Downtime can be a frequent issue amongst various PCs.
Many things require down time: Initiating, purchasing special equipment, gathering materials for talismongering or enchanting, actually enchanting, going to your day job, or even being captured will pull you out of the adventure.
Multiple characters can be a good way to get around this.
In this system, each player makes 2 characters. The characters all belong to the same team. The player decides who to play during each session, and the other character is considered "busy" and "unavailable" doing downtime activities.
This way a PC who gets captured need not sit out during his rescue, or if he has a time sensitive mission, another PC can get his down time to initiate while his alternate adventures. It is also a way to guarantee never to get a TPK as each PC will have a backup on hand.
Both characters will have to pay for their lifestyles seperately, and will gain mission money seperately (and should not share resources any more than other PCs do with each other). They may or may not gain karma equally depending on how your GM handles players who are not there that session.
This way, the game can continuously run, without being dragged out by excessive downtime. Just make sure each player earns enough to cover his lifestyle, or there may be trouble there.
Showing posts with label new systems. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new systems. Show all posts
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
Harmony Points (HP)
Not to be confused with Hit Points, HP is a system to encourage a bit of cooperation between the GM and the player.
When creating a character, a GM can award HP for providing certain things which assist in the campaign:
1) Providing a detailed backstory
2) Providing runner motivation.
3) Creating a character consistant with the campaign world.
4) Having the character be workable in the world.
5) Having the character be friends (or at least friendly) with other PCs.
6) Taking skills(instruction/leadership) or powers(like karma sharing) that can help foster teamwork between characters.
Some points might be awarded for good "character conduct" during games as well:
1) Accepting a GM ruling without argument.
2) Active participation in missions (which may not mean being the leader, but at least offering suggestions or telling other PCs what resources you have to offer).
3) "Playing along"- if the group is supposed to work for Aztechnology, you aren't playing an anti-aztech super-secretive character or avoiding missions because you're "part time".
4) Non-Metagaming- this isn't about killing other PCs so much as not actively seeking out info your character couldn't know or having characters suddenly get suspicious when the player knows something is going on. It also means not quibbling over wording when you're dominated and told to "fight them", by dropping all guns and trying to box them or something.
5) Don't do silly things like shoot major "good" NPCs or other players or police or whatever.
6) As a reward for GM fiat perhaps.
HP would be expendable, probably working as bonus Karma Pool points that don't refresh, or using 5+ at once might be the same as burning a karma point. This helps keep characters alive who advance the story. The GM might allow them to be cashed in to get higher availability for items or to discount the price of items (or just gain cash).
You might think this effectively "punishes" people who don't do these things.
Reward: Something given or received in recompense for worthy behavior.
Punishment: suffering, pain, or loss that serves as retribution.
Emphasis is added: A reward is something given, a Punishment is a loss. We can argue relativistic terms, but just as Good Karma is a "reward" for completing missions, you can't say you are "punished" for not completing missions by not recieving good karma, any more than you are punished by every company you don't work for when you don't recieve a paycheck.
When creating a character, a GM can award HP for providing certain things which assist in the campaign:
1) Providing a detailed backstory
2) Providing runner motivation.
3) Creating a character consistant with the campaign world.
4) Having the character be workable in the world.
5) Having the character be friends (or at least friendly) with other PCs.
6) Taking skills(instruction/leadership) or powers(like karma sharing) that can help foster teamwork between characters.
Some points might be awarded for good "character conduct" during games as well:
1) Accepting a GM ruling without argument.
2) Active participation in missions (which may not mean being the leader, but at least offering suggestions or telling other PCs what resources you have to offer).
3) "Playing along"- if the group is supposed to work for Aztechnology, you aren't playing an anti-aztech super-secretive character or avoiding missions because you're "part time".
4) Non-Metagaming- this isn't about killing other PCs so much as not actively seeking out info your character couldn't know or having characters suddenly get suspicious when the player knows something is going on. It also means not quibbling over wording when you're dominated and told to "fight them", by dropping all guns and trying to box them or something.
5) Don't do silly things like shoot major "good" NPCs or other players or police or whatever.
6) As a reward for GM fiat perhaps.
HP would be expendable, probably working as bonus Karma Pool points that don't refresh, or using 5+ at once might be the same as burning a karma point. This helps keep characters alive who advance the story. The GM might allow them to be cashed in to get higher availability for items or to discount the price of items (or just gain cash).
You might think this effectively "punishes" people who don't do these things.
Reward: Something given or received in recompense for worthy behavior.
Punishment: suffering, pain, or loss that serves as retribution.
Emphasis is added: A reward is something given, a Punishment is a loss. We can argue relativistic terms, but just as Good Karma is a "reward" for completing missions, you can't say you are "punished" for not completing missions by not recieving good karma, any more than you are punished by every company you don't work for when you don't recieve a paycheck.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Limit Break!
"This isn't anger... isn't hatred..."- Galuf Halm Baldseion
"Well... my time is almost up. Time to die, everyone!" - Trance Kuja
"I... I can fight! ... I realize we must fight for the future of the children." - Terra Branford
Limit Breaks are a final desperation move for a character who is near death or in a highly emotionally charged state. Such states include direct and real threats against a loved one ("MJ and I, we'll have a hell of a time!"- The Green Goblin) or against something which the character has previously proven to be something of deep emotional connection to the character (the dependant flaw could work, or someone who threatens to destroy the entire world, etc). This can also be used by a character who is at 10 boxes of physical damage.
To use Limit Break!, the character must have at least 3 points of karma pool available. He permanently burns those three points of good karma, and enters Trance Mode
During trance mode, the character can use 1 karma pool for free on EVERY roll. (Basically letting him reroll failures on every roll!) He gains immunity to natural weapons (at double his essence), and gets a -3 bonus to all TNs. He also ignores all wound penalties. He continues this carnage even as he takes overflow boxes of damage. The character cannot be healed during this time, nor can he break off combat.
Naturally this makes the character into a combat monster. He also goes into a berserker style rage, where he must fight to destroy the offending enemy (or all visible enemies), which lasts until the encounter ends (which may be dragged out sligtly in extended foot chase scenes). During any time which the emotional state ends or the encounter ends, the trance ends. (so the trance state cannot be used to chase the enemy in your helicoptor, unless you're crashing the copter into the villain!, nor can it be used to sneak through a facility or disable maglocks- only to recklessly destroy!).
When trance ends: the character collapses from exhaustion (and this is reliant on other PCs to carry them out). If the character had 10+ boxes of physical damage he dies. (If he had a cranial bomb, it detonates!). The character cannot be awakened for 24 hours after collapsing.
Trance can be used in place of hand of god for special way for a charcter to die to save the team or to kill the big bad guy. Since the PC can't break off combat (and can't die!) he affortds the rest of the team a chance to escape (at least), and may do considerable damage on his way out. (Might be better than a TPK!)
"Well... my time is almost up. Time to die, everyone!" - Trance Kuja
"I... I can fight! ... I realize we must fight for the future of the children." - Terra Branford
Limit Breaks are a final desperation move for a character who is near death or in a highly emotionally charged state. Such states include direct and real threats against a loved one ("MJ and I, we'll have a hell of a time!"- The Green Goblin) or against something which the character has previously proven to be something of deep emotional connection to the character (the dependant flaw could work, or someone who threatens to destroy the entire world, etc). This can also be used by a character who is at 10 boxes of physical damage.
To use Limit Break!, the character must have at least 3 points of karma pool available. He permanently burns those three points of good karma, and enters Trance Mode
During trance mode, the character can use 1 karma pool for free on EVERY roll. (Basically letting him reroll failures on every roll!) He gains immunity to natural weapons (at double his essence), and gets a -3 bonus to all TNs. He also ignores all wound penalties. He continues this carnage even as he takes overflow boxes of damage. The character cannot be healed during this time, nor can he break off combat.
Naturally this makes the character into a combat monster. He also goes into a berserker style rage, where he must fight to destroy the offending enemy (or all visible enemies), which lasts until the encounter ends (which may be dragged out sligtly in extended foot chase scenes). During any time which the emotional state ends or the encounter ends, the trance ends. (so the trance state cannot be used to chase the enemy in your helicoptor, unless you're crashing the copter into the villain!, nor can it be used to sneak through a facility or disable maglocks- only to recklessly destroy!).
When trance ends: the character collapses from exhaustion (and this is reliant on other PCs to carry them out). If the character had 10+ boxes of physical damage he dies. (If he had a cranial bomb, it detonates!). The character cannot be awakened for 24 hours after collapsing.
Trance can be used in place of hand of god for special way for a charcter to die to save the team or to kill the big bad guy. Since the PC can't break off combat (and can't die!) he affortds the rest of the team a chance to escape (at least), and may do considerable damage on his way out. (Might be better than a TPK!)
Friday, December 24, 2010
Gambling
Gambling is a new active skill, intelligence based.
To gamble you must decide on an amount of money to risk. This is considered the rating of the gamble.
Rating:
1-3 = $100*R Avail 5
4-6 = $1000*R Avail: 10
7-9 = $10,000*R Avail: 15
10-12 = $100,000*R Avail: 20
Once the rating is "purchased", make an opposed test using your gambling skill against the rating of the "gamble". Whoever has more net successes wins. If successful you get a 20% return on your money. For each net success beyond the first, increse this return by 10%.
Example: Bob has gambling 6. He purchases a 6 rating gamble which costs $6000. He rolls 6 dice against a TN ogf 6, and the "house" rolls 6 dice against a TN of 6 also.
House: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10 (3 successes)
Bob: 2, 4, 7, 8, 8, 9 (4 successes)
Bob wins so he walks away with $9000 for a cost of $6000, or a $3000 increase. If he rolled one more success, he would have gotten a 60% return, or $3600 gain for $9600
Example 2: Bob has a gambling of 8. He has aptitude: gambling. He purchases a rating 12 gamble which costs $1.2 million dollars. He rolls 8 dice against TN 11 (12-1), and they roll 12 dice against TN 8.
House: 1, 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 11, 13, 18 (6 successes)
Bob: 4, 7, 8, 9, 9, 11, 13, 15 (2 successes)
Bob is out his money! But wait, he uses karma pool to reroll failures!
Bob: (15,13 kept), 4, 9, 10, 14, 16, 18 (now 5 successes)
He still loses.
As you can see, gambling is difficult, but can allow for money if you spend all your points on this. Gambling checks should only be allowed 1/month to prevent the campaign from quickly becoming a "gambling campaign".
Alternately, this might be role played where people roll opposed checks regardless of the amount wagered, at GM discresion.
To gamble you must decide on an amount of money to risk. This is considered the rating of the gamble.
Rating:
1-3 = $100*R Avail 5
4-6 = $1000*R Avail: 10
7-9 = $10,000*R Avail: 15
10-12 = $100,000*R Avail: 20
Once the rating is "purchased", make an opposed test using your gambling skill against the rating of the "gamble". Whoever has more net successes wins. If successful you get a 20% return on your money. For each net success beyond the first, increse this return by 10%.
Example: Bob has gambling 6. He purchases a 6 rating gamble which costs $6000. He rolls 6 dice against a TN ogf 6, and the "house" rolls 6 dice against a TN of 6 also.
House: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10 (3 successes)
Bob: 2, 4, 7, 8, 8, 9 (4 successes)
Bob wins so he walks away with $9000 for a cost of $6000, or a $3000 increase. If he rolled one more success, he would have gotten a 60% return, or $3600 gain for $9600
Example 2: Bob has a gambling of 8. He has aptitude: gambling. He purchases a rating 12 gamble which costs $1.2 million dollars. He rolls 8 dice against TN 11 (12-1), and they roll 12 dice against TN 8.
House: 1, 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 11, 13, 18 (6 successes)
Bob: 4, 7, 8, 9, 9, 11, 13, 15 (2 successes)
Bob is out his money! But wait, he uses karma pool to reroll failures!
Bob: (15,13 kept), 4, 9, 10, 14, 16, 18 (now 5 successes)
He still loses.
As you can see, gambling is difficult, but can allow for money if you spend all your points on this. Gambling checks should only be allowed 1/month to prevent the campaign from quickly becoming a "gambling campaign".
Alternately, this might be role played where people roll opposed checks regardless of the amount wagered, at GM discresion.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Team Base
A team base is, in many ways, a lifestyle that any team member can crash at. But then, it's more than that- it's also a place for them to do their research, initiate, summon spirits, and all that fun stuff.
Team Bases must be agreed on by all team members and they are responsible for the upkeep every month (represented as a lifestyle cost). Team members are not "individually" responsible for their base- as long as the total cost gets paid it doesn't matter who pays it.
Team Bases can also provide a number of bonuses to shadowrunning teams who build it up.
Bases should have the following stats:
Computers- Represents by the level of matrix access a place has.
Storage- Represents the storage capacity (for storing vehicles/equipment)
Living Space- How much room there is to crash/throw parties
Security- How hard the place is to find/ how secure it is against threats
Magic- Represents built in libraries or lodges.
These stats all start out at 0. For each level of lifestyle (starting at low), the team has 2 poitns to distribute to these stats.
The GM might choose to increase these stats via story bonuses (such as finding a bunch of special computer servers during a mission to increase the computer rating by 1, or having a magic ghost live in the area and increase the magic rating by 1).
The stats can also be increased by spending money. You can increase the total monthly cost of the base by $5000 to raise any score by 1.
Each score can provide team members a benefit when doing things at their base.
Computers: The base can roll a number of dice equal to its computer score TN6, each success lowers the TN of a computers check made by a PC at the base by 1. This also affects knowledge and research rolls.
Storage: Bigger bases can hold more stuff. Rank 0 can hold guns and personal equipment, 1 can hold motorcycles and small vehicles like bikes, Rank 2 can hold cars and trucks, Rank 3 can hold helicoptors and planes, Rank 4 can hold tankers and large ships.
Living Space: Each score allows for 2 people to live there comfortably at the level of the lifestyle. (Luxery 1 = 2 people can live there and enjoy luxury living). The number can be increased by 2 to decrease the lifestyle by 1 (4 people @ high, 6 people @ medium, etc).
Security: When laying low, being pursued, being attacked at the base, etc, have the base roll security TN 4 check. Each success increases the TNs of all attacker tests by 1.
Magic: Represents having magical libraries and such on hand. Each rank is the equivelant of a 2 force lodge or hermetic library. (Both @ once). Magic 4 could be treated as a force 8 lodge for purposes of spell learning.
Example: The group decides to purchase a High group lifestyle for 10k/month. They have 6 points to distribute (low, med, high x 2). They put 3 in living space, 2 in storage, 1 in computers. Now 6 people can stay there enjoying a high lifestyle, they can store their vehicles there, and they have 1 die to try to improve their computer rolls made from inside the base. Later they might decide they can afford an extra 5k/month to increase the computers up to 2. On another mission they recover several expensive servers from a decker compound, which they bring to the base and the GM raises the computers rating to 3!
Part of the point of this is that a group lifestyle can provide everyone benefits that they contribute towards together, allowing for party cohesion. The bonuses encourage people to spend more time at the base instead of at personal locations.
Team Bases must be agreed on by all team members and they are responsible for the upkeep every month (represented as a lifestyle cost). Team members are not "individually" responsible for their base- as long as the total cost gets paid it doesn't matter who pays it.
Team Bases can also provide a number of bonuses to shadowrunning teams who build it up.
Bases should have the following stats:
Computers- Represents by the level of matrix access a place has.
Storage- Represents the storage capacity (for storing vehicles/equipment)
Living Space- How much room there is to crash/throw parties
Security- How hard the place is to find/ how secure it is against threats
Magic- Represents built in libraries or lodges.
These stats all start out at 0. For each level of lifestyle (starting at low), the team has 2 poitns to distribute to these stats.
The GM might choose to increase these stats via story bonuses (such as finding a bunch of special computer servers during a mission to increase the computer rating by 1, or having a magic ghost live in the area and increase the magic rating by 1).
The stats can also be increased by spending money. You can increase the total monthly cost of the base by $5000 to raise any score by 1.
Each score can provide team members a benefit when doing things at their base.
Computers: The base can roll a number of dice equal to its computer score TN6, each success lowers the TN of a computers check made by a PC at the base by 1. This also affects knowledge and research rolls.
Storage: Bigger bases can hold more stuff. Rank 0 can hold guns and personal equipment, 1 can hold motorcycles and small vehicles like bikes, Rank 2 can hold cars and trucks, Rank 3 can hold helicoptors and planes, Rank 4 can hold tankers and large ships.
Living Space: Each score allows for 2 people to live there comfortably at the level of the lifestyle. (Luxery 1 = 2 people can live there and enjoy luxury living). The number can be increased by 2 to decrease the lifestyle by 1 (4 people @ high, 6 people @ medium, etc).
Security: When laying low, being pursued, being attacked at the base, etc, have the base roll security TN 4 check. Each success increases the TNs of all attacker tests by 1.
Magic: Represents having magical libraries and such on hand. Each rank is the equivelant of a 2 force lodge or hermetic library. (Both @ once). Magic 4 could be treated as a force 8 lodge for purposes of spell learning.
Example: The group decides to purchase a High group lifestyle for 10k/month. They have 6 points to distribute (low, med, high x 2). They put 3 in living space, 2 in storage, 1 in computers. Now 6 people can stay there enjoying a high lifestyle, they can store their vehicles there, and they have 1 die to try to improve their computer rolls made from inside the base. Later they might decide they can afford an extra 5k/month to increase the computers up to 2. On another mission they recover several expensive servers from a decker compound, which they bring to the base and the GM raises the computers rating to 3!
Part of the point of this is that a group lifestyle can provide everyone benefits that they contribute towards together, allowing for party cohesion. The bonuses encourage people to spend more time at the base instead of at personal locations.
Faction Support
Factions are groups that a character can join and try to help gain power and intrique over the course of the game. An example might be a gang that they slowly level up from a group of street thugs to a large criminal syndicate.
Factions can have stats and skills just like characters, though they have different ones.
Their stats, or attributes, are as follows:
Personnel: A measure of the size of the faction in terms of members or employees.
Intelligence: A measure of the decision making capability of the faction
Resources: A measure of the gang's wealth and ability to locate specalized equipment.
Area: A measure of the gang's coverage area, can be as small as a building or a few blocks or as large as being a global organization.
Clout: The gang's political influence.
Strength: The gang's muscle or intimidation influence.
Magic: The gang's magical ability (the only score which can be a 0).
Their skills can be measured as follows:
Public Opinion: The gang's ability to garner public support.
Recruitment: The gang's ability to recruit new members or to increase it's intellgience score.
Income: The gang's ability to create income for itself or its members or to increase its resources.
Growth: The gang's ability to increase it's area.
Politics: The gang's ability to increase it's clout.
Brass: The gang's ability to increase it's strength.
The GM sets opening scores for the gang based on it's specifics. (The "gang" could be a lover lodge, which would have higher magic but less brass, or it could be street thugs with no magic but good brass.)
There are several ways to increase the power of a faction.
Money: Money, weapons, or other items donated to the faction can help increase it's income score. It needs $20,000 * (1 + current wealth bonus) to increase the income score by 1 point.
Karma: Players may spend karma on behalf of the gang. It can level up gang skills as if they were action skills (with no specalizations). So to increase politics from 3 to 4 it costs 8 karma.
Missions: Certainly at GM discresion, certain missions may increase skills or attributes on the part of the gang.
To increase attributes, the gang must make successful checks using their skills. They roll a skill check with a TN equal to the new attribute total they want. They need a number of successes equal to that attribute number to increase the attribute. (So to increase resources from 3 to 4, they roll an income check with a TN equal to 4 and must get 4 successes).
Gang Actions: A gang can attempt a number of actions each month equal to its intelligence score. Some actions include:
Create Income: The gang can attempt to create income for its members by rolling an income check TN 4. Each success gives $1000 to the top members (usually the PCs who helped set up the gang). They must split this. This can be done multiple times with multiple actions.
Find Goods: The gang can roll an open resources check. The number achieved indicates the largest availability item the gang can get for its members (the item must still be purchased at street price). Any month this is not done, the gang can not find any special equipment for the players.
Increase Attribute: The gang my roll a skill check to increase a linked attribute. (Like rolling income to increase wealth or recruitment to increase either personnel or intelligence). Each roll is 1 action regardless of success. This represents taking new members, taking over territory, etc.
Increase Magic: The gang must "initiate" to increase magic, which costs a karma point total equal to the initiation cost. If no PC wants to pay this, the gang can roll a resources check (DC 5+ new grade desired), and each success contributes 2 karma to the cost of group initiation with ordeal. This can be done to get from 0 to 1 magic. The gang does not gain metamagic feats.
Gang Advantages:
A gang can provide other services to players without using actions.
Group Initiation: A gang can provide groups to intiate with with a total available grade equal to the gang's magic rating.
Lifestyle: A gang can provide a free lifestyle to members based on its resources (1-2 = squatter, each 2 points raises a step).
Buy/Sell Equipment: The gang can purchase or sell equipment to/from players with no questions asked, though regular prices apply.
Bail out PCs: The gang can roll a clout check to try to bail PCs out of a tough spot. They can also try this with strength if the pcs are in trouble by a rival gang.
Provide Backup: A gang can roll a personnell check to try to bring in assistance to PCs. Special skills (decking, magic) are TN 8+ at GM call. Grunt help is TN 4, multiple successes mean more support.
Requisition: A gang can try a resources check with a TN = to the availability of the item you want to requisition, and provide it to you, so long as it's not expendable and they can reasonbly expect to have it returned. (Cars yes, poison and cyberware no).
Safehouses: When in a foreign city, the gang can make an area check against a TN 4 for same country different city, TN6 for different country same continent, TN 8 for different continent, TN 12 vs small island or remote areas. Success means there is a small safehouse available for the PCs to hide out in while out of town which is faction controlled. Multiple successes increase the level of the hideout using lifestyle levels. (6 = luxury!).
Find Work: The faction can make a public opinion check to try to find a job for a PC, number of successes = better job, and TN based on specifics set by GM.
Answer Questions: The gang can make a personnel check against a TN set by the GM related to the difficulty of the information. Each success means that gang members are able to supply information to the PCs relevant to the topic. The max TN the gang can even attempt is limited by its intelligence score.
While gangs can be expensive to maintain and support (both in terms of money and karma), they can be an excellent source of missions, and once you build them up they can really help you find better equipment and johnsons.
Factions can have stats and skills just like characters, though they have different ones.
Their stats, or attributes, are as follows:
Personnel: A measure of the size of the faction in terms of members or employees.
Intelligence: A measure of the decision making capability of the faction
Resources: A measure of the gang's wealth and ability to locate specalized equipment.
Area: A measure of the gang's coverage area, can be as small as a building or a few blocks or as large as being a global organization.
Clout: The gang's political influence.
Strength: The gang's muscle or intimidation influence.
Magic: The gang's magical ability (the only score which can be a 0).
Their skills can be measured as follows:
Public Opinion: The gang's ability to garner public support.
Recruitment: The gang's ability to recruit new members or to increase it's intellgience score.
Income: The gang's ability to create income for itself or its members or to increase its resources.
Growth: The gang's ability to increase it's area.
Politics: The gang's ability to increase it's clout.
Brass: The gang's ability to increase it's strength.
The GM sets opening scores for the gang based on it's specifics. (The "gang" could be a lover lodge, which would have higher magic but less brass, or it could be street thugs with no magic but good brass.)
There are several ways to increase the power of a faction.
Money: Money, weapons, or other items donated to the faction can help increase it's income score. It needs $20,000 * (1 + current wealth bonus) to increase the income score by 1 point.
Karma: Players may spend karma on behalf of the gang. It can level up gang skills as if they were action skills (with no specalizations). So to increase politics from 3 to 4 it costs 8 karma.
Missions: Certainly at GM discresion, certain missions may increase skills or attributes on the part of the gang.
To increase attributes, the gang must make successful checks using their skills. They roll a skill check with a TN equal to the new attribute total they want. They need a number of successes equal to that attribute number to increase the attribute. (So to increase resources from 3 to 4, they roll an income check with a TN equal to 4 and must get 4 successes).
Gang Actions: A gang can attempt a number of actions each month equal to its intelligence score. Some actions include:
Create Income: The gang can attempt to create income for its members by rolling an income check TN 4. Each success gives $1000 to the top members (usually the PCs who helped set up the gang). They must split this. This can be done multiple times with multiple actions.
Find Goods: The gang can roll an open resources check. The number achieved indicates the largest availability item the gang can get for its members (the item must still be purchased at street price). Any month this is not done, the gang can not find any special equipment for the players.
Increase Attribute: The gang my roll a skill check to increase a linked attribute. (Like rolling income to increase wealth or recruitment to increase either personnel or intelligence). Each roll is 1 action regardless of success. This represents taking new members, taking over territory, etc.
Increase Magic: The gang must "initiate" to increase magic, which costs a karma point total equal to the initiation cost. If no PC wants to pay this, the gang can roll a resources check (DC 5+ new grade desired), and each success contributes 2 karma to the cost of group initiation with ordeal. This can be done to get from 0 to 1 magic. The gang does not gain metamagic feats.
Gang Advantages:
A gang can provide other services to players without using actions.
Group Initiation: A gang can provide groups to intiate with with a total available grade equal to the gang's magic rating.
Lifestyle: A gang can provide a free lifestyle to members based on its resources (1-2 = squatter, each 2 points raises a step).
Buy/Sell Equipment: The gang can purchase or sell equipment to/from players with no questions asked, though regular prices apply.
Bail out PCs: The gang can roll a clout check to try to bail PCs out of a tough spot. They can also try this with strength if the pcs are in trouble by a rival gang.
Provide Backup: A gang can roll a personnell check to try to bring in assistance to PCs. Special skills (decking, magic) are TN 8+ at GM call. Grunt help is TN 4, multiple successes mean more support.
Requisition: A gang can try a resources check with a TN = to the availability of the item you want to requisition, and provide it to you, so long as it's not expendable and they can reasonbly expect to have it returned. (Cars yes, poison and cyberware no).
Safehouses: When in a foreign city, the gang can make an area check against a TN 4 for same country different city, TN6 for different country same continent, TN 8 for different continent, TN 12 vs small island or remote areas. Success means there is a small safehouse available for the PCs to hide out in while out of town which is faction controlled. Multiple successes increase the level of the hideout using lifestyle levels. (6 = luxury!).
Find Work: The faction can make a public opinion check to try to find a job for a PC, number of successes = better job, and TN based on specifics set by GM.
Answer Questions: The gang can make a personnel check against a TN set by the GM related to the difficulty of the information. Each success means that gang members are able to supply information to the PCs relevant to the topic. The max TN the gang can even attempt is limited by its intelligence score.
While gangs can be expensive to maintain and support (both in terms of money and karma), they can be an excellent source of missions, and once you build them up they can really help you find better equipment and johnsons.
Sidekicks and Cohorts
Perhaps you have a low number of players and they need sidekicks, perhaps your player needs a cohort, perhaps the team needs someone to do jobs best left for NPCs. Enter the sidekick/cohort system.
Definitions:
Sidekick: A less powerful runner who accompanies the PC on missions and is generally controlled by a PC.
Example Sidekicks: Any less powerful character, like in D&D's leadership system.
Cohort: The ultimate contact, another runner who is happy to accomplish the "NPC tasks", and while they may be "controlled" by the PC sometimes, their rolls and stats are left more up to the GM.
Example Cohorts: A rigger who drives the getaway vehicle, a decker/info gatherer who does the background work on a mission, a face who introduces you to Johnsons.
Both sidekicks and cohorts are generally considered part of the shadowrunning team and probably will want some income for their work. Cohorts are basically NPC teammates who expect full shares, while sidekicks may split part of the controlling PC's shares.
Sidekick Rules
A sidekick should generally be made with 10-20 less build points than the PC, should not be allowed more than 2-3 edges/flaws, and gains only 2 points of good karma for every 3 the PC gains. He does not gain karma pool, he must share the PC's karma pool reserve.
To gain a sidekick, you should pay 10 points of good karma for the "sidekick" benefit, and use negotiation or etiquette to find them. (Maybe they find you). They are people you've taken under your wing as a mentor, family member, or for some other reason want to help train. The GM may want to limit the sidekick's active skills to be no higher than the PC's ranks in leadership.
Once the sidekick is gained they stick around like a lesser PC. If he dies it costs another 10 karma points to replace him, and any rolls suffer a cumulative +1 penalty to locate replacement sidekicks for each one that died (as you gain a rep for killing your help!).
Cohorts:
Cohorts are easier- they're built with the same BP as the PCs and have the same karma. They are considered an official part of the shadowrunning team. As such they will expect an equal cut of mission pay, for this mission and for future missions. (Which makes it not cost effective to hire them for just that one mission). Generally they're run by the GM as party support.
Parties that frequently "hire" then "fire" cohorts may soon find themselves unable to hire long term support.
Definitions:
Sidekick: A less powerful runner who accompanies the PC on missions and is generally controlled by a PC.
Example Sidekicks: Any less powerful character, like in D&D's leadership system.
Cohort: The ultimate contact, another runner who is happy to accomplish the "NPC tasks", and while they may be "controlled" by the PC sometimes, their rolls and stats are left more up to the GM.
Example Cohorts: A rigger who drives the getaway vehicle, a decker/info gatherer who does the background work on a mission, a face who introduces you to Johnsons.
Both sidekicks and cohorts are generally considered part of the shadowrunning team and probably will want some income for their work. Cohorts are basically NPC teammates who expect full shares, while sidekicks may split part of the controlling PC's shares.
Sidekick Rules
A sidekick should generally be made with 10-20 less build points than the PC, should not be allowed more than 2-3 edges/flaws, and gains only 2 points of good karma for every 3 the PC gains. He does not gain karma pool, he must share the PC's karma pool reserve.
To gain a sidekick, you should pay 10 points of good karma for the "sidekick" benefit, and use negotiation or etiquette to find them. (Maybe they find you). They are people you've taken under your wing as a mentor, family member, or for some other reason want to help train. The GM may want to limit the sidekick's active skills to be no higher than the PC's ranks in leadership.
Once the sidekick is gained they stick around like a lesser PC. If he dies it costs another 10 karma points to replace him, and any rolls suffer a cumulative +1 penalty to locate replacement sidekicks for each one that died (as you gain a rep for killing your help!).
Cohorts:
Cohorts are easier- they're built with the same BP as the PCs and have the same karma. They are considered an official part of the shadowrunning team. As such they will expect an equal cut of mission pay, for this mission and for future missions. (Which makes it not cost effective to hire them for just that one mission). Generally they're run by the GM as party support.
Parties that frequently "hire" then "fire" cohorts may soon find themselves unable to hire long term support.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Alignment
Alignment is relatively non-existant in Shadowrun. Partially this is because morals are not absolute (as in D&D), and runners tend to be operating outside the law, which sometimes makes an alignment system superfluous. Reputation is generally good enough to have an idea about a runner- but what happens when runners go out of their way to be holy... or unholy?
Saintly- The runner goes out of his way to help others. He tries to avoid using force at all, and then tends towards nonlethal unless lethal force is the only option. He is willing to fail missions (or abandon them) if he discovers that he is doing something evil. While he's not above stealing information from one company to give to another, he can justify this by the fact that corporations are not people, and there is no moral obligation to them at all. He is the person that might blow cover during surveillance to stop an unrelated spousal abuse in process.
Sinner- The runner cares about nothing except his own agenda. He will fire for lethal, snipe out children, or do whatever it takes to succeed on a mission (unless he doesn't want to do the mission anymore). This is not to say they must be monsters, but they just don't let complications get in the way of their mission. Some may have personal codes of honor or justice they follow, but the core of the sinner is that he puts no special value on life, and may use torture, murder, extortion, or other means to get what he wants.
A runner can have a sinner or saint score based on how he accomplishes his missions. Having a certain level of these scores can provide benefits. For one, you're likely to gain a reputation, with its own benefits and drawbacks, but you qualify for alignment perks based on your score. A runner begins with a Sinner Score of 0 and a Saint Score of 0. The DM tracks this. 100 is the max score in either. Generally as one score goes up, the other goes down.
Powers: You can learn special perks by meeting a certain saint or sinner score requirement. Each power costs 5 karma points to learn. You keep the power even if you later lose the prerequisite saint/sinner points, but you may only "use" it when the prereqs are meant (meaning you don't have to pay to learn it again if you dip below and come back up).
Saint Powers
Luck of the Faithful- (Requires 25 Saint Points): You are blessed with good luck (usually called karma, but for the XP system used). You have an extra point of karma pool that you can use each session.
Blessing of the Holy- (Requires 50 saint points): You can cast the treat spell as if you were a mage with a force equal to your charisma. You must resist drain using your charisma also. If you have sorcery dice you may use that instead if you wish.
The Left Hand of God- (Requires 75 saint points): You may call in a lesser hand of god favor by "burning" 1 point of karma pool. While this is not guaranteed to save your life or get you out of a tight jam, some piece of good luck will go your way to "help" save you. Maybe the enemy runs out of gas, maybe for one turn you get missed by every bullet, but some minor miricle happens. You may use this on behalf of someone else if you wish, though you are the one that loses the karma pool point.
Moon-Granted Wish- (Requires 100 saint points): You may ask for a blessing from your allies. (Non-action) Any ally can then say something inspiring about you, and grant you use of either their karma pool, their spell pool, their combat pool, or they can sacrifice health boxes of damage to restore the same number of boxes to you (meaning that they can take 3 physical damage to heal you 3 physical damage). While the pool dice last only for the round (and must not have been used up by the allies), the damage is as standard damage (as is the healing), and the healing is not limited by how "new" the wounds are. Allies may willingly do this without being asked at any time. Any time this ability is used it costs a point of karma pool, as if you used it, so you must have at least 1 point of karma pool available.
Sinner Powers
Bullet Curve- (Requires 25 sinner points): You may twist your gun in a strange way when you fire, and the bullet will curve, going around cover, or possibly hitting 2 targets with the same bullet. Distribute your dice between 2 targets (if you want to hit 2). The 1st target is normal, the 2nd target grants a +2 TN penalty. If the 1st target dodges or takes damage, the bullet continues to the 2nd target- however if he resists all damage then he also blocks the bullet from going to the 2nd target. If you're just trying to avoid cover, take a +1 TN penalty to the roll and eliminate all cover from the defender. Using this ability costs 1 point of kama pool.
Headshot- (Requires 50 sinner points): You may spend 1 point of karma pool before rolling your action and determine that a given shot will be a "headshot". The shot does +2 power and +1 damage level, and ignores all armor on the part of the target (even if he wears a helmet- you found a weak point in it). The target may use dodge and resistance normally otherwise.
Heart of Evil- (Requires 75 sinner points): You may spend 1 karma pool at any time to make an immediate recover check against any stun damage you have as you demonstrate movie-monster super recovery. This does not help you overcome physical damage, but does help overcome drain. Alternately you can spend 1 point of karma pool to ignore all wound penalties for the round.
Blackguard- (Requires 100 sinner points): You may fire a bullet (or use a melee attack) infused with the power of your own soul. When firing the bullet, you automatically take an amount of damage of your choice. (Up to 10 points, or more if you have overflow boxes). The would penalties do not apply to this shot. The shot bypasses any kind of natural weapon immunity, and automatically deals to the opponant an amount of damage equal to the amount you took BEFORE they roll to resist damage (but only if it hits, if they dodge this doesn't help you).
Saintly- The runner goes out of his way to help others. He tries to avoid using force at all, and then tends towards nonlethal unless lethal force is the only option. He is willing to fail missions (or abandon them) if he discovers that he is doing something evil. While he's not above stealing information from one company to give to another, he can justify this by the fact that corporations are not people, and there is no moral obligation to them at all. He is the person that might blow cover during surveillance to stop an unrelated spousal abuse in process.
Sinner- The runner cares about nothing except his own agenda. He will fire for lethal, snipe out children, or do whatever it takes to succeed on a mission (unless he doesn't want to do the mission anymore). This is not to say they must be monsters, but they just don't let complications get in the way of their mission. Some may have personal codes of honor or justice they follow, but the core of the sinner is that he puts no special value on life, and may use torture, murder, extortion, or other means to get what he wants.
A runner can have a sinner or saint score based on how he accomplishes his missions. Having a certain level of these scores can provide benefits. For one, you're likely to gain a reputation, with its own benefits and drawbacks, but you qualify for alignment perks based on your score. A runner begins with a Sinner Score of 0 and a Saint Score of 0. The DM tracks this. 100 is the max score in either. Generally as one score goes up, the other goes down.
Powers: You can learn special perks by meeting a certain saint or sinner score requirement. Each power costs 5 karma points to learn. You keep the power even if you later lose the prerequisite saint/sinner points, but you may only "use" it when the prereqs are meant (meaning you don't have to pay to learn it again if you dip below and come back up).
Saint Powers
Luck of the Faithful- (Requires 25 Saint Points): You are blessed with good luck (usually called karma, but for the XP system used). You have an extra point of karma pool that you can use each session.
Blessing of the Holy- (Requires 50 saint points): You can cast the treat spell as if you were a mage with a force equal to your charisma. You must resist drain using your charisma also. If you have sorcery dice you may use that instead if you wish.
The Left Hand of God- (Requires 75 saint points): You may call in a lesser hand of god favor by "burning" 1 point of karma pool. While this is not guaranteed to save your life or get you out of a tight jam, some piece of good luck will go your way to "help" save you. Maybe the enemy runs out of gas, maybe for one turn you get missed by every bullet, but some minor miricle happens. You may use this on behalf of someone else if you wish, though you are the one that loses the karma pool point.
Moon-Granted Wish- (Requires 100 saint points): You may ask for a blessing from your allies. (Non-action) Any ally can then say something inspiring about you, and grant you use of either their karma pool, their spell pool, their combat pool, or they can sacrifice health boxes of damage to restore the same number of boxes to you (meaning that they can take 3 physical damage to heal you 3 physical damage). While the pool dice last only for the round (and must not have been used up by the allies), the damage is as standard damage (as is the healing), and the healing is not limited by how "new" the wounds are. Allies may willingly do this without being asked at any time. Any time this ability is used it costs a point of karma pool, as if you used it, so you must have at least 1 point of karma pool available.
Sinner Powers
Bullet Curve- (Requires 25 sinner points): You may twist your gun in a strange way when you fire, and the bullet will curve, going around cover, or possibly hitting 2 targets with the same bullet. Distribute your dice between 2 targets (if you want to hit 2). The 1st target is normal, the 2nd target grants a +2 TN penalty. If the 1st target dodges or takes damage, the bullet continues to the 2nd target- however if he resists all damage then he also blocks the bullet from going to the 2nd target. If you're just trying to avoid cover, take a +1 TN penalty to the roll and eliminate all cover from the defender. Using this ability costs 1 point of kama pool.
Headshot- (Requires 50 sinner points): You may spend 1 point of karma pool before rolling your action and determine that a given shot will be a "headshot". The shot does +2 power and +1 damage level, and ignores all armor on the part of the target (even if he wears a helmet- you found a weak point in it). The target may use dodge and resistance normally otherwise.
Heart of Evil- (Requires 75 sinner points): You may spend 1 karma pool at any time to make an immediate recover check against any stun damage you have as you demonstrate movie-monster super recovery. This does not help you overcome physical damage, but does help overcome drain. Alternately you can spend 1 point of karma pool to ignore all wound penalties for the round.
Blackguard- (Requires 100 sinner points): You may fire a bullet (or use a melee attack) infused with the power of your own soul. When firing the bullet, you automatically take an amount of damage of your choice. (Up to 10 points, or more if you have overflow boxes). The would penalties do not apply to this shot. The shot bypasses any kind of natural weapon immunity, and automatically deals to the opponant an amount of damage equal to the amount you took BEFORE they roll to resist damage (but only if it hits, if they dodge this doesn't help you).
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Robot Characters
A robot character is a special form of artifical intelligence which has become self aware. It's a race to be chosen at character creation.
Robot (20 build points)
A robot generally has a humanoid structure, though this need not be the case. A robot is "upgraded" and "outfitted" with a variety of capabilities through spending money or build points on the robot's structure. Robots have several advantages and disadvantages.
No Essence: For good or ill, they're not alive. They have no essence score. As such they cannot be mages. They can, however, have all the cyberware they want, limited only by what may not realistically fit within their frame.
Non-Living: Not being alive, they need not eat, breathe, or drink. They do need to sleep, which represents going into a hybernation mode while their internal battery recharges. If destroyed they can be repaired, though this requires their body to be recovered and repairs to be made (see repairing, below). If repaired from a deadly physical wound, they must roll 1d6. On a roll of 1, their memory was damaged and they lose all AI (being effectively dead). If the head was especially damaged (or removed), a 1 or 2 on the 1d6 roll leaves them permanently dead.
Not being alive, the have no aura, no thoughts, and are immune to most non-physical spells. Their virtual intelligence allows them to make attempts to overcome physical spells (like illusions) like a normal character. They cannot have bioware.
Being non-living, they are also immune to stun damage, taking damage the same as objects or vehicles. They are also immune to poisons, gasses, disease (HMVV), etc. Likewise, they cannot benefit from stim patches, or healing spells. They do not recover from damage normally, they must be repaired.
SINless: They are not alive, and do not have any rights. Robots may be viewed as property when it comes to the law, and sometimes another shadowrunner might end up being blamed for the actions of his "property". Not having rights, they are just as likely to be shut down or destroyed if captured (or reprogrammed!).
Vulnerability to Rigging/Decking: A rigger may attempt to take control of a robot's body the same way as a mind control spell, using the robots intelligence to resist and using the rigger's ranks in pilot drone as the force. The threshold is half the robot's intelligence.
A decker may attempt to modifiy or read the memory of a robot like the modify/read memory spell in the same way, using computers ranks in place of the force of the spell. This requires being physically plugged into the robot, which usually means disabling it.
Repairing:Repairing a robot requires B/R mechanical skill. The base time is 1 hour per box to be repaired. (So if there are 10 boxes of damage, this takes 10 hours, even if only 3 end up being repaired) Roll a B/R mechanical test, TN = 1 + number of damage boxes (including overflow). Each success repairs 1 box of damage. This can be re-attempted for further time and healing.
Edges/Flaws: Certain edges and flaws cannot apply to robots at GM discresion.
Construction:
Robots build skill points and attributes the same as any other character. Their race is "robot" and they cannot be magicians. They may gain wealth resources normally which represents the amount of extra equipment that went into the robot. They cannot be mutant.
A robot can also purchase "robo-perks" with build points, described below:
Armor: A robot can spend 1 build points to gain 1 point of ballistic OR impact armor. Each is capped at the robot's body. He can spend 3 build points/point to instead have "hardened" versions of the armor.
Limbs: A robot is assumed to be bipedial, with 2 arms and 2 legs. He may also have:
Treads: Replaces feet, cannot be tripped, goes very slowly via stairs.
Propellors: Head propellors allow helicopter-like flight. Costs 10 BP.
Jet Pack: Allows very fast jet pack flight and hovering. Costs 20 BP. Very, very loud.
Additional Limbs: Each extra arm costs 5 BP, each extra leg costs 10 BP.
Wheels: Replaces feet, allows robot to move at car speeds on roads and other flat surfaces. Does not negotiate stairs. 10 BP.
Appearance: Base robots have a CHA of 1 and are obvious robots. Robots without extra limbs may appear as a human (male or female). 1 BP allows the appearance of a person and the ability to buy CHA. 5 BP allows the robot to "fully function" as a human would be expected to, and may be difficult to tell apart from humans (except via astral perception). Without appearance, robots have difficulty disguising themselves as humans (but as equipment...).
Skills: Robots purchase skills normally using build points.
Attributes: Robots buy attributes normally using build points. They have no racial maximum.
Size: Robots are assumed to be the same size as humans. They can be smaller, or larger. Each size category away from medium (use D&D terms) costs 1 point per category away, so:
Small/Large : 1 BP
Tiny/Huge: 3 BP (1 to go to small, 2 to go to tiny)
Robot PCs cannot be above huge or smaller than tiny. Large robots suffer penalties to stealth and disguise rolls as other characters do.
Improving Robots: Robots use karma to improve themselves like ordinary characters, with the following exceptions.
Attributes: Robots have no racial max or max attributes- they can always gain more intelligence or strength. They can benefit from Improved Cybernetic Attribute spells also, though the force of the spell must be at least 10 to affect them. (Also the essence of 0 makes the target number very high).
Skills: Robots can purchase skills normally with karma, but their attribute is irrelevant to skill cost- their skill always costs an amount of karma as if they had the lower initiative rating. Robots can use B/R mechanical to repair themselves, but the wound penalties apply to this roll, and it assumes they're "conscious".
Equipment: Robots can use weapons, armor, cyberware, and other equipment normally. They are not assumed to have "internal memory" for storing digital information (including recorded video) unless this is specially installed- all internal memory is used to run their systems and record "memories" for themselves in data format, which is not easily translated back into video. They perceive things normally and are not assumed to have photographic memory (though they can take that edge). They also may learn most skill tricks normally.
Karma Pool: Robots gain karma pool at 1 point every 25 points of good karma, lower than anyone else. Of course, it's hard for equipment to catch a break from the divine!
Jobs and Contacts: It's difficult for robots to maintain contacts and jobs, having no SIN and being regarded as property. Their contacts are generally assumed to be "forward thinking", though it is difficult for a robot to be taken seriously. Treat them as if they have stigma.
Electricity: Electricity attacks have +1 power against robots, and any which deals stun damage does physical damage to robots without a power reduction.
Lifestyles: A robot needs much less to survive- a power source and a place to "sleep". Lifestyle costs for robots are reduced by 20%. They cannot have better than a low lifestyle without GM approval (as robots don't buy houses and have no SIN). If lifestyle edges/flaws are used, feel free to remove living space and/or food from the cost association of lifestyles, but assume they need to live somewhere with reliable energy.
Karma Sharing: Robots earn karma as normal, but cannot share karma with spirits, mages, etc. (Perhaps it should be spelled Car-ma).
Hazards: Robots are generally water-proof, and can exist in most hot and cold temperatures without problems, however, any temperature that can cause actual damage to a human can also damage the robot's circuits and cause damage. A robot suffers wound modifiers as normal due to "malfunctioing" rather than pain. They are generally immune to mind effecting effects and fear (though they can express emotions, they don't necessarily "feel" them. Emotion for them is a logical process).
Robot (20 build points)
A robot generally has a humanoid structure, though this need not be the case. A robot is "upgraded" and "outfitted" with a variety of capabilities through spending money or build points on the robot's structure. Robots have several advantages and disadvantages.
No Essence: For good or ill, they're not alive. They have no essence score. As such they cannot be mages. They can, however, have all the cyberware they want, limited only by what may not realistically fit within their frame.
Non-Living: Not being alive, they need not eat, breathe, or drink. They do need to sleep, which represents going into a hybernation mode while their internal battery recharges. If destroyed they can be repaired, though this requires their body to be recovered and repairs to be made (see repairing, below). If repaired from a deadly physical wound, they must roll 1d6. On a roll of 1, their memory was damaged and they lose all AI (being effectively dead). If the head was especially damaged (or removed), a 1 or 2 on the 1d6 roll leaves them permanently dead.
Not being alive, the have no aura, no thoughts, and are immune to most non-physical spells. Their virtual intelligence allows them to make attempts to overcome physical spells (like illusions) like a normal character. They cannot have bioware.
Being non-living, they are also immune to stun damage, taking damage the same as objects or vehicles. They are also immune to poisons, gasses, disease (HMVV), etc. Likewise, they cannot benefit from stim patches, or healing spells. They do not recover from damage normally, they must be repaired.
SINless: They are not alive, and do not have any rights. Robots may be viewed as property when it comes to the law, and sometimes another shadowrunner might end up being blamed for the actions of his "property". Not having rights, they are just as likely to be shut down or destroyed if captured (or reprogrammed!).
Vulnerability to Rigging/Decking: A rigger may attempt to take control of a robot's body the same way as a mind control spell, using the robots intelligence to resist and using the rigger's ranks in pilot drone as the force. The threshold is half the robot's intelligence.
A decker may attempt to modifiy or read the memory of a robot like the modify/read memory spell in the same way, using computers ranks in place of the force of the spell. This requires being physically plugged into the robot, which usually means disabling it.
Repairing:Repairing a robot requires B/R mechanical skill. The base time is 1 hour per box to be repaired. (So if there are 10 boxes of damage, this takes 10 hours, even if only 3 end up being repaired) Roll a B/R mechanical test, TN = 1 + number of damage boxes (including overflow). Each success repairs 1 box of damage. This can be re-attempted for further time and healing.
Edges/Flaws: Certain edges and flaws cannot apply to robots at GM discresion.
Construction:
Robots build skill points and attributes the same as any other character. Their race is "robot" and they cannot be magicians. They may gain wealth resources normally which represents the amount of extra equipment that went into the robot. They cannot be mutant.
A robot can also purchase "robo-perks" with build points, described below:
Armor: A robot can spend 1 build points to gain 1 point of ballistic OR impact armor. Each is capped at the robot's body. He can spend 3 build points/point to instead have "hardened" versions of the armor.
Limbs: A robot is assumed to be bipedial, with 2 arms and 2 legs. He may also have:
Treads: Replaces feet, cannot be tripped, goes very slowly via stairs.
Propellors: Head propellors allow helicopter-like flight. Costs 10 BP.
Jet Pack: Allows very fast jet pack flight and hovering. Costs 20 BP. Very, very loud.
Additional Limbs: Each extra arm costs 5 BP, each extra leg costs 10 BP.
Wheels: Replaces feet, allows robot to move at car speeds on roads and other flat surfaces. Does not negotiate stairs. 10 BP.
Appearance: Base robots have a CHA of 1 and are obvious robots. Robots without extra limbs may appear as a human (male or female). 1 BP allows the appearance of a person and the ability to buy CHA. 5 BP allows the robot to "fully function" as a human would be expected to, and may be difficult to tell apart from humans (except via astral perception). Without appearance, robots have difficulty disguising themselves as humans (but as equipment...).
Skills: Robots purchase skills normally using build points.
Attributes: Robots buy attributes normally using build points. They have no racial maximum.
Size: Robots are assumed to be the same size as humans. They can be smaller, or larger. Each size category away from medium (use D&D terms) costs 1 point per category away, so:
Small/Large : 1 BP
Tiny/Huge: 3 BP (1 to go to small, 2 to go to tiny)
Robot PCs cannot be above huge or smaller than tiny. Large robots suffer penalties to stealth and disguise rolls as other characters do.
Improving Robots: Robots use karma to improve themselves like ordinary characters, with the following exceptions.
Attributes: Robots have no racial max or max attributes- they can always gain more intelligence or strength. They can benefit from Improved Cybernetic Attribute spells also, though the force of the spell must be at least 10 to affect them. (Also the essence of 0 makes the target number very high).
Skills: Robots can purchase skills normally with karma, but their attribute is irrelevant to skill cost- their skill always costs an amount of karma as if they had the lower initiative rating. Robots can use B/R mechanical to repair themselves, but the wound penalties apply to this roll, and it assumes they're "conscious".
Equipment: Robots can use weapons, armor, cyberware, and other equipment normally. They are not assumed to have "internal memory" for storing digital information (including recorded video) unless this is specially installed- all internal memory is used to run their systems and record "memories" for themselves in data format, which is not easily translated back into video. They perceive things normally and are not assumed to have photographic memory (though they can take that edge). They also may learn most skill tricks normally.
Karma Pool: Robots gain karma pool at 1 point every 25 points of good karma, lower than anyone else. Of course, it's hard for equipment to catch a break from the divine!
Jobs and Contacts: It's difficult for robots to maintain contacts and jobs, having no SIN and being regarded as property. Their contacts are generally assumed to be "forward thinking", though it is difficult for a robot to be taken seriously. Treat them as if they have stigma.
Electricity: Electricity attacks have +1 power against robots, and any which deals stun damage does physical damage to robots without a power reduction.
Lifestyles: A robot needs much less to survive- a power source and a place to "sleep". Lifestyle costs for robots are reduced by 20%. They cannot have better than a low lifestyle without GM approval (as robots don't buy houses and have no SIN). If lifestyle edges/flaws are used, feel free to remove living space and/or food from the cost association of lifestyles, but assume they need to live somewhere with reliable energy.
Karma Sharing: Robots earn karma as normal, but cannot share karma with spirits, mages, etc. (Perhaps it should be spelled Car-ma).
Hazards: Robots are generally water-proof, and can exist in most hot and cold temperatures without problems, however, any temperature that can cause actual damage to a human can also damage the robot's circuits and cause damage. A robot suffers wound modifiers as normal due to "malfunctioing" rather than pain. They are generally immune to mind effecting effects and fear (though they can express emotions, they don't necessarily "feel" them. Emotion for them is a logical process).
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Mutant Characters
Supernatural Ability (Su): A spell that a character has innately. Such spells do not use sorcery dice, instead they use an ability score as the casting dice with no spell pool. They have no force, use essence in place of force for targets to resist (or if force limits successes, successes are not limited). Cannot be quickened, enhanced with foci, etc. They resist drain with willpower.
Body is used for healing spells. Intelligence is used for detection spells. Strength is used for combat spells. Willpower is used for manipulations. Charisma is used for illusions.
Mutant (25 build point cost)
Mutant is an archtype for characters to take. Mutants have some form of supernatural ability, critter power, or other mutation as described below. Mutants gain 25 Mutation points at character creation, which can be spent on mutant powers. Mutants don't initiate or gain new powers.
Aura: Mutants have a strange aura that looks almost awakened, but not quite. Similar to critters. Unless they are also an initiate mage with masking, they cannot hide this aura from the astral. Even if they have no "active" or useful powers, this aura is visible.
Cyberware/Bio Index: Mutants are able to gain cyberware and bioware, though the bio index and decreased essence decreases the usefulness of some powers. Bio index counts against essence for mutant powers the same as with magic. (So a mutant with 4 essence thanks to cyberware and 2 bio index with regeneration only regains 1 box pur turn instead of 2.)
Magic: Many mutant powers are considered magical in nature and are resisted as such. Likewise, mutant bonuses are magic- quickened spells overlap (do not stack) with them. So a mutant with increased body cannot benefit (as much) from an improved body spell.
Mutant powers are described below.
Supernatual Ability(20): Choose a spell, that spell is now a supernatural ability the mutant can cast at will. (See supernatural abilities, above)
Pure (5): The mutant has 1 more essence rating. This allows more cyberware or more powerful abilities.
Regeneration (15): The mutant can regenerate. Each round he regains 1 box of physical (not stun) for every 2 points of essence he has (round down). He does not regenerate from death.
Dual Natured (15): The mutant is dual natured, and percieves both the astral and physical planes at once. He cannot turn off this ability.
Magic Skill (10): The mutant can use a magic skill (not summoning or spellcasting), using his essence. This can be assensing (which requires astral perception or dual natured, or being a mage), banishing, dispelling, or any other magical skill. He chooses the skill when this is chosen. This can also be cleansing, centering, or other ones granted by metamagic techniques, though skills only available through metamagic cost an additional 5 mutant points. (Obviously invoking and conjuring are not available, as summoning is not. However, spell shielding is.)
Thick Skin (5): Every point of thick skin grants either 1 point of ballistic or impact armor. This stacks with itself.
Astral Perception (10): The mutant can astrally percieve, turning it on or off like a mage.
Magic Resistance (10): The mutant can use his essence as bonus dice to resist hostile magic spells targeting him.
Damage Resistance (10): The mutant can use his essence as bonus dice to resist normal weapons used against him. (But not magic weapons, spells, or spirit attacks, etc).
Technopath (20): The mutant can use his essence to oppose a computer or maglock or other tehnological device (not guns or bolt locks). He rolls dice to oppose the rating of the machine. If successful he can turn it on, turn it off, unlock it, etc. He cannot actively control it.
Improved Attribute (5): Every point boosts a physical or mental attribute, even above the starting max.
Skillful (5): Choose 1 skill the mutant is a savant at. The mutant always gains this skill as if it were below the relevant attribute.
Savant (10): Choose 1 skill. The mutant levels up the base skill at the cost of leveling it up as a specialization. He cannot specalize in aspects of it.
Quick (5): This can be taken up to 3 times, each time granting +1d6 initiative dice. This does not stack with magic.
Mimic (15): The mutant can attempt to use his essence to cast a spell or use a magical ability he has just witnessed. He can "store" the magical ability by "sustaining" it as if it were a sustained ability. The TN he gains from sustaining does not affect a check to use the ability, and does not apply while the ability is being used (such as if he mimiced astral projection, he does not take the sustained penalty while astrally projecting). He may not use foci to sustain the ability, nore may he sustain more than one ability. To copy an ability, he rolls essence opposed by the force of the ability (or magic of the user if the ability has no force, such as astral projection). The original owner need not resist this if he decides not to.
Immunity (5/20): The mutant is immune to one drug, poison, disease, or similar effect. For 20 points he's immune to all drugs, poisons, and diseases.
Water Breathig (10): The mutant can breathe water as well as air. (This does not protect from deep water pressure).
Otaku (20): The mutant can connect to the matrix as if his head was a cyberdeck with a rating equal to his essence.
Telepathy (15): The mutant can send messages to other people telepathically. Such messages sound like speech in the mutant's voice (coming from no particular direction). It requires line of sight and has a max range of 5 meters * essence.
Telepathic Reciever (5): The mutant with telepathy can understand replies (making telepathy 2 way) and can make perception tests to overhear telepathic communication when either the sender or reciever is within 5 meters * essence. He need not take telepathy to take this, though it is of very limited use.
Senses (5): Each rank grants 1 sense: high frequency hearing, low frequency hearing, thermographic vision, ultarsound vision, improved scent, ultraviolet vision. These are similar to cyberware equivelants but they are natural.
Detection (10): Choose one material (guns, explosives, etc). You may make a perception test to notice if the given material is within Essence*5 meters. This pereption test does not reveal the location, distance, direction, etc, only whether or not the given material is within range, and the number of such materials (allowing you to discount you and your team's equipment).
Mutant Power Increase:
A mutant can attempt a process similar to initiation to increase his power. He spends a number of good karma equal to his (total essence+1)*2. He then makes an effective essence check against his new total essence. (Total essence = essence without counting penalties for cyberware or bioware, effective essence= current essence - bio index.). If successful the points are spent and he gains 1 point of essence, which improves his exisiting powers based on essence.
Supernatural abilities are increased by boosting stats. That can be done normally.
Mutant Mages:
While a mutant can be a mage, the increased essence and increased magic (from initiating) are totally seperate issues. A mutant must spend karma seperately to increase both.
Some mutant powers emulate mage abilities. Mages may use these mutant powers to gain metamagic they aren't otherwise capable of. (Such as an adept using mutant astral perception to gain psychomancy).
Techno Mutants:
While certainly it makes sense for mutants to preserve their essence for power levels, some mutants just have very high essence and use that to afford extra cyberware or bioware, beyond what any normal character can have. This is fine. If the mutant wishes to advance, however, it can be very difficult if he has only 1 die left of essence to try to hit a 13 or something.
HMVV:
Mutants react as their base race does to HMVV, so mutants with HMVV (thanks to their higher essence possibility) can be very powerful. (Of course, paying 50+ build points for a starting character before stats, and more for a mage leaves a very weak starting character).
Body is used for healing spells. Intelligence is used for detection spells. Strength is used for combat spells. Willpower is used for manipulations. Charisma is used for illusions.
Mutant (25 build point cost)
Mutant is an archtype for characters to take. Mutants have some form of supernatural ability, critter power, or other mutation as described below. Mutants gain 25 Mutation points at character creation, which can be spent on mutant powers. Mutants don't initiate or gain new powers.
Aura: Mutants have a strange aura that looks almost awakened, but not quite. Similar to critters. Unless they are also an initiate mage with masking, they cannot hide this aura from the astral. Even if they have no "active" or useful powers, this aura is visible.
Cyberware/Bio Index: Mutants are able to gain cyberware and bioware, though the bio index and decreased essence decreases the usefulness of some powers. Bio index counts against essence for mutant powers the same as with magic. (So a mutant with 4 essence thanks to cyberware and 2 bio index with regeneration only regains 1 box pur turn instead of 2.)
Magic: Many mutant powers are considered magical in nature and are resisted as such. Likewise, mutant bonuses are magic- quickened spells overlap (do not stack) with them. So a mutant with increased body cannot benefit (as much) from an improved body spell.
Mutant powers are described below.
Supernatual Ability(20): Choose a spell, that spell is now a supernatural ability the mutant can cast at will. (See supernatural abilities, above)
Pure (5): The mutant has 1 more essence rating. This allows more cyberware or more powerful abilities.
Regeneration (15): The mutant can regenerate. Each round he regains 1 box of physical (not stun) for every 2 points of essence he has (round down). He does not regenerate from death.
Dual Natured (15): The mutant is dual natured, and percieves both the astral and physical planes at once. He cannot turn off this ability.
Magic Skill (10): The mutant can use a magic skill (not summoning or spellcasting), using his essence. This can be assensing (which requires astral perception or dual natured, or being a mage), banishing, dispelling, or any other magical skill. He chooses the skill when this is chosen. This can also be cleansing, centering, or other ones granted by metamagic techniques, though skills only available through metamagic cost an additional 5 mutant points. (Obviously invoking and conjuring are not available, as summoning is not. However, spell shielding is.)
Thick Skin (5): Every point of thick skin grants either 1 point of ballistic or impact armor. This stacks with itself.
Astral Perception (10): The mutant can astrally percieve, turning it on or off like a mage.
Magic Resistance (10): The mutant can use his essence as bonus dice to resist hostile magic spells targeting him.
Damage Resistance (10): The mutant can use his essence as bonus dice to resist normal weapons used against him. (But not magic weapons, spells, or spirit attacks, etc).
Technopath (20): The mutant can use his essence to oppose a computer or maglock or other tehnological device (not guns or bolt locks). He rolls dice to oppose the rating of the machine. If successful he can turn it on, turn it off, unlock it, etc. He cannot actively control it.
Improved Attribute (5): Every point boosts a physical or mental attribute, even above the starting max.
Skillful (5): Choose 1 skill the mutant is a savant at. The mutant always gains this skill as if it were below the relevant attribute.
Savant (10): Choose 1 skill. The mutant levels up the base skill at the cost of leveling it up as a specialization. He cannot specalize in aspects of it.
Quick (5): This can be taken up to 3 times, each time granting +1d6 initiative dice. This does not stack with magic.
Mimic (15): The mutant can attempt to use his essence to cast a spell or use a magical ability he has just witnessed. He can "store" the magical ability by "sustaining" it as if it were a sustained ability. The TN he gains from sustaining does not affect a check to use the ability, and does not apply while the ability is being used (such as if he mimiced astral projection, he does not take the sustained penalty while astrally projecting). He may not use foci to sustain the ability, nore may he sustain more than one ability. To copy an ability, he rolls essence opposed by the force of the ability (or magic of the user if the ability has no force, such as astral projection). The original owner need not resist this if he decides not to.
Immunity (5/20): The mutant is immune to one drug, poison, disease, or similar effect. For 20 points he's immune to all drugs, poisons, and diseases.
Water Breathig (10): The mutant can breathe water as well as air. (This does not protect from deep water pressure).
Otaku (20): The mutant can connect to the matrix as if his head was a cyberdeck with a rating equal to his essence.
Telepathy (15): The mutant can send messages to other people telepathically. Such messages sound like speech in the mutant's voice (coming from no particular direction). It requires line of sight and has a max range of 5 meters * essence.
Telepathic Reciever (5): The mutant with telepathy can understand replies (making telepathy 2 way) and can make perception tests to overhear telepathic communication when either the sender or reciever is within 5 meters * essence. He need not take telepathy to take this, though it is of very limited use.
Senses (5): Each rank grants 1 sense: high frequency hearing, low frequency hearing, thermographic vision, ultarsound vision, improved scent, ultraviolet vision. These are similar to cyberware equivelants but they are natural.
Detection (10): Choose one material (guns, explosives, etc). You may make a perception test to notice if the given material is within Essence*5 meters. This pereption test does not reveal the location, distance, direction, etc, only whether or not the given material is within range, and the number of such materials (allowing you to discount you and your team's equipment).
Mutant Power Increase:
A mutant can attempt a process similar to initiation to increase his power. He spends a number of good karma equal to his (total essence+1)*2. He then makes an effective essence check against his new total essence. (Total essence = essence without counting penalties for cyberware or bioware, effective essence= current essence - bio index.). If successful the points are spent and he gains 1 point of essence, which improves his exisiting powers based on essence.
Supernatural abilities are increased by boosting stats. That can be done normally.
Mutant Mages:
While a mutant can be a mage, the increased essence and increased magic (from initiating) are totally seperate issues. A mutant must spend karma seperately to increase both.
Some mutant powers emulate mage abilities. Mages may use these mutant powers to gain metamagic they aren't otherwise capable of. (Such as an adept using mutant astral perception to gain psychomancy).
Techno Mutants:
While certainly it makes sense for mutants to preserve their essence for power levels, some mutants just have very high essence and use that to afford extra cyberware or bioware, beyond what any normal character can have. This is fine. If the mutant wishes to advance, however, it can be very difficult if he has only 1 die left of essence to try to hit a 13 or something.
HMVV:
Mutants react as their base race does to HMVV, so mutants with HMVV (thanks to their higher essence possibility) can be very powerful. (Of course, paying 50+ build points for a starting character before stats, and more for a mage leaves a very weak starting character).
Monday, December 13, 2010
Skill Tricks
Skill tricks are like bonus perks you can try to do with high enough skill ranks or by making other sacrifices to your skill. Learning a skill trick costs 1 point of good karma or build point, and each may (or may not) have a prerequisite to use. Blue skills are sustained.
Focused Skill
This skill trick is learned for a specific skill (though you may buy it multiple times for multiple skills). Before rolling and OPEN skill roll with the skill, you may sacrifice any number of available dice. (If these dice come from a pool, like spell pool or something, they are considered "used" during this check). For every 2 dice you sacrifice, gain +1 to the total of your open check. It's a gamble, but you might end up getting better this way than you would have otherwise.
Helpful Shout (Requires 6 ranks of leadership)
At the beginning of your turn, as a free action, you may make a leadership (4) test. Every 2 successes allows you to grant a bonus combat pool die to any one ally (not yourself) for the rest of the turn.
Aid Another (Requiers 6 ranks of relevant skill)
Purchased for various skills. This allows you to, when using an active skill, to divide dice. Any dice you don't use for yourself may be used towards an ally's use of the same skill, as a suppliment. So if you have 12 ranks of stealth with aid another: stealth, you can remove 4 ranks (for example), and use those 4 dice to suppliment an ally's stealth roll. You can use dice from specalizations as long as the trick is learned as the specialization (so you can get aid another: stealth or aid another: stealth(sneaking)).
Explosive Expert (requires 6 ranks of B/R structural)
You can roll a B/R structural(6) test. Every 2 successes adds +2 power to an explosive's blast against that structure (but not to other things in the blast radius). Alternately you can use 4 successes to increase the damage code by 1 step. Choose how you're using the trick before rolling.
Sexy Chatter (requires charisma of 6)
You may use your charisma as a suppliment to any social skill roll if the target and you are sexually compatable.
Sprinter (requires athletics of 6)
You may use your body rating as a suppliment to any athletics test. For every success your body test grants you, you must resist 1 box of stun damage (resist the total at once) as you stress yourself.
Angry Roar (requires intimate of 6 and an ork or troll race, or metatype thereof).
As a complex action you may bellow an insane roar. Roll intimidate, and use the bigger of your body or strength as a suppliment. Add +1 to bonus to your rolls if you have some intimidating form of equipment (hardened body armor, a light machine gun in your hands, etc) and +1 if you are large (-1 if you are small). Compare this result to the willpower of the people in the room. Every success gives the people within 20 meters of you a penalty to all combat skills equal to your successes against them (and may cause them to flee). This penalty lasts for 1 round per rank of intimidate, but resets every time YOU kill someone. The penalty ends immediately if you are dropped due to physical or stun damage. This encuorages everyone to shoot at you, of course.
Rally the Troops (requires 6 ranks of leadership)
As a complex action you can roll a leadership roll to allow your allies to overcome fear due to phobias, combat fear, or the angry roar ability (above). Each success on a leadership (4) test decreases the number of successes of the roar by 1, or grants them +1 die to resist their phobias or combat fear.
Trick Shot (requires 6 ranks of a specific firearm skill)
Buy this trick seperately for each weapon skill. You may sacrifice a number of dice before making a shot. Every 2 dice you sacrifice either allows you to ignore 1 point of the target's armor rating, or removes 1 success from the target's dodge roll (not damage resistance).
Explode Vehicle (requires 6 ranks from a specific firearm skill)
Buy this seperately for each weapon skill. When making a called shot against a vehicle's fuel tank, you may sacrifice a number of dice. The vehicle, upon taking damage, must make a body check against your net successes on your damage roll, the TN being the number of dice you sacrificed. If it generates no successes, it immediately explodes. If it generates less successes than the net successes on your shot, it is disabled and smoking, and will explode in a number of rounds equal to the the number of dice you sacrificed. Wound modifiers apply to this resistance test.
Example: You fire at a car's gas tank with a pistol. You sacrifice 4 dice. You damage the car. You rolled 4 successes against the car, it's damage resistance check generated 2 successes, giving you 2 net successes. It then makes a body check against a TN 4 (the number of dice you sacrificed). If it generates no successes, it immediately explodes. If it generates 1 success, it will explode in 4 rounds, but is disabled and smoking. If it generates 2 successes, it does not explode and just takes damage from the shot. The damage done to the car may apply wound penalties to its resistance check.
Buying Successes:
Buy this trick for a specific skill. In lieu of rolling, you may buy successes by sacrificing a number of dice equal to the TN. (So on a TN 4 test, you may sacrifice 4 dice to generate 1 success). On an open test, your roll is equal to the number of dice you sacrifice (Sacrificing 12 dice grants you a roll of 12).
Taking 20: (Requires buying successes)
Buy this trick for the same skill you have buying successes for. If you're taking 20x the normal amount of time to complete the task, you can spend 1 less die per success. (So at TN 4, every 3 dice takes 1 success, or for TN 2, every die is a success!). Only skills with no penalty for failure can utilize this. For open skill tests, you can take 1/3 of the dice you would normally roll (round down) and roll them. Add the biggest one as a result of the open test. (So if you have 12 dice for searching, you can "take 20" and roll 4 dice. Add 12 to the result of the largest die for your take 20 result).
Focused Skill
This skill trick is learned for a specific skill (though you may buy it multiple times for multiple skills). Before rolling and OPEN skill roll with the skill, you may sacrifice any number of available dice. (If these dice come from a pool, like spell pool or something, they are considered "used" during this check). For every 2 dice you sacrifice, gain +1 to the total of your open check. It's a gamble, but you might end up getting better this way than you would have otherwise.
Helpful Shout (Requires 6 ranks of leadership)
At the beginning of your turn, as a free action, you may make a leadership (4) test. Every 2 successes allows you to grant a bonus combat pool die to any one ally (not yourself) for the rest of the turn.
Aid Another (Requiers 6 ranks of relevant skill)
Purchased for various skills. This allows you to, when using an active skill, to divide dice. Any dice you don't use for yourself may be used towards an ally's use of the same skill, as a suppliment. So if you have 12 ranks of stealth with aid another: stealth, you can remove 4 ranks (for example), and use those 4 dice to suppliment an ally's stealth roll. You can use dice from specalizations as long as the trick is learned as the specialization (so you can get aid another: stealth or aid another: stealth(sneaking)).
Explosive Expert (requires 6 ranks of B/R structural)
You can roll a B/R structural(6) test. Every 2 successes adds +2 power to an explosive's blast against that structure (but not to other things in the blast radius). Alternately you can use 4 successes to increase the damage code by 1 step. Choose how you're using the trick before rolling.
Sexy Chatter (requires charisma of 6)
You may use your charisma as a suppliment to any social skill roll if the target and you are sexually compatable.
Sprinter (requires athletics of 6)
You may use your body rating as a suppliment to any athletics test. For every success your body test grants you, you must resist 1 box of stun damage (resist the total at once) as you stress yourself.
Angry Roar (requires intimate of 6 and an ork or troll race, or metatype thereof).
As a complex action you may bellow an insane roar. Roll intimidate, and use the bigger of your body or strength as a suppliment. Add +1 to bonus to your rolls if you have some intimidating form of equipment (hardened body armor, a light machine gun in your hands, etc) and +1 if you are large (-1 if you are small). Compare this result to the willpower of the people in the room. Every success gives the people within 20 meters of you a penalty to all combat skills equal to your successes against them (and may cause them to flee). This penalty lasts for 1 round per rank of intimidate, but resets every time YOU kill someone. The penalty ends immediately if you are dropped due to physical or stun damage. This encuorages everyone to shoot at you, of course.
Rally the Troops (requires 6 ranks of leadership)
As a complex action you can roll a leadership roll to allow your allies to overcome fear due to phobias, combat fear, or the angry roar ability (above). Each success on a leadership (4) test decreases the number of successes of the roar by 1, or grants them +1 die to resist their phobias or combat fear.
Trick Shot (requires 6 ranks of a specific firearm skill)
Buy this trick seperately for each weapon skill. You may sacrifice a number of dice before making a shot. Every 2 dice you sacrifice either allows you to ignore 1 point of the target's armor rating, or removes 1 success from the target's dodge roll (not damage resistance).
Explode Vehicle (requires 6 ranks from a specific firearm skill)
Buy this seperately for each weapon skill. When making a called shot against a vehicle's fuel tank, you may sacrifice a number of dice. The vehicle, upon taking damage, must make a body check against your net successes on your damage roll, the TN being the number of dice you sacrificed. If it generates no successes, it immediately explodes. If it generates less successes than the net successes on your shot, it is disabled and smoking, and will explode in a number of rounds equal to the the number of dice you sacrificed. Wound modifiers apply to this resistance test.
Example: You fire at a car's gas tank with a pistol. You sacrifice 4 dice. You damage the car. You rolled 4 successes against the car, it's damage resistance check generated 2 successes, giving you 2 net successes. It then makes a body check against a TN 4 (the number of dice you sacrificed). If it generates no successes, it immediately explodes. If it generates 1 success, it will explode in 4 rounds, but is disabled and smoking. If it generates 2 successes, it does not explode and just takes damage from the shot. The damage done to the car may apply wound penalties to its resistance check.
Buying Successes:
Buy this trick for a specific skill. In lieu of rolling, you may buy successes by sacrificing a number of dice equal to the TN. (So on a TN 4 test, you may sacrifice 4 dice to generate 1 success). On an open test, your roll is equal to the number of dice you sacrifice (Sacrificing 12 dice grants you a roll of 12).
Taking 20: (Requires buying successes)
Buy this trick for the same skill you have buying successes for. If you're taking 20x the normal amount of time to complete the task, you can spend 1 less die per success. (So at TN 4, every 3 dice takes 1 success, or for TN 2, every die is a success!). Only skills with no penalty for failure can utilize this. For open skill tests, you can take 1/3 of the dice you would normally roll (round down) and roll them. Add the biggest one as a result of the open test. (So if you have 12 dice for searching, you can "take 20" and roll 4 dice. Add 12 to the result of the largest die for your take 20 result).
Sexually Incompatable (Requires Cha 6)
You can use charisma as a suppliment to bluff and disguise checks when you're in a sexually incompatable situation. By careful flirting you can make someone feel socially awkward and uncomfortable and more willing to accept your story just to get you out of there.
I remember everything (Requires eiditic memory and/or mnomenic enhancer)
You can remember almost everything. You now can take ranks in knowledge: all kinds of stuff. This knowledge roll can be used to remember things, make logical conclusions from things you know, and act as a general bardic knowledge skill, though it doesn't provide very technical information, and the TN is generally 1 higher for this skill than for some other, better suited, skill. You can use intellignce as a suppliment to this skill to remember events you were present for.
Read it Later (requires eiditic memory and/or mnomenic enhancer and I remember everything)
You can glance through books and get a page worth of info in 1 simple action. You don't understand any of the info until you go back and "think about it", but you can get a clear enough mental image of a piece of paper that you can read your mental image at some later time. You may store a number of pages equal to your intelligence score. Using cyberware image storage can greatly increase the number of pages.
Sweeper (requires intellgence 6+ and perceptive edge and electronics 6)
You can sustain "sweeping" as if it were a spell. While sweeping, you can automatically attempt perception tests to notice cameras and other security equipment before you trigger them, even if concealed or out of view (like around a corner or on the other side of a door frame) The TN is 1 higher than normal, which is counteracted by your perception edge. You must be able to perceive the security device to detect it, so an invisible camera can't be spotted unless you have ultrasound vision or something.
Too Quiet (requires int 6+ and know: secruity procedures 6+)
You can sustain "too quiet" as if it were a spell. While sustaining, you can automatically attempt hearing perception tests to discover people or animals in your vincinity, either waiting in ambush or just regular guards. You gain penalties on other rolls (due to sustaining), but if you detect someone you will know their approximate number, position, and movement.
Ready for Anything (requires intelligence 4+)
You can sustain a "ready" state, which means that you can make a dodge check on any attack, even ones you are not aware of, and you can act in a "surprise" round of combat. Any checks outside of combat, including perception checks, suffer the TN penalty for sustaining this.
Just like a spell, an ability can be Sustained, meaning you're effectively entering a special character "mode". While sustaining an ability, you gain special perks for that ability, but take a TN penalty to any other action, much like sustaining a spell. Not being a spell, you cannot link sustained abilities to a focus.
Healing Stim (requires a healing spell and Biotech 4+)
You can throw a stim patch on someone to remove some stun damage, then use a healing spell on them to restore the rest of the damage. If you restore them to no damage, then the damage removed by the stim patch is permanent. You still suffer drain from the total number of damage boxes. This does not decrease the number of actions it takes to accomplish this.
Ultrasilent (requires electronics 6 and stealth 6)
You can attempt to sneak up on an ultrasound detector or similar device and disable it without triggering it. You roll an opposed stealth check using your stealth ranks against the rating of the device. If successful, you can get up to the device without triggering it, if you fail you set off the device. Sometimes this is the only way to get close enough to tamper with it.
He's smarter than I am (req: Int 6+, common sense edge)
Roll a number of dice equal to your intelligence against a TN set by the GM. If sucessful, the GM should tell you if something youre proposing has a chance of working or if there is some huge flaw in your plan. Surely he can't account for everything, and multiple successes can help- but if your plan is "We drive a jeep full of explosives into it" the GM might bring up the electric fence you're driving through and how it might trigger the jeep to blow early. Of course, the character must be aware of the electric fence.
Master Plan (req int 6+, knowledge: tactics 6+, leadership 6+)
Before going into a place, you can roll an Intelligence(4) test. Each success grants your entire team a bonus to stealth and perception tests for as long as you sustain this mode. The plan takes 1/2 hour to come up with and requires some basic knowledge of the facility (such as a map).
Giant Target (req intimidate 6+)
You can attempt to move in such a way as to force enemies to shoot at you (instead of your teammates). Make an intimated check opposed by targets willpower. If you succeed, they must direct attacks against you instead of your teammates, until you either drop, or they discover that (if) their attacks against you cannot be effective (such as if you have hardened armor or are channeling a greaterform spirit). You must sustain this, meaning you're taking a penalty to combat skills, but if you're a good damage soaker, it's worth it.
Distracting (requires charisma 6+ and either dance or some other performance skill 6+)
You can attempt to distract someone outside of combat situations. Maybe you're a pretty girl who just keeps dropping things, or a bumbling oaf that people can't look away from, or maybe you've got a great story to tell on the phone... regardless, make a performance check (using your performance skill) against the target's intelligence. If you succeed he takes a penalty on perception checks and any checks involving concentration while you continue doing this. If he's already engaged in a task (like filing paperwork or talking on the phone) this penalty applies to this, though he may stop what he's doing to watch. This can be useful to distract security guards also by playing it up for the camera (though you won't know if you're successful if you can't see him).
Master Cook (requires thrown weapons 4 and demolitions 4)
You can throw a grenade and have it detonate immediately (instead of end of round) if you make a Thrown Weapons (4) test. Basically you pull the pin as an earlier part of the throwing action. If you fail the thrown weapons test, the grenade explodes in your hand instead.
Bullet Deflection (requires edged weapons 6 and quickness 6)
You can use a wielded edged weapon to deflect bullets at you, using your edged weapons skill as a suppliment to your dodge. You must still be aware of the attack and have the weapon drawn. If you sustain bullet deflection as a sustained ability, you can use your full edged weapon skill as your dodge test, even if you use no combat pool towards it.
Master Teacher (requires instruction 6)
You are better at instructing people to learn discounted skills. When using instruction to decrease the karma cost of learning a skill, you automatically generate 1 extra success (as long as you've generated any).
SNAAAAKE! (requires electronics 6)
When someone goes unconscious or dies on your team, and you can't see them, but are in radio contact, you just get the strange feeling that something has happened. (You can yell their voice into the radio to confirm this). This can alert you that something is amiss. You must be on a mission and in radio contact to use this, though the communication line need not be open at the time. GM call.
Enrage (requires body 6 and intimidation 6)
The character can pump himself up into a berserker rage, spending a complex action pissing himself off. Once the rage begins he sustaines it, but does not take the sustaining penalty to combat skills (athletics and weapoon skills), he get a -1 TN bonus to damage resistance tests and may use strength to suppliment any damage resistance or melee weapon skill, and may use quickness to suppliment any ranged weapon skill. He may not benefit from scopes or aiming actions and must make a willpower(6) test to break off of combat. He also has a +1 TN penalty to any dodge tests and ignores wound penalties during this.
Blade Flurry (requires edged weapon 6, quickness>= strength)
By being fast rather than strong, the character is able to do more damage using edged weapons. If he wields a small edged weapon in each hand, he can perform a flurry, and add 1/2 his quickness to the overall power of the attack, representing more landed blows. This is a complex action against one person.
Character Backgrounds
(Sorry Paul, I had to steal this!)
Character backgrounds aid in creating a story for your character and fitting them into the campaign world. Backgrounds come in two types:
Abandoned Background: These backgrounds represent a life you used to life, but have thus abandoned for some reason. You gain the perks of this background before character creation, so you get some free points, but can't exceed starting maximums at all. (Though some give benefits that can't be bought with build points). You gain the benefit of starting wealth but not continuous wealth (as by a day job). Depending on the background and story, you might end up being hunted by the old background. Any starting wealth gained must be spent during character creation.
The flaws given are "free" as well, and do not provide extra build points.
Current Background: This represents an occupation or background that you are currently involved in. The perks go over and above the starting maximums, assuming you "just got them" after character creation. They may include obligations to the organization you are involved with. Starting wealth may be carried past character creation if you wish.
Edge: Complicated Past (3): Gain an extra abandoned background at character creation.
Edge: Spread Thin (6): Gain an extra current background at character creation.
Hometown: You may also choose an area (a city, or a part of a city for large cities- like seattle. Redmond Barrens might be appropriate) that represents where you grew up. Gain +1 to gather information and knowledge checks relating to the home area.
Background Lists
Below are a list of some backgrounds. O: obligation, something the company may require of you to upkeep. Some have no upkeep. A: Abandoned, a penalty you have for leaving the organization behind. Some have no penalties. UA: Un-abandonable. Some backgrounds are things that must be abandoned, or represent something from your past you just don't get rid of. They must be taken as current.
Citizen: You are a mild mannered citizen.
Must have a SIN. Day Job (-3). -1 TN bonus to any social or knowledge checks made in your home area. O: Maintain the day job. A: Lose the day job and social skill bonus, keep the knowledge check bonus.
Student: You are in school.
Must have a SIN. Gain College OR Tech school education perk for free. Gain +3 free knowledge skills at character creation. Have a free "expert" low level contact who can help you with knowledge skills or lab work (a professor). O: Spend 10 hours/week attending classes. A: Lose the professor as a contact. Abandoned may involve graduation.
Chemist: You are a pharmacist, drug maker, alchemist, etc.
Gain +1 rank in Biotech B/R and knowlege (chemistry). Day Job (-3). Reduce the availability of poisions, drugs, and chemicals by 2 and ignore street index on such items. O: Maintain the day job. A: Lose the day job and availability/street index modifier.
Cop: You work for lone star or some other police force, including in the crime lab.
Must have a SIN. +1 rank in pistols and one other firearm skill. +1 rank in investigation skill. Have access to a crime lab and computer where you can run blood samples, fingerprints, and DNA searches. Day Job (-3). O: Maintain the day job. A: lose access to the crime lab/computer and day job.
Escort: You are a stripper, call girl(boy), prostitute, or other such person of the night.
+1 rank in dance, +1 charisma, +1 rank etiquette. Must have a CHA of 4+. Day Job (-1). Gain low level bonus contacts = to 1/2 your charisma. Get a free squatter level lifestyle (as you can always stay with "a friend"). O: Maintain the day job. A: Lose the day job.
Private Eye: You have experience in the field of investigations. (UA)
+1 rank search, +1 rank investiagions, +1 rank disguise. +1 intelligence. Double bonuses for hometown area. O: Nothing- you may take a day job for this if you want. A: Can't be abandoned, once you know this stuff, you don't unlearn it.
Wise Guy: You are involved in some kind of criminal sydicate (Yakuza/Mafia, etc). Must have a race that allows you to be a part of that syndicate (japanese for yakuza). Some organizations have marks or tatoos you must get. You cannot be involved in more than one syndicate.
+1 rank any weapon skill. +1 rank stealth. Free safehouses in every major city that you can stay at for free. Reduce availability ratings of illegal items by 1 and street index by 1 (min 1). O: You are a part of this organization and must do jobs for it and never betray it. A: lose availability/street index bonus. Become hunted by organization.
Ganger: You are involved in a gang not big enough to be considered a syndicate. Cannot combine with wise guy unless one is abandoned.
+1 rank any weapon skill. + 1 rank stealth. Free safehouse in home area. Free low lifestyle in home area. Home area provides bonus to stealth. Reduce availability (not street index) by 0.5 (min 1) for purchases. O: You are a member of the gang, must stay at their lifestyle, wear their colors, and spend time with the gang promoting gang lifestyle. A: may be hunted by the gang, minimum hunted as the gang will have limited resources. Lose availability bonus, low lifestyle, and free safe houses, as well as home area bonus to stealth.
Professional Mage: You work for a shamanistic lodge or hermetic circle. You must be awakened and of a tradition that matches where you work.
+1 rank to any 2 magical skills. Have a group to initiate with at all times. Reduce availability of magical gear and spells by 1. Ignore street index on buying foci. Free squatter lifestyle at lodge/circle. O: must share learned spells and metamagic techniques with circle/lodge. Follow group's tenants. A: Lose lifestyle, magical gear purchasing bonuses, initiation group, squatter lifestyle.
Hedge Wizard: You manifested magic at a very early age and are somewhat of a savant with it. (UA). Must be awakened mage or aspected mage (not adept).
+1 rank to sorcery and conjuration. +1 initiate grade (with any metamagic technique). Reduce multiplyer of initiating alone by 0.5 (does not affect group initiations).
Celebrity: You are a celebrity- an actor, a politician, or the daughter of a millionaire with leaked sex tapes. (UA)
+1 TN penalty to diguise rolls. +100k starting wealth. +1 charisma. +2 rank etiquette. +2k/month bonus income. +2 fame. Distinctive features. Considered "always in pictures" and "public figure" for tracing attempts.
Slut: You get around. (UA)
Free lifestyle, each month roll 1d6 for the quality of the lifestyle. It's never "yours". +1 Karma Pool. +1 charisma. +1 etiqutte.
Military: You were once a part of a military. (UA)
+3 ranks to be divided as you wish on any 3 firearm skills. (Can put all 3 in one skill if you wish). +1 die to combat pool. +1 Rank to B/R any firearm you got a bonus rank for. Must have a SIN. -20% to the cost of health care (VA benefit). +1 rank to any one intelligence based active skill.
Shadowrunner: This isn't your first run. You have been a shadowrunner for a while now. (UA)
+5% personal bonus to all mission pay. +2 fame. +1 reputation of your choice (Though it may go away based on future actions). +20k starting wealth. +1 die to either hacking pool, combat pool, or spell pool.
Criminal: You have a rap sheet a mile long. (UA)
Gain either hunted(police), or criminal SIN. +1 rank stealth. +1 rank any one firearm skill. +1 rank electronics. +1 rank B/R electronics. +1 rank computers.
Drifter: You wander from town to town, or are a street rat.
Gain +1 rank stealth, gain either Home Turf or Friendly face edge for free. Gain +3 dice on any attempt to lay low, avoid pursuit, or avoid detection by hiding (but not when breaking and entering). O: May not have more than a squatter lifestyle. A: Lose the +3 dice bonus.
Daredevil: You live for thrill!
Gain daredevil edge. Gain +1 body and +2 ranks athletics. O: Either Maintain a dangerous day job, or use your daredevil edge bonus every session. A: lose the daredevil edge.
Assassin: You are a professional hitman. (UA)
Gain +2 ranks to one weapon skill. Gain +1 rank to stealth. Gain +2 to the concealability of all your carried weapons and armor. Cannot have any pacifict or similar flaws. Gain +1 rank intimidate.
Marine Biologist: You have skill in dealing with marine life and swimming. (UA)
Gain +3 dice on all attempts to build secret underwater facilities. Before taking a mission that does not involve water or ocean-based travel, make a willpower(6) test or you must decline the mission. Even if you succeed, you get a -1 penalty on all social skill rolls during the mission. Gain the water sprite edge 4 times for free.
Doctor: You are a health care professional.
Day Job (-3). +2 rank biotech. Decrease availability of stim patches and similar medicines by 2. Gain +2 dice on all knowledge checks relating to medicine or doctors or health. O: mantain the day job. A: lose availability bonus and day job.
Pilot: You are a pilot, either corporate or with an airline.
Day Job (-3) +3 ranks to divide against any kind of aircrafts. Free flight tickets and can bypass basic airport security (within reason). O: maintain day job. A: lose security clearance and free airline tickets.
Banker: You work at some kind of financial institution.
Day Job (-3). Can convert any currency to any other for free. (Still pay exchange rate). Can launder money for free. +3 dice to laundering skills. Access to bank computers. +1 intelligence. +3 ranks to divvy amongst relevant knowledge skills O: maintain day job. A: lose bank conputer access, free currency conversion, and free laundering.
Character backgrounds aid in creating a story for your character and fitting them into the campaign world. Backgrounds come in two types:
Abandoned Background: These backgrounds represent a life you used to life, but have thus abandoned for some reason. You gain the perks of this background before character creation, so you get some free points, but can't exceed starting maximums at all. (Though some give benefits that can't be bought with build points). You gain the benefit of starting wealth but not continuous wealth (as by a day job). Depending on the background and story, you might end up being hunted by the old background. Any starting wealth gained must be spent during character creation.
The flaws given are "free" as well, and do not provide extra build points.
Current Background: This represents an occupation or background that you are currently involved in. The perks go over and above the starting maximums, assuming you "just got them" after character creation. They may include obligations to the organization you are involved with. Starting wealth may be carried past character creation if you wish.
Edge: Complicated Past (3): Gain an extra abandoned background at character creation.
Edge: Spread Thin (6): Gain an extra current background at character creation.
Hometown: You may also choose an area (a city, or a part of a city for large cities- like seattle. Redmond Barrens might be appropriate) that represents where you grew up. Gain +1 to gather information and knowledge checks relating to the home area.
Background Lists
Below are a list of some backgrounds. O: obligation, something the company may require of you to upkeep. Some have no upkeep. A: Abandoned, a penalty you have for leaving the organization behind. Some have no penalties. UA: Un-abandonable. Some backgrounds are things that must be abandoned, or represent something from your past you just don't get rid of. They must be taken as current.
Citizen: You are a mild mannered citizen.
Must have a SIN. Day Job (-3). -1 TN bonus to any social or knowledge checks made in your home area. O: Maintain the day job. A: Lose the day job and social skill bonus, keep the knowledge check bonus.
Student: You are in school.
Must have a SIN. Gain College OR Tech school education perk for free. Gain +3 free knowledge skills at character creation. Have a free "expert" low level contact who can help you with knowledge skills or lab work (a professor). O: Spend 10 hours/week attending classes. A: Lose the professor as a contact. Abandoned may involve graduation.
Chemist: You are a pharmacist, drug maker, alchemist, etc.
Gain +1 rank in Biotech B/R and knowlege (chemistry). Day Job (-3). Reduce the availability of poisions, drugs, and chemicals by 2 and ignore street index on such items. O: Maintain the day job. A: Lose the day job and availability/street index modifier.
Cop: You work for lone star or some other police force, including in the crime lab.
Must have a SIN. +1 rank in pistols and one other firearm skill. +1 rank in investigation skill. Have access to a crime lab and computer where you can run blood samples, fingerprints, and DNA searches. Day Job (-3). O: Maintain the day job. A: lose access to the crime lab/computer and day job.
Escort: You are a stripper, call girl(boy), prostitute, or other such person of the night.
+1 rank in dance, +1 charisma, +1 rank etiquette. Must have a CHA of 4+. Day Job (-1). Gain low level bonus contacts = to 1/2 your charisma. Get a free squatter level lifestyle (as you can always stay with "a friend"). O: Maintain the day job. A: Lose the day job.
Private Eye: You have experience in the field of investigations. (UA)
+1 rank search, +1 rank investiagions, +1 rank disguise. +1 intelligence. Double bonuses for hometown area. O: Nothing- you may take a day job for this if you want. A: Can't be abandoned, once you know this stuff, you don't unlearn it.
Wise Guy: You are involved in some kind of criminal sydicate (Yakuza/Mafia, etc). Must have a race that allows you to be a part of that syndicate (japanese for yakuza). Some organizations have marks or tatoos you must get. You cannot be involved in more than one syndicate.
+1 rank any weapon skill. +1 rank stealth. Free safehouses in every major city that you can stay at for free. Reduce availability ratings of illegal items by 1 and street index by 1 (min 1). O: You are a part of this organization and must do jobs for it and never betray it. A: lose availability/street index bonus. Become hunted by organization.
Ganger: You are involved in a gang not big enough to be considered a syndicate. Cannot combine with wise guy unless one is abandoned.
+1 rank any weapon skill. + 1 rank stealth. Free safehouse in home area. Free low lifestyle in home area. Home area provides bonus to stealth. Reduce availability (not street index) by 0.5 (min 1) for purchases. O: You are a member of the gang, must stay at their lifestyle, wear their colors, and spend time with the gang promoting gang lifestyle. A: may be hunted by the gang, minimum hunted as the gang will have limited resources. Lose availability bonus, low lifestyle, and free safe houses, as well as home area bonus to stealth.
Professional Mage: You work for a shamanistic lodge or hermetic circle. You must be awakened and of a tradition that matches where you work.
+1 rank to any 2 magical skills. Have a group to initiate with at all times. Reduce availability of magical gear and spells by 1. Ignore street index on buying foci. Free squatter lifestyle at lodge/circle. O: must share learned spells and metamagic techniques with circle/lodge. Follow group's tenants. A: Lose lifestyle, magical gear purchasing bonuses, initiation group, squatter lifestyle.
Hedge Wizard: You manifested magic at a very early age and are somewhat of a savant with it. (UA). Must be awakened mage or aspected mage (not adept).
+1 rank to sorcery and conjuration. +1 initiate grade (with any metamagic technique). Reduce multiplyer of initiating alone by 0.5 (does not affect group initiations).
Celebrity: You are a celebrity- an actor, a politician, or the daughter of a millionaire with leaked sex tapes. (UA)
+1 TN penalty to diguise rolls. +100k starting wealth. +1 charisma. +2 rank etiquette. +2k/month bonus income. +2 fame. Distinctive features. Considered "always in pictures" and "public figure" for tracing attempts.
Slut: You get around. (UA)
Free lifestyle, each month roll 1d6 for the quality of the lifestyle. It's never "yours". +1 Karma Pool. +1 charisma. +1 etiqutte.
Military: You were once a part of a military. (UA)
+3 ranks to be divided as you wish on any 3 firearm skills. (Can put all 3 in one skill if you wish). +1 die to combat pool. +1 Rank to B/R any firearm you got a bonus rank for. Must have a SIN. -20% to the cost of health care (VA benefit). +1 rank to any one intelligence based active skill.
Shadowrunner: This isn't your first run. You have been a shadowrunner for a while now. (UA)
+5% personal bonus to all mission pay. +2 fame. +1 reputation of your choice (Though it may go away based on future actions). +20k starting wealth. +1 die to either hacking pool, combat pool, or spell pool.
Criminal: You have a rap sheet a mile long. (UA)
Gain either hunted(police), or criminal SIN. +1 rank stealth. +1 rank any one firearm skill. +1 rank electronics. +1 rank B/R electronics. +1 rank computers.
Drifter: You wander from town to town, or are a street rat.
Gain +1 rank stealth, gain either Home Turf or Friendly face edge for free. Gain +3 dice on any attempt to lay low, avoid pursuit, or avoid detection by hiding (but not when breaking and entering). O: May not have more than a squatter lifestyle. A: Lose the +3 dice bonus.
Daredevil: You live for thrill!
Gain daredevil edge. Gain +1 body and +2 ranks athletics. O: Either Maintain a dangerous day job, or use your daredevil edge bonus every session. A: lose the daredevil edge.
Assassin: You are a professional hitman. (UA)
Gain +2 ranks to one weapon skill. Gain +1 rank to stealth. Gain +2 to the concealability of all your carried weapons and armor. Cannot have any pacifict or similar flaws. Gain +1 rank intimidate.
Marine Biologist: You have skill in dealing with marine life and swimming. (UA)
Gain +3 dice on all attempts to build secret underwater facilities. Before taking a mission that does not involve water or ocean-based travel, make a willpower(6) test or you must decline the mission. Even if you succeed, you get a -1 penalty on all social skill rolls during the mission. Gain the water sprite edge 4 times for free.
Doctor: You are a health care professional.
Day Job (-3). +2 rank biotech. Decrease availability of stim patches and similar medicines by 2. Gain +2 dice on all knowledge checks relating to medicine or doctors or health. O: mantain the day job. A: lose availability bonus and day job.
Pilot: You are a pilot, either corporate or with an airline.
Day Job (-3) +3 ranks to divide against any kind of aircrafts. Free flight tickets and can bypass basic airport security (within reason). O: maintain day job. A: lose security clearance and free airline tickets.
Banker: You work at some kind of financial institution.
Day Job (-3). Can convert any currency to any other for free. (Still pay exchange rate). Can launder money for free. +3 dice to laundering skills. Access to bank computers. +1 intelligence. +3 ranks to divvy amongst relevant knowledge skills O: maintain day job. A: lose bank conputer access, free currency conversion, and free laundering.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Fame and Reputation
Fame and Reputation is a system that can designate a runner's prestige and notoriety within a campaign world. It has various degrees of use.
This is really three types of scores:
Fame: How recognisable a runner is.
Reputation: The runner's noteriety (are they known to be cruel, effective, etc.)
Factional Affiliation: The runner's association with a given company or group.
Fame:
Runners usually try to avoid unwanted attention, but that doesn't mean they don't want their name (at least their running name) out there for johnsons to know about. Every successful mission can grant +0 to +2 to a runner's fame, based on how high-profile the mission was, and how good a job the runner did. Failed missions can grant -1 to -2 depending on the severty of failure and the ease of the mission (easier missions have a greater penalty for failure). Runners with distinctive style and/or distinctive features gain an addional point of fame for each such edge.
When someone sees the runner (through their disguise, or hears their name, etc.) They can make a knowledge(shadowrunners) check: TN (12 - runner's fame). Success indicates they've heard of the runner, and extra successes indicate they have heard of specific runs. Certain other knowledges can suppliment this as appropriate to the runner's past, and people can default to intellgence if they don't have the knowledge check. Once they recognise the runner, they become aware of the runner's reputation.
Reputation: Not a score so much as a "Title", the kind of reputation the runner is known for. The runner may have multiple reputations, each which may provide a ceratain bonus. Reputations are easily lost and gained. They are grouped in such a way that a runner can't have multiple reputations from the same group (though he might have none from that group). Any mission might lose a rating and/or gain another. You need not have a rating in a given group. (You might not be known as especially competant or incompetant) and different factions may have different impressions of you than the shadowrun community as a whole.
Kind: The runner goes out of his way to help others. +1 die for diplomacy tests to convince people to help him. +1 TN penalty to intimidate checks.
Cruel: The runner is known to be callous. -1 die for diplomacy tests to persuade people to help him.
Maliscious: The runner is not above torture or murder if it's convenient. -1 TN bonus to all intimdate tests if they know his reputation.
Bleeding-Heart: The runner is known to help others or seek peaceful solutions above all others, perhaps even to his own detriment. +2 TN penalty to any attempt to intimidate and bully
Honor
Honest: The runner has not been *caught* lying, and is known to follow his word. +1 die bonus when attempting to negotiate for up front cash during missions or to lie to people who know his reputation.
Dishonest: The runner is a known liar, braggart, or thief. +1 TN penalty when attempting to negotiate for up front mission pay or lie to someone who knows this reputation.
Trustworthy: The runner is known to keep the spirit AND letter of his word, never revealing company secrets, making sure not to cause extra trouble for the company, and being honest with employers while not being afraid to decieve targets to accomplish missions. -1 TN bonus when attempting to negotiate for up front cash or other perks(like requisitions) during mission assignments.
Secrecy
Silent: The runner is known for keeping secrets. +1 die bonus to get more information out of johnsons regarding the mission details or to convince someone to share secrets.
Gossip: The runner is known for blabbing details to others. +1 TN penalty to get johnsons to share more info or to convince others to share secrets. However, get +1 die to gather information checks made in large groups.
Strength
Weak: The runner has dropped or has low physical skills. +1 TN penalty to bully or intimdate, or to convince others to back down from a fight. -1 TN bonus to avoid being attacked first when in a group of stronger looking people.
Strong: The PC is known to shrug off damage, have high physcial skills, or otherwise be a battle behemoth. -1 TN bonus to bully, intimidate, or talk others out of fighting. +1 TN penalty to avoid being attacked first (especially by snipers). This may include people with high magic combat skills.
Leadership
Careless: The runner doesn't care much about the mission other than the paycheck. He may go off on his own a lot, argue with johnsons, or follow the exact letter of a contract. To some organizations this is a perk +1 die to negotiation with such, to others it's a flaw: -1 die to negotiations.
Motivated: The runner gets involved with other items as they come up that may not have been mentioned in missing briefs (rescuing hostages instead of just killing bank robbers), and tends to do things in line with the desires of the company he's working with. +1 die to negotiations.
Self Motivated: The runner gets invoved with other things as they come up, but does things based on his own motivations, not his employer's. He might rescue people the employer doesn't care about (or would rather disappear), possibly bringing risk to himself and/or his employer and/or his team. +1 TN penalty when negotiating with johnsons and getting missions from people who's motivations don't already match the runner's.
This is really three types of scores:
Fame: How recognisable a runner is.
Reputation: The runner's noteriety (are they known to be cruel, effective, etc.)
Factional Affiliation: The runner's association with a given company or group.
Fame:
Runners usually try to avoid unwanted attention, but that doesn't mean they don't want their name (at least their running name) out there for johnsons to know about. Every successful mission can grant +0 to +2 to a runner's fame, based on how high-profile the mission was, and how good a job the runner did. Failed missions can grant -1 to -2 depending on the severty of failure and the ease of the mission (easier missions have a greater penalty for failure). Runners with distinctive style and/or distinctive features gain an addional point of fame for each such edge.
When someone sees the runner (through their disguise, or hears their name, etc.) They can make a knowledge(shadowrunners) check: TN (12 - runner's fame). Success indicates they've heard of the runner, and extra successes indicate they have heard of specific runs. Certain other knowledges can suppliment this as appropriate to the runner's past, and people can default to intellgence if they don't have the knowledge check. Once they recognise the runner, they become aware of the runner's reputation.
Factional Affiliation: Runners can earn factional affiliation points by doing missions for a given faction, and lose affiliation points by doing missions for an opposing faction. The GM determines what factions exist and who their opposing factions are.
A given faction can be Allied, Neutral, Astranged, or Opposed to your given faction.
Allied: This faction is friendly with your faction. Parent companies or subsidiaries to your faction may be considered allies, while allied gangs are certainly allied also. Mitsuhama and the Yakuza may be considered allied.
Neutral: This faction could care less about the other. Most megacorps are neutral to most gangs or law enforcement agencies, for example.
Astranged: Not enemies, per se, but not neutral either. This faction may distrust you due to your reputation with the given faction. For example, many small businesses may be astranged from the mafia, who is known to extort money from businesses. Most megacorps are considered astranged from each other.
Opposed: These groups outright hate each other. While this might not go as far as gang warfare, it might. Most major criminal sydicates are considered opposed to each other, if not astranged.
Factional Points: When completing a mission for a given faction, you get +1 to +2 factional affiliation with that faction. Completing a mission for an opposed faction gives you -1 to -2 to this faction. Completing a mission AGAINST a faction may give you -2 to -3 with that faction.
Gm decides if a mission is worth 0, 1 or 2 faction points. The higher profile the mission, the more points it's worth.
0: This has little bearing and doesn't affect the faction much.
1: Gain +1 faction points on successful mission, -1 to all opposed, and -2 to any faction this is against.
2: Get +2 FP on success, -2 FP to all opposed, -1 to all astranged, and -3 to any faction this mission is against.
Certainly you can manage faction penalties by doing missions for various factions.
Example: Completing a mission for the mafia might give you +1 affiliation with the mafia, and -1 affiliation with all other criminal syndicates. If the mission was specifically against the yakuza, you might get an extra -2 or -3 in affiliation to the yakuza as well.
Effects of Factional Points: Every 5 points of affiliation is a faction rank. (1-4 = 0). Each rank of factional affiliation gives you benefits and penalties.
-20: You have become hunted by this orginization and they will go out of their way to screw you over. They will not give you missions, unless it's a betrayal. They will put hits out on you.
-15: You get +4 TN penalties to dealing with this orginization, including getting missions from them. You cannot get rank 2 missions from them. They will happily betray your illegal activities to athorities.
-10: Get +2 TN penalties to dealing with this orginization, including getting missions from them.
-5: Get +1 TN penalties dealing with this orginization.
0: No bonus or penalty associated with the faction
5: They will seek out out actively for future missions.
10: -1 TN bonus to dealing with this orginization, may get better mission pay or be privvy to some semi-classified mission data. You can start getting R2 missions regularly.
15: -2 TN bonus to dealing with this orginization, can usually get a squatter or low lifestyle with the orginization as a place to "lay low".
20+: You are in deep with the organization- they may get life insurance policies on you, actively seek you out for missions, you may be privvy to classified info, high or even luxury lifestyles paid by the company, and +2 dice for all skills relating to this organization (knowledge, requisition, negotiation, etc.).
Reputation: Not a score so much as a "Title", the kind of reputation the runner is known for. The runner may have multiple reputations, each which may provide a ceratain bonus. Reputations are easily lost and gained. They are grouped in such a way that a runner can't have multiple reputations from the same group (though he might have none from that group). Any mission might lose a rating and/or gain another. You need not have a rating in a given group. (You might not be known as especially competant or incompetant) and different factions may have different impressions of you than the shadowrun community as a whole.
Skill Rating
Incompentant: If the runner is known for botching rolls or failing missions. +2 penalty to TNs of all social skills involving johnsons or others in the shadowrunning community.
Competant:The runner is known for completing missions, or for having great skill in a given field. -1 TN bonus for social skills involving johnsons or others in the shadowrunning community when the skill in question is useful for the mission.
Kind: The runner goes out of his way to help others. +1 die for diplomacy tests to convince people to help him. +1 TN penalty to intimidate checks.
Cruel: The runner is known to be callous. -1 die for diplomacy tests to persuade people to help him.
Maliscious: The runner is not above torture or murder if it's convenient. -1 TN bonus to all intimdate tests if they know his reputation.
Bleeding-Heart: The runner is known to help others or seek peaceful solutions above all others, perhaps even to his own detriment. +2 TN penalty to any attempt to intimidate and bully
Honor
Honest: The runner has not been *caught* lying, and is known to follow his word. +1 die bonus when attempting to negotiate for up front cash during missions or to lie to people who know his reputation.
Dishonest: The runner is a known liar, braggart, or thief. +1 TN penalty when attempting to negotiate for up front mission pay or lie to someone who knows this reputation.
Trustworthy: The runner is known to keep the spirit AND letter of his word, never revealing company secrets, making sure not to cause extra trouble for the company, and being honest with employers while not being afraid to decieve targets to accomplish missions. -1 TN bonus when attempting to negotiate for up front cash or other perks(like requisitions) during mission assignments.
Secrecy
Silent: The runner is known for keeping secrets. +1 die bonus to get more information out of johnsons regarding the mission details or to convince someone to share secrets.
Gossip: The runner is known for blabbing details to others. +1 TN penalty to get johnsons to share more info or to convince others to share secrets. However, get +1 die to gather information checks made in large groups.
Strength
Weak: The runner has dropped or has low physical skills. +1 TN penalty to bully or intimdate, or to convince others to back down from a fight. -1 TN bonus to avoid being attacked first when in a group of stronger looking people.
Strong: The PC is known to shrug off damage, have high physcial skills, or otherwise be a battle behemoth. -1 TN bonus to bully, intimidate, or talk others out of fighting. +1 TN penalty to avoid being attacked first (especially by snipers). This may include people with high magic combat skills.
Leadership
Careless: The runner doesn't care much about the mission other than the paycheck. He may go off on his own a lot, argue with johnsons, or follow the exact letter of a contract. To some organizations this is a perk +1 die to negotiation with such, to others it's a flaw: -1 die to negotiations.
Motivated: The runner gets involved with other items as they come up that may not have been mentioned in missing briefs (rescuing hostages instead of just killing bank robbers), and tends to do things in line with the desires of the company he's working with. +1 die to negotiations.
Self Motivated: The runner gets invoved with other things as they come up, but does things based on his own motivations, not his employer's. He might rescue people the employer doesn't care about (or would rather disappear), possibly bringing risk to himself and/or his employer and/or his team. +1 TN penalty when negotiating with johnsons and getting missions from people who's motivations don't already match the runner's.
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