From: | shadowrn@*********.com (Wally the Intrepid) |
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Subject: | Introduction and questions, queries and interrogatives... |
Date: | Sun Jun 10 05:10:01 2001 |
Amiga 500 days. Until recently, I've never played Shadowrun, even though
I've been collecting the books since it came out way back in the age of the
5th World, and I have quite a few of them (basically ALL of them except most
of the modules ... I don't DO modules for the most part, again, memory
problem), and read them ... when they came out, for the most part. *blush* I
have THE worst memory, just warning y'all. I'm in the Denver area, if any of
you wanna get some runs in, I'm willing and able! Now, within the last
couple of months I got my gaming group (one of them) to try Shadowrun and
they love it. Now I've met some new gamers since then, and have gotten a few
of them into it too, though they're created characters, we haven't been able
to play yet. I even found a SR3 book for only $15, in great shape! I bought
it for them to help them 'get' the game better.
Hmm, can't think of any other info. Is that enough
OK, to the questions:
1) Now, my friend that I mention above who I bought SR3 from (he is
interested in SR because of the Sega Genesis game, BTW), made a very
interesting character. He's a scholar, a wealthy elf who collects
information, basically a decker, I suppose. He's got a high lifestyle, and
started (how'd you guess) with a million ¥ resources (created using the
Companion's Building Points system). Anyways, he is quite the noncombatant,
and with his background, decided he definitely should have a bodyguard. I
really like the idea. How to implement it is another story...
Now, what I had him do is buy him as a lvl 3 Contact, ie. 200,000¥. At
first we were thinking of letting him play him as a PC, but we ultimately
decided against that. Instead I'll run him as an NPC.
OK, so, here's what I did. I wrote him up just like a PC, 123 building
points. At first I was gonna make him based on the "Freelance Executive
Protection Specialist (Troll)" from the Corporate Security Handbook. But
then, I thought, we already have some PCs who're pretty wired-up in the
game, and I didn't wanna step on their toes, so, I asked him, what did he
think about having an Awakened bodyguard? I told him his charcater would
certainly know the type of talent he was hiring, and he liked the idea, as
long as he was a troll (he liked the idea of this big, nicely dressed goon,
guarding him). At first, I was going to make the bodyguard some type of
magician, but I'm really not 'up' on my knowledge of hermetic magery, and I
couldn't find a totem that I liked for him (I liked Dog but a bodyguard has
got to be flexible (Dog doesn't like to change his mind), and I also like
Bear but that berserker behaviour doesn't fit the bill either). Finally, I
noticed the "Executive Protection Adept" in CorpSec, and the wheels started
spinning, and anyways, I came up with "Bartholomew Edwards - Freelance
Executive Protection Adept", a Troll Physical Adept who specializes in
unarmed combat, and his pistol usually gathers dust (Distance Strike). I had
a lot of fun writing him up. Heh, I even gave him some amusing Flaws,
including Day Job (full time) so I could have adventures when he won't be
around to guard the elf's hoop. He's also got a phobia about Rats
(moderate), which I plan to exploit, heh. So, to clarify, these are my
questions:
a) Was it correct to use the full 123 building points for an NPC, even
one who'll be in most of the adventures?
b) Was the idea of his "price" being a lvl 3 Contact, sound?
c) How do I keep him from stepping on the PCs' toes, combatwise and
otherwise? My NPCs tend to be just as colorful as my PCs, which, mind you,
my players have enjoyed in the past, but no NPCs have been with them nearly
all the time before.
d) Suggestions!!!
2) A query related to the above, in 2nd Edition's Companion, there was an
Edge that gave extra Spell Points. I noticed that's been removed, which I
assume the Powers That Be determined it was too powerful. True? However, if
so, I take that with a grain of salt since I don't agree with a lot of the
point cost increases of many Edges. So, my question: Does there now exist an
Edge that gives magicians more starting Spell Points? Also, is there one
that gives PhysAds additional Power Points? Can you use the former to
fulfill the latter?
3) OK, I'm sure this has been discussed some time before, but I couldn't
find it. Skillsoft costs. In SR3's p. 296, it has a chart with static costs
no matter what the Rating of the skillsoft, and listed as "base price", and
yet the text directs you to p. 304. Now on p. 304, the Rating of the
skillsoft DOES affect its cost! So, which is it? Does a lvl4 Activesoft cost
4800¥, or 9600¥? Or, am I missing some blending of the two charts?
Personally, I tend towards the one on p. 304, but then, I'm wondering what
the chart on p. 296 is for, anyways. I want the "official" answer anyhoo.
4) Anyone know of a program that will automatically, or perhaps with a
hotkey, generate an appropriately timestamped Shadowrun .sig? Preferably 1st
or early 2nd edition format, as I don't care for the newer format. It
doesn't have as much character. I'm a Windows (ME, ugh) user, and I'd like a
program that could input the .sig into any text document, from Outlook
Express emails to text files and documents for player handouts or even
stories.
5) Last and least, heh, show of hands! Who else believes that Dunklezahn
isn't really dead, but faked his death for whatever, urm, draconian
purposes? I mean, if Elvis could do do, so could a dragon...
Woah!!! I did NOT mean to type that much. Scout's Honor! So sorry, and
I'll try to restrict my verbiage in the future. Thank you all for you time
and I look forward to many bountiful discussions.
--
Wally -- http://members.nbci.com/stormknight1/home.html
Please Message me on ICQ: #163454