Shadowrun 4 : The troll adept (Unarmed combat)

The troll adept (Unarmed combat)
Race : Troll/ Cost : 40 pt
Attribute : Adept (5 pt)
Attribute cost : 225 pt
Bod	Agi	Rea	Str	Cha	Int	Log	Will	Edge	Ess	Mag	Init	IP
9	4	5	9 (10)	1	1	1	2	1	5	5 (6-1)	6	1
Skill cost :  54 pt
Unarmed combat : 6 Spe : Martial Art Dodge : 4 Spe : Ranged combat Atlethic group : 2 Stealth group : 1
Power List  : Attribute boost 4 ( 1) Improved physical attribute 1 (strength) (0.75)  Improved ability 3 (unarmed combat ) (1.5) Killing hand (0.5)  Critical strike 5 (1.25)
Equipment cost : 41 pt / 1700 nuyen left Bone density alphaware rating 4  ( 160 000 nuyen , -1 essence ) Weapon focus force 2 gloves ( 20 000 nuyen + 2BP bond) Chameleon suit + helmet ( 8/6) (9000 nuyen) Camouflage suit + helmet ( 9/8 ) ( 1300 nuyen )  Thermal damping for Chameleon suit rating 6 ( 3000 nuyen )
total point = 385 / PB = 12 / SB = 9 / Armor : +10/+9 ( counting the +1 natural )

Comments :

- This guy is here for one and only one thing : Beat guy with his hand. This is why i strongly recommend any player not to use it and leave this stuff for the GameMaster. He is the bodyguard from one of your PNJ or a like, or even some small boss in your campaign. Because this guy can beat really really hard, but for a player, that will be the only thing he will do...

Let s have a look to what this monster can do when fighting with his unarmed combat skill : 

Here is your possibility :

1. When attacking, you will roll around 18 dice for hitting (4 agility + 6 skill + 2 specialization + 3 improved ability + 2 weapon focus + 1 reach ) , so this is our average result. 
2. When you hit, basically you will perform a 13DV attack : 5 from critical strike + (STR/2 = 5) + 3 from the bone density augmentation. 
3. If you use the attribute boost, you can reach a 14 in strength. This mean that you will raise from 13 DV to 15 DV. This mean that most of your opponents will fall with only one hit. Cool ! ^^
4. If you want him to kill more than one opponent in a shot, just add him the ambidextrous quality and split his dice pool for 2 attack with 9 dice. This should allow you to beat more than one guy in a round. 

- As usual, i will recommend to game master to boost him with some combat drug to add some extra initiative phase. 

- This guy can take a lot in his face : he got an armor +10/+9 and will add 9 dice from his body + 4 from the bone density. This mean 23 dice for ballistic attack, and 22 for impact attack. I think he could survive some round ;).  Add some level of will to live and you reach a good 15 PB. 

Shadowrun 4 : The gunslinger (sniper) adept

Elf Gunslinger (sniper) Adept
Race : Elf / Cost : 30 pt
Attribute : Adept (5 pt) ,  Aptitude (Longarm)(10pt)
Attribute cost : 210pt
Bod	Agi	Rea	Str	Cha	Int	Log	Will	Edge	Ess	Mag	Init	IP
4	6 (8)	4 (5)	2	3	4	2	2	3	5,68	4	8 (9)	2
Skill cost :  124pt
Longarm : 7 Spe : Sniper Dodge : 4 Spe : Ranged combat Stealth group : 4 Perception : 4 Locksmith : 4
Power List  : Improved ability 3 ( Longarm ) ( 1.5 )  Improved reflex 1 ( 1.5 )
Equipment cost : 11 pt / 5300 nuyen left Muscle toner 2 alphaware (32 000 nuyen, - 0.32 essence ) 1 Walter-Ma-2100 ( 5000 nuyen) 200 Ex Explosive round ( 200 nuyen) 1 Gas vent 2 system ( 200 nuyen )  1 Imaging scope ( 300 nuyen )  Chameleon suit + helmet ( 8/6) (9000 nuyen) Thermal damping for camouflage suit rating 6 ( 3000 nuyen )
total point = 390 / PB = 10 / SB = 9 / Armor : +8/+6

Comments :

- As usual, feel free to add some negative quality to gain some more points for your character creation. Most of the time i add a moderate allergy to uncommon element like gold, diamond or a like and then some element that will put out some background, like a sinner for example. 

- As a reminder, don't forget that you can't take at character creation any element that has an availability greater than 12 neither one with a rating above 6, whichever come first. 

- The Walter-Ma-2100 has been choose because he has already a smartgun system in it, and allow you to fire in semi automatic mode, that will give you an extra shot on each combat turn. Additionnaly, it has no edge drawback when fighting out of the sniper mode (see the description of sniper weapons, SR4 pg 319) . At last, this is the only one you can buy at character creation because the other one has an availability of 16. 

- Here i have mostly focus on a maximizing the shooting capacity of the guy You can shoot with the sniper in a semi auto mode (that will allow you to shoot two time on a combat phase) . The gas vent system is here to avoid any trouble with the recoil compensation. 

Here is your possibility :

1. You will roll 19 dice when attacking ( 7 skill + 2 spe + 8 agility + 2 smartgun ), and if you have set an image magnification and you use a take aim action, you could add 1 dice, reaching to 20 dice (SR4 core pg 150 ). 
2. Your base DV is 8 with an AP of -4. 
3. Because it s semi automatic, you can fire twice in the same combat phase ! Cooolll !! ^^
4. If you add some edge, you will have 23 dice to throw, and the rule of six will arrive also. 
5. You could add one dice if you take the reflex recorder for the skill (long arm). 
6. This mean that with the Edge, you will roll 24 dice, and the rule of six can give you 4 extra more ( if 6 cames up), so this mean 28 dice with an average 9 success, giving you a DV 8-17 with an AP of 4. Not so bad. 

- The stealth group is here because why spoil an agility of 8? And this will help you to sneak to the good place to shoot. 

- The camouflage suit it you best way to survive. With his -6 dice pool modifier to notify you by visual mean, the thermal damping and your stealth, you will be hard to spot. Add some jamming device also, to prevent people to use device that will allow to spot you with earing. Mage is not a big deal : if they can't see you , they can't cast a spell on you. 

- Take also some fumigene with you, to allow you to be harder to spot if you're discovered.

- As an elf, you have access to an high agility ( you can reach 10 with some augmentation, for example the thyroid gland). With that, you have also low light vision, to have no modifier in the night or dim area.

- You could also add some athletic skill or take a grapple gun to jump to the top of a building. Add this with enhanced articulation, and with the reflex recorder ( for 13 BP, you could already add two dice, and with 10 point for the skill group, you will have around 23 BP for 3 dice in all athletic field ), and you can start poking around without any problem.

- Here we have sacrifice 1 magic point, and it was enough, but you can have a magic attribute of 5 if you want, and ake another initiative pass.

- Don't spend your time taking the astral perception, and take only the bad karma drug in your stock if you want to cover this field. 

- Don't forget to buy a com link ;) that s why i have left 5300 nuyen, for the common buy ( lifestyle and so on )

Shadowrun 4 : Troll street samurai

Troll street samurai
Race : Troll / Cost : 40pt
Attribute : N/a
Attribute cost : 190 pt
Bod	Agi	Rea	Str	Cha	Int	Log	Will	Edge	Ess	Init	IP
9 (10)	4 (6)	5	6 (5)	1	1	3	3	4	0,55	6	1
Skill cost : 120 pt
Blade : 6 Spe : Axe Dodge : 4 Spe : Ranged combat Heavy weapon : 4 Spe : Grenade launcher Gymnastic : 4 Spe : Jumping Infiltration : 4 Spe : Urban Cybertechnologie : 2 Spe : Cyberlimb Pilot : 1 Spe : Bike First aid : 1 Spe : Combat damage
Equipment cost : 44 pt / 4340 nuyen left
Normal customized right cyberarm (Ag : 7, Bod : 7, Str :12, Armor : 2, 0 slot left)  Customized value : Ag : 3 , Bod : 4 , Str : 8 Enhancement : Agility : 4, Body : 3 , Strength : 4, Armor : 2
Normal customized left cyberarm (Ag : 7, Bod : 11, Str :3, Armor : 2, 0 slot left) Customized value : Ag : 3 , Bod : 9 , Str : 3 Enhancement : Agility : 4, Body : 2 , Armor : 2,  Grapple gun
Normal customized cyberleg (Ag : 7, Bod : 12, Str :4, Armor : 2, 2 slot left) Customized value : Ag : 3, Bod : 8, Str : 4 Enhancement : Agility : 4, Body : 4 , Armor : 2,  Hydraulic jack 6
Normal customized cyberleg (Ag : 7, Bod : 12, Str :4, Armor : 2, 7 slot left) Customized value : Ag : 3, Bod : 8, Str : 4 Enhancement : Agility : 4, Body : 4 , Armor : 2,  Hydraulic jack 6 Alpha customized body (Ag : 7, Bod : 10, Str :3, Armor : 2, 0 slot left) Customized value : Ag : 3, Bod : 8, Str : 4 Enhancement : Agility : 4, Body : 2 , Armor : 2 Combat Axe DV : 10 (STR/2 +4) Armor jacket + helmet (+9/+8) Orthoskin 1 Grenade Launcher MG 112 10 high explosive  10 frag  8 flash bang 1 flash pack 2 thermal smoke Chameleon suit
total point = 394 / PB = 18 / SB = 9 / Armor : +21/+20 ( 9/8 + 10/10 (cyberlimbs) + 1/1(orthoskin) + 1/1 natural ) Comments :

- The physical box value is compute as following = 8 + 5 (body/2) + 5 ( 1 point for each cyberware )

- In my game, a troll can wear an axe with only one hand. So this is why it has only one arm with a high strength. f you GM is not so kind,just use the stat for the right arm and adjust value accordingly.

- If you take the will to live, you can go to 21 PB , allowing you to have a lot of damage before falling down. This is particularly useful for some boss that you don't want to see falling down after the first round. With his 31/30 dice to resist damage from weapon or ranged attack, you can survive to a big amount of damage. If you have some point left, you can invest in some chemical or fire protection to avoid losing half of your armor from environmental attack.

- If you want to have him with multiple initiative pass, you can by some tooth compartment and add in it some drugs that will allow you to have the punch necessary.

- You're base damage value is 10 with the axe, and you will roll around 18 dice ( 7 for agility, 8 for weapon using and axe specialization, 1 for your natural reach, and 2 for the axe reach) . Quite good i think. This will allow you an average 6 success. If you use your edge, you will roll 22 dice, and can possibly get 3 reroll , leading to 25 dice with an average 8 success. This mean your damage will go from 10 to 18.

- Infiltration urban is because most of the time, you will play in urban area.

- Grenade launcher is to allow you to make area damage, and give you some help to avoid trouble. You can use the flash bang or smoke to try to escape fight if needed or gaining cover.

- Gymnastic and the hydraulic jack is to allow you to make some high jump ( virtually, you could jump 2 floor of a building). Adding the grappling gun with it, will allow you to have a good infiltration also and get out of trouble as quickly. For example, you can try to jump throughout a windows and land on the ground in around 1 round ( but still take care ;) )

Shadowrun 4 : The dwarf magician

Dwarf Magician
Race : Dwarf / Cost : 25pt
Attribute : Magician (15 pt) , Mentor spirit(5pt) , Focused concentration 1 (10pt)
Attribute cost : 215pt
Bod	Agi	Rea	Str	Cha	Int	Log	Will	Edge	Ess	Mag	Init	IP
4	1	4	3	1	1	5	6	3	6	6	5	1
Skill cost :  98pt
Spellcasting : 6 Spe : Combat Dodge : 4 Spe : Ranged combat Counterspell : 4 Spe : combat First Aid : 4 Spe : Drain damage Ascencing : 4 Spe : Aura reading
Spell list (30 pt) : Mana ball Acid stream Armor Improved invisibility Increase reflex Levitate Shapechange Mob control Heal Mana barrier
Equipment cost : 19 pt / 3000 nuyen left Power focus lvl 2 Sustaining focus (manipulation) lvl 3 (30 000 + 3BP (binding)) Sustaining focus (manipulation) lvl 3 (30 000 + 3BP (binding)) Sustaining focus (health) lvl 3 (30 000 + 3BP (binding)) Camouflage suit + helmet ( 9/8) (1400 nuyen) Medkit lvl 6 ( 600 nuyen)
total point = 417 / PB = 10 / SB = 11 / Armor : +9/+8

Some explanation on this template : 

- First, the spell casting is on combat, to have the maximum value. If you cast a combat spell , you will have roughly about 6 (skill) + 2 (spe) + 6 (attr) + 2 (spirit) + 2 (foci) , this mean 18 dice. If you want to pump it up, you can use your edge, rolling 21 dice, and with the rule of six, you could possibly have 24 dice, having an average 8 hit. If you overcast your combat spell to the maximum value (12), you have a DV around 13-20 , depending on the resistance test of the opponent.

- Second, the first aid. With your hight logic, you can cure some of you wound, particularly the one coming from drain. Even if it s better to have your friend heal you, being able to heal them in combat is some good point. You will roll around 17 dice, this mean you can heal a reasonable amount of wound and if it is not enough you have the heal spell ( but remember that the heal spell can't heal drain dammage).

- The two manipulation sustaining focus will help you sustaining your armor, shape change, levitate and mana barrier spell. The health one is to have the increase reflex spell linked to it and allow you to have more action than other people.

- This template is based on 417 point, but i haven't add drawback in the creation, so you freely gain 35BP by adding some.

- The shape change spell is a good way to get out of the fight, or to stay unnoticed by common people. Who would start firing at an eagle, dog, cat or else. If you need some extra PB , just change in a big cat like a tiger, this spell allow you to take the base value of the animal, and each net hit will add one to the base value of the animal. ( and this could also help you improve your strength ). Tiger have a body of 6, and if you want it on your sustaining focus, you can cast it to force 3, allowing you to reach 9 for your body value . Also notice that an human is an animal (but an orc , troll, dwarf or elf are considered paracritter)

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.