@Str rolls& battlestimms
The rules for using melee weapons used to be two-fold: If it's advanced (super-high-tech, cuts/damages via !Science!/Space Magic), roll simply Uncon; if it's more standard (liberal application of force by bludgeoning/stabbity-stabbing the target), roll Dex to hit, and then Str to damage. Now, Str used to be expressed in the bonuses, so you'd just pile them on top of one another (exoskeleton, Enhanced Movements Mode from Mk III, etc. etc.) and proceed to Hulk-Smash.
These days, the system might have changed, or might not - it is still uncertain. Still, Dex rolls tend to correspond to 'roll to hit'... and strength is, under the current system, represented as categories rather than numbers, so maybe that roll can possibly be omitted.
The major boost of any battlestimm is, however, that it provides that category-changing bonus as well as numbers changing. Dex stimms boost your perception of time and speed in general; it takes a fistful of those (nope, Piecewise refused to give a number - just 'a handful' and 'you'll have problems afterwards), but a regular human can be boosted to Renen/Arbiter-levels of ultra-speed. I suppose that the same thing goes with Str stimms - so one or two can give a vanilla human exoskeleton strength, and a whole handful could boost him to Assaultsuit or Avatar levels of raw might - thus making them
extremely useful for non-hi-tech melee users.
As for cool combos... Force monosword can be extremely powerful despite low price, although I don't know whether it'd use Dex or Uncon - either way, it has almost no need for extra strength of the user. Another option, with the help of Team Fund, would be a Blaster rifle - extremely good armor penetration for that cost, and you still get ten shots per token (most non-combat-specific missions would have fewer combat rounds than that anyway, across all teams). Alternatively, you could go for a Testament, but thanks to extreme ammo count, that one has less need for super-good Con (although you might still enjoy some benefit).
As usual, I would strongly recommend against using Laser rifles, as well as the Gauss ones (though latter still don't have a modern replacement).
The problem with fate stims is you need to anticipate when you'll have a fate roll. Same problem with dex or end stims.
Except even more of a problem since we still don't have any factual evidence of when Fate is rolled, or what for; the only 'behind the scenes' Let's Play ER
did not use Fate for anything (or Mesk would still be, well, embodied). The chance that Piecewise is fucking with us is still out there.
Actually the crossbow is a pretty good idea.
If all the muscles in your body could pull in a single direction you could lift 3.5 tons.
Portable ballistae anyone?
"A fucking siege weapon!"
I approve.
why would a thermophage drive the universe to a heat death? Seems that generally, if it is a living creature, it would have a life span, and ultimately would radiate heat after death, albiet potentially explosively. That said, drawing heat inward is the opposite of heat death, in which the universe expands until heat is uniformly scattered. or a thermophage to drive the universe to heat death it would need to a) be able to expand between galaxies, b) be able to survive as million light year sized beings (at least) and c) be faster than light.
Or be a fundamental mechanic of the universe, like gravity or the weak nuclear force, instead of being a living thing.
There are... reasons. Think of it as an avatar of entropy, if you wish.
Those who go on the mission will probably killed at the end because they know to much.
Or get Hephaestus work offers instead. We need people with both clearance (even if accidentally "acquired") and skills.