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A couple of rules questions I need help with.

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Wed, 2013-10-16 08:44

ottomancer ottomancer's picture

A couple of rules questions I need help with.

Hi, While running Eclipse Phase for my regular gaming group, a couple of questions regarding rules have come up that I am not sure how to answer. I wondered if the members of these excellent forums could help? 1. Combining Adrenal Boost and Endochrine Control (EP pages 302 and 304 respectively). One of my players thinks this means he can have Adrenal Boost running all the time, plus there are no penalties listed for after the boost runs out. I'm not sure what to rule here. 2. Invisibility. If a character is hiding or moving in a chameleon cloak (EP p315), does an opponent get any form of Perception test to try and spot him/her? The rules seem to say they're completely invisible. 3. We are a bit unclear as to the difference between Test Difficulty and Modifier Severity. Does one alter the other, or are they used individually? Any and all help greatly appreciated! John :-)

Wed, 2013-10-16 10:06

bibliophile20 bibliophile20's picture

1. Technically, you can have

1. Technically, you can have Adrenal Boost active all of the time if you have both implants, but if a player tries that, technically they're always ready to run, ready to fight, always in the grip of strong emotion constantly from the influence of the implant. Addictions to the sensation, social skill penalties from being on edge, needing to make tests to realize that a given action is a bad idea... Keep in mind that Endocrine Control "gives fine control over their hormone output", and, by doing that, they've chosen to set their hormones semi-permanently to something you'd find in someone suffering from PTSD. Also, they'll be hungry all the time, cold all the time (from blood moving in from the extremities), and twitchy as hell. Yes, the Endocrine Control implant will help take some of the edge off those effects, but eventually, you're going to start taking mental stress as your brain tries to cope with the sensation of constantly being in danger. So, yeah, let the player take both implants and burn his morph out into a twitchy wreck, just so long as you warn them that these will be the effects. 2. Invisible does not mean undetectable. Echolocation is a cheap augmentation, and against that, the invisibility cloak is worse than useless. And just because they can't be seen doesn't mean that they can't be heard. There's still an opposed test made between the cloak wearer (Infiltration) and the opponent (Perception, at -30), and, if the opponent wins, then they heard something, or felt the air move in a way it wasn't supposed to, or felt the cloak wearer brush past them, or they left a footprint or some form of track or trail that is discernible. Also don't forget that the cloak is double-blind--they can't see out without either using some form of external sensors (whose radio transmissions will be detectable) or opening a small window in the cloak (which is noticeable). 3. Test difficulty and modifier severity are aggregated together for the final test. Let's say Kostya, one of my PCs that is an engineer, is trying to fix a damaged bot. Normally, this sort of thing would be nearly effortless for him (+30), but right now, he's wounded (-10), only has an omnitool, as opposed to a full shop (+20), in the rain (-10) and the mud (-20), while under enemy fire (-20). That's a total of +50 on the positive side, and -60 on the negative side, for a sum total of -10 to the hardware test.

—

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." -Benjamin Franklin

Fri, 2013-10-18 13:17

Decimator

Dunno what to say about

Dunno what to say about adrenal boost. They'd probably act very twitchy with it running. Invisibility is distinct from chameleon. Invisibility really is invisible([s]in the visual spectrum only[/s] Edit: from microwave to ultraviolet), and chameleon cloaks and skin provide a +30 and +20 bonus to infiltration checks, respectively. Modifier severity is just a way of helping the GM to gauge modifiers.

Thu, 2013-10-17 04:03

ottomancer ottomancer's picture

Brill - thanks for all the

Brill - thanks for all the advice - these forums and the membership really are ace. :-)

Thu, 2013-10-17 07:05

NewtonPulsifer NewtonPulsifer's picture

1. Rules as written that's

1. Rules as written that's fine. Seems dodgy to me logically as adrenal glands are part of the endocrine system - so in many cases using endocrine control would calm you down (the deception bonus etc.) which would also have the side effect of turning off the adrenal boost. 2. Invisibility is microwave to ultraviolet - not just visible. Wearer of invisibility cloak is also blind unless they make a peek slot (although that slot can be chameleoned). They could also use external sensors via radio.

—

"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."- Isoroku Yamamoto

Fri, 2013-10-18 13:15

Decimator

NewtonPulsifer wrote:2.

NewtonPulsifer wrote:
2. Invisibility is microwave to ultraviolet - not just visible.

Whoops, right you are!