Post by Nightmare Zero on Apr 6, 2008 15:46:24 GMT -5
www.shadowrun4.com/resources/sr4/catalyst_shadowrunqs_player.pdf
Those are the basic rules For Shadowrun 4th edition. However, upon closer examination, I noticed they forgot to metion anther type of test in the game called an Extended Test. Extended tests are use for actions that take a long time ie., climbing a wall or fixing a gun. These tests have a threshold and a time involved (climbing a 5 meter tall chain link fence is an extended test (7, 1 Combat turn). The threshold doesn't have to be hit at once, but at every interval the player gets to make another roll until the threshold is reached.
Edge
Another set of rules not in the QS (Quick Start) is edge use. Edge is a combination of a characters luck, timing, and favor of the gods. These Edge point are spent in certain ways and refreshed at certain points in the game. Certain uses of edge burns your edge and drops it down 1 point permanently but most uses don't. When you spend 1 point of edge you can use 1 of the following:
*If used before making a roll, add a number of dice to the roll equal to your full edge attribute. Also, this roll uses the Rule of 6 (if any dice rolled comes up as a 6, add one hit and re-roll the die until no more 6's are rolled).
*If used after a roll, roll your full edge rating and add the hits together. The second roll uses the Rule of 6 (but not applied to the original roll).
*You may re-roll one test that scored no hits. Do not use the Rule of 6.
*If penalties applied to a roll reduce it to 0 or under, you may make a Long Shot Test and roll only your edge to make the test. At the time you roll a negative modifier doesn't apply to the roll and do not use the Rule of 6.
*You may go first in one Initiative Pass. If more than one use this then the one with the higher INI goes first.
*You may get 1 more Initiative Pass this turn only.
*You may negate a glitch or critical glitch.
*You may invoke Dead Man's Trigger which allows you to take 1 simple action in stead of falling unconscious if you have a action ready either by a held action or its not yet your turn yet, and must make (after the edge is spent) a BOD+WIL (3) test.
The uses of burning edge are:
*Score an automatic critical success. You complete the task with remarkable ability and flair. You can't use this if you have no hope of success on your own.
*Escape certain death. Note that it won't always prevent damage you just won't die. For example, if you get shot in the head you fall into a coma that looks like death to your enemies.
Characters are built with 400 Build Points. The first thing you need to consider is you race. There are 5 races to chose from.
The first number is the starting stat and the second is the max stat. Also all races start with an edge of 1 except humans start with a 2 and all races have an essence of 6. To raise any stat you pay 10 BP for each +1 except the last cost 25 BP. You cannot spend more than half your total BP in stats but Edge, Resonance, and Magic are exceptions to this rule.
In order to have a Magic or Resonance rating you must first buy Adept, Magician, Mystic Adept, or Technomance qualities then you can raise the attribute normally. Initiative is equal to Reaction+Intuition.
Skills
Characters start with a 0 in all skills. This just means that you have as little training as anyone can. Raising skills cost 4BP per +1 up to 6. Some skills can be acquired in skill groups for 10 BP per +1(skill groups contain 3 to 4 skills so it is cheaper to get skill groups). For 2BP you can specialize in a skill. Specialization give a +2 dice whenever specialization apply. Each Character starts with (LOG+INT) x 3 Knowledge Skill ranks. Note that Language skills are considered Knowledge skills.
Qualities
Positive Qualities have a BP cost while negative qualities provide bonus BP.
Positive Qualities
Adept
Cost:5
Character gets Magic attribute of 1 and gets Power Points equal to their magic rating. Only get if you want to be an Adept.
Ambidextrous
Cost: 10
No modifier for use your off-hand but if firing 2 guns at once still split your dice pool.
Aptitude
Cost: 10
One skill may start at 7 but the final point cost 8BP. Does not apply to skill groups. Can only take once.
Astral Chameleon
Cost: 5
All signatures left by the character last half as long and get a -2 dice to asses the character. May only be taken by characters with a magic rating.
Blandness
Cost: 10
-2 dice to shadow in even slightly crowded settings or locate the character through social means.
Codeslinger
Cost: 10
+2 dice for one selected Matrix action. Can only be taken once.
Double Jointed
Cost: 5
+2 dice for Escape Artist Tests and can fit into smaller than normal spaces.
Exceptional Attribute
Cost: 20
One attribute maximum is raised 1 point. Note that this doesn't raise the attribute, just the max value. Can only be taken once.
First Impression
Cost: 5
+2 dice poll for any social test during first meetings. Does not apply to second and subsequent encounters.
Focused Concentration
Cost: 10 per level (2 levels max)
+1 dice per level for all drain tests. Can only be taken by characters with a magic rating.
Guts
Cost: 5
+2 dice to resist fear and intimidation. Also applies to magical effects.
High Pain Tolerance
Cost: 5 per level (max 3)
Ignore one box of damage per level when calculating wound modifiers. Does not reduce damage taken just their effects on your actions. Does not stack with Pain Resistance Adept power, pain editor system, or damage compensator bioware.
Home Ground
Cost: 10
Choose a small location no bigger than a large building, small neighborhood, or a computer network it cannot move once picked. All active rolls in that location get a +2 dice pool modifier and all Knowledge skill relevant to the people, places, or things in the area get a +4 dice pool modifier. If the location is destroyed the quality is lost.
Human-Looking
Cost: 5
Only elves, dwarfs, and orks may take this quality. Character can "pass" as human in most circumstances. Human NPC's start with neutral attitudes but metatypes may start as hostile.
Lucky
Cost: 20
+1 max Edge. Does not raise the rating just the max rating.
Magician
Cost: 15
Character gets a Magic rating of 1 my be increased. Mages can cast spells, conjure spirits, astrally project, and have astral perception. Mages also can have Mentor spirits. Must choose the tradition of your magic (shamanic or hermetic).
Magic Resistance
Cost: 5 per level (max 4)
+1 dice on all Spell Resistance tests including beneficial ones like heal. Cannot be taken by characters with a magic rating.
Mentor Spirit
Cost: 5
Only available to characters with the magician or mystic adept quality. Character has a patron spirit that guides him in his magical talents with special advantages and disadvantages.
Murky Link
Cost: 10
Any ritual sorcery against the character get a -3 modifier. Even against allies trying to find you.
Mystic Adept
Cost: 10
Character is a hybrid between mages and adepts. Magic rating starts at 1 but you must decide if it goes into Power Points or magic skills like spellcasting and conjuring. Can be increased but each point gets dedicated to either ability cannot be changed later on only improved. Mystic adepts cannot astrally project and must buy the Power Astral Perception to see into the astral realm.
Natural Hardening
Cost: 10
+1 natural biofeedback cumulative with the commlink's biofeedback.
Natural Imunity
Cost: 5 or 15
The character is immune to a natural disease or toxin (5BP) or a synthetic disease or toxin(15BP).
Photographic Memory
Cost: 10
-1 threshold on memory test.
Quick Healer
Cost: 10
+2 dice to all heal tests.
Resistance to Toxins/Pathogens
Cost: 5 or 10
+1 dice to resist toxins or pathogens(5BP for one, 10BP for both)
Spirit Affinity
Cost: 10
One type of spirit is drawn to the character and will be more likely to assist. Also, the spirit is reluctant to attack and will use non-lethal force.
Technomancer
Cost: 5
Technomancers are mages of the matrix in the way that they log onto the matrix and hack with nothing more than their minds. The character get a Resonance rating of 1. Can be raised.
Toughness
Cost: 10
+1 dice for damage resistance test.
Will to Live
Cost: 5 per level (max 3)
1 additional point of damage overflow per level.
Negative Qualities
Addition
Bonus: 5 to 30
Character is addicted to a substance with detrimental effects (nicotine, caffeine, and sugar do not count).
Mild(5BP): Cravings at least once per week with a -2 penalty to resist the craving.
Moderate(10BP): Cravings at least once per day with a -4 to resist the craving.
Severe(20BP): Cravings twice a day with a -6 to resist giving into temptation.
Burnout(30BP): Same as severe except habitual use shows. -1 essence to represent this damage and will lose more if the habit isn't kicked soon.
Allergy
Bonus: 5 to 20
Character is allergic to a substance or condition.
Astral Beacon
Bonus: 5
Astral signatures left by the Character last twice as long and others get a +2 dice modifier to asses the character.
Bad Luck
Bonus: 20
Whenever edge is used, roll a 1D6. On a 1 the edge has the opposite effect.
Codeblock
Bonus: 5
-2 dice for one matrix action. Characters can't select an action they won't use.
Combat Paralysis
Bonus: 20
On the character's first turn roll half initiative (the second and on roll your full INI) and -3 dice for surprise rounds.
Elf Poser
Bonus: 5
Humans only. Character tries (it can't be accidental) to appear elven. Often, they go so far as to get cosmetic surgery to appear the role. If found out elves react with contempt and hostility and some humans may consider them "sellouts."
Gremlins
Bonus: 5 per level (max 4)
Whenever using a moderately sophisticated device (late 20th century or later) the number of 1's need to glitch are reduced by one per level (example, if you have a level 2 gremlin and you fire your gun with 8 dice, two 1's will glitch instead of 4, and your clip will suddenly fall out). Only works against the character can't use to make your enemies tech fail.
Incompetent
Bonus: 5
One active skill is set as "unaware." You cannot take skill groups with that skill in it and you cannot default with it. Can be taken multiple times, each toward a different skill.
Infirm
Bonus: 20
Character is old, ill, or physically unkempt (coach potatoes). Character cannot take any Physical skill groups, is considered "unaware" with any Physical skill without a rating of 1, and physical skills cost twice normal to improve (including character creation).
Low Pain Tolerance
Bonus: 10
-1 wound modifier per 2 points of damage instead of -1 per 3.
Ork Poser
Bonus: 5
Human and elves only. As Elf poser, except with orks.
Scorched
Bonus: 5(10BP for hackers/technomancers)
Character has had a bad run in with a Black Intrusion Countermeasure (IC pronounced ice) or Better Than Life chip (BTL's pronounced beetles). -2 dice vs. WIL tests against Black IC or BTL's chips.
Sensitive Neural Structure
Bonus: 5 (10BP for hackers and technomancers)
-2 dice when resisting damage from Black IC, BTL's, dumpshock, and other simsense.
Sensitive System
Bonus: 15
Double all essence lost from cyberware implants. Does not affect bioware implants.
Simsense Vertigo
Bonus: 10 (15 for hackers and technomancers)
-2 dice when interacting with Augment Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and simsense. That includes, smartlinks, simrigs, and image links.
SINner
Bonus: 5 or 10
Character has a legal System Identification Number (SIN). This includes real identity, personal history, biometric data, credit records, medical records, travel history, etc. This doesn't mean you need to use that SIN just that it exists. At 5BP you have a normal SIN and at 10BP you have a criminal SIN and your data is already in the law enforcer's databases.
Spirit Bane
Bonus: 10
One type of spirit truly hates your character and will attack on sight. If it is ordered to attack your party it will single you out first.
Uncouth
Bonus: 20
Character is socially inept. The cost for learning social skill is doubled, cannot learn social skill groups, and is considered "unaware" in any social skill without at least 1 rank.
Uneducated
Bonus: 20
Character is considered "unaware" in any Technical, Academic, or Professional skill they do not posses and cannot defaulton any of those skills.
Weak Immune System
Bonus: 5
-2 dice to resist disease.
Resources
For starting gear, ever BP you dedicate gives you 5,000 nuyen(Y can't find the real symbol it's a Y with 2 horizontal lines) for gear with 50BP (250,000 Y). You use this money to buy weapons, armor, ammunition, magical gear, commlinks, vehicles, lifestyle, and lots of other toys.
Cyberware and bioware
In addition to the nuyen cost bioware and cyberware also use up essence. If any characters essence drops below 0, they imediatly die. However, as a house rule of mine you can buy back essence with karma. The essence drain from bioware and cyberware are tracked separately. The greater of the two values deducts full value while the other only half. Mages, Adepts, and technomancers have a problem with essence loss caused by cyberware and bioware. For every point of essence they lose they also lose a point of Magic or Resonance.
Lifestyle
Lifestyle covers food, housing, expences, matrix access, and so on. Lifestyles are paid in one month increments and the higher the lifestyle the better the living.
Luxury (100,000Y per month): This is the best life has to offer: ritzy digs, lots of high tech toys, the best food and drink, you name it. The character has a household staff, maid service, or sophisticated drones to do the chores. This is a massive mansion, snazzy condo, or the penthouse suite at a top hotel. Home security is top of the line, with well trained guards, astral security, and quick response times. Home entertainment is better than the movies and your on the V.I.P list for the hottest clubs. This is the best of the best lifestyles!
High (10,000Y): This one offers a roomy house or condo, enough tech to make life comfortable, and good food. Has a housekeeping service or enough tech to cover most of the chores. Not as many perks but not as many people gunning for you.
Middle (5,000Y): This is a nice house or condo with lots of comforts. You eat nutrisoy as well as higher priced natural food but the autocook has a full suite of flavor faucets.
Low (2,000Y): Low is a small apartment and people usually leave you alone if you bolt the door. Regular hot meals, but the nutrisoy tastes bad. Power and water are available during assigned ration periods and security depends on how regular the payment to the local gangs are.
Squatter (500Y): Low grade nutrisoy and yeast while adding flavoring with an eyedropper. Home is a squatted building, half-way house, or rents coffin sized sleep tanks by the night.
Street (Hey pal, life ain't all bad, its free.): Life on the streets - or in the swere, stream tunnels, condemed building, or whatever temporary flop you find. Food when you find it, bathing a thing of the past, and the only security is what you make.
Lifestyle also decides your starting money.
Magic
Mages buy spells at 3BP per spell. The most spells a player can start with is equal to twice their Spellcasting or Ritual sorcery skill. Mages and Mystic adepts who have the conjuring skill can also start with bound spirits. The rating of the spirit is equal to your Magic rating and the cost of bond spirits is 1BP per service. The most spirits a mage can have bonded at one time is equal to their CHA. When buying gear a magical active character can buy foci. To bond a foci you need to spend an amount of BP equal to its rating. Adepts get Power points equal to their magic rating to buy their powers.
Technomancer Resources
Technomancers buy their complex forms at 1BP per rating point. The most complex forms you can start with is LOG x 2. Technomancers have the ablity to compile and register Matrix entities called Sprites. Technomancers may start with no more sprites than his charisma rating. Sprites cost 1BP per tasks owed, but not more than his compiling skill, and have a rating equal to the resonance rating of the technomancer.
Contacts
Contacts are your acquaintance, buddies, and assorted street informants. They help you get gear, information, or give you jobs. Each contact has a Contact rating and a Loyalty rating (both range from 1-6). Connection is how influential they are and loyalty is how much of a sacrifice the contact is willing to make. The cost for contacts is Connection+Loyalty=BP cost. It is recommended to have at least 2 contacts.
Connection Rating Table
Loyalty Rating Table
Final Touches
If you bought cyberware some of your ability scores may be increased. If they did mark the modified stat in parentheses next to the natural stat. Also, a separate Initiative exists for mages in the astral realm and hacker in full VR. Also, you need to find out how much damage your character can take. Each character can take Physical damage equal to (BOD divided by 2, round up) +8 and Stun of (WIL divided by 2, round up) +8. Finally, unused nuyen for gear doesn't carry over, instead roll based on your lifestyle to find out how much starting nuyen you have and then your character is complete.
Those are the basic rules For Shadowrun 4th edition. However, upon closer examination, I noticed they forgot to metion anther type of test in the game called an Extended Test. Extended tests are use for actions that take a long time ie., climbing a wall or fixing a gun. These tests have a threshold and a time involved (climbing a 5 meter tall chain link fence is an extended test (7, 1 Combat turn). The threshold doesn't have to be hit at once, but at every interval the player gets to make another roll until the threshold is reached.
Edge
Another set of rules not in the QS (Quick Start) is edge use. Edge is a combination of a characters luck, timing, and favor of the gods. These Edge point are spent in certain ways and refreshed at certain points in the game. Certain uses of edge burns your edge and drops it down 1 point permanently but most uses don't. When you spend 1 point of edge you can use 1 of the following:
*If used before making a roll, add a number of dice to the roll equal to your full edge attribute. Also, this roll uses the Rule of 6 (if any dice rolled comes up as a 6, add one hit and re-roll the die until no more 6's are rolled).
*If used after a roll, roll your full edge rating and add the hits together. The second roll uses the Rule of 6 (but not applied to the original roll).
*You may re-roll one test that scored no hits. Do not use the Rule of 6.
*If penalties applied to a roll reduce it to 0 or under, you may make a Long Shot Test and roll only your edge to make the test. At the time you roll a negative modifier doesn't apply to the roll and do not use the Rule of 6.
*You may go first in one Initiative Pass. If more than one use this then the one with the higher INI goes first.
*You may get 1 more Initiative Pass this turn only.
*You may negate a glitch or critical glitch.
*You may invoke Dead Man's Trigger which allows you to take 1 simple action in stead of falling unconscious if you have a action ready either by a held action or its not yet your turn yet, and must make (after the edge is spent) a BOD+WIL (3) test.
The uses of burning edge are:
*Score an automatic critical success. You complete the task with remarkable ability and flair. You can't use this if you have no hope of success on your own.
*Escape certain death. Note that it won't always prevent damage you just won't die. For example, if you get shot in the head you fall into a coma that looks like death to your enemies.
Characters are built with 400 Build Points. The first thing you need to consider is you race. There are 5 races to chose from.
BP | Metatype | BOD | AGI | REA | STR | CHA | INT | LOG | WIL | Ablities |
0 | Human | 1/6 | 1/6 | 1/6 | 1/6 | 1/6 | 1/6 | 1/6 | 1/6 | +1 Edge |
20 | Ork | 4/9 | 1/6 | 1/6 | 3/8 | 1/5 | 1/6 | 1/5 | 1/6 | Low-light vision |
25 | Dwarf | 2/7 | 1/6 | 1/5 | 3/8 | 1/6 | 1/6 | 1/6 | 2/7 | Thermographic vision, +2 BOD vs. toxins & pathogens |
30 | Elf | 1/6 | 2/7 | 1/6 | 1/6 | 3/8 | 1/6 | 1/6 | 1/6 | Low-light vision |
40 | Troll | 5/10 | 1/5 | 1/6 | 5/10 | 1/4 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/6 | Thermographic vision, +1 Reach, +1 Armor |
The first number is the starting stat and the second is the max stat. Also all races start with an edge of 1 except humans start with a 2 and all races have an essence of 6. To raise any stat you pay 10 BP for each +1 except the last cost 25 BP. You cannot spend more than half your total BP in stats but Edge, Resonance, and Magic are exceptions to this rule.
In order to have a Magic or Resonance rating you must first buy Adept, Magician, Mystic Adept, or Technomance qualities then you can raise the attribute normally. Initiative is equal to Reaction+Intuition.
Skills
Characters start with a 0 in all skills. This just means that you have as little training as anyone can. Raising skills cost 4BP per +1 up to 6. Some skills can be acquired in skill groups for 10 BP per +1(skill groups contain 3 to 4 skills so it is cheaper to get skill groups). For 2BP you can specialize in a skill. Specialization give a +2 dice whenever specialization apply. Each Character starts with (LOG+INT) x 3 Knowledge Skill ranks. Note that Language skills are considered Knowledge skills.
Qualities
Positive Qualities have a BP cost while negative qualities provide bonus BP.
Positive Qualities
Adept
Cost:5
Character gets Magic attribute of 1 and gets Power Points equal to their magic rating. Only get if you want to be an Adept.
Ambidextrous
Cost: 10
No modifier for use your off-hand but if firing 2 guns at once still split your dice pool.
Aptitude
Cost: 10
One skill may start at 7 but the final point cost 8BP. Does not apply to skill groups. Can only take once.
Astral Chameleon
Cost: 5
All signatures left by the character last half as long and get a -2 dice to asses the character. May only be taken by characters with a magic rating.
Blandness
Cost: 10
-2 dice to shadow in even slightly crowded settings or locate the character through social means.
Codeslinger
Cost: 10
+2 dice for one selected Matrix action. Can only be taken once.
Double Jointed
Cost: 5
+2 dice for Escape Artist Tests and can fit into smaller than normal spaces.
Exceptional Attribute
Cost: 20
One attribute maximum is raised 1 point. Note that this doesn't raise the attribute, just the max value. Can only be taken once.
First Impression
Cost: 5
+2 dice poll for any social test during first meetings. Does not apply to second and subsequent encounters.
Focused Concentration
Cost: 10 per level (2 levels max)
+1 dice per level for all drain tests. Can only be taken by characters with a magic rating.
Guts
Cost: 5
+2 dice to resist fear and intimidation. Also applies to magical effects.
High Pain Tolerance
Cost: 5 per level (max 3)
Ignore one box of damage per level when calculating wound modifiers. Does not reduce damage taken just their effects on your actions. Does not stack with Pain Resistance Adept power, pain editor system, or damage compensator bioware.
Home Ground
Cost: 10
Choose a small location no bigger than a large building, small neighborhood, or a computer network it cannot move once picked. All active rolls in that location get a +2 dice pool modifier and all Knowledge skill relevant to the people, places, or things in the area get a +4 dice pool modifier. If the location is destroyed the quality is lost.
Human-Looking
Cost: 5
Only elves, dwarfs, and orks may take this quality. Character can "pass" as human in most circumstances. Human NPC's start with neutral attitudes but metatypes may start as hostile.
Lucky
Cost: 20
+1 max Edge. Does not raise the rating just the max rating.
Magician
Cost: 15
Character gets a Magic rating of 1 my be increased. Mages can cast spells, conjure spirits, astrally project, and have astral perception. Mages also can have Mentor spirits. Must choose the tradition of your magic (shamanic or hermetic).
Magic Resistance
Cost: 5 per level (max 4)
+1 dice on all Spell Resistance tests including beneficial ones like heal. Cannot be taken by characters with a magic rating.
Mentor Spirit
Cost: 5
Only available to characters with the magician or mystic adept quality. Character has a patron spirit that guides him in his magical talents with special advantages and disadvantages.
Murky Link
Cost: 10
Any ritual sorcery against the character get a -3 modifier. Even against allies trying to find you.
Mystic Adept
Cost: 10
Character is a hybrid between mages and adepts. Magic rating starts at 1 but you must decide if it goes into Power Points or magic skills like spellcasting and conjuring. Can be increased but each point gets dedicated to either ability cannot be changed later on only improved. Mystic adepts cannot astrally project and must buy the Power Astral Perception to see into the astral realm.
Natural Hardening
Cost: 10
+1 natural biofeedback cumulative with the commlink's biofeedback.
Natural Imunity
Cost: 5 or 15
The character is immune to a natural disease or toxin (5BP) or a synthetic disease or toxin(15BP).
Photographic Memory
Cost: 10
-1 threshold on memory test.
Quick Healer
Cost: 10
+2 dice to all heal tests.
Resistance to Toxins/Pathogens
Cost: 5 or 10
+1 dice to resist toxins or pathogens(5BP for one, 10BP for both)
Spirit Affinity
Cost: 10
One type of spirit is drawn to the character and will be more likely to assist. Also, the spirit is reluctant to attack and will use non-lethal force.
Technomancer
Cost: 5
Technomancers are mages of the matrix in the way that they log onto the matrix and hack with nothing more than their minds. The character get a Resonance rating of 1. Can be raised.
Toughness
Cost: 10
+1 dice for damage resistance test.
Will to Live
Cost: 5 per level (max 3)
1 additional point of damage overflow per level.
Negative Qualities
Addition
Bonus: 5 to 30
Character is addicted to a substance with detrimental effects (nicotine, caffeine, and sugar do not count).
Mild(5BP): Cravings at least once per week with a -2 penalty to resist the craving.
Moderate(10BP): Cravings at least once per day with a -4 to resist the craving.
Severe(20BP): Cravings twice a day with a -6 to resist giving into temptation.
Burnout(30BP): Same as severe except habitual use shows. -1 essence to represent this damage and will lose more if the habit isn't kicked soon.
Allergy
Bonus: 5 to 20
Character is allergic to a substance or condition.
Condition | Value | Description |
Uncommon | 2 | Rare for the local environment. Example, gold, silver, seawater in a landlocked campaign |
Common | 7 | Commonly occurring like sunlight, plastic, pollutants, seawater in a costal campaign |
Mild | 3 | Distracting. Apply a -2 modifier to all tests when symptoms occur |
Moderate | 8 | Painfull. Apply a -4 modifier to all test while symptoms occur and +2 DV against weapons made from this substance |
Severe | 13 | Contact incurs 1 point of damage per minute. -4 dice to all test while symptoms occur and +4 DV from weapons made of this substance |
Astral Beacon
Bonus: 5
Astral signatures left by the Character last twice as long and others get a +2 dice modifier to asses the character.
Bad Luck
Bonus: 20
Whenever edge is used, roll a 1D6. On a 1 the edge has the opposite effect.
Codeblock
Bonus: 5
-2 dice for one matrix action. Characters can't select an action they won't use.
Combat Paralysis
Bonus: 20
On the character's first turn roll half initiative (the second and on roll your full INI) and -3 dice for surprise rounds.
Elf Poser
Bonus: 5
Humans only. Character tries (it can't be accidental) to appear elven. Often, they go so far as to get cosmetic surgery to appear the role. If found out elves react with contempt and hostility and some humans may consider them "sellouts."
Gremlins
Bonus: 5 per level (max 4)
Whenever using a moderately sophisticated device (late 20th century or later) the number of 1's need to glitch are reduced by one per level (example, if you have a level 2 gremlin and you fire your gun with 8 dice, two 1's will glitch instead of 4, and your clip will suddenly fall out). Only works against the character can't use to make your enemies tech fail.
Incompetent
Bonus: 5
One active skill is set as "unaware." You cannot take skill groups with that skill in it and you cannot default with it. Can be taken multiple times, each toward a different skill.
Infirm
Bonus: 20
Character is old, ill, or physically unkempt (coach potatoes). Character cannot take any Physical skill groups, is considered "unaware" with any Physical skill without a rating of 1, and physical skills cost twice normal to improve (including character creation).
Low Pain Tolerance
Bonus: 10
-1 wound modifier per 2 points of damage instead of -1 per 3.
Ork Poser
Bonus: 5
Human and elves only. As Elf poser, except with orks.
Scorched
Bonus: 5(10BP for hackers/technomancers)
Character has had a bad run in with a Black Intrusion Countermeasure (IC pronounced ice) or Better Than Life chip (BTL's pronounced beetles). -2 dice vs. WIL tests against Black IC or BTL's chips.
Sensitive Neural Structure
Bonus: 5 (10BP for hackers and technomancers)
-2 dice when resisting damage from Black IC, BTL's, dumpshock, and other simsense.
Sensitive System
Bonus: 15
Double all essence lost from cyberware implants. Does not affect bioware implants.
Simsense Vertigo
Bonus: 10 (15 for hackers and technomancers)
-2 dice when interacting with Augment Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and simsense. That includes, smartlinks, simrigs, and image links.
SINner
Bonus: 5 or 10
Character has a legal System Identification Number (SIN). This includes real identity, personal history, biometric data, credit records, medical records, travel history, etc. This doesn't mean you need to use that SIN just that it exists. At 5BP you have a normal SIN and at 10BP you have a criminal SIN and your data is already in the law enforcer's databases.
Spirit Bane
Bonus: 10
One type of spirit truly hates your character and will attack on sight. If it is ordered to attack your party it will single you out first.
Uncouth
Bonus: 20
Character is socially inept. The cost for learning social skill is doubled, cannot learn social skill groups, and is considered "unaware" in any social skill without at least 1 rank.
Uneducated
Bonus: 20
Character is considered "unaware" in any Technical, Academic, or Professional skill they do not posses and cannot defaulton any of those skills.
Weak Immune System
Bonus: 5
-2 dice to resist disease.
Resources
For starting gear, ever BP you dedicate gives you 5,000 nuyen(Y can't find the real symbol it's a Y with 2 horizontal lines) for gear with 50BP (250,000 Y). You use this money to buy weapons, armor, ammunition, magical gear, commlinks, vehicles, lifestyle, and lots of other toys.
Cyberware and bioware
In addition to the nuyen cost bioware and cyberware also use up essence. If any characters essence drops below 0, they imediatly die. However, as a house rule of mine you can buy back essence with karma. The essence drain from bioware and cyberware are tracked separately. The greater of the two values deducts full value while the other only half. Mages, Adepts, and technomancers have a problem with essence loss caused by cyberware and bioware. For every point of essence they lose they also lose a point of Magic or Resonance.
Lifestyle
Lifestyle covers food, housing, expences, matrix access, and so on. Lifestyles are paid in one month increments and the higher the lifestyle the better the living.
Luxury (100,000Y per month): This is the best life has to offer: ritzy digs, lots of high tech toys, the best food and drink, you name it. The character has a household staff, maid service, or sophisticated drones to do the chores. This is a massive mansion, snazzy condo, or the penthouse suite at a top hotel. Home security is top of the line, with well trained guards, astral security, and quick response times. Home entertainment is better than the movies and your on the V.I.P list for the hottest clubs. This is the best of the best lifestyles!
High (10,000Y): This one offers a roomy house or condo, enough tech to make life comfortable, and good food. Has a housekeeping service or enough tech to cover most of the chores. Not as many perks but not as many people gunning for you.
Middle (5,000Y): This is a nice house or condo with lots of comforts. You eat nutrisoy as well as higher priced natural food but the autocook has a full suite of flavor faucets.
Low (2,000Y): Low is a small apartment and people usually leave you alone if you bolt the door. Regular hot meals, but the nutrisoy tastes bad. Power and water are available during assigned ration periods and security depends on how regular the payment to the local gangs are.
Squatter (500Y): Low grade nutrisoy and yeast while adding flavoring with an eyedropper. Home is a squatted building, half-way house, or rents coffin sized sleep tanks by the night.
Street (Hey pal, life ain't all bad, its free.): Life on the streets - or in the swere, stream tunnels, condemed building, or whatever temporary flop you find. Food when you find it, bathing a thing of the past, and the only security is what you make.
Lifestyle also decides your starting money.
Lifestyle | Dice rolled | Money Multiplier |
Luxury | 4D6 | x 1,000Y |
High | 4D6 | x 500Y |
Middle | 4D6 | x 100Y |
Low | 3D6 | x 50Y |
Squatter | 2D6 | x 20Y |
Street | 1D6 | x 10Y |
Magic
Mages buy spells at 3BP per spell. The most spells a player can start with is equal to twice their Spellcasting or Ritual sorcery skill. Mages and Mystic adepts who have the conjuring skill can also start with bound spirits. The rating of the spirit is equal to your Magic rating and the cost of bond spirits is 1BP per service. The most spirits a mage can have bonded at one time is equal to their CHA. When buying gear a magical active character can buy foci. To bond a foci you need to spend an amount of BP equal to its rating. Adepts get Power points equal to their magic rating to buy their powers.
Technomancer Resources
Technomancers buy their complex forms at 1BP per rating point. The most complex forms you can start with is LOG x 2. Technomancers have the ablity to compile and register Matrix entities called Sprites. Technomancers may start with no more sprites than his charisma rating. Sprites cost 1BP per tasks owed, but not more than his compiling skill, and have a rating equal to the resonance rating of the technomancer.
Contacts
Contacts are your acquaintance, buddies, and assorted street informants. They help you get gear, information, or give you jobs. Each contact has a Contact rating and a Loyalty rating (both range from 1-6). Connection is how influential they are and loyalty is how much of a sacrifice the contact is willing to make. The cost for contacts is Connection+Loyalty=BP cost. It is recommended to have at least 2 contacts.
Connection Rating Table
Connection | Description |
1 | Know's very few people and has almost no social influence. Many are only useful for their Knowledge skills. Examples: squatter, manual laborer, academic graduate assistant. |
2 | Knows some people but doesn't have a lot of pull. Example: gang member, bartender, mechanic, mob soldier, corner hustler, corporate wage slave. |
3 | Meets people on a regular basis and has some personal pull. Examples: beat cop, private investigator, street doc, corporate secretary, club owner, street level fixer or fence. |
4 | Knows many people or is in a leadership position. Examples: gang boss, mob lieutenant, police detective or sergeant, corporate middle manager, low level Mr. Johnson. |
5 | Knows a lot of people over a larger area, or holds a senior level position: police captain, corporate division manager, high level Mr. Johnson, fixer or fence with national ties. |
6 | Well connected individual who knows people all over the world, or holds a key executive position. Examples: mob boss, corporate executive, Mr. Johnson or fixer or fence with international ties. |
Loyalty Rating Table
Rating | Description |
1 | Just Biz. The character and contact just do business together. Interaction is bases on economics. No preferential treatment |
2 | Regular. Still just business but contact gives a little respect. |
3 | Acquaintance. A friendly relationship exists but not quite friends. Contact is willing to go out on a limb but won't fall for the character. |
4 | Buddy. A friend willing to go out of his way for the character. |
5 | Got your back.Contact trusts the character and will help in risky situations. |
6 | Friend for life. Contact will do any thing for the character even risk their life. |
Final Touches
If you bought cyberware some of your ability scores may be increased. If they did mark the modified stat in parentheses next to the natural stat. Also, a separate Initiative exists for mages in the astral realm and hacker in full VR. Also, you need to find out how much damage your character can take. Each character can take Physical damage equal to (BOD divided by 2, round up) +8 and Stun of (WIL divided by 2, round up) +8. Finally, unused nuyen for gear doesn't carry over, instead roll based on your lifestyle to find out how much starting nuyen you have and then your character is complete.