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Message no. 1
From: Timothy P Cooper <tpcooper@***.CSUPOMONA.EDU>
Subject: Re: "Starting Karma"
Date: Fri, 22 Nov 1996 15:22:14 -0800
"Starting Karma" is just a little bonus we use to create our characters.
Every starting PC gets around 2d6 bonus good karma...just a house rule or rather
tradition.

I've seen (on the Web somewhere) other people using similar rules (saw them long
after we started this particular little practice), but using a constant number,
like 10 or 20 karma.

The net effect is just that you have a PC who isn't completely green...he/she
has a little more experience under his/her belt. Thats about it.

~Tim
Message no. 2
From: Peter Leitch <pleitch_hpcs@*******.COM.AU>
Subject: Re: "Starting Karma"
Date: Sat, 23 Nov 1996 14:20:04 +1100
At 15:22 22/11/96 -0800, you wrote:
>"Starting Karma" is just a little bonus we use to create our characters.
>Every starting PC gets around 2d6 bonus good karma...just a house rule or
rather
>tradition.
>
>I've seen (on the Web somewhere) other people using similar rules (saw
them long
>after we started this particular little practice), but using a constant
number,
>like 10 or 20 karma.
>
>The net effect is just that you have a PC who isn't completely green...he/she
>has a little more experience under his/her belt. Thats about it.

We use a similar system, but 3d6, discard all ones (that is, don't count
them) and reroll all sixes. Works well, although some starting characters
can get an "unfair" advantage if the player rolls really well. The best
I've got is 23.


PML

***************************************
Peter Leitch
<pleitch_hpcs@*******.com.au>
Canberra, Australia
Message no. 3
From: The Digital Mage <mn3rge@****.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: "Starting Karma"
Date: Sat, 23 Nov 1996 15:35:28 +0000
On Fri, 22 Nov 1996, Timothy P Cooper wrote:

> "Starting Karma" is just a little bonus we use to create our characters.
> Every starting PC gets around 2d6 bonus good karma...just a house rule or rather
> tradition.
Maybe this could be a trade off for the starting cash, e.g. trade off 2D6
1000Y of starting cash for 1D6 starting karma, or trade off all starting
cash for 2D6 starting karma, and if you roll 10+ for starting karma you
get the extra point in the karma pool.

The Digital Mage : mn3rge@****.ac.uk
"So that which I imagine, is that which I believe" -Rush
Shadowrun Web Site http://www.bath.ac.uk/~mn3rge/Shadowrun.html
Message no. 4
From: Loki <loki@*******.COM>
Subject: Re: "Starting Karma"
Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 13:52:10 -0700
> "Starting Karma" is just a little bonus we use to create our characters.
> Every starting PC gets around 2d6 bonus good karma...just a house rule or
rather
> tradition.
>
> I've seen (on the Web somewhere) other people using similar rules (saw
them long
> after we started this particular little practice), but using a constant
number,
> like 10 or 20 karma.
>
> The net effect is just that you have a PC who isn't completely
green...he/she
> has a little more experience under his/her belt. Thats about it.
>
> ~Tim

I was using something similar as the vterean players would get killed off
(mostly during Harlequi'ns Back), and a newbie would be brought in to fill
the gap. The greenies didn't stand a chance against opposition that could
take down a runner OC of a year or more. So I was giving new PC"s some
bonus good karma to build a little bit.

I gave them a choice of one roll: either 4d6 where sixes were open ended or
6d6 without opened ended sixes. If they didn't like the result of that
roll, they could go for what was behind door number two and have me roll
6d6, but then they took what I rolled no matter what. The average usually
ended up giving them about 18-22 karma this way.

I don't use the rule now, because the group is more or less all at an equal
level.

@>-,--'--- Loki

CLARKE'S THIRD LAW:
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

*********************************************
Poisoned Elves
http://www.netzone.com/~loki/
*********************************************
Message no. 5
From: Tim Cooper <tpcooper@***.CSUPOMONA.EDU>
Subject: Re: "Starting Karma"
Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 16:01:55 -0800
On Sun, 24 Nov 1996, Loki wrote:

> > "Starting Karma" is just a little bonus we use to create our
characters.
> > Every starting PC gets around 2d6 bonus good karma...just a house rule or
> rather
> > tradition.
> >
> > I've seen (on the Web somewhere) other people using similar rules (saw
> them long
> > after we started this particular little practice), but using a constant
> number,
> > like 10 or 20 karma.
> >
> > The net effect is just that you have a PC who isn't completely
> green...he/she
> > has a little more experience under his/her belt. Thats about it.
> >
> > ~Tim
>
> I was using something similar as the vterean players would get killed off
> (mostly during Harlequi'ns Back), and a newbie would be brought in to fill
> the gap. The greenies didn't stand a chance against opposition that could
> take down a runner OC of a year or more. So I was giving new PC"s some
> bonus good karma to build a little bit.
>
> I gave them a choice of one roll: either 4d6 where sixes were open ended or
> 6d6 without opened ended sixes. If they didn't like the result of that
> roll, they could go for what was behind door number two and have me roll
> 6d6, but then they took what I rolled no matter what. The average usually
> ended up giving them about 18-22 karma this way.
>
> I don't use the rule now, because the group is more or less all at an equal
> level.
>
> @>-,--'--- Loki
>

Thats exactly how the "Starting Karma" thing started, a way to put new
PC's up to the same level as the rest of the group..it just kinda stuck
after. That and our group is always changing...much to my distaste. Its
always a pain trying to keep something connected going when you have to
stop and ask whether anybody in this current group was actually involved
with "run xyz" or was in the group when they met "mr. so-and-so".
~Tim
Message no. 6
From: Chris Maxfield <cmaxfiel@****.ORG.AU>
Subject: Re: "Starting Karma"
Date: Mon, 25 Nov 1996 23:47:30 +1100
At 04:01 PM 24/11/96 -0800, Tim Cooper wrote:
>On Sun, 24 Nov 1996, Loki wrote:
>
>> I was using something similar as the vterean players would get killed off=

>> (mostly during Harlequi'ns Back), and a newbie would be brought in to=
fill
>> the gap. The greenies didn't stand a chance against opposition that could
>> take down a runner OC of a year or more. So I was giving new PC"s some
>> bonus good karma to build a little bit.
>>
>> I gave them a choice of one roll: either 4d6 where sixes were open ended=
or
>> 6d6 without opened ended sixes. If they didn't like the result of that
>> roll, they could go for what was behind door number two and have me roll
>> 6d6, but then they took what I rolled no matter what. The average=
usually
>> ended up giving them about 18-22 karma this way.
>>
>> I don't use the rule now, because the group is more or less all at an=
equal
>> level.
>>
>> @>-,--'--- Loki
>>
>
>Thats exactly how the "Starting Karma" thing started, a way to put new
>PC's up to the same level as the rest of the group..it just kinda stuck
>after. That and our group is always changing...much to my distaste. Its
>always a pain trying to keep something connected going when you have to
>stop and ask whether anybody in this current group was actually involved
>with "run xyz" or was in the group when they met "mr. so-and-so".
> ~Tim
>
>
We also use a 'Starting Karma' roll when creating new characters. In our
case - 3d6. I'm not sure exactly how this started except it has been going
on for a while now. Perhaps it felt symmetrical to the starting ¥ roll;
especially
since money if far less important to some characters than ¥ (eg.=
magicians).

We don't need the roll to raise the capabilities of new characters to match=

established characters since we all have a range from newbies up to
a few old surviving Private Karma 500+ characters (duck!). We all enjoy
playing the various archetypes and so we tend to have three to five=
different
types each and when characters die new ones are created. As a result,
if someone turns up with (or creates ) a newbie character to play we all
pull out our
own newbies and have a good time.

Chris

_______________________________________________________________
Chris Maxfield We are restless because of incessant
<cmaxfiel@****.org.au> change, but we would be frightened if
Canberra, Australia change were stopped.
Message no. 7
From: Caric <caric@*******.COM>
Subject: Re: "Starting Karma"
Date: Mon, 25 Nov 1996 10:17:05 -0700
> I gave them a choice of one roll: either 4d6 where sixes were open ended
or
> 6d6 without opened ended sixes. If they didn't like the result of that
> roll, they could go for what was behind door number two and have me roll
> 6d6, but then they took what I rolled no matter what. The average
usually
> ended up giving them about 18-22 karma this way.
>
> I don't use the rule now, because the group is more or less all at an
equal
> level.

Whoa!!!! I always thought that it was 3d6 open ended or 4d6 without open
ended sixes!!


Caric
Message no. 8
From: Loki <loki@*******.COM>
Subject: Re: "Starting Karma"
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 1996 00:10:06 -0700
> > I gave them a choice of one roll: either 4d6 where sixes were open
ended
> or
> > 6d6 without opened ended sixes. If they didn't like the result of that
> > roll, they could go for what was behind door number two and have me
roll
> > 6d6, but then they took what I rolled no matter what. The average
> usually
> > ended up giving them about 18-22 karma this way.

<SNIP>

> Whoa!!!! I always thought that it was 3d6 open ended or 4d6 without open
> ended sixes!!
>
>
> Caric

Something like that. It's been a while. Anyways, my point was made and we
don't use the option anymore anyways, c'est la vie...

@>--,--'--- Loki

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading about "Starting Karma", you may also be interested in:

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