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Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: Doctor Doom <JCH8169@*****.TAMU.EDU>
Subject: Karma Pool and Decking?
Date: Mon, 13 Sep 1993 10:07:53 -0500
von The Berlin Decker:

>Hoi
>can sombody please tell me how you manage the Matrix?
>One of my players uses the Karmapool to reroll no success dice
>and he seems to have no problem racing the nodes.
>I ruled that the pool only refreshes after he left the node and came back
>in ! It is still to easy for him....Help

Remember, the Karma Pool does not refresh every node, or even every
Initiative phase, rather when the Game Master feels it should...

What is generally suggested is that it occur between a change of
"scenes" which permits the characters to "catch their breath". If
your
technomancer thinks his Karma Pool refreshed every time he changes a
node, he is sorely mistaken.

It is unlikely the Pool shall refresh during a Matrix run, except should
he be afforded the opportunity to "take 5" whilst within the system (by
downloading a large file, et cetera). Otherwise, say it simply does not
happen.

Once you enact this simple, nevertheless important, modification it is
unlikely he shall be roaring through clusters with impunity.


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. 2
From: Todd Montgomery <tmont@****.WVU.EDU>
Subject: Karma Pool and Decking
Date: Mon, 13 Sep 1993 11:31:13 -0400
Sadly, I do not have a decker among my players. *sighhhh*.

But I would only allow the Karma Pool to refresh when the decker
jack's out of a system, or when they can get their breath for a minute.
Racing through a system would not constitute a breather.

Some tips, which I will probably never get to use, about making tough
systems.

Use multiple systems and layer them. Very seldom is a system just one
CPU. Check out Virtual Reality for some good ideas and some useful
restrictions for making systems. Put 90% of the heavy IC on the
input SANs, CPU, and specifically designed choke points (DLGs and
empty data stores). Make deadly traps for intruders. My favorite
idea is using a system for nothing but catching greedy deckers.
In a multiple system, place one system as the entry point for the
whole thang. This system has several choke points and is made to
especially look like it holds something important. Lead a trail
of bread crumbs for the decker and cut him off. Have a node be shutdown
by placing IC with high load ratings and a node with low security
levels. This means the decker can't enter the node to get out. Then
pop in deckers and/or IC to obliterate the decker.

The real strength of the Matrix lies in the tactics. Just as in other
forms of combat. It does not matter who the character is or how much
karma pool they have. Well executed and planned tactics will always win
over sheer brute force.

-- Quiktek
-- Todd Montgomery
tmont@****.wvu.edu
tmont@***.wvu.edu
un032507@*******.wvnet.edu
Message no. 3
From: Roger Carbol <rcarbol@*******.ROYALROADS.CA>
Subject: Re: Karma Pool and Decking
Date: Mon, 13 Sep 1993 22:07:59 PDT
The whole concept of a "Karma" pool is a little shaky to begin with (at
least in any traditional concept of Karma) but I like to think of it as
a way to justify, in game-terms, those amazingly-lucky things that keep
Cyberpunk-ish characters alive from day to day. Thus I think if I felt that
a character was "pushing their luck" far too often, I might just let that
pool run a little dry...

As for creating killer Matrix node traps, I'd at least give the guy a chance
with Streetwise Skill to hear from his decker comrades rumours that the
place was a big snare. Of course, such rumours could be full of drek, but...

remix
Message no. 4
From: Todd Montgomery <tmont@****.WVU.EDU>
Subject: Re: Karma Pool and Decking
Date: Tue, 14 Sep 1993 08:42:35 -0400
From remix:
> The whole concept of a "Karma" pool is a little shaky to begin with (at
> least in any traditional concept of Karma) but I like to think of it as
> a way to justify, in game-terms, those amazingly-lucky things that keep
> Cyberpunk-ish characters alive from day to day. Thus I think if I felt that
> a character was "pushing their luck" far too often, I might just let that
> pool run a little dry...
>
> As for creating killer Matrix node traps, I'd at least give the guy a chance
> with Streetwise Skill to hear from his decker comrades rumours that the
> place was a big snare. Of course, such rumours could be full of drek, but...
>

Not unless the decker actually asked about the place first. First rule of
GMing, "Never volunteer information unless it means too long a game night
if you don't."

And if the system was actually the only way to get to the data the decker
needs, the decker would have to go through it anyway to get to the system.

-- Quiktek
-- Todd Montgomery
tmont@****.wvu.edu
tmont@***.wvu.edu
un032507@*******.wvnet.edu

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