Gymnastics, Synthacardium, and Full Defense

[Mathias]

I haven't had the chance to make a really systematic study of everything, to make sure I'm catching everything that should be incorporated into the defenses, so I don't know whether not including this specific item was an oversight, or whether I did it intentionally (there are so many items in Shadowrun that it's often hard to pick out any one of them).

[Peter Smith]

Originally Posted by _Pax_

Catalyst in general, and JMH in particular, are pathologically averse to producing and publishing a proper Errata.

One of my biggest disappointments with SR4, in fact.

I have a stack of BattleTech books with errata rolled into them that says CGL does, in fact, handle errata.

[Canis]

They do, it's Adam Jury or Jason Hardy who're behind. It's high on their to do list.

[Death_Jester]

Originally Posted by Mathias

I haven't had the chance to make a really systematic study of everything, to make sure I'm catching everything that should be incorporated into the defenses, so I don't know whether not including this specific item was an oversight, or whether I did it intentionally (there are so many items in Shadowrun that it's often hard to pick out any one of them).

I completely understand that sentiment. Shadowrun is an oddity among RPG's for me, as the rules seem logical and intuitive (in general) when I'm reading them, but they are either so complex or so numerous that I have a difficult time remembering them all from one gaming session to the next. The Matrix rules in particular always throw me sideways when I'm trying to use them in game. Makes the system fascinating to discuss, but forces me to think fast at game time to avoid slowing things down.

More on-topic, my whole point with my follow-up posts on this thread was to point out that being rules-right and being rules-legal aren't always the same thing. When there is a difference, I would prefer my game to be rules legal so I can reference the actual rule in print (or errata or FAQ) and make my own houserule if I don't like how it works. I would think Herolab should be the same, in order to avoid the kind of confusion I've been having with this particular rule. This gymnastics in defense rule in itself isn't a major thing, but it makes me wonder what else that seems like a bug actually isn't a bug in the program.

Based on what's been posted on this thread, it seems possible (maybe probable?) that rules clarifications received via email, or pm's, or post replies, or something are being used to modify the existing printed, errata'd, and FAQ'd rules. Since only some of the stuff is covered on the HL Shadowrun FAQ page, there are still some things bouncing around in there that aren't covered. That, to me, means that not everyone is working off the same page.

I would argue strongly, that for the gymnastics defense thing, lacking other available references, there is definitely ambiguity about how the rules should function and it isn't a clear-cut answer. I would argue, moderately, that if there actually isn't clarification somewhere for this rule in particular that it should function according to option 3 based on the established reference material for the rules. If there is clarification, I humbly request that it be added to the HL FAQ so there is a reference.

Thanks again guys for the responses!

[nylanfs]

Umm Canis, Adam left shortly after 4a when a lot of the freelancers did.

[Ryu]

The way things are for a few years now there is no clear, correct version of SR.

There are:
- multiple printings of each book with undocumented changes
- the FAQ
- the German versions of the book with errata approved by CGL
- answers by the lead dev that are unlikely to see print


My players use the (German) books, not my PC. We play with books on the table. Divergence between the results of a character generator (HL or otherwise) and rules-as-written is a problem to be solved on the software side. IE: A switch for "German" karmagen would be nice.

[Canis]

Originally Posted by nylanfs

Umm Canis, Adam left shortly after 4a when a lot of the freelancers did.

Ah, that'd be the cause of the problem then.