| From: | The Deb Decker <RJR96326@****.UTULSA.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Character |
| Date: | Wed, 29 Sep 1993 12:29:05 -0500 |
Sorry, time limits prevent me from creating a variation on the age-old
"What are little boys/girls made of", but rest assured that Shadowrunners are
most definitely NOT made of sugar and spice, and everything nice:
To list Priorities, my favorite order is:
Skills
Attributes
Tech
Magic/Race
I like characters with skills. Not just lots of skills, but better-than average.
Part of that's because, no matter what game I play, my die rolls are typically
below avergage, so my measure of a "decent" level is somewhat higher than
typical skill levels.
Attributes are also important because I like characters who are average in most
areas, with select high and low levels in one or two arenas. For instance, I
usually prioritize Quickness over Strength and/or Body.
Tech: I don not like the priority the game mechanics place on Tech. To many
people, you are a fool not to take some kind of enhanced reflex system, which
typically requires at least tech level B.Granted, those toys should be
expensive, but to me characters should be considered effective without buying
lots of gadgets (including cyberdecks). I'd rather have my character able to
accomplish tasks rather than require technology to be considered competent.
Mind you, these comments are directed at the mainstream Shadowrun set-up; I
realize individual GMs offer varying interest rates.
Magic: I can live without it, though I quite agree that Magic is VERY powerful
in Shadowrun, especially if the player is quite familiar with the rules and
what the represent.
Race: As many of you know, I am rather humnaocentric in my approach. I also
agree that the "advantages" of race are well balanced by the associated
disadvantages. To reiterate previous comments, look at the whole of real-life
human history and examine the innumerable machinations, backstabbings,
tragedies, and adventures of Real People. Who needs Vampires with Vlad the
Impaler? Who requires faceless Ork warriors when the Germanic tribes fought
the Roman Empire? To me, metahuman race is just a rubber suit to further
emphasize traits which, when role-played properly, can be equally debilitating
or facilitating in a social context.
more on this topic later. Now I must SING!
J Roberson
