User:RandomChummer
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Reddit: RandomChummer
Discord nickname: "Borogove (<currently active character>)"
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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.
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.
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
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
Spells and Spellcasting
Mentor Spirits
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. (Permalink Source)
(🔗 Src) 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.
- Error creating thumbnail: File missingError creating thumbnail: File missingAdepts, 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.
Mechanics Threads
Direct links to all Mechanics threads, that has more rulings: