The character I'm currently making is essentially an AGI in a Synth Slitheroid body, although I've opted to switch out the snake locomotion for legs.
However, I've run into a problem with weapon mounts. I want to have three of them on the Synth: One for each arm, and one for the right torso.
However, the rules don't seem to say anything about how weapon mounts actually work. So my questions are thus:
1. Are there any restrictions on what weapons can be mounted?
2. Does a two-handed weapon mounted in one arm still count as a two-handed weapon and therefore incur a penalty to firing with one arm? What if it were torso mounted instead?
3. Do I have to smartlink a gun that is effectively already attached to my body?
4. Do I have to stop and reload [Say every 30 rounds of ammo.] even though my arm-mounted and torso-mounted weapons are essentially belt fed from inside my body?
5. Can I punch or grab someone, and fire my arm-mounted weapon into them at the same time?
However, I've run into a problem with weapon mounts. I want to have three of them on the Synth: One for each arm, and one for the right torso.
However, the rules don't seem to say anything about how weapon mounts actually work. So my questions are thus:
1. Are there any restrictions on what weapons can be mounted?
2. Does a two-handed weapon mounted in one arm still count as a two-handed weapon and therefore incur a penalty to firing with one arm? What if it were torso mounted instead?
3. Do I have to smartlink a gun that is effectively already attached to my body?
4. Do I have to stop and reload [Say every 30 rounds of ammo.] even though my arm-mounted and torso-mounted weapons are essentially belt fed from inside my body?
5. Can I punch or grab someone, and fire my arm-mounted weapon into them at the same time?
1. I think that the rule here is common sense. If you tell your DM that you mounted a seeker box launcher on top of your head, you're gonna get a funny look. If "Hollywood Physics" seem to allow it, it probably passes muster.
2. If a two-H weapon is mounted with one hardpoint, penalty. If it has two points of connection to the morph, normal. And most two-H weapons are long rather than bulky, so torso mounting them is silly.
3. Nope. The smartlink isn't just a wire to the gun, otherwise skinlink would replace smartlink. Moderate is the price to mod the gun into a smart weapon, which won't happen just cause you welded it on.'
4. Yes. Traditionally, body-mounted weapons have external ports for reloading. As a DM, I might allow you to take extended ammunition multiple times though.
5. The rules make no allowance for such a combination. And, as a DM, I'd probably not give an allowance. It would imply that there were no reasons to play a ranged character. (I know people will disagree with this, but I've never even like the "punch gun" concept.)
What is a hardpoint explicitly defined as? I mean, you've basically just made it up.. Why don't I just say I have two hardpoints in my arm that the weapon connects to?
Just because it doesn't have rules at the moment doesn't mean it should never get any rules and each individual DM should just make something up to deal with it, IMO.
And as far as torso mounted weapons go, I guess you're not much of a fan of Predator or Battletech...
4. Yes. Traditionally, body-mounted weapons have external ports for reloading. As a DM, I might allow you to take extended ammunition multiple times though.
Traditionally...? As in, you've seen people walking around with body-mounted weapons previously?
Why not just ignore combat rules altogether and let the DM decide on everything?
The point I'm trying to make is that there should be some kind of guideline on this stuff. At the moment there's nothing, which seems to be due to an oversight and not because the mounted weapons were intentionally left blank for the DM to rule on.
"Traditionally" was a reference to other science fiction sources, particularly Shadowrun. But I think you're right that it should be a published rule.