[DWC]

Looking closer, this thing seems like it came from the same brilliant minds as the Excalibur.  With everyone now getting two stats to defend, what are the chances that something with an offensive DP of 6 will ever harm anything?  It seems like the Duelist can't actually do anything other than troll Renraku and get destroyed.  Am I missing the thing that makes it not terrible?

[Crunch]

Not necessarily, but it would be a low risk (relatively) way to make people deal with the die pool penalties for being in melee/facing a second attacker.

[calaen]

Its a slowdown method - if something with swords for arms is up in a target's face, there is a good chance they want to shoot that first, and as Crunch states, its a good way to make them deal with penalties... especially if you have a rotodrone with a mounted sniper rifle and APDS.  (I've decided that yes drones are squishy, but this means that rather than deciding they're worthless, I just have to think tactically about them - a flying drone with a sniper rifle and armor piercing rounds is a great complement to a fighting force, and a steel lynx makes for a fairly heavy support weapon when you take advantage of that heavy weapon mount that comes standard.)  Secondly, you might be able to talk to your GM - with the right programming skills, you ought to be able to give it a nice  software upgrade and improve the offensive capabilities of your drones.

[Critias]

Perhaps most importantly, it also serves the crucial tactical role of matching the cover art.

[Maddoux1]

It is clearly designed as basic security, not a running tool.  For the corporate family that wants to protect their snot-nosed brat when he's home alone.  Protect against the thugs in the streets at your warehouse, especially the dimly lit one that makes it look like a real person.

Upgrade the software in it, or rig it, and you might have something to take into the shadows.


I plan on using them as distractions, so my team can evade enemy security.  One makes its way down one hall towards a not-target, hopefully peel some security towards it.

[calaen]

Now that is some good tactical thinking!

[Maddoux1]

*shrugs*  I used to do the same thing with the old man servants when I was GMing.  The PhysAd would ninja his way to take out the "one guard up there before he could sound the alarm" as the LoneStar team poured in.

[Mirikon]

Sure, it isn't much to look at now. But in the hands of a rigger, or someone else who knows what they're doing, it can become very dangerous as part of the overall picture. Think of it like football. Does that inside guard really stand out too much compared to the quarterback, running back, and wide receiver? Of course not. But try playing without a line, and see how far you get.

And while you consider that, just wait until the 5th ed version of Arsenal comes out, and we get to start upgrading these things.

[Mäx]

And while you consider that, just wait until the 5th ed version of Arsenal comes out, and we get to start upgrading these things.

Sadly we apparently have to wait for Rigger 5 for that(they broke Arsenal into 2 books)

[DWC]

To be fair, the Guards are more important than any of the "skill positions" to the quality of a team.  Emmitt Smith came right out and said that if it weren't for the O-line Dallas had, none of us would even know his name.

But anyway, jumped in rigger aside, they still suck compared to a Steel Lynx with a belt-fed Crockett or AS-7.  They're too fragile to be effective combatants, and rely on a rigger having a solid Blades skill which is way too specialized to really be useful.

[Crunch]

And while you consider that, just wait until the 5th ed version of Arsenal comes out, and we get to start upgrading these things.

Sadly we apparently have to wait for Rigger 5 for that(they broke Arsenal into 2 books)

That's actually a good thing. One of the major problems Riggers had in 4E was that they got a chapter, rather than a book.

[Mirikon]

To be fair, the Guards are more important than any of the "skill positions" to the quality of a team.  Emmitt Smith came right out and said that if it weren't for the O-line Dallas had, none of us would even know his name.

But anyway, jumped in rigger aside, they still suck compared to a Steel Lynx with a belt-fed Crockett or AS-7.  They're too fragile to be effective combatants, and rely on a rigger having a solid Blades skill which is way too specialized to really be useful.

See, you're looking at this the wrong way, DWC. You can buy five of the Duelists for less than what it costs for one Steel Lynx, even before you worry about weapons and ammo. Which means that you can get teams of them in there. One moving target or five, which is easier to deal with? And consider that most people tend to forget about other things when they have swords about to lodge themselves in their face. Without modifications, it is not a primary attacker, but in a tactical setup it definitely has its purpose, especially now that melee has become a viable option again. And if you give a chameleon-coated one to your rigger, you have a perfect stealth weapon. You need to think beyond just "More dakka" and look at all the options the drone presents.

[DWC]

Except that you can't chameleon coat one because there are no rules for it, and any random jerk with a R6 jammer  forces them to rely on their awful Pilot program. 

They're in the way, but with 6 dice, they won't hit anything so who cares?  With its 8 dice to soak damage, 6 to avoid it and an 8 box damage track, any reasonably competent combatant will dispatch groups of them fairly effortlessly.  The increase in damage done by melee attacks doesn't matter when these things won't ever actually hit anyone who wasn't already a lead candidate to get stuffed in a locker by the little old lady who empties the waste bins at night.

They're an amusing idea that completely fails in its implementation due to a combination of a terrible Pilot rating, a terrible Autosoft rating, and a lack of drone modification rules.

[Mäx]

That's actually a good thing. One of the major problems Riggers had in 4E was that they got a chapter, rather than a book.

Well the think is Run and Gun is likely to come out soonish(it's actually listed as an upcoming book), where's as Rigger 5 comes who knows when.
And drone riggers are practically unplayable until the modding rules come out(as standard drones are made out of wet tissue paper)

[Michael Chandra]

Now you got me curious, where did you find the upcoming books? AH, there.

I like having drones squishy by the way. Makes them less overkill. Besides, you can always rig a bike.