Re: [HOE] Scrapper questions [Shane]

[Richard A Ranallo <toadpooka@juno.com>]

On Mon, 8 Apr 2002 09:25:24 -0400 (EDT) Theo McGuckin <tsm@jlab.org>
writes:
> 1. Why the big disparity between the Scrapper's claw and the 
> Cyborg's spur? They seem almost identical superficially. Was it just
done as 
> a mechanic for not making scrappers too powerful? 

They're identical in that they both are blades attached to the hand.  But
the spur is a foot long solid, razor-sharp blade, while the claws are
just some little razor-sharp blades that pop out under your fingernails. 
The spur is like haing a short sword anchored to your forearm, which
reinforces it tremendously, since the writs is the weakest point on your
arm, and often causes problems in swinging a sword.  The extra DB comes
from its length (longer weapons tend to have higher DB).  The AP of the
two are the same, which makes sense because the blades are essentially
the same material and sharpness.

> 2. Along those lines, why does the spur have a drain of 0, but the 
> claw has a drain of 1? The 0 seems to make more sense. And why does 
> internal bracing (something that I pictured as mainly just metal 
> reinforcement of the skeleton) have drain at all?

You're right.  Before I re-read the description in Iron Oasis, I thought
the claw was a type of cyber hand, which would account for the Drain.
For the Internal Bracing, think of it this way: your bones are pretty
strong, but they're weak at the joints, because joints are mostly made of
cartiledge and ligaments.  What Internal Bracing really has to do if
reinforce those joints, but it can't interfere with their flexbility (so
you can't just replace them with iron hinges).  Most likely, the devices
needed to reinforce them are powered, either being motors or powerful
magnets that respond to stress placed on the body by cyberlimbs.

From Whom It May Concern,
Rich Ranallo

"Rock and Roll will be the new planetary culture, believe it or not."
-Prof. Michio Kaku