Shadowrun

Shadowrun Missions Living Campaign => Living Campaign Discussion => Topic started by: DarkKnight on <10-26-14/1727:26>

Title: Minimum and Maximum Number of Players
Post by: DarkKnight on <10-26-14/1727:26>
So this may be a really stupid question, but is there a minimum and maximum number of players for Shadowrun Missions? If so, is this listed somewhere in the FAQ that I missed?

Thanks!
Title: Re: Minimum and Maximum Number of Players
Post by: Michael Chandra on <10-26-14/1847:43>
In principle not that I am aware of, and the GM can change things around to help balance it out. The Missions tend to be balanced around parties of a size of 5~6 though. Experience teaches me that 7 is too much to properly handle for me, with the added downside that players may feel they cannot contribute much because all bases are already covered. Less than 4 I imagine would be sketchy to balance out too.
Title: Re: Minimum and Maximum Number of Players
Post by: DarkKnight on <10-26-14/1854:16>
Thanks, I have run any of these and I only have 3 people who would be interested in playing. I know that a lot of other "Living" games use a 4 to 6 (or 7) player table size, but I was a little surprised that it wasn't included in the Shadowrun Missions FAQ.

Good Runnin'!
Title: Re: Minimum and Maximum Number of Players
Post by: Bull on <10-26-14/1909:54>
Unlike a number of other living campaigns, we encourage the GM to adjust the game as needed to fit his party.  So if you have 2-3 players, scale it back.  Unless they're badasses. :) 
Title: Re: Minimum and Maximum Number of Players
Post by: Tarislar on <10-26-14/1936:07>
My GM has had to do a lot of adjusting for our group as we've fluctuated between 3 & 7 people showing up.
6+ makes things a little "busy/complex" but IMHO its preferable to 3 where you suddenly find you are short in key skills or a TPK becomes a serious possibility.

A few examples I can think of this year in our Missions campaign.

3 People showed up,  Mage, Mystic, Decker.
GM later told us he took the opposition from (1 Mage, 4 Adepts, + 1 Security/Runner) down to (3 Adepts & 1 Security/Runner) removing the Mage/Commander & 1 Adept from the battle so we didn't get smoked.  As it is at the end if it hadn't been for our Mage knocking himself out casting FireBalls over & over I think we would have been toast.)

Couple other times 3 people show up =  Mystic, Decker, Troll.
1 - Removed Mage from gangers to make them doable, IIRC.

2 - W/O extra players the Decker was forced to deal w/ an Assault Rifle armed Merc by himself w/ a Light Pistol & ended up having to burn a point of edge to escape death since neither the Troll nor the Mystic could get to him fast enough to assist with that merc after dealing w/ multiple problems themselves.


I don't even want to think about the day when the Decker misses a game. 
The bulk of the group is Awakened & lack most techie skills & we have enough issues w/o a regular Rigger or Sniper type.

So basically as others have said, the only Min/Max is really what you the GM can handle adjusting to.
As for the 3 people, if you have a Decker type, a Caster type, & a Muscle type you really have covered the bulk of your bases.
Sure, some stealth, or rigging, or face skills will come in handy too, but those 3 can handle most things.