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Character Gen Help - Alternate Campaigns/Gameplay (Custom - Not My Choice)

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Valyn81

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« on: <03-08-17/1723:40> »
 :'( I am trying to give my GM a chance but I do not know if I can play this campaign. There is just so much NOPE about it.

First he wants to do a POST-APOCALYPSE setting, But he does not want any of the existing SR story to be part of it. He just  want to use the game system basically.
Second, he want to combine the Street-Level GamePlay (SR5 p.64 print 2013) with the Street Scum Campaign Play option (SR5 p.354 print 2013):

This makes for a VERY low starting game, that has the following set of rules:
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The following Rules will apply to this (Alpha) Test Run of Shadowrun 5th Edition:


SR5 Street Scum Table 1 located on PG354 - Campaigns Section - Alternate Campaigns


Street Scum

Not everyone gets the opportunity to be a fancy shadowrunner with mystic mojo, chrome augmentations, or Matrix wizardry. For some people, life is a struggle just to get food and shelter for the day, and avoid a nightly beating. In a Street Scum campaign, the players are people trying to survive on the unforgiving streets of the Sixth World. This campaign provides some great opportunities to focus on a smaller scope of the Shadowrun world and get to know it in much more detail. Characters in a Street Scum campaign will likely never travel beyond the district of the city that they live in; maybe not even out of their neighborhood. Locations and characters can be developed in much greater detail, and players could find themselves getting much more attached than they would in other campaigns. Stories in this campaign would focus on how the characters and the people around them struggle to survive and make some sort of living in a world that has all but forgotten about them. Challenges can come from internal sources as gangs or other power groups wrest for control, or from outside when more powerful organizations such as corps or criminal syndicates attempt to move in and control something. Resources and equipment in this campaign should be very scarce. Player characters will be the underprivileged and uneducated of the Sixth World. During character creation, a gamemaster should reduce the amount of Attribute Points, Skill Points, and Resources that the characters can acquire—instead of choosing each row of the priority table once on character creation, characters should either select once from row B, once from row C, once from row D and twice from row E, or twice each from rows C and D and once from row E.


The following Modification to the above Alt Campaign rules will also be applied, used the Alternate Gameplay Located on Pg 64 - Crating A Shadowrunner - Step One: Choose Concept


Street-Level play

• Modify the resources column on the Priority Table as follows:

• Priority A: 75,000 nuyen (Please note that due to the above Street Scum Alt Play style this option is automatically Removed)

• Priority B: 50,000 nuyen

• Priority C: 25,000 nuyen

• Priority D: 15,000 nuyen

• Priority E: 6,000 nuyen

• Karma: Each player receives 13 Karma to customize characters

(maximum of 26 Karma).

• Gear Restrictions: Device Ratings must be rated at 4 or less.

Maximum Availability is limited to 10 or less.

• Nuyen Restrictions: Characters may only convert up to 5

Karma into nuyen (10,000 nuyen).

• Follow all other rules for Character

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•All Adepts and Mystic Adepts will have their powerpoints limited to 1/3 magic rating (Min 1; example: Magic 6 gets 2 pp)

•You may not have a magic rating above 4

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The following guidelines will be used in addition to the above mentioned rules. All rules are strictly enforced when creating a Character.


•No using qualities from other source books or older editions.

•Negative Qualities MUST have a SIGNIFICANT effect on your character when considering what you want.

Note: Some Qualities will be subject to a increased or decreased karma values.

•Distinctive Style can be taken and is the only exception to the above rules
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The Examples below should give you a good idea of what we mean by significant

Example: this is not a full list of restrictions by any means

•Addiction: Mild, Moderate - Not allowed

•Allergy: Uncommon, Mild, Moderate - Not allowed

•Code of Honor: If it does not affect your character's everyday life in a meaningful way or it does not cause the character problems in combat assume this is off limits.

•Dependents: Not allowed - You can not take them with you and we do not want players being removed from going on a run for any reason.

•Any Poser Quality: Karma Bonus 1

•Prejudice: Biased - Not allowed.  If it does not affect your character's everyday life in a meaningful way or it does not cause the character problems in combat assume this is off limits.

=======================================================

Due to the limited money priority tables any Decker not wanting the base deck in the book will be given a free starting deck with reduced Attribute Array (I can not remember exactly but I believed it is 0,1,2,3 or 1,1,2,3; probably the lesser)
============================================

My characters are going to be very hard to make with the system, I want a dwarf Mystic adept.

Table example For my Dwarf: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1FA76T0aBZrSHItdldRQ0paWnc/view

Please check out the sheet and let me know what you think.

*NOTE* I am not very good with Formulas or or MS Excel, nor complicated math, I did my best to make this simple and work in excel; Please do not be an critic about that part.

*EDIT* This has not been update to reflect the Errata on Power Points... That will cause problems with the gear and PPs on this example

So, I also wanted to make mention that we will not get car or any kind of vehicle for a very long time. we are also not really allowed to stockpile ammo and other goods, aka we will have to carry all of our gear with no central base of operation as we travel across the equivalent area of Texas to Florida, and up to about colorado area.

We are not allowed to have the FACE charact buy the gear for other players. each person much buy the gear themselves and if you make a bad social Char, oh well. Maybe when we reboot the campaign you can make a new char that is.
« Last Edit: <03-09-17/0920:55> by Valyn81 »

Vassago

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« Reply #1 on: <03-08-17/1755:25> »
I don't get that at all... The game is, at least in my opinion, 90% setting and theme. A systems just a system, might as well homebrew GURPS.

Just like any GM conversation, mention your preferences and concerns in a respectful way. If he doesn't listen, or care, just find a different group.

If the GM is more concerned with his grand ideas instead of the players fun, then he's probably either inexperienced, or not a good fit for you.

That's fine, different strokes for different folks, but if he doesn't budge and you don't think you'll enjoy youself, time to move on
And at least put some thought into the Negative Quality Addiction-Mild (DeepWeed). You're playing in Denver afterall, and a Sasquatch-sized joint gets me right in the feels.

Hobbes

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« Reply #2 on: <03-08-17/1826:38> »
*shrug*

Either make a Dwarf Mysad with Magic 4 and 1 PP and Distinctive Style, or make a Human with 7 Edge and a Smartlink.

Edit: got cut off.  You've got a bunch of chargen restrictions, either roll with them and make the character you want to anyway and deal with the low dice pools, or just make "Lucky Thug"

Stats B, Meta C, Skill D, Magic&Resources E, take Distinctive style because apparently that's the only NQ you can have, spend 5 Karma on Nuyen.  Max Agility, Intuition, Reaction, 2 or 3 for everything else.  Armored Jacket, Helmet, Ruger Super Warhawk with external Smart link and some Explosive Rounds, Smart link and Trodes.  Grab some Jazz for kicks.  Pistol, Sneak, Perception for your skills. 

If you're allowed other source books Savalete Guardian as your Pistol instead.  Jack of all Trades Master of None is the only PQ you'll ever need.  Blitz for initiative, hit of Jazz if it runs into a second turn.  It's a dead simple character to build and grows up nicely if the game runs for a while. 
« Last Edit: <03-08-17/1941:35> by Hobbes »

ZeldaBravo

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« Reply #3 on: <03-09-17/0700:24> »
Both Street Scum AND Street Level?

Welp, time for drugs and Edge.
*I have problems with clarifying my point in English, so sometimes I might sound stupid or rude.*

Jack_Spade

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« Reply #4 on: <03-09-17/0716:19> »
Personally, I wouldn't want to be part of such a campaign. I've played my share of those "limited options" games and it usually devolved into a very railroady game experience (if the GM wants to limit your character build so much it often indicates that he wants to have absolute control over the story) or a boring grind (because a surprising number of interesting stuff can only be done by competent characters).

That said, I don't know your GM. Maybe he has a great story to tell.
Edge is one possibility - or you could make a dedicated summoner mage and leave the heavy lifting to your spirits. (Magic  B, Attributes C, Race D (Elf), Money E, Skills E).  Max Charisma and Will, be the face and leave the combat to your spirits
talk think matrix

To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield
Revenant Kynos Isaint Rex

Hobbes

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« Reply #5 on: <03-09-17/0826:28> »
Personally, I wouldn't want to be part of such a campaign. I've played my share of those "limited options" games and it usually devolved into a very railroady game experience (if the GM wants to limit your character build so much it often indicates that he wants to have absolute control over the story) or a boring grind (because a surprising number of interesting stuff can only be done by competent characters).

That said, I don't know your GM. Maybe he has a great story to tell.
Edge is one possibility - or you could make a dedicated summoner mage and leave the heavy lifting to your spirits. (Magic  B, Attributes C, Race D (Elf), Money E, Skills E).  Max Charisma and Will, be the face and leave the combat to your spirits

Attributes B; Magic C (Aspected Mage); Meta D (Elf); Skills/Money E.  Scrounge up the 20 Karma and bump Magic to 4.  Skills Summoning, Negotiation, Con?  Just embrace the the suck and go with an Aspected Summoner?  If you somehow max out your NQs you could even pick up a Mentor Spirit with some bonus dice to Summoning.  14 Dice on Summoning your chosen Spirit?  You could totally make that work. 

Valyn81

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« Reply #6 on: <03-09-17/0906:53> »
Personally, I wouldn't want to be part of such a campaign. I've played my share of those "limited options" games and it usually devolved into a very railroady game experience (if the GM wants to limit your character build so much it often indicates that he wants to have absolute control over the story) or a boring grind (because a surprising number of interesting stuff can only be done by competent characters).

That said, I don't know your GM. Maybe he has a great story to tell.
Edge is one possibility - or you could make a dedicated summoner mage and leave the heavy lifting to your spirits. (Magic  B, Attributes C, Race D (Elf), Money E, Skills E).  Max Charisma and Will, be the face and leave the combat to your spirits

Attributes B; Magic C (Aspected Mage); Meta D (Elf); Skills/Money E.  Scrounge up the 20 Karma and bump Magic to 4.  Skills Summoning, Negotiation, Con?  Just embrace the the suck and go with an Aspected Summoner?  If you somehow max out your NQs you could even pick up a Mentor Spirit with some bonus dice to Summoning.  14 Dice on Summoning your chosen Spirit?  You could totally make that work.

well I forgot to mention that there will be several reboots of the campaign while he 'tests' different things related to combat and balance..... I am not going to bore you, or frustrate myself with the details of what he is trying to limit and change. It is just too much to type out.

If anyone has played Fallout 3: operation Alaska expansion; it was all a simulation and when you wake up it never really happened and all the work you did was for not. well that is what the reboots will be. quite literally.
« Last Edit: <03-09-17/0912:20> by Valyn81 »

Jack_Spade

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« Reply #7 on: <03-09-17/0918:12> »
Oh, one of those games...
Yeah, don't overthink your character - make him focused as hell in one thing and go to town. It's not as if there are any long term consequences if you play a guy whose only stick it is to throw as many pepperpunch grenades as he can carry at every opportunity.
talk think matrix

To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield
Revenant Kynos Isaint Rex

Valyn81

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« Reply #8 on: <03-09-17/0919:23> »
So, I also wanted to make mention that we will not get car or any kind of vehicle for a very long time. we are also not really allowed to stockpile ammo and other goods, aka we will have to carry all of our gear with no central base of operation as we travel across the equivalent area of Texas to Florida, and up to about colorado area.

We are not allowed to have the FACE charact buy the gear for other players. each person much buy the gear themselves and if you make a bad social Char, oh well. Maybe when we reboot the campaign you can make a new char that is.

Jack_Spade

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« Reply #9 on: <03-09-17/0933:34> »
All the more reason to go magic with spirits as the focus. Not much gear necessary and they can in a pinch be used for personal transportation
talk think matrix

To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield
Revenant Kynos Isaint Rex

Hobbes

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« Reply #10 on: <03-09-17/1041:51> »
Well at least you know up front you're playing Paranoia.  (Old school RPG where the PC was actually a family of clones, after each clone died the next clone was sent out, usually quite violently.) 

You'll need a Spirit and familiarity with the Search Power.  And the complete lack of guilt as you gloat over your Spirit provided food and water.  "Sorry, can't share equipment with you guys... you sure look thirsty."  *splash* *splash*  "Ah... feels so good to clean up..." *splash*  *splash* ....

Jack_Spade

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« Reply #11 on: <03-09-17/1044:33> »
No need to be stingy. Weather control guarantees nice travel weather and a refreshing shower now and again, allowing you to replenish your resources.

Don't forget to invest a bit in Alchemy so you can collect reagents during your travels.
talk think matrix

To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield
Revenant Kynos Isaint Rex

ZeldaBravo

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« Reply #12 on: <03-09-17/1655:14> »
No vehicle? Not even a bicycle is allowed?
*I have problems with clarifying my point in English, so sometimes I might sound stupid or rude.*

Valyn81

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« Reply #13 on: <03-13-17/1309:01> »
No vehicle? Not even a bicycle is allowed?

I can have a pack animal, that uses resources and moves much slower than us.... and since the resources will be very limited in a post apocalypse world, I am not willing to front that cost.

No need to be stingy. Weather control guarantees nice travel weather and a refreshing shower now and again, allowing you to replenish your resources.

Don't forget to invest a bit in Alchemy so you can collect reagents during your travels.

Yes I have that as a main goal. That and killing mages to steal their regents. Main reason I am choosing the rat as Mentor Spirit.


ZeldaBravo

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« Reply #14 on: <03-14-17/0944:14> »
Well, it's not stealing if they're dead.

I'm not judging, but a plan involving murder for such a minor thing as reagents really surprised me.

And if your GM is so greedy don't forget to buy bottled water for your character.
*I have problems with clarifying my point in English, so sometimes I might sound stupid or rude.*