Is the Prototype Sniping Laser worth it (for non-primary ranged use)? (minor spoilers)

[Blackbird71]

I'm running a character who is primarily melee focused (with strength, close combat, and cyber weapons), but who splashes into rifle skills for those situations when I can't easily close distance to a target and need some ranged options. My goal is to carry an assault rifle and a sniper rifle to choose between as needed.

So now I'm at the part of the game where I have the option of acquiring the "Prototype Sniping Laser". As I understand, it's one of the better sniper rifles in the game. However, there are some drawbacks to using it in my particular case. My build is very tight on karma, so in order to meet the requirements to use this weapon, I will need to devote one arm to Saeder-Krupp Skillwires for +1 each to quickness and ranged combat. Then, since the rifle only has a three-round magazine (battery), I should probably add the Auto-Loader Cyber-Arm as well.

Since I'm not investing too heavily into ranged combat, my hit probability is a concern. I've considered installing a datajack just to utilize smartlink weapons to help mitigate this. So far as I can tell, the prototype laser has no smartlink capability, but the description does note that "It is slightly more accurate than a traditional weapon." Does anyone know how this boost in accuracy compares to a smartlink (greater, less, or roughly equivalent to)?

As an alternative, I could pick up a smartlinked Walther-MA 2100. It has slightly less damage (18 vs. 20), and less armor piercing (1 vs. 2). It has the same usage requirements, so I'd probably still need the skillwires, however, the six-round magazines means I can probably get away without the auto-loader (by the time I use up six rounds I'd hope to find an opportunity to engage a target at melee range), which would free up a slot for a cyberarm or muscle augmentation. In a game where money is tight, the cost of a smartlinked Walther is another strike against it (and in favor of the prototype laser, which is essentially free).

A third option would of course be to just settle for a Ruger 100-S, with it's lower damage and lower requirements. As this is more intended as a situational backup weapon, this may be the best choice for me.

One unknown quantity for me is the "cost" of the prototype laser. That is, in order to obtain it, I have to give up some potential help later in the game. Without giving too much away, can anyone explain how important or useful that help is?

Anyway, I guess got a little carried away with this post as I didn't mean this to be a full analysis of various rifles, but I suppose it helps to compare options. To sum up (or "tl;dr" as they say), the pros and cons in my case for the Prototype Sniping Laser:

Pros

• Best sniper rifle damage at a lower ranged combat requirement than the purchasable equivalent (Ranger Arms SM-3)
  
• Pierces 2 armor (instead of the 1 or 0 of other options)
  
• Free (in terms of nuyen)

Cons

• Heavy cyberware requirement to equip and make it useful (two arm slots)
  
• Comes at a tradeoff of late-game assistance

Unknown Factors

• Usefulness of the late-game help that is forfeited in favor of this weapon
  
• Accuracy of the prototype laser compared to a conventional sniper rifle with a smartlink

Considering that this would be used as a backup weapon, would you consider the laser rifle to be worth acquiring and using in my situation?

Thanks in advance!

[OptoNick]

You can loan laser rifle to Duncan and end-game Gobbet (Izz and Racter just don't have free weapon slots). In Duncan hands it's quiet effective, never regretted about taking it, though I've played as a pure combat mage.

[frdnwsm]

You are seriously spreading out your karma rather thinly; it is quite difficult to be equally effective at both close combat and ranged. As noted, Duncan (and Is0bel in the end basic and extended game) are quite capable of using ranged weapons well.

I don't know what your other skill sets are; you could do it OK if you skimp elsewhere.

[di eshor ribly]

I think the accuracy buff was either +3% or +5% compared to a regular, non-smartlinked weapon. So, in short, the laser rifle has a built in smartlink that doesn't need a datajack to use.

As a proponent of using melee characters (cyberweapons especially) the laser rifle could suit you pretty well. The lower clip size is actually an incentive to keep moving closer in to melee range. Late game, if you move twice and shoot once, odds are you'll be in melee range before you get off that third shot.

As to the help you get for 'trading' it.. my first game I kept the rifle. The second game, when I didn't, there was only matrix directions. Handy if you're in a hurry to deck into <Redacted for Spoilers>, but not really needed.

[Blackbird71]

Thanks for the responses; they've been helpful and informative.

frdnswm, as for my karma, the build is tight, but I don't know that I'd call it too thin. The key here is that I'm not looking to be equally effective at both melee and ranged; I just want ranged to good enough to be a viable option for those situations where melee is impractical (it's never fun to spend your whole turn moving, only to be left vulnerable hanging out in the open, just so you can get yourself close enough to do something useful on your next turn). From what I've read, HK offers about 220 or so karma. I've figured that with 219 karma (and not counting cyberware) I can get to Body 8/Cyber Weapons 7, Strength 10/Close Combat 10, Quickness 5/Ranged Combat 5/Rifles 3, and still get Charisma up to 6 for conversation options.

With the cyberware I mentioned in my first post, I'd have Quickness 7/Ranged Combat 6, which would meet the qualifications for the prototype laser. Depending on what I choose to slot in my legs, Quickness could go higher, but I'm not prioritizing it. I'd have left Quickness at 6 if it weren't for the point that comes with the auto-loader.

di eshor ribly, (I love the name, by the way), thanks for the info on the laser accuracy. I'd read that the smartlinks provide closer to a 10% boost, but also that it varies by distance, so there is some ambiguity there. If I get around to it, maybe I'll try some experiments, but for now I'll assume that the smartlink and laser have roughly the same bonus.

Also, from what you say it sounds like the late-game help isn't that big of a deal, so I'll consider that a non-factor in the decision. So really I suppose it comes down to two factors: 1)the karma and cyberware slot investment, and 2)the nuyen cost.

Two arm slots does seem pretty hefty, especially when those slots could be used to boost my primary combat attributes (Strength for melee) instead. However, di eshor ribly now has me rethinking whether the auto loader would be that necessary; two shots may be enough. I'd probably be using the rifle at the beginning of engagements in which the sides start out too far apart for me to close distance in one round, and in which I can expect some of my enemies to come a bit closer on their turn, so I shoot for one round, then move into melee range. Either that, or situations where I've killed the last enemy in melee range, and the next target is a good distance away, I can use my last AP or two of the round to shoot if it stands a chance of taking another enemy down that turn. Plus, if I'm carrying an assault rifle as well, the laser would really only be needed for some of the most extreme ranges. So two shots may be enough to not have to worry about the autoloader for my purposes, and using only one arm slot on a secondary combat option is a bit easier to justify.

So that leaves the question of the nuyen cost, and I have to say that this may be the one that tips the scales. I had read that money was tight in this game, but until now I don't know that I realized how tight it is. I've hardly bought anything in the game so far; I'm still wearing my starting armor, and have my starting hand razors. After the initial sequence, as soon as I could I bought the cheapest rifle I could get my hands on just so I'd have a ranged option. That got me through most of my runs, and then gradually I've installed three pieces of cyberware: eyes for +6% accuracy, wired reflexes, and the alpha dermal plating for +2 armor/+1 body. I think I've been very conservative with my funds, as apart from the starting rifle, I've waited for the best options to become available and haven't bought anything with the intent of replacing or upgrading it later so as not to waste money. And still, I'm finding myself very short on cash. I think I'm getting close to the end of the game - I've got about six or seven jobs in my queue, but I've already gotten the hook for the mission that says I should wrap up everything else before proceeding, because there's no coming back once I start. Two of the jobs I have I don't expect to get paid much for, as they are companion storyline missions, so I don't see a whole lot of nuyen coming my way. Right now, I don't even have enough to get the top end armor, so I may have to consider cutting out some of my cyber upgrade plans. All this considered, the free price tag on the laser is looking very attractive at the moment, and I think I'll give it a shot (no pun intended).

It's a shame that HBS decided to make money so scarce in this game that it makes it difficult to explore options and try out different builds. I haven't finished the game, so maybe I'm mistaken, but it seems to me that if you haven't planned out every bit of your character from the get go, or if you buy lower or mid tier gear expecting to improve it later, you're severely financially hampered by the end, to where you won't be able to get much of the top end gear as it becomes available.

Well, I suppose I've been rambling. It helps me to lay out my thought process, and I like to post the reasoning behind my decisions in case anyone else comes along later with the same sort of questions. That way, instead of just telling them "you should do this", they get an idea of why I chose what I did, and they can better figure whether the same path is right for them. So thanks again for those who offered their advice, and thanks to anyone who has bothered to read all this for being patient with my musings!

[frdnwsm]

NuYen flow: Do all the runs before going to see what's her name. Bring Is0bel along on yur runs (unless you yourself are decking, of course); there is paydata on almost every normal run. There's a bit of junk you can pick up here and there that you can sell; like the weapon you grab after the Whistleblower run is over.

You can "maximize" the cash you get from selling metadata to Maximum Law. Save it all up and sell it to him all at once just prior to setting out for Prosperity Tower. That way you can sell him everything without Strangler Bao telling you to shut him down; that nets you 1200 NuYen total if you do it right, plus the 450 you get from telling him about the Whampoan elders' scheme.

I generally get starting/early gear and nurse it along until the top tier stuff becomes available. Get armor 4 and use that until armor 8 garb becomes available; dont waste cash on armor 3 or 6 stuff. Likewise use cheap weapons as long as you can.

Cybergear is expensive; I try not to get much until the full range of items is available, so I can go over the list and plan what I want most.

There's a large payday at the very end, if you get Kindly the information she wants. This is not any help for the basic game, but it does provide a starter slush fund for the extended scenarios.

There's a gear duplication bug in the Extraction scenarion, but that won't occur until you have done everything else and are ready to go after Mr. Potato Head. Just make sure to take along anything unique that you don't want to lose (Laser rifle, Serrated Machete, Wild Aim spell, etc.)

[Blackbird71]

I've done a lot of that. I'm saving up my metadata for Law, I always bring Is0bel to look for paydata, as I mentioned before I'm even still using the basic 1-point armor that you start the game with, and am trying to go straight for the armor 8 stuff (it's available to me now, but I don't yet have the nuyen for it). I even pickpocketed the crowd at deckcon for a few hundred nuyen. Even with all that, funds in this game are extremely tight.

[frdnwsm]

Interesting; I usually have enough cash to get some intermediate gear. I have a feeling you are getting more cyberware than I usually do; although I did fully cyber up two close combat builds and two ranged attack builds (one with rifles, one with the monofilamant whip).

Unfortunately, I didn't keep records of cash on hand for various stages of developement, so we can't run any sort of comparisons. I do recall being pretty penniless at a couple of points, though; but I did manage to recoup.

The fact that cash (and karma also, for that matter) isn't unlimited just makes things a bit more realistic. Planning ahead is a skill. Unfortunately, it is not stated overtly in the rules and game docs that this is necessary, so you end up having to learn it on the fly, so to speak.

[Blackbird71]

I've just got the three pieces of cyberware I mentioned in my earlier comment (+6% eyes, wired reflexes, and alpha dermal plating), aside from the starting hand razors. All in all, I've got something less than 3000 nuyen to my name (I don't recall the exact amount, I just know it's not enough to by the 8 armor outfits).

I agree that resource management can be an important and fun part of a game, but here I just feel like HBS went overboard. It is all too easy to completely screw up a character by buying early upgrades, and then being completely unable to afford late game gear. So by the time you get stuck, finding yourself underpowered for late game, and unable to make enough nuyen to change that, your only option is to reload a much earlier save and redo huge portions of the game. I can't say that I find that sort of mechanic fun, and I'm glad I did enough research upfront to know to save my nuyen.

[Konstantin]

If you mean the prototype that you gain in the ares mission where you met the other runner team gave it them because for what they will do for you at the finalis not worth it.

[Blackbird71]

Originally posted by Konstantin5500:

If you mean the prototype that you gain in the ares mission where you met the other runner team gave it them because for what they will do for you at the finalis not worth it.

I think we're having a bit of a language barrier here, because I'm not understanding what you're trying to say. Do you mean that it's not worth it to take the gun, because the help later is more important? Or are you saying that the help you get later is not worth it, so you may as well take the gun? Either way, could you please explain and provide some more reasoning for your statement? Whichever you meant, why is it not worth it?

[frdnwsm]

I think what he's trying to say is that neither the laser itself not the help you get from Jarl's boys are of tremendous value. If you are having trouble running the matrix in Prosperity tower, their trail marking can be of some use. Also, it's useful to have the Jarl's crew along on the escape from Ares, to soak up bullets.

The laser is a sniper weapon with a limited magazine, so it is also of use only situationally. (I've never bothered taking it so I don't know if you can sell it; if it's worth decent cash that would argue in favor of taking it).

[Blackbird71]

I read somewhere that it can be sold for 1000 nuyen; not sure if that is accurate.

[OptoNick]

Originally posted by Blackbird71:

I read somewhere that it can be sold for 1000 nuyen; not sure if that is accurate.

Yep, it's accurate