General Shadowrun Questions III: Ya like that, Chummer?

[DigoDragon]

FF7R inspired me to put together an adventure where the Runners go blow up a research lab that is filled with various animal and awakened subjects. Some critters escape and then the runners pick up additional jobs tracking down and capturing some of the more valuable critters.

Where there any interesting critters you've seen in the books that you would have liked to go up against to catch?

For me, I think hunting one of those animal were critters that can assume a metahuman form would be fun. The critter tries to hide among people and do people things, and that could be a funny little hunt.

[Lord Torath]

Ooooo... so many! The Incubus is always fun: a land-octopus that looks like a sexy member of whatever gender the closest person in range is attracted to.

There are a lot of not-normal dogs that look normal.

The house cat that turns into a cheetah (at least it thinks it does, and fights as if it had) when threatened.

Maybe the Novapossum.

[LibraryOgre]

How much experience do they have? Do you want them to be actual animals, or do you want to throw in that they're actually sentients that want to be free?

For me, I'd go with things infected with HMHVV. But if you want animals, what about the Wyrd Mantis? 2 meter long ambush hunters. If a bunch of them escaped, you might have some start hunting people in the local area, which drives bounties. Since they're insects, you could have a population explosion in short order.

[comicshorse]

For sheer aggression and blood up the walls I like the Fenrir Wolf. For something a lot more subtle and nasty I'd go with the Blackberry Cat. Or maybe send them down into the sewers to have fun playing in the sewage with a few Afrancs (Paranormal Animals of Europe p 62, 18 and 10 respectively)

[The Glyphstone]

In 4th Edition, can an Adept with Unarmed Combat/Killing Hands benefit from a Weapon Focus that's a ring, set of brass knuckles, or similar 'unarmed' item? I've looked all over the net without finding any consensus on yes/no.

[LibraryOgre]

In 4th Edition, can an Adept with Unarmed Combat/Killing Hands benefit from a Weapon Focus that's a ring, set of brass knuckles, or similar 'unarmed' item? I've looked all over the net without finding any consensus on yes/no.

To my knowledge, the rules never say. Personally, I'd let it happen.

[The Glyphstone]

It's impossible to start with a bonded focus though, right? Since you need Karma to bond to it?

[Lord Torath]

2nd Edition, you spend Force Points on it, so yes you can. 4th Edition, I really have no idea.

[Nifft]

FF7R inspired me to put together an adventure where the Runners go blow up a research lab that is filled with various animal and awakened subjects. Some critters escape and then the runners pick up additional jobs tracking down and capturing some of the more valuable critters.

Where there any interesting critters you've seen in the books that you would have liked to go up against to catch?

For me, I think hunting one of those animal were critters that can assume a metahuman form would be fun. The critter tries to hide among people and do people things, and that could be a funny little hunt.

Oh, nice set-up.

I'd probably make the PCs do the opposite of catching them, because it's way more trouble.

Something along the lines of:

- Here are some sapient critters. They're smart, they can look mostly metahuman, and they've been trained in ${LANGUAGE} by the lab techs, but they have no experience in the modern world.

- Security forces are looking for these critters. You must help them "act normal" for ${TIMESPAN} until the lockdown ends and you can get them to safety Mr. Johnson, outside the city.


"Multipass!"
"Yes, honey, he knows it's a multipass."

... but with ears and a tail.

[Delta]

It's impossible to start with a bonded focus though, right? Since you need Karma to bond to it?

It's possible, you can use BP instead of karma to bind foci at character creation (or you just use the Karma Creation rules from Runner's Companion then you can obviously just use karma)

[The Glyphstone]

It's possible, you can use BP instead of karma to bind foci at character creation (or you just use the Karma Creation rules from Runner's Companion then you can obviously just use karma)

Can you cite a page for that for me? It'd be real helpful to know for certain.

[Dimers]

Can you cite a page for that for me? It'd be real helpful to know for certain.

In the original book, page 85, under "Foci". Page 87 in SR4A.

[Delta]

Yeah sorry for not giving a source, but in my defense, it's one of the rare times when a rule in SR is exactly where it's supposed to be ;)

[DigoDragon]

Lots of great ideas. I'm definitely leaning towards paranormal animals. Intelligent ones are fun too. I'll consider the saving option as well instead of capture. Maybe do both over the course of a series of adventures and see which way the players prefer.

Been absent a bit cause my comlink died a horrible battery swelling death. :I I've never seen a decker have this issue.

[The Glyphstone]

I was just blind, so I needed a seeing-eye post. Thanks!

(4e) New question - is there any Manatech, magical compound, or other gear-based method of temporarily seeing into the Astral Plane? My infiltrator Adept couldn't afford Astral Perception as a starting power, and Initiating to get it will take a while.

[Delta]

Didn't flipside/tempo (the drug from Ghost Cartels) allow you some kind of limited astral perception? It had some nasty long-term side effects, though...

[Dimers]

Shade, Arsenal page 78. Lasts Essence +d6 hours then deals 10 stun unresisted. Availability 8R, cost ¥1000.

EDIT: Sorry, to be more specific, that's astral projection, which does the job but might not do it the way you want.

[Fable Wright]

I was just blind, so I needed a seeing-eye post. Thanks!

(4e) New question - is there any Manatech, magical compound, or other gear-based method of temporarily seeing into the Astral Plane? My infiltrator Adept couldn't afford Astral Perception as a starting power, and Initiating to get it will take a while.

Have you considered Deepweed on page 249 of the core rulebook?

[The Glyphstone]

Have you considered Deepweed on page 249 of the core rulebook?

Um....page 249 of my core book is the start of a story called Hat Trick. But I found it on P257. Thanks again.

[Delta]

Always remember that there are two very different versions of the SR4 core book, the old one and the 20th Anniversary Edition

[LibraryOgre]

So, I have roughed out a Savage Worlds conversion of Shadowrun, if anyone is interested.

https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...Savage-Worlds)

[DigoDragon]

So, I have roughed out a Savage Worlds conversion of Shadowrun, if anyone is interested.

https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...Savage-Worlds)

I'm going to pass this along to a friend who is big on the Savage World system. It does look neat.

I don't have the books, but I have Starfinder and it works pretty well so far to run a Shadowrun flavored campaign. With starship rules, might even go Cowboy Bebop in the future with the idea.

Anyway, first official mission has the Runners extracting a little girl from an abusive home. Waiting to see if the players want to take the home route or school route for the rescue.

[Telwar]

I'm betting home route, with them hijacking a garbage truck and ramming it into the house to get past the defenses.

"What defenses?"

[BisectedBrioche]

Well, after several years of false starts, it looks like I'm finally rolling a character for a game that's actually happening. Does anyone have any advice for a long time fan, first time actual player?

Also, for a more specific question; I want to give my rigger character a favourite drone she disguises as an animatronic plushie, but there don't seem to be any drones in 5e (my GM found a 4e drone that could work) I could base it off. Any thoughts?

[Ignimortis]

Well, after several years of false starts, it looks like I'm finally rolling a character for a game that's actually happening. Does anyone have any advice for a long time fan, first time actual player?

Also, for a more specific question; I want to give my rigger character a favourite drone she disguises as an animatronic plushie, but there don't seem to be any drones in 5e (my GM found a 4e drone that could work) I could base it off. Any thoughts?

How large should/can it be? There are some small anthrodrones that can fit the bill, I think.

[BisectedBrioche]

How large should/can it be? There are some small anthrodrones that can fit the bill, I think.

About cat sized (I'm basically going for a Pokemon Trainer vibe).

[Ignimortis]

About cat sized (I'm basically going for a Pokemon Trainer vibe).

Aztechnology Hedgehog (Rigger 5.0, 129) seems to be pretty alright. Saab-Thyssen Bloodhound (Rigger 5.0, 136) could also work, but it's gonna be a bit larger than your average cat, I think? Either way, you can refluff them to be cat-shaped, and then add Realistic Features and some enhancements/replacements to Pilot/Body/Sensors to make it more useful on its' own.

[BisectedBrioche]

Aztechnology Hedgehog (Rigger 5.0, 129) seems to be pretty alright. Saab-Thyssen Bloodhound (Rigger 5.0, 136) could also work, but it's gonna be a bit larger than your average cat, I think? Either way, you can refluff them to be cat-shaped, and then add Realistic Features and some enhancements/replacements to Pilot/Body/Sensors to make it more useful on its' own.

Ooo, thanks for that. The fluff said the hedgehog has wheels, and I didn't think there was a way in the rules to make them a walker!

[LibraryOgre]

Ooo, thanks for that. The fluff said the hedgehog has wheels, and I didn't think there was a way in the rules to make them a walker!

I'm picturing a big pink bear that scoots around on its butt, now. ;-)

[BisectedBrioche]

I'm picturing a big pink bear that scoots around on its butt, now. ;-)

Heh, I'm still deciding what sort of plushie she'd hide her drone in, but I think that's the polar opposite of what she'd want, even as a disguise.