[Glyph]

Is it just me, or does it look like the contacts in Run Faster are, for the most part, toned down, skill-wise, from the ones in the main rulebook?  In the main rulebook, you would see lots of 7's, 8's, and even 9's for them.  Even contacts such as the bartender and the beat cop had lots of 5's and 6's.  In Run Faster, though, it looks like the skills have dropped significantly.  This is especially noticeable for contacts that show up in both books, like the bartender or the mafia consigliere.  I like the change, myself.  They still have decent skills, but they seem a bit more in line with the archetypes, rather than vastly more skilled.

[Namikaze]

I think that the main rule book's contacts are using dice pools, rather than specific stats.  I noticed what you're describing too, and while for some of the NPCs it makes sense to have a 7 in something, or even a 9...  it should be very rare.  If a contact could do what a shadowrunner can do...  well, they'd be shadowrunners. 

[Glyph]

I don't see how it could be dice pools.  The bartender, for example, has Longarms (Shotguns): 4 (+2) and an Agility of 4, so there is no way it could be the total dice pool.  If he had even a skill of one, his dice pool would be 5 (7).  I think they just made them ... not completely unrealistic (a Mr. Johnson with social skills above 6 is not too far-fetched), but a smidge too high.  Like I said, I am glad Run Faster has the skills a bit lower.

[Namikaze]

Hmm.  Good point.  Yeah I suppose those are actual skill values.  I'm with you in agreeing that I like the direction Run Faster went.

[Kincaid]

There were a few instances of weird stat blocks where I wasn't sure if I was looking at dice pools or skill levels for early stuff.  Firing Line used the heading "Skills (Dice Pools)" which I still haven't quite figured out.  I'm also glad too see more baseline NPCs.

[8-bit]

I think that the main rule book's contacts are using dice pools, rather than specific stats.  I noticed what you're describing too, and while for some of the NPCs it makes sense to have a 7 in something, or even a 9...  it should be very rare.  If a contact could do what a shadowrunner can do...  well, they'd be shadowrunners. 

While I agree for the most part, I hate the Fixer stat block.

The Fixer only has Charisma 5 and Negotiation 9. That's a measly dice pool of 14. Basically, any Human Face worth the name will beat that dice pool. While I understand that the Fixer's purpose is more about his network of contacts, I would think they would be pretty damn good at their social skills. At least give them like Tailored Pheromones or something.

[Namikaze]

I think that the main rule book's contacts are using dice pools, rather than specific stats.  I noticed what you're describing too, and while for some of the NPCs it makes sense to have a 7 in something, or even a 9...  it should be very rare.  If a contact could do what a shadowrunner can do...  well, they'd be shadowrunners. 

While I agree for the most part, I hate the Fixer stat block.

The Fixer only has Charisma 5 and Negotiation 9. That's a measly dice pool of 14. Basically, any Human Face worth the name will beat that dice pool. While I understand that the Fixer's purpose is more about his network of contacts, I would think they would be pretty damn good at their social skills. At least give them like Tailored Pheromones or something.

For generic NPC contacts, like those that someone pulls from their past (ala Run Faster) I'll just use the default stats for averages.  For the most part though, I have a slew of individuals that fill most of the archetypal roles, often multiples of each archetype.  For individuals, I make up the character wholecloth, with the generic attributes and skills to just give me a direction.  Plus, I like the idea that the more Connection a contact has, the more powerful they are.  The rules in Run Faster have really made my NPCs a lot more alive.