Justin Alexander wrote:

Unless there's a rule that I'm missing somewhere, this is your key mistake: The Pilot skill only applies to vehicles (pg. 183). A shell only counts as a vehicle if it carries passengers (pg. 195). Similarly, the Gunnery skill only applies to "large, vehicular, or non-portable weapon systems". Standard weapons being carried by a morph are not covered by the Gunnery skill. That means that the general rule that "the teleoperator's skills and stats are used" (pg. 196) should be used. That gives your ghost-riding PC a lot of flexibility in being able to jump directly from one morph to another, but he will use skills normally while doing so and suffer a -10 penalty for the pleasure.

I'm pretty sure this is incorrect, even ignoring Transhuman's rules. From page 196 of the core book, the section titled Shell Remote Control (this is literally the next line after the one that says to use the teleoperator's skills and stats): "The teleoperator uses Pilot skills for movement, dodging, and melee tests, and Gunnery skill for ranged combat." This is in reference to remote-controlling any shell, including biomorphs with a puppet sock. On top of this, bot AIs have no movement skills, but do have "an appropriate pilot skill" in spite of operating a bot and not a vehicle. Anyway, probably the biggest risk to this kind of character is the lack of a cortical stack. Cortical Stacks are intentionally isolated from other implants to prevent them from being hacked (how exactly that works when it's linked to a cyberbrain isn't clear; also, there are a number of augmentations that require a cortical stack, which seems contradictory). If this character dies, they're resleeving from a backup. This would also prevent them from using any of the augmentations that require cortical stacks. Additionally, he's going to be pretty easy to hack. Being sleeved in a cyberbrain gives opposing hackers a -30 to their checks to hack it (not to mention sleeving in a biomorph making such hacking impossible). Being in a ghostrider module offers no such protection that I'm aware of. Hack his morph, and make it jump off a cliff. When he resleeves from a backup, have a colleague note that they could have retrieved his cortical stack if he'd been sleeved, and he likely wouldn't even have been successfully hacked.

Eh, reading page 300 for myself, it seems a bit of a stretch to say that using a ghostrider module or mesh inserts counts as inhabiting the cyberbrain. I definitely see how it could be interpreted that way, though. An ego in a biomorph's mesh inserts or ghostrider module doesn't count as inhabiting the meat brain, I'm not sure why it would count for a cyberbrain. Only one ego may inhabit a cyberbrain; to accomodate extras, you need other implants, but "accomdating extras" is not the same as allowing them to inhabit the cyberbrain. The wording is explicit in stating that a cyberbrain may only be inhabited by one ego, and says nothing about these implants allowing more egos to inhabit the cyberbrain, only that they allow the extra egos to be accomodated. I think one could reasonably argue that this implicitly means that an ego in a mesh insert or ghostrider is inhabiting a cyberbrain, but I don't think it's explicit. Rereading the section on the cortical stack, it looks like it's using nanobots to scan either the brain or cyberbrain. Building one to scan a ghostrider module is probably going to require a programming test at the very least to get the nanites to do something they weren't designed for. If you're a GM that feels like the player is abusing the rules, you might just rule that cortical stacks are built to scan brains and cyberbrains, and the ghostrider module simply cannot be scanned to get an ego map in that way. You could directly connect the cortical stack to the ghostrider module, but now a hacker that gets in can access your cortical stack, which isn't ideal.

I must say three things about this: First, his using of a Ghostrider implant is no different to any morph with a cyberbrain. Also, I would rule that, while it is OK to use Pilot and Gunnery to "remote" control the morph, unless he is using it to control a vehicle or weapons mounted in vehicles (that do not require a morph to control them, btw), he is limited to the max of the appropiate skill+atb. So for example, he wants to fire a railgun with his 60 in Pilot+int, he is limited to the 0+10 he has on Kinetic Weapons+Coo. While that ruling might go against the rules in the book, please do remember that expert software is needed to aid in the use of Pilot and Gunnery skills, but that software is not designed to do certain things with a body (that stuff is part of the ego, be it an infomorph or any other sleeved version). Also please do remember that he won't be getting any body modifications to his attributes, nor the effect of any mental implant. This also includes ANY speed-enhancements. Also, please do remember there is a synthmorph with a biological brain instead of a cyberbrain. Second, if a Player Character can do it, an NPC can do it too! So if he thinks his idea is soo good, ask him if he really, really, has thought things out. He did? Ok. Run countermeasures: Hacking is quite useful. Jamming signals would only "confine" him inside a single body, unable to "jump" to another. Also, as long as the Ghostrider module can be recovered, the ego can be resleeved (a ghostrider module is similar to a cortical stack, but more fragile and with fewer access privileges). If he has a cyberbrain in the morph, hack it. If he is using a biologically-brained morph, use an Async to take him off, or simply shoot something that will put him to sleep (neutralized morph, next!). Third, show him how's done. Tactical networks and a drone harbinger character can really run your day, specially a mercenary team with a character controlling four drones per turn (Multitask + Muse = 3 extra mental actions, and the muse can coordinate drones you are not for a fourth mental action. And he still has the basic action to use as physical or mental...) and another trying to turn their Tactical Network into a mess (again, 1 regular action, plus 3 mental ones and Muse backup for hacking) who can stay behind with some heavy ordnance to use the Indirect Fire rules; add two or three regular soldiers with good stealth skills who will act as both spotters, harriers and hitters, and enjoy watching your "smart" guy being torn to pieces... several times. The real piece of work is the guy with a muse designed for combat and evasion who sleeves her, and he goes inside the ghostrider... And finally, they might have changed it, but IF I remember this right, you can use a mental action to "give orders" to a drone you can control, or you can spend your whole turn "sleeving", or jamming, inside the drone, using your skills to do stuff. This means that he is limited to the Speed of the Morph he's in, and to one body at a time. As I said before, one drone controlling character, even using the skills of the LAI's on the drones, has a much better strategical presence (essentially being able to act in 4 or potentially lots more of positions, switching each turn!!), and has a much lower budget (drones are much cheaper than morphs, unless you are using a Case...).

Wow, I absolutely love the responses here! And for once it's not some troll saying, "Oh, I give my players whatever they want." First off, Taleksi, always remember that sometimes players genuinely aren't attempting to min-max/troll, they just pick ideas and things that seem cool and run with them. And EP is a crunchy setting, so it's quite easy to trip up and throw a wrench at you're GM. But that's why we're masters, we fix everything or wing it! SnugglyBuffalo's idea about having the PC's character hacked and thrown off a cliff isn't a joke. There was a thread around about some moron running around a scum barge in power armor, and this isn't much different: if they think they're invincible, prove them wrong. You're not working against your players, you're helping them. But do make sure you have setting material to back it up. Nobody can fight facts. The cherry on top is indeed having his allies tell them, "Hey, should sleeve like everyone else, bro. Or fork yourself." Remind the problem player about more viable paths. Their post (#6) about how the stack/cyberbrain is scanned is an excellent find. And if your player actually takes time to reprogram the module so it can be scanned, I would say let him run his thing this time. It's not a handout, and I encourage players to earn/make solutions in-game, not being a cop out when not in session. Ultimately Xagroth has another proven response to this: NPCs can do it, too! The opposition in most cases should never fight fair. Or they're just better equipped. Or came back with gear and tactics to take the party down this time. There was another user than gave some amazing detail on what AP sniper rifles built to punch tanks can do to a morph in power armor *chuckles* I would say just remember to not view your players with antagonism. Remember, people have been conditioned to think games are about winning, and that is an ill-contributor to role play, cause you're not there to win, your there to escape into a story. React positively and give constructive feedback to your players. Don't be nit-picky, and in most cases assume they're playing competent characters (ex: a pro shadowrunner will have a flashlight available in the dark sewers if they say they have one. It's common sense.) Hope your next session goes better with our advice!

wow. That never occurred to me before, for some reason.. To Jam/remote your own Morph from a ghost rider. What an interesting idea. Off the top of my head though, This set up would leave the morph vulnerable to tricky people who manage to hack in and jam/remote the body themselves, but most Synthetic morphs have that problem by default unless you remove it, and I imagine it isn't easy being hijacked. And I do agree on there being some kind of Penalty to Simply remote controlling it, presumably based on how the remote control AI, works. I mean, It greatly simplify controlling the body, but I dont know how good it would be at anything beyond basic activities. I mean, Even holding a conversation with normal social cues might be kind of difficult, unless the AI standing in is relatively complicated.