[StarManta]

The 4th and 5th edition systems aren't ENTIRELY incompatible (with a little improvisation), so I'm planning to gradually shift over to 5th in the home game. I'm moving the Matrix to 5th edition almost immediately, because the SR5 matrix rules are just amazing. Then, as we get comfortable with the new rules, we'll add a few more 5th edition rules, and I think within a few months we'll be all 5th edition.

[RHat]

Totally sticking with 4th. Die pool caps are enough to kill 5th for me, but there are other mechanics changes I dislike too.

Limits do not impact your dice pool.  They work the way spell Force looks for the number of hits you get.

[Carz]

Limits do not impact your dice pool.  They work the way spell Force looks for the number of hits you get.

Yeah, "hit caps" then. My nomenclature may be off, but they remain the primary reason I'm not switching. Strong second is the connect-to-matrix bonuses for equipment.

[RHat]

Limits do not impact your dice pool.  They work the way spell Force looks for the number of hits you get.

Yeah, "hit caps" then. My nomenclature may be off, but they remain the primary reason I'm not switching.

It's not a matter of nomenclature - "dice pool caps" suggest something entirely different.

[Carz]

Limits do not impact your dice pool.  They work the way spell Force looks for the number of hits you get.

Yeah, "hit caps" then. My nomenclature may be off, but they remain the primary reason I'm not switching.

It's not a matter of nomenclature - "dice pool caps" suggest something entirely different.

Uh, right - my choice of nomenclature (specific game term denoting a specific mechanic) was off - i.e. incorrect. I knew what I meant even though I said the wrong thing, thus, yes, the hits you can possibly roll are capped not the pool itself. Its that mechanic (regardless of me getting the name wrong), that turns me off.

[GiraffeShaman]

I'll be switching to 5th as soon as possible, but what will probaly happen is we'll play the edition most appropriate for the era of the campaign is running. If 5th runs really smoothly it may be like the jump from 2nd to 3rd though, where the old editions just stop being played.

Rolling less dice may sound like  some players' worst nightmares, but it can actually be a good thing for just keeping the game moving. Once you've gotten your hits to the limit on 10 dice, there is no more need to roll those 15 more dice of your 25 dice pool. I've never managed the trick of rolling 25 dice at once.

[Michael Chandra]

I'm already using 5th-based Initiative+Dodge rules in my SR4 campaign, will be changing those up now that we know the real thing. Conversion can wait until more books are out, since the players are currently enjoying quite a bit of extra functionality such as modded weapons+vehicles, additional adept powers (Melanin Control) and so on. So we'll convert to SR5 later.

Right now there's two or three things that worry me. The level of the wireless bonuses is one of them, grenades another. Once I read the full rules and see them in action in Missions (assuming I am accepted as Agent), I'll figure out whether to put together a nice houserule system with other hacker capabilities and what to do with grenades.

Chances are I'd go with that grenades can't be aimed at a player by aiming at the ground, and that I'll simply remove most of the wireless bonuses from the game entirely, or limit either the upsides or the downsides. On top of that, if they don't have something for a Hacker to send spoof commands and feed you fake data for a dice or limit penalty, I'll make sure to design those. But only if my nightmares come true. And honestly, if they're on the ball with all the rest, I can live with them going past the equilibrium point and slipping up just the twice.

An example of reducing upsides or downsides, by the way, would be that Reaction Enhancers + Wired Reflexes still require a decent meshing together for the full Reaction bonus, but that 'offline' the lowest of the two adds Initiative rather than Reaction. Advanced Safety would require a connection, and shots at more than 100m distance perhaps. We'll see once I got the rules, see how they play and chat with a lot of people to make a nice alternative system if required.

[Mara]

My group is going to be finishing this campaign out in 4th edition. Next campaign will be in 5th.  I am going to be incorporating the story elements that lead to the setting changes in my game, though. I mean, it is March 2074 in it, and the campaign is going to end in GeMiTo...

[GiraffeShaman]

One thing I do wonder is how effective the decker is at defending his team, as was mentioned in this thread. It may become a thing similar to having a mage to defend from spells. Then it isn't just a choice between getting the bonuses and getting shafted, or just not connecting. There may be a 3rd option to have a safe network protected by your team's personal spider, and gain all the bonuses without being attacked. Might give deckers something to do and some dice to roll in combat.

Might also create a new type of decker specialist. A defense specialist/spider/network admin.

Just blue sky speculation...

[The Big Peat]

Hasn't been discussed in my group, won't be raising the topic. Priority chargen, success limits and bonuses for matrix connectivity do not please me. I will wait to see the full thing before making my judgement obviously, but right now there's no excitement. Might steal good things though.

p.s. On grenades - why not a simple rule saying if it is so targeted that it will hit PCs, they get a defensive test to get out of the way?

[Michael Chandra]

My plan was an actual opposed test even when aiming at a location, yes. =) But I need to see the full rules before deciding on how to rule it, it already sounded like there was confusion on what version made it in.

[Black]

I expect that I'm in.  I like the sound of most the rule changes.  But it may be some time before I see an actual book.. Australia and all that.

[Belker]

I'll likely be mixed between groups. I'm running Season 4 Missions at my FLGS now and we'll probably run that through to the end - which should give time for enough Season 5 Missions to be out to make switching viable.

My two home groups (one face-to-face, one online) will likely switch over to 5th at some point. But until it's actually released, I'll probably just work in things like the new Matrix rules via the Quickstart.

[Bull]

One thing I do wonder is how effective the decker is at defending his team, as was mentioned in this thread. It may become a thing similar to having a mage to defend from spells. Then it isn't just a choice between getting the bonuses and getting shafted, or just not connecting. There may be a 3rd option to have a safe network protected by your team's personal spider, and gain all the bonuses without being attacked. Might give deckers something to do and some dice to roll in combat.

Might also create a new type of decker specialist. A defense specialist/spider/network admin.

Just blue sky speculation...

I can see that.  Take a decent cyberdeck, mesh the teams network through it, make sure you assign the highest attribute array to Firewall, and instead of running programs, run IC for added security.

[Wildcard]

Moving to 5th ASAP. 4th is a bloated mire of shitty rules, broken items, and half-thought out ideas with little to no errata.  It takes a heavy hand as a GM to keep it flowing in a balanced manner, and I'd rather let the game do that work then me.