Archetypes

[Madrigus]

Jacob: So, Heavy Weapons Operation is going to be a general skill?

Micheal Strife: Soldiers don't have Expert Marksmanship because they get even more Marksmanship from the header (or at least it looks that way. Marksmanship was a general skill at LE, and it looks like it'd be the same here, so taking Marksmanship from the Soldier header would stack with the general skill, yes?)

And the slow should be when the heavy weapon in question is on your person. Yeah it makes running away hard, but that's the price you pay for having a big stick.

Sniper rifles are also pretty darn heavy, and while they might not be quite as cumbersome as a rocket launcher, etc, their kick is pretty massive when compared to a handgun or many hunting rifles.

Lastly: If a Rappaccinian took Special Forces and then took the skill Up Close and Personal, along with the Rap~ required skill Tainted Love, and the Rap~ in question pulled their gloves off, would that mean their melee damage would be "1 damage and Agony by Poison" rather than an uncalled "1"?

[Jacob]

No, Heavy Weapons Operation will not be a general skill. Weapon Use Skills we be dealt with separately--it would be too cumbersome to list each weapon skill available to each header and specialization under said headers and specializations, so we will likely present it the other way round--X Weapon Style can be used by Headers 1, 2, 3, etc., and for the record, only Heavy Weapons Specialists will have Heavy Weapons Operation off the get go.

The movement restriction on heavy weapons is meant to help balance the fact that they can level large targets single-handedly.

Regarding Marksmanship: Let me reiterate. Marksmanship will be a General Skill that anyone may purchase. When we do the second pass at the Archetypes, the marksmanship situation should get cleared up. Soldier and Street Samurai are (probably) going to be the only Headers (as opposed to Specializations) with access to Expert Marksmanship.

Mardigus (And yes, I know who you are, punk.): Follow the logic, here. 1) You may always refuse a touch cast effect. Always. It's more than a core rule, it's a core tenet of the system. 2) The relevant line from Rappaccinian reads:

You must add "...and 1 Damage and Agony by Poison" to any effect you touch cast.

3) If combat swings were considered "touch casts" people could always refuse getting hit. Which would be silly. I mean, you can do it, but at that point people won't play with you.

So in short: no, Rappaccinians do NOT add "...and 1 Damage and Agony by Poison" to attacks with natural weapons unless a skill specifically states otherwise.

[gaelicwolf]

Besides, from just a logical point of view, what Jake says makes sense. When using natural weapons designated by claws (or whatever), most of the time you're literally punching the person (or sissy slapping them, I don't judge). Touch casting would often involve having your bare skin touch theirs in several places, or for more than a split second.

The Rappaccinian skill always sounded to me like it was their poison, which naturally exists all over their skin, was seeping into the skin of the target. It's more that a Rappaccinian can't touch anyone for more than the briefest seconds without beginning to kill them, because they've been made so toxic.

When getting into a fisticuff fight, I've never seen anyone give more than brief glances with their fists as they punch (or sissy slap) the person, since you're trying to get the force of the hit to do damage. Admittedly a Raspaccian might instead try to latch onto someone and simply hold on until that person was screaming in agony from all the toxins running through their systems, but there's A. no way to turn that into a skill, and B. no way a Rappaccinian would do that (often), since it would reveal their identity and make people think that yes, perhaps they should be put down.

[Jacob]

[Mike Natale]

I'm really liking the Special forces class, It looks like a great combination with a little bit of everything. Plus I've got enough camo clothing to outfit an actual special forces unit.

[Tesla]

Ok, I have to say that I am very interested in some of the support specializations so far. But the newest one, the 'Professor' has given me a few questions about the basic rules.

1) Except for the packet itself, is there any rule difference between a touch cast ability and a touch a packet to a target ability. I can understand why some abilities require a packet (Pharmacist's "Something to help with the pain" comes to mind). It represents the pills you are using.
I'm just curious if there is any other difference, ruleswise I'm missing.

2) Can you packets be stolen/taken away, thus keeping you from using those abilities? It makes sense for Pharmacist's "Something to help with the pain" , because the packet represents the pills, but makes no sense for Paramedic's "Diagnostics" skill where it's just knowledge of wounds

3) Can you use a touch cast ability or a touch a packet to a target ability on yourself? Again, the Pharmacist's "Something to help with the pain" comes to mind. Of course, you couldn't use it to cure Agony though.

[Jacob]

[Jacob]

Addendum:

Time dropped from 5 minutes to 3 minutes on the Professor's "Rationalize" skill.
Thanks for making me revist that, Tesla!

[gaelicwolf]

To be clear though, in the case of someone telling you to drop the aura, or your friend gets it, so long as you no longer had the aura on your hand there would be no way for the person to know in-game that you still had them, yes?

Example: Baddy says, 'drop the aura, or blondie gets a nice close shave'. So you put the packets in your pocket/bag/other form of carrying said packets. The aura is no longer on you (the packets are, definitely, but no longer in your hand they should no longer be "aura")

In this case, the baddy can't still threaten you to physically leave said packets on the ground, yes? Because all magical skills or natural talents (such as a Rappaccinian's poison) are innate and thus you would be able to draw the power from your self at any given time.

[Jacob]

I'd read the rules thusly: Treat it like a sword that can't be disarmed or destroyed.

If I ever said "Hey, wizard, drop the aura or your friend gets it!" and the wizard nodded and stowed the aura in an easily accessible pocket ready for a quick draw--I'd plug the friend. I told him to leave his weapons behind, and he didn't. It's the equivalent of "leave your sword on the table and come with me" vs. "sheath your sword and come with me."