House Rules for Shadowrun
Table of Contents
As a general philosophy, I try to keep the house rules that I use fairly simple and straightforward to maintain playability, while still capturing enough detail and realism to be entertaining. Most of these rules taken singly may result in little appreciable change, and may not seem like much. Collectively, however, the little things add up. Where possible, I simply stick with the published rules, so many of these additions are simply using old rules in new applications (such as martial arts skill and aiming in melee combat). Some (like the autofire rules) are a little more complicated on the surface, but function in a manner fairly consistent with the rules upon closer examination. And some are merely my interpretations of the rules as given because FASA is too lazy to tell us specifically how they should be used (like my Stealth rules). In any event, I strive to bring fairly high levels of realism into my campaign, so those of you who want dramatic house rules that allow your characters to leap tall buildings in a single bound will be disappointed. Those of you who want your characters to have more options in combat or who want to make your campaign richer in flavor may find what you’re looking for.
Also, you may be noticing that this file is pretty long. This is primarily because I have gone to some length to include numerous examples to illustrate how these house rules are used in play. Though this makes the file somewhat long, it is my hope that it will be more clear and easily usable as a result.
For purposes of simplicity, these House Rules will be divided up into several sections, each one dealing with a single topic. Please note that some sections make reference to previous sections, so their order is intentional. So here we go...
There's one change to ranged combat modifiers that I felt needed to be made. Namely, the -1 for stationary targets, +0 for walking targets, and +2 for running targets. Why did FASA do this? Why not go from the same base-line (target and shooter both stationary)? So, what I did is make a stationary target a +0, a walking target a +1, and a running target a +3. For those of you who have any experience with firearms, you will appreciate this small but important distinction. Basically, it reflects the fact that shooting at stationary targets is not as simple as they make it out to be, and even walking targets can be difficult to lead correctly.
One of the stupidest things in SRII is the existing set of dodge rules. As written, if successes in the Body Resistance test from your Combat Pool alone exceed the shooter's successes, the shot is a total miss. I have two problems with this: 1) armor helps you dodge, as it reduces the Body Resistance target number, and 2) it is twice as hard to dodge a heavy pistol round as a light pistol round. Why? Both rounds travel at roughly the same speed, and you're not actually dodging the round itself, just the point of aim.
Which brings me to my rationale. Since you are not actually dodging the bullet, but rather merely trying to get out of the shooter's line of fire, it should be equally easy/difficult to dodge no matter what weapon is being used, as bullet type/speed/trajectory really makes little difference.
To fix this glaring error, we have re-instituted the "Dodge" rules from SRI. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this convention, basically, the rule is as follows. Characters wishing to dodge can spend dice from their Combat Pool to "dodge the shot." The base target number for dodging is a 4, modified by wounds, visibility (can't dodge what you can't see coming), and other reasonable modifiers. If successes from these Combat Pool dice exceed the shooter's successes, the shot is a miss, and there is no need to roll the Body Resistance test. If the shooter still has more successes, make the Body Resistance roll, with the shooter having a number of successes equal to the net of his original successes minus the dodge successes.
For example, if the shooter generates 3 successes with an Ares Predator, and the target generates 1 dodge success, the shooter has 2 net successes, staging the damage up once. Thus, the target makes his or her Body Resistance Test to reduce 9S (9M staged up once).
Each shot/burst/fusillade/salvo must be dodged separately, so if a shooter fires two shots (say from a semiauto pistol), the target has to dodge both of them. Note that very often, your Combat Pool will run out, especially when facing multiple attackers. When this happens, you are unable to dodge. Just make the Body roll and chew the pain. Note also that cruel GM's (like myself) may make dodging subject to the infamous "Rule of 1's." Thus, it is possible to critically fail when dodging.
Finally, you cannot dodge suppression fire (see Fields of Fire, p. 78).
Already included in the Shadowrun rules, the concept of delaying actions (SRII, p. 80) allows characters to hold their actions until a later time. Though it does not state it explicitly, all of the examples they give imply that a character’s entire action must be held. In my game however, I allow characters to perform one simple action and hold another. Since the option to delay an action is in and of itself a free action (SRII, p. 81), this should be perfectly reasonable within the bounds of the rules as written. Not a house rule per se, but not something permitted explicitly within the rules.
Hence, on the combat phase in which he or she can act, a character can use one simple action (to fire a single burst, throw a grenade, change a clip, or whatever), use the free action to delay, and still have a simple action left over. If at some later point (before the next combat phase in which he or she can act) the character wishes to use the held action, only something that can be completed in a single simple action may be attempted. Hence, no casting of spells, firing of fully automatic weapons or the like is allowed (as these are complex actions). Note that if the held action is used before the character’s next available full action, the character will be unable to act for another 10 full combat phases after using the action, just like for normal delayed actions.
This capability can lead to some interesting situations, and gives characters a little more latitude in exactly how and when they are going to spend their actions.
As originally written in SRII, no weapon, no matter how powerful the attack or how many successes were generated by the attacker can kill someone in one hit. Though Fields of Fire addressed that problem with the overdamage rule (p. 79), there were still some problems (like needing the power level of the attack to be double the target's Body). We used this rule before Fields of Fire came out, and it has worked well enough that we have chosen it in favor over the published rule, mainly because of its simplicity.
Basically, the system works as follows; after a Deadly wound has been inflicted, successes are used as normal to stage damage into overflow, starting over at Light. So a weapon doing Serious damage with four net successes behind it would cause Deadly damage, followed by another Light damage (which would go to the overflow monitor). Similarly, six net successes would cause Deadly damage, followed by a Moderate, resulting in a Deadly wound plus three boxes of overflow damage filled. Colloquially, we would call this "Moderate over Deadly" damage, and it is annotated as M/D.
Careful observers will note that precisely the same "wraparound" will work for damage that occurs when inflicting a Stun wound. Thus, a weapon that does Serious Stun with six successes behind it would do Deadly Stun plus a Moderate Physical wound. As an extreme example, the same Stun weapon with sixteen successes behind it would do a Deadly Stun, a Deadly Physical, and Serious overflow Damage, utterly killing someone with a Body of 6 or less in a single blow.
This system keeps the standard "two successes per damage category" system intact, and thus is consistent and easy to remember. Be warned that it makes the game a touch more lethal, but then again, getting shot at generally is.
Equally heinous is SRII's "all or nothing" autofire system. Under the current rules, each full-auto burst is a set number of rounds, all of which either miss or hit, depending on if the attacker gets any successes or not. Because of this, we have taken the following approach. This one's a little more complex, so pay attention. I'll try to make the math in my examples come out right (unlike FASA).
So, a goon has a garden variety AK-97, no bells, no whistles. He decides to open up on a shadowrunner standing stationary in the open, in broad daylight, with no cover, at short range (like that's ever gonna happen). So basically, the target number is a 4, for ease of explanation. Or rather, the target number for the first round is a 4. The goon is weak (no recoil reduction from Strength as per Fields of Fire, p. 83) and isn't using the weapon's stock (the dumb-ass is firing from the hip), and so gets no recoil compensation whatsoever. Thus, the second round is subject to a +1 recoil mod. The third round is at a further +1, or a total of +2 from the base target number. Thus, to hit with all ten rounds, the goon needs a 4 + 9 = 13. It's normal so far. The goon opens up, rolling 6 dice, and getting a 1,3,4,4,5,10. Under normal SRII rules, this would be a miss.
However, where did the first few rounds go? Recoil hadn't affected them yet. Aaahh, but the goon got a 10, which would be the result of 7 (1 free plus six at +1 each) rounds of recoil. Thus, instead of missing completely, the goon hits with an incomplete burst of 7 rounds, with three stray rounds ripping through the nearby innocent bystanders (didn't I mention them?). So, the goon has one success, and the target (who didn't dodge), resists 15D (8M + 7 rounds, 7/3 = 2.333, which means 2 stages up). Ouch. Better than a miss. Damage and staging are figured from the highest result, so typically, unless your roll results in a bunch of a single number (four 9's as your highest rolls), you'll only have one success and be unable to stage the damage up further. If, however, you have multiple successes that would hit with the maximum number of rounds allocated to a target (max target number or higher), then each of these counts as a success for the purposes of staging damage. So if our goon had rolled a 13 and a 15, both would have been sufficient to hit with all ten rounds sent at the target, and both would count for staging the damage up. Thus, the target would have to resist 18M/D (see overdamage rules above, three stages up for the number of rounds that hit, and one more for the shooter’s two successes). Ouch.
But what if the target had dodged? In such a case, you take off one of the shooter's successes for each of the target's dodge successes STARTING FROM THE HIGHEST. Thus, if the target got a single dodge success, the goon would have been left with a 1,3,4,4,5. The five hits with only two rounds, so the power level of the attack drops from 15D to 10M. Good for the dodger. If the target got 2 dodge successes, the goon would have lost both the 10 and the 5, leaving the two fours. Note that in this case, the goon has two successes, which is enough to stage the damage up, even though he only hits with a single bullet. Thus, the target takes 9S. Whoops.
Please note that as always, the tie goes in favor of the attacker. If the target's dodge successes take off all of the shooter's successes, the goon is left only with rolls that don't have a sufficiently high value to result in more rounds hitting, and the target must resist the base, single round Damage Code of the weapon. Thus, in the previous example, if the target rolled four dodge successes, he would have tied the attacker. As such, the goon would hit with only a single round, and the target would resist the weapon's base damage code of 8M.
You will also note that it is occasionally possible to dodge into more damage, especially if the shooter has quite a few of a single number result, like a whole mess of 5's. This is representative of the fact that even though fewer bullets hit you, they hit you in more critical areas. It's hard to dodge a lead hose, and you may screw yourself. Zigged when you shoulda zagged. As a bonus, though, lower power levels often result in more Body Resistance successes, especially once armor is figured in.
To make the example a little more complicated, say the goon was shooting at two targets, standing 2 meters apart in ideal conditions. He decides to allocate four rounds to each (using the other two walking his fire between them). He rolls 2,3,5,5,8,13. Against the first target, the 13 is a hit with all four rounds (4 + 3 uncompensated recoil = 7 < 13), so the first target takes 12S. Note that if the first target gets no dodge successes, the 8 would be a hit as well. Because of this, the shooter would have two successes, and thus be able to stage the damage up to 12D. Ouch. Again, remember that any roll that would hit with the maximum number of rounds allocated to a target (or more) counts as a success for the purposes of staging the damage, just like a normal shot.
The second target is not only subject to more recoil, but also to the +2 secondary target modifier. So to hit the second target with the seventh through tenth rounds (remember that the fifth and sixth are used walking the fire onto the second target) is a 4 + 6 unmodified recoil + 2 = 12. Thus, the seventh round out of the barrel hits its target on a 12, the eighth on a 13, and so on. Since he got a 13, the goon hits the second target with 2 rounds, for 10M damage.
If the second target gets even a single dodge success, he takes only the base damage of the weapon (as a tie goes in the attacker's favor). Two dodge successes and he is missed entirely. If the first target gets any fewer than 5 dodge successes, he gets hit. Alas, it's worse to be the first guy in the chain, just like in real life.
Recoil compensation serves to increase the number of rounds hit at the base target number. Thus, in the previous example, if the goon had been using the weapon's stock, he'd have hit the second target with one more round (4 base target + 5 uncompensated recoil + 2 = 11), for a total of 11S.
While it may look complicated counting the shots, knowing which bullet has what recoil, etc, it's actually quite simple. Basically, it's just an easy way of determining how many rounds actually hit. With a little bit of practice, it becomes very quick to figure out. Once you have the hang of it, you can throw in things like tracers, multiple targets with different cover, etc, and it's all done the same way. Quick, simple, and infinitely more realistic that the published rules.
Statistically, it also falls right within the realistic norms. Typically, out of a full-auto burst, only about the first three or four rounds hit in normal combat situations (where target numbers to hit an opponent are frequently 10+), which is realistic. That's why they make three-round burst limiters, neh? But there will be instances where being able to spray lots of rounds will be a real advantage, especially when recoil compensation is figured in. But you will go through more ammo. Also be aware that this makes automatic weapons extremely dangerous, which is as they should be.
Similar to autofire, grenades have a sort of all or nothing kind of badness to them as well, especially when trying to lob your favorite variety of IPE at a horde of corporate goons. The old rule don't make them nearly lethal enough, but the new rules for explosives in the Shadowrun Companion (p. 91-92) help somewhat, and will be used as a starting point for this house rule.
The thrower of the grenade chooses his or her weapon of maximum destruction, primes it, picks a target, and lofts the pineapple. That is, the thrower picks a location and tosses the grenade, with the target number modifiers, range, etc. being calculated for that location. Note that the location may be a person or just an arbitrary spot on the floor, and because of this the target numbers may be a little tricky to figure. For instance, what is the target number to throw a grenade through an open doorway? What is the target number to throw a grenade over an obstacle? Generally, I assign target number modifiers as though someone were sitting exactly where the grenade is to be thrown, so as to reflect the fact that it may be more difficult to toss a grenade up a staircase, through a narrow opening, or whatever. If the thrower picks an actual person (rather than just a location) as the target, then the target numbers are figured normally. Once the target number for the throw is determined, roll the thrower's Thrown Weapons skill plus whatever Combat Pool is being allocated in addition. Count the successes. Every success reduces scatter as per normal rules.
As a side note, it is possible to prime grenades for either impact detonation or timed detonation (as described in Fields of Fire, p. 79). Priming grenades for impact allows the opponent very little warning that something is coming (see below), but priming for time allows the thrower to make more difficult throws, like bouncing a grenade off a wall or rolling it down a staircase. Generally, making "bankshots" with grenades incurs target number modifiers, but the capability is there if needed. I usually assign a +2 penalty for every radical direction change a grenade must go through before it reaches its target. As such, if the thrower misses, the GM can easily calculate which bounce the grenade failed to make, and can calculate scatter from there. In instances like these, it is possible that the grenade may land nowhere close to the target, and may even land back at the thrower’s feet. Whoops!
Once the final location of the grenade has been determined, it becomes necessary to determine the actual damage inflicted. The GM now rolls a number of dice equal to half the Power Level (round up) of the blast for every character in the area-of-effect, and the target number for this test is a 4. This test will hereafter be referred to as the "Blast test." The successes on this test count for the purposes of staging the damage up. Note that this is exatly the same as the blast rule from the Shadowrun Companion (p. 91-92). This mechanic actually works pretty well, and keeps grenades from becoming either too powerful or too weak.
Keep the chunky-salsa effect/blast-channeling in mind, as upping the power level also allows the grenades the opportunity to get more successes on the Blast test. Similarly, cover should reduce the Power level as well. A simple way to figure this is to take the percentage of the target behind cover (as described in the expanded cover rules in Fields of Fire, p. 78) and multiply it by the Barrier rating of the object providing the cover, rounding down. Thus, standing in 50% cover (partial cover, +4) behind an object of Barrier Rating 8 would reduce the grenade’s effective Power Level by 4. Standing in 75% cover (+6 modifier) behind an object with a Barrier Rating of 4 would reduce the grenade's effective Power Level by 3. Remember that cover is figured from where the grenade lands, not from where it is thrown. Finally, brittle substances may shatter from grenade blasts and actually increase the amount of shrapnel flying around (like a plate glass window, for instance). Such materials do confer the bonus of their Barrier Rating for the purposes of Body Resistance test target numbers, but actually add a number of dice equal to their Barrier Rating to the grenade’s effective Power Level when making the Blast test. This reflects the fact while the blast may have been blunted somewhat (by making it easier to resist on Body), the likelyhood of taking shrapnel is far higher (by giving the grenade a greater chance to stage up damage).
For example, Willie Pete is throwing an Offensive grenade at his targets. They are hiding behind cover, and they are three meters apart. Willie Pete decides that the ugly goon is his target, and so goes for him. His target number is a 5 (medium range) +4 (opponent's cover) +2 (half of his own cover), +1 (poor visibility conditions) = 12. He rolls his 6 Thrown Weapons dice plus 4 Combat Pool, for a total of 10 dice. Willie Pete gets a 1,1,2,5,7,9,10,14,14, and 16. Wow! That's three successes against the target. The scatter die comes up a 2, so three successes is sufficient to put the grenade at the ugly goon's feet, making the power level pretty much a 10 (unfortunately for Willie, the target’s cover provides no blast channeling). At this point, the GM makes a Blast test for the ugly goon, rolling 5 dice (half of the Power level of the grenade at this range), target number 4. He generates 3 successes. That means the ugly goon would be resisting 10D (although Impact Armor will help reduce the power level for the Body Resistance test). The pretty goon is in a bit better shape. Since the grenade landed at the ugly goon's feet and they are three meters apart, the power level drops to a 7 (-1 power per meter). If there were some cover or barrier between them, it could drop even further. In any event, the GM rolls 4 dice at target number 4, and generates 2 successes. Thus, the second goon must resist 7D.
As a recipient of such damage, the targets are allowed to dodge as described above. Each success negates one of the successes on the grenade’s Blast test, with a tie going in favor of the grenade. If the target's successes exceed the grenade’s, the target dives clear, drops prone, gets into the blast shadow of something tough enough to protect him or her from the resulting boom, or just gets lucky.
Note also that grenades set for timing can be subject to throwback (see throwback rules in Fields of Fire, p. 79). Since dropping prone is a free action and movement is not an action but a modifier, I allow characters who see a timed grenade land nearby to either begin moving towards cover (or just away from the grenade) or drop prone (which is usually a good idea if one has partial or incomplete cover from the grenade and wants to make the most of it before the grenade goes off). How much distance they move or how much cover they get depends on the situation and the character’s Quickness. If the grenade is primed to go off on impact, however, they may not even get the chance to drop prone or run away. In these instances it is usually best to resolve a surprise test to determine whether or not characters will have the chance to try to save themselves in this manner.
With these easy-to-use rules, you can allow grenades to do grievous damage to tightly clustered opponents, which is exactly what a grenade is for. Further, grenades used on open ground are far less effective than grenades used in closed areas, which is also what grenades are for. Finally, these rules make the game mechanics of how grenades function much more realistic and allow players many more options when using them or facing them.
Another annoying rule by FASA is that scattershot is treated like flechette ammunition for the purposes of upping the damage code. Why? For instance, if you get shot with scattershot before it has traveled a sufficient distance to begin spreading, it's still one damage code higher than a slug would have been, even though it's almost exactly the same mass hitting you. And the argument that it hits more vital areas because of the spread doesn't wash, because that's reflected in the lower target number.
As such, shotguns do the same damage regardless of whether they are firing shot or slug munitions. Thus, a Remington Roomsweeper does 9M standard when firing shot ammunition. Slug ammunition is resisted with standard Ballistic armor, and scattershot is resisted with double the target's Impact armor (still like flechette in this regard).
For all of the munchkins out there, it is of note that I have included an ammunition type called "scatter flechette" that fires a cluster of sharp projectiles, rather than a single dart like normal flechette ammo. It offers the best of both worlds (i.e. it spreads like shot as well as upping the Damage Code like normal flechette). Similarly, it is reasonable to use things like "scatter needler" (see the Neo-Anarchists' Guide to Real Life sourcebook, p. 30), explosive slugs, armor-piercing slugs, or whatever.
Also, the scatter rates are a bit out of whack. Using the scattershot rules as written (SRII, p. 95), buckshot can come blazing out of the barrel in like a 60-degree cone. Having used shotguns, I can say from experience that this is just plain wrong, even for sawed-off’s. Because of this, I have ruled that the shot must travel a number of meters equal to twice the current choke setting before spreading another half-meter in radius.
Finally, another minor change stems from the fact that shotguns are notoriously good at knocking people down (generally because of their poor penetration characteristics). Because of this, shotguns do not halve their Power Level for purposes of calculating knockdown target numbers.
Often times, called shots can be (as far as pure game mechanics goes) somewhat silly. For instance, if you take a called shot at someone who has 6 points of cover, you are still aiming for an exposed/vulnerable portion of their body. Do you pay just the +4 modifier? Do you stack them for +10?
The way I handle this is to take either the called shot modifier or the cover modifier, whichever is higher. Makes called shots against targets without cover just as difficult, but doesn't make called shot against targets in cover totally impossible. After all, if someone's head is sticking out over a wall, it shouldn't be too much harder to hit than if you were shooting at his head when he was standing out in the open. Thus, cover or called shot, whichever gives the highest mod, but not both.
For smartlink II (Fields of Fire, p. 84-85), since called shots are easier, subtract -2 from the cover modifier before comparing. Thus, partial cover (normally +4) with smartlink II (+4 - 2 = +2) is pretty much the same target number as calling a shot (+2). This reflects the fact that smartlink II is better at placing shots than the original smartlinks.
Finally, a "called shot" allows not two but four options to the player calling the shot. The player can either:
- a) Cause a Stun weapon (such as a club or unarmed blow) to do Physical damage (as per Fields of Fire, p. 83).
- b) Avoid armor (as per standard rules).
- c) Increase the damage category by one level (as per standard rules).
- d) Get some other game effect.
Option d) doesn't increase damage, up the damage code, or anything else, but can oftentimes end in a result that is important for the player. For instance, a called shot to the eyes with a shuriken may produce no significant life-threatening "damage" per se, but it will deprive the opponent of his sight, giving him a +8 modifier for all his subsequent combat tests.
Similarly, called shots can be used in melee combat. In hand-to-hand combat, called shots work exactly as above with the exception that the target number penalty is only a +2 as opposed to a +4. This stems from the fact that visibility modifiers are halved at melee range, and it's much easier to grab someone by the head than it is to shoot them in the head. As such, players may wish to sweep opponents or knock them prone, either of which would be a "game effect" called shot. As another example, taking a weapon from someone in hand-to-hand combat would be a called shot. Slipping your stiletto through the gap in your opponent's flak jacket is a called shot to avoid armor. Kind GM's may wish to have certain game effects (such as a sweep, throw, or disarm) succeed even if the opponent resists all the damage of the attack (i.e. the attack succeeds but the opponent stages all of the damage down on the Body Resistance test). The inclusion of this reasonable rule allows a whole new range of options available to players who like flashy techniques and daring situations.
Finally, nowhere is it stated or implied that only a single type of called shot can be made at one time. You want to avoid armor and up the damage code when you shoot your opponent? So long as you stack the penalties (for a total of +8 in ranged combat), go for it. You want to throw your opponent in such a way that he lands hard (game effect and up the damage code)? Stack the modifiers (for a total of +4 in melee combat) and you can make the guy land in a painful heap.
Yet another oversight, the current SRII rules don't take quality of cover into account. Whether you're hiding behind four feet of concrete or a rice-paper shoji panel, it's still just +4 to hit (assuming half cover). My rule is this: if you don't get any successes that hit with the cover modifier, count how many successes you have without cover. The shot still hits with that many successes, but the target gets the benefit of the barrier rating of the cover when resisting damage.
Obviously, if the barrier rating exceeds the power level, the target is safe. Otherwise, even a "miss" by SRII rules could result in the target taking damage under these new rules. The purpose of this change is to force people to be aware of what they're hiding behind. It can make fire-fights in favored urban environments like restaurants and bars a lot more dangerous as there's not a lot that's good to get cover behind.
One caveat, here, though. If the shooter is using blind fire, he or she may actually have no idea where the target is. As such, when using blind fire, even hitting with the +8 is through cover (as per standard rules), and anything else is a miss.
Consider the following: Shadowrun pretty much assumes that fire combat will happen in the "firefight" type setting, with opponents blazing away at each other in a rapid, chaotic fashion. The penalty to the target number for shooter's cover reflects the ducking, turning, and moving into and out of cover, and the awkward way you have to stand to get off the shot while still staying protected. Imagine standing partially covered behind a corner. You aren't going to just stand there motionless and hope that your opponent can't hit you. You are going to move, dodge, weave, etc. In those times you are moving, you may briefly lose sight of your opponent. When you pop out again, you need to quickly "reacquire" your target, adding to the difficulty (and thus the target number) of the shot, and hence the penalty associated with firing from cover (as described in Fields of Fire, p. 78).
But there are going to be instances when your "cover" shouldn't really count against you due to your positioning or what you're hiding behind.
The concept to think about is "cover" versus "concealment." "Cover" assumes that there is some object or obstacle between you and your opponent that obscures lines-of-sight. Such obstacles also tend to restrict your movement. For instance, popping out of a window is not a comfortable way to fire a weapon. Similarly, firing from a firing port restricts the movement of your gun, often forcing you to fire while standing or holding your weapon in uncomfortable or awkward positions. While lying down behind an obstacle, it is extremely difficult to change your direction of fire by more than a few degrees in either direction.
"Concealment" refers to something that makes you harder to see, but does not impede your movement or make your shot difficult. Something like hiding in a bush, or wearing the camouflage clothing (see Fields of Fire, p. 77). If someone is shooting at you, pretty much your whole body is open and without and appreciable cover (leaves are a good example as they don't stop bullets). Concealment works just like cover for the purposes of making you harder to see (i.e. penalties to the observer's Perception Test run from +1 for minimally obscured targets to +8 for completely obscured targets). However, concealment doesn't have associated penalties for shooting from it like cover does, so it's better (in an accuracy sense) to fire from concealment rather than cover, as it doesn't restrict your movement. Unfortunately, once you're spotted, concealment does you exactly zero good. It offers no protection, and thus does not incur a penalty to a shooter's target number to hit the concealed character. But if you can't be spotted, you are less likely to be shot at in the first place (see Stealth rules below).
Again, it should be pointed out that cover is generally also considered concealment as it generally blocks line-of-sight (unless you are "hiding" behind transparent bulletproof glass, which would provide cover but no concealment). Thus, someone behind cover may be harder to spot (for the purposes of Perception tests) than someone standing out in the open.
Also, you can have the best of both worlds. You can take "covering concealment," like lying down behind a fallen tree that is covered with dense ferns. You get the standard cover penalty, but you also get the bonus of being harder to see (apply the cover mod or the concealment mod, whichever is higher, to the observer's target number for Perception tests). So if Bart the Sniper wants to take two levels of cover behind this log, and the ferns are four levels of concealment, Bart applies a +1 modifier to his target numbers to shoot (half his cover, per the rules in Fields of Fire, p. 78), observers have a +4 target number to see him (the level of concealment, which is the higher of the two), and once
he is spotted, his opponents have a +2 to their target numbers to hit him (the level of Bart's cover).
Note, however, that if this is a particularly mushy fallen log (as they sometimes are), then Bart may be hit through cover (see rules for firing through cover above).
One of the strengths of the Shadowrun system is the fact that it is skills based (as opposed to "level" or "class" based). Unfortunately, this is also a weakness, not because of any inherent inferiority, but rather because of FASA's lack of explanation for exactly how a skill works. Chief among these glaring omissions is the Stealth skill.
As such, this "house rule" is really just an interpretation and/or clarification of how the Stealth skill functions within the context of the game. Care has been taken to make this system simple as well as consistent with the existing rules.
Basically, the Stealth skill is used like any other skill. There is a target number for a goal, and the player may roll a number of dice equal to the skill plus any appropriate modifications (certain types of cyberware, etc). The trick is knowing what the target number is. Like everything else, it usually start out at a base of 4 for the average stuff, and is modified by the difficulty of the action being performed. Stealthing over dry leaves and twigs is difficult, sneaking over soft moss is easy. Sneaking through a door is difficult, but trying to cross a concrete floor without making any noise is not too challenging. The GM is encouraged to use the appropriate existing modifiers, as they already apply.
For instance, melee visibility modifiers (which are half of ranged combat visibility modifiers) apply to Stealth rolls, as it's a hell of a lot easier to crash into stuff and make a lot of noise/motion/racket when you can't see where the hell you're going. Stealthing over "difficult ground" is harder too, because you are more likely to slip and fall, or make ripples that give away your position, or whatever.
"But there are concentrations to the Stealth skill," you say. How do we handle them? For instance, there's a difference between the Stealth of sneaking (AD&D "Move Silently" for lack of a better analogy) and the Stealth of hiding (AD&D "Hide in Shadows"). In order to get into position in the first place, you have to use Stealth to get there, meaning there is a chance you might be seen. If you manage to get to your location unseen, you need to make another roll, a completely new Stealth roll, to adequately hide yourself. Again, modifiers would apply, as hiding in a rustling pile of dry paper garbage is a lot more likely to give your position away than simply hiding in a bush. Grasses move, saplings wave, and water ripples, all of which can make the Stealth of concealment more difficult. Actually, you can make these various skill breakdowns specializations of Stealth (as I do). Thus, you might have Stealth/Urban/Sneaking, or Stealth/Wilderness/Concealment, or Stealth/Urban/Pick-Pockets, or whatever. This way, you can specialize in your form of sneakiness. It's easy, it's consistent with the rules, and it makes sense.
So far, we've dealt with primarily with the person Stealthing. But what about the observer? The observer gets a Perception test to try to spot the sneaking character. "But wait, how can the observer possibly generate more successes given that his target numbers may be very high due to visibility modifications, distance, cover, or whatever?"
Here's a rules mod I call the "observation tally" that I've allowed as something to make hiding and finding people who are hiding a little bit more realistic. If you look long enough, you will eventually spot someone who's hiding. But you have to actively be looking (i.e. spending actions making Perception checks). If this is the case, every time you get a success, you "save" it, just like in Interrogation Operations in VR2.0 (see Virtual Realities 2.0, p. 110). Note that "saving" a success doesn't mean you roll fewer dice next time, just that you already have one success towards your chosen task; similarly, your next Perception roll is not subject to the +2 penalty for "trying again". Recall that the base target number for Perception tests is a 4, modified by visibility, distraction, wounds, etc. When the observer builds up more successes (over multiple turns, most likely) than the person hiding, the observer "spots" the person hiding. You can then easily revert back to the Perception Test table (SRII, p. 185) to compare net successes and what level of detail that gives. One success might give you a revelation like, "Hey, I think there's a guy over there!" or may give you the direction that an attack is coming from. Two successes is more along the lines of, "There! Right there! Can't you see him?!?!" With four or more successes, you can see all of the pertinent details, probably with enough clarity to be able to dodge the shooter's rounds without visibility penalties (see dodge rules above).
Typically, when someone is sneaking into a position, I allow possible observers a free Perception test to try to spot the sneaking character. Once in position, however, observers need to actually spend actions to try to spot the hiding character.
Consider the following example: Bart the Sniper is setting up shop. He has moved unobserved to his position, and, uses his Stealth skill of 5 to conceal himself in some tall reeds. The GM sets his target number as a 5 (as the reeds are a bit tough to see through, but the reeds will rustle with his slightest movement). As described above, I set Stealth target numbers based on what the person is trying to accomplish versus the difficulty of accomplishing it successfully without being perceived. The base target number is (as always) a 4, modified by the difficulty of doing whatever it is they want to do (in this case a +1). So Bart gets three successes. So he's lying prone in the weeds, aiming at his target. Observers need at least four successes to see him hiding (one more than Bart, as a tie goes in his favor). Their target number varies depending on what Bart is doing.
Hanging out is a lot less obvious than firing (an "obvious action" -4 T# bonus to Perception tests). Trust me, it can be extremely difficult to locate a sniper if they don't want to be seen (and they don't) and they take the proper precautions (which they do). Like all Perception tests, the base target number is a 4 (routine task). The GM decides that the reeds don't offer any real cover, but they do offer concealment (see "cover vs. concealment" above). The GM sets the level of concealment offered by the reeds at +4. So adding +4 for the level of concealment, and +4 for his camouflage clothing, the final target number for observers is a 12. So in broad daylight, someone would need at least four 12's to see Bart before he opens up (provided they didn’t see him sneak into position in the first place). If Bart's targets aren't aware that he's waiting for them and are not actively looking for trouble (i.e. out for a smoke and not using actions to make Perception tests), I assign a +2 "distracted observer" mod on top. Similarly, if it were night, I would also apply the appropriate visibility modifiers on top of the heap, making Bart pretty much invisible (without the drain!).
Once Bart begins to fire, however, the target number to see him drops tremendously. His targets are no longer distracted. He is performing (or has performed) an obvious action (firing a gun). Suddenly, you only need 8's to see Bart. It is here that the merits of silencers and sound suppressors become obvious.
Even when they can't see him, I would allow the observers to take shots with the blindfire penalty (+8) to reflect the fact that if you blaze away in a general direction, you might get lucky. Given that Bart is prone (+2) and probably at range (base t# of 6 or higher), the actual target number to hit Bart once you have clue that he's out there somewhere is like a 16 or more. Suck! But if Bart were continuing to fire, observers could continue to spend actions making perception checks. As soon as they built up four 8's, they could see him well enough to take a shot. And once they have spotted Bart, remember that his concealment is not counted against their target numbers to hit him, as the reeds provide no cover.
But perhaps by this point it is already too late. Perhaps Bart only needed one shot. Now his observers no longer have the "obvious action" bonus. Perhaps he can simply sit tight and wait, making them roll a total of four 12's (or possibly higher) to see him. Perhaps he needs to get up and beat feet quickly, abandoning stealth for speed. It all depends on what people do in the situation.
I generally rule that the "obvious action" modifier applies for the rest of the combat round, as there may be shaking ferns, moving grass, or blowing trash that was disturbed by the muzzle blast of the weapon, or perhaps a small wisp of gunsmoke. These little telltales will take a second to "calm down" or disperse. If the attacker gets surprise, however, the observers typically only get one shot at it (even though they can't "act" against the sniper, they still get their surprise action to try to locate the source of the shot). If they don't see him during the action he takes his shot, and he's patient immediately afterwards, they may never find him, which is how military snipers tend to operate. If the sniper continues to fire, however, he's still subject to the "obvious action" in any round in which he fires.
You may be wondering how the Stealth skill can be used to aid in laying an ambush for someone. Shadowrun II includes basic rules for surprise situations (see SRII, p. 86). In addition to simply allowing those who are lying in wait for their opponents and holding an action to get a -2 to their target number, I also add +1 to the opponent's target number for every net success that the Stealthing character has over and above the opponent's successes on his or her Perception test. This way, even heavily wired opponents can get bamboozled if someone sneaks up on them properly.
Since we’ve dealt with sneaking and hiding, I’d like to throw in a little something for the observer as well. Namely, since Perception tests are based off of Intelligence, there is a hard limit to the number of dice that someone can roll to try to notice a sneaking opponent. There is no upper cap for skills, so this would seem to mean that Stealth in inherently more powerful. Yet one can train oneself to be more observant.
Because of this, I have created a special skill that I call Observation. It can be purchased at character creation and is raised like any other special skill (or specialization). During a Perception test, a character may substitute (not add) his Observation Skill for his or her Intelligence. This is directly analogous to the Psychometry Skill (see Awakenings, p. 96-97). While this doesn’t gain the character anything if the Intelligence is higher than the Observation Skill, the skill is fairly easy to raise (requiring only 1 x the new Skill Rating in Karma per increase), and there is no upper limit, as there are with attributes.
This particular system emphasizes mainly the rules as they already exist, with a few minor additions, rather than a total reworking of the unarmed combat system. There are plenty of house rules out on the net that start out by scrapping the existing system and get less coherent from there. For these rules, the GM need not have a wide-ranging, extensive list of all the martial arts out there, nor have a comprehensive list of different kinds of attacks, each with a different damage code or reach. What a pain. Melee combat in SRII is, after all, somewhat abstracted. Having said that, however, one can incorporate a fair amount of detail and intricacy into the combat system using the tools already provided in the SRII rules.
Before we get to the actual breakdown of various martial arts skills, I want to include a few of these rules that can be added to make melee combat more...interesting.
The first thing to note is that the dodge house rules described at the beginning of this document apply to melee combat as well as ranged combat. As such, you can use your Combat Pool to dodge melee attacks.
Next, remember the use of called shots in melee combat. You want to throw your opponent, thus making him prone? Called shot. You want to disarm your opponent? Called shot. You want to poke your opponent's eyeballs out, thus subjecting him to blindness penalties? Called shot. You want to do physical damage with a punch instead of stun? Called shot.
Also useful to consider is the concept of aiming. In actual combat, opponents tend to circle a bit, sizing each other up and trying to set each other up for the attack that will count. To reflect this, I allow aiming (as per standard ranged combat rules) to apply in melee combat.
In order to aim effectively, however, the character must declare beforehand whether he or she intends to aim for an attack, counterattack, or parry. This reflects the fact that setting up an attack may leave you open, while setting up for a defense does you no good if you aren't attacked. You only get the aiming benefit for the type of action you have declared. Characters who aim for the attack do not get reduced target numbers if forced to counterattack before their next action, and characters who aim to counterattack or parry do not get bonuses if the decide to simply attack on their next action. Just like real combat, a judicious mixture of caution and aggressiveness is often the key.
As per standard aiming rules (SRII, p. 82), recall that each simple action spent aiming can reduce the target number by 1. The maximum aim that people can sustain is equal to half their skill, thus someone with a skill of say 4 could get a total of -2, which is actually enough to negate a melee called shot modifier entirely. Granted, it takes a few actions of shuffling stance, changing distance, and psyching out the opponent, but it can be useful when properly applied. Also note that as per standard aiming rules, the bonus of aiming is lost if the character is forced to spend Combat Pool dice for any reason (including dodging).
Finally, a note on the Full Parry option: For full parry, I allow players to use not only their skill, but as much combat pool as they want to throw in. For example, if a character has an unarmed combat skill of 4 and a Combat Pool of 7, that character could parry with a full 11 dice, rather than the 8 he would have to counterattack, or the 7 he would have to simply dodge. This may have been what was intended by the SRII rules as written, but they aren't very clear, so I assumed this and hoped for the best. And lo, it works well, is easy to remember, and comes in handy at times.
The last thing I'd like to address before getting into the rules proper is that I've dropped the base hand-to-hand Unarmed Combat damage code from (Strength)M to (Strength)L. This has come about due to a series of long debates about just how much damage a fist can do (disregarding skill). Light Stun damage holds more in line with the amount of damage that unskilled people can generally inflict on each other, and gives some incentive to using a club or sap rather than just punching someone.
It is at this point that the actual breakdown of skills becomes clear. Basically, I run melee combat this way: I ask the question, "is the character attempting something that the character's art teaches and is good at?" If the answer is "yes," then the player can roll the extra dice of the concentration. If not, then the player can only roll a number of dice equal to the base unarmed combat skill.
At this point, some may be asking if there's any benefit to not concentrating, and the answer is yes, to a point. What does the Tae Kwon Doka do when surprised and brought to the ground by a wrestler? Wrestling is not something generally taught in Tae Kwon Do, and hence, the player only rolls the character's base unarmed combat skill when attempting to counterattack. Similarly, when engaging in a stand-up fight at a reasonable distance, the wrestler is forced to use only his or her base skill. And if he or she wants to shoot in and bring the opponent to the ground? Called shot. Possibly following some aiming, maybe not.
In this very simple way, GM's can reflect the various strengths and weaknesses of the different arts without having to remember lots of different attack types, different reaches, strange time requirements, etc. All the GM has to know or remember are the various strengths and weaknesses of the different arts. Styles like Karate (in all its variations) are good in stand-up fights, styles like Judo and Jujutsu are good at grappling, styles like Aikido and Tai Chi are good defensively. Some styles are more rounded than others, which is fine. Most martial artists will recognize the fact that some arts are more "combat effective" than others. Granted, your munchkins will want those arts, but that's up to individual GM's to curtail.
Next, we can get into specialization. In my campaign, specializations are generally a specific kind of technique. For instance, a particularly ruthless Karateka might have Unarmed Combat/Karate(insert type here)/lethal strikes of 4/6/8. Thus, when trying to inflict physical damage to his opponent (a called shot), he rolls 8 dice. When simply fighting in a normal stand-up fight, he rolls 6 dice. When down and dirty in a biting, scratching, hair-pulling brawl on the floor, he only rolls 4 dice. Thus is the warrior built.
By comparison, a Judoka may have Unarmed Combat/Judo/Throwing at a 2/4/10. This kind of fighter is very accomplished at getting in on an opponent and taking them to the ground from standing, but his grappling, joint-locking, pinning, choking, and other Judo skills are weaker. His punching and kicking skills are weaker still. Nevertheless, if he can throw his opponent, perhaps that gives him the time he needs to get away, move to a better position, or draw his gun. Heh. Throwing also causes normal damage (as it is a game effect called shot).
As another example, an Aikidoka may have Unarmed Combat/Aikido/Re-direction of 3/5/8. When counterattacking, the Aikidoka is using his opponent's force and momentum against him, which is something he is very good at. As such, he rolls all 8 dice, with a maximum of 8 combat pool. This is a dangerous skill because using it does not require a called shot, making it unwise to attack such a person. But offensively, this Aikidoka doesn't pose as much a threat. When attempting some Aikido related throw, push, sweep, take-down, control pin, or unbalancing technique, only 5 dice, with a maximum of 5 combat pool are rolled. And when trying to pull off a picture-perfect front axe-kick or a left hook, the poor Aikidoka rolls only 3 dice, with a max of 3 combat pool.
Just a few other examples off the top of my head:
- Unarmed/Aikido/Disarming
- Unarmed/Wrestling/Choking
- Unarmed/Ninjutsu/Multiple-Opponent combat
- Unarmed/Boxing/Blocking (use full parry rules)
- Unarmed/Tai Chi/Pressure Point Attacks (like the spell Agonizing Pain from Awakenings, p. 136)
- Unarmed/Grappling/Restraining (useful for police)
- Unarmed/Tae Kwon Do/Sweeps
- Unarmed/Brawling/Sucker-punching (usable only when opponent is surprised)
In this very simple way, it becomes quite a bit easier to really show the differences between the skills. This type of breakdown also shows how it is always better to fight on your own terms than someone else's. Use what you're good at, and try to keep the other guy from doing the same. All the modifiers still apply to everyone equally, it's just that some people roll more dice at things than others. When combat pool is factored in, a difference in skill of 2 is a net of 4 dice difference. Ouch. And what of someone who doesn't concentrate or specialize? We call these people street-fighters and bar-room-brawlers, and they can hold their own regardless of what situation they find themselves in, which can sometimes be handy.
With a little bit of knowledge and imagination, a GM can come up with easy-to-use concentrations and specialization for all styles and all situations. And the more you know about martial arts, the more options your players will have. Improvise within the scope of the rules when necessary, like the pressure point attacks above. Very quickly, your campaign will have a much more well-rounded martial arts combat system that's quick and easy to use, as well as lending itself to giving your players more options when faced with unarmed combat.
Finally, some of these same principles can be used in armed combat as well, especially the aiming and game effect called shot rules. Martial arts often have a cross-over between armed and unarmed combat, and a good fighter will know both.
Using the above rules, I've seen characters who were skilled martial artist types enter into melee combat with a pistol-wielding opponent, punch the opponent once (to stun him and basically up his target numbers in game terms), disarm the opponent (game effect called shot), throw the opponent, then shoot him with his own gun while he was down. I swear, it looked like something out of a Steven Seagal flick. Actual elapsed time was two combat rounds, so combat still goes pretty quickly, especially between wired opponents. But that's a fact of life. Any martial artist will tell you that actual combat is over quite quickly. This system just lets you do more interesting stuff in those few seconds.
Since the Shadowrun Companion has come out, this one is no longer just a "house rule." Basically, it’s just the concept that the reach bonus only helps the combatant with superior reach, and does not incur a penalty to the target numbers of the combatant with inferior reach. Thus, and unarmed attacker facing an opponent with a sword has no penalty, but if the sword wielder chose to counterattack, he’d have a –1 target number bonus to do so. This makes reach an important but not overpowering factor in melee combat. For more details, see p. 92 of the Shadowrun Companion.
Since firearms may be quick drawn (see SRII, p. 82) and used as a single action gunslinger style, it stands to reason that melee weapons can be quick drawn and used in melee combat in the same action that they are drawn from their sheaths. Indeed, the very art of "iaido" is based on the premise that drawing and cutting with a sword should be done in a single, fluid motion. As such, melee weapons follow the same quick draw rules as firearms, with the exception of the concealability requirement. As such, any weapon held in a proper sheath or within easy reach can be drawn and used in a single complex action so long as the wielder successfully completes a Reaction(4) test. Weapons not within easy reach or those held in inappropriate places (like a switchblade in the pocket) incur a +2 target number modifier to the Reaction test. Weapons in hard to reach places like concealed boot sheaths or under multiple layers of clothing can not be quick drawn. Note that cyberware generally does not need to be quick drawn as deploying it is usually a free action (see SRII, p. 81)
As written, if a character attacks and is counterattacked by his opponent, a tie in the number of successes would indicate a hit for the attacker and a miss for the counterattacker. As long as there is a counterattack in Shadowrun melee combat rules as written, there will never be an instance where either a) neither combatant gets hit, or b) both combatants get hit.
Rather than just having the tie always go in favor of the attacker, I allow the attacker a choice. The first option allows the attacker to have the blow be a hit for both parties. Since neither party has net successes, both the attacker and the defender make Body resistance rolls against the base damage of their opponent's weapon. This option is useful when the attacker is more heavily armored or is wielding a more devastating weapon than the counterattacking opponent. It reflects the idea that there will be times when a character may need to sacrifice himself or risk taking damage in order to accomplish his or her goals.
The second option is to have neither side score a solid hit, resulting in neither side having to resist damage. A flurry of blows, counters, and ripostes that results in no hit.
As a mental exercise, what if you wanted to hit someone in melee combat range with the butt of a gun? What skill is used, and what modifiers apply? I would classify that as an Armed Combat attack, as a weapon is being used (in this case an improvised club). But this brings up that point that there will be times when characters may not have weapons ready, and will have to use what's around them to defend themselves. They may need to grab the nearest object and flail away with it, no matter how awkward it may be. Thus, I will introduce the concept of "improvised weapons."
Typically, I apply a +1 or +2 target number modifier for using an "improvised weapon." Which level is assigned depends on how unwieldy the improvised weapon. A crowbar wielded like a baseball bat might only be +1, but a four-lug tire iron (the cross-shaped kind) would be +2. A ball-peen hammer is only +1, but a 16-pound sledgehammer would be +2.
Note that the +2 modifier for using a gun in melee combat applies when you are firing the gun. The reason for this is that it is very difficult to line up a shot when you're very close, especially in a situation where your opponent is moving quickly or is hanging on to you (as often happens in melee). For using firearms as melee weapons however, I'd say +1 for the pistol and +2 for the rifle (unless there is a bayonet affixed, in which case I'd drop it to +1). Thus, if you are trying to butt-stroke someone with your M-22, you'd have a +2 to your target number. If you're trying to skewer them with the affixed bayonet, or trying to pistol-whip them, then you only have a +1.
When it comes to the damage code of the improvised weapon, I may add or subtract from the power-level depending on the weapon that is most like the object being used and how close in size and mass the improvised weapon is to it. Hard, heavy weapons (like the aforementioned crowbar or butt-stroke) may get a +1, whereas light, soft, or fragile weapons (like a beer bottle or a hold-out pistol) might get a -1. Thus, an improvised weapon that was like a club but heavier (like the aforementioned crowbar) would have the base power level of a club (Strength+1) +1 for its weight/length, bringing it to (Strength+2)M.
Keep in mind that this applies to virtually any improvised weapon. A pool-cue is like a staff (although it might be lighter and thus suffer a -1 to the power level), and gets the bonus of +2 reach. Anything can be a weapon, a chair (+2 improvised club, normal damage), a chain (+1 improvised flail, normal damage), a mop (+2 improvised staff, -1 power), a chainsaw (+2 improvised sword, +1 power), a broken bottle (+1 improvised knife, -1 power), a bayonet (+1 improvised spear, normal power), or whatever.
Also, remember that thrown weapons can be improvised as well. Just like a thrown club or knife, a brick, bottle, or salad fork can be thrown as well, with similar difficulties as described above.
By including the concept of improvised weapons into your game, you give your players a lot more options when it comes to using what's around them, especially in those circumstances where weapons are not allowed (meets, exchanges, high-class locations, or high-security installations).
Cruel GM's may wish to check for weapon breakage when a blow has been successfully parried, or when a tie has resulted in neither side taking damage (as described above). In such instances, simply have each combatant make a Strength check, with the target number equal to the Barrier Rating of the opposing weapon. Generally, I assign a Barrier Rating of 8 to small wooden weapons (like clubs or canes), a 10 to large wooden weapons or small metal weapons (like staves, polearms, or knives), and a 12 to steel weapons (like swords). Quality or customized weapons may be a point higher, improvised weapons may be a point lower, and Weapon Foci add their Focus Rating to their Barrier Rating. A success on the Strength indicates breakage, so it is possible to break both combatants' weapons this way. Done in this fashion, weapon breakage is uncommon, but can add a significant amount of uncertainty and tension to Armed Combat at the cost of very little extra effort.
While the rules for pummeling someone into a bleeding heap are pretty well defined, rules for grappling, pinning, or choking an opponent are never specifically given (other than the lame-ass and poorly written subduing rules). As such, I've had to come up with a way to work this that is both consistent with the written rules and works with my other house rules.
Essentially, grappling functions like any other Unarmed Combat concentration. The first step is to grab the opponent. Typically, this requires a called shot (usually to shoot in through the opponent's guard and grab him), though if the combatants are already on the ground or in close physical contact, this may not be the case. The Unarmed Combat test is done exactly as normal.
If the grab misses or the opponent counterattacks successfully, combat proceeds as normal. If the grab succeeds, keep track of the net number of successes. Immediately make an opposed Strength test, with the attacker's effective Strength increased by the net number of successes on the unarmed combat test. This reflects the fact that skilled grapplers can tie up their opponents by applying a surprisingly small amount of force, and hence, successes in the Unarmed test translate into a stronger effective Strength for the purposes of holding or pinning the target. If the attacker succeeds in the opposed Strength test, the target is held. If the target succeeds, he manages to break free from the hold before it is fully applied, and takes no damage.
If the target is successfully held, he or she must add +1 to the target numbers of all subsequent actions for every net success the attacker had on the opposed Strength test. For example, Mongo the Magnificent means to put Sleazy-D into a skull-crushing headlock. Mongo rolls his Unarmed/Grappling/Headlock skill of 10, and puts 6 Combat Pool dice into the attack, for a total of 16 dice. His target number is a 6 (base of 4, +2 for the called shot). He generates 4 successes. Sleazy, seeing Mongo's rippling forearms headed his way, decides to dodge. He gets only two successes. As such, a Strength test is immediately made. Mongo the Magnificent has a Strength of 6, but his two net successes on the grappling roll give him an effective Strength of 8. Sleazy-D has a bit of Muscle Augmentation, so he has a Strength of 5 (the little bugger is stronger than he looks). So Mongo rolls 8 dice, target number 5, and generates three successes. Sleazy-D rolls 5 dice, target number 8, but generates only 1 success. Uh oh! Thus, Mongo has clamped the headlock onto Sleazy-D, and all of Sleazy's subsequent actions are at a +2 (the net number of successes on the opposed Strength test) until he breaks out of the hold (see below). If Sleazy had somehow been able to get three successes on the opposed Strength test, he'd still be held (as a tie goes in favor of the attacker), but the resulting lock wouldn't be enough to add any penalties to his target numbers.
Once the lock is set, the target has to resist damage. All grappling and choking damage is considered subduing damage, and recall that the base damage level for unarmed hand-to-hand combat is Light (see Melee Combat rules above). However, successes gained in the opposed test count for staging the attacker's damage, and the target must resist damage at the attacker's effective Strength. So in the above example, Mongo got two net successes on the opposed Strength test, allowing him to stage the damage up one category. Thus, Sleazy-D would have to resist 8M subduing damage (minus his Impact armor). Unfortunately, Sleazy-D has little in the way of Impact armor, and but manages to get two successes and thus takes Light subduing damage.
Now that the target is held, the attacker has a few basic options. First, the attacker can "play it safe." All this means is that the attacker can simply expend his action and automatically inflict the base damage ([effective Strength]L subduing damage, staged up by the net number of successes on the last opposed Strength test). This requires no roll, and the target may resist the damage as normal. This is representative of the attacker slowly applying a choke or joint-lock that wears the opponent down. Note that when the attacker applies 10 boxes worth of subduing damage, the target is effectively "held." In my own campaign, I have allowed those who wish to do so to continue applying damage. This damage goes onto the Stun Monitor proper, an works in exactly the same way as described in the section on overdamage. The held target may still try to break free (see below), but adds the modifiers for both subduing and Stun damage to his target numbers. Once the attacker applies 10 boxes worth of Stun, the target falls unconscious, either from the pain of a joint-lock, or from lack of oxygen from being choked. Attackers may continue to apply damage even after the target is unconscious (again using the "wraparound" concept and the overdamage rules). In this way, opponents may be choked to death, have their necks slowly broken, or have their ribcage or internal organs crushed in a more or less lethal manner.
Second, the attacker can simply let go. This requires only a free action, and thus can happen at the attacker's leisure. There are times however, when it is best to let go so as to start over with a new pin or hold, or perhaps even make some other attack. This would be handled just like any unarmed combat attack, and all that the previous grapple would have accomplished would be to perhaps inflict a little subduing damage to the target, or perhaps bring the opponents close enough that the next grappling attack does not require a called shot. However, if the attacker rolled poorly in the first attack, he may wish to give up the hold and make another grappling attack, in essence moving from one lock to another in an attempt to get his opponent in a more compromising position. This may result in a higher effective Strength if the attacker rolls well, especially since the target may have modifiers from subduing damage inflicted when the first hold was applied.
Third, the attacker can choose to "tighten the lock." All this means is that another opposed Strength test is made. The attacker's effective Strength is not changed from before, but again, characters may wish to play the odds in the hope of generating more successes. Note, however, that any modifiers for subduing damage inflicted upon the held target apply. This is realistic, as once a lock is applied, it becomes much easier to "lever it on" as one's opponent tires. Note that tightening the lock also inflicts the base damage as described above. If the target generates more successes, however, he or she manages to escape from the lock as the grappler is tightening it. In any event, net successes from this test become the new penalty for the held target. So in the previous example, If Mongo had chosen to tighten his headlock on Sleazy-D with his next action, he would again roll 8 dice (his effective Strength) against a target number of 5 (Sleazy-D’s Strength). Sleazy-D would roll 5 dice against a target number of 9 (Mongo’s effective Strength, +1 for Sleazy-D’s Light subduing wound). Mongo again nets three successes, but this time, Sleazy doesn’t get any. As such, instead of a +2 penalty for being held, he now has a +3 (not including his Light subduing wound). Worse still, Sleazy needs to resist 8M subduing damage again (8L base, staged up once because of Mongo’s three successes). Again Sleazy is miraculously able to stage the damage down once, but still takes another Light subduing wound. Fortunately, 2 boxes still qualifies as Light damage, so his wound-incurred target numbers don’t go up.
Finally, the attacker may simply elect to perform some other action, such as draw or ready a weapon, change clips, give tactical direction to his squadmates (as in Fields of Fire, p. 84), or whatever. Generally, however, if this action is an offensive attack directed at the pinned target, I apply a +2 modifier, reflecting the difficulty of attacking while tied up with maintaining a lock. If the action is offensive and directed at someone other than the pinned target, I would apply an additional +2 secondary target modifier, as per the standard combat rules. In either offensive case, the target may dodge, parry, or counterattack as appropriate, but remember that actions of the held target are subject to modifiers for being pinned (from the opposed Strength test) as well as those from any damage already taken.
So if Mongo the Magnificent wanted to ready a throwing knife (a simple action) and throw it at Sleazy-D's noisy-ass dog to keep it from alerting the neighbors (another simple action), he could do so as long as he paid a +2 modifier for maintaining the lock on Sleazy-D, as well as a further +2 secondary target modifier on top of all the other applicable modifiers (movement, visibility, etc). If Mongo had a knife ready and wanted to stab Sleazy-D (a complex action), he could do so and pay only a +2 modifier, allowing him to stab while still maintaining the hold. Sleazy-D could dodge, parry, or counterattack, but he is subject to a +3 modifier (the net number of successes Mongo generated on the last opposed Strength test) as well a +1 modifier for his Light subduing wound. Even if Mongo misses or his attack does no damage, Sleazy-D is still held. If Sleazy-D had somehow successfully counterattacked however, then he may have been able to escape (see below).
The target has several options as well. Chief among them is the chance to "break out" of a hold. All this requires is another opposed Strength test. This reflects the target trying to weasel out of the grasp of the attacker or get into a position that allows him to use more leverage. It is exactly analogous to the attacker attempting to "tighten the hold" and works the same way. The opposed Strength test works exactly as before, but keep in mind that the target may have subduing damage modifiers. If the target wins the opposed test, he breaks free of the hold. If the target loses the test, he is still held. Note however that this may change the overall penalty that the target faces for subsequent actions as there may be a different number of net successes. As such, trying to weasel out of a hold may weaken the attacker's grip or may get you deeper into the lock. Again, characters must consider the alternatives and play the odds.
Another option for the target is to attack the grappler. Remember that net successes in the opposed Strength test still apply as a penalty, as do modifiers for subduing damage. In the previous example, if Sleazy-D wanted to punch Mongo the Magnificent, he'd have to roll a 4 (base target number for Unarmed Combat) +3 (the net successes on the last opposed Strength test), +1 for the Light subduing damage he took as a result of Mongo's application and tightening of the headlock. If the held combatant hits with his attack and the grappling combatant suffers actual knockdown (see SRII, p. 103, knockback is not sufficient), an immediate opposed Strength test must be made. If the grappler manages to hang on (keep in mind that he may have wound-induced target number modifiers as well now), then the hold is still applied. If they weren't already there, both combatants are probably now on the ground and considered "prone" to other characters. It becomes easy to see why stand-up fights so often degenerate into brawls on the floor. If the grappler fails the new opposed Strength test, the lock is broken and the grappler is knocked down (making him prone). If both combatants were already on the ground, then both are still considered prone, but the lock is still broken.
Finally, the pinned character may simply try to perform some other action, such as fire a gun, shout a warning, or whatever. Remember that the penalties for being pinned and possibly subdued apply. So if Sleazy-D wanted to shoot his pistol at Molly (Mongo’s girlfriend), he could attempt it, but would suffer the same penalties described above. This type of thing may be the case if the authorities were attempting to restrain a crazed gunman in a crowd, or if security guards were attempting to keep a suicidal eco-terrorist from making the final Demolitions Skill check to arm the explosives wired to the reactor.
Though this may initially seem a little complicated, it becomes pretty straightforward when you realize that with the exception of the penalty associated with losing the opposed Strength test (and thus being held), everything functions exactly like all other unarmed combat. All of the appropriate modifiers apply to both parties, and combat proceeds in the normal way with regards to initiative, actions spent, etc. Similarly, all of the above house rules can be used as well, with attackers aiming before shooting in to grapple with an opponent, or with pinned combatants calling shots to vital areas to increase their chances of getting out of precarious positions.
The very first archtype in the Shadowrun II basic rulebook is a bodyguard. But nowhere within the original Shadowrun rules, nor in any sourcebooks that follow, do they give rules for doing basic bodyguard things, like pushing your client out of the way of an attack or intercepting a bullet meant for another.
Because of this, I have created a special skill called "Bodyguard." It can be purchased at character creation like any other skill, and is raised like any other special skill (or specialization). The Bodyguarding skill dictates the maximum number of Combat Pool dice that the bodyguard may allocate to the client. In order to do so however, the bodyguard needs to be within arm’s reach of the client and must be able to act on the client (in the case of surprise tests). In essence, it allows a character to use his Combat Pool to protect other characters from physical attacks the same way a mage can use Spell Defense dice out of his Magic Pool to protect other characters from magical attacks (see Spell Defense rules in SRII, p. 132).
Typically, the most appropriate use of this skill happens during surprise situations (see SRII, p. 86). For example, Dead-Eye Dick wants to geek Louie the Suit. Unfortunately, Louie has employed Mr. Bennet as his bodyguard. Dick leaps out of a shadowed doorway, his gun at the ready. A surprise test is in order, and everyone rolls A Reaction test with a base target number of 4. Dead-Eye Dick, lying in wait with held action gets a –2 modifier, for a final target number of 2. He rolls a number of dice equal to his Reaction (5), and gets 4 successes. Louie, thinking about his latest quarterly balance sheet, gets a +2 modifier for being distracted. He rolls his Reaction (a mere 3), and gets no successes. Mr. Bennet however, is paying attention. He rolls his Reaction (an 8) against the base target number and also gets 4 successes.
At this point, under the standard rules, Mr. Bennet would have to stand helplessly by as Dick unloaded his heavy pistol into poor Louie, since Mr. Bennet can’t act directly against Dick. Further, Louie wouldn’t get the chance to dodge, as he was completely surprised. But lo and behold, Mr. Bennet has a Bodyguard skill of 5. That means that while he can’t act directly against Dick, he can allocate up to 5 of his own Combat Pool dice to Louie. Mr. Bennet chooses to allocate all 5. Since the allocation of Combat Pool dice to the client is done in precisely the same fashion as allocating Spell Defense dice, Mr. Bennet still has time to perform other actions, such as draw his gun, begin aiming for the next combat round to follow, or whatever, so long as he doesn’t act directly against Dick. His actions also happen simultaneously to Dick’s as they scored the same number of successes on the surprise test. Dead-Eye Dick rolls for his shot as normal, taking a single simple action to aim, and the other to fire. Counting all of the appropriate modifiers, he comes up with two successes. But Louie gets the chance to roll the 5 Combat Pool dice that Mr. Bennet has given him in an attempt to dodge (see the rules on dodging above). Louie gets three successes, and thus Dead-Eye Dick’s shot is a miss. Curses! Foiled again!
Had Dick beaten both Louie and Mr. Bennet, however, Mr. Bennet would have been unable to allocate his dice before Dick shot. Nobody ever said bodyguard work was easy. Further, if by some odd stroke of coincidence Louie and Dick had scored more successes on the surprise test than Mr. Bennet, our poor bodyguard would have been caught standing around like a dope as his client got shot. However, had Mr. Bennet beaten both Louie and Dead-Eye Dick, he would have been able to act directly against our would-be assassin (say by quick drawing his pistol and shooting Dick as he stepped out of the doorway) as well as allocate Combat Pool dice to Louie (just in case Dick proved hard to take down). Note that any Combat Pool dice that Mr. Bennet allocates to Louie are unavailable to the bodyguard for other actions.
There will be a few instances where it may be necessary to "take the bullet." In order to do so, the bodyguard merely declares his intent to interpose his own body between the shooter and the target. When the shooter fires, the bodyguard can roll his own Combat Pool dice to dodge into the shooter’s line of fire. If the bodyguard gets more successes than the shooter, he has successfully taken the bullet. The bodyguard must then resist the weapon’s base damage and check for knockdown as normal. Since this does not require the bodyguard to be able to act on the client directly, it comes in handy on those occasions where the client gets more successes on the surprise test than the bodyguard (though if the shooter goes first, the bodyguard still can’t act in time).
Outside of a surprise situation, the bodyguard can allocate Combat pool dice to the client just like a mage can with Spell Defense. "Taking the bullet" however, requires an available simple action (which may have been held for just such occasions). While simple and straightforward, these rules add a lot to the game, and allow careful, quick, or observant characters to undertake bodyguard missions in a more realistic and entertaining way.
So these are a few of my house rules. They may not seem like much, but they actually can make the game a lot more interesting and challenging. If anyone has any questions concerning these rules or would like further examples, feel free to ask.
Marc Renouf
renouf@erim-int.com