Some rules that I thought might be of some use to someone out there.
OPTIONAL RULES FOR MELEE COMBAT RESOLUTION
Excluding magic (sustained, adept abilities, etc.) there are 4 ways of increasing Strength or Quickness:
1. Muscle Replacement.
2. Muscle Augmentation/Toner.
3. Cyberlimbs.
4. Karma.
Options 1 and 2 allow a character to make up to a 4 point jump. Option 4 allows a virtually unlimited increase. Option 3, on the other hand, is very limited.
Just say your character had starting stats of 2 in all physical attributes. To get better, his best bet is to get Option 1 or 2, taking these up to 6 (excluding Body). Option 4 can take these up to 9 (from 2)! Option 3 can only take them up to 4, which is the starting value for cyberlimbs. There appears to be something wrong here.
My solution is simple - limit all increases to +4 of starting Attribute. Apply it for Options 1 - 4 above. It leaves Options 1 and 2 unchanged, brings cyberlimbs on a par, and is more realistic for Karma. The way the Karma rules currently work, Mr. Puniverse (1) can turn into Mr. Universe (6) very easily [and beyond (9)!!!].
For those wanting to add a little more complexity, and power, into the equation, I suggest the following. Allow the character to increase an Attribute by +4 using Karma, and then up to +4 more for Options 1 and 2 (but never above the Attribute Maximum). This can be justified by the character attaining his natural best (with Karma) and using that as the basis for artificial enhancement. Of course, this would require a change to the cyberlimb rules as well, otherwise we will have the same problem that we started with (cyberlimbs being the most expensive, and worst enhancement option). I would suggest setting the base values for cyberlimbs at 6 (Racial Modified Limit). As I have said, cyberlimbs are already the most expensive option, and deserve an extra edge, given the cost in Nuyen and Essence. From there, allow cyberlimbs to be increased by +4. Yes, this will allow a character to exceed the Attribute Maximum, but, for the cost, I find little problem with that from a game balance perspective.
Note: I have been using Humans as the example here. Feel free to use a 2/3 of Racial Modified Limit as a base for other Metahumans, instead of the +4.
In addition to purchasing the listed maneuvers, characters can combine maneuvers. In order to do this the character must know both (or all) of the maneuvers that they wish to combine. Some combinations will not make sense, in which case it is up to the GM to limit the choices (using common sense). When the combination is learnt, the advantages and disadvantages of the maneuvers are combined as well.
For Example, a character knows both Full Offense and Vicious Blow, and wants to make a combination. Full Offense increases the Damage Level by 1, while reducing the opponent’s target number by 2. Vicious Blow causes Physical damage, with staging at 4 rather than 2 successes, and increases the target number to hit by 1. The Vicious Full Offense Blow, therefore, would do Physical damage at 1 level higher than a standard attack, requiring 4 staging successes. In addition, the character’s opponent is at -2 to hit, and they are at +1 to hit.
The number of maneuvers that can be combined is limited only by the number of maneuvers that the character knows, and common sense.
For Example, later on the same character learns Focus Strength, and wants to add that to his combination. Focus Strength requires a Complex Action to focus, and then grants a +1 to the Power of the next melee engagement. The character can combine this with his Vicious Full Offense Blow to create the Vicious Focused Strength Full Offense Blow, which requires a Complex Action of focus, and then does Physical damage with a +1 to Power and Damage Level, with staging at 4 instead of 2. The character is at +1 to hit his opponent, and the opponent is at -2 to hit the character.
I have modified the scatter rules to reflect the fact that missing at a greater distance should involve a greater scatter. If the Throwing character fails to score a single success on his throw, assume that the scatter is the maximum scatter for that distance.
| Target Number | 4 | 5 | 8 | 9 |
| Short | Medium | Long | Extreme | |
| Standard (Thrown) | 1D6 – 3/success | 1D6 – 2/success | 1D6 – 1/success | 2D6 – 1/success |
| Aerodynamic (Thrown) | 2D6 – 6/success | 2D6 – 4/success | 2D6 – 2/success | 4D6 – 2/success |
I have included two new weapon ranges: Point Blank, and Over-Extreme. Vision Magnification will not reduce Range to Point-Blank.
| Target Number | 2 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 12 |
| Firearms | Point-Blank | Short | Medium | Long | Extreme | Over-Extreme |
| Hold-Out Pistol | 0 - 1 | 2 - 5 | 6 - 15 | 16 - 30 | 31 - 50 | 51 - 60 |
| Light/Machine Pistol | 0 - 1 | 2 - 5 | 6 - 15 | 16 - 30 | 31 - 50 | 51 - 60 |
| Heavy Pistol | 0 - 1 | 2 - 5 | 6 - 20 | 21 - 40 | 41 - 60 | 61 - 70 |
| SMG | 0 - 2 | 3 - 10 | 11 - 40 | 41 - 80 | 81 - 150 | 151 - 170 |
| Taser | 0 - 1 | 2 - 5 | 6 - 10 | 11 - 12 | 13 - 15 | 16 - 17 |
| Shotgun | 0 - 2 | 3 - 10 | 11 - 20 | 21 - 50 | 51 - 100 | 101 - 120 |
| Sporting Rifle | 0 - 5 | 6 - 100 | 101 - 250 | 251 - 500 | 501 - 750 | 751 - 800 |
| Sniper Rifle | 0 - 5 | 6 - 150 | 151 - 300 | 301 - 700 | 701 - 1,000 | 1,001 - 1,100 |
| Assault Rifle | 0 - 3 | 4 - 50 | 51 - 150 | 151 - 350 | 351 - 550 | 551 - 600 |
| Heavy Weapons | ||||||
| Light Machine Gun | 0 - 3 | 4 - 75 | 76 - 200 | 201 - 400 | 401 - 800 | 801 - 850 |
| Medium Machine Gun | 0 - 3 | 4 - 80 | 81 - 250 | 251 - 750 | 751 - 1,200 | 1,201 - 1,300 |
| Heavy Machine Gun | 0 - 3 | 4 - 80 | 81 - 250 | 251 - 800 | 801 - 1,500 | 1,501 - 1,600 |
| Assault Cannon | 0 - 5 | 6 - 100 | 101 - 300 | 301 - 900 | 901 - 2,400 | 2,401 - 2,600 |
| Minigun | 0 - 3 | 4 - 75 | 76 - 200 | 201 - 400 | 401 - 800 | 801 - 850 |
As written, the Called Shot rules allow someone using a ranged weapon to increase the Damage Level by one, or to target a specific location of a larger target. Of course, there is a lot of argument as to the second option. In order to make it easier for those that wish to target a location on a human, I suggest the following rules.
A standard Called Shot allows the attacker to target the location that they choose at the standard +4 modifier. Only armour that is present in that location counts towards protecting the location.
As we know, the armour in Shadowrun is abstract. However, there is a simple way to make the armour less abstract, by using rules akin to those for cyberlimb plating in Man & Machine. Under those rules there are 5 armour locations: Front Torso, Back Torso, Arms, Legs, Head. To convert armour from abstract to less abstract is simple. Firstly, multiple the standard armour ratings by 5. Next, work out how many of the 5 armour locations are covered by the armour in question. Finally, divide the new armour rating by that number, round up. This will be the new armour rating for those locations. If a Called Shot is made to any of those locations, then apply this armour rating. Otherwise, treat the area as if it was unarmoured.
For Example, an Armoured Vest w/Plates has a 4/3 armour rating. Multiplying this by 5, we get 20/15. The vest covers the Front Torso and the Back Torso - 2 locations. This leaves the new rating for these to locations at 10/8. If someone calls a shot to the torso, the target is well protected, otherwise, they are vulnerable.
Also, while it would be very painful to be shot in the arms or legs, these should not be fatal, at least, not straight away. Therefore, I propose that the most damage that can be done to these areas is a Serious wound. If the damage has been staged above this, it still needs to be staged down, but the wounded character will not die from these wounds. However, if the character cannot stage the damage down from Deadly, several things happen. Firstly, as I said, the character takes a Serious wound. Secondly, that limb (or partial limb depending where the attacker was aiming) is destroyed. This can be blown off, or crippled beyond repair, the end result is the same - it will need to be replaced. Lastly, the character crosses off an additional box of damage for every (Body) Combat Turns that pass, until the character receives medical attention.
Rather than have characters pay for a maneuver every two levels of skill, if they wish to progress further in the style, I propose that they characters automatically receive a free maneuver for every two skill points, to reflect the fact that they learn these things as the progress. That way it is not a hindrance, but a bonus. If the character wishes to learn more maneuvers, they may purchase a second maneuver for every two skill points at the cost of 2 Karma. If they wish to purchase a third maneuver for every two skill points, it costs the character 4 Karma points. If they wish to purchase a fourth maneuver, then this costs 8 Karma points. No more than four maneuvers can be bought per two points of skill.
Optional Rules For Melee Combat Resolution
As it is, a person with a high melee skill can defeat less skilled, but much faster opponents. Effectively, the speed of the less skilled opponent is their downfall. I propose the following change to the existing rules.
After Initiative is rolled, and the Initiative Passes are calculated, that is how many normal Actions a character has. If in any given Initiative Pass a character is attacked, then they still have the option of a Counterattack (more successes damaging the attacker) or of Full Defense. If the attack comes before the character’s Action for that Initiative Pass, they can use Full Defense without penalty. If they use a Counterattack, then their target number is increased by +1 to reflect the fact that they are a little slower than their opponent. If the attack comes after the character’s Action for that Initiative Pass, and the character has delayed their Action, then they can use Counterattack or Full Defense without any penalty. If they have used their Action already, then things are different. The can still use Full Defense without penalty, but if they choose to use Counterattack, it counts as if the Counterattack were an attack against multiple opponents (+2 to their target number). This penalty increases for all such Counterattacks made.
Of course, if the character has a gun at the ready, and chooses to use that instead, then things are a little different. If the attack comes before the character’s Action, and they want to fire the gun, they receive the +1 penalty above, as well as the attacker in melee combat penalty (+2 per opponent). If the attack comes after the character’s Action, and they have delayed their Action, then only the attacker in melee combat penalty applies. If they have already used their Action, however, they cannot fire their gun, and have to use the rules above.