Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Shadowrun 4 : Human street samurai

So currently, in my mind, i got a funny idea. It is possible to kill a dragon in shadow run 4th edition, just after character creation?

I think it is possible but for that, you need to be what i call a despicable min-maxer. And that s cool, because I'm one and i like that :D So i will make a five character team and then try to see if they have a chance against a dragon. Of course, it won't be a great dragon, i m realistic and i know that this monster cannot be killed by starting character. But a simple dragon, i think it's possible. So let's start with my first template : the street samurai.

Human street samurai
Race : Human / Cost : 0pt
Attribute : Lucky (20pt)
Attribute cost : 205 pt
Bod Agi Rea Str Cha Int Log Will Edge Ess Init IP
4 1 4 1 1 3 1 4 8 0 7 1


This could be odd to you, but having a character that has an incredible hight amount of edge will help you when attacking. The fact that you can use the rule of six every time you need it and that you can add 8 dice to your attack roll is just really powerful.

Then for this street samurai, i will make it a close combat fighter. Again, you can ask me why, but the answer is simple. I can't see a ranged weapon that can compete with an axe. Most of the ranged weapon that has an high amount of damage value (DV) have also a positive value on armor penetration (AP). Most of them have a +5 value, this mean that statistically, it's will almost reduce the DV by 2.
The only decent one is the PJSS elephant rifle. But i will speak about this one in an other post.

Now, let's have a look to the skill. This guy will be a melee fighter.


Human street samurai
Skill cost :  62 pt
  • Blade : 6
    • Spe : Axe
  • Dodge : 4
    • Spe : Ranged combat
  • Gymnastic : 4
    • Spe : Jumping
Here a short explanation.

Blade and the axe specialization will be our main attack, so we put the maximum of point in it. This mean 8 dice when attacking with an axe. Not so bad. And if you have a close combat or an armed combat, you can parry.

Dodge with the specialization ranged combat is to be good enough to avoid range attack. This specialization is because when you will be in close combat, you will parry instead of dodging attack.


An now, my favorite part. Equipment :)

I will start with cyberlimb. In one of my recent game, i've discovered how powerful this piece of equipment can be if use properly.

First we will work on arm .


Street samurai left cyberarm
Bod Agi Str Arm
3 3 3

As you know cyberlimb have a rating of 3 when you create them. We are going to take here customized cyberlimb.


Street samurai left customized cyberarm
Bod Agi Str Arm
5 5 5

And then we will add our enhancement
- Body 4
- Agility 4
- Strength 3
- Armor 2

This will consume 15 capacity slot of the arm ( 1 for each point of body, agility and strength, 2 by each point of armor), leaving 0 free slot.

Street samurai left customized cyberarm with enhancements
Bod Agi Str Arm
9 9 8 2

Why having only eight in strength? Because when you wield a weapon, you're damage value will be strength divide by two, rounded down. So having a nine in strength would be useless, and that allow you to maximize your body that will count in your global body, and your agility that will allow you to hit with a higher accuracy. 

We will do the same for the right arm and for the two legs. 

Now, let s compute the price of this : 

Customized cyberarm : 
15 000 + 6 * 1500 = 24 000

Enhancement :
Body : 4*200 = 800
Strength : 3*250 = 750
Agility : 4*250 = 1000
Armor : 2*300 = 600

Total cost  = 24 000 + 800 + 750 + 1000 + 600 = 27150

the cyber leg will cost exactly the same amount but you will have 5 empty slot in it. 

We will then invest in an axe (600 nuyen) and an armor jacket with an helmet (1000 nuyen, armor : +9/+8). 

Now let's see the cost of all of this. 

4*27150 + 600 + 1000 = 110200 

I would suggest you to buy some alpha ware for the arm. This will double the cost of all element, and selecting the arm to be alpha ware is because enhancement price is doubled also and the arm have only two free emplacement for extra element, this will reduce your cost so. You will also save 0,4 essence like that. Your bill will be 164 500 in this case. 
The aim is to have enough essence and cash to buy wired reflex or synaptic booster. Having two action on a combat turn is always great ^^

Here we will buy the wired reflex level 1 for 11 000 nuyen. 

Now let's compute the enhanced attribute and the summary of this character. 

Human street samurai
Race : Human / Cost : 0pt
Attribute : Lucky (20pt)
Attribute cost : 205 pt
Bod Agi Rea Str Cha Int Log Will Edge Ess Init IP
4 (8) 1 (7) 4 1 (7) 1 3 1 4 8 0,4 7 1
Skill cost : 62 pt
  • Blade : 6
    • Spe : Axe
  • Dodge : 4
    • Spe : Ranged combat
  • Gymnastic : 4
    • Spe : Jumping
Equipment cost : 35 pt / 4500 nuyen left
- Alpha customised cyberarm (Ag : 9, Bod : 9, Str :8, Armor : 2, 0 slot left)
- Alpha customised cyberarm (Ag : 9, Bod : 9, Str :8, Armor : 2, 0 slot left)
- Normal customised cyberleg (Ag : 9, Bod : 9, Str :8, Armor : 2, 5 slot left)
- Normal customised cyberleg (Ag : 9, Bod : 9, Str :8, Armor : 2, 5 slot left)
- Combat axe (DV : 8)
- Armor jacket + helmet (+9/+8)
total point = 322 / PB = 16 / SB = 10 / Armor : +17/+16

The physical box value is compute as following = 8+ body/2 + 4 ( 1 point for each cyberware )

So when attacking with an axe, this guy roll 17 dice with a 8DV basis value.
If using his edge, he will roll 25 dice , and on a statistical basis, you will have four 6 rolling up and that you can roll again, leading to 29 dice rolled. If you have more reach than you opponent, you can go to 31 dice rolled with the axe. On average stat, you will have next to 10 hit , having your damage value between 8 and 18 !


Edit : some minor correction have been brought because you can only have a rating 6 on a cyberlimb at character creation.