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Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: Bitrunner@***.COM
Subject: gm-ing at conventions
Date: Mon, 16 May 1994 10:28:00 EDT
well, i gm-ed shadowrun at a convention for the first time this past
weekend...i'm used to gm-ing for a group of friends that i've known for some
time, so i was a little worried about doing it at a con where i didn't know
anyone...

why is it that when you gm at a con, all these weirdos come up to you and
want to tell you about how great (munchkin) their characters are???

the one that comes to mind, where i couldn't hold a straight face and laughed
at the guy, was when he told me his character has a free spirit as a buddy
that he purchased at character creation! another person explained to me that
his generated character had a charisma of 9 (from bioware!) and 15 contacts
that he could just call up anytime at get whatever he needed or whatever info
he needed WHENEVER he wanted it! (i have no problem with 15 contacts, just
the fact that the player thinks they can solve all his problems for him...on
the side, i would probably limit him to a number of contacts at char
generation equal to his charisma)

either there are people like these that just sit at home and generate
characters, or there are some very warped (and highly munchkin) gms out
there...

just an observation/opinion on my part...maybe i won't have to put up with it
at gencon...

-----------------------------------------------------------------
| Richard Osterhout | |
| Tavares FL | witty saying pending... |
| bitrunner@***.com | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------

GCS/O (Comm) d@ -p+ c++++ l-(+) u++ e+(*) m+(-) s+/+
n---(-) h+ f+ !g(RK) w t++ r+ x?
Message no. 2
From: Chris Lubrecht <lubrecht@***.EDU>
Subject: Re: gm-ing at conventions
Date: Mon, 16 May 1994 13:37:33 -0400
I happent to agree. Here is the worst example I heard at a convention.
"I have replaced all arms and legs on this character with titanium cyber
limbs. They all have increased strength 10 and lots of neat toys.
Basicly they add to my body dice, giving me abody of 18. I have all the
guns and smartlinks in my toes, (I thought they would be a good
roleplaying device.) My essence is 0, but due to a gift from a lesser
God, I am a mage at 9th level initiate."
This is serious. I actually heard this! He wanted to bring this thing
into my game! As much as I thought it was funny, I had to tell him no.
Some people!

Nigel
Message no. 3
From: Ivy Ryan <ivyryan@***.ORG>
Subject: Re: gm-ing at conventions
Date: Mon, 16 May 1994 11:34:50 -0700
Hoi Richard,
I know what you ran into. I used to run a game store and I kept
getting those types who just want to talk. I invited a few of them to
play in the store game, but they were one-game-only types. After one
game with the rules enforced they never came back.
On the other hand, there are lots of that type around. And a lot
of seriously warped munchkin GMs too. Just keep reading this List.
I am still trying to figure out the +3 to Charisma from Bioware
though. Tailored Pheromones can give +1/+2 to Social tests, but
"Charisma"? Oh well. Everybody is trying to "improve" the game.
On the number of contacts a person can have, that is limited by
how much Resource money they are willing to spend. As to what these
contacts can do, that is *really* limited by the GM. Mostly, though,
they can only provide information. Often they will want to be paid for
the information too.
Well, I don't understand why so many people want to munchkin the
game. It works so well as it was written. But, you're right, there are
surely a lot of them around.
Enjoy Gencon
Ivy K
Message no. 4
From: Egil Geir Brautaset <egilbra@***.UNIT.NO>
Subject: Re: gm-ing at conventions
Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 15:03:01 +0200
On Mon, 16 May 1994 Bitrunner@***.com wrote:

> that he purchased at character creation! another person explained to me that
> his generated character had a charisma of 9 (from bioware!) and 15 contacts

The maximum value possible for charisma with bioware etc. from FASA
rules is : 12

With optional cyberware (from KaGe) this can become even higher.

-- Egil <egilbra@***.unit.no>
Message no. 5
From: Thorben Woehler <tew@****.INFORMATIK.RWTH-AACHEN.DE>
Subject: Re: gm-ing at conventions
Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 15:46:45 +0200
> either there are people like these that just sit at home and generate
> characters, or there are some very warped (and highly munchkin) gms out
> there...
>
> just an observation/opinion on my part...maybe i won't have to put up with it
> at gencon...

Oh yeah... thats real munchkinism...

We have a SRII-campaign here in Germany which is only run on cons.

There are about 60 players and 5-10 gms (5 fixed, 5 changing) now.

On every con (about 1 per month, number increasing...) there are about
2-4 runs with about 6 characters each.

This makes lots of fun, because you play with changing teams on the same
background...

GREAT!

And they regulated char gen, so no munchkinism would be possible...
and most players are quite good also!

SHADE
Message no. 6
From: Thorben Woehler <tew@****.INFORMATIK.RWTH-AACHEN.DE>
Subject: Re: gm-ing at conventions
Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 15:51:41 +0200
> I happent to agree. Here is the worst example I heard at a convention.
> "I have replaced all arms and legs on this character with titanium cyber
> limbs. They all have increased strength 10 and lots of neat toys.
> Basicly they add to my body dice, giving me abody of 18. I have all the
> guns and smartlinks in my toes, (I thought they would be a good
> roleplaying device.) My essence is 0, but due to a gift from a lesser
> God, I am a mage at 9th level initiate."
> This is serious. I actually heard this! He wanted to bring this thing
> into my game! As much as I thought it was funny, I had to tell him no.
> Some people!

Oh nice... Go out and kill that thing... It actually isn't human...
(I mean the player, not the character!)

SHADE
Message no. 7
From: Thorben Woehler <tew@****.INFORMATIK.RWTH-AACHEN.DE>
Subject: Re: gm-ing at conventions
Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 15:59:06 +0200
> I am still trying to figure out the +3 to Charisma from Bioware
> though. Tailored Pheromones can give +1/+2 to Social tests, but
> "Charisma"? Oh well. Everybody is trying to "improve" the game.

I though Pheromones give +1(2) to all Social Tests and Charisma, and if
you get cultered ones the effect is doubled (somewhere in the description of
Tailored Pheromones....)

SHADE
Message no. 8
From: Thorben Woehler <tew@****.INFORMATIK.RWTH-AACHEN.DE>
Subject: Re: gm-ing at conventions
Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 16:38:01 +0200
> The maximum value possible for charisma with bioware etc. from FASA
> rules is : 12

Sure???

Take a 'Path of the Righ' Elf from Tirnanog (max Cha 11)
Take the optional rule of max Cha = 1.5 Racial max (11 x 1.5 = 16)

Take Bioware, Incr. Cha+4 ===> Cha 22 (24 to Elves)


THATS MUNCHKINISM (but charming one too!)

SHADE
Message no. 9
From: "It's but a flesh wound." <AM77423@******.BITNET>
Subject: Re: gm-ing at conventions
Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 18:05:24 -0500
>> either there are people like these that just sit at home and generate
>> characters, or there are some very warped (and highly munchkin) gms out
>> there...
>>
>> just an observation/opinion on my part...maybe i won't have to put up with it
>> at gencon...
>
>Oh yeah... thats real munchkinism...
>
>We have a SRII-campaign here in Germany which is only run on cons.
>
>There are about 60 players and 5-10 gms (5 fixed, 5 changing) now.
>
>On every con (about 1 per month, number increasing...) there are about
>2-4 runs with about 6 characters each.
>
>This makes lots of fun, because you play with changing teams on the same
>background...
>
>GREAT!
>
>And they regulated char gen, so no munchkinism would be possible...
>and most players are quite good also!
>
> SHADE


---------- End of Original Message ----------

Here in the US, Michigan to be exact, at most of the cons, players are allowed
either pre-gen. chara, OR to do their own! It is specified in the material when
you sign up for the game you desire to experience....


"Oh the pain the agony; well one final down, two to go!"
-- Mad Hatter
Message no. 10
From: Ivy Ryan <ivyryan@***.ORG>
Subject: Re: gm-ing at conventions
Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 15:08:59 -0700
On Tue, 17 May 1994, Egil Geir Brautaset wrote:

> On Mon, 16 May 1994 Bitrunner@***.com wrote:
>
> > that he purchased at character creation! another person explained to me that
> > his generated character had a charisma of 9 (from bioware!) and 15 contacts
>
> The maximum value possible for charisma with bioware etc. from FASA
> rules is : 12
>
> With optional cyberware (from KaGe) this can become even higher.
>
> -- Egil <egilbra@***.unit.no>
>
Egil,
Would you be so kind as to post the pages in the Shadowtech book
wherein a character can improve their Charisma with Bioware? I can't
seem to find them in my copy.
Thank you
Ivy K
Message no. 11
From: Ivy Ryan <ivyryan@***.ORG>
Subject: Re: gm-ing at conventions
Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 15:39:20 -0700
Well, on re-reading the Shadowtech book, it does seem as though they do
give +1 Charisma per level, and cultured ones are 50% more effective so a
person with 2 levels of cultured tailored pheremones *does* get that +3
to Charisma. . .
Live and learn, die and forget.
Ivy K

On Tue, 17 May 1994, Thorben Woehler wrote:

> > I am still trying to figure out the +3 to Charisma from Bioware
> > though. Tailored Pheromones can give +1/+2 to Social tests, but
> > "Charisma"? Oh well. Everybody is trying to "improve" the
game.
>
> I though Pheromones give +1(2) to all Social Tests and Charisma, and if
> you get cultered ones the effect is doubled (somewhere in the description of
> Tailored Pheromones....)
>
> SHADE
>
Message no. 12
From: "Well I'm here. Now what do you want?" <AM77423@******.BITNET>
Subject: Re: gm-ing at conventions
Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 20:41:25 -0500
>> I am still trying to figure out the +3 to Charisma from Bioware
>> though. Tailored Pheromones can give +1/+2 to Social tests, but
>> "Charisma"? Oh well. Everybody is trying to "improve" the
game.
>
>I though Pheromones give +1(2) to all Social Tests and Charisma, and if
>you get cultered ones the effect is doubled (somewhere in the description of
>Tailored Pheromones....)
>
> SHADE


---------- End of Original Message ----------

Yea that is how tailored ones work. I had a chara. (by the name of Spoom) who
had a VERY low charisma, oh about a 2 and after TPh's were add, had a 5, plus
he bought some other nice stuff that brought it up to a 6. By the way, he some
money to blow off, this was, after all, after I bought Everything else!!
-- Mad Hatter
Message no. 13
From: Darth Vader <j07c@***.UNI-BREMEN.DE>
Subject: Re: gm-ing at conventions
Date: Wed, 18 May 1994 11:38:47 +0100
> The maximum value possible for charisma with bioware etc. from FASA
> rules is : 12
> With optional cyberware (from KaGe) this can become even higher.

The maximum charisma for a PC WITHOUT cyberware is 12 :)
Even (8 charisma) and a lock with incr. charisma +4 .
Arent Elves cool?

--

Strong am I with the Force... but not that strong!
Twilight is upon me and soon night must fall.
That is the way of things ... the way of the Force.

GCS -d+@ -p+(---) c+++ l+ u+++ e+ m++(-) s+/ !n(---) h*(+) f+ !g w+ t+ r++ y?
Message no. 14
From: Stefan Struck <struck@******.INFORMATIK.UNI-BONN.DE>
Subject: Re: gm-ing at conventions
Date: Wed, 18 May 1994 12:28:09 +0000
Shade wrote:
> We have a SRII-campaign here in Germany which is only run on cons.
> etc ... (more stuff deleted)
Where ? When ? Where do I get infos on this campaign? German Shadows?
Can't believe. Hadn't heard of this one.

Tell me, tell me, tell me! Please!!!!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stefan, Son of Yuboert Internet: struck@******.informatik.uni-bonn.de
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"To do is to be" --- Satre
"To be is to do" --- Sokrates
"Do be do be do" --- Sinatra [Taken from
"Subway"]
Message no. 15
From: Egil Geir Brautaset <egilbra@***.UNIT.NO>
Subject: Re: gm-ing at conventions
Date: Wed, 18 May 1994 15:33:44 +0200
On Tue, 17 May 1994, Thorben Woehler wrote:

> > The maximum value possible for charisma with bioware etc. from FASA
> > rules is : 12
>
> Sure???
>
> Take a 'Path of the Righ' Elf from Tirnanog (max Cha 11)
> Take the optional rule of max Cha = 1.5 Racial max (11 x 1.5 = 16)
>
> Take Bioware, Incr. Cha+4 ===> Cha 22 (24 to Elves)
>
>
> THATS MUNCHKINISM (but charming one too!)
>
> SHADE


OK, I admit it! I haven't got the Tir NanOg sourcebook yet. -)

-- Egil <egilbra@***.unit.no>
Message no. 16
From: Stefan Struck <struck@******.INFORMATIK.UNI-BONN.DE>
Subject: Re: gm-ing at conventions
Date: Thu, 19 May 1994 09:44:23 +0000
It would my very nice, if someone changes the subject of the mail, when
the subject of the conversation is changing.

So this is no more 'gm-ing at conventions' but 'charisma, why not?'

It would make it easier for everybody to search for topics.

Thanx...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stefan, Son of Yuboert Internet: struck@******.informatik.uni-bonn.de
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"To do is to be" --- Satre
"To be is to do" --- Sokrates
"Do be do be do" --- Sinatra [Taken from
"Subway"]

Further Reading

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Thwap!