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Message no. 1
From: Luke Kendall <luke@********.CANON.OZ.AU>
Subject: Idle poll: ratio of mages to non-mages amongst players
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 1994 12:57:45 +1000
I was just wondering whether more people play magically active
characters on non-magical ones.

So, in the group(s) that you play in, what would you say the
ratio of mages (+adepts) to non-mages was?

In ours it's 5 magical and 3 non-magical. (Yes, it's an uncomfortably
big group - that's because the GM is so good.)

luke
Message no. 2
From: Luke Kendall <luke@********.CANON.OZ.AU>
Subject: Re: Idle poll: ratio of mages to non-mages amongst players
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 1994 13:11:34 +1000
Damn! That was supposed to read...

I was just wondering whether more people play magically active
characters *or* non-magical ones.

luke
Message no. 3
From: Paolo Marcucci <marcucci@***.TS.ASTRO.IT>
Subject: Idle poll: ratio of mages to non-mages amongst players (fwd)
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 1994 08:53:47 METDST
>
> I was just wondering whether more people play magically active
> characters on non-magical ones.
[snip]
> luke

We, the Butchers :), are one physical adept, a rat shaman, an Indian
mage (from India), one troll sammie, an ex-cop, another mage, a human
samurai and a rigger.

That sums up to 4 mages and 4 mundanes.

Keep in mind that the team is composed by players and GMs, so when I,
the physad, am the GM, the group is composed by 7 players (obviously
enough :)

Bye, Paolo
--
_________________________________________________________________________
Paolo Marcucci marcucci@***.ts.astro.it
http://www.oat.ts.astro.it/marcucci/home.html
Message no. 4
From: Matthew Alan Hufstetler <gt2778a@*****.GATECH.EDU>
Subject: Re: Idle poll: ratio of mages to non-mages amongst players
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 1994 08:38:10 -0400
>
> I was just wondering whether more people play magically active
> characters on non-magical ones.
>
> So, in the group(s) that you play in, what would you say the
> ratio of mages (+adepts) to non-mages was?
>
Well, most of the time it is anywhere from 25% to 75% depending upon the
flavor of the day. Right now, we have a sorcery adept, a physical adept,
a full mage, and a Rigger.

Other times we have had two mages, a phys ad, and a detective.

In all these cases I have always prefered being a mage.
Most people in our group gravitate towards one typical genre of
characters. One guy likes Street Sams, another likes Street Sams and
Physical Inepts... -er physical adepts, another likes deckers.
To each his own.
Message no. 5
From: Brian McCallister <mccllstr@*****.BUCKNELL.EDU>
Subject: Re: Idle poll: ratio of mages to non-mages amongst players
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 1994 09:39:06 -0400
We have one ork shaman (me :), an elven sammie, and two human riggers(who
fill in as quasi sammies w/ spell locked increase initiatives on em both,
after the last run).

plus DeathTruck(tm), but DeathTruck isn't conscious, so it doesn't count.

Brian McCallister---------------------------------------------------Skrub
"I get to play Doom on a Pentium 90 !!!!!!!"
-Skrub, before being shot for unknown reasons
Message no. 6
From: MILLIKEN DAMION A <u9467882@***.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: Idle poll: ratio of mages to non-mages amongst players
Date: Sat, 10 Sep 1994 01:14:23 +1000
Well, of the two games I run, I would say that they have abnormally low
numbers of mages.

In my original group, there was but one mage, among the other 6 sammies and
one rigger. Thats 1 in 8.

Now we have a few less in that group, and we have a phys adept as well. So
the numbers are 2 in 6.

For the other game, at first it seemed like we were going to have no mages,
we went around the table and everybody stated what type of character they
wished to have "I'll have a street sammurai, I'll take one too, I'll have a
merc, I'll be a sammie", then we got to the last guy and he says "I wanna be
an ork mage!". The numbers then were one in 5.

Now the numbers for that group are 2 in 5, one changed.

As you cans see, generally low numbers. Personally I don't see why anybody
would want to paly anything but a mage, they are by far the most versatile
characters around. About the only thing they can't to just as good as
anybody else is rig. The combat mage in the first group near always beats
the sammie reaction wise, and all the cyber in the world wouldn't get the
sammie the kind of stats a mage can get with spell locks and quickenings.
The only drawback with mages is that they are karma black holes. And these
are the guys who are leaning toward the power gamer side of things. Oh well,
I guess there's hope for them yet. If they don't all blatantly go out and
get mages, then obviously they choose the other archetypes for the
roleplaying aspects (at least I can hope that).

--
Damion Milliken University of Wollongong e-mail: u9467882@***.edu.au

(GEEK CODE 2.1) GE -d+(d) H s++:-- !g p? !au a18 w+ v(?) C+(++) US++ P? L !3 E?
N K- W+ M@ !V po@ Y(+) t+ !5 !j R+(++) G(+) !tv(--)@ b++ D+ B?
e+ u@ h* f(+) !r n--(----) !y+
Message no. 7
From: Marc A Renouf <jormung@*****.UMICH.EDU>
Subject: Re: Idle poll: ratio of mages to non-mages amongst players
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 1994 11:46:20 -0400
On Fri, 9 Sep 1994, Luke Kendall wrote:

> I was just wondering whether more people play magically active
> characters on non-magical ones.

I play both, with the majority being non-magical. That's not to
say I havent' played my fair share of mages too, though.


> So, in the group(s) that you play in, what would you say the
> ratio of mages (+adepts) to non-mages was?
>
> In ours it's 5 magical and 3 non-magical. (Yes, it's an uncomfortably
> big group - that's because the GM is so good.)

Currently, my group consists of 2 full mages, 1 adept, 2 deckers,
1 decker/pilot, 1 gang member, 1 low-level crimeboss, 1 thug, 1 retired
army major, 1 gun-bunny, and 1 special ops lieutenant. There are a few
more people who need to make characters after the last run. Ooops.

> luke

Marc (who is actually running two groups concurrently, each with about 8
people)
Message no. 8
From: John Moeller <John.Moeller@*.CC.UTAH.EDU>
Subject: Re: Idle poll: ratio of mages to non-mages amongst players
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 1994 09:59:44 -0600
Well, my group has a 0:5 ratio. Yup. Nobody wanted to play one.

John IV aka John Moeller <John.Moeller@*.cc.utah.edu>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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b+ D- B--- e+>+++ u--(+) h->++ f+ r---(*) n-(---) !y+
Message no. 9
From: Chaos Manager <jstawarz@******.GMU.EDU>
Subject: Re: Idle poll: ratio of mages to non-mages amongst players
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 1994 12:52:54 -0400
> I was just wondering whether more people play magically active
> characters on non-magical ones.

Well, I tend to play mages (physical adepts, usually) In the group
that I'm running now, there are a sorcery adept, a Coyote shaman, a
Troll Rat shaman (really interesting character...), a physical adept, a
halfling (from NERPS Shadowlore) break-in artist, and an AmerIndian former
merc. So that's 4 of 6 magically active. That'sabout normal for the
group.

--
*****************************************************************
* John Stawarz aka Chaos Manager *
* jstawarz@******.gmu.edu jstawarz@***.edu *
*****************************************************************
* Proudly attending Groucho Marx University since 1992. *
*****************************************************************

Geek Code (1.0.1) GCS/O -d+ p c++(c---) l u+ e+ m+(*) s+/++ n---(!n) h--
f? g+ w++ t+ r+ !y
Message no. 10
From: "C. Paul Douglas" <granite@*****.NET>
Subject: Re: Idle poll: ratio of mages to non-mages amongst players
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 1994 14:09:22 -0400
On Fri, 9 Sep 1994, Luke Kendall wrote:

> I was just wondering whether more people play magically active
> characters on non-magical ones.

In our group it is 1/3 ..
-----------------------------GRANITE
Message no. 11
From: Matthew McCormick <mcormick@*****.COLOSTATE.EDU>
Subject: Re: Idle poll: ratio of mages to non-mages amongst players
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 1994 12:49:09 -0600
>
> I was just wondering whether more people play magically active
> characters on non-magical ones.
>
> So, in the group(s) that you play in, what would you say the
>

In my campaign, I only allow one mage and one physad
under most circumstances, though I have been known to break that rule on
occasion. My group currently only has one of each as well as 6 mundane
characters.

The Grand Poobah!
Students for War & Oppression
@@@@ @ @ @@@@ Counter productive, highly destructive!
@ @ @@ @ @ @ ---
@@@@ @ @@ @ @ @ Celebrating the occurrences of War &
@ @ @@ @ @ @ Oppression since the dawn of time
@@@@ @@@@ @@@@ -- Even the planets were born in turmoil... --
Message no. 12
From: Doctor Doom <jch8169@*******.TAMU.EDU>
Subject: Re: Idle poll: ratio of mages to non-mages amongst players
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 1994 14:19:02 -0500
von Herrn Kendall:

> I was just wondering whether more people play magically active
> characters on non-magical ones.
>
> So, in the group(s) that you play in, what would you say the
> ratio of mages (+adepts) to non-mages was?

Original group, from far bygone days, was

Technomancer/Cyberknight
Contacts Monger/Cyberknight
Physical Adept
Hermetic Mage
Owl Shaman
Rigger
Sasquatch Cyberknight 3:4

This arragement developed from a Game Master who was particularly
dogmatic in his views of what composed a "proper" shadowrun group,
i.e. "Thou shalt have one of each player type" the result being that
a few characters received "assigned" archetypes.

Contemporary circumstances

Hermetic Magician
Coyote Shaman
Wild Cat Druid
Rigger/Demi-Technomancer
Freelance Courier/Demi-Cyberknight 3:2

There is a general consensus that the group is presently has an
inordinant abundance of magically-active characters. This was
not the original arrangement, which had a full Cyberknight, a
(useless) Reporter, and a Physical Adept plus only the Mage and
Shaman. Owing to various players joining and leaving, we achieved
the above ratio.

Given the present sentiment about the mage-intensiveness of the
group, the new players we are enlisting are being introduced under
the understanding their characters shall not be magical.

When the time arrives that it is determined that entirely new characters
are necessitated by the potency of the present group, it is likely we
shall adopt soemthing along the lines of a recent experimental one-shot
adventure containing the following:

Fox Druid
Hermetic Magician
Physical Adept
Rigger
Jack-Of-All-Trades (skill intensive)
Three Cyberknights (Sniper, Assassin, Ground-pounder) 3:5

Which functioned quite well; although there were problems owing to its size.


Colonel Count von Hohenzollern und von Doom, DMSc, DSc, PhD.

Doom Technologies & Weapon Systems -- Dark Thought Publications
>>> Working on solutions best left in the dark.
<<<
[ Doctor Doom : jch8169@*******.tamu.edu ]
^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^
"Attack, attack, and when in doubt, ATTACK!" -- Frederick the Great of Prussia
Message no. 13
From: Joanna Goodhartz <JGOODHAR@****.STEVENS-TECH.EDU>
Subject: Re: Idle poll: ratio of mages to non-mages amongst players
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 1994 16:59:33 -0400
>
>So, in the group(s) that you play in, what would you say the
>ratio of mages (+adepts) to non-mages was?

Umm, I think we're about even: 10 to 10. Yes, that sounds huge, but only
6 to 8 characters are played at once. It seems that since the players
have the ability to have two characters (but we can't run them both at once),
most will choose one magical and one non. And, they usually have widely
different personalaties. Makes things interesting.

Joanna
Message no. 14
From: Boehme Christian <boehmec@******.UNI-MARBURG.DE>
Subject: Re: Idle poll: ratio of mages to non-mages amongst players
Date: Sat, 10 Sep 1994 20:12:01 CST
Hi !
In my group we have 2 hermetic mages, 1 shamanic adept, 1 decker/rigger,
1 rigger, 2 sams, 1 killer (no cyberwear) and a detective/drug dealer.
So the ratio is 3 : 6.
BTW, the group got this large more or less by accident, has anyone
experience with groups of this size ? Is gaming still enjoyable ?
Christian Boehme
Message no. 15
From: MILLIKEN DAMION A <u9467882@***.EDU.AU>
Subject: Re: Idle poll: ratio of mages to non-mages amongst players
Date: Sun, 11 Sep 1994 16:45:56 +1000
Christian writes:

> BTW, the group got this large more or less by accident, has anyone
> experience with groups of this size ? Is gaming still enjoyable ?

Well, I used to have a group of eight, and it used to be pretty OK. Still
quite enjoyable, but it goes a bit slower. Especially in combat. You also
have to think a little more to make up runs which will involve everbody, or
else one or two people end up sitting there and getting bored for most of
the time as their characters aren't involved.

--
Damion Milliken University of Wollongong e-mail: u9467882@***.edu.au

(GEEK CODE 2.1) GE -d+(d) H s++:-- !g p? !au a18 w+ v(?) C+(++) US++ P? L !3 E?
N K- W+ M@ !V po@ Y(+) t+ !5 !j R+(++) G(+) !tv(--)@ b++ D+ B?
e+ u@ h* f(+) !r n--(----) !y+
Message no. 16
From: "Scott D. Peterson" <scpeters@****.EDU>
Subject: Re: Idle poll: ratio of mages to non-mages amongst players
Date: Sun, 11 Sep 1994 01:30:17 -0600
In my group we run, a decker/sam, another decker, a rigger/sim star,
another rigger, two shamans, two bodyguards(custom sams) and a paranormal
Lemure. Most of the stuff we use is the maxed out vatjob capabilities
from the Shadowlore and let me tell you its a hell of a challenge coming
up with a sufficient challenge for them. Granted Im asking for it with my
shoping mall of the gods, but its more intellectualy stimulating for me to
develope the plot line working for/with/against the party.

Edge

______________________________________________________________________________
CURR AHEE
Keep Up the Fire You Manchu Mother

Scott Peterson EMT-B (Candidate) US ARMY INFANTRY (Light) Ret.
<scpeters@****.edu>

....Watch your fire and check your targets.....
.....God is dead!....If there's a Hell I'll see you there.....
.....After this life every kid in America will want to be me.....

^
.....Flatline!..D-Fib...200 Joules.. /| ....Clear!!!!!!!!!
___________________________________ .__/ | ___________________________________
` |/
"
Message no. 17
From: John Moeller <John.Moeller@*.CC.UTAH.EDU>
Subject: Re: Idle poll: ratio of mages to non-mages amongst players
Date: Sun, 11 Sep 1994 22:45:02 -0600
[ in reply to SDP ]

A paranormal lemur?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

John IV aka John Moeller <John.Moeller@*.cc.utah.edu>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Message no. 18
From: "J.D. Falk" <jdfalk@****.CAIS.COM>
Subject: Re: Idle poll: ratio of mages to non-mages amongst players
Date: Mon, 12 Sep 1994 11:08:44 -0400
On Sun, 11 Sep 1994, John Moeller wrote:

> [ in reply to SDP ]
>
> A paranormal lemur?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Check out alt.fan.lemurs (or its companion newsgroup,
alt.fan.joel-furr) for more information.




*grin*
Message no. 19
From: "Scott D. Peterson" <scpeters@****.EDU>
Subject: Re: Idle poll: ratio of mages to non-mages amongst players
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 1994 01:00:18 -0600
On Sun, 11 Sep 1994, John Moeller wrote:

> [ in reply to SDP ]
>
> A paranormal lemur?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Yes one of my PC's asked for a paranormal lemure as a pet. It has lots of
fun powers of which one of the first (now no longer around due to the od
posibility on benedryl) was that it had an alergy to firefights. It
would sneze and the hammer would fall. Not it has an allergy to bad
jokes. Been the vets many times. It also is the _last_ male Lemure and we
are planning an adventure to get it to mate.:)

Edge
______________________________________________________________________________
CURR AHEE
Keep Up the Fire You Manchu Mother

Scott Peterson EMT-B (Candidate) US ARMY INFANTRY (Light) Ret.
<scpeters@****.edu>

....Watch your fire and check your targets.....
.....God is dead!....If there's a Hell I'll see you there.....
.....After this life every kid in America will want to be me.....

^
.....Flatline!..D-Fib...200 Joules.. /| ....Clear!!!!!!!!!
___________________________________ .__/ | ___________________________________
` |/
"
Message no. 20
From: Patrick F Omalley <omalleyp@*******.MSU.EDU>
Subject: Re: Idle poll: ratio of mages to non-mages amongst players
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 1994 17:35:58 -0400
> So, in the group(s) that you play in, what would you say the
> ratio of mages (+adepts) to non-mages was?
>
> luke

I play in a few groups, so here is each group:

Magically Active vs. Norms
I. 3 / 4
II. 1 / 3
III. 2 / 2
IV. 1 / 3

On the average it's usually more norms than magicals.




Patrick O'Malley (son of the Clan of Mailey)
ai141@***.nmc.edu
omalleyp@*******.msu.edu
=========================================/==========================
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!y+

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