[_Pax_]

None of this really changes a fact that has been completely ignored here though. All this talk about SMGs being two handed weapons makes an assumption that Pistols and Machine Pistols aren't two handed weapons, but in real life nearly every stance taught involves the use of both hands on them just as much as using both hands on an SMG. OMG what can this mean? Guns are more accurate with two hands...mmkay. Universal standard here, no exceptions.

  You'll note that I did mention one small difference between using a Pistol with two hands, and using an SMG or Rifle with two hands:  the Pistol doesn't generally provide a place on the weapon for that second hand.  SMGs and rifles have those - shrouds over the barrel if nothing else, if not actual foregrips.

[Crash_00]

Some do, some don't. It varies from weapon to weapon. Try supporting one that doesn't with your hand and you'll get some nasty burn if you fire much at all. A mistake most people only make once (and a good way to watch and weed out the stupid ones, they'll do it repeatedly). Some larger pistols have a grip to hold under the barrel as well. Again, varies from weapon to weapon. Weird thing how different ones are different. However the design, it is always more accurate to be more stable, which is achievable by using a two handed stance. It's not a large gun only thing. Rather than give a bonus, the game gives a penalty for not stabilizing larger weapons.

Back on Topic
Another one I use is that I let players lower the armor on a certain item if they want. For instance, if a player wants to wear a chain shirt, but only has a 3 body, I'll let them lower the armor to 4/6 if they want. This lets players have more control with how their characters dress rather than having to play makeshift dress up to hit their armor caps. I don't see any reason there aren't essentially different levels of protection in most common lines.

I also allow players to buy non-armored versions of everything for 10-50% of the price depending on the item and fashion style. This let's players have a normal trench coat (and gain the bonuses for concealability) or non-armored camo suits.

[_Pax_]

Back on Topic
Another one I use is that I let players lower the armor on a certain item if they want. For instance, if a player wants to wear a chain shirt, but only has a 3 body, I'll let them lower the armor to 4/6 if they want. This lets players have more control with how their characters dress rather than having to play makeshift dress up to hit their armor caps. I don't see any reason there aren't essentially different levels of protection in most common lines.

  I like that one.  A recent character build of mine had exactly that problem, in fact ...

I also allow players to buy non-armored versions of everything for 10-50% of the price depending on the item and fashion style. This let's players have a normal trench coat (and gain the bonuses for concealability) or non-armored camo suits.

Also entirely reasonable.

[Glorthoron]

Some do, some don't. It varies from weapon to weapon. Try supporting one that doesn't with your hand and you'll get some nasty burn if you fire much at all. A mistake most people only make once (and a good way to watch and weed out the stupid ones, they'll do it repeatedly).

John Basilone found out the hard way.

[Dirtywork]

I only recently started playing SR again (I've been away since 1996  ) but I'm going to bring back one of our old house rules. I call it the Lot in Life.

Mostly it is designed for players who are either new to Shadowrun and/or table top RPGs

Here's how it works.....
 
Your Lot in Life determines where you are in life just before we start our first Shadowrun session. It doesn't determine your backstory, race, species, or sex. It is simply a story telling tool that allows the player characters to mesh a little better into the world. An especially helpful tool for newer players.
 
The Lot in Life also allows me (the GM) to get you connected to other potential plot devices for use at any time during the campaign. If things start to slow down, or when you least expect it, something, or someone might come out of your past and turn what was supposed to be a simple B&E into a total Charlie Foxtrot.
 
Here is the Lot in Life list that players will select from.
 
1) Recently released convict tied to one of the Big 10 corps and very loyal to that corp. Family Missing
2) Last member of a gang recently wiped out by the Yakuza
3) Political Activist wanted by corporate security for acts of terrorism
4) Thrill seeker with a terminal illness
5) Unemployed and homeless because of a frame job by a corp
6) Average person. Family struggling to survive
7) Prostitute
8 ) Amnesiac with a connection to a Dragon
9) Used car salesman who sold a bad car to the wrong person: a vampire
10) Former member of a BlackOps team in the middle of a corporate cover up.
 
 You can keep your LiL a secret, or share it with the group. But eventually your Lot in Life WILL catch up with you.
 
To discover your LiL roll 1D10 or 2D6 (with re-roll on 12)

 You get what you get. Such is life. However, as with life, you are free to handle your situation as you see fit. It's all very generalized to give you the player all the customization options you need.

For example: If you roll 7 and get the Prostitute LiL it's up to you to decide how/why you became a prostitute, and how/why your character has opted to start Shadowrunning. You decide if you're a high class hooker or a 5 nuyen ho.

With each LiL there are pros and cons. With the Prostitute option you may find that you've got extra contacts you've made through your "work". On the other hand you may have also have a psychotic stalker who wants you all to him/herself.
 
To assist in customization all players will gain an additional 100BP to reflect their LiL. If you select the BlackOps LiL obviously that person will have some specialized skills coming in.

 You can embrace your past or run from it in an attempt to reinvent yourself. Your reasons to run the shadows are your own.
 
If you're not happy with the LiL you've selected you'll get a d6 number of chances to re-select.

[Blue_Lion]

That does sound intresting plus will explain why the mage has a orgy/orgasim spell and cure illness.

[Hermes]

Hmm.  House rules for Shadowrun.

You know, I have a friend that says you can't do this sort of thing to Shadowrun.  Yet, here it is, a thread with 28 pages of rules. I should smirk.

[Henzington]

It varies greatly but at least with my friends it mainly is a gentlemen's agreement not to take certain qualities like Uncouth or Senstive System if you plan on getting no cyberware

[_Pax_]

Per a long discussion on DumpShock, my houseruled version of High Powered chambering (from War!):

High Powered Ammunition is not a separate type unto itself; many kinds of ammunition are available in high powered ("HP") variants. (Disallowed HP ammunition includes Stick-and-shock, Capsule, Gel, and Subsonic.)

Firearms must be modified to fire such rounds, and once modified can fire _only_ HP ammunition. Any firearm, including assault cannons, can be modified in this way. Modifying a weapon to fire High Powered ammunition costs 2 slots, has a threshold of 20, requires an armorer's shop, and costs as much as the original weapon (with an availability of 7R). This modification is incompatible with Extended Magazine and Increased Cylinder.

HP ammunition gains +1 damage and -1 armor piercing, in addition to the base values for that type of round. Price is multiplied by four, and availability increases by +8. When fired, all recoil is doubled before compensation. Additionally, HP ammunition is especially loud and has a large muzzle flash. Attempts to detect or pinpoint the firing of HP ammunition gain +3 dice for hearing tests, or +1 die for visual tests (these modifiers are cumulative with silencers / suppressors).

[Crash_00]

That reminds me of my High Power house rule. It's simple and doesn't change the actual High Power mechanics at all, but can still be useful.

Revolvers chambered for High Power ammunition can fire normal ammunition as well.

High Power changes the amount/type of powder (causing more pressure) and most likely the length of the brass (safety precaution like with the .357 mag/.38). The caliber should be the same making it a non-issue for revolvers.

For the non-firearm savy. A .357 magnum uses the same exact caliber as the .38. You can fire both .357 magnum rounds and .38 rounds from a .357 magnum because the only difference is that the .38 rounds create less pressure and are shorter. Automatic handguns can't really do this because the magazine/chambering areas are designed for a certain length of the brass and the .38 is shorter than what is intended to be loaded.

[All4BigGuns]

Here's a house rule that I think is needed. In order to discourage implants in Awakened, ruling that the karma cost for increasing Magic would go off of what one's Magic would be without the implants.  As an example, buying a Magic of 5 and taking 2 Essence worth of implants would still require spending 30 karma to get back to Magic 4.

[Crash_00]

Here's a house rule that I think is needed. In order to discourage implants in Awakened

Why do you think it's needed?

[All4BigGuns]

Here's a house rule that I think is needed. In order to discourage implants in Awakened

Why do you think it's needed?

I just feel that put putting implants in Awakened (especially Adepts) goes against the feel of them. That being the use of magic instead of technology to improve their abilities. Making it more costly is far better than just saying that they can't take it at all.

[Crash_00]

Shadworun has never been D&Desque in it's magic. You never have an either or situation really, it's a balancing game, and every single mage/adept should feel different.

The thing is, it already costs them more. You take a hit to your magic (say dropping from 4 to 3) and then raise it back again (from 3 to 4), you've effectively paid to be at four magic twice (40 karma, what it costs to go from 7 to .

Under you proposed rules, doing the same thing (assuming 2 points of essence loss) is going to cost them almost three times the normal amount (55 karma or what it would take to go from 10 to 11) to be at four.

Let's not forget that adepts already get karma hosed by their powers (having to pay for increases as though their power levels were natural skill/attribute levels). All in all, it's just adding an extra karma tax in effort to make every single awakened conform to your feel of awakened which seems very akin to the stereotypical monk/wizard feel. (D&D it's magic or armor, you seem to be replacing armor with cyber and just running with it)

While it's regrettable that the discrepancy between augmented adepts and pure adepts is so large, gaining power by any means necessary is a staple of professionals in just about any field. Theft and performance enhancing drugs are both extremely large today. Tacking on 60 years isn't going to change that. Sure some will be more close-minded due to other factors (religion, personal codes, political views, cultural views, monetary restrictions, medical issues, etc.), it doesn't mean that all of them have to be close minded to feel like an adept. It's not a class based system.

[All4BigGuns]

Shadworun has never been D&Desque in it's magic. You never have an either or situation really, it's a balancing game, and every single mage/adept should feel different.

The thing is, it already costs them more. You take a hit to your magic (say dropping from 4 to 3) and then raise it back again (from 3 to 4), you've effectively paid to be at four magic twice (40 karma, what it costs to go from 7 to .

Under you proposed rules, doing the same thing (assuming 2 points of essence loss) is going to cost them almost three times the normal amount (55 karma or what it would take to go from 10 to 11) to be at four.

Let's not forget that adepts already get karma hosed by their powers (having to pay for increases as though their power levels were natural skill/attribute levels). All in all, it's just adding an extra karma tax in effort to make every single awakened conform to your feel of awakened which seems very akin to the stereotypical monk/wizard feel. (D&D it's magic or armor, you seem to be replacing armor with cyber and just running with it)

While it's regrettable that the discrepancy between augmented adepts and pure adepts is so large, gaining power by any means necessary is a staple of professionals in just about any field. Theft and performance enhancing drugs are both extremely large today. Tacking on 60 years isn't going to change that. Sure some will be more close-minded due to other factors (religion, personal codes, political views, cultural views, monetary restrictions, medical issues, etc.), it doesn't mean that all of them have to be close minded to feel like an adept. It's not a class based system.

Well, I do have some suggestion on that too, and that would be also cutting Improved Physical Attribute to half the current PP cost (and remove the 'doubling effect' after natural maximum), as well as some sort of reduction on some of the other useful but overpriced powers.

Combined, it would make pure adepts more desirable, while at the same time making the other possible--even if more expensive (which it should be).