[All4BigGuns]

I'm thinking the F10 Stunbolt might have been a bit much...

[eighth circuit]

You got two net hits on that stunbolt (this driver has some lucky dice! plus, he used edge). If you want to increase the damage to 12S it will increase the drain value by two as well. What do you wanna do?

I was kinda worried that the team didn't have a really powerful combat PC. Worries abated

[All4BigGuns]

You got two net hits on that stunbolt (this driver has some lucky dice! plus, he used edge). If you want to increase the damage to 12S it will increase the drain value by two as well. What do you wanna do?

I was kinda worried that the team didn't have a really powerful combat PC. Worries abated

You use that optional rule? Oh...had I known that, I probably wouldn't have overcasted.  Might as well go ahead and do it though since that was the whole point.
(Note- Counter-Edge use by NPCs is why I don't normally buy much of it. The counter makes the use worthless)

[eighth circuit]

In SR4A it doesn't appear to be optional. But, I would use it anyway, since direct combat spells would be way too powerful otherwise.

If you're interested in the way I use edge for NPCs: a group of standard goons like this gets 3 edge to share amongst themselves. They only use it if their lives are in imminent danger, and they're not allowed to use the hand of god. So NPCs will use edge from time to time, but it's not something you'll have to worry about on a regular basis.

[eighth circuit]

I was just thinking: I hate the chameleon suit. If it were up to me, the chameleon suit and thermal dampening would work the same way and come in two ratings, with the rating adding to the number of hits needed to see the character using visible light/thermographic vision respectively. Same would go for the invisibility spell. It's kind of ridiculous that passive disguises like the chameleon suit work using a dice pool modifier. What if a chameleon'd ninja were sneaking up on Grind, and I told him to roll perception -4? No dude no invisible ninjas I promise, the -4 is just there cause I felt like it... 

Not planning on changing the rules or anything, just ranting.

[All4BigGuns]

In SR4A it doesn't appear to be optional. But, I would use it anyway, since direct combat spells would be way too powerful otherwise.

If you're interested in the way I use edge for NPCs: a group of standard goons like this gets 3 edge to share amongst themselves. They only use it if their lives are in imminent danger, and they're not allowed to use the hand of god. So NPCs will use edge from time to time, but it's not something you'll have to worry about on a regular basis.

Looked it up, and it does say optional, but it is your prerogative as GM. To let you know my thoughts, the benefits Direct spells get are evened out in that they don't get the 'extra effects' that Indirect spells get, and the fact that Indirect spells (like Fireball or Ball Lightning) could still catch someone completely obscured behind something as big as a redwood tree--assuming they were cast on the right point in space (another benefit of Indirect) at a high enough Force for a big enough area.

Direct Combat spells involve channeling mana directly into a
target as destructive and damaging energies rather than generating a
damaging effect. Affecting the target’s being on this fundamental level
with raw mana requires more focus and more power than producing
basic effects; as an optional rule every net hit used to increase the damage value
of a Direct Combat spell also increases the Drain DV of the spell by +1.

Maybe my books and yours are different somehow?

[Mirikon]

In the earliest PDF version of the book, it was a mandatory rule. By the print version, it was optional, most likely because people rightly said that it was a stupid rule, and there was no precedent for it anywhere in the past. IMHO, it is a crap rule, and shouldn't be used, on either side.

[eighth circuit]

Aha! Thanks for the clarification. I am not particularly interested in arguing about this, but the idea that BigGuns and I appeared to be reading two different books was driving me looney.

My problem with direct combat spells is that it's not hard, for example, to cast Stunbolt at force 7, bump the damage up to 10 against someone without counterspelling, and take absolutely no drain. So in many cases it's a free instakill. But, if people have a problem with the rule, I won't use it. In this particular case, it really didn't matter either way.

[All4BigGuns]

Aha! Thanks for the clarification. I am not particularly interested in arguing about this, but the idea that BigGuns and I appeared to be reading two different books was driving me looney.

My problem with direct combat spells is that it's not hard, for example, to cast Stunbolt at force 7, bump the damage up to 10 against someone without counterspelling, and take absolutely no drain. So in many cases it's a free instakill. But, if people have a problem with the rule, I won't use it. In this particular case, it really didn't matter either way.

Like I said, it is an optional rule available for use, so it is your call. I was just giving my thoughts on the direct/indirect thing. I just wouldn't use it, personally.

[Mirikon]

Well, a sniper rifle with APDS ammo is pretty much an instakill for anyone not wearing heavy armor. Same with an assault cannon, or a full burst from a machine gun. There are plenty of things that are just plain nasty out there. But then, that's why you have Edge.

[eighth circuit]

True! But sniper rifles and machine guns are loud, can't be snuck into secure facilities, and have limited ammunition. But like I said, don't worry about it. Since it's optional (not RAW as I thought, at least not in the version others are using) and at least two players are against it, I won't use it. So your drain damage is only 1P, BigGuns.

[vinnmun]

I love how thermo can't see ambient camo. lol I'll wait for Mirikon to post and than follow up.

[eighth circuit]

Yeah, that's another reason I hate the chameleon suit. But, I am kind of enjoying the fact that you're now following her around without even realizing it.

[eighth circuit]

Hey vinnmun, I'm waiting on you, then I'll post what happens in the apartment.

[vinnmun]

Posting in a moment, sorry, got caught up on stuff lat night. :-/

Meant to ask, what's considered a group? How many entered?