Futuristic Splicers - I Am Legion - OOC Thread

[Purr]

Weapon-related thoughts. =)

I really like the ideas of many of these DOT (Damage Over Time) guns, like the Heavy Bore Rifle, except for one major thing - it takes entire melee rounds for them to have their full effect. How many battles have we been in over the years that have lasted, say, more than 4?

This makes me veer towards something like the Glimmer Guns where the damage is all upfront.

 

[Sherwood]

There are many different items that do all their damage up front, like the Light Cell weapons, and the Pod weapons. Bio Rockets, too.

 

[Purr]

There are many different items that do all their damage up front, like the Light Cell weapons, and the Pod weapons. Bio Rockets, too.

Yeah, but what do you think about the DOT weapons? Are they worth getting?

I mean, alone, my character could try to put a DOT on a target and then Stealth up until the DOT expires. Rinse, repeat. Useful in some situations, I'm sure?

 

[Sherwood]

I have noticed that in the Splicers setting, weapon damage is rated much lower on average than for other Palladium games like Robotech and Rifts. Given that fact, the DoT weapons become somewhat handier to have, since the odds of a fight lasting longer is increased. But I still personally like the direct damage guns and explosives over the Slug throwers that do the continuous damage.

 

[Purr]

I have noticed that in the Splicers setting, weapon damage is rated much lower on average than for other Palladium games like Robotech and Rifts. Given that fact, the DoT weapons become somewhat handier to have, since the odds of a fight lasting longer is increased. But I still personally like the direct damage guns and explosives over the Slug throwers that do the continuous damage.

Yeah. The name of the game to me isn't how flashy or how fearfully one can drop targets, but how quickly and consistently one can drop baddies. In my mind, that means direct damage, not DoTs.

Sherwood Question on the Mantis Blades in Legion, p. 120? Prereqs include Forearm Mounted Bone Blades (no problem there) and the "Mega Upgrade" enhancement. The only Mega Upgrade I can find belongs to Ranged Weapons on Main book, p. 107. Do you see anything concerning a Physical version?

Also... doesn't having a Mega Upgrade on Mantis Pincers mean they do double damage? Ow?

 

[Mirgris]

Yeah. The name of the game to me isn't how flashy or how fearfully one can drop targets, but how quickly and consistently one can drop baddies. In my mind, that means direct damage, not DoTs.

Sherwood Question on the Mantis Blades in Legion, p. 120? Prereqs include Forearm Mounted Bone Blades (no problem there) and the "Mega Upgrade" enhancement. The only Mega Upgrade I can find belongs to Ranged Weapons on Main book, p. 107. Do you see anything concerning a Physical version?

Also... doesn't having a Mega Upgrade on Mantis Pincers mean they do double damage? Ow?

I think it's stating they already have the mega upgrade. (Which is odd) It's on a different line the prequisites, it's it's own thing? Or seems to be it's weird.


I write up some weapon thoughts let me look them over.

 

[Sherwood]

Hmm. Another oddly-worded weapon. It reads that you need Forearm Blades (simple enough) and the Mega Upgrade that normally costs 50 Bio-E and is only available to a ranged weapon and the Forearm Blades are clearly melee. Well, shit.

I'll rule that in order to get the Mantis Blades, you need to upgrade the damage of the Forearm Blades to their max, doing 1d6x10 damage at a cost of 50 Bio-E before you can get the Mantis Blades with their associated bonuses.

 

[Psychie]

I like the idea of getting that Mega Upgrade on my Omni Cannon. 4d8x10 for a single shot. Talk about ouch time!

 

[Purr]

I'll rule that in order to get the Mantis Blades, you need to upgrade the damage of the Forearm Blades to their max, doing 1d6x10 damage at a cost of 50 Bio-E before you can get the Mantis Blades with their associated bonuses.

Sherwood But I thought you can't upgrade but once per level? Doesn't that mean that you need to be at least 5th level (maybe higher) when normally it would be 3rd (Forearms at 1st, Mega Upgrade at 2nd, and Mantis Blades at 3rd)?

Or are you not using that?

 

[Purr]

I like the idea of getting that Mega Upgrade on my Omni Cannon. 4d8x10 for a single shot. Talk about ouch time!

Pow! What robot? =)

 

[Sherwood]

Not using the Mega Upgrade since it is for ranged attacks only, so you can spend the points to get the Mantis Upgrade by second level. One for the bone claws at the max level, and then on level 2 you get the Mantis Blades.

 

[Purr]

Not using the Mega Upgrade since it is for ranged attacks only, so you can spend the points to get the Mantis Upgrade by second level. One for the bone claws at the max level, and then on level 2 you get the Mantis Blades.

Sherwood Oh! So we can upgrade our Forearm blades (or whatever weapon) up to max level in one go. O.K.! I think I get it now. =)

 

[Sherwood]

I could be totally wrong about that, but I don't know.

 

[Sherwood]

On a side note, I feel like crap as I'm fighting a cold and between that and the medicine I took to fight it, I'm falling asleep at my keyboard. I might be on later tonight, but tomorrow for sure.

 

[Purr]

On a side note, I feel like crap as I'm fighting a cold and between that and the medicine I took to fight it, I'm falling asleep at my keyboard. I might be on later tonight, but tomorrow for sure.

Ack! Go rest and feed yourself good food and vitamins, Bud! Sleep good, man! 8D

 

[Psychie]

Feel better soon, Sherwood. Get some good rest.

 

[Sherwood]

Thanks, guys.

 

[Purr]

Thinking out loud here.

I really dig that Thermosynthetic armor, but given that we're attached to what basically amounts to a giant submarine, that armor is dead if we have to leave the ship without additional protection. Plus, I don't know what kind of climate we're adventuring in? Hmm.

Most of the rest of the armors don't seem... practical? EDIT: Except Omnivore. My character already has to feed him/herself. Birb's a carnivore (4 lbs. meat daily). I might change over to Omnivore here.

I have noticed each of us chose a martial art system! Heh! Love it!

 

[Mirgris]

Weapon-related thoughts. =)

I really like the ideas of many of these DOT (Damage Over Time) guns, like the Heavy Bore Rifle, except for one major thing - it takes entire melee rounds for them to have their full effect. How many battles have we been in over the years that have lasted, say, more than 4?

This makes me veer towards something like the Glimmer Guns where the damage is all upfront.

So when looking at weapons the delivery man concern is 100% cost efficiency you don't get a lot of BIO-E so if it's a BIO-E cost it's got to earn it, otherwise you need to use a WP and get a carried weapon but most of those aren't great. Looking it over I see 3 options for a host armor weapon that could be worth the price.

Spore Discharger:
AOE DOT. Not amazing damage, but unlimited ammo and a cheap weapon. Damage doesn't go up but range and AOE does.
(4d8 +1d8 for 3d4 rounds MDC Damage)
(Cost is 10,15,25)

This would let you, throw out a lot of consistent damage over time. You would be much better with multiple opponents but neither of the other players have AOE DOT Spam.
Also given your stealth skills, you could sneak in fire off a few rounds and sneak away, weakening a group before an attack, letting the DOT get it's full value.

It's not sexy damage wise, but if you ever got the mega upgrade( Would require a good bit of bonus Bio-E from an event) 8d8 +2d8 per round in a 40 foot radius every single attack is very respectable.

You would specialize in killing a lot of weak enemies at once.

There is a non-DOT version that does not cost Bio-E (Pod Rifle/pistol) It's not great but if your really hurting for Bio-E it's a fine option

Casting Guns:
This is your standard "AR" style rifle. However it's dirt cheap and if you take lithovore it is surprisingly decent
5 points at level 1, 3d8 damage in a burst (+10 for a lithovore)
10 more points for a level 2, 1d8X10 damage in a burst (+10 for a lithovore)

The range starts long and gets longer, the burst damage climbs nicely, lithovore makes the damage pretty reliable and the cost is dirt cheap, so much so taking 2 for double ammo capacity is actually possible. Just getting 1 to level 2, makes you a "Respectable" Combatant. "I've got a gun and I know how to use it"

Organic Rockets:
I don't think you should take organic rockets.
I think your bird should. 5 points per rocket is cheap enough that the bird could at least every other level add 1 more to it's capacity.
5d10 damage per rocket is actually terrifying. 6 rockets is a 30d10 blast is a 10 foot range.

It's an absolute ace in the hole, that can fuck up a scary things day really quickly.
It is something you could slowly drop more points into without compromising your host armor.

However it's 4d6 hours to regenerate, so it's not an every round weapon, one of the above 2 (or the Pod rifle/pistol) are better off filling that role.


You also get knife and sword WP for free so you will get a sword and a knife, but I'd really try to pick up some range options in your shoes.

 

[Mirgris]

Just for fun:

Dread Guard: Naga

Motion Detection: (15)
Enhanced Neurological Connections: (20)
Elongated Arms: (10)
Legs: Serpentine Lower Body (60)
Large Claws (15)
With plus 11 strength from the arms and legs, 36 PS is about average which means damage is: 7d6+6 with the claws.



Wow that was one of my original plans and it kind of sucks.
Lots of points to pick up someone regen and reistances, you can make it okay by throwing money at it.
But the damage isn't amazing and the naga mechanics to crush someone kind of suck too. (They can automatically escape for 1 action, it costs you 2 to put them in it!)
+11 to automatic dodge before PP bonuses is incredible, but hand to hand just doesn't get the damage "BIg ass ranged gun" does. Especially since PS does not add to MD.

 

[Purr]

Looking it over I see 3 options for a host armor weapon that could be worth the price.

Before I dig into this, thanks for this post of yours, Mirgris ! I love talking shop! =)

Spoiler: My feelings towards DoTs in general.

The idea of doing DoTs as a main source of damage is only appealing to me if the rest of the team is in on it too. Let's say your characters and Pretty Bird are in melee. You're doing direct damage. If I use some of the chemical DoT-weapons, those could wear down opponents while you're doing the "real work."

What concerns me is - ours is not a tabletop game where the Rounds can move at a pace of our choice. In Play-by-Post, a single combat Round might literally take one or two weeks (Real Life depending). And by that time, the DoT weapons have done, what, an additional 10 or 20 M.D.?

I don't think it's worth it for just one of us. Unless we are all putting DoTs on baddies, the benefit doesn't seem worth it. The faster we kill enemies, the less enemies damage/kill us. If we're killing a group with DoTs, they're all (100%) killing us until they drop which takes valuable ("life-saving?") time. When doing direct damage, we are taking out their ability to kill us while we are killing them. Five baddies? You and Pretty Bird drop one? Now they're down to 80% damage output and that's just talking numbers, not roleplaying (baddies running off to get help, etc.).

So when looking at weapons the delivery man concern is 100% cost efficiency you don't get a lot of BIO-E so if it's a BIO-E cost it's got to earn it, otherwise you need to use a WP and get a carried weapon but most of those aren't great.

I tend to agree. One gun sticks out though. I want two of those Thud Guns! What? Chance knocking a baddie down and do good damage? Yes, please! 8D

Casting Guns:
This is your standard "AR" style rifle. However it's dirt cheap and if you take lithovore it is surprisingly decent
5 points at level 1, 3d8 damage in a burst (+10 for a lithovore)
10 more points for a level 2, 1d8X10 damage in a burst (+10 for a lithovore)

Oh, I didn't know about the lithovore bonus. Neat! =) And yeah, it's hard not to think of the Casting guns as an AR platform. Can I trick it out, Mr. GM? Puhleeze?! Heh heh!

I may have the points to go Glimmer Gun (maybe 2 of these). If the Casters are ARs, I see Glimmers as SAWS. Later, after saving up, I might upgrade them (damage? range? Payload is already effectively unlimited). Haven't decided yet, but that's the direction I'm going.

Off topic here. I hope Sherwood's resting well. Being sick is no good.

Organic Rockets:
I don't think you should take organic rockets.
I think your bird should. 5 points per rocket is cheap enough that the bird could at least every other level add 1 more to it's capacity.

Yeah, that's a good thought. Having never had a War Hawk (heck, never having played this game!), my first thought is for Lockheed's safety and that means Camouflage followed by Stealth Field. A rocket-carrying birb is no normal birb and I think it compromises the birb's best defense - anonymity. But if, down the road, the birb can "cloak" first? Shoot rockets then vanish? Or shoot out resin and sticky baddies from above? Yeah, I'd feel a lot better about it.

Just for fun:

Dread Guard: Naga

All of the points you mention are spot-on. The main turn-off for me is having to drop your speed by half. Oof! In a game of cat-and-mouse, where the Machine is far more often the cat, stealth and speed might be the only two things that save your hide. And yeah - the Wrestling stuff is... not the way I'd do it! Heh!

 

[Mirgris]

The idea of doing DoTs as a main source of damage is only appealing to me if the rest of the team is in on it too. Let's say your characters and Pretty Bird are in melee. You're doing direct damage. If I use some of the chemical DoT-weapons, those could wear down opponents while you're doing the "real work."

What concerns me is - ours is not a tabletop game where the Rounds can move at a pace of our choice. In Play-by-Post, a single combat Round might literally take one or two weeks (Real Life depending). And by that time, the DoT weapons have done, what, an additional 10 or 20 M.D.?

I don't think it's worth it for just one of us. Unless we are all putting DoTs on baddies, the benefit doesn't seem worth it. The faster we kill enemies, the less enemies damage/kill us. If we're killing a group with DoTs, they're all (100%) killing us until they drop which takes valuable ("life-saving?") time. When doing direct damage, we are taking out their ability to kill us while we are killing them. Five baddies? You and Pretty Bird drop one? Now they're down to 80% damage output and that's just talking numbers, not roleplaying (baddies running off to get help, etc.).

Well that also comes down to sherwood and us.

So firstly damage isn't the number that matters.

It's "Number of attacks to kill" if your DOT lowers it from 2 to 1 for my melee then you are effectively doing exactly as much damage as I am (1 of the 2 attacks).
However as a stealth specialist and with the fairly long range don't discount the idea of you sneaking up, popping a couple shots and leaving.

If we are willing to wait 2 minutes IC suddenly you did 100% of that DOT time, and the spore launcher can really be nasty with AOE DOT you could weaken hordes down quite a bit of health before we choose to start the fight. Hell gurelia warfare (hit and run tactics) was expliceltly a motivation of yours and could be how you fought in the past (back story wise).

Also even ignoring the DOT (Which at worst triggers just once on a lot of enemies) spamming splash damage means aganist huge numbers (like the robots like to use) you may very well be doing the most damage via hitting enough enemies.

Oh, I didn't know about the lithovore bonus. Neat! =) And yeah, it's hard not to think of the Casting guns as an AR platform. Can I trick it out, Mr. GM? Puhleeze?! Heh heh!

I may have the points to go Glimmer Gun (maybe 2 of these). If the Casters are ARs, I see Glimmers as SAWS. Later, after saving up, I might upgrade them (damage? range? Payload is already effectively unlimited). Haven't decided yet, but that's the direction I'm going.

Glimmer guns are 45! Each!

If you are willing to pay that price just get the best gun in the game it will cost you less than half as much and the other 45 could go towards a mega upgrade or defensive stuff.

Heat Projector Cannon:
Mega-Damage: Two settings; a light 5D8 M.D. blast, or a heavy lD8x1O+1O M.D. blast.
Maximum Effective Range: 1800 feet (549 m).
Rate of Fire: Each blast counts as one melee attack/action.
Payload: Effectively unlimited.
Bio-E Cost: 35
Prerequisite: Heat Resistance

It's even qualifies for the sniper skill bonuses. Massive range, great damage, unlimited attacks


Thud gun is a great choice if you don't want to buy weapons, a debuff is something I looked for, for you and didn't see any good ones.
(You do need to ask if it's heavy or light)

Yeah, that's a good thought. Having never had a War Hawk (heck, never having played this game!), my first thought is for Lockheed's safety and that means Camouflage followed by Stealth Field. A rocket-carrying birb is no normal birb and I think it compromises the birb's best defense - anonymity. But if, down the road, the birb can "cloak" first? Shoot rockets then vanish? Or shoot out resin and sticky baddies from above? Yeah, I'd feel a lot better about it.

The rockets shouldn't compromise the anonymity much. They have a 1 mile range and once fired track their own targets so the bird can fire and forget they are "Smart" rockets. It would also be possible to upgrade a rocket into the shrieker type and if you or others take the right (cheap) upgrade gives +4 to hit with ranged attacks to the "Marked" target.

I'll be honest, I'm not sure the "point" of the bird or how to use it effectively. Having it provide a 1/day super powerful attack is obviously useful. I guess you can pack it with senses and it can scout, but our systems already have sensors for up to a mile in host armor.

 

[Psychie]

I was looking over the various upgrades, and I just spotted one for 20 Bio-E called the Super-Upgrade. It doubles the available shots per melee for weapons that have a limited number of attacks per round, ie the Omega Cannon. It is much cheaper than the Mega-Upgrade that doubles the damage, and it lets me shoot it twice in a melee round. I may have to go for that.

 

[Psychie]

A question on the Omega Blaster. It normally takes 2 melee actions to fire it; one to open up the chest plate and the second to shoot. If I get the Super-Upgrade and get to fire it twice a melee round, would it take 4 actions to prep the weapon and fire it, or just 3, since I can open the weapon plate and shoot (2 actions), then shoot again on my next action (total of 3)?

 

[Sherwood]

A question on the Omega Blaster. It normally takes 2 melee actions to fire it; one to open up the chest plate and the second to shoot. If I get the Super-Upgrade and get to fire it twice a melee round, would it take 4 actions to prep the weapon and fire it, or just 3, since I can open the weapon plate and shoot (2 actions), then shoot again on my next action (total of 3)?

Let me think on that.