Essentially what I was thinking of too, really good at getting up close and personal if needed in combat and linked assessment allows for a lot of versatility in any plan.
Really the biggest threats we need to watch for are tech snipers that could blast us through walls including anything that is out of our field of view.
Also another benefit of my cyberware combination will be in social situations. As I'd imagine that having the ability to quickly profile someone and read their body language will make it a lot easier to deal with them in social situations.
While I doubt we be in the thick of ithings, do note that we have disastrous body stat and both plans are pretty centered to w xqc sards getting close. (-5 doesn't seem all that bad) I think it does make for a flavorful backstory.
While I doubt we be in the thick of ithings, do note that we have disastrous body stat and both plans are pretty centered to w xqc sards getting close. (-5 doesn't seem all that bad) I think it does make for a flavorful backstory.
I'd argue that the assassin build with rifles that combines the melee weapons with stealth to ideally take out people unaware plays less into that problem then the build that is going all in on the close range weapons, not just because the best way not to get hit is to not even give your opponent to take a swing in the first place, but also because with reflexes still at base ten, we aren't actually that good at hitting things in open combat either.
That being said, I see your point. The Mantis Shears are just really fancy and flavourful to me.
Well this build also has merits too, if we're trying to be covert we'll be carrying a pistol. Having a extra pair of concealed blades to backstab people.
Though my thought process behind this is that were not the ones doing the assassinations, were the ones sent to clean up after the missions complete. So depending on what plan we choose is what kind of tasks we're set with.
I expect that if a quiet job needs cleaning then they'll have someone else on the job and if it was a loud job where a big firefight happened then I expect the "Chisato Profiler" MC to have a larger priority to be sent in to clean and secure the scene.
Just updated the inventory threadmark with your first firearm that you have, the Towa 14 Police Pistol. You could end up using that for a very long while, or perhaps you'll upgrade to another piece. Worst comes to worst, weapon modifications do exist.
As an aside, I'll note that canonically, Chisato actually is proficient with a shotgun as well as her pistol. She specifically uses a Kel-Tec KSG shotgun. It's also been noted that Lycoris are also proficient in using the Vector SMG, so that's a perfect fit as well.
Isn't the whole premise of the Quest that the protagonist is going to graduate in a week? That's straight up what the threadmarks are called. Looking at the vote as for what tasks we'll be given strikes me as backwards. It's what training and gear we've been given to strike out with on our own.
So hey, growing a nice garden sounds like a nice side hobby for someone that's free now, doesn't it? Might as well get the shears to tend to it.
Isn't the whole premise of the Quest that the protagonist is going to graduate in a week? That's straight up what the threadmarks are called. Looking at the vote as for what tasks we'll be given strikes me as backwards. It's what training and gear we've been given to strike out with on our own.
So hey, growing a nice garden sounds like a nice side hobby for someone that's free now, doesn't it? Might as well get the shears to tend to it.
When we graduate, obviously we will put our skills in use towards our most familiar occupation and getting a contact with a fixer. (I also don't know what CP77 Japan is like.)
Plus I'm also skeptical that we'll be completely free from the government considering they lost most of their senior agents but yea you are right.
Isn't the whole premise of the Quest that the protagonist is going to graduate in a week? That's straight up what the threadmarks are called. Looking at the vote as for what tasks we'll be given strikes me as backwards. It's what training and gear we've been given to strike out with on our own.
When we graduate, obviously we will put our skills in use towards our most familiar occupation and getting a contact with a fixer. (I also don't know what CP77 Japan is like.)
Plus I'm also skeptical that we'll be completely free from the government considering they lost most of their senior agents but yea you are right.
I'll say that there's a lot of freedom in what she can do, all up to how you want to go about it. It's a big open world after all, and while choosing to work for the government is certainly a path, it's not the only way to find a livelihood out there. Not to mention there's different flavors of working for the government, so lots of choices. There will be a vote on what core idea though currently appeals to you, if at all.
Scheduled vote count started by Celeshiro on Nov 11, 2023 at 1:51 AM, finished with 19 posts and 6 votes.
[X] Plan: Chisato Profiler -[X] [Weapon] SMG: Covers high damage weapons that are excelt at close quarters, but struggle with piercing armor. -[X] [Weapon] Shotgun: Covers very short range weapons that deal high damage and piercing, at the cost of ammo capacity. -[X] [Cyberware] Minerva Optics:A proprietary Lycoris software attached to the optical cyberware that directly tracks and reads the body language of designated targets with incredible detailing. This feeds into a program that quickly analyzes and predicts the target's next moves, allowing for one to even theoretically predict when they will fire a gun at the user. This is most effective at close range, where the detailing system will have the most to work with. Effects: +1 Empathy. You will have an Empathy-based chance to evade bullets at close and short range. -[X] [Cyberware] Linked Assessment: Lycoris authorizations enable for direct connection to local police servers to access their profiling system, providing a wealth of information about local citizens. This is combined with access codes to public camera systems to enable for indirect trailing of identified targets alongside updating profiling programs. Effects: +2 Intelligence. Provides active profiling for characters, revealing a depth of information about affiliations, crimes, bounties, and more.
[X] Plan: Orchid Mantis -[X] [Weapon] Rifles: Covers very long range guns that are more suited as assassination tools than direct combat, especially up close with a low ammo count. -[X] [Weapon] Melee: Covers a range of both traditional and modern weapons meant for getting up close to swing away. -[X] [Cyberware] Panther Paws: Stealth functionality integrated with advanced musculature creates leg cyberware capable of moving quickly without making a single sound to alert the enemy. It is popular for Lycoris that prefer either getting up close quickly or quietly depending on the situation. Effects: +2 Cool. Negates enemy cover penalty for shooting. -[X] [Cyberware] Mantis Shears: At a single thought, a set of sharp blades shoot out of the user's arms that can easily cut through flesh with little effort. The name comes from how the twin blades placed together can resemble a set of garden shears. Very fitting of Lycoris. Effects: +1 Tech. Gain the Mantis Shears cyberweapon.
It has! You've achieved the synergy bonus Alan Eyes, giving you a +1 to Empathy with the skill of Body Language Rank 2! Minerva Optics will now add your Body Language when rolling for the dodge chance, and Linked Assessment will alert you to what a person's overall talent is.
I've also played around in editing software and have a new thread icon for here. Hope ya'll look forward to the next post, character creation has only one last bit to finish it off.
It has! You've achieved the synergy bonus Alan Eyes, giving you a +1 to Empathy with the skill of Body Language Rank 2! Minerva Optics will now add your Body Language when rolling for the dodge chance, and Linked Assessment will alert you to what a person's overall talent is.
I've also played around in editing software and have a new thread icon for here. Hope ya'll look forward to the next post, character creation has only one last bit to finish it off.
[X] Plan: Chisato Profiler
-[X] [Weapon] SMG: Covers high damage weapons that are excelt at close quarters, but struggle with piercing armor.
-[X] [Weapon] Shotgun: Covers very short range weapons that deal high damage and piercing, at the cost of ammo capacity.
-[X] [Cyberware] Minerva Optics: A proprietary Lycoris software attached to the optical cyberware that directly tracks and reads the body language of designated targets with incredible detailing. This feeds into a program that quickly analyzes and predicts the target's next moves, allowing for one to even theoretically predict when they will fire a gun at the user. This is most effective at close range, where the detailing system will have the most to work with. Effects: +1 Empathy. You will have an Empathy-based chance to evade bullets at close and short range.
-[X] [Cyberware] Linked Assessment: Lycoris authorizations enable for direct connection to local police servers to access their profiling system, providing a wealth of information about local citizens. This is combined with access codes to public camera systems to enable for indirect trailing of identified targets alongside updating profiling programs. Effects: +2 Intelligence. Provides active profiling for characters, revealing a depth of information about affiliations, crimes, bounties, and more.
"I've been trained for close quarters combat specifically, with a focus on short range weapons. Submachine guns and shotguns were my highest scoring fields, so I was rated to be a room breacher if the need ever arose."
"Don't room breachers need some sort of significant endurance to them?" The Doctor asked in a seemingly innocent tone, leading on the next part of the conversation. "You do seem rather frail compared to most others who fit the archetype."
"I am, but my cyberware makes up for it." You pointed to your eyes, which seemed to glow eerily while they spun up. Your vision blurred for a moment before snapping back into a higher resolution, your opticware having finally rebooted all systems. Now you saw the world with pinpoint clarity that was superior to any natural eye, with a built-in scanner and analysis system. Just even looking at yourself caused multiple holographic tags to pop up all around your body, predicting your next move based on your gestures. "Minerva Optics with a Linked Assessment system."
"The infamous projectile predicting system, combined with access to police profiling. A bit overkill for a Cleaner Agent, don't you think?"
"I'm a Lycoris first, a Cleaner second," You firmly declared, putting a hand on your chest. "If the need ever arose for me to take up a gun to preserve peace, I must. Especially if it's a direct order or if my sisters are in trouble. That was why I was one of those assigned to take point duty in the last operation."
"Regarding your last operation, we should save that for a proper debrief later." But before the Doctor could continue, somebody else spoke up, one that had your body immediately straighten up on instinct.
"That won't be necessary. We'll review it now." The door to the recovery room slid open and you felt your gut drop out from under you at who was entering now. It was the Commander, the woman who headed the entire Lycoris operation and oversaw everything, from field deployments to public cover-ups. A focused figure who had no qualm about sending orphaned girls to kill to maintain the veneer of public safety in Kyoto.
Rumor has it that she had been a former Lycoris herself.
"Commander!" You leapt to your feet and snapped to attention, arms firmly planted to your side. "Juliet 702, reporting!"
"...I see," She said in an unusually soft tone that had you blinking in confusion. You risked a glance to try for an analysis your optics, only for the Commander to wave you down. "At ease, at ease. I'm not going to sugarcoat or boss you around today. Not when you're so close to being an adult yourself to stand equal to me. One week, right? Just in time for the graduation."
You hesitated, unsure what to say. But you supposed, it was true. "I'll be in 18 in a week, ma'am. But even then, you have much more in experience than me."
"Mmh, is that how it seems from afar?" She idly asked before shaking her head. "In any case, you've likely already figured out that Operation Sakura was a failure."
Your hands balled into fists. "How bad was it?"
"Out of all senior operatives sent on the mission, only four survived including you. As for the actual damage to public safety," The Commander gestured and you nodded, reaching for your hand. There, you pulled out a cable from your wrist and plugged into a socket next to the bed, connecting you to the Lycoris servers. It was necessary to have a closed system for internal Lycoris communications and reports, to greatly decrease the chance of wandering Netrunners from unveiling the organization.
A moment later, a digital report popped up in your vision that you quickly read through. "The damage ultimate sounded worst than it actually looked. Your juniors worked hard to either help cover everything up or eliminate traces of it ever being there," The Commander told in a tired voice. "I expect that in a month or two, few will remember it compared to what else is going on in the world."
"A train collision. A very handy explanation," You muttered, seeing the samples pulled from local news stations. You arrived at the last report and your expression trembled for a moment, seeing a list of pictures with red crosses on them. "So many of us, just gone."
"...at the very least, their sacrifice wasn't in vain. Projections indicate that had the field teams disabled as many explosives as they had, the cover-up would be even harder to sell without inviting direct suspicion." The Commander bowed her head. "A cold comfort though, especially when you realize your graduating generation is one of the smallest we'll have for a while."
"It is. Just me...and three others." You remembered the pings from earlier and hesitated, wanting to immediately rush out to reassure them of your survival. But doing so would be a massive breach of protocol and highly disrespectful to the leader of Lycoris.
Said leader solved the problem by stepping aside with a nod. "Go on. Everybody's already woken up ahead of you and finished their medical exams. I believe they're getting to know each other in the rec room now."
"Juliet 702 has no yet finished her full medical exam or debrief-" The Doctor pointed out from the monitoring room and the Commander rolled her eyes.
"Let her be, she deserves it after everything. Also about high time you stopped calling her that." She looked at you straight in the eyes with a warm look. "Call her by her name now. She'll be going by that once she graduates anyway."
"I suppose so. And I also suppose she's undoubtedly a break from my nagging," The MedTech chuckled and the windows lost their mirrored sheen, revealing the figure of the Doctor giving you a reassuring nod. "Go on, and if something breaks later, I'll patch you back together again. As many times as needed."
Your throat suddenly felt dry at the sudden freedom both the Commander and Doctor were giving. Was this them recognizing me as an adult now? You managed to hold yourself together long enough to give them both an appreciative bow before leaving the recovery room, remembering to disconnect yourself safely and retract the cable back into your arm. You found yourself in the hallways of the medical ward, something you had gotten very accustomed and familiar with over the years of service and recovery. With a deep breath, you began to head in the direction of the patient recreation room-
Only to almost trip and stumble when somebody hugged you from behind. "Hark! A fellow warrior that has returned from the Sanzu!" You squeaked in surprise and turned quickly around to face a grinning young woman your age. Your optics flickered and immediately identified her as a friendly Lycoris, giving you the name and designation. "Ah, forgive me, we've never crossed paths before today! I am-"
"Delta 120, right?" You finished, causing her to blink in surprise. "Street agent and assault specialist, known for your swordsmanship."
"Ah!" At the last bit, she beamed and pumped a fist eagerly. "So you have heard of me! Most excellent, my legend is growing!"
"It's more that I have record access," You admitted and the Lycoris deflated, her ego popped. You glanced over the service history and figured quickly that she absolutely fitted the archetype of being a 'Street Samurai,' taking to patrol duty with a bokken over her shoulder in addition to the regular gear. It actually made for an effective design, looking like a regular kendoka student in the crowds.
"Alas, the Way is a long road," She sighed, then perked back up with an eager grin. "But do call me by my name now, like all the others! Ah, I shall bring you to them!"
She gripped your wrist tightly and pulled you along to the rec room, talking all about how excited she was to meet you all the while. You winced at the clear strength in them and guessed she likely had cyberlimbs, ones that were perhaps stronger than yours. Before you could get a question in otherwise, you found yourself already looking at the door to the rec room, the area meant for recovering Lycoris agents to relax while healing up.
The doors slid open and Delta 120 excitedly raised her voice. "I return, and I bring forth our missing comrade! Come, sisters! We are now complete!" She declared, and immediately there were a few giggles at the boisterous tone on display.
"Of course, honorable warrior," A bespectacled woman told with a shake of the head and quiet smile. She nodded politely at you and your software got to work. "Sorry if she's a little over the top, but she's been eager for you to wake up. Then your ping drove her up the wall and we couldn't stop her."
"She was, like, so happy," A dreamy looking Lycoris mentioned, then tilted her head curiously. "Oh wow, you look like, so familiar. I think I've seen you in like, my department."
"Yes, I'm a fellow Cleaner." You studied her for a moment, not even looking at the digital report being assembled in your vision. "You're...Alpha 417, right? From the cover-up division."
She lit up and clapped happily. "You're like, so smart! I forget half the time where I'm at," She admitted with a carefree laugh. You raised an eyebrow but wasn't fooled by the seemingly ditzy attitude, knowing she was still a Lycoris in the end.
In the same manner, you knew that the one who looked a little more bookish than the others probably was still an expert shot with the pistol. You turned to her next and read aloud the report prepared by your cyberware. "You're November 117. From the Netrunner department."
"My, somebody's got some fancy eyes," She observed with a smile. "Minerva Optics, right? With a Linked Assessment system as well, what an interesting combination. I would've expected that from a veteran Street Agent though, not a Cleaner Agent.'
"The higher-ups just decided what my eyes were be replaced with after I lost them," You admitted with a casual shrug, then hastily clarified at the alarmed looks from all three of your colleagues. "Not this last operation, I lost my old eyes before that."
They relaxed at that assurance and you took the moment to study how each of them did sport some bodily injury, one way or another. The Street agent had bandages wrapped around half her face, the Netrunner was sitting in a wheelchair, and your fellow Cleaner had a crutch resting on the chair next to her. You supposed you got off light compared to them all, having been only knocked unconscious.
A dark part of you reminded that in comparison to all those dead, you four got off extremely lightly. You told that part to shove it and focused on just introducing yourself to your fellow graduates-to-be. "I'm Juliet 702-"
"Nay I say, nay!" You went cross eyed for a second at the finger placed on your lips from the near-poser samurai. "You must surely have been blessed with a name, no? We shall share our names as is fitting of battle comrades!"
- Some of these names may be familiar. Remember Japanese name structure is last-first name, but we'll prioritized the given name for ease.
- Cyberpunk is very diverse and open, so you can choose to have a non-Japanese first/last name if you'd like. Nicknames are also fair game.
- I reserve the right to veto inappropriate write-in names.
Huh, the update sure liked putting a finger on how the MC's build ended up kinda thrown together, didn't it? Looking back, it's kinda amusing how much better things would fit together if she was part of the cover-up instead of restoration. Which, honestly, there's probably a set up here that makes quite a bit of sense. God knows, if she started out in restoration, messed up during a job by getting hit by the booby trap, but then goes on to come up with one of the best cover up stories they ever had, I'd consider having her swap departments. Maybe have the bomb damage coincide with having lost her eyes to give the timely opportunity to respec the cyberware away from the behind the scenes jobs to more like on the street PR part of cover-up, with the close range fighting aspect helping to "clean up" dissidents that slipped past the main operation and there just isn't an opportunity to set up larger scale fire fights.
Alas, I kinda doubt we're still in the phase for that kind of respeccing. So let's see how often we get reminded that we have a mish-mash build of a job that didn't require interacting much, only to get gear that wants us in other peoples' faces as much as possible.
On to something more relevant, Mitsu is great. I want to keep her around already.
As for names, I like Anzai Yuuki. It's a very kind, but strong kinda name, which fits the general vibe the organisation wants to give itself.
