New Spyrer - Alucinari

[DarkMouse]

Hi all, first post in here with an idea for a new Spyrer in mind.

This is now draft 3 of the Alucinari, feedback is as ever most appreciated
Terriculum added as a drug.
With that said here is the Alucinari

The Alucinari is piloted by those that find straight up murder to kind and quick ad instead prefer to prolong the suffering of their victims before they cruelly end their lives. These nobles look to rule though fear as well as might when they ascend. That is if the can bear to lose the power that comes with the suit...
The Alucinari is devoted to the spread of abject paranoia and chaos throughout the underhive through the use of experimental hallucinogenic compounds. It is not enough for these Spyrers to simply hunt and kill, to them there is more thrill in watching their victims jump at every shadow and noise...even to watch them succumb to the drug fever, driving them into a drug fuelled rage.
Even with this the Alucinari wearers still seek to heighten their stimulation through the use of drug injectors within the suit ensuring that the hunt never becomes boring.....

Suit comes with the equipment standard to all Spyrers
Boosts : Suit gives a +1 Characteristic increase to Ballistic Skill and Toughness
Weapons : Dart Gauntlet (follows the same rules for being treated as a pistol as the Orrus bolt launchers and Malcadon web spinners do).

Dart Gauntlet
Short range 0-8 (To hit +1)
Long range 8-16
Ammo roll 2+

Silent

Hallucinogenic compounds: After a successful hit no roll to wound is made, if the target has an armour save it may take it. If the dart penetrates the armour the victim suffers a wound and must roll on the following table
1 - Flesh wound no further adverse effects
2 - 3 Victim is subject to stupidity
4 - 5 Victim is subject to scare
6 Victim is subject to frenzy

Scared fighters test to recover their nerve as normal for scare gas, fighters subject to stupidity and frenzy are subject to this state for the rest of the game.

Drug injectors - Can be loaded with 1 dose of Terriculum. This dose can be injected at any point within the Alucinaris own turn.
Terriculum adds D3 to WS and A until the Alucinari recovers from the drug at which point he suffers a flesh wound.
If another dose is taken whilst the Alucinari is under the effects of the previous dose then +D3 is added to his M as well.

Long term effects - if a double 1 is rolled for recovery then the Alucinari becomes addicted and must be under the effect of one dose before he can gain the benefits of the drug.
If an addicted Alucinari does not take a dose of drug he is treated as suffering D3 flesh wounds.
If a double 6 is rolled for recovery whilst under the effects of multiple doses then the Alucinari is immediately taken Out Of Action as though by a high impact weapon as the strain on his system becomes too much.

Advance result of 7
1-2 +1 Initiative
3-4 +1 Wound
5-6 +1Toughness

Power Boosts
1: Combat Neuroware
2: Flechette Gauntlets, Gain Sustained fire 1
3: Multi Dose Injector, can be loaded with D3+1 doses in any combination following the usual rules.
4: Thickened armour
5: Envenomed claws, Hth hits are resolved using blade venom
6: Refined Compounds, the Alucinari can now modify the injury table +/- 1 if they wish.

Skills to choose from
Shooting
Stealth
Muscle
Ferocity

Any and all feedback welcome

Like I said feedback welcome i'll be looking to fine tune this so it's properly powered

 

[trollmeat]

Hi, welcome to yak. Sorry that the first reply is from a troll

Do you have an idea of what the suit would look like? I'm not getting a clear image 'cos it gets Toughness increases but its primary weapon goes "pew pew"...

Please take everything I say with a grain of salt and await a reply from someone who isn't a filthy shell shocked scavvy with a head wound (stupidity/frenzy on 2D6 roll of 6+, hooray!) :-D

Spoiler: ignore this

I was under the impression that all Spyrers, by definition, prefer to slowly torture and mutilate those that are lesser than them (which is everyone born below the pinnacles of the Spire).

Fluff wise you have described something similar to a Malcadon (capturing enemies to slowly peel flesh later), but Rules wise you have written someone that prefers to spread Fear, Panic and Terrror in the Underhive. Slight fluff adjustment?

I can see why a Spyrer that has access to Hallucinogens might be appealing, but I prolly wouldn't use it in its current form:

- dice rolls: I prefer to keep the number of dice thrown to a minimum, and hallucinating models roll a fistful.
+ maybe if it had some unique mechanism, that didn't add a billionty rolls, rather than giving a rare item to an already tough model?

- fear & range: spyrers already cause fear as a standard, and at 10" max range the enemy is very close to charge range and would likely be attacked by a faster moving spyrer.
+if sticking with hallucinogen, then increasing range, or even giving a power boost that does this?

- damage & role: without causing wounds from ranged attack the Alucinari would fall into a "support" role, disabling foes for allies to finish off. With the short range, randomness of hallucinations, and only being able to hit more than one target on a lucky boost roll, it doesn't feel like it would have a huge impact on the game (I do like that you have started low, as it is easier to get repeat test games with underpowered rules than overpowered).
+ do a search on yak for "Altum", a support spyrer that launched grens that Loriel was working on - always good to see what others have been doing when playing with making new rules. ( there was also a pyro spyrer that I believe was abandoned called "Vatra" if you are looking at other people's attempts)

 

[spafe]

Yeah I second Trolls suggestion at the end of checking out the nade launcher one others have worked on (good memory troll, I'd forgotten wh oit was and what they were called so was going to be really vague about it ).

The Toughness... yeah, I cant see why. Maybe look at the nade guy and think about adding halucingin nades to him so he can be a proper support roll (or maybe have him start with just frags, but then some biobooster upgrades are unlock different ones...).

Otherwise I don't see much wrong, and it's certainly not overpowered, but it does feel a bit lacking...

 

[DarkMouse]

Replying in as much order as I can lol

Fluff tweak seems reasonable I'm honestly not good at translating brain to paper (or screen I suppose)

The range was needed by a friend of mine honestly who decided that a 16" range was just too much after reading what I'd thought up lol in this case I think a 16" long range is more deserved?

The toughness increase was more to reflect his time spent messing around with toxic compounds and the resistance he'd built up as a result

As for a unique mechanism how about when the Dart Gauntlet causes a wound they roll a dice on a 1-3 they suffer from stupidity and a 1-4 they suffer from frenzy for the game? (This would also solve the no xp for wounding problem) with a T test in recovery phase to see if they recover? (Then usual cycle of recovery)
Main reason I went for hallucinogens is because I think the table is hilarious

I kinda wanted to steer clear of grenades honestly if I could as I wanted something more precise :/

 

[spafe]

hmm okay... I can get the logic for T increase, but should really be explained in the fluff better.

overall though he seems to be very stepping on the toes of the malc... cos otherwise I'd be suggesting causing T test or lose a wound or similar type poison, but the Malc already hits toughness....

For him to be slow (standard move rather than super fast like the rest), I can easily see him having a 16" range if you are going to use something like this though.

As a side note... you're in Reading?! is that right?

 

[DarkMouse]

In all honesty I'm not awesome at writing fluff and I was a lil tired when I put that down, apologies :/

I have made some improvements to the weaponry and may have added something to give him a little extra identity (well heres hoping at least)

Hallucinogenic compounds: After a successful hit no wound roll is made. A fighter may attempt an armour save, if applicable, if failed then the fighter suffers a wound and must roll in the following chart.
1: Flesh wounded
2-3: Fighter is subject to stupidity
4-5: Fighter is immediately broken
6: Subject to frenzy

The fighter endures this for one turn (automatically escaping pinning due to the extra adrenaline in response to their intoxication)
If however they lost their last wound to this then they must take a Toughness test in each recovery phase until they are recovered, a failed test inflicts the result they had already suffered.

Drug Injector: The Alucinari's experimentation with hallucinogenic and narcotics has led him to imbibe others, even during the hunt. As such his suit can inject him with one dose of either Kalama, Slaught or Spur per game taken as needed within the Alucinaris turn. This dose is decided upon before the game begins.

Replace power boost 2 with - Multi Dose injector: The Drug injector can now be loaded with D3 doses in any combination chosen before the game begins as usual.

Fluff to come when I have it more.,, lucid within my own mind. The main gist however is that the Alucinari is a noble who experiments with compounds, upon himself as well as others, and has developed a taste for observing the effects on those unfortunate enough to be dosed with one of his 'elixirs'.

Also I live near Reading yeah why?

And also thanks to both of you for the help you've given me so far I appreciate it

 

[DarkMouse]

Also as I don't seem to be able to edit my posts,

Was thinking of modifying the drugs but not sure how without making him far too much :/

 

[trollmeat]

After making a few more posts you will level up to Juve and be able to edit, as well as attach images/etc

For fluff, doesn't have to be in depth or fancy, just getting the concept across. From what you have written (rules & fluff), what I see is a spyrer suit similar to Fabius Bile.

Image from @scavvyjay's thread over here

 

[DarkMouse]

That in concept is quite similar actually I didn't think of using him as an example thanks once I'm able i'll put up my version of the suit model

 

[spafe]

That looks (and reads) a lot better.

I do think it still wont work quite right, mainly because of wonky mechanics. If you hit them, they are pinned. Now unless they can escape pinning on their own, the effects will have worn off if they roll stupid or frenzy before they stand up again. Flesh wound and running will still work but the others don't quite. I would be tempted to just leave it as they suffer that for the rest of the game. That way they have to recover from broken as normal, and the other two will be a temporary effect but long enough for the encounter.

Also along with Bile all I can think of is the scarecrow from batman releasing his scare agents into gotham lol.

I like that there is frenzy in there so there is a risk that you are just making that enemy ganger within 8" of you even scarier.

One last thing if you don't want rest of game effect might be to say the hit doesn't pin, then it could still last 1 turn and take effect. But even if its rest of game, LD test lets them ignore it (bar flesh wound), so it's not exactly game breaking, just a nice new way to mess with the underhivers.

And I was asking about reading... because where/who do you play with? Currently I'm trekking into West London once a month to get my gaming fix so if you know of a more local one that'd be great!

 

[DarkMouse]

I like the lasts all game thing, in fact that was one of my original thoughts for it but I wasn't sure how powerful that would turn out though in balance the usual recovery rules for those afflictions would help with that.

When I put frenzy in I was thinking that since I'm throwing hallucinogenics around surely would be driven almost mental by it? glad you like that
I think a cross between scarecrow and bile is what I was going for mostly so this makes me feel good about it

I'm curious as to what I could do with the drug injectors, thinking about having him immune e to the negative effects, but he gets addicted to all the drugs on Any double of the recovery roll for it?

I play every now and then with ppl that come visiting from London, I've been looking g for a local group as well but not had much luck :/

 

[DarkMouse]

Ah no I see what you mean just straight up have stupidity and frenzy last for the whole game following the usual rules lol

That is certainly more elegant than my solution lol I will trial it and see what it produces

 

[spafe]

Okay, So I got the joy of facing this beast last night, will write up the game (brief as it was in a new campaign thread later today hopefully).

Couple of things... @DarkNwss , where is the recovery bit (what is a recovery test from his drug injector?). I see the reference to 2d6 and the double 1 and double 6 but where is the reason for rolling 2d6 in the first place? sorry, think I'm being thick here.

Also I would suggest for the power boost... maybe have one that lets him modify the drug injury roll by 1, representing the kid getting more experience with angling the poison to work how he wants... so if you roll a 5 scare result you can knock that up to frenzy... or a 4 you could manipulate it to stupidity... just an idea. Otherwise I think @DarkNwss used him well, he's an assassin, he crept up in an ambush and injexted my leader, scaring him into fleeing... meaning that the rest of my gang could use his LD when invariably gangers started getting hit and causing panic.

Only suggestion for improving from yesterdays game... sneak him up and scare the boss first... then shoot the orrus into the gang and cause all those panic tests!

 

[DarkMouse]

@spafe ah that's in reference to the recovery from drugs as per slaught, spur and kalma (to recover from the drug roll 2D6 + T if the result is equal to or higher than 12 then the model recovers from the drug)

I like that idea and would have never have thought of that, which boost to replace? I'm thinking either multi dose injector or thickened armour? (Leaning toward swapping out thickened armour but then I am horribly biased )

Thinking about it that would definitely have been the best order to do stuff in lol I shall bear that in mind for the next time he stares you down!

 

[spafe]

Ah that's fine, cheers (you can tell how often I use any of the drugs lol).

Comparing against the other power boost tables... they mostly have a way of increasing armour, so I'd say leave the thickened armour in there. I would suggest either the drug injector (although that one is pretty neat), so I'd be more inclined to say the gas vents... the mechanic is general could play up with other stuff, and seems most out of sync with the others.

Hmm... why am I helping you again

 

[DarkMouse]

I can see what you mean about the gas vents next edit will remove them in favour of Refined Compounds

Lol cos if you kill him it'll be really embarrassing for me