Shadowrun
Shadowrun Missions Living Campaign => Living Campaign Discussion => Topic started by: ScytheKnight on <01-28-16/0606:28>
-
This is something thats been bugging me since I started GMing this game, and it seems something that no-one can agree on... whay licenses are actually required?
Partially it seems it was something glossed over because prior edition knowledge is assumed (Have I mentioned befor how STUPID an idea that is?) And partially its something left vague for different setting.
So what I was wondering is if the FAQ committee could look at setting out some official guidelines for Licenses for Missions play.
-
Looks like Bull answered this a while back, not sure if this is still current:
P. 367 of SR5 covers licenses in a general way. But think of real life and what sorts of things you need a license for. Now transfer that over to Shadowrun, and add in licensing for anything considered Restricted, including the ability to cast magic or be a technomancer.
Beyond that, you need a single license per category of Restricted item: Guns, Vehicles, Drone, Cyberware, etc. Then each piece of gear needs to be registered to that license.
-
Looks like Bull answered this a while back, not sure if this is still current:
P. 367 of SR5 covers licenses in a general way. But think of real life and what sorts of things you need a license for. Now transfer that over to Shadowrun, and add in licensing for anything considered Restricted, including the ability to cast magic or be a technomancer.
Beyond that, you need a single license per category of Restricted item: Guns, Vehicles, Drone, Cyberware, etc. Then each piece of gear needs to be registered to that license.
Which is... well about as clear as mud, especially to those new to Shadowrun.
-
I thought that was pretty clear, personally. But it would be nice to get some feedback from the current Missions crew to clarify if this is still the position.
-
I have to agree. It seem pretty crystal clear to me. I can't see where there is any ambiguity in Bull's answer. Licenses in 5th seem to be pretty much like they were in 4th IIRC.
However, most of my early years of playing Shadowrun were in 1st and 2nd editions. We didn't even do licenses at all back then. We were completely off the grid, officially speaking. We got paid in cash and didn't even have an official identity, faked or otherwise. Anything we bought was paid for in cash, good or services. I don't know how canon that was but things do seem a lot more regimented in the 70's than what I remember in the 50's.
-
However, most of my early years of playing Shadowrun were in 1st and 2nd editions. We didn't even do licenses at all back then. We were completely off the grid, officially speaking. We got paid in cash and didn't even have an official identity, faked or otherwise. Anything we bought was paid for in cash, good or services. I don't know how canon that was but things do seem a lot more regimented in the 70's than what I remember in the 50's.
Interesting; I started playing in 2nd, and did not have the same experience. How did you walk down the street without getting harassed by the cops for something as simple as walking-while-troll? Copious amounts of bribes, I'd guess, but I'm genuinely interested in know how you managed to stay that much off the grid.
-
Looks like Bull answered this a while back, not sure if this is still current:
P. 367 of SR5 covers licenses in a general way. But think of real life and what sorts of things you need a license for. Now transfer that over to Shadowrun, and add in licensing for anything considered Restricted, including the ability to cast magic or be a technomancer.
Beyond that, you need a single license per category of Restricted item: Guns, Vehicles, Drone, Cyberware, etc. Then each piece of gear needs to be registered to that license.
The bolded part is the one that causes some confusion for me. How does a piece of gear get registered to a license? Do you have to get a new fake license every time you get a new piece of kit (or lose one), or is it something you can just tweak at will (which in world would make registering gear to a license practically meaningless)?
-
Looks like Bull answered this a while back, not sure if this is still current:
P. 367 of SR5 covers licenses in a general way. But think of real life and what sorts of things you need a license for. Now transfer that over to Shadowrun, and add in licensing for anything considered Restricted, including the ability to cast magic or be a technomancer.
Beyond that, you need a single license per category of Restricted item: Guns, Vehicles, Drone, Cyberware, etc. Then each piece of gear needs to be registered to that license.
The bolded part is the one that causes some confusion for me. How does a piece of gear get registered to a license? Do you have to get a new fake license every time you get a new piece of kit (or lose one), or is it something you can just tweak at will (which in world would make registering gear to a license practically meaningless)?
I think you are concentrating too hard on the wrong part. The important part is being licensed for the type of gear you have in your possesion. Linking gear to the correct type of license should be hand waved providing you actually have the correct type of license and your fake SIN that the license is attached to isn't burned. For Missions especially you have to pick a point where a level of abstraction kicks in or you'll never get around to actually playing the mission.
-
However, most of my early years of playing Shadowrun were in 1st and 2nd editions. We didn't even do licenses at all back then. We were completely off the grid, officially speaking. We got paid in cash and didn't even have an official identity, faked or otherwise. Anything we bought was paid for in cash, good or services. I don't know how canon that was but things do seem a lot more regimented in the 70's than what I remember in the 50's.
Interesting; I started playing in 2nd, and did not have the same experience. How did you walk down the street without getting harassed by the cops for something as simple as walking-while-troll? Copious amounts of bribes, I'd guess, but I'm genuinely interested in know how you managed to stay that much off the grid.
Well, there weren't nearly the level of wireless access in 2nd edition as they have now or at least we didn't play it that way. Walking down the street never got us hassled unless we were causing a ruckus. It was only inside the corporate enclaves where you really had to be careful. Physical cash still existed then so you didn't need an ID for bank accounts and there were lots of neighborhoods in Seattle where you could rent something with cash and with no questions asked. And if we were forced to interact with law enforcement then usually a decent bribe took care of things.
-
Licenses are minor gear in a sense
cop pulls you and asks for your driver's license
you are seen casting a minor spell
you have a shoulder holstered ARES Predator
nice chrome cyberarm, chummer
you are at a border crossing and the guard asks about your stuff
it is gear giving you permission to have an item and not to give cops/ security a reason to check further into your cover story
same as in real life you have a driver license, a concealed weapons permit, certification for certain construction jobs, or medical professions
it can give you more credit if you are trying to con someone. "I'm a doctor, Let me get my patient to hospital now."
something to make your character's life easier
-
Perhaps the confusion comes from 'when do we even use this in Missios.'
Because it only comes up if the GM thinks to make it come up... and operating mostly in the CZ I can see how licenses and their use would be glossed over.
-
I have played all but 4 missions (Many of them more than once), under many GM's and I can honestly say it comes up very little, but if it comes up and you don't have, then you may have an additional complication.
I can even think of one mission where being pulled over by the cops is written in. And as I recall, the necessary bribe went up the moment they found out one of us was SINless.
So, it does come up, but usually it's if the players draw too much attention with the cops and have no way out of talking to them.
-
This topic was discussed during last night's FAQ call and you will find clear guidance in the next FAQ release.
-
Licenses are minor gear in a sense
cop pulls you and asks for your driver's license
you are seen casting a minor spell
you have a shoulder holstered ARES Predator
nice chrome cyberarm, chummer
you are at a border crossing and the guard asks about your stuff
it is gear giving you permission to have an item and not to give cops/ security a reason to check further into your cover story
same as in real life you have a driver license, a concealed weapons permit, certification for certain construction jobs, or medical professions
it can give you more credit if you are trying to con someone. "I'm a doctor, Let me get my patient to hospital now."
something to make your character's life easier
Not minor at all. They're absolutely vital in that without them you're all but immediately arrested. Arrest is basically character death, as well because all of those implants and all of that gear that you got in generation are now gone and without their aid you won't be completing any jobs to get money to get the stuff back.
-
This topic was discussed during last night's FAQ call and you will find clear guidance in the next FAQ release.
Awesome, thanks for the update!
-
Licenses permit the licensee to perform or carry Restricted or Forbidden item X. Item X is not licensed.
Licenses are attached to SINs.
Mechanically I would treat unlicensed restricted/forbidden gear as a modifier on attempts to move through security checks. Countered with additional bribes etc.
Alternatives to being arrested and “character death” for unlicensed restricted/forbidden gear are, confiscation and fines, and denial of entry or passage. e.g. characters could proceed without the gear, or proceed with a fine.
We want to make it where 400 nuyen of license is a good investment towards countering the 400+ nuyen of “fines” the character may incur.
-
Generally you CAN'T get licenses for forbidden stuff. At least not individual ownership licenses. It's labeled Forbidden for a reason.
Organizations can have licenses for Forbidden stuff, with individual members of that organization authorized to carry and operate the company owned equipment. Like you can't as a regular civilian own a Hellfire missile, but the military can, and authorise it's soldiers to use it.
No, there are no shadowrun teams with legitimate licenses for forbidden equipment. Best they can hope to do is pretend they are part of a group that does have legit access. "Hey, I am totally a member of Ares Firewatch. No, I can't tell you what I'm doing with this artillery piece. It's classified."
-k