Combat Sense:
The idea behind the skill is that solos can never be surprised and always go first, not that they're great detectives. If we're looking at revising the Awareness component, I'd suggest that it works at full value but only to avoid surprise attacks, ambush, traps and the like. If Greedo had been a Solo, he might have had a chance to shoot first!

Netrunning:
I've never run a 2020 game on RPOL but here's some thoughts: during the 'legwork phase', (as Shadowrun calls it. Gathering info on the job from contacts and the like) the Netrunner is going to be doing their net thing while other people are working contacts. It's just a different set of rolls but not necessarily more or less complicated than getting in to see your friend the chief of police, and convincing him to hand over a sealed case file.

During the mission, putting the Net in a separate thread and running one round of meat time and one round of net time as being the same bring things into line. You could even lock the Netrunner out of the thread that his body is in while he's online since he's not aware of his own body until he takes damage. If everyone else is waiting for the Runner to disable the cameras, open the door or whatever, it's going to get paranoid real quick!

I'm good either way but cap 6 is fine. Maybe even 1 at 6 or 7 and cap 5 or 6 for everything else. Everyone's especially good at something.

Just want to clarify something. Is the IP thing for the starter skills a house rule, because I don't remember having picked skills like that before? I'm not sure if I distribute the skills correctly, but the idea is that if the skill has an IP modifier of 2, you want me to pay 2 points to have 1, and then pay normal for the rest? So with three skills at IP 2, ultimately I lose out on only three points in total regardless of what I increase them to?

So RTJ requests get marked as read even if I don't read them. Annoying. Anyways I have turned off requesting players

Can I have the medical modular hand from Chrome 4?

Or am I pushing it? :)

As an aside I have been considering allowing one skill to go to a 7 OR your roll skill can go to a 5. What do you guys think?

The more I think about it, the more I'm fine with keeping the caps where they are. It means everyone will have a broader range of skills and for the most part, you can find a piece of gear or cyberwear that will be good for a +1 or more to a critical skill.

Starting with Stat+Skill of 10+4 means you're hitting Difficult rolls half the time, 70% of the time for 10+6. It means we'll need gear to reliably hit Very Difficult and that Near Impossible is only going to happen with a lucky break. That all sounds about right for edgerunners at the beginning of their career.

MEDICAL MODULAR HAND
975Pb
From Donner & Savage, makers of the Home Skin-Grafting Kit, comes the new Medical Modular Hand. D & S and Dynalar (makers of the original modular tool hand) have produced the latest in modular finger technologies. The MedHand includes five instruments for use in any medical emergency: monoedge scalpel, four-dose air hypo, dermal stapler, dual-purpose clamp/forceps, and basic biomonitor probe.

Game notes:
This hand will match all standard cyberarms. It can also be mounted as an independent cyberhand (see Chrome 1)
With cyberarm: Surgery: N, HC=+1D6/2
Independent cyberhand: Surgery: MA, HC=1D6+2
Note: This cyberware was originally presented in another form in Interface VolT, 4;2.

I hate being That Player, since I'm usually the first to jump in with a rules opinion. . .buuuuuuuut. . . I remember from experience that staged penetration or something to replace it is just about necessary. It may not look like it at first glance but defense has a huge advantage, especially with only basic book gear. I remember playing in the Night City Stalker game from the back of the main book (pg 236) and only one or two PCs had guns big enough to even have a chance of getting through 25 SP body plating. Assault rifles would break through less than 50% of the time.

Without staged penetration, everyone in a light armor jacket and steel helmet (SP 14 average BTM 2, 16 total) is immune to light and medium pistols and SMGs and many melee weapons. Basically, your average Booster has to carry a hand canon, chainsaw or an assault rifle just to mug people. They'll need even bigger guns to fight each other. Every single PC is probably starting with at least this much protection.

A baddie with SkinWeave in MetalGear (total stopping power 35-40 depending on BTM) can pretty much only be hurt by heavy weapons or armor piercing rounds. This guy can walk straight into an entire booster gang firing assault rifles and never even notice. For a measly 2 EV and 2,600 EB, nothing short of the Cyber Psycho Squad can bring him down. This could easily be some of the PCs after a couple of missions.

Staged penetration is one way around that. Now you can slowly chip away at a big baddie if he just stands there taking it. Another options is to house rule that any hit or any hit that does at least half of the SP in damage, does 1 point of damage no matter what from the force of the impact. That will at least give Mr MetalGear pause for thought when facing down overwhelming odds with regular weapons.

You very well might be right. It's been a long time since I played this game, late 90's. I don't recall how big of an effect it had. And I might still change it at a later date.

Cytherea's Ammo:

Clip: 12 rounds - LOADED

Ammo Box #01 (10mm): 38 rounds - BACKPACK
Ammo Box #02 (10mm): 50 rounds - BACKPACK
Ammo Box #03 (10mm): 50 rounds - BACKPACK
Ammo Box #04 (10mm): 50 rounds - STORED
Ammo Box #05 (10mm): 50 rounds - STORED
Ammo Box #06 (10mm): 50 rounds - STORED
Ammo Box #07 (10mm): 50 rounds - STORED
Ammo Box #08 (10mm): 50 rounds - STORED
Ammo Box #09 (10mm): 50 rounds - STORED
Ammo Box #10 (10mm): 50 rounds - STORED

Spotted the Solo! LOL!

Well now I'm totally confused, because I thought she was the Medtech.  O_O

I guess she's healing through bullets? :-)

They were cheap. :P

They were cheap. :P

I want to make sure I'm not short changing anyone. But cyberoptics, you have to pay for each option per eye correct? Or have I been reading that wrong always?

Cyberaudio
Cyberaudio systems patch into the auditory
nerves and speech centers of the brain.
This enhancement affects both ears, and
also includes a subvocalizing mike on the
mastoid bone. There is no visible change to
the outer ear, although some cyberpunks
replace the outer ear with a set of mechanical
speaker pickups for max effect.

I see private messages.  Nothing that really denotes "secret."

I'm good with that, but FYI, my Mondays and Fridays are packed, so I might need a few more hours leeway on those days. I am available and on the computer on the Weekends so that should make up for any slow down on the other days.

(Not taking a fucking scooter.)

I thought I was the only Nomad.

I am actually using Hide/Evade for it's literal purpose.  Yes, it says to lose pursuers, cover tracks in the text, but that doesn't mean it has to only be used that way.  All Skills should be open to some kind of interpretation (unless there is no room for debate).  In this case, it's up to MG if he decides it can only be used as stated in the text.

Both skills are vary similar in what they do and can be argued for in both cases. And I will try to make a fair call for which one applies in which situation. Many of the skills can be done that way, such as Elect Security works with Locks but so does Pick Locks, elect security just also works with electronic locks where pick locks wouldn't necessarily as it's a more narrow skill.

The system IS a little skill bloaty.  I hope some of that gets fixed in Cyberpunk RED.

Anyone know what the difference is between a Secret Message and a Private Message?

Does the leader have enough Reputation to be worth us rolling? Liner frames are pretty expensive and a booster walking around in one would be bound to attract attention.

I completely skip the netrunning. "mini-game" aspect of the game. I usually set up "abstract" challanges for the players to bypass while netrunning that can be accomplished turn by turn. Apologies for the wall of text coming. e.g. They want to hack the security door.

Challenge 1 - interface roll to jack and bypass passwords and other security features. (add bonus for appropriate software that helps like 'worm' etc)

Challenge 2 - Interface roll to search the system for what you are looking for. be it the door controls as the example above or the turret override or the company secret email archive etc)

Challenge 3 - Interface roll to 'Operate' system located in step 2. I.e unlock the door, use the turret to start firing at something etc etc.

This basically allows you to hack most systems in 3 turns. and can be done in combat simply as your netrunner players action for their turn, especially in combat without bogging it down.

If you want to increase the time it takes or the difficulty make the target number higher but allow the netrunner to pool his roll, (so that door he needs to unlock has serious security.) you can increase the difficulty. instead of difficulty 25 it now has difficulty 50. So on challenge 3 the netrunner rolls his interface skill + INT + any modifiers and score 18 , he does fail so he rolls again next turn and gets 21, now he has a total of 39, one more good roll and hes done, but maybe it will take two.

Lastly we add the AI or the enemy runners turns. Again I simply abstract it and use a pooling roll. I set the "detection" score again (say 50) and every turn the runner is in the system I roll and add bonuses etc.(those sniffer programs work well for this). once i hit 50 the runner is detected and i make an attack against them with whatever I feel is appropriate. In game actions by OTHER players can affect this roll like the solo suppressing fire the enemy netrunner, security personnel radioing in for backup etc. All of these factors simply add a bonus or penalty to the AI's/enemies detection roll to locate the runner.

Okay. So I am reading Smart Goggles and it seems the +2 bonus they get is assumed from a smart-gun link the way the description reads to me. But the bonus in FNFF shows smart-goggles as a separate +2 than smartgun link of +2. Any of the others out there who've played this game before seen or had any rulings on this? I'm inclined atm to say they are the same bonus but I don't want to hinder anyone unnecessarily.

Okay. So I am reading Smart Goggles and it seems the +2 bonus they get is assumed from a smart-gun link the way the description reads to me. But the bonus in FNFF shows smart-goggles as a separate +2 than smartgun link of +2. Any of the others out there who've played this game before seen or had any rulings on this? I'm inclined atm to say they are the same bonus but I don't want to hinder anyone unnecessarily.

Prodigy you're up in your respective thread.

Cyberpunk 2020 bundle of holding all!

Wait for your Turn:
You can elect to act later in the round, stepping in at any point to act. If you have elected to wait until another player's turn has come up, you will be able to act after they have taken their turn in the round.

The Salaryman cautiously reached out through the open tram door and gripped a handle on the back of the tram car with her right hand.

With a solid grip anchoring her from falling she stepped out onto the small platforming on the rearside of the train and put as much metal traincar between herself and any stray bullets as she could.

With another measure of safety in place she mentally flicked open the MENU on her deck and chose LOCATE REMOTE.

ooc: No worries, I just wanted to make sure I hadn't missed something accidentally that seemed important.

Soooo.... which thread is that?

I must say that it's kind of confusing with all the "empty posts" because of private messages. Is there a reason why we're not supposed to see everything, because it doesn't really feel like it matters if we do or not. :P

Crap. I had considered trying to talk the gangbangers into running but decided to shoot instead. Wish I had now. Fragging ones...

you can see beyond a lift, that mimics the loading area of Mag-levs a pair of double doors on the wall.

Short of a heavy pistol (Armlite 44 - 1 shot remaining no reloads) on the big guy, there is oddly nothing really of importance on any of them. The smaller guys have some batons and a light pistol not much better than a 1 shot.

something is wrong. They have no credit sticks, no IDs, hell their equipment doesn't even have serial numbers....

"Gentleman,"  The Salaryman called to get their attention.  "I personally would like to depart this fancy simulation we find ourselves in."

An observation deck is along the eastern wall with a pair of stairs leading up to it along it's northern side. Large double doors sit below the observation deck.

The irony of the rolls I need to make is no matter which one I choose to make it's a 1 in 5 chance of success. lol

I'm kind of on standby for the door that someone heard movement behind.

So whatever works to keep us moving.

The SalaryMan looked at Prodigy's note, then pulled out her pocket computer and typed in a reply before turning the screen towards the young girl.

I'm from Accounting, not Sales.