[Thazar]

Howdy All!

I am fairly new to SR4, but played a lot back in the early 90's in earlier editions.  I am starting a new game as a GM and I have a player that wants to have a "cowboy based face character".  He is aware that revolvers and lever action guns are not as good as automatics, but wants to use them anyway.  (I think he wants to make someone like Mal from Firefly.)

So, what I am looking for is are there any good source books that have info on what amounts to low tech weapons or cowboy-ish themes?  I would also be interested in any general feedback or suggestions to give the player on his build.  He is coming over to build the character this weekend.  Books I own are SR4 20th, and the five main add-ons.  (Unwired, Street Magic, Arsenal, Companion, and Augmentation.)  We are using the 400 pt system and run with Hero Lab for the software to game with.

Thanks all!

[Henzington]

you probably want longarms as well lots of people used shotguns in the old west.

[Reiper]

Longarms definitely along with a pistol

I'd go with:
-PJSS Model 55 Shotgun, it seems to basically be a double barreled shotgun. Not positive if there are rules for using both barrels at once, but you could probably come up with some decent ones. (AR78)
-Cavalier Deputy, 7 shooter, its SA so it doesn't totally gimp him out, and comes with no accessories so its basic out of the box (AE22)
-Or a basic Super Warhawk (SR4 317), like the Deputy, basic out of the box. six shooter but has more stopping power.

As far as armor goes, Leather Jacket

Custom Lifestyle:
Comforts: squatter
Entertainment; streets
Necessities: medium (maybe squatter but cowboys tend to have what they need)
Neighborhood: not sure
Security: street or squatter, maybe go higher if he's paranoid and does his own security.
Qualities (house)
-Stocked Up
-Rural Home
-No neighbors
-Hasty Exit
-Leaky Faucett
-Pest Magnet (1 or 2)
+/- 1400 a month

If he wants a vehicle, go Gaz Willie's Nomad, at least how I imagine that is that its an old run down pickup truck

[RHat]

The Deputy is listed specifically to be preferred by people looking for a wild west style.  Toss on Personalized Grip, Smartgun, Increased Cylinder, Extreme Environment Modification Level 1, and an Ammo Skip System.  The remaining slot could be used to take Melee Hardening.  Classic gunslinger style would be to have several of these instead of reloading, but I think he can make the concession to practicality and grab speed loaders.

Similarly, there's the Desperado shotgun, but it kind of sucks.  Something about the Defiance T-250 has the right feel to me, though.  Grab one of the Remington sport rifles, and the weapon assortment is solid.  Motorcycle as the modern equivalent of a horse should be good for a vehicle.  Lined Coat is a must.

Might be best to run the character as an adept - obvious cyber would detract from the feel.

[FlyDog]

Might I recommend a little kung-fu for your cyber-cowboy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_sBOsh-vyI

[emsquared]

You could do a bowie-knife(s) and/or hatchet for melee weaponry (and/or melee hardened firearms as mentioned already), maybe a single shaded cyber-eye Protective Cover if you're going for that Rooster Cogburn look... if you do do the Adept thing, Quick Draw would be an obvious must - or otherwise maybe take Krav Maga for it's Ready Weapon advantage (both cases with quick-draw holsters, of course)? You could do Dual-Wielded pistols, although I think that probably wasn't as frequently used historically as spaghetti westerns might suggest... Good skills would be the Outdoors Group and Animal Handling, depending on where they're going with it... probably take Distinctive Style, any of the anti-technology Neg Quals, and maybe even work out a custom 5BP Negative Quality with him where he has a bum-leg (halved movement speeds)? Just spit-ballin' here...

[Thazar]

Thanks everyone.  So far some good stuff there.

Reiper - From the looks of what you posted that is some kind of custom life style where you build it.  I either don't have that book or missed it in my reading.  Where is it from?

[RHat]

Runner's Companion.

[Thazar]

Cool.  I just found that little tidbit.  I use Hero Lab and never checked out the Advanced Lifestyles choice.  Now I see the sub settings.  That is good to know and I will make sure I point it out to my group.

Thanks again for the info everyone... and of course if anyone else has some good thoughts please feel free to continue to share.   

[Shadowjack]

Advanced Lifestyles can be found in Runner's Companion.

[Padawan]

If you're looking for older find, gun heaven and gun heaven 2 have a good amount, though they will be far weaker since they can't accept as many accessories/modifications as newer guns. If your player is ok with sacrificing power for role playing, then good for him, he's my kind of player but if he prefers to make his characters as strong as they can be, he may well become dissatisfied with the choice.

[Thazar]

I'll have to look around for the Gun Haven stuff.  Our group has a pretty good share of RP over Min/Max so it should work out fine.  But that does not mean they do not find a way to make their characters as effective as they can within that RP based idea.    

Thanks for all of the feedback everyone.Once the character is finished I will post the build highlights.

[SladeWeston]

I'm playing a gunslinger style cowboy based on UmaroVI Gunslinger archetype.  Of course he was a little too optimized for my group but it was very easy to move some build points around to add a little more cowboy flare.  I needed to free up cash for a motorcycle for example, I just couldn't see myself riding a scoot, and skill points for some outdoors skills.

In practice I have found the character to be extremely fun, and an absolute beast, in fights and versatile enough to be good in several situations outside of combat.  I do feel like I should have opted out from using the Stick-n-Shock ammo as it feels a little OP with this build and my group.  Otherwise, I'm pretty happy with how things turned out.

[groduick]

Use a bike with walker mod, and you've got a nice robot horse to ride...

[JD]

I play a cowboy face/hacker/security specialist from out of Music City, and found that I never ever use any weapon except for Patsy, my fully customised cavalier Deputy, which has a sometimes awkward tendency to play a bit of good ol' Patsy Cline whenever someone's about get a case of instant lead poisoning.

I sweettalked my GM into giving me back the build points I wasted on Unarmed, Knife and Longarms... the only problem is, of course, that half of Seattle seems to have taken an uncommonly powerful dislike to Mrs Patsy Cline and tend to draw a bead on me whenever they hear her sing her mighty fine tunes. So far, Patsy has shown each an' ev'ry one of them the error of their ways,