Panopticon: A Game of Posthumans, Perniciousness, Paranoia, Politics, and Plasmaguns
Basically, the way I tend to mentally track it is that bringing in Enlightenment allows you to fudge stuff more. If you want to have a drone shoot a Hellfire missile at someone, you need to actually have a drone on station, loaded with Hellfire missiles, and you need to explicitly set it up in game beforehand. If Enlightenment is in use, you just announce beforehand "Jamelia told Henriette to make sure there's some microdrones on station in case of trouble" and that lets you pull out drone-related magic until a) 'Drones did it' starts to become Improbable, or b) someone plays silly buggers and shoots down all your drones, depriving you of your focus.
In essence, although in universe your Technocrat made sure the missile was on station and prepared all along, that was because they have Genius which allows them to be more brilliant than any normal human and so Henriette made sure to make sure there were incendiary missiles onboard. OOC, it resembles a metagame mechanic, because it "retcons" that the drones were specifically loaded with a type of missiles and so on.
The other case, of course, is that spheres allow you to enforce genre. Jamelia in particular tends to use them like that, because she's a superspy whose paradigm is a lot of "Lol I'm better than you, you could be this good but you're not", which means she spends a lot of time doing things like precisely shooting cars in the engine block and wrecking the engine with Entropy 3, Matter 2 because she emptied a clip into it and hit something important which caused the entire complicated system to fall apart. That's an Entropy roll, but it's enhanced by her Dex + Firearms, and it's basically making sure the engine actually gets wrecked rather than hoping she actually hit something. Also, remember, it's a lot easier to set a car's fuel tank on fire with Forces 2, than it is to make it explode outright with Forces 3. Set the tank on fire first, then next action make the explosion roll. Chaining magic together is a very, very powerful tool - make your effect the focus for the next effect.
(Of course, if your Enlightenment roll isn't enhanced by a mundane skill, you're not being a very good Technocrat. That's another way we manage as a group to throw out fast magic all the time - because we play the 'wrap your magic in a mundane skill' rule to the hilt, in a way that the Technoparadigm lets you do. Literally, because the Consensus is on your side, you're a more powerful mage as well as getting less Paradox, because the Consensus is giving you free dice and telling you, 'Yes, Rose, because you're a very good doctor, you can save that man's life with just a handkerchief, some chewing gum, and a bottle of spirits".)
FunkyEntropy
Occasionally insightful, possibly grumpy
- Location
- Los Angeles
[X] Generation 3: SERE-II Pilot Rescue Augmentation
[X] Body Language Optimization
The Gen 3 has basically everything I wanted when I was mentally tallying a list of what I'd like Henriette's defense augmentations to cover, basically all of it revolving around getter her to her TENNO faster/easier. The permadox makes things a bit rough but I feel that what she gains outweighs that heavy price. What we're getting and why I want it:
[X] Body Language Optimization
The Gen 3 has basically everything I wanted when I was mentally tallying a list of what I'd like Henriette's defense augmentations to cover, basically all of it revolving around getter her to her TENNO faster/easier. The permadox makes things a bit rough but I feel that what she gains outweighs that heavy price. What we're getting and why I want it:
- Implanted Cloaking System - The safest place Henriette can be is in her
EvaTENNO. Having a cloaking system makes it substantially easier for her to withdraw from danger and make a run for her Giant Death Robo. - Skinweave Nano-Armor: +4B/4L soak; Medichine Systems - Henriette is now much more likely to survive the occasional stray bullet/explosion that hits her as she makes a run for her Giant Death Robo.
- Prosthetic Leg Replacements - She can
Get to da chopparun to her Giant Death Robo faster. - Prime 3 countermagic shielding - Because why wouldn't you want countermagic?
[X] Generation 3: SERE-II Pilot Rescue Augmentation
[X] No Cosmetic Augs
[X] Take Paradox Flaws
[X] No Cosmetic Augs
[X] Take Paradox Flaws
Amorous Intent
Love the future
- Location
- Octavia, Venus
- Pronouns
- She/her
[X] (Repeated here for vote tracking) (1.2x) Generation 6: Project BISHAMON/Sub Project RAIDEN Pilot Optimization Program
[X] Body Language Optimization
We're trading static effects for flexibility with the RAIDEN package. The high speed, low 'dox is just nice to have. The same goes for the Body Language Optimization aug, as it works amazingly as a Dex focus.
*Relatively high power, here. You should still be able to get several dozen gees of acceleration, limiting Henriette primarily to her natural muscle speed.
[X] Body Language Optimization
I disagree, because you've missed that the Gen 6 vasculoid implant alone is a major focus for Forces and Life effects. If we need armor (and we will), we can lock down the vasculoid system to enable MAXIMUM ARMOR mode, a Forces 2 effect. If we suddenly find ourselves asphyxiating, a Life 2 vacuum adaptation effect allows us to hold our breath for up to 4 hours, or 15 minutes at a dead sprint. As long as we don't need high power*, we can use the vasculoid's natural ratcheting mechanism to give us a Forces 2 MAXIMUM STRENGTH mode.
We're trading static effects for flexibility with the RAIDEN package. The high speed, low 'dox is just nice to have. The same goes for the Body Language Optimization aug, as it works amazingly as a Dex focus.
*Relatively high power, here. You should still be able to get several dozen gees of acceleration, limiting Henriette primarily to her natural muscle speed.
I was talking about the sudden stop at the end, yes. Keep in mind that 100 g plus 400 g burst is highly conservative and unoptimized for acceleration and damage resistance, like the RAIDEN implant will be.Falling at terminal velocity is as with all other falls on this little planet, only 1 g. It's the sudden stop at the end that's the much bigger acceleration.
/pendant
[X] (1.2x) Generation 6: Project BISHAMON/Sub Project RAIDEN Pilot Optimization Program
[X] Body Language Optimization
Because Haemophages going "Why's there no blood?" is hilarious. Followed by their vicious, vicious deaths for being no good boytoys who lead the fragile flower of ItX on with false advertising
[X] Body Language Optimization
Because Haemophages going "Why's there no blood?" is hilarious. Followed by their vicious, vicious deaths for being no good boytoys who lead the fragile flower of ItX on with false advertising
Acatalepsy
Firewall Proxy
- Location
- The Diamond Age
[X] Generation 3: SERE-II
[X] Body Language Optimization
Sorry, @Amorous Intent, but that delicious countermagic, cloaking system, and death kick - I can't not. BLO is an obvious one, and I like the ES's spin - and I like that it's something she's choosing to get not out of fears of being attacked, but because she wants to get better at something.
[X] Body Language Optimization
Sorry, @Amorous Intent, but that delicious countermagic, cloaking system, and death kick - I can't not. BLO is an obvious one, and I like the ES's spin - and I like that it's something she's choosing to get not out of fears of being attacked, but because she wants to get better at something.
[X] Generation 3: SERE-II
[X] Body Language Optimization
Setting aside that their is absolutely no guarantee that she will have that fine level of control over said Vascuoid almost all of the are ALSO great foci for magic as well, allowing us a wide variety of effects to draw from. On TOP of the passive buffs, and even Christos recognizes the importance of that sort of thing given his nine dot blessing.
[X] Body Language Optimization
Setting aside that their is absolutely no guarantee that she will have that fine level of control over said Vascuoid almost all of the are ALSO great foci for magic as well, allowing us a wide variety of effects to draw from. On TOP of the passive buffs, and even Christos recognizes the importance of that sort of thing given his nine dot blessing.
Note that the Sixth Gen version is the only one which doesn't give you the unique vulnerabilities cybernetics have. Namely, you take 2 extra aggravated levels of unsoakable damage from any direct Life attack that breaches your defenses, and with Life/Entropy or Life/Matter you can disable implants. This is the premium for cyberware being massively more capable than biotech (Rose and Cross pay a ton for their relatively less notable augmentations).
That's why they have Primium or internal countermagic generators. It's shoring up a weakness.
That's why they have Primium or internal countermagic generators. It's shoring up a weakness.
[X] Generation 3: SERE-II Pilot Rescue Augmentation
-soak for survival
[X] Body Language Optimization
-synthesis of the various conventions
-useful as a prop
-stacks with actual skill because its much more consensual
I have no experience with making paradox flaws so I expect my attempt probably won't pass muster, but here are some ideas
-soak for survival
[X] Body Language Optimization
-synthesis of the various conventions
-useful as a prop
-stacks with actual skill because its much more consensual
I have no experience with making paradox flaws so I expect my attempt probably won't pass muster, but here are some ideas
- boob envy becomes a lot more obvious when you're not actively controlling your body language
- wandering attention span: not having to conciously pilot your body leaves a lot more time to think about the most inane things
- twitchy toes
- on collision your body makes distinctly hollow noises instead of a meaty thud
- what is a "reflex"?
- body language data package didn't include regional varieties of body language. Who would have guessed that gesture would be a mortal insult in Japan?
- unconscious/reflexive DRAMATIC POSING (my favorite)
- this package was obviously originally intended for a Syndic, since you haven't been able to turn off the system for getting updates about Wallstreet stock trends
- you weigh more than you should
- your body language optimizer displays poor taste in humor, based on what it reacts to as funny
- why do the HITmarks keep hitting on me?
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I thought she was already taking that cybernetic issue because of the ADEI.
She does! But having your ADEI disabled is a lot less dangerous than having your heart or legs disabled.
Acatalepsy
Firewall Proxy
- Location
- The Diamond Age
How easy is it to fix a Life/Matter or Life/Entropy hacked device using Matter 4? Does the counter-magic provide benefits other than "well your cybernetics are slightly harder to take out" ?
Voidwalker Zelt
Dust to Life. Life to Ashes.
- Location
- Livin' in the Database
[X] (1.2x) Generation 6: Project BISHAMON/Sub Project RAIDEN Pilot Optimization Program
[X] Body Language Optimization
Because I think it runs a good compromise between ALL THE CAPABILITIES, ALL THE PERMADOX and sacrificing functionality for reliability. Well, I say 'reliability' but its more like 'not taking loads of drawbacks'. And that lack of cybervulnerability is nice too, not quite as likely for someone to turn off your legs this way.
And hey, it's not as much soak as Gen 3 but the vasculoid does provide some! And the healing is still in there too.
Wonder why this option has a +0.2x modifier on it though? Especially compared to the 0.5x mod on the Gen 1 kit.
[X] Body Language Optimization
Because I think it runs a good compromise between ALL THE CAPABILITIES, ALL THE PERMADOX and sacrificing functionality for reliability. Well, I say 'reliability' but its more like 'not taking loads of drawbacks'. And that lack of cybervulnerability is nice too, not quite as likely for someone to turn off your legs this way.
And hey, it's not as much soak as Gen 3 but the vasculoid does provide some! And the healing is still in there too.
Wonder why this option has a +0.2x modifier on it though? Especially compared to the 0.5x mod on the Gen 1 kit.
It requires Life/Matter to fix broken cybernetics, although not much of each (2/2 or 2/3 is generally enough). If Jamelia gets Life 3, she could fix Henriette's augmentations, but Henriette can't fix them herself. She'd have to spend more Prime Energy on a cybertech kit.
The Gen 1 upgrade gives a small amount of Primium countermagic against everything (+1 diff). The Gen 3 uses a powered shield that has a limited reservoir of power: It has 20 Prime Energy and costs 1 Prime Energy to add +1 difficulty, up to +3 difficulty on a single roll.
dash931
Conil
Because it's shiny and new where Gen 1 is old and dusty. No self-respecting ItX Technocrat would be satisfied without the very latest in hardware!
Oh, you're not wrong. It did take me some time to pick between the Gen 3 and the Gen 6, because the paradox cost for the Gen 3 is notable. The Gen 1 was a no-no, because it's genuinely pretty unpleasant to have and... uh, mechanical hearts are broadly to be avoided whenever possible. The Gen 3 and the Gen 6 were much closer as a debate. I don't think the Gen 6 is a bad choice - the Gen 3 just edged it out for me, because it has better Dex boosts, and better soak. The Gen 3 makes her into a Titanfall Pilot, the Gen 6 makes her into MGS2 Raiden.
Li: "No! No! Not fair! I'm meant to be the Raiden to her Snake! Not you!"
- Location
- National Capital Region, USA
Li: "Stupid tech-advantaged Iterators..."
Henriette: "Ok, that was weird. At least she doesn't think I'm sexy. Wait, shouldn't that bother me?"
Li: "Well, actually..."
Henriette: "On second thought, I don't want to know."
I had a hard time too, but the extra Permadox and the 'trained opponents can see her augments by just looking at her' were downmarks to me. Gen 6 has the bonus of being much harder to detect full stop, and not immediately visible.
Cassiemouse
Market Atheist
[X] (1.2x) Generation 6: Project BISHAMON/Sub Project RAIDEN Pilot Optimization Program
[X] Body Language Optimization
I am on board for high tech, low drag Henriette.
[X] Body Language Optimization
I am on board for high tech, low drag Henriette.
dash931
Conil
Well, on the other hand, Henrietta isn't going to be running infiltration; she'd be mission control running attack drones and
grommile
nasty-minded old cynic
- Location
- NERV-Mercia
- Pronouns
- Traditional/Animate
The skill-and-power set used for infiltration has some other remarkably beneficial uses, like evading assassins.
dash931
Conil
Uh, how do you say that? Even putting infiltration being useful aside (and Henriette isn't specced for infiltration at all, being Iteration X), the Gen 6 isn't made for infiltration. The only thing it's got for that is a +1 difficulty bump to detecting the augs.
Not to mention, the Gen 3 gives more soak and toughness, making it harder for assassins to gank her before she can get to
