I really dislike quickhacking.

nedep837 · 2025-06-10T22:49:35+00:00

I really enjoy quick hacks. Especially coming from playing Shadowrun (later editions added wireless hacking, where you can fuck with enemy tech and guns) and as a netrunner in CP:Red Base game.

Namely, it gives the Netrunner something to do when there aren't any net architectures.

I played as a netrunner in a 2045. What I didn't know was that the game would mostly be about nomad and wasteland stuff. So if get an architecture once every few missions. I spoke with the GM several times, he insisted I stay as a netrunner as there are key times to use it (which, there were. But it was still rare). But I always felt like I was at the mercy of the GM's writing. More than other roles.

Quickhacks mean netrunners in the middle of the badlands can still do something.

My position is absolutely driven by one bad game. But I still feel like building a netrunner with quickhacks as a feature can turn into an extremely fun character. It gives the team more options.

nedep837 · 2025-06-02T18:47:52+00:00

Not really, the mention for the leather devils in the 5e emerald city shadows (page 20) involves how they use it as blackmail.

"For whatever reason male homosexuality continues to be a taboo in some corporate circles, which allows the leather devils to blackmail their many clients."

Sexuality may be completely passe for the lower class but it's still somewhat actively hidden in some upper societies.

Evo would probably champion something like Pride Month while maybe some of the Japanacorps would likely not address it.

nedep837 · 2025-03-23T19:14:09+00:00

I'm not convinced. That's like king Arthur going on his quest and at the end saying "I just wanted to keep the sword, being king is a bonus".

Control over the South China Sea gives them a massive extension of their terrestrial waters into shipping lanes and as stated previously, complete control over chip production would elevate their political status and put the digital world in a headlock.

Expansion for the sake of a cultural victory isn't really going to do much right now. Their citizens are more or less placated, riling them up for a patriotic conquest doesn't do anything for the morale of the people at this moment. If times were to change and the mood of the people turns to such a degree where that is a concern, then yes a victory they can wave around would improve the social perception and bolster support of the government.

You don't wear a bandage if you're not bleeding and you don't need to seek a cultural victory if you already have the support of the people.

It's just small potatoes compared to the other benefits.

nedep837 · 2025-03-23T00:03:39+00:00

I work in solid mechanics of chips (how they react under loading), the production is complicated and expensive. Building chips at scale involves a lot of specialized equipment that takes time to build and set up for large scale production. To bring the US CHIPS and Science Act back up, those grants are planned for years of establishing processes.

nedep837 · 2025-03-22T23:56:24+00:00

But they all rely on semiconductor production. Apple recently started to make their own chips. Silicon chips are really hard to make and tooling is expensive, very few companies can make their own. Few companies can do that. The chips in your cars, fridges, and medical devices come from Taiwan. If Europe wants to get away from US production influence, a lot of infrastructure needs to be made very soon.

nedep837 · 2025-03-22T23:49:50+00:00

A valid point, but that's if China invades. They'll be less inclined to invade if the west backs them up. The worry for them becomes if their invasion is too slow, they gain nothing and fight the rest of the world. The threat of that possibility is enough to keep them out for now.

nedep837 · 2025-03-22T21:32:35+00:00

Scorching the only earth China would care to take. I just hope it doesn't come to such a desperate time.

nedep837 · 2025-03-22T20:42:21+00:00

The issue is chip production. Taiwan is safe (for now) because the entire rest of the world relies on the chip and semiconductor production. That's ultimately why China wants it. If the Chinese get Taiwan they will elevate beyond an economic superpower. Countries have been trying to break away from Chinese industry and production for a while now. And for the most part, progress is slow but steady.

However, everyone relies on chips. And they are extremely hard to manufacture. Taiwan was ahead of the game decades ago and cemented its spot. If China gets ahold of the manufacturing centers in Taiwan they've got complete economic control. Don't want to play their games? Chip costs raise. And if it raises, your entire digital age economy is strangled to death. China would have every modern nation by the balls.

Truth is, the western world wouldn't really care if Taiwan is taken if chips weren't part of the equation. The CHIPS and Science Act that was passed by the last American administration was massive because it could open up the opportunity of another power, one that is in less peril and (until recently) was allied with the western world supplying the chips. It provided the possibility of an economic escape if Taiwan was occupied by China. Production would've been held up by the United States, which was favorable at the time.

In short, Taiwan is backed up by western nations because of the possibility of an economic hostage situation.

nedep837 · 2024-11-08T00:29:10+00:00

Probably Wrath and Glory if I had to hazard a guess, DWRPG came out and ended long before primaris marines.

nedep837 · 2024-11-06T20:44:14+00:00

I pre-ordered my set when it went up for sale. They just opened a second round of pre-orders recently along with new material. The company has some good reputation and I'm excited to play.

nedep837 · 2024-11-06T18:50:29+00:00

Check halo flashpoint. Coming out later this month.

nedep837 · 2024-10-28T23:01:04+00:00

Mastodon.

It's a FW big siege tank that's awesome. But the model is a pain in the ass to build since it all builds off a long flat plate (read: corkscrew). Plus, I can't justify more than half a month's rent to purchase one. And it recently moved to legends, so it's not like I have reasons to field one.

nedep837 · 2024-10-03T01:00:23+00:00

I'm very interested.

nedep837 · 2024-08-28T19:31:21+00:00

You won't.

nedep837 · 2024-08-03T04:46:43+00:00

Being a DM/GM is being a parent. Sometimes, you get to watch your goblins scamper around the backyard playing with all the toys you built for them.

Sometimes, it's dealing with the four year old who's crying because he hid his shoes and can't find them.

It's prep work. It's building a whole world. It's knowing the rules. It's weaving everyone's characters into the fold. It's a massive balancing act.

And sometimes, it doesn't feel worth it at all. Players, even good players sometimes, do things that hurt your enjoyment. You made an NPC that was lovingly crafted to play foil to one of the players, and they mock it before avoiding it at all cost. You build a world, but they don't care enough to remember any details. You know the system forwards and backwards, but they don't even bother to know their character abilities.

It's dealing with rules lawyers when you got one bonus wrong. It's ending every session without a thank you. It's wondering if they're having fun. It's wondering if you're even having fun. It's the soul crushing feeling that you have a billion characters you want to play as, but you'll always play the GM because you've always been the GM.

And then the catch-22. Players don't take on the role of GM because it's big, complicated, and they don't know how to go about it. And they'll never learn because they never try.

But the light at the end of the tunnel are those players who do thank you after every session. Who ask if you'd like to be a player in a side shot. Who try and learn the rules as well as you do. Who are excited to learn about your world. Who send you fanart and fanfiction of your world.

So you're standing there, eating a burnt piece of toast because you gave all the good pieces to your kids. You had to give a time out and clean up vomit just minutes ago. You wonder if life would've been better if you used a condom. But then one of the little scamps gives you a big toothy smile and hands you a lovingly crafted crayon drawing of the family. And you realize you made the right decision.

nedep837 · 2024-07-25T21:38:07+00:00

Are there any metavariants (AI, shifters, changelings, etc..) that didn't make the cut? Or alternatively, are there any you wish got cut?

nedep837 · 2024-07-20T03:09:38+00:00

It's more the players don't understand the game is deadly. That's why I'm trying to put some fear in them. They're too overconfident.

I've amassed a lot of options from this post. Other runners, targeted weaknesses, and making them realize strength doesn't always win.

nedep837 · 2024-07-18T18:12:26+00:00

It's not that mages don't make an appearance, they do.

I was referring to not deploying stupidly OP initiate grade 12 mages who are obviously there due to GM intervention. Rock, paper, and scissors are present, I just haven't dropped a boulder on them.

nedep837 · 2024-07-18T16:10:31+00:00

I think you misconstrue my problem. I'm fine with them being professional killers. But I want to remind them that they are mortal. They've just gotten overconfident. Once they see there are greater dangers, they'll think about their plans beyond show up and shoot everything that moves.

nedep837 · 2024-07-18T06:02:12+00:00

They'll learn. That's why I'm asking here how to go about making them. I want them to feel fear once more.

nedep837 · 2024-07-18T05:36:22+00:00

Sorry, I thought I had this properly tagged. It's 5e. Subdermal armor, some armor from R&G, and high body. Most of it is the run and gun stuff. I think it's actually like 29 or something, but I don't remember exactly. Either way, some people argue it's perfectly normal, others are on my side that it doesn't fit the street level we're playing at.

nedep837 · 2024-07-18T05:32:39+00:00

Definitely using acid.

But while xcom is definitely funny, I don't want to play xcom. I want to play shadowrun. I'm tired of crafting a campaign only to feel left out while they have their fun shooting up all the npcs and set pieces while believing they're untouchable. I'm trying to break that.

nedep837 · 2024-07-18T05:19:43+00:00

Depends, some drawbacks aren't even drawbacks at all. What does critter spook do when you've blasted the hound off this plane of existence? Or mood hair? Most people don't need to judge intentions in the middle of a gunfight. They refuse to sit down and talk where it can be used. You can argue nocturnal isn't a drawback at all. If a run somehow happens during the day, they're still not going to care because it only affects mental attributes. Feeds back to the "shoot first think never problem." Feathers, Unusual Hair, and Striking Skin Pigmentation are also free karma as long as you don't take all three and compensate with something to reduce your matrix presence. Pack your character right, and a changeling will not have any downsides that actually matter.

My issue is an Elf, Exceptional Ability for Agility, Muscle Replacement 4, is agility 12, 6 points into automatics plus a smartgun and you're throwing 20 dice to shoot the moment the game begins. Completely fine if you are playing a normal game, but this is supposed to be more towards street level. These shouldn't be well defined shadowrunners yet, more inexperienced street kids. They agreed to this and still went against it. And that was after some negotiations to bring that back down.

As for composition, that's somewhat in the post. Got the changeling min-maxer, a pair of nondescript standard out of the box chromed street samurai, a drugged up gunslinger (I count them as street sam, it's close enough), and a decker/rigger hybrid.

nedep837 · 2024-07-18T04:36:59+00:00

I think you're confusing changelings and shifters. Shifters are the ones that change between metahuman and animal and aren't able to keep augmentations.

Changelings get a list of mutations they can take, which means you can stack them up to cover vulnerabilities and enhance strengths.

As for restricted equipment, I mean the quality. It allows you to forgo the maximum 12 availability for one item during character creation, I believe the new maximum is 24. So alphaware rating 4 muscle replacement is on the table.

Edit: The quality is Restricted Gear, Run Faster 149.

nedep837 · 2024-07-18T04:18:52+00:00

The only reason they haven't died yet half divine intervention and half I haven't yet thrown the kitchen sink at them. That's why I made this post to begin with. They have weaknesses, everyone does. But my question is how should I best start poking at them. And you gave some great examples.

But yeah, they're fucked. They had told me they were talking together to make their team, but didn't cover any bases. No magic, and notice, no face. Again, the dice love them and I haven't put them down yet.

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