Shadowrun
Catalyst Game Labs => Catalyst's Shadowrun Products => Topic started by: Critias on <09-06-12/2354:02>
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Just to separate this out from the speculation thread, I figure I might as well make a pseudo-formal announcement.
Land of Promise, a Tir update that hauls the elven country up into 2074, is now out. It introduces a new batch of Princes (voted in democratically instead of being largely self-appointed) and mentions their rumored political affiliations, talks about getting into the Tir and what to do once you're there, gives information (and NPC stats) on who you might run into during your stay, and even sneaks in a little extra mojo -- like the Moonlight Thorns magical society -- and an assortment of plot hooks that can either drag players into Tir Tairngire from outside the country, or can keep them busy within the Tir's borders. The bulk of the book is aimed at lowering the bar just enough to make the Tir an attractive place for some adventuring, instead of the nigh-untouchable uber-nation it used to be...it's not "look but don't touch" any more, it's "touch, but only for the right price." ;)
It also has a couple pretty fun little winks-and-nods to the original Tir Tairngire book, some intro fiction, some full color artwork covering most of the new Princes, and Wakshaani's favorite NPC ever, Grimmy the Grimoire!
So, check it out already:
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/105562/Shadowrun%3A-The-Land-of-Promise (http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/105562/Shadowrun%3A-The-Land-of-Promise)
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Burn the damned Paperclip!!!
Other than that, it's a great read folks, go buy it! One for every member of your group!!!
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GO MARCHERS! Er ... Wait. Fuck Cara'Sir. GO MALEK'THAS KINSMEN [SPERETHIEL REDACTED]!
My love of Tír Tairngire, the book and the country, made me greatly appreciate the fact that I now live in Malek'thas with a hurler (http://salemhurling.wordpress.com/) who keeps well-worn sticks above the doors.
I'm also working on getting some SR-inspired jerseys made for myself and Critias with Sperethiel HC names and logos.
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Is anyone else having issues on DriveThru with the links not working? I log in fine, but can't get the 'add to cart' or even 'add to wishlist' links to work. Have already sent word down the pipe to the DriveThru staff.
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Is anyone else having issues on DriveThru with the links not working? I log in fine, but can't get the 'add to cart' or even 'add to wishlist' links to work. Have already sent word down the pipe to the DriveThru staff.
No you aren't. I had the same problem with a free product they were offering.
Just use Battlecorps. That's what I do.
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Hmm... I've never had a problem with DriveThru. And the main reason I use them instead of BattleCorps is the fact that I can download PDFs I purchased years ago by going to My Library. But that is the only problem I have with BattleCorps.
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I've never had issues with DriveThru.
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I'm guessing it was just a glitch for this morning, it's fixed now.
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Any thoughts on the book? How many pages is it?
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Any thoughts on the book? How many pages is it?
It checks in at 24 pages. There's a pretty sizeable preview at the link.
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There's a decent review on that other forum that I won't link to out of principle.
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There's a decent review on that other forum that I won't link to out of principle.
In the interest of not fomenting inter-board rivalry (and because "principles" don't slow me down! ;) ), here's the thread with Hermit's review: http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?showtopic=37762 (http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?showtopic=37762)
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Is there anyway to get that "other place" to display the posts like on this board. Every now and then I want to read something there but I can't bring my self to individually click and open each post to read them.
Any help for that?
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Is there anyway to get that "other place" to display the posts like on this board. Every now and then I want to read something there but I can't bring my self to individually click and open each post to read them.
Any help for that?
I don't even know what kind of issue you're talking about. Are you registered at Dumpshock?
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Is there anyway to get that "other place" to display the posts like on this board. Every now and then I want to read something there but I can't bring my self to individually click and open each post to read them.
Any help for that?
Click the options text below the "New Topic" and "Add Reply" buttos at the top and switch to standard display mode.
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Downloaded this morning and have been enjoying it this afternoon. In addition to the content, really liking the layout.
AJC
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Is anyone else having issues on DriveThru with the links not working? I log in fine, but can't get the 'add to cart' or even 'add to wishlist' links to work. Have already sent word down the pipe to the DriveThru staff.
Turns out the issue was with their product pages. Seems no links out of them were working at all, but items could be added via the search pages or other round-about ways. It's fixed now, so on to the Tir. :)
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Three Quataloos to anyone who can make me a Grimmy the Grimoire Avatar, by the by.
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This was just a screen cap edited in paint.
65x65
(http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab207/Unicorndream1988/Chad/Grimmy-65x65.jpg)
80x80 (for DS)
(http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab207/Unicorndream1988/Chad/Grimmy-80x80.jpg)
100x100
(http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab207/Unicorndream1988/Chad/Grimmy-100x100.jpg)
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thank you Max, that fixed it. I had missed that little drop down before.
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This was just a screen cap edited in paint.
65x65
(http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab207/Unicorndream1988/Chad/Grimmy-65x65.jpg)
80x80 (for DS)
(http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab207/Unicorndream1988/Chad/Grimmy-80x80.jpg)
100x100
(http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab207/Unicorndream1988/Chad/Grimmy-100x100.jpg)
Oh yes. When I get home? It is*on*.
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Cracked and bought it. Anyone know what this means?
"Talondel, makkaherinit milessaratish ti’Ni’Fairra, li-ha?"
All I got from it is: "a young and foolish person, a covert operative/shadowrunner, is that not so?"
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Cracked and bought it. Anyone know what this means?
"Talondel, makkaherinit milessaratish ti’Ni’Fairra, li-ha?"
All I got from it is: "a young and foolish person, a covert operative/shadowrunner, is that not so?"
Would others like a chance to take a stab at some of the Sperethiel translations, before I post the "official" answers? ;D
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"Talondel, foolish (stupid?) servant-soldier (paladin?) of Ni'Fairra, Is that not so?"
(I'm not sure if milessaratish is a Seelie Court thing only. From the way it is used above, I (personally) take it to mean paladin. Also, Talondel is used in the opening fiction of Way if the Adept.)
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Talondel, Ni'Fairra's foolish little Paladin, no?
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While we're at it, anyone want to take a stab at Grimmy's friendly little Sperethiel phrase guide? Because some of those friendly little Sperethiel phrases...aren't terribly friendly. Folks using them will be marked as tourists pretty handily, in the passive-aggressive Tir community.
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While we're at it, anyone want to take a stab at Grimmy's friendly little Sperethiel phrase guide? Because some of those friendly little Sperethiel phrases...aren't terribly friendly. Folks using them will be marked as tourists pretty handily, in the passive-aggressive Tir community.
I'll take a crack at it.
Goronar irenis od ni hengar Sperethiel, sallaharnagee: “I am just a tourist, I do not speak Sperethiel.”
(I'm a) casteless outsider and i don't speak sperethiel, (I'm a) silent barbarian?
Samrielar im ozidan tech: “I need to use the restroom.”
I need to shit. (this one made me laugh.)
Serathillar perest cetheral, amedaron: “I really need a drink of cetheral.”
I desire to have cetheral, before(or?) I die.
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What's with all the stat blocks having rule-breaking skill levels for all their skills and skill groups? The following is an example.
Elven Xenophobic Militiaman (professional rating 5)
B A R S C I L W Ess Init IP Arm CM
5 6 (8) 5 (6) 4 (5) 5 4 3 3 4.4 9 (11) 1 (3) 12/10 11
Dice Pools: Athletics skill group 9, Close Combat skill group 12,
Firearms skill group 11, Heavy Weapons (Grenade Launcher) 9
(11), Infiltration 10, Influence skill group 6, Outdoors skill group 8,
Perception 7
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What's with all the stat blocks having rule-breaking skill levels for all their skills and skill groups? The following is an example.
Elven Xenophobic Militiaman (professional rating 5)
B A R S C I L W Ess Init IP Arm CM
5 6 (8) 5 (6) 4 (5) 5 4 3 3 4.4 9 (11) 1 (3) 12/10 11
Dice Pools: Athletics skill group 9, Close Combat skill group 12,
Firearms skill group 11, Heavy Weapons (Grenade Launcher) 9
(11), Infiltration 10, Influence skill group 6, Outdoors skill group 8,
Perception 7
The stat blocks are done up in the Missions format (for ease-of-use with Land of Promise Missions adventures, where many of them are used). Note that, just after attributes, it says "dice pools," not "skill values" or something. Those are their pools listed there, not their actual ranks in the skill; it makes it quicker and easier for a GM to grab the right handful of dice, no math required.
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What's with all the stat blocks having rule-breaking skill levels for all their skills and skill groups? The following is an example.
Elven Xenophobic Militiaman (professional rating 5)
B A R S C I L W Ess Init IP Arm CM
5 6 (8) 5 (6) 4 (5) 5 4 3 3 4.4 9 (11) 1 (3) 12/10 11
Dice Pools: Athletics skill group 9, Close Combat skill group 12,
Firearms skill group 11, Heavy Weapons (Grenade Launcher) 9
(11), Infiltration 10, Influence skill group 6, Outdoors skill group 8,
Perception 7
The stat blocks are done up in the Missions format (for ease-of-use with Land of Promise Missions adventures, where many of them are used). Note that, just after attributes, it says "dice pools," not "skill values" or something. Those are their pools listed there, not their actual ranks in the skill; it makes it quicker and easier for a GM to grab the right handful of dice, no math required.
Unfortunately, it does get a bit confusing with the stat blocks like that then, the character stats in the back of the book are in the normal format. I know I did a couple double-takes while running at GenCon.
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The rule (as I understand it) is "if there's more than one of them, give the GM the dice pools instead of skills," so that it's easier on a GM when he's trying to keep track of a half-dozen (or more!) bad guys in a swirling melee. FWIW, for most mooks we also don't bother with listing every fiddly little skill they're likely to have. I try to include a social pool (largely for defense) in almost every NPC, but other than that we heavily, heavily, focus on stuff that's likely to come up when the PCs try to kill them; perception, attacks, etc.
But "If there's just one dude, format it as a normal character sheet write-up," so that Sting or Belial or whoever has full, detailed, stats. Often those stats can have interesting plot hooks right there in 'em -- an NPCs knowledge skills can be used to flesh them out in role play, an NPCs qualities sometimes say interesting things about their background (like Rook's arm), etc, etc.
So the idea is -- and I'm not saying it's perfect, just that it's what we're shooting for -- that hordes of mooks get easy to read, to the point, "here's their die pool" stats, where full-on important, named, NPCs get the more detailed treatment. I'm sorry for any confusion or lack of fun it causes, but it's the general idea I was working towards.
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...and speaking of Missions adventures and all things Land of Promise...
Elven Blood is now out, in e-book format! Anyone who got their appetite whetted by reading over LoP in the last week or two, go buy EB for even more fun. You'll be getting five CMP adventures for $7, one dealing with Seattle's premier go-gang, the Ancients, and the rest quite directly entangled with Tir Tairngire politicians, criminal factions, critters, and danger.
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/105890/Shadowrun%3A-Elven-Blood (http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/105890/Shadowrun%3A-Elven-Blood)
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the bit with Dice Pools vs Skill Ranks was an experiment we tried. Some GMs loved it, others found it confusing and don't like it.
Generally the rules is that if they're a mook, a minion, a grunt, or a minor NPC who only appears in a single scene, they get a basic stat block and get the dice pool treatment. If they're a major NPC who is important to the plot, who the PCs may interact with in an important (non-combat) way, and/or someone who appears multiple times in the adventure, they get a more complete write up and get full skill and ranking listings.
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Finally got Land of Promise, looks good. But I am annoyed with "Grimmy" because that is what I am known as at the FLGS.
As a gm I only care about how many dice I need, and how many boxes to mark off.
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But I am annoyed with "Grimmy" because that is what I am known as at the FLGS.
THERE HE IS! GRAB A PITCHFORK AND FOLLOW ME!!! ;D
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Well in the dice pool vs skill rank, chalk me up in the 'don't like', but mainly because I like taking an NPC stat block as a base for a character that in the past was one of what that stat block represents, so skill rank makes that easier.
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But I am annoyed with "Grimmy" because that is what I am known as at the FLGS.
THERE HE IS! GRAB A PITCHFORK AND FOLLOW ME!!! ;D
[ChrisCrocker]
LEAVE! GRIMMY! ALONE!!!
[/ChrisCrocker]
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Skill rank is better, IMHO.
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I like the end pool totals and not sweating the 'where all the numbers come from for faceless mooks.' Whether they have a 2 in the skill and a +1 from a reflex recorder or a 3 in the skill, the end number is the same which is 'they roll 9 dice for X.' Heck, it could be +2 due to the drugs they are on.
If the mook becomes cool and the PC's show interest in turning Faceless Minion number 5 into a contact or ally (or he has Mook Stardom power and needs to be flushed out into a full on antagonist due to some cool moments and dice karma) can back fill as needed when giving a more serious touch up with a creator's brush.
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I sometimes use dicepools myself when dealing with simple grunts etc. Stll, there is need to say what modifiers, like smartguns, are or are not included, since this can be important in case hacking cames to play...just for this example...
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I sometimes use dicepools myself when dealing with simple grunts etc. Stll, there is need to say what modifiers, like smartguns, are or are not included, since this can be important in case hacking cames to play...just for this example...
Agreed, it needs to be clearer. One of my projects right now is revamping the FAQ, the boilerplate text in the missions, and the stuff that goes on the website in preparation for Season 5 next year. Stuff like this is on my To-Do list.
For now, assume that the Dice Pools incorporate Skill, Attributes, Augmentations, and any other gear that is generally always "on" (Such as a smartlink). Stuff that's purely optional or situational (Such as vision or audio mods for Perception) are not pre-calculated.