[FasterN8]

Ok, So the genemod Synch costs relatively little in terms of money or essence, but seems to have really outsized benefits for something that's so cheap and readily available (avail 8, non-restricted)

First the bonus to perception is really valuable, particularly since it applies to both hearing and visual AND stacks with other mods on those senses.

The second benefit (+1 dice to combat tests after opponents first attack) is also great, but seems like there's some fuzz in interpretation on how that might work so I wanted to ask how you guys would rule on this to preserve the "everything has a cost" mantra.  On the face of it, it seems like it could be a reflex recorder for every single combat skill after the first IP.... But that seems a little too strong, esp considering the cost and other benefits already enumerated.

[Rooks]

Synch just means after the first round you can predict the movements of your enemies therefore can out think and out act them hence the +1 bonus combat die

[Jack_Spade]

It's not that strong, considering that in my experience most fights (if done right) won't last much longer than two full combat rounds

[FasterN8]

That's true, if you don't compare this to other augments that might provide the same bonuses.

Synch just means after the first round you can predict the movements of your enemies therefore can out think and out act them hence the +1 bonus combat die

Does it apply to every enemy combatant simultaneously?  Or just the one you're engaging?  If the synch user could only apply it to one enemy at a time then this would be much more balanced, IMHO. Because then there would be a refresh period for the bonus as the character observed his new opponent.

I just don't want to assume force-user level omniscience because the dude has synch.

[Novocrane]

Does it apply to every enemy combatant simultaneously?  Or just the one you're engaging?

If you'd like to change it or clarify it, how about the ones that have attacked you?

[All4BigGuns]

It's only a dang +1. That is not "too strong" by any stretch of the imagination.

[Herr Brackhaus]

Shadowrun doesn't even really have an "engagement" system for combatants; you're considered aware of all combatants unless surprise takes precedence. So for Synch, I'd say you get the bonus against everyone you would normally get a defense test from if they attacked you.

[FasterN8]

Does it apply to every enemy combatant simultaneously?  Or just the one you're engaging?

If you'd like to change it or clarify it, how about the ones that have attacked you?

Mostly I'd like a clarification, since I run Missions.  If the writers meant this to give a character a +1 to all his combat skills after the first IP, then fine.  I think it's *wildly* underpriced as is, but easy to track and not game breaking.  It would just become a stupidly obvious must-have for any combat character like the old expertise feats in DnD.  Poor game design, but it won't ruin anyone's fun.

Part of me wonders if the combat bonus was meant for melee...  The text states:  "...develop a battle awareness based on moves, which allows them to respond and adapt quickly to their opponents fighting style."   The two bold sections are suggestive of melee combat more than ranged, but I don't think the suggestion rises to the level of making a RAW conclusion to that effect.

If I had to change it, I'd make it a +1 to attack targets you've already attacked.  (Since you obviously saw how they reacted to your first attack.)  That makes more sense to me fluff and balance wise (and it's also easy to track).

[Adamo1618]

Would you guys have this on your street samurai once you've had a few runs?

[All4BigGuns]

Would you guys have this on your street samurai once you've had a few runs?

Probably not. Getting a +1 that doesn't kick in until after you have been attacked just isn't worth it.

[falar]

I'd continue saving for the Pain Editor.

[PJ]

Not to mention having boatloads of dice only gets good if you have boatloads of Limit to go with it.

[FasterN8]

Not to mention having boatloads of dice only gets good if you have boatloads of Limit to go with it.

Higher limit is not even a real concern since it's downright easy to come by.  Smartlinks, custom grips and better weapons are the first step and if that's still not enough, then you start making called shots to increase DV and reduce dicepool.  Beyond that you're getting into such narrow corner cases that it's not worth arguing about.

Would you guys have this on your street samurai once you've had a few runs?

Probably not. Getting a +1 that doesn't kick in until after you have been attacked just isn't worth it.

If that were all Synch does then you might be right.  But the text does not state that the enemy has to attack you, only that it needs to have attacked.  So by the 2nd IP of the first round it should kick in and last till the end of the fight.  And besides that, the perception bonus itself is worth the price of entry.  All the combat stuff on the back-end is just icing on the cake.  The fact that that icing will cover 2/3 or more of your combat attacks is pretty great for a kicker bonus.

Consider:
Visual enhancement 1 + Audio Enhancement 1 costs twice as much essence for 8k
Attention coprocessor costs three times as much essence for 3k

So the small monetary premium you pay is well worth the essence savings.  Oh yeah, and all those other things have to be wireless ON to give you bonus dice.  Synch gives you the dice without any wireless vulnerability.  And Synch stacks with those other things too.

[Beta]

I suppose it might matter a bit whether you think your GM will be evil about CFD?  IIRC, in Lockdown gene mods gave a penalty on resisting CFD.  Granted, we played through Lockdown before having Chrome Flesh, so we had never seen gene mods (nor nano-hives), so I wasn’t paying much attention to that part at the time, so I could be mis-remembering ….  But to me a lot of the gene tech in CF seemed pretty cheap, and part of me wondered if the authors set that aggressively to make it appealing despite the CFD risk?

[All4BigGuns]

Vision enhancement and audio enhancement are more likely to be bought in glasses/contacts/goggles/whatever or stuck in cybereyes. In the first case, there's no essence cost and in in the second, they're really just 'a little extra'.

Attention Coprocessor giving so little now is a problem with the 'tone down' they pulled on it rather than indicative with a problem in Synch.


The biggest problem here though is your stating your claim as fact. It, plain and simple, isn't. All your claim is is your opinion.