Shadowrun Topic(Talk & Questions)

[Necroticplague]

Sudden recessive genetic expression. Only happened during the year of the comet. Afaik it didn't create new races but caused random modifications to living (meta)humans, feathers for example.

I know, it just modified how living people. These metahumans effected, however, are called changelings. So you could be a troll changeling, human changeling, ect. It also did create new strains of paranormal animals out of some other non-metahumans, like turning devil rats into demon rats. Also, like goblinization, new cases are rare but not impossible.

[comicshorse]

I only ask about Goblinization because one of the NPC's in SR Returns has no memory of his life before waking up as a troll. Didn't know if that was a common thing.

The changes wrought by Goblinazation or UGE (Unexplained Genetic Expression) was often very traumatic, as you'd imagine suddenly gaining a couple of feet in height and horns would be ! Somebody suffering massive memory loss due to the trauma of the change seems entirely possible however it wouldn't be that common.

Toxic Shaman. these guys seem cool. AFAIK they have a deep spiritual connection to things like toxic waste, nuclear sludge, acid rain and corrosives. Are they inherently bad? does being a TS affect your mind/soul? are their legal jobs for these guys?

Toxic shamans are pretty much inherently the bad guys. They tend to come in two flavours. The Avengers who want to protect the world by destroying the majority of the human race and knocking our civilization back to pre-industrial technology ( If you are a comics fan Ra's Al Ghul is pretty much an archetypal Avenger)
Avengers are the good version ! The others are Poisioners, these revel in the power caused by pollution and seek to despoil the earth so as to make themselves more powerful. So releasing toxic waste, causing nuclear meltdowns are the kinds of thing they favour

[TimeWizard]

Is it that only those kind of people have an affinity to toxicness, or that linking to toxicness makes you bad?

I have a run in mind where the team ends up in a sewer with a teen girl who lives there, and the girl is a Toxic Shaman because the place is a nuclear and industrial waste runoff, but she doesn't know that's "bad" because she's the only one who lives down there and hasn't met any people yet. Naturally, she'll be immune to radiation and toxics, and can summon Toxic Spirits out of sludge. The PCs and her will have to team up if they want to get out, and the players will have the option to get her into another team of runners they know to help her train and acclimate to society, or sell her off to a shadowy corporate big wig for money

[comicshorse]

Is it that only those kind of people have an affinity to toxicness, or that linking to toxicness makes you bad?

I have a run in mind where the team ends up in a sewer with a teen girl who lives there, and the girl is a Toxic Shaman because the place is a nuclear and industrial waste runoff, but she doesn't know that's "bad" because she's the only one who lives down there and hasn't met any people yet. Naturally, she'll be immune to radiation and toxics, and can summon Toxic Spirits out of sludge. The PCs and her will have to team up if they want to get out, and the players will have the option to get her into another team of runners they know to help her train and acclimate to society, or sell her off to a shadowy corporate big wig for money

As I understand using Toxic magic has an inherently corrupting effect. Not to mention that the pollution destroys and corrupts natural magic and spirits. A Totem spirit that teaches Toxic magic, has already been warped and corrupted. Effectively any Toxic Shaman has as their teacher and mentor an insane and evil entity. Its like expecting somebody taught by Hannibal Lecter to turn out to be a nice guy

In the example you use the girl will only be able to summon toxic spirits which means she can only summon in areas destroyed by pollution. Similarly any magic she tries to cast will suffer penalties from background count if she tries to cast it anywhere that isn't heavily polluted.
Note while this means she isn't anywhere near as good as a normal mage in normal places she will be hell on wheels in a polluted area ( as the background count there will count against normal magicians and for her). So yes some suitably horrible corporate could come up with a use for her but its pretty much guaranteed to be something horrible.
This does mean he will pay VERY well for such a rare specimen but its going to be such a PR nightmare if it gets out and this may be one of the rare times where killing the P.C.s may cross a reasonable Johnson's mind

[DigoDragon]

Also, even though they don't NEED any equipment, they're going to WANT it, because if you can hack stuff without a deck (and you do in fact need a deck in 5e, because 5e is about putting cats back into bags), that's gonna raise some flags.

I know in 4e you'd at least need a digital storage device as your own brain doesn't store data downloaded from the matrix (and you'd want it protected from getting hacked too). So yeah, still gotta invest in some hardware.

does being a TS affect your mind/soul?

Pretty sure spending too much time around radiation and toxic waste is bad for anyone's health.

[olejars]

I'm currently running a game where one of my players has played before and the rest of us haven't. He mas managed to optimize three of the four players for combat among other things. One is a troll (Currently is employed by Renraku as a Red Samurai complete with weapon foci katana), One is a human (Former Red Samurai, weapon foci katana but very proficient with his bow), and an elf sniper (I allowed his rifle to count as a weapon foci). The troll and the human are a pain to hit and damage, the elf is so far away from combat that he's hardly in the engagement area.

My fourth player is the party face that has weapons because she needs them, not because she's good with them.

So, my question to you all is: what can I do to make the encounters fun and challenging without being insta-gib for the face?

[Necroticplague]

So, my question to you all is: what can I do to make the encounters fun and challenging without being insta-gib for the face?

Provide alternate paths. Have situations they can't gun their way through, but could talk. Like say, a disgruntled, underpaid spider who might be willing to "accidentally" forget to turn off his comm with a little encouragement. Or an green security officer who might be convinced to let slip what way the cameras point.

[TheCountAlucard]

I know in 4e you'd at least need a digital storage device as your own brain doesn't store data downloaded from the matrix (and you'd want it protected from getting hacked too). So yeah, still gotta invest in some hardware.

There's a difference; a datachip is one nuyen, and a cheap commlink is like a hundred.

[Necroticplague]

There's a difference; a datachip is one nuyen, and a cheap commlink is like a hundred.

And using a couple clever tricks to work around it is free. Even if the bio node can't cant keep files on it, a technomancer could just memorize files he opens the normal way, then, if he needs to send the file, use a complex form allowing you to create sim sense files to send the memory of reading it. Doesn't mitigate the red flag of you jacking without a deck, but at least is a method around memory limits.

[DodgerH2O]

I'm currently running a game where one of my players has played before and the rest of us haven't. He mas managed to optimize three of the four players for combat among other things. One is a troll (Currently is employed by Renraku as a Red Samurai complete with weapon foci katana), One is a human (Former Red Samurai, weapon foci katana but very proficient with his bow), and an elf sniper (I allowed his rifle to count as a weapon foci). The troll and the human are a pain to hit and damage, the elf is so far away from combat that he's hardly in the engagement area.

My fourth player is the party face that has weapons because she needs them, not because she's good with them.

So, my question to you all is: what can I do to make the encounters fun and challenging without being insta-gib for the face?

First things first, being it's Shadowrun and you have several highly trained combat specialist runners, you need to be willing to use GM fiat or accept that your Face will end up on a DocWagon stretcher, at best. Combat will happen, and you can entirely justify the first round's automatic weapons fire going for party members other than the fragile one. The trick is to avoid symmetrical combat in the first place. Try to have the enemy appear more as a force of nature (Klaxons going, guards coming at them in waves rather than an elite strike force) or else forming a barricade that they need to bypass (holding a reinforced position outside of an exit the runners wanted to use but could theoretically get around some other way.) Make use of the nonlethal combat techniques that so many runners do. Stun damage can still take a runner out of a fight but heals up much faster.

This isn't easy, and players will find a way to get into lethal combat with forces that should be challenging. So back to point one. Your Face should ideally be protected by the combat runners in the first place, you should be able to justify the majority of the fire going to the players who can handle it better. Area attacks and such are threatening enough, and copious use of nonlethal grenades by enemy security forces should avoid your needing to feel like you're letting the Face off the hook entirely.

[DigoDragon]

There's a difference; a datachip is one nuyen, and a cheap commlink is like a hundred.

True, though the datachip still needs to be plugged into some kind of computer to be useful. I'd still want a commlink of my own for that (My GM likes to fry datachips when plugged into corp computers. I think he was a Melissa virus in a past life).

And using a couple clever tricks to work around it is free.

Nice trick, and there's always the Eidedic Memory trait if your GM gets pushy about abusing that.

[TheCountAlucard]

Actually, Datachips can totally be interfaced with wirelessly.

[olejars]

First things first, being it's Shadowrun and you have several highly trained combat specialist runners, you need to be willing to use GM fiat or accept that your Face will end up on a DocWagon stretcher, at best. Combat will happen, and you can entirely justify the first round's automatic weapons fire going for party members other than the fragile one. The trick is to avoid symmetrical combat in the first place. Try to have the enemy appear more as a force of nature (Klaxons going, guards coming at them in waves rather than an elite strike force) or else forming a barricade that they need to bypass (holding a reinforced position outside of an exit the runners wanted to use but could theoretically get around some other way.) Make use of the nonlethal combat techniques that so many runners do. Stun damage can still take a runner out of a fight but heals up much faster.

This isn't easy, and players will find a way to get into lethal combat with forces that should be challenging. So back to point one. Your Face should ideally be protected by the combat runners in the first place, you should be able to justify the majority of the fire going to the players who can handle it better. Area attacks and such are threatening enough, and copious use of nonlethal grenades by enemy security forces should avoid your needing to feel like you're letting the Face off the hook entirely.

So what would be a good level of optimization for corporation security because the premade goons from the core book just are not making the grade?

[DigoDragon]

Actually, Datachips can totally be interfaced with wirelessly.

Interesting, as I've never seen them played that way (The rulebook didn't seem to say, so I've only seen it play like a standard flashdrive). Does it work using the same kind of technology as wireless recharging? Just wave it in front of a strong field and data transfers?

[Necroticplague]

Interesting, as I've never seen them played that way (The rulebook didn't seem to say, so I've only seen it play like a standard flashdrive). Does it work using the same kind of technology as wireless recharging? Just wave it in front of a strong field and data transfers?

It's not that automatic, but you don't hae to plug it into anything. The data chip simply, like all other electronics, just has an associated node. Jut connect to it like any other device, and you can use it. Assuming its not turned off or in hidden, of course. Though given how little security is normally on a data chip, it's probably best to slave it to something else.

[Lord Torath]

Shadowrun 2E: Would the Fashion spell work on Shock Gloves? I'd like to try to smuggle them through security, and having them look like regular leather or "lady" gloves would probably help.

[comicshorse]

So what would be a good level of optimization for corporation security because the premade goons from the core book just are not making the grade?

Corporate goons should come in several flavours. The ones you bump into doing the rounds should be pretty poor (gang member level) but these aren't there to kill your Shadowrunners. They're there as a trip wire, to discover the Shadowrunners and call it in and then to hold them in place while the second level show up. (Note as they don't have to win, they can quite happily take cover. cover the exit and make the P.C.s run the gauntlet of their fire to get out)
The response guys should be nearly as good as the P.C.s and should probably make up any difference with better firepower, support or just numbers
Elite Corporate should only be there if the P.C.s are hitting something vital to the Corporation, attacking a high level Corporate or even coming after the 'Runners to get back what they stole.

Apologies that above is very general, what Edition are you using ?

Shadowrun 2E: Would the Fashion spell work on Shock Gloves? I'd like to try to smuggle them through security, and having them look like regular leather or "lady" gloves would probably help.

I'd think so

[Crasical]

Just what are the limits of the (SR4e) Fashion spell, anyway? I've been kind of enamored with the idea of buying a set of Vashon Island armored clothing with form-fitting-body-armor underneath and using Physical Mask and Fashion to swap out my clothing and body to be Cosplay, the amazing infiltrating elf mage.

(Still not quite sure if this is actually a good idea because being awakened means I glow like a beacon in astral space, so security mages completely blow my cover...)

[LokiRagnarok]

I apologize if this was covered somewhere on the last 10 pages.

My friends and I recently got together for our first 4e session (only the DM really has any experience with Shadowrun) and I am looking for character backstory advice.

I created a young Street Mage dwarf who has some harming spells, some spells for blocking/slowing (Physical Barrier and the like) and some healing/restoration spells. I have in mind he had to fend for himself and is kinda a loner, hence the diversity of the spells.
Being a dwarf he also has a low charisma, which is a new experience to me, as I am used to being the Face both in D&D and somewhat IRL.
He also likes cats, particularly strays (the backstory includes he hates the companies because one of his favorite cats was run over by a company guy. Yes, I know, not very convincing.)
He also ended up with a Middle-class lifestyle stat-wise, which kinda messes with the "loner on the streets" premise.

On our first mission, a Russian mafia thug shot a little terrified girl who my PC had promised to protect in front of his eyes and wouldn't allow him to heal her. So he now has a personal nemesis, I guess.

This is basically everything there is to know about him, which is... not a lot. I feel he is too one-dimensional.

My problem is I am failing to come up with a backstory, because I don't know the world enough and am admittedly overwhelmed by all the lore material available.

My question is, what are some scenarios how my PC might have ended up where he ended up? What could be his motivations to do runs? What could have happened to his family? (I briefly considered "Everyone from his family conveniently died in an accident" (TvTropes), but then thought it was too cliché).

I am thankful for all and any advice.

[Sith_Happens]

He also likes cats, particularly strays (the backstory includes he hates the companies because one of his favorite cats was run over by a company guy. Yes, I know, not very convincing.)

I say play this up. Your character took up running because it's the best excuse to hit the corps hard and often. A lifetime of making things hell for them and everyone who works for them still won't be enough to avenge that poor unsuspecting cat, but damn if he isn't going to try.

[comicshorse]

My problem is I am failing to come up with a backstory, because I don't know the world enough and am admittedly overwhelmed by all the lore material available.

My question is, what are some scenarios how my PC might have ended up where he ended up? What could be his motivations to do runs? What could have happened to his family? (I briefly considered "Everyone from his family conveniently died in an accident" (TvTropes), but then thought it was too cliché).

I am thankful for all and any advice.

Ok just a suggestion. The Shadowrun world is as full of prejudice as ours, so how about if his family isn't dead but has disowned him. This could be because he Goblinized into a Dwarf and his family are Humanis or maybe its because he's a magician and they think that is heresy of some sort.
So you have a nice, middles class kid who is suddenly homeless and abandoned. The only thing he has going for him is his magical talent. That can get him work. Dangerous, illegal work (but maybe he likes that as its a 'screw you' to his law abiding family) but it can keep him in the life style he's accustomed to.
Also given this betrayal by his family, he's deeply cynical about people. After all if his own family can abandon him how can he trust people to not abandon him ever again. Cats however, cats he trusts. As long as you feed them cats don't throw you out when you change in ways you had no choice about.
( Also might be cool if he's a cat shaman rather than a mage)

Just what are the limits of the (SR4e) Fashion spell, anyway? I've been kind of enamored with the idea of buying a set of Vashon Island armored clothing with form-fitting-body-armor underneath and using Physical Mask and Fashion to swap out my clothing and body to be Cosplay, the amazing infiltrating elf mage.

(Still not quite sure if this is actually a good idea because being awakened means I glow like a beacon in astral space, so security mages completely blow my cover...)

According to Street Magic (p 173) pretty much the only limitations are you can't change the amount of fabric ( a jump suit can't become a bikini and vice versa) and you can't change the armour value of the clothes
As for glowing in Astral Space, remember if you Initiate you can mask your aura from pesky snoopers

[Delta]

He also likes cats, particularly strays (the backstory includes he hates the companies because one of his favorite cats was run over by a company guy. Yes, I know, not very convincing.)

Okay this has the potential to either have your character look like an idiot if you take it too "seriously", or if you play it well can take you to the lofty heights reserved for the sheer awesomeness of Old Man Henderson. When in doubt, I'd aim for the second option ;)

[Lord Torath]

Just what are the limits of the (SR4e) Fashion spell, anyway? I've been kind of enamored with the idea of buying a set of Vashon Island armored clothing with form-fitting-body-armor underneath and using Physical Mask and Fashion to swap out my clothing and body to be Cosplay, the amazing infiltrating elf mage.

According to Street Magic (p 173) pretty much the only limitations are you can't change the amount of fabric ( a jump suit can't become a bikini and vice versa) and you can't change the armour value of the clothes
As for glowing in Astral Space, remember if you Initiate you can mask your aura from pesky snoopers

Hah! Crasical, you should play 2E. There the only limitation is that you can't change the protective qualities of the clothing! So by RAW (2E Grimoire p131), you could change your armor jacket into a tank top. Of course, if you want to be semi-realistic, you should probably try to maintain roughly the same coverage. And it doesn't say anything about the weight being changed by the spell.

[DigoDragon]

(Still not quite sure if this is actually a good idea because being awakened means I glow like a beacon in astral space, so security mages completely blow my cover...)

I remember one PC mage who liked to write lewd messages on his clothes with astrally active substances. Pretty funny little quirk he had, though mage security never thought so.

Though given how little security is normally on a data chip, it's probably best to slave it to something else.

Yeah, I don't expect that a 1 nuyen chip is going to put up a fight against a hacker.

[Timeras]

This could be because he Goblinized into a Dwarf

Dwarves (and elves) don't goblinize. Depending on the mana level at the time and place of their birth they are born as either humans or dwarves (elves) and will never change.

Goblinization is for orcs and trolls only.

[comicshorse]

Dwarves (and elves) don't goblinize. Depending on the mana level at the time and place of their birth they are born as either humans or dwarves (elves) and will never change.

Goblinization is for orcs and trolls only.

Ouch

Yes, my mistake

[LibraryOgre]

Yeah, I don't expect that a 1 nuyen chip is going to put up a fight against a hacker.

Hell, a 1 nuyen datachip isn't going to put up a fight against an Edit program run by a 2 year old. Without being plugged into a computer, even if it were loaded to the gills with IC, a 1 nuyen datachip is just dead data.

[olejars]

Corporate goons should come in several flavours. The ones you bump into doing the rounds should be pretty poor (gang member level) but these aren't there to kill your Shadowrunners. They're there as a trip wire, to discover the Shadowrunners and call it in and then to hold them in place while the second level show up. (Note as they don't have to win, they can quite happily take cover. cover the exit and make the P.C.s run the gauntlet of their fire to get out)
The response guys should be nearly as good as the P.C.s and should probably make up any difference with better firepower, support or just numbers
Elite Corporate should only be there if the P.C.s are hitting something vital to the Corporation, attacking a high level Corporate or even coming after the 'Runners to get back what they stole.

Apologies that above is very general, what Edition are you using ?

I'm using 4e. The only time that I did physical damage to any character that wasn't the face, it was using focused fire from multiple goons after the party stole some cargo enroute on the high way in brood daylight.

Story spoilered.

Spoiler

Show

The PC's were contracted through their shared contact (A higher level ganster from the Halloweeners) that a Johnson they previously worked for was looking to acquire some cargo. After learning the details, they decided that they would attack the convoy as they were passing through a stretch of highwaywhere it was either the road or dense forest. This happened to be during daylight hours when this convoy would pass this area.

Their plan went off with minimal collateral damage, save for some trees that were knocked down to stop traffic behind the convey. THe only thing that they didn't do quick enough was take care of the drones that did consistent flybys of the highway. All but one character was spotted by the drones, this included the small contingent of gang members that they brought along so blame could be pinned on them.

When the arrive back to Seattle, each one of them finds their homes flipped or in the process of being flipped by guys in black. When they decide that it's wise to just attack them, the troll in the party decides to go toe to toe with one of them and the rest lit him up...

The PC's quickly dispatched the goons. One of the PC's decided to check on their gang contact and found him hung, blindfolded, woad (Think scotsman facepaint) painted on his chest, and a silver coin in his mouth.

This is important because all the PC's have a sort of calling card. The sniper hangs his targets when he kills them, the troll blind folds people that he kills out of respect, one of the characters paints woad on his armor, and the silver coin is representitive of the faces silver tounged nature.

TLDR: The PC's contact gave the people that they stole from information then was killed in a manner that the PC's know that the corp that they stole from knows who they are.

[Lord Torath]

Shadowrun 2E: Does the Increase Reflexes spell (which explicitly does not stack with cybernetic enhancements) stack with the Physical Adept power Increased Reflexes? If so, I may have to see if I can get a spell lock, and be faster than anything!

[comicshorse]

Shadowrun 2E: Does the Increase Reflexes spell (which explicitly does not stack with cybernetic enhancements) stack with the Physical Adept power Increased Reflexes? If so, I may have to see if I can get a spell lock, and be faster than anything!

By RAW, yes. 3rd fixed that problem and changed the wording of the spell but 2nd seems to have not noticed this problem.
However I will point out that having the spell lock creates a permanent bridge to Astral Space that your Adept can do nothing to hide. Any enemy astrally projecting mage can sidle up to you and pour spells down on you from Astral and there's very little you can do to stop it.


POSTED BY OLEJARS

I'm using 4e. The only time that I did physical damage to any character that wasn't the face, it was using focused fire from multiple goons after the party stole some cargo enroute on the high way in brood daylight.

How are you not damaging the P.C.s. ? Is there armour stacked so high you can't hurt them or do they just cut down any opposition before its a threat