[Aethelwulf1972]

I was wondering just how much of an advantage is the Prime Runner options (more nuyen, more contacts, slightly better availability, slightly more bonus karma) or how much does it impact the game?

[8-bit]

Long story short? It doesn't impact the game.

Sure Priority E Resources people get a huge boost. Not a big deal. More contacts? All right, I guess. Slightly better availability? Sweet, I can pick up stuff that is slightly better and usually more expensive. It's nice, but not a deal maker. The little bit of extra Karma doesn't affect a whole lot either.

Now, if you allow betaware and deltaware with it; that's a different story. Then it's a bigger difference; as that extra Availability and nuyen is exceptional for getting higher quality 'ware.

If you want a higher powered game, you're better off with the High Life rules (Sum to 15; if you prefer).

[Tarislar]

It helps out the cash poor builds a lot.
10 Karma is a little bonus to round out the character with some low level skills or buy up a 1 to 2, or extra spells, etc etc.
Contacts is also a huge boost for the mid level Cha guys.  Low is still low, high is still many, but taking a Mid-3 Karma from 9 to 18 will change their ability to do legwork significantly.

[8-bit]

It helps out the cash poor builds a lot.
10 Karma is a little bonus to round out the character with some low level skills or buy up a 1 to 2, or extra spells, etc etc.
Contacts is also a huge boost for the mid level Cha guys.  Low is still low, high is still many, but taking a Mid-3 Karma from 9 to 18 will change their ability to do legwork significantly.

Must be a very different group for you guys. Most of my group's players are spending 10-15 Karma on contacts anyway; Prime Runner or not.

I'll agree the cash is helpful, but it's not that impacting on the game.

[Marcus]

The fastest way to really get a sense is to remake a couple of your favorite characters using the rules.
For most of my builds it just rounds them out, I can put a couple things I was had to shift on the progression plan back on sheet at creation.

Clearly there are somethings it can help more then others. I need to do some math on how far it lets you really take cybware build, but given your basically only going up a single grade I don't think it's going to be that different.

[Herr Brackhaus]

50k doesn't do a whole lot for 'ware or tech intensive characters in my opinion. I dislike the Street Level and Prime Runner rules for the simple reason that the only thing they really affect are resources, availability, and karma.

Normal level A resources is 450k, which goes to 500 for prime runners and drops to 75k for street. But Magic is wholly unaffected, so these rule sets don't really make much sense to me if I'm brutally honest.

[Tarislar]

Must be a very different group for you guys. Most of my group's players are spending 10-15 Karma on contacts anyway; Prime Runner or not.

I'll agree the cash is helpful, but it's not that impacting on the game.

Not sure about my group honestly.
For a 1 Cha character I'd spend a lot too.  For an 8 Cha Elf, its probably not needed.
To me, 3-Cha (9 Cont) isn't really getting it done but double that & now your starting to have a good pool of people.

Going from 6K to 100K is huge at Chargen.
Going from no fake SIN & no vehicle is a world of difference, freeing up the 20 Karma you would have used for Cash & combining that with the 10 Karma from Prime Runner & Contacts too is now hitting the 40ish Karma level, that, IMHO, is a big difference.  Especially at Chargen.

[8-bit]

*shrug*

To each their own. I haven't really seen too many times where the 6k to 100k jump really affected it to the point that the character was super heavily impacted after a few runs. Early on? Sure, it gives you all the niceties. After a few runs? For Karma reliant characters, they are more focused on Karma; Cash is only for maintaining lifestyles, ammo, and maybe buying a SIN.

[Senko]

I can see it making a difference at the begining 6k is hard pressed to get a sin, lifestyle and licenses, 50 odd is good sin, good lifestyle, all sorts of weapons and gear, 100 k i could even throw in a cyberdeck with the cash left over after the stuff I'd like to get.

[Ursus Maior]

50k doesn't do a whole lot for 'ware or tech intensive characters in my opinion. I dislike the Street Level and Prime Runner rules for the simple reason that the only thing they really affect are resources, availability, and karma.

Normal level A resources is 450k, which goes to 500 for prime runners and drops to 75k for street. But Magic is wholly unaffected, so these rule sets don't really make much sense to me if I'm brutally honest.

We decided on mixing Prime Runner with High Life and allow Beta (and Delta in limited amounts) 'Ware for character to make true prime runners. The group started out as ex-corp men that deserted their corp, when it was about to fail (we started in 2060, when Fuchi went down).

The characters are truly powerful in comparison to any usual NPCs, but have a lot of "baggage", which is why they confined themselves to New Orleans (less corp presence there). But I would agree, that a simple "more cash, contacts and karma" as the Prime Runner rules provide, hardla makes any diffrence. You still have to do a lot of leg-work, still only carry 2-4 weapons on a run and sling no more spells.