General Shadowrun Questions

[Lord Torath]

'Awakenings' has the 'Crowd Scene' spell which, if it works, creates a realistic illusion that fools the senses and crates a crowd of people the runners can lose themselves in.
However the 'Grimoire' has rules for designing your own spells that you might be able to use to create such a spell but I think it would be simpler if you want to sneak down a hallway past a security camera to cast Improved Invisibility or Mask to make yourselves look like people who should be there (granted this will take multiple castings for the group)

P.S.
It's not the edition you're using but 3rd Ed. has the 'Phantasm' spell which is pretty much perfect for what you're looking for

Eh, 3rd is close enough. I've already borrowed a bunch of the Adept powers, so it's not a real problem to snag a spell or two. And a single spell is much easier than trying to sustain five Imp. Invisibility spells at the same time (+10 to target numbers? Ouch!).

[comicshorse]

In that case 'Phantasm' is in the 3rd Ed. core book (p 195)

[Dimers]

4th ed, tactics kinda question: Why aren't security RFID tags a huge problem for runners? A tag eraser can't touch them, and they're small enough that you might not know you have one on ya (or on your wheels or drone or whatever).

[Kaun]

4th ed, tactics kinda question: Why aren't security RFID tags a huge problem for runners? A tag eraser can't touch them, and they're small enough that you might not know you have one on ya (or on your wheels or drone or whatever).

Unless its not transmitting at all it wouldn't be that hard to locate and physically dispose of.

[DigoDragon]

Unless its not transmitting at all it wouldn't be that hard to locate and physically dispose of.

I love sticking them on a rat and letting it run loose. Classic.

[Lord Torath]

Unless its not transmitting at all it wouldn't be that hard to locate and physically dispose of.

The really nasty ones only transmit for about a half second every hour. You can only detect them if you're monitoring constantly for a long time.

[Kaun]

The really nasty ones only transmit for about a half second every hour. You can only detect them if you're monitoring constantly for a long time.

Monitoring for a long time is basically how wifi works.

As a GM, i would just default it that the groups hacker/electronic warfare specialist would pick up a RFID like you mentioned within about an hour and a half if they were moving around. Maybe 4 to 6 hours if they weren't.

Monitoring and logging signals in their vicinity should be fairly standard practice. And a basic bit of software that picks up a pattern, like an unidentified signal transmitting every 30 mins with a similar strength and flags it for user attention, would be fairly run of the mill.

For me as a GM, assuming the hacker does stuff like this by default is just like assuming the PC's eat during their down time, or maintain there weapons, or lock their car when they get out.

While a security RFID can be a fly in the ointment it should never be a situation of; "You never specified you were checking for this so now you are all screwed! *insert maniacal laughter*"

[TeChameleon]

Are there any good ballpark rules for challenging-but-not-lethal combat encounters in Shadowrun 4A? I've got a wild-dog-pack-led-by-a-Gabriel-Hound-ambush 'random encounter' that I'm wanting to throw at the players if the roadtrip they'll be taking gets too dull/I get bored

However, I'm not sure how many to throw at them, especially since I'm fully expecting the first eight to be reduced to clouds of red mist before the first round ends (two moderately powergamed-for-combat characters with four passes each)- of the remaining three characters, one is a medic, one is a stealth specialist, and the last is a rigger (for whom we're still figuring out the rules- noob GM and first-time players).

So yeah- any advice on balancing encounters? Especially given how long character creation takes in 4A? >.<

[Dimers]

Soooo ... um ... since I last posted, I re-read the equipment chart that includes RFID (page 319 in the original book), and I realized something. The top of the chart has column labels "Response" and "Signal", but those don't go all the way down. They get changed to "Device Rating" and "Availability" before reaching the RFIDs. So the tags I was worried about? Yeah, they don't transmit multiple kilometers like I thought. I'm less worried now.

Regardless, thanks for the replies.

For me as a GM, assuming the hacker does stuff like this by default is just like assuming the PC's eat during their down time, or maintain there weapons, or lock their car when they get out.

While a security RFID can be a fly in the ointment it should never be a situation of; "You never specified you were checking for this so now you are all screwed! *insert maniacal laughter*"

Which reminds me that I tend to assume an antagonistic GM. Wonder what that says about my previous GMs.

Are there any good ballpark rules for challenging-but-not-lethal combat encounters in Shadowrun 4A? I've got a wild-dog-pack-led-by-a-Gabriel-Hound-ambush 'random encounter' that I'm wanting to throw at the players

Eeeh. I can't suggest a guideline, but I'd like to say, you're in good shape with the dogpack idea. They probably won't all arrive at once, which means you can throw more into the mix as needed. Dogs' fighting style is not frenzied, so if you need to have some of them skip attacks, it doesn't break verisimilitude. They can make teamwork rolls to give other dogs bonuses, or try for knockdown -- something that should help your newbies get used to tactical options other than "I shoot at it". And of course, after enough have been slaughtered, the rest can run for the hills, ending the threat and still maintaining verisimilitude.

[The Random NPC]

Soooo ... um ... since I last posted, I re-read the equipment chart that includes RFID (page 319 in the original book), and I realized something. The top of the chart has column labels "Response" and "Signal", but those don't go all the way down. They get changed to "Device Rating" and "Availability" before reaching the RFIDs. So the tags I was worried about? Yeah, they don't transmit multiple kilometers like I thought. I'm less worried now.

Regardless, thanks for the replies.
...

IIRC, if it only has a device rating then you use that for the Response and Signal.

[Dimers]

IIRC, if it only has a device rating then you use that for the Response and Signal.

In this case the text to go with the chart says Signal 1 specifically. I previously thought the chart overruled that in the case of security and stealth tags, but no, that's just my reading comprehension fail.

[Dimers]

4A or Unwired question! Man, I have got to buy a copy of the anniversary edition, I'm missing too much with an early 4e book.

Anyway. Original 4e page 213 says that the System rating of an OS is limited by the hardware's Response. And Response decreases if you run at least [System] programs (page 212). Does 4A clarify whether one or both of these reductions is only supposed to apply to die pools? Because some really weird stuff can crop up:

• If you have System 6 and Response 4, maybe running five programs is safe, but maybe only three is safe.
• If you run so many programs your Response drops, that might also drop your System, which means you can run fewer programs safely, which makes Response drop more, which makes System drop more ...
• If Response is lower than System, the reduction in System might mean your programs are all less effective, you can't take as much icon damage and you can't have as many subscriptions. And that means that running an additional program can suddenly apply all of those effects at once. Start up a Medic app to fix your damage, and suddenly you crash instead!

Thoughts?

[Lord Torath]

The 2nd Edition Adept power Missile Mastery adds 2 to the damage level of throwing weapons. So your throwing knife now hits for Str S damage instead of Str L. How would you apply this to thrown grenades? Increasing the damage level seems very overpowered. Perhaps halve the scatter distance? Remove the scatter entirely unless no successes are rolled? Enough successes can do this anyway. Increase the power of the attack by 2 instead of the damage level? Or should I just let the character throw 12D stun grenades?

[LibraryOgre]

I don't know that I would apply it with grenades OR I would make grenades essentially two attacks... one, for StrM damage (with the power), where you flat-out bean a guy with a grenade, and a second, for the grenade's "actual" damage.

Like a fastball, that then explodes.

[Alberic Strein]

Pretty much that. Treat it as an attack from an improvised weapon, then it explodes as normal, next IP or turn.

However I don't see it applying to airburst grenades or on grenades rigged to explode on impact per War! rules. Using the modified strength for how far the grenade travels sounds like a nice compromise.

[Milodiah]

Off the security RFID thing, one of my characters is a former Lone Star SWAT member. Obviously all of his old gear was absolutely covered in sec-RFIDs...he simply took a reader and a pair of scissors, physically located all of them, and snipped them out of the garments. Then he took his Armorer skill, stripped his weapons, and simply pried them out of those. All in all, maybe an afternoon of work?

Anyway, my question...off this guy, according to the 4e 20th Anniversary corebook, there's a street knowledge skill called Security Companies, and a professional knowledge skill called Security Procedures. I know these are just examples, with practically hundreds of other possible skills, but they both seem appropriate to this guy. My question is, what would you guys consider to be the differences between Street Knowledge: Security Companies (Specialty: Lone Star) and Professional Knowledge: Security Procedures (Specialty: Lone Star)?

[DigoDragon]

My question is, what would you guys consider to be the differences between Street Knowledge: Security Companies (Specialty: Lone Star) and Professional Knowledge: Security Procedures (Specialty: Lone Star)?

This is how I remember it:

The street knowledge would be knowing info on the people who work at the company (like the CEO, VP, perhaps some names of the local employees that work at your local branch). May cover who works what areas, which ones might be shady or could be bribed, and rumors on the office politics that go one between employees.

Professional knowledge would cover S.O.P. of the force and how they would normally handle emergency calls, as well as their usual rules and regulations both internal and when dealing with the public. If a silent alarm goes off in a bank, this skill might help determine which station responds and how many officers to expect showing up.

[LibraryOgre]

The street knowledge would be knowing info on the people who work at the company (like the CEO, VP, perhaps some names of the local employees that work at your local branch). May cover who works what areas, which ones might be shady or could be bribed, and rumors on the office politics that go one between employees.

Professional knowledge would cover S.O.P. of the force and how they would normally handle emergency calls, as well as their usual rules and regulations both internal and when dealing with the public. If a silent alarm goes off in a bank, this skill might help determine which station responds and how many officers to expect showing up.

I would differ on this a little bit... you probably wouldn't know things like the CEO or VP, though you'd likely know who the desk sergeant is at the local. You might not know SOP as written, but you would know SOP-as-enacted... "This place is guarded by The Star; when the alarm sounds, you have X amount of time before they show up with Y force." It would be the kind of thing you would have learned through the experience of a lot of people on the street.

[Thanatos 51-50]

(and don't get me started on the 'so what is his sword?' 'oh it's a katana, because they are the best sword ever' argument, which ended in deciding that he probably did have one of the best sword designs invented, the cavalry sabre, I swear he watches too much anime)

Let's be totally fair, here, the Katana has some amazing stats, and is almost alwyas better than a generic "Sword" stats-wise. Although, if he's being a ninja and wants to use the generic "Sword" statline, considering to prevelance of Nipponese culture in Shadowrun, he'd probably be packing a ninja-to.
Sure, actual historical record of such blades are... sparse, to say the least, but do you think that would stop anybody in the Sixth World?

[Lord Torath]

Pretty much that. Treat it as an attack from an improvised weapon, then it explodes as normal, next IP or turn.

However I don't see it applying to airburst grenades or on grenades rigged to explode on impact per War! rules. Using the modified strength for how far the grenade travels sounds like a nice compromise.

"Unorthodox" missiles (pens, playing cards, peanuts) cause light wounds with a power equal to half the adept's strength value. So would that be two hits on the primary target? First the impact from the grenade, then the explosion when it goes off?

[DigoDragon]

I would differ on this a little bit... you probably wouldn't know things like the CEO or VP, though you'd likely know who the desk sergeant is at the local. You might not know SOP as written, but you would know SOP-as-enacted... "This place is guarded by The Star; when the alarm sounds, you have X amount of time before they show up with Y force." It would be the kind of thing you would have learned through the experience of a lot of people on the street.

That sounds more refined, I'll conceded to that. :)

I've only once had a player create the background that he was a former cop. It would be a really useful background for the shadows. Most players I had tended to go 'white-collar' for background.

Let's be totally fair, here, the Katana has some amazing stats, and is almost alwyas better than a generic "Sword" stats-wise. Although, if he's being a ninja and wants to use the generic "Sword" statline, considering to prevelance of Nipponese culture in Shadowrun, he'd probably be packing a ninja-to.
Sure, actual historical record of such blades are... sparse, to say the least, but do you think that would stop anybody in the Sixth World?

One player in a former campaign created a doctor who was well-versed in the rapier. Wasn't his main weapon, but he was competent with it and liked it for the style.

I personally like a nice aluminum bat.

[Lord Torath]

I'm planning on a run in a landfill in the Redmond Barrens (there's got to be a landfill in there somewhere, right? I mean, it's the Redmond Barrens!). Does anyone know where I can find a map of the Seattle landfill?

[Taet]

I am only putting in a few minutes every day to work on character. Putting everything on a drone is taking days. Sensors on this page and PAN on that page and marking rules on that page and reading about Shadowrun groups that sound Paranoia ish and adjusting for that. I hope these do not get bricked quick.

Off the security RFID thing, one of my characters is a former Lone Star SWAT member. Obviously all of his old gear was absolutely covered in sec-RFIDs...he simply took a reader and a pair of scissors, physically located all of them, and snipped them out of the garments. Then he took his Armorer skill, stripped his weapons, and simply pried them out of those. All in all, maybe an afternoon of work?

I have got to copy that. My character will be fired from a Doc Wagon squad for selling simsense recordings that were taken on contract cases.

[Milodiah]

Let me tell you about some of this Lone Star character's flaws (our GM ignores the cap on flaws, before someone says anything)...

Intense Prejudice (Cannibals & the Infected)
Flashbacks (Trigger: butchers)
Bad Rep


Wanna guess why he lost his job?

[Rakoa]

I just noticed this thread existed after already having made a similar one. Whoops! I'll go flaw that now. Expect to be seeing a lot of me, folks.

[Milodiah]

So, I'm trying to build a hacker, 4e.

There are so many programs, and I know that I'm really not supposed to take all of them. Which should I be picking up? This is a general hacker with a leaning towards on-site work, not looking for any serious specialization work, but I'd like to be flexible with it and able to do most of the normal things that come up on runs.

[The Random NPC]

Similar to Milodiah's question, when hacking into a node, does the Analyze+Firewall only have to get as many successes as your Stealth program's rating, or do you roll Stealth+Hacking to set the Threshold?

[Dimers]

Similar to Milodiah's question, when hacking into a node, does the Analyze+Firewall only have to get as many successes as your Stealth program's rating, or do you roll Stealth+Hacking to set the Threshold?

It's the program rating, flat.

There are so many programs, and I know that I'm really not supposed to take all of them. Which should I be picking up? This is a general hacker with a leaning towards on-site work, not looking for any serious specialization work, but I'd like to be flexible with it and able to do most of the normal things that come up on runs.

It's safe to skip Agent and trojans/viruses/worms -- that's specialized or tricksy stuff. Reality Filter isn't necessary, but all the other Common programs are pretty much bread-and-butter. That includes Purge if you use Unwired. Hackers can choose to skip all the cybercombat programs because something's badly wrong if you're facing IC or a spider directly (ideally you should stay unnoticed). Spoof, Stealth, Exploit and Decrypt are necessary for any hacker, probably Defuse as well. Sniffer and Track are strong choices unless your GM reacts badly players asking for info. And ECCM is a defense against jamming, which could be important or useless depending on the run.

[Rakoa]

Fifth edition.

We've got a 10 strength Troll here wielding an Ares Alpha. With a skill of 6, +2 specialization, a 5 agility, and a custom grip, we're looking at 14 dice, more if the environmental conditions cooperate. With that thing on long burst, the Troll can fire 6 shots in one action without any recoil penalties, giving the defender a whopping -5 to defend. That's 11P damage plus what will likely be a crapload of net hits, capped only by the weapon's accuracy. It is likely that the accuracy will be met every time, so that is 16 damage per bullet.

How the heck is anyone expected to survive this? Did I miss a rule somewhere?

[Lord Torath]

It's safe to skip Agent and trojans/viruses/worms -- that's specialized or tricksy stuff. Reality Filter isn't necessary, but all the other Common programs are pretty much bread-and-butter. That includes Purge if you use Unwired. Hackers can choose to skip all the cybercombat programs because something's badly wrong if you're facing IC or a spider directly (ideally you should stay unnoticed). Spoof, Stealth, Exploit and Decrypt are necessary for any hacker, probably Defuse as well. Sniffer and Track are strong choices unless your GM reacts badly players asking for info. And ECCM is a defense against jamming, which could be important or useless depending on the run.

Is Validate Passcode still a viable system operation? In 2E-3E, if you can get a legitimate passcode implanted on the host, you can do just about anything you want without fear of raising the alarm, making the Validate utility just about the best thing out there.

I'd personally focus on the stuff that makes you hard to detect before the stuff that makes you hit hard in combat. It doesn't matter how badly they can hurt you if they never know you're there. But that's just me. And I don't know how 4E works, or whether or not that would be a valid strategy.