Shadowrun (5E) Missions: Which Detection Spell(s) to Select?

Last couple sessions that I played Shadowrun Missions, the lack of my combat mage's versatility has been brought up. No hard feelings on my end. The combat mage template basically does combat... and that's about it. Not bad; however, as I have mentioned via earlier posts, combat magic in 5th edition Shadowrun doesn't have the oomph it did in previous editions. So yeah, I've been feeling it alright...


So it's high time my combat mage learns some new spells. Must confess I still haven't fully worked my head around the availability rules Missions uses. So only those spells with relatively easy Availablity will be picked from. Leaves me with the Detection and Heath categories. Health - I am not a fan. Maybe if I used reagents more, and thus boosting limits, I would. But, I don't. Unlike D&D, Health spells, within a Force a caster would normally cast, is weak sauce in Shadowrun.


Detection spells it is.


First, I am holding off on the analyze spells. They're neat; but they require a great deal more thought than I am willing to invest at the moment.


Mind Probe is awesome. However, Mind Probe is very situational. In Missions, I've come to feel every karma counts. As player of a magician exercises the working for the people option to garner more karma, nuyen is much more finite than it otherwise would be. With lifestyle expenses, I have to be very careful how much time is spent training. So I'll save Mind Probe for another wave. Besides, my Combat Mage has been fortunate to run with some very charismatic characters. That'll continue, right...?


Detect Object - is even more situational than Mind Probe is. So probably not.


I absolutely love the potential radar effect for the extended versions of some of the detect spells. However, Shadowrun Missions is currently located in Chicago, which is host to areas with different kinds of background counts. Probably overthinking it though. Later.


Detect Enemies is neat; but my observations lead me to be skeptical of its use in Missions. Everything is either to far away, one can already notice it, or you've wandered into a different background count. Chicago is a bit of a peach that way...


Detect Lifeform is another gem. But I really don't want to specialize.


Really digging Detect Life though. Meanwhile, Clairvoyance is an old favorite of mine. Clairaudience could have came in handy for some of the mods.


If I pick up one spell, it will be Clairvoyance. Like I said, it's one of my go-to spells. Plus, it doesn't have a success table that requires some interpretation on the GM's part like Detect Life. If two spells, Clairaudience will be the second.


And that's just the core book!


We will just have to wait and see how this latest batch of thinking out loud plays out. Which reminds me, there's some session reports that await...


Till next time,


Happy Gaming!

Gosh Adventurer's League Modules Run Far Longer than Advertised!

Picture Sean Bean's Boromir stating: 'One simply does not finish in Adventurer's League module in the time allotted!'


Sums up my feelings whenever I see the words "a two-hour module" or "a four-hour module".


Sure, some modules finish within the allotted time. Most often that's not the case. I've played two hour mods that ran three hours. Four hour mods that ran five or six hours. Heck, the two hour module I played last Monday ran for four hours!


Yes, you read that correctly. A two hour module ran for four hours.


To be fair, we had seven players. You know the more players, the more turns there are. Seven players also means a stronger table. Ok, sounds about right. Which means the module increases the number and/or strength of opponents. A seventh player increases the difficulty exponentially. So the Balrog - Gandalf bridge encounter? Too many PCs. Boromir's death? Sorry, Boromir but those four low level hobbits (halflings) means there has to be twice as many opponents. Couldn't resist the LOTR references but I swear the Adventurer's League authors take their cue from that. They also have a fondness for Fireball...


Except unlike LOTR PCs can't cover vast distances to escape. Often they're forced to fight those numbers.


Fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons is simpler than Third but it's not that much faster.


Also doesn't help that the modules don't scale well. The module played on Monday was intended for 2nd level characters. We were... well above that.


So here's my thoughts on how to truly speed up modules:


1) Run them at their intended character level. Strong parties will simply crush through them. Kind of like in real life. Just scale XP or don't. Either that or gradually scale the encounters to where the PC's are at. Players don't mind a tough end battle.


2) Don't increase the number of foes. The players will have superior numbers and the fight will end soon. Only in Organized Play is a six or seven member party a disadvantage. You could also scale up with each encounter.


I know some purists will scoff; but frankly the modules simply aren't well-timed for all levels and party sizes.


Till Next Time,


Happy Gaming.

Why Marvel's Diversity Initiative Failed

By now, we've all seen the hype for Marvel's next new initiative, Legacy. A key cornerstone of Legacy is what appears to be bringing back the old characters to dialing back the diversity initiative.


What's the diversity initiative? If you're asking that, you haven't paid much attention to the world of comics. One thing Marvel Comics has tried over the last several years is enhancing the ethnic and gender diversity of the starring characters of the titles it publishes.


First, Marvel tried minor approaches such as titles starring Sif and the like using minor characters. However, unless such a title has A-list talent or receives tremendous accolades, ie critical acclaim such that sales increase massively, the comics market is far too competitive for such a title to survive. Marvel's constant new initiatives, major events, and unforgiving sales floor didn't help much either.


So what's a publisher to do if one really wants to show they're series about bringing more diversity to their line-up? In the case of Marvel, replace some of their long-standing heroes, whom also have spotty sales history, with a non-white or female replacement! It even culminated in the short-lived All-New, All-Diverse (er I meant Different) Avengers. Alas, the thirty-something plus fanbase that buys the comic books that amortizes the trades basically saw it as the publishing gimmick that it was. They didn't embrace it whole-heartedly. Neither, did the new fans Marvel hoped to attract flock to comic stores to purchase those comics to foster the sales numbers Marvel desired.


The latter is really my theory why Marvel's Diversity Initiative failed. Not sexist fanboys. Not racist fanboys. One must realize there's only so many comic readers out there. Many of them are thirty-plus. They've seen the characters they've followed for years be replaced, changed, butchered, etc. When I learnt of Sam Wilson Cap or Jane Foster Thor, I didn't scream out oh no they've changed races and genders! I went 'Oh no, not again!' like toward the end of the movie Spaceballs. This won't last was my first thought. The heavy hype only made it worse to my mind. I am betting other comic buyers thought same thing.


You can only ask long time readers to support short-term gimmicks for so long before they either fail to support the title or become very critical. Unfortunately, all those new readers whom sought such diversity (ie a female Thor, a black Captain America) were probably waiting to hear if the books were any good before buying trade. Irate comics readers aren't going to provide the solid reviews to foster that.


I give Marvel credit. They tried to expand their market. Alas, they did so expecting their current, much abused market to do what they always do. The market said no as did the potential market. So that's my theory why the diversity initiative failed.


Next Time.

So Maybe the 2017- 2018 Television Season Will Be the Charm?

Last fall, I decided I would do something different. I had realized that I couldn't recall enough of a given television episode to blog about afterwards. The 2015 -2016 season had started out relatively strong with quick snippets of a show's episode that week. Then I befall behind, which led me to the conclusion notes were needed. Took notes I did.


Taking notes worked... I covered the Flash's Christmas episode. The Ghost Rider arc for Marvel's Agents of SHIELD received steady coverage from me. I actually did take notes for shows that I didn't blog about. Got to the point when enough episodes for various shows aired that I decided to wait to lump them together.


Yeah, it is mid-July now.


Most if, not all, those shows are available on Netflix now. Not exactly current or tied to the 2016 - 2017 season anymore.


Plus, I would delay watching entire shows.


Once I started watching shows on Hulu I decided that I preferred not taking notes as it removed me from the experience too much.


On the other hand, I do like providing my two cents on specific episodes.


So the notes I took for 2016 - 2017 will vanish into the aether. Once I re-watch a show or catch up I may blog about it. In fact, I may follow my approach with movies and not blog until I've seen it a second time.


I'm sure I'll think of something. Or who knows? Maybe I'll actually follow the format this 2017 - 2018 television series and provide weekly updates.


Next Time.

Mustering on Social Media Simplifies Organized Play

A decade and half ago, sheesh has it been so long, when I first participated in organized role-playing games via the RPGA's Living Greyhawk, we used an email group to sign up for modules. We knew the module, who was playing, who was running, and the PCs. A very nice set up if you ask me.


When LFR roared upon the scene, things were less formal. However, it was circle of friends and acquaintances. Word of mouth sufficed in gathering all the information above.


Flash forward to Adventurer's League and Shadowrun Missions. The Shadowrun Missions table has been fairly consistent. Generally one table progressing through the storyline and occasionally a second table of replays aimed at newer players. We've had the same players and while a character may be switched out it feels like an ongoing campaign within an organized play framework.


Adventurer's League is the Wild West in comparison. While the module is posted on social media, there have been times a DM was not known until the day of. Players and prospective DMs would arrive unaware of the module and tier. Last year, the store that runs the events attempted mustering via social media. Initially, I felt it worked well. I signed up. Stated character and level and then showed up. Still some players simply didn't use the social media page to sign up in advance. Gradually, the situation advanced to the Wild West situation describe. The store would have to muster table come start time. Delaying the game considerably.


Finally, the store decided a minimum sized table was required or else there would be no organized D&D or Shadowrun that week. First week was a learning lesson. Game was cancelled. Second week, we had a table. The store treated those signees, of which I was one, as one mustered table and anyone who just showed up as another. This upcoming session, it appears we have our minimum table so we shall see.


It's too early to tell if more players and DMs will adopt the new social media mustering approach. Would be very nice if it wasn't just 'oh so-and-so plus myself have signed up so we'll be one table'. A larger pool allows more interactivity such that the players and their character choices can influence the table mustering. Plus, one can prep for the 'familiarity' with each other the modules often presume. Too often I have sat at a table and not known the name, race, or class of a fellow PC! Given time constraints that does dampen play quite a bit. Heck, playing continuing modules with same characters create such familiarity! That's one of the hallmarks of the Shadowrun Missions events. Would be nice if the D&D 5E Adventurer's League could achieve similar results.


Till Next time,


Happy Gaming!

Geek Culture Sure Relies on the Net Quite a Bit

A blog entry or two I mentioned that I was finally able to watch wrestling again. Why? I didn't have cable; and the internet was subject to data caps. Sure, I could watch a wrestling match now and then. However, my available data would be significantly less. Rationing internet use isn't fun at all. Curiously, the amount of data consumed for what would be considered the simplest things, not talking watching wrestling matches here, would become more and more over the years...


Ah, what does this have to do with geek culture as I ascribe within the title, you may ask? Wrestling fans are geeks of sort as one does not just simply watch one or two hours of wrestling a week. Following geek culture requires quite a bit of data. Just think of how much one streams a week! From trailers to television shows to movies, not to mention video games, the internet is the realm of the geek. Thus to follow geek culture one must use the internet quite a bit. Besides, I frequently said I would explain my absence from wrestling one day. Here it is.


Instead of following wrestling bit by bit on social media, I can watch shows on Hulu, Netflix, or the WWE Network (or insert wrestling promotion). Also don't need to stock up on wrestling DVDs although there are some I'll still pick up.


Speaking of DVDs, remember when one can walk into a brick and mortar store and see aisles brimming with quite a variety? Yeah, not so much now. Nowadays, one is lucky if one can find a show past a certain season! Has Marvel's Agents of SHIELD had more than one season available on DVD? If it has I must have missed it.


You know where I can find seasons of Marvel's Agents of SHIELD? Netflix. While I waited what seems like years, cause it has, for Daredevil Season One to come out on DVD, I can watch both seasons plus all the other Netflix Marvel shows as well. Without hoping for a long, long time that it will soon arrive on DVD. Can also watch the new Voltron, Inspector Gadget, and Danger Mouse as well. So without the internet, reliable, non-rationed high speed internet, one simply does not have access to segments of geek culture.


Sometimes I wait quite a long time before watching a show. Too long. Plus, it's nice if my viewing of show attracts attention similar to a Nielsen family. That's what Hulu is for. Legion is great adaptation inspired by the X-men character Legion. The show does a terrific job reflection the unstable nature of the main character's mental state as each episode shifts in tone from one episode to the next. Although I think there's one character that's more Morrison than Claremont. Furthermore, Legion is very dark compared to all the other comic book based shows on the air in a very sophisticated fashion. Don't have cable so I couldn't have watched it. Plus thanks to Hulu the powers-that-be have another measurement of support. Same goes true for the NBC show Timeless. While I DVR'd Timeless, I fell behind that I eventually gave up and deleted my recordings. However, I was able to watch the show about a time travel show that illustrates how much one act can have profound effect on the timeline. All under the backdrop where the black hats aren't necessarily black hats. Really enjoy. While I may not like how Hulu goes about expiring shows, it does motivate me to watch it. Otherwise, I wouldn't have marathoned Timeless and discovered how much I greatly enjoyed it.


Video games - in the age of DRM do people actually truly own their video game? And it's a complete game? Nope. Heck, PC games are rarer in stores than DVDs! After years, Steam finally stopped working for me. Steam works again now.


The role-playing game industry is almost as bad. As much as I championed 4th edition D&D, WOTC's ill-advised 4th ed version of the OGL, the GSL (?), practically killed any variety of the RPG market in stores. As such, many RPG product are generally available primarily in ebook form. Plus there's software support and gaming via online.


Went from being avid anime watcher to barely watching any anime. Anime is too expensive for me to buy it completely unseen. So once I could watch anime on Hulu once more, I watched the anime Phantasy Star Online 2 The Animation. Yeah, that was another reason I had hankering to play some Phantasy Star when I downloaded Phantasy Star 2 for my phone... Great series. Not my Phantasy Star but it had enough Phantasy Star elements. Kind of wish the game would become available to play here in the States after watching it... Heck, I've even started watching a couple 'new' series that are airing on Hulu, Chronos Ruler and In Another World with My Smartphone. Been a very long time since I last watched an anime series on a weekly basis and not had the option to binge it. Heck, it's nice to watch anime regularly again!


So there you go. My rather long-winded account on how I can now fully experience geek culture (while arguing why the internet is necessary) as my internet experience is no longer constrained.


Next time