[Hikash]

Hello all! I'm getting my first Shadowrun campaign in many years started, and I had a pair of questions.

First of all, how much cash should I give my players as payment for their first run? It's a simple "Get these guys riles up and held off while someone else actually gets something done" tailchaser. Just trying to get a bottom level going, so I know how to build from there.

Second, one of my players (a spellcaster) purchased a Focus, and we can't see why he shouldn't have it activated on his character at all times. Is there some sort of drain is causes while active that I'm missing?

many thanks!

[Kot]

What kind of focus is it? If it's a Sustaining Focus, then yes - he can walk around with a Levitate spell always on. Bur only with a power (hits) up to the focus rating, and only if the focus is for that spell category(as most foci only work for one category of spells/spirits). If it's a Power focus, or something like that, then you probably have to activate it before casting the spell, so it's better to leave a simple action for that.

[Hikash]

Okay, so it wasn't that I was missing something. He was a Power Focus. So, he can simply activate it before the battle gets rolling, and keep it on throughout the encounter?

[Fizzygoo]

As for the first run payment. Depends on the danger. But I also need some more info to price it out: Who's hiring? Who are they riling up/holding off? Do the PCs know they're the decoy or not.

Basically, I'd go with (prices are total, PCs must split between themselves):
Assuming it's one night, with a possibility of violence, but not expected to kill the enemy:
Small time Jonhson (low level Syndicate member, Gang boss, B or C level Corp) riling up lower level others: 500¥
Small time Jonhson (low level Syndicate member, Gang boss, B or C level Corp) riling up equal level others: 750¥
Small time Jonhson (low level Syndicate member, Gang boss, B or C level Corp) riling up higher level others: 1,000¥
Medium time Johnson (established Syndicate member, B or A level Corp) riling up lower level others: 1,000¥
Medium time Johnson (established Syndicate member, B or A level Corp) riling up equal level others: 2,000¥
Medium time Johnson (established Syndicate member, B or A level Corp) riling up higher level others: 3,000¥
High time Johnson (Major Syndicate member, A or AA level Corp) riling up lower level others: 3,000¥
High time Johnson (Major Syndicate member, A or AA level Corp) riling up equal level others: 5,000¥
High time Johnson (Major Syndicate member, A or AA level Corp) riling up higher level others: 8,000¥

Then adjust as needed. If the PCs are in the dark about the other run, then the above works fine. If they know about being the distraction then increase the payment a bit (+10-20%). If they are expected to kill any or all of the enemies, then double it at least.

As for foci...yeah, what Kot said. The only thing that the player should be concerned about is that, unless there's masking involved, the foci, when activated, will stand out in the Astral (as long as my memory serves me right that is, in the astral one can see the power flowing in and out of foci unless they are masked...of course you have to be able to astral perceive...but other mages can notice and spirits might get interested).

[Hikash]

Thank you so much for the pay scale. That's very, very helpful! Thank you for verification on the Foci as well. I appreciate it a lot!

[raggedhalo]

Also check out Focus Addiction in Street Magic.

Personally, I'd keep payment in the 1k-2k range, just to keep expectations reasonable.

[Chaemera]

As raggedhalo points out, the primary reason not to leave your focus on 24/7 is the risk of Focus Addiction (detailed on pg. 26 of Street Magic). An activated focus works whenever you want it to (see below), there is no need to save a simple action to re-activate your focus before casting a spell, unless you drop the focus or otherwise de-activate it.

If you're mage has no fear of this, then yes, you can turn on (activate) your focus. Of course, now you have an astral form on your person that lights you up as magic-man to any assensing / dual-natured critter in the world, even without the hits necessary on an assensing check to figure it out normally. Also, once it has an astral form, it can be astrally affected (read, potentially destroyed) without you ever knowing it's happening.

Once activated, a focus continues to operate as long as it is on the owner’s person, be it worn, carried, hand-held, or in a pocket or pouch. If the focus is snatched away or dropped, it immediately deactivates and all benefits are lost until it is recovered and reactivated. When activated, foci have an astral form and will accompany an astral- ly projecting magician to which they are bound.

As to first run pricing? enough to entice your players, without setting artificially high expectations for all future runs. Raggedhalo is probably spot on, and Fizzygoo's table is generally nice, if a little low to a lot of people's preference (from what I've seen on this forum and dumpshock). You can always find ways to compel them to spend money, if you decide later that you gave them too much (Melt Armor, Corrode Gun spells, SM).

[Semerkhet]

One way my group has handled little details like focus activation is through the use of a house rule imported from the Burning Wheel RPG.  Every character picks three "Instincts" at chargen.  The Instincts are "if,then", "always" and "never" statements that describe their characters primary instinctual behaviors. 

For a Shadowrun magician you could have ones like:
I always use Counterspelling on teammates in line-of-sight.
If I think there's going to be trouble, then I activate all my foci.


The idea is that when the "if" condition happens, the "then" portion of the statement is held to have been done, whether or not the player mentions it to the GM.  Note that the second example still doesn't protect the character from total surprises but even several seconds of warning would have been enough time to activate foci.  This protects players from the (hopefully rare) GM that would say things like, "but you didn't *say* you had activated your foci."

As for pay scale, the one Fizzygoo provided is great but really it's up to you and your players to decide ahead of time what kind of game you want to play and adjust as needed.  Also, keep in mind that Fizzygoo's payscale is based on one night's work.  High-end jobs with high threat level that stretch over a week or two could easily end up netting a team over 100K¥ (8K doubled for wetwork, multiplied by seven days = 112k ¥)

[Hikash]

I want to thank everyone very much for their replies. I apologize for not having responded in awhile, as my campaign hit a slight hiccup before starting, and the concern about this fell to the wayside. Everyone was very much helpful, and it's going to really give me a hand when it comes to getting my campaign going. Much obliged!

[Stahlseele]

For a bit more random money
3d6+2x100 (500-2000) or x1000 (5000-20000) depending on your liking for the actual pay.
2d6+3x100 (500-1500) or x1000 (5000-15000) depending on your liking for the bonus, if the job warrants it.

[Black]

Remember, if its their first job as 'runners', then they have no rep, at least not where it counts.  Therefore, their first job should be lower pay then normal... almost like a favour to them to give them a chance to earn some experience in the 'industry'.

For example, my guys first run the guys got paid 1,000 nuyen each, but in theory it was a simple 1 hour job of picking up a package and delievering it... wasn't that simple in practice, it never is, but thems the breaks. (As a GM whose either running 4th ed for the first time or the first time in a while, its probably a good idea to keep your first run simple anyway, so that you don't get overwhelmed with all the different rules, etc)

Also, remember that shadowruns have a habit of having a few twists and turns.  For example, the team's second run involved bodyguard work at a rate of 5,000 nuyen each a day.  Sounds great, except the johnson was setting them up and got eaten by a dragon anyway, so no pay... however, they hacked a system as part of the run and 'acquired' 160,000 nuyen... which split over 6 guys was just over 25,000 nuyen each anyway (equal to 5 days that they were hired to bodyguard.)  That was a tough run and so they earned their pay.

Runners also have a habit of acquiring other rewards... foci of enemy magic users, heavy weapons, vehicles, etc.  Hackers have a tendency to find pay data etc.  So if anything, keep pay for runs tight, otherwise runners can get fairly wealthy and then lose the incentive to take smaller jobs.

Bryce