Back to the main page

Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: "Leszek Karlik, aka Mike" <trrkt@*****.ONET.PL>
Subject: Edge/flaw: Paranoia
Date: Tue, 11 Nov 1997 23:06:12 +0000
Hmmm...

I've got a question for all the SR gurus on the list. Here, catch:
How would one go with creating a character with paranoia?

I have a char that is mildly paranoic, so I wanted to give him a
mild paranoia flaw (based on phobia table). But then, I've thought
that for shadowrunners, paranoia is an edge.
So finally I wrote paranoia in the Edges/flaws section without giving
it a point value.

However, that left me wondering about properties of such an
edge/flaw. Maybe one would add additional dice, or reduce the #TN for
Surprise tests? OTOH paranoia is a flaw, so it would probably modify
TNs social tests...

Here's what I've thought out:
Paranoia edge/flaw (0 points)
Can be taken in two versions: mild or moderate. Severe phobia would
make playing a character so difficult you can really skip it. ;P
Paranoia reduces the #TN for Surprise tests by 1 in the first case,
by 2 in the second case. Also, increase #TN for social skills by the
same amount.


Leszek Karlik, aka Mike - trrkt@*****.onet.pl; http://www.wlkp.top.pl/~bear/mike; FIAWOL
FL/GN Leszek/Raptor II/ISD Vanguard, (SS) (PC) (ISM) {IWATS-IIC} JH(Sith)/House Scholae
Palatinae
Save fuel - burn an Arab.
Message no. 2
From: Mike Elkins <MikeE@*********.COM>
Subject: Re: Edge/flaw: Paranoia
Date: Tue, 11 Nov 1997 17:47:45 -0500
Forget the edge. Paranoia is definetely a flaw. For every real
double-cross he predicts, he will have cried wolf on 99 others.

Double-Domed Mike
Message no. 3
From: Brett Borger <bxb121@***.EDU>
Subject: Re: Edge/flaw: Paranoia
Date: Tue, 11 Nov 1997 18:18:39 EST
> Here's what I've thought out:
> Paranoia edge/flaw (0 points)
> Can be taken in two versions: mild or moderate. Severe phobia would
> make playing a character so difficult you can really skip it. ;P
> Paranoia reduces the #TN for Surprise tests by 1 in the first case,
> by 2 in the second case. Also, increase #TN for social skills by the
> same amount.

Normally I would say that such a flaw/edge/trait would be role-played
only, and that would reflect any changes it would make. (e.g. you are
always asking if such-and-such a place looks like an ambush, so you
are less surprised, and you never trust what someone says, and never
accept anything without suspicion, so that affects social test).
Your version, however, is acceptable. As a GM, I would simply ensure
that you role-play it as well. (The fact that you decided not to
give it a point value strongly suggests that you are not a munchie or
a powergamer, so I wouldn't expect that to be a problem for _you_.
Others, however....)

-=SwiftOne=-
Message no. 4
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: Edge/flaw: Paranoia
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 1997 15:54:35 +0100
Leszek Karlik, aka Mike said on 23:06/11 Nov 97...

> I've got a question for all the SR gurus on the list. Here, catch:
> How would one go with creating a character with paranoia?

You go to the Red-clearance chapter in the rulebook, spend about 15
minutes rolling a few dice and picking some skills, and your clone is
ready to get killed half a dozen times.

:)

> I have a char that is mildly paranoic, so I wanted to give him a
> mild paranoia flaw (based on phobia table). But then, I've thought
> that for shadowrunners, paranoia is an edge.
> So finally I wrote paranoia in the Edges/flaws section without giving
> it a point value.

I don't think it should be an edge; if you really want to give points to
it, it should be a flaw -- it may give some bonuses, but most of the time
the character will be getting into trouble because of things that aren't
even there. I'dput this down as a roleplaying thing, without putting
numbers on it.

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
So what if we're making a scene now?
-> NERPS Project Leader & Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
-> The Plastic Warriors Page: http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/plastic.html <-
-> The New Character Mortuary: http://www.electricferret.com/mortuary/ <-

-----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK-----
Version 3.1:
GAT/! d-(dpu) s:- !a>? C+(++)@ U P L E? W(++) N o? K- w+ O V? PS+ PE
Y PGP- t(+) 5++ X++ R+++>$ tv+(++) b++@ DI? D+ G(++) e h! !r(---) y?
------END GEEK CODE BLOCK------

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading about Edge/flaw: Paranoia, you may also be interested in:

Disclaimer

These messages were posted a long time ago on a mailing list far, far away. The copyright to their contents probably lies with the original authors of the individual messages, but since they were published in an electronic forum that anyone could subscribe to, and the logs were available to subscribers and most likely non-subscribers as well, it's felt that re-publishing them here is a kind of public service.

Thwap!