"mcv" <mcvmcv@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> skrev i en meddelelse
news:44774805$0$31654$e4fe514c@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> I've never actually owned a Shadowrun basic rules book (I do own a
second
> hand Rigger), but I've played 2nd and 3rd edition.
Shame on you :-)
> My feeble memory tells
> me 2d and 3rd edition were mostly the same in how skills, rolls, stats
> and damage worked, and 3rd edition mainly just fixed a lot of serious
> bugs (high initiative killing everybody before anyone else gets a
> chance to react, spell locks making rich shamans too powerful, are the
> two I remember best).
You are about right. There were other differences, but of the 4 editions
so
far, 2nd and 3rd are the two that look most alike.
> So opening my newly purchased 4th edition, I was
> pretty surprised when I found two new basic stats, a totally different
> task resolution system, and a completely point-based character creation
> system.
>
> So, what's the opinion here? Is it any good?
Yes. It's better in a lot of places, and the few places where it's worse
is
very far between.
> Here's my first impression after reading only a few bits:
>
> The old task resolution system where you roll a number of dice equal
> to your skill, difficulty of the task determines how high you need to
> roll for a success, and the number of successes determined your level
> of success, was one of the coolest systems I know, and unique to
> Shadowrun. Ofcourse in reality it was kind of weird: difficulty 3 was
> twice as easy as 5, which was twice as easy as 6, which was twice as
> easy as 10. The new system isn't nearly as special or unique, but
> probably a lot more balanced.
You are right. But the old system also had som serious mishaps:
Sometimes a +1 penalty wouldn't affect you (if your T# happend to be 6,
12,
18...).
Why would a +1 penalty affect you more when you had a low T#, than if you
had a high T#?
The new system is not a special and unique, but when playing the game it's
a
lot quicker. Combat for once takes about half the time compared to
SR2/SR3.
> The point-based character creation system probably gives more
flexibility
> to fine tune exactly what you want, but also seems to invite min-maxing.
> Particularly: raising a stat costs 10 points, but becoming Adept is only
> 5, for which you get a free point of Magic, which you can use to
increase
> a stat, if you like.
But the minute you install any cyberware, you will loose a point Essence
and
a point of Magic, so your 5 points will be wasted.
Magic is nice, but it's not a shortcut to anything.
> The old systems (or at least 2nd edition) didn't have this.
In the Shadowrun Companion (both published for 2nd and 3rd edition), you
also had the point-based character creation system, along with edges and
flaws (positive and negative qualities).
The point-based CC system is more flexible, but also prone to min-maxing,
and as a GM you will have to check out that the players background fits
with
their characters stats.
Btw. there are worse thing you can do, like buying the incompetet quality
for skills like: Assensing, Astral Combat, Bani****ng, Binding,
Counterspelling, Ritual Spellcasting, Spellcasting, Summoning, Compiling,
Decompiling, Registering, Aeronautics Mechanic, Automotive Mechanic,
Cybertechnology, Electronic Warfare, Hardware, Industrial Mechanic,
Medicine, Nautical Mechanic, Software, Pilot Aerospace, Pilot Aircraft,
Pilot Anthroform or Pilot Exotic Vehicle. Taking incompetent in any of
those
skills, will give you 5 BP free.
> Haven't looked into the details of magic and cyberware yet, have noticed
> that the damage boxes look a bit different now (not sure yet if that's
> good or bad)
Most people like it. The number of boxes are based on 8 plus ½ the
relevant
attribute (body or will). It makes a dragon much harder to kill...
> and it seems like the number of initiative p***** has
> been seperated from Initiative itself, although I haven't read the
> details of those rules yet. Not sure how I feel about that.
It works great, although I never had problems with the old system.
> Anyway, what do you all think? Major improvement over SR3? Killed the
> spirit of the game? Somewhere in between?
The spirit it still there. I thing they are major improvements, although
less could have done it just aswell.
It's a new game, but it's still set in the universe that I love.
Lars
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