| From: | Dave Post caelric@****.com |
|---|---|
| Subject: | A perfectly acceptable reason to test the new list... |
| Date: | Mon, 08 Feb 1999 16:48:04 -0800 |
>I think the easy way to deal with it is make the character get ostracised
>by *other* magicians. Even if the character themself doesn't have a problem
>with getting chromed almost every other shaman and mage will, the former
>especially. Talismongers may treat the runner differently, and no longer be
>as helpful. Magical contacts could start lecturing the character on
>burnout. If the character is a member of a magical group, you could easily
>have a field day.
>
>
>
No, no, no...............maybe in your world, almost every other shaman and
mage would have a problem with cybered mages, but that doesn't necessarily
apply to everyones view of 2060. Show me where, in SR canon, be it a
sourcebook, or main rules, that says cybered mages are ostracized by other
mages (I include shamans when I say 'mages')
Now, I know where I can find the lines that say obvious cyberware causes
social interaction problems, but it does NOT say this is anywhere worse for
mages/shamans.
Also, I can think up many reasons why a mage would get cyberware. I can
also think of many good reasons why not to, both from a character stand
point, and from a 'munchkin' standpoint. Either way, good roleplaying can
justify it.
There's more to being a munchkin than just getting a cybered mage; it's a
long difficult path to follow....;)
Seriously though, cyberware does not make a mage a munchkin, and arbitrary
GM penalties to a mage character just because he got some cyber are wrong;
they do not make sense, they alienate the player, and generally, are bad
all around.
Now, on the other hand, NON-arbitrary penalties can be sensible. Say
Derek, my racoon phjysical shaman decides to get some cyber. Racoon might
have a problem with him doing so. This doubly applies to some of the
totems, and applies somewhat less to other totems. For example, a combat
totem might think it is justified because it helps him in combat. A
peaceful totem would obviously have a larger problem.
As for hermetic mages, some would view it as corrupting the magic, others
might be envious of how fast the cybered mage was. I remember one
shadowquote in ShadowTech about a mage who got a encephelon (might have
been a synaptic accelerator, though) The quote was aboiut how the mage was
now the fastest thing in astral space he has ever seen.
Stats/skills/cyber/equipment don't make a munchkin; its an attitude,
usually pretty obvious that makes a munchkin.
Dave
PS Of course, some are going to disregard this totally because on of my
characters is a physical shaman.....Oh well.... ;)
