Shadowrun
Shadowrun Play => Character creation and critique => Topic started by: BallPtPenTheif on <02-01-13/0055:42>
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I've been trying to develop a richer background for my Yakuza Street Samurai but my knowledge of the Shadowrun cannon isn't deep enough to create a background with some depth. Any help would be appreciated....
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b197/Xaymot/YakStreetSamCHUMMER_zps3c2218bf.jpg)
Kanbara "Fumetsu" Ueda
BACKGROUND
During the reign of Hanzo Shotozumi, during the Seattle Yakuza wars of 2057, Kanbara's gang was "bought out" and subsequently dismantled. As each family member was gradually killed off or killed themselves Kanbara stayed on surviving each subsequent ambush attempt by the skin of of his teeth earning his nickname, Fumetsu (Immortal). As he survived each attack he continued to augment his own body making himself stronger in anticipation for the next attack.
Eventually, he was the only one left standing and subsequently the existence of his gang was no more. He then went into exile as a Street Samurai Assassin, travelling wherever his pocket book demanded. Time has passed though and now Kanbara has returned back to Seattle.
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Sounds like a cool background story so far. One thing you might like is to add some history working in an elite security force called the Renraku Red Samurai. They're a very renowned and deadly force which I believe guards the Arcology and probably other Renraku places of interest. It could be neat if after your gang life ended you took a job as part of this security force and then something bad happened. Maybe you stole something valuable to fund your desire for more ware, or perhaps you were framed for an assassination or theft etc and escaped captivity once you learned you would be executed by the team leader. That's why you left Seattle, but now Renraku has been searching for your loved ones and they're getting close, so you've come back to put an end to it.
You could take qualities like: Wanted, Enemy, Vendetta and I'm sure many more would fit this story. If you don't like it I could come up with others. Let me know :P
Btw, there is suit of armor in Arsenal called Red Samurari armor that you might like. Also, there are some sample stats for this force on page 283 of the fourth edition anniversary core book if you're interested.
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Pretty cool idea. I like how it sort of fills in the timeline gap after he leaves Seattle.
Do you happen to know the Sourcebook for the Red Samurai background? Also, you wouldn't happen to know some Yakuza family names within Shadowrun would you? Right now the backgroud info is written in fairly broad strokes but it would be fun to get more specific so that it would effect my character's contacts and enemies lists.
Thank you for the feedback.
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Shotozumi, Shigeda, Komatsu would be a few. You can run a search in Seattle 2072 to learn more about these names and probably find more. About the Red Samurai, I am not sure which book would be your best bet. Perhaps someone else here knows? :) And you're welcome :) Good luck!
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What book does the acronym "CP" usually refer to? The shadow wiki seems to reference this book for a bunch of Yakuza data.
I also read up on the Red Samurai's, it would give him a good background for his skill sets and training but I think he would make more sense as a Red Samurai drop out, leaving during training at the Forge, since the Red Samurai units run like small families and I doubt he would abandon them after after years of working security since they seem to be indoctrinated against that kind of behavior.
What are the seedy aspects of the Renraku that would put somebody into a moral or ethical cunundrum?
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If you don't have access to Vice, Runner Havens or Shadows of Asia, this (http://www.bulletsandbrimstone.com/Bullets%20and%20Brimstone/Shadowrun/Factions/Faction%20Syndicate%20Yakuza%20(Seattle).htm) might be useful to browse through. I'd think about the Yagyu Ryu, myself.
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Awesome.
This should be helpful and well as an enjoyable read. Thanks Novocrane.
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In the core book it mentions the areas of expertise of Renraku as a megacorp. You could associate any of those activities with crime and they could all be quite nefarious.
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If I may speak from a purist's point of view ...
... you aren't going to become Red Samurai.
Red Samurai are the super-snootiest of the super-snooty-Japanese-corporate-bodyguard, created specifically by the CEO and kept by him as a pet project for the longest time. Considering the origins of your background - born and raised in Seattle, minor Yakuza gang thug (not even a full-bore Yak yourself), it really isn't the sort that would be allowed to even try out for the Reds, much less be accepted.
The Red Samurai are some of the most loyal corporate security that exists - on par with the Jaguar Guards for Aztechnology, or as the Seraphim were for Cross Applied Technology. (Sorry; I can't think of any others with that level of loyalty.) They were born in Renraku of loyal Renraku citizens, were raised in Renraku day-care, went to Renraku gradeschool, graduated from Renraku high school, dated a Renraku girl, think metahumans are stinky-poo-poo (though they're allowed to actually look in the direction of elves without pulling the trigger these days), went to Renraku security, married a Renraku sweetheart, had Renraku children, and proved that they bleed Renraku red and preface every thought with 'Renraku!'
Get it?
I'm a little iffy on the whole 'Yakuza gang' thing, and 'being bought out'. A member of the Yakuza, sure. And I can imagine that he and a double handful of age-mates stuck together, got their tats together, went through the ceremonies together, but during one or another of the wars - the Mob War in 2058, perhaps, as you suggested - one by one the rest of his 'gang' got killed in action against the Mafia, Triads, or other syndicates or support groups, with Fumetsu getting 'cheaper' cyber replacements (as compared to fleshy ones) in order to recover from injury each time. This 'resistance to death' would earn him the nickname, I'm sure. And afterwards, as the last man standing ...
... does he have to be wanted by the Yakuza? Shotozumi wanted to break free of Tokyo, to create his own rengo; perhaps you were a Watada loyalist, and chose to instead go 'back' to Japan. That move could have gotten you in place for improvements and trade-ups on your implanted cyberware as your slightly-American way of looking at things allowed you to get the job done just a bit better than the next guy; that sort of thing gets you noticed. And with that, you got harder assignments, especially as your talents as a kick-artist, wetwork specialist, hit man, assassin (a rose by another name...) got you recognized. This put you in place to be a major hitter during the two-year war (2066-68) between the Watada-gumi (home sweet home) and the Mita-gumi, one which (apparently) eventually broke the Mita-gumi's back and kept them as part of the Watada-rengo. (Reading between the lines in Vice, it sounds like the Oyabun of the Mita-gumi was assassinated, leaving as his heir a child - which event would 'calm things down' considerably.)
So why are you then out of Japan? Maybe you did something that put you into disfavor. Maybe you expressed an opinion that, while not so dishonorable as to require a 'token of apology', meant that you were better off 'sent away for a time'. Serving the Shotozumi-rengo in Seattle would be somewhat dishonorable too, or at least leave a bad taste in your mouth (considering they might, in your mind, still be traitors of a sort), so you're currently on your own, with only a contact or two who preferred the Watadas to the Shotozumis.
And now, to make ends meet and to fill the time until you get called back to Japan, you take the 'odd job or two', i.e. shadowrun for a living. And really, even if you are hired to target one of the local Yak operations, it isn't as though they don't deserve it for breaking away back in '58 ...
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Haha.. that's amazing.
Maybe I'll just copy and paste that (j/k).
Thank you for taking the time to write such a well thought out response. It definitely has the sort of Yakuza hierarchy politics that I was looking for. As I was reading about the Red Samurais, that was the gap I couldn't really develop, was how does he even get his foot in the door at Renraku? As you suggested, he probably can't.
From you perspective, would the lineage that you described make him a more racist and sexist Yakuza or would he fall more in line with the new wave Yakuza that is less racist?
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As far as corp relations, the Yakuza and Mitsuhama are in one way or another petty tight nit. Though I'm pretty bad at most the japan corps politics, I could see room for him working for MCT whacking Yaks they don't so much agree with, or working for other Yakuza doing the same to MCT. But I'm the farthest thing from an expert on MCT or the Yakuza, so I'd wait for someone else to weigh in on that one.
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As far as corp relations, the Yakuza and Mitsuhama are in one way or another petty tight nit. Though I'm pretty bad at most the japan corps politics, I could see room for him working for MCT whacking Yaks they don't so much agree with, or working for other Yakuza doing the same to MCT. But I'm the farthest thing from an expert on MCT or the Yakuza, so I'd wait for someone else to weigh in on that one.
MCT and the Yakuza used to be really tight. Who controlled who was always the question. Even the original Mecurial adventure had the Yakuza up to bad stuff on behalf of a MCT subsidary (real estate issue I think..) So its perfectly possible to graduate from the Yakuza into a MCT 'security' force... or vis versa. Wether MCT would ever 'target' Yakuza who didn't toe the line, or wether they would just lean on a oyabun and get the same result.. I suspect that would just call a favour to deal with the black sheep of the gang...
But going from Yakuza enforcer to MCT company man to Shadowrunner is plausable... but you may have made a few enemies on the way out...
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With a little finesse almost any kind of background is possible. Rules change fast when large sums of money are involved, and that's what makes the Shadow world go round' :P
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Haha.. that's amazing.
Maybe I'll just copy and paste that (j/k).
Thank you for taking the time to write such a well thought out response. It definitely has the sort of Yakuza hierarchy politics that I was looking for. As I was reading about the Red Samurais, that was the gap I couldn't really develop, was how does he even get his foot in the door at Renraku? As you suggested, he probably can't.
From you perspective, would the lineage that you described make him a more racist and sexist Yakuza or would he fall more in line with the new wave Yakuza that is less racist?
Thank you. Go read Pananagutan. (http://bit.ly/SBqoj0) ;)
In regards to the MCT thing suggested by Aryeonos and Black, well - I'd stick with the Yakuza. That's already a huge bone on your plate. Pick up 'Made Man' (but maybe that's it) to represent the fact that you DO have backup if you really need it, but that you're here in the sticks where even your backup is ... questionable. Not incapable, just 'disloyal'. Pick up 'Big Regret' to represent the fact that anyone seriously in the know about what you said thinks you're a total twit, and to represent the fact that you're going to have to do something in the future to resolve the situation.
As for the racism/sexism thing, well, you can go two ways on that, and it's a flavor thing. While in Neo-Tokyo, you could have either become MORE racist and sexist, to super-emphasize the "I'm loyal to Watada-san!!" thing, or you could have gone with the 'yeah, whatever' and show little to no racism to highlight your own personal diversity, and give yourself another spotlight. Going that way, in fact, could be the way you got the 'go somewhere else until this blows over'. Someone was telling a racist/sexist story or joke, and you - out of everyone - didn't laugh. This time it's negatively noticed, because Watada-san was there, and though he wasn't the joke-teller he noticed. Or you quietly offer an opinion along the lines of 'oh, they aren't THAT bad' to your table-mates, but it just so happens to be within the hearing of the wakagashira. Same result either way - it won't require suicide or a finger-cut, but you get banished to the Outer Darkness until they forget about it, or you make it up to them.
As for the copy/paste, well - okay. ;) But that means I get to use your character's name and concept in any story I write. ;)
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There's another quality that might be appropriate; Code of Conduct: Sworn Soldier. It doesn't provide a group contact, but it sets up the fact that other yakuza are usually friendly (as per the social modifier), and that you have *some* black market contacts. Downsides are that you need a composure (3) test to work with law enforcement or opposing syndicates. (which could mean mafia, vory, et al, or also yak groups that aren't friendly with yours)
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Ooo, good suggestion. That - definitely get that. ;)
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That would be fun. The composure test would allow me to have classic Yakuza macho flip outs without the group blaming me for messing with the contact.
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If an American Yak moved to Japan would there be a cultural glass ceiling under the Watada family? Would this contempt towards him be enough to drive a non lethal social schism between him and the Watada's? And then under what premise would he leave or be exiled back to Seattle for?
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If an American Yak moved to Japan would there be a cultural glass ceiling under the Watada family? Would this contempt towards him be enough to drive a non lethal social schism between him and the Watada's? And then under what premise would he leave or be exiled back to Seattle for?
There would, ultimately, be a glass ceiling due to him being american.. At best, we wouldn't have the social connections that the local yakuza have, at worst, he would always be considered a loyal dog.
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Okay, let's try this rewrite.. shoot away guys..
BACKGROUND:
Japanese born but Seattle raised, Kanbara has always been trapped between two cultures. He worked up from the streets, grinding up to the Yakuza rank of Kyodai (Big Brother) controlling his own local gang of Japanese thugs. His gang was under the reign of the Shotozumi family and when the Seattle Yakuza wars of 2058 began, his gang was thrust onto the front lines, eventually whittled down and torn apart by other warring syndicates.
It was this experience that disenfranchised Kanbara with the Shotozumi family. As the war raged, his requests for more resources were denied and the demands and sacrifices for his gang increased. Meanwhile, mixed metahuman Yakuza gangs sat on the sidelines being spared as his Japanese brothers bled in the streets. One could argue that it was his own gang's ruthless and brutal reputation that placed them on the front lines of conflict, the Shotozumi not trusting the new influx of meta humans to hold their own. Kanbara though, he would never see it that way.
This period of warfare was the mold that would define Kanbara, as he would supplement each injury with cybernetic augmentations. His body rapidly becoming more machine than human, making Kanbara more and more resilient against each assault until ultimately his gang was slaughtered in a Mafia ambush leaving only one survivor. The critically injured Kanbara. His gang, his brothers... were no more.
Within the Shotozumi ranks, Kanbara's respect and notoriety was immense earning him the name “Fumetsu” (Immortal) amongst the rank and file street soldiers. Despite this admiration, the scars ran deep and Kanbara was still insulted with the new direction that the Shotozumi family had taken. Japanese born, his life given to the Shotozumi family yet he was still as expendable as a Troll Mage that didn't know a wakizashi blade from a katana blade (hint: one's bigger than the other). He could not tolerate this any longer.
Meanwhile, Shotozumi family in Seattle was at odds with the Watada family back in Japan. one issue of contention being the inclusion of women and meta humans into their rank and file in order to aid the Shotozumi's expansion and control of their region. This difference seemed to underline a key issue for Kanbara and it was here, that Kanbara felt he could find the respect that he deserved amongst his other Japanese peers. With bridges burned and a plain ticket in hand Kanbara flew to Japan to work for the Watada family.
At first things were fine, his reputation preceded him in Japan and he immediately gained ground picking up assassin contracts and other special assignments. As each mission completed Kanbara would lightly bring up the topic of running his own gang again. They entertained him and told him to be patient but after each contract went by it was clear that they were just teasing him along. Though they respected his muscle and his skill, in the eye's of the Watada Family, he would never be seen as being of true Japanese descent and would always be their loyal dog.
Pure of blood at home, but as much of a mutant as an Orc in Japan, Kanbara was between two homes but without a family. Kanbara decided to go on his own. Japan was not his home anymore and he decided to fly back to Seattle. Though his Shototzumi ties were severed he still had connections and ties with the street level gangsters and hopefully, from this he could cultivate some work. At this point anything was better than being a running joke in Japan even if has to keep a low profile in Seattle. Now he's an aimless ronin scrounging for contracts within the shadows like everyone else.
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OYABUN (Clan or Syndicate Head)
+Wakagashira (Second in Command - highest authority Kumi-in regularly see and receive orders from)
+Wakagashira-hosa (Wakagashira Underlings)
+Shategashira (Lieutenant)
+Kumi-in (Enlisted Men - hustlers, gambling joint and brothel owners, loan shark collectors, street soldiers, enforcers, bodyguards, sub-lieutenants, lieutenants, and captains)
+Saiko-Komon (Advisor/Chief of Staff)
+Komon (Specialist staff - cyberdocs, chemists, programmers, film directors, awakened, etc)
+Kaikei (Lawyers - also teach new Kumi-in what to do when arrested)
+Hisho (Secretaries - for everyone above Wakagashira-hosa)
+Shingiin (Accountants)
Just putting this up for reference. Kyodai / Shatei seem to be more relative terms, while these are given positions.
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I found that chart as well but it looked like that rankin system was for the main family and that making my guy any of those characters would overlap known characters in the cannon. So I went small time and made him a big brother of a small gang at the local level. I had trouble finding a rank chart complete from top to bottom.
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You'd still have rank within the 'main family', though.
Try not to focus on being a 'gang member'; focus on being a Yakuza member. That sort of focus will give the character more scope, put him into a better framework, both mental and 'real', than being part of a quasi-seperate 'crew'. He may actually be a 'crew member' - and considering the age range, unless you're playing a 50-something shadowrunner, I strongly recommend him being 'only' a member of the original crew. Becoming Shategashira/Kyodai would have taken time - at least five to ten years - which you really aren't going to have, considering the mob war was in '58, and if you're playing at current time - which is now '75 - it's almost 20 years later.
What I'd really like to point out, though, is that your background makes a complete break with the Yakuza. There's no need to take either Sworn Soldier or Made Man; you're no longer either. You left Shotozumi because he wasn't loyal to Watada; you left Watada because they saw you as, well, a loyal dog, and you were tired of it so you left. At this point, you're a late-30's to early-50's (if you ran your own 'gang') has-been never-was, basically broke and unemployed. You're not on your way up, you're on your way down, and for all intents and purposes you've got one foot out the door and the other one in the grave.
Were I using the character (who's going to be at least 37-38), while I would have him make essentially a break with Shotozumi, being 'an American' in Japan may not be the total disad you're thinking. If you're a human Japanese Yakuza coming from a human Japanese Yakuza family, then moving back to the homeland to support the main rengo is going to put you in the sort of camp that a fair several others are going to be in. Maybe you do work your way up to running your own crew, and yes, it may become clear that you're never going to get any higher, but ...
... are you going to be playing a mook, or are you going to be playing an assassin?? A mook is gonna be breaking fragiles, like windows and legs. He's going to get his orders from a shategashira, or maybe from a wakagashira-hosa. Do you really want that for your character? Or do you want the semi-outsider who the wakagashira, and maybe the oyabun himself, speaks to on an irregular but semi-frequent basis, saying, "I'd like you to take care of the problem that is respresented by this person," and then you go out and whack the guy.
The former is your on-your-way-down guy who's resentful about being treated like a loyal pet for the last two decades, who's trying for one last stab at glory in his old stomping grounds - a guy whose ties have frayed so much they no longer bind. The latter is a still-on-his-way-up or still-on-top guy, who remains loyal because even though he isn't going to become a wakagashira-hosa, he already kind of is, because he's a specialist with a special set of skills. He's a go-to guy, and though he may be in minor disgrace right now, it's minor and it's not going to last, he's just over here in Candletown cooling his heels until his boss is no longer quite so hot under the collar.
Both have lots of opportunity for RP. The has-been never-was former character has a lot of regret and desperation pre-loaded into him - sorry, perhaps, that he left advancement opportunities with Shotozumi for a dead-end job in Japan, desperate enough to go perhaps a little further than he really can any more, writing checks that his body can no longer cash. The local Yaks don't like him, he has no safety net, and nowhere left to go but either down into obscurity or out in a blaze of glory. This is a 'flashy gangster' sort - loud shirts, big swagger, ready with a gun or a comeback. High injury rate, maybe, leading him to more and more desperate measures until he does something incredibly dangerous and incredibly brave and goes down in a John Woo film-ending thousand-bullet moment. Lots of fun, but let's face it, the style of the character is a relatively short-term thing, where he's going to succeed brilliantly or die trying.
The exiled hit-man, on the other hand, is a cooler customer - one with whom the local Yaks can operate, maybe with some remaining tension because he left, but relatively courteously for all that. This is the 'businessman' sort, with the correct bows and the quiet-but-dangerous smile, who is just on a 'working vacation' until he can get back to his real business. He's willing to take risks, sure, but he's more confident that he can execute them, he's more likely to plan ahead, he's going to calculate and make sure things are stacked in his favor. His reputation is working for him this time (hit man, remember) instead of against him, and while he's going to carry the groceries for his little old Japanese neighbor lady up eight flights of tenament stairs, if you insult him he'll whack your boss, your sister, her husband and kids, HER boss, and then your cat before finally getting around to blowing up your car, your house, and then chopping off your hands and feet - and, when your replacements have just healed up, showing up to cut them off again before finally killing you. He's a long-term character, basically.
So it's up to your campaign, your playing style, and what you want for the character. I prefer the latter, but for a shorter campaign, I'd certainly be willing to play the former ...
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Both directions are so tempting.
One inspiration behind this character concept is similar to Beat Takashi's character in the film Brother, an exiled Yak from Japan who can't help but to fall into his old ways despite how self destructive they are.
On the other end, there's Shozo from Yakuza Papers, who is an honorable old school Yakuza who becomes pushed aside my the newer wave of Yakuza members and the new ways of business.
I'll have to put more thought into this. Thank you again everybody for the feedback. I'll post his stats soon, ultimately he's a street sammy with more points put towards pistols and swords instead of heavy weapons.
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Character Sheet with stats below...
== Info ==
Street Name: Fumetsu
Name: Kanbara Ueda
Movement: 10/25, Swim: 5
Karma: 0
Street Cred: 0
Notoriety: 3
Public Awareness: 1
Human Male Age 45
Height 6'2" Weight 195lbs
Composure: 5
Judge Intentions: 5
Lift/Carry: 8 (75 kg/50 kg)
Memory: 5
Nuyen: 0
== Attributes ==
BOD: 4 (3)
AGI: 5
REA: 4 (6)
STR: 5
CHA: 2
INT: 3
LOG: 2
WIL: 3
EDG: 2
== Derived Attributes ==
Essence: 1.68
Initiative: 7 (9)
IP: 1 (3)
Matrix Initiative: 5
Matrix IP: 2
Physical Damage Track: 12
Stun Damage Track: 10
== Active Skills ==
Animal Handling : 0 Pool: 2
Animal Training : 0 Pool: 2
Archery : 0 Pool: 4
Armorer : 0 Pool: 1
Artisan : 0 Pool: 2
Automatics : 1 [Submachine Guns] Pool: 6 (8)
Blades : 6 [Swords] Pool: 11 (13)
Climbing : 3 Pool: 8
Clubs : 0 Pool: 4
Computer : 0 Pool: 1
Con : 0 Pool: 1
Cybercombat : 0 Pool: 1
Data Search : 0 Pool: 1
Demolitions : 0 Pool: 1
Disguise : 0 Pool: 2
Diving : 0 Pool: 2
Dodge : 2 [Ranged Combat] Pool: 8 (10)
Escape Artist : 0 Pool: 4
Etiquette : 0 Pool: 1
First Aid : 0 Pool: 1
Flight : 3 Pool: 8
Forgery : 0 Pool: 4
Gunnery : 0 Pool: 4
Gymnastics : 3 Pool: 8
Heavy Weapons : 0 Pool: 4
Infiltration : 3 Pool: 8
Instruction : 0 Pool: 1
Intimidation : 0 Pool: 1
Leadership : 0 Pool: 1
Locksmith : 0 Pool: 4
Longarms : 0 Pool: 4
Navigation : 0 Pool: 2
Negotiation : 2 Pool: 4
Palming : 0 Pool: 4
Parachuting : 0 Pool: 2
Perception : 1 [Visual] Pool: 4 (6)
Pilot Ground Craft : 1 [Car] Pool: 7 (9)
Pilot Watercraft : 0 Pool: 5
Pistols : 4 Pool: 9
Riding : 0 Pool: 5
Running : 3 Pool: 8
Shadowing : 0 Pool: 2
Survival : 0 Pool: 2
Swimming : 3 Pool: 8
Throwing Weapons : 0 Pool: 4
Tracking : 0 Pool: 2
Unarmed Combat : 4 [Parrying] Pool: 9 (11)
== Knowledge Skills ==
English : 2 [Speak] Pool: 5 (7)
Firearms : 3 [Design] Pool: 6 (8)
Japanese : N Pool: 0 (2)
Safe Houses : 4 Pool: 7
Zen Meditation : 3 Pool: 6
== Contacts ==
Fixer (3, 3)
Seattle Yakuza (3, 3)
Street Doc (2, 3)
== Qualities ==
Addiction (Mild) (Stimulants)
Allergy (Uncommon, Mild) (Gold)
Guts
High Pain Tolerance (Rating 3)
Incompetent (Hacking)
== Lifestyles ==
Low 3 months
== Cyberware/Bioware ==
Cybereyes Basic System Rating 3
+Eye Recording Unit
+Image Link
+Flare Compensation
+Low-Light Vision
+Protective Covers
+Smartlink
+Thermographic Vision
Obvious Full Arm (BOD 3, AGI 6, STR 5) (Left)
+Armor Rating 2
+Enhanced Strength Rating 2
+Enhanced Agility Rating 3
+Smuggling Compartment
Obvious Full Arm (BOD 3, AGI 6, STR 5) (Right)
+Armor Rating 2
+Enhanced Agility Rating 3
+Enhanced Strength Rating 2
+Spur
+Shock Hand
Wired Reflexes Rating 2
== Armor ==
Armor Vest 6/4
+Nonconductivity 2
Vashon Island businesswear (Shiawase Fashion)0/0
== Weapons ==
Ares Predator IV
+Concealable Holster
+Smartgun System
Pool: 11 DV: 5P AP: -1 RC: 0
Ares Predator IV
+Concealable Holster
+Smartgun System
Pool: 11 DV: 5P AP: -1 RC: 0
Ingram Smartgun X
+Stock
+Gas Vent 2
+Smartgun System
+Sound Suppressor
Pool: 8 (10) DV: 5P AP: - RC: 3
Katana ("Tengoku")
Pool: 11 (13) DV: 6P AP: -1 RC: 0
Shock Hand
Pool: 9 DV: 6S(e) AP: -half RC: 0
Spur
Pool: 11 DV: 6P AP: - RC: 0
Survival Knife
Pool: 11 DV: 4P AP: -1 RC: 0
Unarmed Attack
Pool: 9 DV: 3S AP: - RC: 0
== Martial Arts ==
Judo
++1 die for Full Parry
Disarm
Throw
== Commlink ==
Hermes Ikon (2, 2, 1, 3)
+Redcap Nix
+Sim Module (Cold)
+Analyze Rating 2 [Copy Protection 1, Registration]
+Browse Rating 2 [Copy Protection 1, Registration]
+Command Rating 1 [Copy Protection 1, Registration]
+Edit Rating 2 [Copy Protection 2, Registration]
== Gear ==
Ammo: Explosive Rounds (Heavy Pistols) x20
Ammo: Regular Ammo (Submachine Guns) x10
AR Gloves
DocWagon Contract: Gold
Fake License (Katana) Rating 4
Fake License (Ares Predator IV) Rating 4
Fake License (Ingram Smartgun X) Rating 4
Fake License (Ares Predator IV) Rating 4
Fake SIN (80087322) Rating 4
== Description ==
Tall, dark, stoic, and cold. If it wasn't for his face you would think that Kanbara was all machine. With a tight black crew cut and brown Yakuza suits, Kanbara (aka Fumetsu) is as deadly as he is intimidating.
== Concept ==
'Fumetsu' is played as a straight character with little room for humor and indecisiveness. His ethos exudes old world Samurai and Yakuza codes of conduct making him both loyal and ruthless. When 'Fumetsu' does make a joke, it's dry with a gallows tone that only he seems to get. Every joke towards him feels like walking on egg shells.
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I'd avoid skill specialisation at chargen, especially so many. They're half price if you wait to buy them in-game.
Personalised Grip is usually a good choice on all weapons, with Electronic Firing replacing it on silenced / suppressed firearms. (on melee weapons, it's practically a given)
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Unless you use Karmagen!
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Indeed, either Karmagen (and be ready to lose a specialization or three) or lose them all.
For a Yakuza, I'd also reverse - or balance - the Pistols and Blades. To boot, you are an assassin without any ability to 'reach out and touch someone' - which means that you will always have to get in close. Flight is a nonsense skill for you - you don't have any innate ability to fly - so move those points into Longarms. I'd drop your Swimming by a level to nudge the longarms up to 4 as well, and if you've gone that far ...
As a suggestion: if you really want Blades at 6, finagle your way into a) Swim at 1, which I think should save you enough points to get b) Firearms Group at 4, and also c) cybergills. (One character of mine's back-story had an experience where, on a mission in Africa, he got knocked into a lake with all of his gear, and almost drowned because of it. He immediately went under the knife for cybergills so that would never happen again.) People tend to forget how useful they are, especially in water-heavy places like Tokyo - and forget how water-heavy Seattle is. And an assassination that comes from 'X hit their head and drowned in their pool' makes for good stuff, Maynard.
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I don't think he bought flight, but is using Chummer for the Athletics group - which includes flight.
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Though a flying Yakuza would be amazing, Novocrane is correct.
I guess I need to pay more attention to those group distributions.
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Hmm. Well, in which case I'd definitely look into dropping your Athletics group by 1, and get your Firearms group at 4. Otherwise, all in all, a good character. And I'd still go for cybergills. ;)
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Or internal air tank, it's got an hour or so supply right? And it could potentially protect you from other inhalation vector poisons (Though gasses like neurostun are contact vector, so no help there.) You can also put the air tank into your clothing instead to save some essence.
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Which means you'd always have to be wearing that coat or jacket. If it's going to save your life, I prefer something they can't take off your back - or relatively easily shoot a hole in.
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Heh, you show me the guy carrying the battle rifle and I'll be sure to tell our guy with the air tank to duck.
side plea: could you guys help me with my Sioux nation character biography? I know I made him as a joke character, but I'm rather infatuated with the concept of legitimately playing him now.