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Essence - how much do you start with?

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Moonrunner

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« on: <08-15-19/2238:45> »
The more I read of the 6e core rulebook the more I lament that it is truly one of the poorest explained core books I've ever purchased.  This makes even character creation a nightmare.

One such issue I'm having is Essence.  Nowhere in the character creation chapter does it seem to mention how much Essence you begin with.  In the Cyberare and Bioware descriptions it tells you Essence costs for augments, which I assume you subtract from your Essence score and for every whole number integer your Essence score decreases from its starting value you lose a point of Magic.  Is that right?

How do I determine Essence and what effect does it indeed have?

KatoHearts

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« Reply #1 on: <08-15-19/2242:37> »
You play 5th Edition, that's not "6e bad" it's that a lot of 6e stuff is predicated on having played 5e. It also doesn't say you die when you hit 0 or start at any given number.

Moonrunner

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« Reply #2 on: <08-15-19/2244:40> »
You play 5th Edition, that's not "6e bad" it's that a lot of 6e stuff is predicated on having played 5e. It also doesn't say you die when you hit 0 or start at any given number.

I bought 5th. edition but never played it because I hated the system.  I still own the 5e core rulebook though.
« Last Edit: <08-15-19/2247:57> by Moonrunner »

Stainless Steel Devil Rat

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« Reply #3 on: <08-15-19/2245:43> »
It's never said, but yes the intent is that you start with 6.0 essence... just like in every edition previous.
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.

KatoHearts

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« Reply #4 on: <08-15-19/2247:48> »
Was it written down in every previous edition?

Stainless Steel Devil Rat

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« Reply #5 on: <08-15-19/2252:39> »
I do believe it was, and yes it should have been said in this edition too.

I'd imagine it will be rectified, sooner rather than later.
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.

Hephaestus

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« Reply #6 on: <08-15-19/2259:10> »
I do believe it was, and yes it should have been said in this edition too.

I'd imagine it will be rectified, sooner rather than later.

Didn't see that in the hot-fix either. Not even in the errata'd entry about Essence on the first page of the hot-fix. More errata to come?

Stainless Steel Devil Rat

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« Reply #7 on: <08-15-19/2303:11> »
The errata team is still quite busy, yes.
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.

stuh42l

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« Reply #8 on: <08-16-19/0211:25> »
It would be nice if they mentioned what happens when you hit 0 essence as well, since outside mentioning it for astral projection, they don't bother.

Michael Chandra

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« Reply #9 on: <08-16-19/0220:41> »
Change blindness is unfortunately a weakness of both CGL and its players. Lots of us missed those things because we know so we don't look for it and don't realise it's missing.

5e also did not mention. But Essence Drain does in both editions. So yeah you start at 6 and die at 0. But you're all absolutely right it is a rather silly mistake.
How am I not part of the forum?? O_O I am both active and angry!

penllawen

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« Reply #10 on: <08-16-19/0512:54> »
5e also did not mention.
Yeah, this caught one of my players out. I totally missed it didn't say it anywhere, happened to casually mention that 0 Essence = death (he plays a troll with somewhere around 0.5 essence) and he had a proper "wait, what now?!" double-take moment. And then had to re-plan some of the new cyber he was saving up for!

FastJack

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« Reply #11 on: <08-16-19/0802:46> »
It's mentioned, just not where it would be useful to new players. It's under the Essence Drain Critter power on p. 224.

penllawen

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« Reply #12 on: <08-16-19/0819:11> »
Indeed, I'm sure my player would never have found it there.

Xenon

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« Reply #13 on: <08-16-19/0936:52> »
Logged both issues here :

https://www.reddit.com/r/Shadowrun/comments/cpiw81/6e_errata_core_book_gathering/ewpre3o/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Shadowrun/comments/cpiw81/6e_errata_core_book_gathering/ewprd1q/

Re zero essence. Was the same in SR5 iirc. Death was only really mentioned during essence drain. Still not clear if you can spend 6.0 essence or only 5.99 essence on augmentations.

Also, in this edition you get much harder to heal if you have low essence (not just via magic). Each point of essence loss is basically one box less healing from first aid (or even two of we talk physical boxes). From medkit. From healing. To the point where it is very hard to heal someone with less than one essence.
« Last Edit: <08-16-19/0952:45> by Xenon »

stuh42l

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« Reply #14 on: <08-16-19/1238:44> »
Somehow we have come full circle from the early editions, where it was harder to heal mages.