Shadowrun
Shadowrun General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Wakshaani on <06-26-15/1939:29>
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Street Samurai. We know 'em, we love 'em, they've been with us since day one (with 0.1 Essence!), and they're with us even today.
But I'm curious to see how y'all define 'em. Obviously, the default answer to every question that'll follow in here is "It depends", or "Well, THIS character is X while THAT one is Y..." but I'm hoping that you guys can nail it down a bit, grit your teeth, and give a definitive answer. Rather than slap all the questions in here at once, I was hoping for more organic flow,as some answers might generate more questions.
So, I'd like to start with an easy-hard one.
1) What single weapon best defines the Street Samurai archetype in your mind.
a) Raw physical striking (punching, headbut, etc)
b) Retractable cyber-melee weapon
c) The Katana
d) Smartpistol (Ares Predator and friends)
e) Smartsmg (Ingram and friends)
f) Assault Rifles
g) Big Guns
e) Other (Fill in the blank, please!)
If you want to give a bit more detail on why you chose one answer over another, I'd be much obliged.
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Street Samurai. We know 'em, we love 'em, they've been with us since day one (with 0.1 Essence!), and they're with us even today.
But I'm curious to see how y'all define 'em. Obviously, the default answer to every question that'll follow in here is "It depends", or "Well, THIS character is X while THAT one is Y..." but I'm hoping that you guys can nail it down a bit, grit your teeth, and give a definitive answer. Rather than slap all the questions in here at once, I was hoping for more organic flow,as some answers might generate more questions.
So, I'd like to start with an easy-hard one.
1) What single weapon best defines the Street Samurai archetype in your mind.
a) Raw physical striking (punching, headbut, etc)
b) Retractable cyber-melee weapon
c) The Katana
d) Smartpistol (Ares Predator and friends)
e) Smartsmg (Ingram and friends)
f) Assault Rifles
g) Big Guns
e) Other (Fill in the blank, please!)
If you want to give a bit more detail on why you chose one answer over another, I'd be much obliged.
Yes. All of those.
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b), d) and e).
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Answers in bold.
Street Samurai. We know 'em, we love 'em, they've been with us since day one (with 0.1 Essence!), and they're with us even today.
But I'm curious to see how y'all define 'em. Obviously, the default answer to every question that'll follow in here is "It depends", or "Well, THIS character is X while THAT one is Y..." but I'm hoping that you guys can nail it down a bit, grit your teeth, and give a definitive answer. Rather than slap all the questions in here at once, I was hoping for more organic flow,as some answers might generate more questions.
So, I'd like to start with an easy-hard one.
1) What single weapon best defines the Street Samurai archetype in your mind.
a) Raw physical striking (punching, headbut, etc)
b) Retractable cyber-melee weapon
c) The Katana
d) Smartpistol (Ares Predator and friends)
e) Smartsmg (Ingram and friends)
f) Assault Rifles
g) Big Guns
e) Other (Fill in the blank, please!)
If you want to give a bit more detail on why you chose one answer over another, I'd be much obliged.
The Assault Rifle is ambiguous with many archetypes, but it is a class of weapons that are iconic for the Street Samurai. And by Assault Rifles, I am only talking about R-rating rifles such as the AK-97 and Colt M23. These are the staples for Street Sams of any level of the shadow community. From the grimy street level gangers to the top of the line prime runners, restricted level assault rifles are the go-to for all around effectiveness and reliability.
Not every Street Sam is cybered out or handy with the blades. But almost any Street Sam worth their weight can drek someone with an Assault Rifle. Automatics in general are the baseline of how all Street Sams are judged.
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For me, the pistol is the iconic weapon. It seems to be a symbol of the precision and economy of combat that Samurai are supposed to be known for. It also has the history of use in honorable duels, another Samurai trait. Not to say that a street sam won't use every weapon available, but a solid pistol has always stood out in my mind.
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To my mind, there is no correct answer to the question posed; street samurai are not defined by weapon type, but that they are almost permanently weaponised and lethal in any situation.
Wired Reflexes would be the symbolic gear of choice; none other.
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Getting to that one, NovaCrane. One part at a time. :)
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b, c and e
Other would indirectly be Wired Reflexes as their speed is their weapon
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The Katana. Any punk can use a gun, but carrying a katana says, "I am lethal but I follow a code," which is what separates a Street Samurai from the gun bunnies. Not that there is anything wrong with being a gun bunny, I have played them many times.
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To my mind, there is no correct answer to the question posed; street samurai are not defined by weapon type, but that they are almost permanently weaponised and lethal in any situation.
Wired Reflexes would be the symbolic gear of choice; none other.
I second this. Well put, Novocrane.
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to me its all of the above and more
A Streetsam is a Char that is(should be) prepared for any kind of Combat
and with a Mindset that sets him apart (and above) from Gangers, Merceneries or Cyberclaws
To narrow him down to just one kind of Weapon ist the most stupidest thing I could imagine
@novocrane
That too
being fast is one of the Key Abilities of a Streetsam
(Being Tough, /hard to kill too, but being fast is ImO more important)
HougH!
Medicineman
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There are different flavors of street samurai (from wired lightning fast razor girl using light weapons at one part of the spectra to the heavy armored and cyberlimb cyborg tank that use heavy weapons in the other), but they are all generally depending on chrome and skilled in more than one mundane weapon.
In my view a typical outfit of a typical street samurai would probably include an ingram smartgun and a katana (plus an assault rifle in a duffle bag for when the shit really hits the fan).
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When in doubt, check the source material. The answer comes to us in one sentence:
"Molly was a razorgirl."
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Option B. A gun is very practical (and necessary for shadowrun jobs), but you need skill (and the will) to be up close and willing to go toe-to-toe with someone. I think this is what separates a street samurai from his other teammates. Any of them can shoot (and be good), but it takes a lot more dedication to be good at hand to hand.
I also think what makes a street samurai a street samurai is they have a code (and 'ware), but that wasn't this topic. :)
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The code'll come up soon. I've a handful of questions to toss in here, but this one's the starter one.
And the answers are getting better. Mind you, several people in different areas have given multiple answers, or "All of them", instead of focusing on a single one, but, we're getting there. There'll be more questions as it unfolds.
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I'm still strongly biased by that original Elmore cover, so I'll say Ingram Smartgun.
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I suppose the Katana would still be something I would expect the sammie to have, even if he never draws it during the run.
It is as much a status symbol as a weapon and it does help to project the calm certainty that he can kill everyone in the room if need be, but only if necessary.
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For me it is
e) Smartsmg (Ingram and friends)
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Personally I'd say pistols are more a trademark of gun adepts (hello Revy Two Hands) and also the weapon of choice for faces. For a street samurai it would mostly be a sidearm or a weapon to use in situations where you can't bring anything larger....
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"The best Weapon for the Job"
Is the answer that best comes to mind for a Street Samurai. Unlike other Archtypes that may see combat and need something to defend themselves, the Street Samurai IS combat. that is the one thing they bring to the group. So they should have a Variety of weapons and be very good with all of them.
A pistol is a great weapon to have when you need something for short range and need it to be hidden. But it is a poor weapon to take on fully armored guards.
A SMG is good weapon for short to medium range, suppression, and rate of fire. But it is a poor weapon for long range combat.
A Assault rifle is good for medium to long range combat, suppression, Armor targets and lots of opposition. But it is a poor weapon if you need to bring something concealable or hidden.
A melee weapon is great for close combat, silent take downs, and (depending on the weapon - swords/axes not so much) easy to hide. But it is a poor weapon to bring for ranged combat...
A Samurai should be the most combat adaptable member of the team and have the weapons and the skills to cover just about any tactical situation.
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Katana. It's what makes it a "Samurai". That and the code of honor, IMO. that was what separated the Samurai from the other combat focused characters in SR1.
Now it's a generic term that defines the overall role of the character (Combat oriented).
So it depends on when you're talking. Now, or originally.
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For me, what defines the Sam is "a combat oriented character who is heavily augmented with cyberware" more then anything else. You may have a katana and/or a code of honor, but that's less defining to me then the 'ware.
As for the signature weapons, I would say "an assault rifle with a smartgnu and lots of mods"
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Katana. It's what makes it a "Samurai". That and the code of honor, IMO. that was what separated the Samurai from the other combat focused characters in SR1.
I seem to remember one of the Jackpoint comments in a book making the same point: To be a 'real' Street Samurai, you needed the blade and a code of honor.
In my opinion, I agree with that completely: Without those two, you're just a hired gun otherwise.
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Time for more questions!
2) When you picture "Street Samurai" in your head, what race are they?
A) Dwarf
B) Elf
C) Human
D) Ork
E) Troll
3) One thing that everyone agrees on is that a Street Samurai has cybernetics. But which upgrades are the *definitive* ones? The ones that change "Guy with cyber" into "THAT one is a samurai"? Not only do you get to pick three on this one, but you get to put them in order of must have, should have, and probably has.
A) BOD enhancement (Dermal plating, Skeleton upgrade, etc)
B) AGI enhancement (Muscle replacement, Muscle toner, etc)
C) REA enhancement (Reaction enhancers but NOT Wired Reflexes (se below))
D) STR enhancement (Musce replacement, Muscle augmentation, etc)
E) INITIATIVE enhancement (Wired reflexes, synaptic accelerator, etc)
F) Cyberlimbs (Arms, legs, etc)
G) Cyberweapons (Spurs, Cybergun, etc)
H) Cybereyes (NOT including Smartgun link)
I) Smartgun Link
J) Skillwires
K) Other (Please define)
Remember, on this one, you get three, but you need to put 'em in order of importance. I'm still looking for *Iconic*, not neccessarily "Most effective".
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BCD: Elf, Human and Ork have the right "size" in my head to be a samurai with a katana without it looking somehow funny
E: Speed and Initiative is the defining trait: Clear a room full of people with a melee weapon within one round...
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1) b / d / e - I've always envisioned the street sam as a "wolf in sheep's clothing"...power and lethality wrapped in an unassuming "mortal" shell.
2) c / d / e - humans be default as (for me) cyberpunk has always been about humans first; Orks and Trolls simply because... ;)
3) e / h / a - enhanced reflexes are key/paramount here...then the "mirrorshade eyes". A but of a toss between body enhancement and a cybernetic arm, but edged in terms of the body as I think it leans more to the desire/intent of the street sam to go "beyond" to get that extra edge.
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1. B, D, E.
2. C. Was tempted to add orcs and trolls, but decided against it.
3. G, E, can't decide on last one. Seriously, THAT is a difficult one. I think I only played a street sam once and THIS was the reason for it. Picking the appropriate 'ware was a road through hell. That being said, a street sam MUST have an implanted weapon (preferably some sort of blade) and be lightning-fast. I'm really torn between cyberlimbs (with improved strength and either armor or agility), cybereyes, smartlink and BOD enhancement.
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Question 1:
Katana no ifs ands or butts about it. This is the quintessential true Street Samurai weapon and I mean those that follow the code of honor Street Samurai.
Question 2:
Humans, Elves, and Ork. Just my personal feelings on it.
Question 3:
Samurai can be counted on to without a doubt be the quickest guy in the room, and sporting obvious chrome of one kind or another. However I think it is the role as well to hit and hit HARD so that means high pools and high damage. Muscle replacement is number three.
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Fun survey! I find myself wishing that the questions each had their own threads, but I'll defer to the Wakshaani. Perhaps he doesn't want to spam the board with a dozen threads.
Question 1
B/C (primary) + E (secondary): In my head, I see a street samurai dual-wielding a katana and an Ingram Smartgun. If forced to pick one weapon over the other, I would say that the iconic weapon is the katana. Any ganger can spray-and-pray with an SMG or an assault rifle, but the katana requires skill and training. The katana says, "I can bring a knife to a gunfight and still survive." Bonus points for the katana being silent and elegant. A cyberspur isn't as stylish but I would label it an acceptable substitute, especially for the upwardly-mobile samurai who came up through the ranks of gangers and street scum.
Question 2
C: I picture a human, mostly because I envision street samurai as heavily augmented, and humans need the most augmentation to be physically competitive with the other races.
Question 3
E / B / I in descending order (initiative most important). Speed first, because speed kills (the quick and the dead). Agility second, because a samurai has grace (and also needs to be good at what they do). The third is the toughest. Cybereyes are iconic, but are too common among the general population to be unique. I went for Smartgun Link because it was the one where if a cybernetically enhanced samurai didn't have one, I'd be asking, "well why the frag not?"
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Coming late to the party
For me the iconic weapon is a sword (probably but not necessarily a katana). However this is a nonesentiial element
As for race, again non essential, but human is my first go to
On cyberware: Other. I do not feel that a Samurai needs to be cybered.
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1) I agree that a true Street Samurai would carry multiple weapons for multiple situations. And at least one or two concealed or cyber weapons. The point being, a Street Sam doesn't only carry weapons, they ARE a weapon.
2) I don't really picture any one metaspecies over another when thinking of a street sam, as all the races have them.However, I think Humans are likely the most common, if simply because Humans are the most common metaspecies, and street sams are something that appears easy to become for a lot of Shadowrunners/runner wannabes (just slot some chrome and you're a "street sam").
3) Wired Reflexes. Some sams are durable. Some are stealthy. Some are great in melee. And others are incredible with guns. But damn - near ALL street samurai are known for being ready for action at a moment's notice, and being able to react in the blink of an eye. You don't even need to be the best shot on the street or have a signature weapon, if you can act many times faster than a normal person, you'll win most fights before they start. And while there are other ways of getting that speed, chrome nerves and wired reflexes are the most iconic.
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Taking 3 per question, in descending order;
1. c, e, g
2. c, b, d
3. e, h, i
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1) I agree that a true Street Samurai would carry multiple weapons for multiple situations. And at least one or two concealed or cyber weapons. The point being, a Street Sam doesn't only carry weapons, they ARE a weapon.
Or, to paraphrase, "Guns and swords are tools. I am the weapon." They probably even have a t-shirt that says that, or did, but matured out of it... perhaps after getting shot/stabbed a few times.
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The Samurai Code.
One of the most definitive things in the eyes of many is that a Street Samurai has a Code. Just what that entails, however, varies! Let's see by how much. Which of the following best defines the Code by which your typical samurai follows?
1) The Samurai Code. The Seven Samurai Virtues, especially absolute loyalty to one's master to the point of suicide if so ordered.
2) The Ronin's Code. The Seven Samurai Virtues, especially Honor above all else. You will not cheat, lie, ambush, or serve a dishonorable master.
3) The Assassin's Code. You kill only who you are paid to kill and are above common violence. You, after all, are a professional.
4) The Mercenary's Code. You fufill the contract, no matter your personal beliefs. If you agreed to erase a place and it's an orphanage, too bad. A deal's a deal.
5) The Soldier's Code. Looting bodies is forbidden, as is attacking civillians/non-combatants.
6) The Hooder's Code. Rob from teh Corps, give to the SINless. Never let a fellow Hood be arrested. Nobody's ever too poor to not share.
7) Codes are for suckers. Do what it takes to win 'cause the streets will chew you out otherwise. No such thing as an unfair advantage, and the whole point of getting somebody down is to hit them when they're vulnerable! SCrew you, I got mine.
8) Other - Fill it in!
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This the important question, and for me the answer is B, the Ronin's Code.
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I figure that this one will create quite a bit of debate. In a good way, mind you!
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1) What single weapon best defines the Street Samurai archetype in your mind.
To my mind the street samurai embodies combat in all forms, and should always be prepared for engaging enemies at range and in close combat. At a minimum, that means a melee weapon and a ranged weapon, preferably legal or at most restricted, possibly concealable. As such, I'd pick two:
c) The Katana
e) Smartsmg (Ingram and friends)
2) When you picture "Street Samurai" in your head, what race are they?
Having made it half way through the line of Shadowrun novels I feel like the universe often presents samurai as humans, but if I got to pick more than one option it would be as follows.
C) Human
D) Ork
B) Elf
3) One thing that everyone agrees on is that a Street Samurai has cybernetics. But which upgrades are the *definitive* ones? The ones that change "Guy with cyber" into "THAT one is a samurai"? Not only do you get to pick three on this one, but you get to put them in order of must have, should have, and probably has.
I don't think the 'ware defines the samurai, personally, but if you're human, elf or even an ork, you're likely going to need an edge against the troll bodyguards or elite corpsec guards you'll eventually go up against. So, with that in mind, I'd say initiative enhancements are the most important thing, and wired reflexes are iconic in this field to my mind. The second most important improvement as far as I'm concerned would be some sort of physical boost, whether that be strength, body, or agility would be up to the individual. If I had to choose I'd go with muscle replacements, which affects agility and strength. Finally, the smartgun link; it provides a significant improvement for very little cost, and ties into the iconic weaponry of the samurai. In order of importance, then, I'd list the following:
E) INITIATIVE enhancement (Wired reflexes, synaptic accelerator, etc)
B) AGI enhancement (Muscle replacement) AND D) STR enhancement (Muscle replacement)
I) Smartgun Link
4) The Samurai Code.
A samurai in the shadows is not an actual samurai, but he still obeys a warriors code. To my mind, honor is important to the samurai, so I'd go with the following.
2) The Ronin's Code. The Seven Samurai Virtues, especially Honor above all else. You will not cheat, lie, ambush, or serve a dishonorable master.
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Tough one. I'm very much in the "a sam isn't just someone with a gun" camp, even though I use sam as shorthand for a gun-focused character in the forums. My sam is distinct from my merc who is distinct from my soldier. Part of this is equipment choices, but a bigger part of it is outlook. I'm a big fan of Legend of the Five Rings, so my sam's code is largely based off of that setting's bushido code (he's an Akodo, for those wondering).
1. (C) Katana, absolutely. The character is very much a throwback to 1st-2nd edition sams, so the other classics are there as well (Ingram Smartgun, etc.), but it's the katana (daisho, if you must know) that defines him.
2. (C) Human, with orks running a close second. I like the idea of orks in the older incarnation of the JIS adopting a classically Japanese outlook to work within a culture that is extremely prejudice against them.
3. (E) Wires, wires, wires. Especially under the old initiative rules.
4. (B) Ronin's Code. Do NOT try to double-cross this guy, Mr. Johnson.
God, I miss my old Dikoted, Bullet Barrier/Detect Enemies-anchored katana.
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The Samurai Code.
One of the most definitive things in the eyes of many is that a Street Samurai has a Code. Just what that entails, however, varies! Let's see by how much. Which of the following best defines the Code by which your typical samurai follows?
1) The Samurai Code. The Seven Samurai Virtues, especially absolute loyalty to one's master to the point of suicide if so ordered.
2) The Ronin's Code. The Seven Samurai Virtues, especially Honor above all else. You will not cheat, lie, ambush, or serve a dishonorable master.
3) The Assassin's Code. You kill only who you are paid to kill and are above common violence. You, after all, are a professional.
4) The Mercenary's Code. You fufill the contract, no matter your personal beliefs. If you agreed to erase a place and it's an orphanage, too bad. A deal's a deal.
5) The Soldier's Code. Looting bodies is forbidden, as is attacking civillians/non-combatants.
6) The Hooder's Code. Rob from teh Corps, give to the SINless. Never let a fellow Hood be arrested. Nobody's ever too poor to not share.
7) Codes are for suckers. Do what it takes to win 'cause the streets will chew you out otherwise. No such thing as an unfair advantage, and the whole point of getting somebody down is to hit them when they're vulnerable! SCrew you, I got mine.
8) Other - Fill it in!
A modified version of Soldier's code - stun is fair game against non-combatants, looting is fine if it's something of immediate use - like say, ammo when you're running low, machine gun if you need to lay down suppressive fire and don't have appropriate weapon, medkit when you're out of supplies and bleeding out etc.
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the Ronin Code/The San Code/Soldier code/others The Hooder code can be respected but not quite their. Above and beyond everything else this MAKES the Sam... You might be a decker, you might be a mage, but if you live by a code then you are a Sam, especially a code about Honor/loyalty/ being better than the masses and thus having a responsibility to them
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Troll, because that was what I played in 1st/2nd! Although really, any race.
Initiative boosters, followed by a cyber weapon, followed by Agility enhancements.
For a code, I'd say Other= any. I think what defines a samurai from other fighter types is a code. Doesn't matter which one, but he follows it. You may not agree with him, but because of his code he earns respect. After all, if he couldn't back it up, he wouldn't be around.
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Race: Any. Genes are no barrier for anyone to pick up the katana, get wired + Spurs implanted and lay down fire with Ingram smartguns. Just look in the back of the old Street Sam's Catalogue!
But if I'd have to choose then Human, Elf and Ork with the two first being more iconic than the last.
Implants: Initiative Boosters, Cyberweapons and Agi/Str enhancers (good old muscle replacement)
Code: the iconic would follow Ronin's Code but in reality the street warriors that they are come in shape, size and philosophy if any.
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Katana
Human (Japanese)
Wired Reflexes
Code of the Ronin
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When in doubt, check the source material. The answer comes to us in one sentence:
"Molly was a razorgirl."
And to reach for another quote from Stepin' Razor, Molly to Chase, the Console Cowboy:
"People like us, what we do, it's what we are."
Later Molly tells Lady 3Jane that she would have tried to kill her ninja. When 3Jane asked her why, Molly replied "Because they're suppose to be the best."
At the end of the book, after Molly and Chase are safe, rich, and back on earth, Chase woke up alone in the bed in their hotel room. All he finds of Molly is a brief note: "Sorry, I was starting to lose my edge."
So to me it isn't so much a particular weapon or selection of weapons, it's that whatever weapon you pick, katana, implants, SMG, heavy pistol, knives, whatever, you will be the absolute best there is, whatever the cost.
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Question 2:
I generally see Street Sams as being human. Much of this comes down to the Archtype pictures (and stats) for the Sam in every edition but 5th being Human. Orks and Elves to a lesser degree, but definitely human above all else. I don't think I've ever once heard of a Dwarf Sam.
Question 3:
Hard call, but I'd say E (Initiative), I (Smartgun) and either A (STR) or B (AGI) depending on their focus, leaning to B.
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I might be a little confused by the phrasing of the question, "Which of the following best defines the Code by which your typical samurai follows?" Are we trying to answer it for our own PCs or how we envision the iconic street samurai behaves?
I might propose Darwin's Code as a new option, namely survival is paramount and everything else is secondary. Of course there are some who would die for their ideals or their honor, but I don't picture them as the norm.
If you're asking about my PCs, I tend to lean toward The Hooder's Code. Time is out of joint, the center cannot hold, the corps run the world, but the street samurai can tilt things back in the other direction every-so-slightly. My PCs are often street scum that clawed their way out of the gutters, so they sympathies remain with their roots even if their aspirations aim higher.
For discussion purposes - and acknowledging in advance that it pertains to shadowrunners in general rather than street samurai specifically - I might offer this quote from Jordan Weisman that he gave a few years ago during a Reddit AMA (http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/uavdc/i_am_jordan_weisman_creator_of_shadowrun):
Shadowrun has it's own version of what honor and duty means. While an RPG allows and encourages each GM to create their own version of the world they are playing in, in my version of Shadowrun the runners are classical anti-heroes meaning that they are totally outside the "law" doing things that disrupt society but they do live by an internal code of honor and duty to each other and to the SINless, the poor souls without system identification numbers that live in the slums and are prayed upon by gangs and corps with equal abandon. In my version of the game the runners are often the only hope the SINless have.
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1) The katana no question about it,the other combat types have other names as has already been mentioned ( Razorgirl,Gunbunny..etc. )
2) All races, because skill, dedication and following a code is not limited to any single race.
3) Skill and ability are more important than ware, but if i had to choose then reflexes, reaction enhancer and muscle toner
4) A modified version of the Ronin's code, because to be honest, someone who would not lie, cheat or steal would make a poor shadowrunner.
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1: Weapon: The katana first and foremost; secondarily, 'the weapon required', even - especially - if that is no weapon, for the samurai's mind is the weapon . The idea of the street samurai was, to me, influenced heavily by Ghost-Who-Walks-Inside in the very first piece of fiction for Shadowrun, the 1e main book's opening fic 'Night on the Town'; you could see that Ghost was a sharp, working brain, which defined him more than his dual SMGs or wired reflexes did. However, that said, the katana carried the implication of honor, duty, loyalty, etc. - and to use one properly required dedication and training. (This can be said of any sword, but at that time, the samurai was really popular as the 'dedicated warrior'.)
2: Race. For me, because of the street sam variants in the back of the original Street Samurai catalog, race became 'whatever you happen to be'. My personal preference out of those five archetypes (human, elf, ork, troll, dwarf) was the ork, because he was such a wonderfully low-key character. While he didn't have (couldn't afford) a whole buttload of cyber in him like the others, he had style:
(http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0149/6074/files/Orc_Street_Sam_large.jpg)
I think this image really awoke me to the idea of the metahuman street sam, and in many ways began to define for me what a real street sam was - not the overmuscled spur-popped SMG-wielding visor-eyeballed grotesque of a human of the main book, but class and subtlety.
3: Cyberware: Wired Reflexes, then a smartgun link. The street samurai IMO is dedicated to moving first, moving often, and being accurate with his weapon. Everything else, from reaction or quickness enhancers, dermal armor, spurs, or a strength boost, is flavored icing on your cake, to make it look like you want - but the wired reflexes and the smartgun link are the cake itself.
4: Philosophy: Street samurai are virtually identical to wave men, working for whatever master exists in order to buy their next bowl of rice. I would not categorize the Ronin code as honor above all, but instead as being 'the Samurai code' with a rider of 'the foolish dead man has no honor', and so contains a good dose of the survivor's code. (A ronin is perfectly willing to set up an ambush, especially if she's outnumbered.) For me, I look at Akira Kurosawa's seminal work Seven Samurai (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Samurai) to see what a Street Samurai is. The codes shown by Kambei Shimada and Shichirōji are essentially the code of the Street Samurai - that of the Ronin, but with gi, righteousness, and jin, benevolence or compassion, being the foremost guiding virtues instead of meiyo, honor, and chūgi, loyalty. One can see that there are variations on this; though Kyūzō seems to be on a search for the purification of his skill, though he originally declines to join the others, he eventually does so as he realizes that his quest could be better served by following gi and jin in helping the villagers.
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In my mind there have been several iconic "Street Samurai" each of whom follows a sightly different path, all of which are valid:
Molly Millions/Sally Shears - Gibson's iconic sprawl trilogy razorgirl cybered warrioress
Alex - The main character from Nemesis, an enjoyable cyberpunk style film starring Olivier Grunner
Ghost Dog - Forrest Whittaker's character from the film of the same name, though you could argue he would be better as an adept
Ghost - the archetypal samurai from 1st edition shadowrun and the original novel trilogy
On a related note Gibson also gave us the archetypal former company man in the shape of Turner or Conway and possibly even Fox, so many archetypal deckers it's unbelievable, the archetypal fixer in Finn.
All of the above are just off the top of my head without referring to any of the texts in question and I'm sure that several others will pop in as soon as I post this response.
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Wyrm, if you cut that out of the 2e book it came from to scan it.....
<Shakes fist>
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Aside from my profile picture, Wyrm's picture has always been my favorite and been the inspiration to many if my characters.
Street Samurai's Catalog had some great art for its archetypes, where the elf and dwarf version screams neo-bushido, the troll was efficiency where the ork, as Wyrm said, oozed style. That picture is partly the reason why orks are my favorite race. The 2e art did orks justice!
...
Sorry, I'll rerail the thread now
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Not mine; websearched for 'shadowrun ork street samurai' and up it popped. Besides, the 2e version is crap, you can get 'em for a dime a dozen. It's the 1e version that's hellaciously rare.
And PiXel01, both pieces were done by Laubenstein - and while I know the ork street samurai piece is from First Edition, I think yours might be as well ... though I'm not sure.
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Cyberware + Code of Honor
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A lot of the art from 1st was recycled in 2nd as far as I can tell. Sadly I started right after the release of 2nd so I can't really tell the difference. Yet I still call for a renascence of that art style.
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Would you say the difference between a Razorboi and a street samurai is the Code or just professional behavior?
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Good question, PiXeL01. I say it is a matter of respect. When I hear razorboi/girl, I'm reminded of a line in some older edition fiction, 'You're living on borrowed time, vatjob.' It was a fight between an adept and a samurai. Adept clearly had no respect for the samurai.
I guess what I'm saying is I think the individual who is respected will never be referred to as razorboi (vatjob). Having a code (I believe) goes a long way toward earning that respect. And you don't have to be liked to be respected.
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Oh, god, no - for all I enjoy that one image, I generally detest Laubenstein's art style for being egregiously unbalanced and unrealistic, just for the form. At this point, he wouldn't be the last person I'd hire to do new artwork, but he'd be in the bottom 10%.
In regards to the 'razorboy/razorgirl' (Razorboi? Is than an effeminate Japanese cyberized street punk?) vs samurai question, it is a matter of a code of ethics. The razorboy has 'Code Selection #7' from above - no code whatsoever. Twins who grow up in the same place, even if they have identical gear, cyber, skills, and stats, can be very different - one a razorboy, with a general 'fuck you all' attitude and who remains a punk both inside and out, and the street samurai, who has his personal Code that keeps him right with the world, and especially with himself. The street sam will be a professional, which is where (I think) the difference lies; the razorboy a blazing pink mohawked punk with 'bite my snake' tattooed on the side of his head, popping and polishing his spurs at a meet, and basically being someone with a 15-minute shelf-life.
You want a street sam on your team. You want to hire the razorboy to cause a distraction, because he's disposable.
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Oh, god, no - for all I enjoy that one image, I generally detest Laubenstein's art style for being egregiously unbalanced and unrealistic, just for the form. At this point, he wouldn't be the last person I'd hire to do new artwork, but he'd be in the bottom 10%.
In regards to the 'razorboy/razorgirl' (Razorboi? Is than an effeminate Japanese cyberized street punk?) vs samurai question, it is a matter of a code of ethics. The razorboy has 'Code Selection #7' from above - no code whatsoever. Twins who grow up in the same place, even if they have identical gear, cyber, skills, and stats, can be very different - one a razorboy, with a general 'fuck you all' attitude and who remains a punk both inside and out, and the street samurai, who has his personal Code that keeps him right with the world, and especially with himself. The street sam will be a professional, which is where (I think) the difference lies; the razorboy a blazing pink mohawked punk with 'bite my snake' tattooed on the side of his head, popping and polishing his spurs at a meet, and basically being someone with a 15-minute shelf-life.
You want a street sam on your team. You want to hire the razorboy to cause a distraction, because he's disposable.
I dunno, there something about all that old artwork that just.... speaks to me.
Now I am not saying we haven't had some fantastic artwork recently, but something just feel right about that artwork, and the way it goes with the layout of the books...
but, maybe that just me.
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the razorboy a blazing pink mohawked punk with 'bite my snake' tattooed on the side of his head, popping and polishing his spurs at a meet
All I have to ask is, did he have a snake? ;)
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According to Fields of Fire, he did. Unfortunately, I got my hair wrong - top of his head was shaved, and the rest was down to his shoulderblades and bone white.
>>>>>( Does he actually have a snake? )<<<<<
-- 'Shroom (09:25:09/01-10-55)
>>>>>( Yeah, a red-and-brown anaconda named Freddi. )<<<<<
-- Hatchetman (18:34:58/01-11-55)
FoF really was a top book in regards to theme and the mercenary - but also, in a whole lot of ways, for the streets and the street samurai ethos itself. Hatchetman (MHRIP) was SR's truly definitive street samurai, and for the most part, Fields of Fire is where he really, really shines. Get it if you can.
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According to Fields of Fire, he did. Unfortunately, I got my hair wrong - top of his head was shaved, and the rest was down to his shoulderblades and bone white.
>>>>>( Does he actually have a snake? )<<<<<
-- 'Shroom (09:25:09/01-10-55)
>>>>>( Yeah, a red-and-brown anaconda named Freddi. )<<<<<
-- Hatchetman (18:34:58/01-11-55)
FoF really was a top book in regards to theme and the mercenary - but also, in a whole lot of ways, for the streets and the street samurai ethos itself. Hatchetman (MHRIP) was SR's truly definitive street samurai, and for the most part, Fields of Fire is where he really, really shines. Get it if you can.
FoF was one of the better books, especially as it did give Hatchetman a chance to shine, though if I remember correctly he had read it all the way through before going back and posting which caused a few people to question his authenticity as far as some of his views and beliefs were concerned.
Also I'll forgive you getting the hair wrong as I didn't notice myself. Having said that it's been years since I picked that book up so was amazed I even recognised the quote in the first place
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1. I think many of the Arch-typical Street Samurais have a chosen weapon, the one thing they have in common is expertise in that weapon. I don't think any one specific weapon is the answer.
2. Any race, but the picture of the Orc Street Samurai from ye olde Street Samurai Guide really nails it. It's between that picture and Molly.
3. Initiative mods and Smartlink. Go fast, shoot straight.
4. Mercenary Code. Reason one, source material. Molly certainly had a code, but it wasn't Bushido. Reason two, a Street Samurai is more than just some cyber thug, but they're much more likely to live to fight another day than die for a hopeless cause just because some corporate Johnson is throwing a few nuyen down.
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Yeah, but a street samurai will usually go to the wall over a major offense to their honor - making something bad look like it was their fault, a Johnson deliberately screwing them over, that sort of thing.
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I don't think Vengeance is a Bushido specific thing.
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This is how I feel.
Personally I still am 1e-2e
How I saw it played in 1e-2e
Question 1
e) Smartsmg (Ingram and friends)
Question 2
B) Elf
C) Human
Question 3
E) INITIATIVE enhancement (Wired reflexes, synaptic accelerator, etc)
I) Smartgun Link
G) Cyberweapons (Spurs, Cybergun, etc)
Question 4
6) The Hooder's Code. Rob from teh Corps, give to the SINless. Never let a fellow Hood be arrested. Nobody's ever too poor to not share.
How I saw it played in 4e-5e
Question 1
d) Smartpistol (Ares Predator and friends), e) Smartsmg (Ingram and friends), f) Assault Rifles, g) Big Guns equal importance
Question 2
Ork
Question 3
E) INITIATIVE enhancement (Wired reflexes, synaptic accelerator, etc)
A) BOD enhancement (Dermal plating, Skeleton upgrade, etc)
B) AGI enhancement (Muscle replacement, Muscle toner, etc)
Question 4
7) Codes are for suckers. Do what it takes to win 'cause the streets will chew you out otherwise. No such thing as an unfair advantage, and the whole point of getting somebody down is to hit them when they're vulnerable! SCrew you, I got mine.
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1:
Some kind of blade. Usually Katana or combat knives if concealment is of concern.
And in addition (a sam HAS to have both) something automatic firing. Usually pimped AR or automatic pistols again for concealment.
2:
Not Troll. Is expected to be dangerous and too obvious.
Not Dwarf. Just too slow and does not deliver the idea of an agile fighter
Elf>Ork>Human>weird things
3:
Initiative, then some initiative and to round things up some nice and peachy initiative enhancements. Oh and smartlink, so at least something is thinking...
4:
"Code? Deckster is always mumbling about codes while doing his elektronic gismo stuff. You mean that? I don't know anything about code. "
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I don't think Vengeance is a Bushido specific thing.
But when we think of Sammies and Vengeance, we often think of a certain 47 former samurai who many take to represent that point.
Though to be fair, they should have gone after their target right away rather than the long convoluted plan they went with as their code would have called for immediate action with courage and determination.
For even if they failed, which is most likely as their enemy was prepared for just that action, it would not have mattered as victory or defeat itself in immaterial to bushido.
Rather it is to act decisively in accordance with their code that reflects Bushido best.
Imagine if their enemy had died from disease or falling off his horse before they could enact their revenge, they would never have had the chance to enact their plan and their world would have just considered them the 47 Losers.
It is these difficulties of balancing one's own code against accomplishing what must be done that provides some of the best tales.
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Though to be fair, they should have gone after their target right away rather than the long convoluted plan they went with as their code would have called for immediate action with courage and determination.
For even if they failed, which is most likely as their enemy was prepared for just that action, it would not have mattered as victory or defeat itself in immaterial to bushido.
Rather it is to act decisively in accordance with their code that reflects Bushido best.
Interesting couple of tidbits: first, changing sides and betrayal was practically the national sport of the samurai, hence their martial emphasis on situational awareness. Second, the majority of what forms the later 'Code of Bushido' - the Hagakure (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagakure) - was essentially a series of complaints about 'how the samurai are fallen', given by a romanticist who never once drew his weapon in combat and was a glorified clerk.
So sure, he criticized the 47 Samurai for their long-term planning; his fantasy was for a samurai basically to to live as though he were already dead, and then to actually die in battle and that success or failure was immaterial. This, of course, is both crap fantasist philosophy and fanatically inhumane; its essence violates at least three of the seven samurai virtues, while paying fanatical service to one or two of them, and is utterly unworkable in reality; you need people to be people who want to succeed, to live, and to do the right thing, not suicidal machines.
Unfortunately, a majority of the 'code books' all glorify the same thing, and if you look at the societal changes happening, it's obvious as to why they were written that way: the Tokugawa Shogunate, desiring absolute control, would promote absolute allegience unto fanatical devotion to one's higher-ups and an utter willingness to die at any moment for any reason if those higher-ups require it. Echoes of this remain in Japanese society even today.
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1) Some sort of blade kind of defines the classical image, even though most people just use the word "Sam" interchangeably with "cybered fighter".
A close second would be Implant weapons, for reasons below.
2) Elf, Human, Ork in no particular order. Everyone can, but I don't really imagine a dwarf when I think about street sams.
3) A)Initiative. Wired reflexes are iconic equipment, though the modern sam can of course use more modern equivalents.
For B), I'm going with Implant guns, because whatever he set's his mind to, the Adept will be better, but hidden weapons costing essence is something that the Samurai can afford.
Smartlink doesn't need to be implanted anymore nowadays.
4) Tough question. I think what defines the Sam more than anything else is that he has a code, as others have iterated. I'd rule out Assassins and Mercenaries, and most folks in the shadows aren't big on loyalty if it means their death.
But a code is what makes the sam, otherwise it doesn't deserve the name.
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1. I have to say the katana or the AR. The former is emblematic of the notion of "samurai" and the latter is the most-lethal, most-legal military-grade weapon. Though this is just my association, and I don't think it's universal. This is probably the question with the most customizable answer.
2. I usually think of elf or ork. I adore that ork picture and think I might use it as character art for my next sam!
3. E, I, B. Street sams go fast, they use the tech to destroy their prey from range, and they almost always hit what they set their fell gaze upon.
4. I don't see a sam as needing a particular hard code to live by. It's more a level of skill. A sam can be a gang bruiser who made it big and jumped up to the next size fishbowl, or a corpsec kid who flew too high and got burned, needing to live by his wiles and gun arm. If anything I see the Ronin Code as most likely. Sell to the highest bidder, don't screw the guy giving you a paycheck unless he screws you first. I also like the Assassin's Code, but mainly because, as a professional, I tend to think it's best not to kill unless you get paid to literally do so (in which case - put the target down with utmost precision and overwhelming force). So, a blend of those. There's a bit of the overall larger game in the Assassin's Code, knowing that corpsec won't go as hard after you after the run if you don't kill the people in the way of your actual goal.
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Hmmm. Strangely, I feel guided by Michael Stackpole's character 'Tycho Caine' in the three novels he wrote for Dark Conspiracy. Spoiler alert, but hey - fun fun. Anyhow, when he gets back his memory, one of the things he remembers is regret during an assassination - regret that he'd clearly wasted three grains of powder in the bullet's charge when he was hand-loading them. 'Overwhelming force' is, to me, the act of an unprofessional; the professional uses precisely as much force as is necessary to accomplish his goals. Overwhelming force is a waste of resources, effort, and a violation of ... style, I suppose. :)
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Hmm, good served.
1) Doesn't matter but should be good/great with one weapon/group and functional with another. Be it blades and automatics or pistols and long arms. But the Sam must be combat focused all the time.
2) Personally see sams of all races, but human being most common fallowed closely by orc and trolls.
3) Personally I use street sams to include combat adepts as well. But the the increases need to make the character faster (initiative), tougher(body or armor), and physically maxed or superior for their metatype (especially agility and strength).
4) Must have a code, even if only they know what it is. Doesn't need to be one listed, hell it could be some odd personal code, like only work on weeknights, don't frag cats not matter what, and always come to terms over burgers. But with that code come respect even if they are pink Mohawk uncouth jackass.
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An interesting thing is the ongoing blend of Samurai, Mercenary, and Soldier. The three archetypes have sort of conglomerated.
Hmm...
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That may be the way the three have been blended since 1st and 2nd came out. I still like to make the distinction between the three in my games. I'm not sure if it's me or what, but it feels like there hasn't been a good fictionalization or representation of an original flavor Street Samurai in quite a while in the recent game books or fiction.
The Original was a mixture as well.
(http://i.imgur.com/VavyNKO.jpg)
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regret that he'd clearly wasted three grains of powder in the bullet's charge when he was hand-loading them.
You may think that's cool or stylish, I just think it's silly and comes across as needlessly anal retentive. *shrug*
'Overwhelming force' is, to me, the act of an unprofessional; the professional uses precisely as much force as is necessary to accomplish his goals. Overwhelming force is a waste of resources, effort, and a violation of ... style, I suppose. :)
I didn't necessarily mean like using an HMG to kill a soft target. I mean directed force, where there is virtually no chance of the target escaping and an equally small chance of pointless collateral damage. I consider precision the hallmark of the professional.
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That may be the way the three have been blended since 1st and 2nd came out. I still like to make the distinction between the three in my games. I'm not sure if it's me or what, but it feels like there hasn't been a good fictionalization or representation of an original flavor Street Samurai in quite a while in the recent game books or fiction.
The Original was a mixture as well.
(http://i.imgur.com/VavyNKO.jpg)
And in fine, Shadowrun tradition, his Essence cost is wrong. D'oh!
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Yeah, it's supposed to be .1. In the 2nd ed book his essence is listed as 0, but that one has slightly different augments as well . I don't think you can make that Sammie unless you use Alphaware now.
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Yeah, 0 Essence is ... not a place that you want to be. :D
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Just looked at the Sam in the 2nd E book. That one should be at -0.9 essence not 0. I think the Muscle replacement 2 for that one was a typo. :P
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An interesting thing is the ongoing blend of Samurai, Mercenary, and Soldier. The three archetypes have sort of conglomerated.
That's the thing - the three have always been a pretty incestuous Venn diagram, it's just a matter of whether or not people realized that a samurai was a soldier (not a suicidal 'warrior', and yeah, there are major differences between the two - field and unit discipline being one of them), or that a mercenary was a soldier (not a kill-crazy psychopath with an assault rifle), or that a soldier was not a warrior (see comment on samurai re: warrior/soldier difference). The main general difference is that the first looks to his duty and honor, the second to his survival and contract, and the third to his country and flag - but all of them look to their squadmates first and foremost, because at the sharp end, that's who'll keep you alive ...
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Soldier/Mercenary/Ronin/Samurai have more in common than not. All will fight for a cause, all need to get paid. One big difference between the four comes down to "is the cause or the paycheck more important."
IMO, with Street Samurai, the paycheck is the important one. The cause is usually picked by a Johnson, and next week the Street Samurai could find himself working for a direct rival.
I don't know that it's required for a Street Samurai to be dedicated to some greater cause outside the job. Most of the fictional cyber punkish examples are certainly trustworthy, loyal, downright honorable sorts. Just not what I consider to be driven by some greater cause, or obedient t to some higher rank.
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'A paycheck' tends to indicate that they'll do anything if the price is right. For some street samurai, that's correct. But for all three of them, there is a code, there are lines they won't cross. Whether that's the UCMJ, the seven samurai virtues, or their own internal code, there's still something there that makes them 'women who do violence upon others' and yet keeps them both human and sane.
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The part for me was the code some people were describing sounded like not much of a code at all. Being nice to people that were nice to you, while cheating against cheaters, is just normal. :) If the code doesn't *hamper* you, then what's the point?
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The part for me was the code some people were describing sounded like not much of a code at all. Being nice to people that were nice to you, while cheating against cheaters, is just normal. :) If the code doesn't *hamper* you, then what's the point?
Edit: I guess I would have to ask what you define as 'normal'?
Remember by definition if not by default most of your shadowrunners are criminals or anarchists who don't really fit into the system in the light of day.
Most of those social and moral niceties that you take for granted as a SINner are not necessarily a right or guaranteed in many parts.
Often Might makes Right is the rule of the day in those parts, and many just roll along with it as it is easier and relatively safer for them to do so.
Sure if you are in a part of town where everyone are all just chummers and never do anything naughty, that code probably seems unnecessary, but we don't live the A+ zones.
We live in the places where life is cheap, violence is the norm and it's always Bowb your buddy week.
Plus I can think of many 'normal' supposedly upstanding people who seemed to have no moral qualm cheating/stealing/otherwise taking advantage of perfectly nice people who did them no wrong to start with. That is what you really see when you don't have any kind of code/ethics/fill in the blank for being more than just an animal on the prowl.
So yeah, that code does have an impact, if even only for yourself, because it helps define who and what you do or at least what you are striving towards, because we all fall down occasionally.
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'A paycheck' tends to indicate that they'll do anything if the price is right. For some street samurai, that's correct. But for all three of them, there is a code, there are lines they won't cross. Whether that's the UCMJ, the seven samurai virtues, or their own internal code, there's still something there that makes them 'women who do violence upon others' and yet keeps them both human and sane.
Righteous vengeance for a stain on your honor or thin skinned psychopathic prima donna all depends on what side of the cyberspur you're on.
It's difficult to apply some of these codes to shadowrunnners. PCs aren't likely to swear an oath of fealty to a feudal lord. Shadowrunners violate the UCMJ just by existing in some cases. My point is that PCs are taking liberties with most any of the more structured codes, just by being Shadowrunners.
And as Wakshaani says, normal human behavior isn't a disadvantage. At least not one you'll get points for : )
Mind you, I'm not saying we should start calling them Street Ronin. Just doesn't have the same feel as Street Samurai.
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Sometimes it helps players when I explain it in terms of the Street world of SR. So a "typical" Rayzorboi or Girl is a lot like a thug. They are throw away muscle, a dime a dozen, expendable. They are to be used and then cast aside like a shell casing. A Street Samurai is something wholly different. They are a step above the scum and street trash. They have rules and a reputation and if an agreement is reached and their code or rules are not violated by the employer and no deception is involved in their engagement you can trust them implicitly because their word means something.
There is a lot of crossover between a Merc and their contract and a Soldier and their Regs with a Sams Code of Honor but both of those have a more Legitimate, In the light, bend or feel to them. A Street Samurai is wholly of the SINless streets to me I guess.
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I would say a lot of sams started their careers in the shadows as razor[gender]s, whether for a gang, a syndicate, as corpsec, mercs, ex-military, whatever.
What differentiates the razor[gender] from a sam is puissance on the field of battle and living as a shadowrunner - a hired asset for anyone who can pay, versus being tied to a specific gang or whatever.
Sams are the ones who "made it" and started climbing the martial ladder out of the gutter.
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So for you a Street Samurai is someone who is just better at eliminating the enemy compared to the other 99% and makes money at it. There is no need for any kind of rules they live by, personal honor or respecting the lives of others? To me that one thing is what makes them the exception and wholly different from the others. You can say that a lot got their start that way but if they've lived their life by some set of rules, to me I guess, they were never a Razor-whatever- to begin with just for that reason alone.
Someone can be the biggest highest paid killer on the market but if they have no character or don't respect life, they are not a Street Samurai to me. They are just a package for others to rent. That is just my understanding though, it probably doesn't go very far.
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So for you a Street Samurai is someone who is just better at eliminating the enemy compared to the other 99% and makes money at it.
Yup.
There is no need for any kind of rules they live by, personal honor or respecting the lives of others?
Nope.
And making all sams adhere to the same code like the one you suggest would be bad for the game.
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See, these are the kinds of discussions that I love to see, and why I starte dthe survey in the first place.
Which reminds me, we are *wildly* overdue for the next question.
IN ORDER, what are the top three priorities for a Street Samurai, out or magic, race, attributes, skills, and resources? Note that I don't need to know what skills or what attributes here, only what's your #1 priority, your #2, and then your #3. (In general. Obviously specific things, like a Troll Samurai, will mix it up.)
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This is hard to discuss in the big picture just because race reallllllly affects this, especially in priority where you have a minimum slot required for some races (Trolls can't go below B, for example). But I guess...
1. Resources, with which to buy the ware.
2. Attributes, a foundation on which to build upon with the ware.
3. Skills, generally with a narrow focus improved with the ware.
I won't rate meta because that has just too many possibilities depending on what you want. For instance, human can be low and still be loaded on Edge, but ork can't.
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To me at least, Race is a strawman issue. All races can be Street Sams.
Out of the others:
Resouces
Attributes
Skills
Pretty much in that order.
You need the resources to buy your toys... and as a Sam, you have a LOT of toys to buy! Guns, armor, ware, ammo, are the main ones. Lifestyle, transportation and 'fun' are also important.
Attributes to have a solid foundation. You're going to get hit. That's a fact of the job. Having strong base attributes before armor and ware allow you to survive and do your job just that much better.
Skills (for me) come in at 3rd, as the next important. Combat is your bread and butter, but don't forget to pick up those noncombat, yet still important skills such as social, stealth, and perception as they are just as important as your weapon skills. You don't need to "fade into the shadows" or out talk a politian, or be able to spot a needle at 1000 yards.... but you don't want to be knocking over trash cans while sneaking, or limited to mono-sylible responses. And you Definately want to be able to spot the guard, before he spots you!
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For me it does depend on Race.
If I am building a Human or Elf Sam I'll go
1. Resources
2. Attributes
3. Skills
For trolls, orks and dwarves I'll almost always swap attributes and resources.
1. Attributes
2. Resources
3. Skills
With the former I'll emphasize maxing initiative and avoiding attacks. With the latter initiative will have a lower priority and I'll concentrate on being as indestructible as possible as well as take advantage of the natural attribute bonuses available since I'm paying through the nose for them anyway. It also bugs me about the added expense (and availability) of fully tricked out cyberlimbs for orks, trolls and dwarves so I'm a lot less likely to use them with these metatypes.
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I will generally use 'Resources, Skills, Attributes' in that order, but they can be played around with, especially if I'm looking to make something different - a young street-sam-to-be (attributes, skills, resources, but possibly with Race as a more important part), a more subtle corporate samurai, that sort of thing.
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Hmmm...
Resources-Skills-Attributes.
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See, these are the kinds of discussions that I love to see, and why I starte dthe survey in the first place.
Which reminds me, we are *wildly* overdue for the next question.
IN ORDER, what are the top three priorities for a Street Samurai, out or magic, race, attributes, skills, and resources? Note that I don't need to know what skills or what attributes here, only what's your #1 priority, your #2, and then your #3. (In general. Obviously specific things, like a Troll Samurai, will mix it up.)
Race is typically the first priority you pick, but not necessarily the highest. After you've picked race, Resources likely gets the highest remaining, then stats, then skills. Magic is E unless you're doing something novel.
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See, these are the kinds of discussions that I love to see, and why I starte dthe survey in the first place.
Which reminds me, we are *wildly* overdue for the next question.
IN ORDER, what are the top three priorities for a Street Samurai, out or magic, race, attributes, skills, and resources? Note that I don't need to know what skills or what attributes here, only what's your #1 priority, your #2, and then your #3. (In general. Obviously specific things, like a Troll Samurai, will mix it up.)
Race is typically the first priority you pick, but not necessarily the highest. After you've picked race, Resources likely gets the highest remaining, then stats, then skills. Magic is E unless you're doing something novel.
I REALLY wanted to try and make a kind-of-scary ork burnout sam with Commanding Voice work. Unfortunately there was just way too much ware I wanted, and it was impossible to pull off in priority.
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I REALLY wanted to try and make a kind-of-scary ork burnout sam with Commanding Voice work. Unfortunately there was just way too much ware I wanted, and it was impossible to pull off in priority.
Oni, drop the burnout angle, go straight up intimidate?
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That's close to what I ultimately settled on, just pure chrome. There was no way to fit magic in. Still tweaking it though.
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1. Attributes
2. Magic
3. Skills
*grabs popcorn*
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1. Resources
2. Skills
3. Attributes
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I feel like JoAT made it much easier to dump skills more. Sams are an archetype which can get away with fewer skills. I don't like to be super narrow but in priority there are worse options.
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JoAT? Not familiar with that term...
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Jack of All TradeS. It's a PQ from Run Faster.
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Generally for me it's Resources then Attributes then Skills.
Resources is for buying Cyberware and other equipment; you need the Yens to build yourself into the best person you can be. This is especially true of the high-cost, high-investment 'ware like Wired Reflexes, which I consider essential to being a Sam
Attributes is second as it gives you a good baseline to work from; a Sam needs a lot of good stats beyond just those used for shooting, and as such giving your base stats a big bump is a good plan. It gives you a solid foundation to build on
Skills is third to boost those abilities from your attributes and 'ware. Focus on obviously the key combat skills in combination with attributes and augmentations to be a murder machine, but don't neglect other skills. However, in general, I find a low skill more forgiving then a low base stat
FWIW, my Elf Sam character was Resources A, Attributes B, Skills C.
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Jokes/Sarcasm aside; Why does no one consider using Adept powers instead of 'ware for a Streetsam? It's what I would do. Always.
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Jokes/Sarcasm aside; Why does no one consider using Adept powers instead of 'ware for a Streetsam? It's what I would do. Always.
Most powers are way more expensive than their equivalent ware, for no added benefit. This was even more the case in 4e where the vast majority of adepts also had some ware because you were basically stupid to not eat a loss of 1 Essence to get 4 Essence "worth" of powers in the form of <1 Essence of ware.
Even in this edition, you can cram Muscle Toner 4 into less than 1 Essence. Each Improved Physical Attribute: AGI is equivalent to 1 Essence of ware, costing 1 PP. If you want to devote effectively 4 Essence to something, look at normal grade Muscle Replacement, which gets your +4 AGI AND +4 STR. There's not even a comparison there.
If you're going to mix magic and ware it's generally better to pick up stuff with PP that you absolutely cannot get any other way. For example, Improved Ability, Combat Sense, Commanding Voice, and Astral Perception.
Or getting Improved Reflexes, where Level 3 is 3.5 PP and level 3 of Wired Reflexes is 5 Essence and Level 3 Synaptic Boosters is too expensive to pretty much ever afford.
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See also: Pistol Adepts and similar for Samurai Adepts.
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While am another that considers Combat Adapts a type of street Sam they are corner case, and at some point sacrifice a point of essence for 'ware (bio most likely).
But for priorities (outside combat adapts and other odd builds)
1) Resources
2) Attributes
3) Skills
After metatype (especially if orc or troll), but metatype and magic/resonance is always pick first (even if they are the lowest).
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Reading through this thread again it seems to me that the term "Street Samurai" has been diluted, and just means a fast cybered fighter. I always imagined that this was really the ubiquitous Razorboy / girl, and that a Street Samurai relied on a sense of honour to raise themselves above the rabble.
For example, Kid Stealth is not a Street Samurai. Argent very much is. Both are cool characters, but Argent comes across as more intrinsically "noble", particularly when he tries to educate the former lone star turned runner in Lone Wolf. Kid Stealth is probably the more deadly of the two, though. And definitely scarier.
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Joining late, so I'll weigh in on the previous questions. Note that my answers reflect my idea of a typical samurai. There are always exceptions. An adept street sam might substitute magic for chrome and still be a samurai in all the ways that matter, but I wouldn't consider them typical.
(1) Which weapon? A smartgun and a blade. The katana is traditional, but retractable spurs are nice, too.
(2) Which metatype? Any. The original Street Samurai Catalog showed us how samurai can be all shapes and sizes. If I had to pick one for the archetype, I guess I'd go with "human," if only because there are more of them.
(3) Which augmentations? An Initiative booster and a smartlink are the bare essentials, but street samurai ought to embrace augmentation more than most. Cyberlimbs are certainly popular, but not required.
(4) Which code? The modern notion of a samurai is basically a "bad-ass warrior who is loyal to the death." Whether or not this is historically accurate is irrelevant. Street samurai are born from popular perception, not history. Further, street samurai are not feudal samurai. According to the new bushido, street samurai owe absolute loyalty to a contract, not a person. Essentially, street samurai always do what they say, no matter how complicated or convoluted a mission turns out to be. It's not about the nuyen, it's about the word. A mercenary can be bought by a higher bidder. A razorpunk can get bored or distracted. But a street samurai is relentless and unyielding. Integrity is the defining quality of a street samurai. In a way, this is the cornerstone of shadowrunner ethics in general. Shadowrunners -- most especially street samurai -- are expected to fulfill the terms of their contract with Mr. Johnson, no matter what. Of course, after the job is done, it's time for a whole new deal.
(5) Which priorities? Resources, then Attributes, then Skills.
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Priorities:
1) Attributes - the hardest thing to raise with Karma, and they add to many skills at once
2) Resources - Gunna need em if you want the good ware (Wired 2)
3) Skills
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(1) Which weapon?
Put simply, an ideal Street Samurai should live by a modified version of the old maxim of “bow and sword, in accord.” He should be equally capable of mêlée combat, short-ranged firefights, and long range precision. He might lean towards one over the others, but he shouldn’t be overspecialized in any over the others.
Thus, I see the ideal Street Samurai as always carrying a pistol and knife as sidearms as well as general utility; a SMG or Assault Rifle as a primary weapon; and a katana for special occasions as well as something of a “badge of office.”
(2) Which Metatype?
Any Metatype is possible, but I think of Humans as the default ideal Street Samurai. I tend to think of any of the other Metatypes as being a step removed from the baseline and would name them something like “Ork Street Samurai” or “Elf Street Samurai” when describing them. But Metatype is really one of the least important things when it comes to defining the ideal.
(3) Which augmentations?
The ideal Street Samurai must have ‘ware that boosts initiative and a smartlink, everything else is just a matter of specialization and style. But they must be significantly faster and significantly more accurate than anyone else on the street. Strength-enhancements, durability-enhancements, sensory-enhancements, and the like will almost always be present – the ideal Street Samurai is always heavily cybered – but this will vary in degree from one to the other.
(4) Which code?
Which code doesn’t matter as much for the ideal Street Samurai, so long as he or she has a code of some kind. They must also live by this code even when upholding their code comes at great personal cost… Otherwise it’s not a code. Whether it’s as elaborate and ritualized as Ghost Dog’s bushido, as simple as Leon’s “No women, no children.”, or something else entirely, it is the code of honor that separates the true Street Samurai from the mere Hired Guns.
(5) Which priorities?
The only hard and fast rule is that the ideal Street Samurai must be magically mundane. Other than that, basically anything goes. Although it is possible to build a Street Samurai using any combination of priorities, usually you’re going to look at Resources > Attributes > Skills or Attributes > Resources > Skills. You’re probably going to run into a hard time if you make Resources your lowest priority at chargen, but you can do it.