ShadowHaven Rules Interpretations

Purpose

This is a wiki page collecting all interpretations rendered by the Mechanics team where there are multiple possible readings. It is, as of the time of this posting, an experiment by Mechanics team as an alternative to ShadowNET style reddit threads for similar concerns. It may or may not remain in this format.

This is not an alternative to the Player Rules, which should include all house rules - those things that deviate from RAW and likely involved the full breadth of Council. Instead, this is the place for those little things.

Questions by the community may be posed in the Mechanics Threads on /r/shadowhavenBBS The Mechanics Team, under Voro, will formulate a response, then post it to both this page and the reddit comment. While nominally no question is too small, some questions may not be deemed important enough by Mechanics team to make it over to this page. Categorization is a work in progress, and we appreciate your patience and understanding.

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In rulings below, this icon links to the exact location of itself. It's meant to be a tool for referencing a specific rule interpretation.

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If this icon is present, it links to the original reddit thread which the ruling is drawn from, as a point of reference.

Combat

General

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The following is a description of initiative stacking lockouts. In any case where something states that it does not stack, it will not stack even if other sources state they do. In essence, if any source states it does not stack with something else affecting you, you do not get the benefit of the non-stacking source.

Edge

Edge to Seize the Initiative or Blitz will function with any other use of edge, even if that source states that it does not stack. It always works. Blitz, of course, does not permit you to roll more than 5d6 initiative dice. These also work in the Astral and Matrix.

Qualities

The Seize effect from Adrenaline Surge will only function on the meat (and consequently AR matrix initiative.)

The initiative from Pain is Gain applies only to matrix initiative.

The initiative from Lightning Reflexes will not stack with any drugs, adept powers, spells, cyberware, bioware, or generware. The defense die stacks normally. Lightning Reflexes will, uniquely, work in the Astral, but not Matrix VR.

The initiative from Poor Self Control (Thrill-Seeker) will stack with all other sources.

Spells

The Increase Reflexes spell shall not stack with drugs, other spells, adept powers, cyberware, bioware, or geneware.

The Vampiric Speed spell shall not stack with drugs, other spells, adept powers, cyberware, bioware, or geneware.

Adept Powers

The Adrenaline Boost power shall stack with drugs, but not with spells, other adept powers, cyberware, bioware, or geneware.

The Improved Reflexes power shall not stack with drugs, spells, other adept powers, cyberware, bioware, or geneware.

Other Magic

The initiative bonus from Channeling shall not stack with drugs, spells, adept powers, cyberware, bioware, or generware.

Cyberware

Wired Reflexes will stack with drugs, but not with spells, adept powers, other cyberware, bioware, or geneware.

Move-by-Wire systems will not stack with drugs, spells, adept powers, other cyberware, bioware, or geneware. The sole exception is Accelerator, which will stack with it normally. Note the downsides for Accelerator.

Bioware

Synaptic Boosters will not stack with drugs, spells, adept powers, cyberware, other bioware, or geneware. The sole exception is Accelerator, which will stack with it normally. Note the downsides for Accelerator.

Boosted Reflexes will stack with drugs. They will not stack with spells, adept powers, cyberware, other bioware, or geneware.

Geneware

Synaptic Acceleration will stack with drugs. It will not stack with spells, adept powers, cyberware, other bioware, or geneware.

Reaction Optimization, the poor thing, will not stack with drugs, spells, adept powers, cyberware, other bioware, or geneware.

As a reminder, drugs will not stack with themselves. However, you can receive a benefit to the same attribute multiple times, as long as it is from different drugs.

Final Notes

Astral initiative is not affected by any bonuses to initiative, except where explicitly stated.

Matrix VR initiative is not affected by any bonuses to initiative, except for those that reference biofeedback, matrix initiative, hotsim, or coldsim.

Matrix and Rigging AR initiative is treated as meat initiative. It does not benefit from things that specify matrix initiative, hotsim, or coldsim.

Additional base dice, like those possessed by all shapeshifters and certain HMHVV Infected, are just that - base dice. They functionally stack with everything.

Magic

The Astral Plane

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Martial Arts do not function in any capacity on the Astral Plane.

Spells and Spellcasting

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Ritual Spell Formulae will have the availability and cost of Combat Spell Formulae.

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Spellblades will use the 'Spellblade' skill specialization which may be applied to either Clubs or Blades (or both.) Note the normal rules on skill specializations. Neither Powerblade nor Manablade will bypass armor entirely, however, they will both have AP equal to the hits on the spellcasting test, not to exceed half the force. This is not a mechanical limit that can be bypassed by Pushing the Limit with edge, or with reagents. This is subject to change at a future date, but will likely become more permissive, not less, if that occurs.

Magical Objects

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Magical Lodges will have no direct impact on the background count of an area during downtime. If it is in-run, I suggest GMs have the background count of the area covered by a lodge be 1 for every 4 full points of force it possesses, with the points being aligned to the tradition of the lodge. The GM, however, has ultimate say. They are not active during downtime to avoid certain possible shenanigans with how background counts work.

Mentor Spirits

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Regarding Oracle - Adepts, Magicians, Aspected Magicians, and Mysads following Oracle both may and must take the Divination art and the Augury and Sortilege ritual for the next initiation if they do not already possess it. Adepts and Mystic Adepts without the Magician's Way, as well as any Aspected Conjurers or Aspected Enchanters may still use the Augury and Sortilege ritual, completing the ritual with a straight Magic check (rolling their Magic attribute only in d6) instead of Ritual Spellcasting + Magic, and interpreting the answer to the Question with an Arcana + Logic check. Mystic Adepts who are not locked out of Sorcery and who are following the Magician's Way, and any Magician or Aspected Sorcerer, will use Ritual Spellcasting to complete the ritual as per the usual rules. As usual, the Augury and Sortilege ritual is highly dependent on factors that are not actually within the GM's control, and I encourage you to be cautious even in the face of a seemingly definitive answer. The future is, after all, very tricky. If a character who does not have Ritual Spellcasting is no longer following Oracle, they may not make use of these rules in order to utilize Augury and Sortilege. They are only available to those who stick with Oracle's Gifts.

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The Chaos Mentor spirit allows one to take two levels of Improved Potential in the same limit. You are still limited to 3 total ranks. This is an exception to the normal rules relating to Improved Potential.

The Matrix

Technomancers

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The Editor Complex Form does not trigger data bombs, nor is it blocked by encryption on a file.

Skills

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Nerve Strike is a valid skill specialization for Unarmed. Incidentally, so are "Shock Gloves" and "Knucks." Note the normal rules regarding specializations.

Gear

Drugs

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Chemical Glands may not take the Gradual Release option.

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Permitted drugs for use in Chemical Glands are:

All drugs in the Core Rulebook are permitted. BTLs, as noted below, are not permitted.

All drugs in Chrome Flesh, with the following exceptions, are permitted: Cereprax, Hurlg, K-10, Nightwatch, NoPaint, Sober Time, and Soothsayer.

All drugs in Boston Lockdown are permitted, with the following exception: Numb.

No magical compounds, awakened drugs, or BTLs are permitted under any circumstance.

No contact vector only drugs are permitted under any circumstance.

Pretty much every entry a drug has will cause an overdose. Init dice and init score are distinct, but high pain tolerance and limit changes both overlap with themselves (not each other!) and cause overdose. If there are more specific questions, contact Mechanics Team.

Containers and Inventory

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Only one weapon may be fitted into any given holster. However, it does not have to be a firearm. It simply must be the appropriate size. In this case, you can put a singular knife into a quickdraw holster.

Specific Books

Run And Gun

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The PPP Vitals kit cannot stack with armor vests and armor jackets of most varieties. Ultimately, it is up to GM fiat, however, as I do not wish to have to maintain a comprehensive list. That said, both the Wild Hunt and the Big Game Hunter would definitely not stack with PPP Vitals.

Hard Targets

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Synthskin masks provide bonus dice to disguise tests - this bonus is equal to the successes on a single Software + Logic [Rating] test. In this case, one cannot use edge or other means to get around the limit - it is a hard limitation of the equipment. If you are using a biometric scan of someone's face, you may take another +2, for the purposes of duplicating that face only. In the absence of a proper disguise test, the pool of bonus dice should be rolled on their own, simply for wearing the mask. In any case, the face it is mimicing and the bonus dice a mask provides should be noted on your sheet, and remember that they cannot be changed.

Mechanics Threads

Direct links to all Mechanics threads, with more rulings:

• Mechanics Thread I
• Mechanics Thread II
• Mechanics Thread III
• Mechanics Thread IV
• Mechanics Thread V