[Bushw4cker]

I am GMing a new group of players this Tuesday.

Yesterday I helped two players make their own characters, which I will be posting tonight or tomorrow for comments.

The first player is playing a Elf Technomancer Sniper Paracritter Hunter, she has played lots of D&D, but has never played Shadowrun. I lent her the core book, and she really liked the idea of technomancer, I'm letting her take Smartlink as a Complex Form.

The second player is playing a Human Looking Elf Gunslinger Adept with dual Revolvers, he is borrowing my core book now. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have at least one or two more players, they are going to have to play Archetypes, because I'm not going to have time to make characters with them. One of my house rules is that you can transfer Karma you have earned to a new character.

The first run I have planned for them is a Christmas Themed run where they are going to track down a Toxic Havoc Shaman who is using toxic Spirits to wreck havoc on anything Christmas related.  One scene, Santa (A toxic spirit of man.) is handing out firearms and grenades to little kids.   

The Johnson hiring them is a Knight Errant higher up who is concerned about the negative publicity and panic that is going happen if these incidents get out into the public. The incidents have been in Puyallup mostly.

I'm looking for anything I can add to the run to make it special for some first time players. I'm thinking of like some fun random encounters..

Any thoughts, comments or suggestions are always appreciated.

Thanks )

[Tecumseh]

If it's Puyallup, have there be a steady "snowfall" of ash from Mt. Rainier. Have there be lots of ash build-up in the street, with tracks and ash/snow-angels and the like.

Toy with visibility accordingly. Also, Puyallup can be windy as hell in real life. More modifiers there, plus shifting snowdrifts of ash. Maybe even break out some of the "Killing Frost" rules from Run & Gun to encourage them to dress properly. Gas masks or filtration systems highly recommended.

Maybe add a clause (Claus) that they need to retrieve the weapons from the kids, but they can't hurt the kids. The kids will be shooting at them (because Puyallup) but the runners can't shoot back. The kids are rotten shots, granted, but it should amp up the tension for the players. Maybe the elves can talk the kids down, or bargain with them for something more appropriate. What if one of the kids develops a crush on the Elf Technomancer Sniper Paracritter Hunter and doggedly follows her around?

Wireless access is spotty in Puyallup, which should drive the TM bonkers. I used to apply negative modifiers to TMs for all actions (à la background count, rebranded as Noise) when they were in Puyallup, but that could be harsh for a new player.

I like the toxic Santa idea. Seems like a good foundation for an adventure, and it introduces new players to concept that the Sixth World is not a benevolent place.

[Bushw4cker]

If it's Puyallup, have there be a steady "snowfall" of ash from Mt. Rainier. Have there be lots of ash build-up in the street, with tracks and ash/snow-angels and the like.

Toy with visibility accordingly. Also, Puyallup can be windy as hell in real life. More modifiers there, plus shifting snowdrifts of ash. Maybe even break out some of the "Killing Frost" rules from Run & Gun to encourage them to dress properly. Gas masks or filtration systems highly recommended.

Maybe add a clause (Claus) that they need to retrieve the weapons from the kids, but they can't hurt the kids. The kids will be shooting at them (because Puyallup) but the runners can't shoot back. The kids are rotten shots, granted, but it should amp up the tension for the players. Maybe the elves can talk the kids down, or bargain with them for something more appropriate. What if one of the kids develops a crush on the Elf Technomancer Sniper Paracritter Hunter and doggedly follows her around?

Wireless access is spotty in Puyallup, which should drive the TM bonkers. I used to apply negative modifiers to TMs for all actions (à la background count, rebranded as Noise) when they were in Puyallup, but that could be harsh for a new player.

I like the toxic Santa idea. Seems like a good foundation for an adventure, and it introduces new players to concept that the Sixth World is not a benevolent place.

Thanks for the Reply Tecumseh!

I am definitely going to use the Mt. Rainer Ash Idea.

I really hope that group decides to do right thing and retrieve the weapons from the kids. I will post after Run and let you know..

The Technomancer has Transhuman Quality with Electroshock Bio-weapon and Orthoskin Electroshock upgrade, I wanted to give her few opportunities to use it... so kid with crush...

Probably won't have wireless mess with Technomancer. Technomancers get screwed enough in SR5 already, plus she is brand new to Shadowrun.

Glad you like the Santa Idea, I've been wanting to do run like this for a while, but I wanted to wait till holiday season. ))

[Spooky]

Depending on how twisty you want to get, I can easily see a ghoul group "copycatting" this, with a ghoul Santa handing out Halloween props (arms, legs, plastic cleavers, etc.), and then tracking down the recipients for snack time...
Or a vampire, or even a group of shapeshifters...