From:	Philip Hayward <Philip.Hayward@***.UK>
Subject:	potential ...
Date:	Tue, 18 Apr 1995 11:28:28 +6000

Subject: Potential advancement -- cash/karma
(could someone change the subject heading?)


Eve wrote:
> Something I've noticed is that magical types have a lot more potential
> for advancement in some games. Because you can spend Karma to buy new
> abilities and stuff; whereas if you're a cyber-type, what you really
> need to buy new abilities is cash.
> You can usually go out and get Karma doing just about any run;
> but stuff that pays in nice nuyen is not so easy to find. If you're
> a mage, and you're low on cash, you're probably OK; you've got
> spells, and fetishes aren't too expensive. If you're a rigger with your
> modded Westwind in the shop, facing a buttload of expensive repairs
> because of that last nasty battle, or, even worse, if the Westwind got
> totalled, you're almost SOL.

This is our riggers problem she is an elvish rigger/decker and is currently
120,000 in debt -- ouch. mostly to other players but also owes local
mafia 40,000. makes for a good, quick on going plot :) also I don't have
to worry about her turning jobs down :)


> Once you get Karma, the options for a mundane are pretty simple;
> buy stats, or buy skills. This gets expensive and kinda silly, as you
> save up Karma so you can buy Motorcycle at 10. If you're a mage, though,
> wow! Do you buy spells? Do you increase stats? Skills? Do you initiate?
> Get an ally? Make some new spells? Bond a focus? Go on an astral quest?
> Get a quickening or a spell lock? Something else?
> I've played in games where there was a lot of cash and little
> karma, and games with a lot of karma and little cash. Mages don't have
> near as much use for money, it seems, as people with tech stuff that
> needs upkeep.

well it depends on the mage - mine is into electronics
and uses alot of money on communication/surveillance gear and
paying off the riggers debts.

> I can't think of any real solution to this... just my thoughts
> on the matter.

well good thinking, I agree with what you say, but it doesn't need a
solution as it tends to encourage people to go on runs for what they need
be it karma or cash, and good roleplaying/development to deal with
the surplus of what you don't need. mundanes can start considering new
skills - while mages can look towards interests to spend spare cash on.
Look at why the character runs the shadows, if they have an excess of
money or karma why do they still do it?, maybe mages should retire from
shadowrunning
earlier than sams? that would remove high powered mages.

Phil
<Philip.Hayward@***.UK>