MetaCyber

Characters
Archetypes	Shooter	Boomer	Scrapper	Hacker
Driver	Breaker	Patcher	Facilitator	Case Studies

BOOMER

Boomers are the best Archetype because when all else is said and done, laying down heavy machine gun fire, setting off some sparkin' pyro, rubbleing a building, or otherwise letting everyone in the immediate vicinity know that they got completely crushed is just fun.

ROLE

Boomers excel at making things go "BOOM". Heavy weapons, high explosives, and general demolitions are the sort of things Boomers specialize in. Some Boomers are just Shooters with really big machine guns, while others are more bomb oriented, and still others go for unusual weapons with big punch like grenade or rocket launchers.

The main difference between Boomers and Shooters is primarily in the realm of scale, precision, and subtlety. If you want a person dead get a Shooter, if you want a bloodbath or catastrophe get a Boomer.

FOCUS

MAXWELL

CHARACTER SHEET

Boomers should be able to do gobs 'o damage vs multiple targets, locations, and what have you. Point targets aren't their main concern so their overall accuracy doesn't need to be as high as a Shooters, but they need to have ways to inflict damage en masse.

The Autofire Skills can be good, and for explosives oriented characters the Demolitions skill should be well covered (obviously).

Equipment Availability is a crucial concern for Boomers, and a large Resource kit and armory is frequently key. Support skills like Fast Draw and Weapon Familiarities with a broad spectrum of weaponry are also handy just as they are for Shooters.

Heavy Weapon style Boomers draw a lot of attention and are well served by having their defenses as high as they can get them. Demo style Boomers usually rely more on setting things up out of combat and need various support skills such as Security Systems, Concealment, Electronics, and similar.

Boomers should start play with enough gear to wreak some havok with, and should pay attention to their survivability as well. Many Boomers wear some version of Power Armor "in the field" and consider the extra expense worth every half credit.

EXAMPLE MINI GUN

34	Validator Minigun: Attack - Ranged 3d6 (vs. PD), 1000 Charges (+1), Autofire (10 shots; +1) (135 Active Points); STR Min 18+ Cannot Add Damage (-1 1/2), OAF (-1), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2), Beam (-1/4), Real Weapon (-1/4) [1000]
4	Lotsa Lead: +4 with Validator Minigun
3	Improved Range: Penalty Skill Levels: +2 vs. Range Modifier with Validator Minigun

Perk: Advanced Military Equipment Availability: 10 points

WF: Machine Guns: 1 point

THE HEAVY

A recognizable subtype of Boomer is the "Heavy", a heavy weapon weilding sort of person. The actual type of weapon isn't really important, but heavy machinegunners are stereotypical.

In addition to toting BFG's (Big Fraggin Guns), most Heavies are also beefy, brusier types that can take a beating and administer an ass-whuppin. This sort of character might even be good enough at stompin heads to do double duty as a Scrapper.

EXAMPLE MACHINE GUN

Norn-Tek 225-FAAM: Killing Attack - Ranged 3d6+1 (vs. PD), Semi-Armor Piercing (+1/4), Autofire (5 shots; +1/2), 225 Charges (+1) (137 Active Points); STR Minimum 18 and higher (STR Min. Cannot Add/Subtract Damage; -1 1/2), OAF (-1), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2), Beam (-1/4), Real Weapon (-1/4) [225]

Perk: Military Equipment Availability: 5 points

WF: Machine Guns: 1 point

THE GRENADIER

Some Boomers make themselves useful by carrying a wide array of grenades into combat. Some use a grenade launcher and others rely on biceps as delivery mechanisms, but either way by cleverly selecting and using a wise assortment of task oriented grenades and maybe the occasional satchel bomb, the Grenadier can be very effective indeed.

EXAMPLE GRENADE LAUNCHER

Norn-Tek MMP-805 Grenade Launcher: Multipower, 70-point reserve, all slots Can Be Missile Deflected (+0), Indirect (Same origin, always fired away from attacker; Lobbed; +1/4) (87 Active Points); all slots OAF (Grenade Launcher & Ammo Backpack; -1)

Concussion: Energy Blast 5d6 (vs. NND (LS: High Pressure)), 16 Charges (+0), Explosion (-1 DC/2"; +3/4), NND ([Standard]; Life Support: High Pressure; +1) (69 Active Points); OAF (Grenade Launcher & Ammo Backpack; -1) [16]
Flashbang: Sight and Hearing Groups Flash 8d6, Explosion (+1/2) (67 Active Points); OAF (Grenade Launcher & Ammo Backpack; -1), 8 Charges (-1/2) [8]
Frag: RKA 3d6-1 (vs. ED), 16 Charges (+0), Semi-Armor Piercing (+1/4), Explosion (+1/2) (70 Active Points); OAF (Grenade Launcher & Ammo Backpack; -1) [16]
Knockout: Energy Blast 3d6 (vs. NND (LS: High Pressure)), NND ([Standard]; Life Support: Self Contained Breathing or Life Support: Extended Breathing or Life Support: Immune To Poison; +1), Continuous (+1), AOE (5" Radius; +1), Conforming (+1/2) (67 Active Points); OAF (Grenade Launcher & Ammo Backpack; -1), 6 Continuing Charges lasting 1 Turn each (-1/4) [6cc]
Smoke: Darkness to Sight Group 4" radius, 12 Continuing Charges lasting 5 Minutes each (+3/4) (70 Active Points); OAF (Grenade Launcher & Ammo Backpack; -1) [12cc]
Splash: EB 9d6+1 (vs. ED), Explosion (+1/2) (70 Active Points); OAF (Grenade Launcher & Ammo Backpack; -1), 12 Charges (-1/4) [12]
White Phosporus: Energy Blast 4 1/2d6 (vs. EB), Explosion (+1/2), Sticky (+1/2), Continuous (+1) (69 Active Points); OAF (Grenade Launcher & Ammo Backpack; -1), 6 Continuing Charges lasting 1 Turn each (-1/4)

Perk: Advanced Military Equipment Availability: 10 points

WF: Grenade Launchers: 1 point

THE DEMOLITIONIST

A more cerebral, or some might say demented, kind of Boomer doesn't bother hauling around an arsenal or rely on twitch reflexes and lots of ammo to get the job done. Instead they use high explosives and shaped charges.

This is much more of a thinking man's sort of Boomer since 90% of the job is in the planning and preperation and 10% is managing to get the payload emplaced.

Few Demolitionists are active Runners, finding more work as mercs or paramilitary, but some work both sides of the fence as the market blows and others enjoy the thrill of Running.

TYPICAL DEMOLITIONIST ABILITIES

5	Smart: +5 INT
10	Adept: +1 Overall Skill Level
11	Demolitions +4
3	Electronics
3	Mechanics
3	SS: Chemistry
3	Security Systems
3	Concealment
3	Analyze: Construction
3	Analyze: Explosives
3	KS: Explosives
5	Perk: Military Equipment Availability
55	TOTAL

THE OGRE

A very rare form of Boomer, almost exclusively the purview of full conversion borgs, some physical Metas, and a handful of very distilled Tubers, this sort of Boomer is so strong or otherwise destructive with melee weapons (or their bare "hands") that they can serve the role of a Boomer, tossing vehicles around, shattering buildings, mowing down swathes of opponents, and the like.