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Balancing single opponent against a team?

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StarManta

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« Reply #15 on: <08-25-11/1232:06> »
I've got a pretty solid plan for this fight, and have it on tonight's agenda (although, most likely, it won't actually take place until next week; there are at least 2 fights before it in the mission). In addition to the ambush taking place in an alleyway with plenty of cover for everybody, the alley is flanked by two cars on autopilot firing turrets at full auto using the Mark 47 Smartlink from WAR (an IFF system that allows a friendly fighter to jump into its suppressive fire field without risking being hit), creating overlapping suppressive fire fields through which he can move freely. He also has high Mystic Armor (in addition to his regular armor), Dodge with specialization in Ranged, and a Monofilament Whip and Claws as his melee weapons. Oh, did I mention he's a Wendigo?

....This'll be a fun fight. I haven't yet killed anyone this campaign.... I'ma kill someone with this guy.

Zilfer

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« Reply #16 on: <08-25-11/1456:38> »
I've got a pretty solid plan for this fight, and have it on tonight's agenda (although, most likely, it won't actually take place until next week; there are at least 2 fights before it in the mission). In addition to the ambush taking place in an alleyway with plenty of cover for everybody, the alley is flanked by two cars on autopilot firing turrets at full auto using the Mark 47 Smartlink from WAR (an IFF system that allows a friendly fighter to jump into its suppressive fire field without risking being hit), creating overlapping suppressive fire fields through which he can move freely. He also has high Mystic Armor (in addition to his regular armor), Dodge with specialization in Ranged, and a Monofilament Whip and Claws as his melee weapons. Oh, did I mention he's a Wendigo?

....This'll be a fun fight. I haven't yet killed anyone this campaign.... I'ma kill someone with this guy.

Edge! 27 dice pool shot to try and take him out!!!! xD

Anyways, that sounds like a nasty situation to be in that's for sure. Are they not going to have a car of their own in the alley? (if they do i think they should ram their car into the one's firin at them. XD)

Good luck tonight. :D
Having access to Ares Technology isn't so bad, being in a room that's connected to the 'trix with holographic display throughout the whole room isn't bad either. Food, drinks whenever you want it. Over all not bad, but being unable to leave and with a Female Dragon? No Thanks! ~The Captive Man

Charybdis

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« Reply #17 on: <08-26-11/0856:21> »
I've got a pretty solid plan for this fight, and have it on tonight's agenda (although, most likely, it won't actually take place until next week; there are at least 2 fights before it in the mission). In addition to the ambush taking place in an alleyway with plenty of cover for everybody, the alley is flanked by two cars on autopilot firing turrets at full auto using the Mark 47 Smartlink from WAR (an IFF system that allows a friendly fighter to jump into its suppressive fire field without risking being hit), creating overlapping suppressive fire fields through which he can move freely. He also has high Mystic Armor (in addition to his regular armor), Dodge with specialization in Ranged, and a Monofilament Whip and Claws as his melee weapons. Oh, did I mention he's a Wendigo?

....This'll be a fun fight. I haven't yet killed anyone this campaign.... I'ma kill someone with this guy.
Just remember Mystic armour doesn't count against spells.

Unless there's some counterspelling dice coming from somehere, or it's in a Background count area, any mage with LOS is going to pwn your combat monster....

find a way to keep the mages distracted... spirit allies maybe?
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JoeNapalm

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« Reply #18 on: <08-26-11/0943:25> »
I've got a pretty solid plan for this fight, and have it on tonight's agenda (although, most likely, it won't actually take place until next week; there are at least 2 fights before it in the mission). In addition to the ambush taking place in an alleyway with plenty of cover for everybody, the alley is flanked by two cars on autopilot firing turrets at full auto using the Mark 47 Smartlink from WAR (an IFF system that allows a friendly fighter to jump into its suppressive fire field without risking being hit), creating overlapping suppressive fire fields through which he can move freely. He also has high Mystic Armor (in addition to his regular armor), Dodge with specialization in Ranged, and a Monofilament Whip and Claws as his melee weapons. Oh, did I mention he's a Wendigo?

....This'll be a fun fight. I haven't yet killed anyone this campaign.... I'ma kill someone with this guy.
Just remember Mystic armour doesn't count against spells.

Unless there's some counterspelling dice coming from somehere, or it's in a Background count area, any mage with LOS is going to pwn your combat monster....

find a way to keep the mages distracted... spirit allies maybe?


Or shiny things.

Mages can't resist the shiny.

-Jn-
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Zilfer

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« Reply #19 on: <08-26-11/1351:47> »
My Mage can't resist the shiny, but he'll probably make someone else get it for him. XD
Having access to Ares Technology isn't so bad, being in a room that's connected to the 'trix with holographic display throughout the whole room isn't bad either. Food, drinks whenever you want it. Over all not bad, but being unable to leave and with a Female Dragon? No Thanks! ~The Captive Man

Neurosis

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« Reply #20 on: <08-26-11/1441:57> »
Besides all the team-versus-team fights, I'd like to have one opponent - a sociopath and a loner - who is so skilled and experienced that he can, by himself, hold his own against the entire team (at least long enough to make a getaway, if not long enough to actually fight). I would also like him to not just insta-kill anyone he aims for. Does anyone have any experience in balancing an opponent like this?

The obvious first answer is "use stun ammo", but to further complicate the issue, he's really, REALLY not the type of character to use stun. Being bloodthirsty is fundamental to his character.

So far what I do have is him setting traps and throwing out one or two grenades prior to combat actually starting.

If I said I had a statblock (or two) that'd be useful for this purpose, is that something you might be interested in? (The catch is, he's a cyberzombie.)
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StarManta

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« Reply #21 on: <08-27-11/1018:54> »
Besides all the team-versus-team fights, I'd like to have one opponent - a sociopath and a loner - who is so skilled and experienced that he can, by himself, hold his own against the entire team (at least long enough to make a getaway, if not long enough to actually fight). I would also like him to not just insta-kill anyone he aims for. Does anyone have any experience in balancing an opponent like this?

The obvious first answer is "use stun ammo", but to further complicate the issue, he's really, REALLY not the type of character to use stun. Being bloodthirsty is fundamental to his character.

So far what I do have is him setting traps and throwing out one or two grenades prior to combat actually starting.

If I said I had a statblock (or two) that'd be useful for this purpose, is that something you might be interested in? (The catch is, he's a cyberzombie.)

Well, I've already put together some stats (and, he's a Toxic Mystic Adept).

Neurosis

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« Reply #22 on: <08-27-11/1901:37> »
kk
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Stockbrokers ain't no heroes!"~

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John Shull

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« Reply #23 on: <08-28-11/0308:12> »
Having the opposition be a single individual bloody sociopath who can engage a shadoowrun team as a sane action gives me a lot too work with in your scenario.  I am just going by the fact he is driven, fights Shadowrunners, ruthless, skilled, experienced, and wants the Run team dead.  Let's call him Dexter. 
  Dexter knows there is a team he wants guarding the bottom of the Sound.  He encountered them tracking him or they are just ticking him off doing what they do.  He passively surveils and gets the visable front page on the crew.  After taking a good look at the team he pegs one of them as a target.  They are smart and knowledgeable about the team seemingly but not the dangerous in up close combat, probably the mage.  He tracks the mage to his house and does a little deeper digging to verify this threat and getting a handle on his abilities by breaking in when the mage is out.  Confidant the mage is a good bet he does a quick misdirection trap.  In the apartment, entry way, or parkinglot of the Mages house, Dexter puts something that will draw the Mage to investagate but seem less threatening but interesting enough to focus his attention long enough Dex comes in from behind the mage and dose him with a powerful sedative.  Ambush ideas: Parking lot, Ticket on the guys windsheld is heavily taped/glued to the windshield and he becomes engaged taking it off til Dexter comes up behind or he puts 10 or 1w live chickens in his car and when he is going WTF Dex gets behind him. You get the jist.
   Dexter immobilizes his victum, probably the Mage or Face, using copious plastic sheeting to secure them to a table in a prepared lair, sometimes in the victums home or very near where he took the victum,(neighbors apt? Boiler room?).  He injects him with nanites will he is out.  He gets up and Dex interrogates/ tortures the mage/Face to get info on the team, a fun RP extravaganza.  Then he has the mage/face call one of his friends to come pick him up as long as he has told him everything and the friend bring 25k.  While the victum is on the phone Dexter wounds him and let's the mage/face flip out on the phone to his pal.  Dexter leaves them to talk 30 seconds and kills the fee and resedates his victum.  He leaves a fuel bomb under the victum with wires to him but it doesn't function. His second target is the guy guarding the ride, the ride/Rigger, or if he keeps rolling after the drop he will attempt to trap the team inside saving their friend. 
   As they roll in they will be heavily armed and moving when they get to their bud.  If they are more subtle this may mess Dex up and he will draw them out with texting a single frame image of their comrade unconcious to motivate them, he will keep the cell off at all other times.  He will come from the opposite direction of the victum and engage the first target on his list.  He is packing several EMP grenades to immobilize and a fuel bomb to toss under the vehicl and light it up.  If the ride stays in motion Dex is gonna use the fuel bomb on the main exit in a FedEx style delivery box with a return notice typed out on it placed by the mailboxes.  If they hit those stairs he will fire them up, cell detonator. 
   Anyway I am rambling but these hit and run tactics and a systematic disabling of the team is the way socio hitter would chip them down and take them apart a bit at a time.  They would be put to the question of do we run at some point.  You get into their heads the boogie man is gonna get them and he is not a stand up shoot out with a chiipped up football hooligan.  They can have fun playing cat and mouse on the investagative side.  They can worry about their contacts and dependents.  Dexter has no intention of as much as be in the same building with the guys concious he is there so it makes fighting a lot easier on him.  Eventually the party may turn the tables and take out old Dex.  That will be the a great whale tale for the party, how they caught their Moby Dick.  It will be a little more intricate than remembering the initiative rolls.

Sorry I overwrite and ramble.  Ideas run wild out of me sometimes.
Opportunities multiply as they are seized.  --Sun Tzu

Phylos Fett

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« Reply #24 on: <08-29-11/1108:34> »
I had a good idea for a Twisted Path Social Adept in SR3 (back when you could kick it up a notch with Potency, and before there were official Social Adept powers) - he was a pretty good build for holding his own against a team of 4 runners.

 

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