehicle would be useful and a motorcycle made sense for a solo rider. He doesn't currently have a ride, but I'd chalk that up to his last ride either being destroyed or stolen during a past run.

 

[Suhiira]

1) Noticed that I had points in Dodge/Escape when those skills are covered by Martial Arts and decided those points could be better used elsewhere. Made about as much sense before as having ranks in Martial Arts and Brawling at the same time.

They would add to your defense rolls tho.

3) Lock Picking. Its a bit silly to me that I didn't give Rodik this at the start given my original concept for him was as a solo infiltrator. I took the Stealth and Hide for that purpose, but left off the actual "keys to the kingdom". Its not many points for now, but this plus the slight bump in his poor Tech stat give him a place to grow from. He still doesn't have a mind for Electronic Security though. He failed to inherit that specific talent.

Be warned, mechanical locks are "low tech". You hit a Corp expect electronic ones.

 

[kabukiman1973]

I'm increasing system knowledge from 3 to 4 (so I spend 9 IP), and seduction 1 to 2 (so I spend the remaining 1 IP).

 

[Suhiira]

I'm increasing system knowledge from 3 to 4 (so I spend 9 IP), and seduction 1 to 2 (so I spend the remaining 1 IP).