[Herr Brackhaus]

Sadrazam's question applies to upgrading 'ware and decks/RCCs, too, by the way. I.e. what is the cost of extra dice for negotiation based on, the cost of the upgrade, or the original item cost.

25% of the full cost (original cost) per die, not the cost of the upgrade. rr

[kyoto kid]

...in Hard Targets, Under MIsc. Gear, chart on P. 187. it lists Monotip Arrows as having a price of 30¥ times rating.  This seems a tad on the expensive side for an arrow that only confers a -2 to AP.

While I understand that this may be more of an errata situation, I was encouraged to bring this concern up here by one of the senior members on these forums who responded to the thread that I posted on the topic.

It is the opinion of the SRM FAQ Committee that the price is correct.  rr

[El Diablo]

What 'bout using Edge for initiation? If it's possible for binding Spirits and Nine Paths To Enlightenment, why not to initiate?

Initiation is strictly a downtime activity and Edge may not be used for it.  rr

[Peco]

I have a question regarding negative qualities, it is written in the missions FAQ that you can select as many negative qualities as you want, but they will not give you additional karma beyond the 25 limit in chargen, so, when you pick qualities beyond this limit, do they have their negative and positive effects normally?

I refer to the Consumate professional negative (The assasin's primer, pg. 17) that has an advantange (A +2 dice pool bonus on social test with employers) and a disadvantage (you divide by 20 your karma when calculating your street cred, instead of by 10), would both apply? or if you get for example, In debt, will you get the money (and the beatings) even if you add it beyond your negative qualities karma limit?

Thanks!

Please note the FAQ says you may take additional qualities for "roleplay purposes".  There are no advantages or disadvantages you gain for taking the quality.  They are just to add additional flavor to your character.  rr

[Bedrevin]

       what are the threshholds for weapon modifications? In rigger 5 all of the threshholds for installing vehicle modifications are listed next to the modification, but there are no threshholds listed in the core rulebook or run and gun. In my group both the groups rigger and I have armorer skill and we would like to be able to modify our own weapons so we would like to know how hard that would be.

The guidance for thresholds for modifications found in SR5 core and Run & Gun is found on page 51, Run & Gun.  The thresholds for modifications found in Hard Targets are listed in that book.  I'll bring it up in the SRM Committee to see if we want to clarify it for SRMs. rr

SRM FAQ ver 0.7 will include thresholds and intervals for modifications found in Run & Gun.  rr

        also if I were to assist the rigger in the extended test to modify a weapon or vehicle how would that contribute to the extended test since we would have to buy successes.

Assisting with buying hits:  you would buy your hits and the rigger would add those dice to his dice pool before buying hits.  You then subtract a die, buy hits, rigger adds those dice to his dice pool before buying hits (subtracting one from his dice pool for extended tests).  Once you're down to three dice, you can't assist. rr

        lastly when buying successes in an extended test why do you get one success for every 4 dice when statistically you should get one for every 3 dice?

SR5 says 4 to 1 when buying hits, so that's what we use...sorry I don't have a better answer.  rr

       Thank you

[Raven2049]

Question on Drone Upgrades in Rigger 5

Specifically Armor: Are we paying for the difference in armor, or are we paying for the total end amount of armor? the wording in the Armor section states "Cost equals the upgraded Armor multiplied by the drone’s Body, then multiplied by 200." But the Example shows total amount "Increasing to an Armor of 15 on a Body 3 drone would cost (15 x 3) x 200, or 45 x 200, or 9,000 nuyen." Which is correct?

EX: Upgrading a Roto-Drone to Armor 16 from Armor 8: Am i paying total cost: (4 x 16) x 200 to equal 12,800?

The above is correct for SRM.  rr

or am i paying the upgraded armor cost: [4 x (16 - ]  x 200 to equal 6,400?

This is probably a question for the Errata team as well, and as such i will post there.

Also, if you are purchasing upgrades for your drone, specifically in the case of Sensors and Pilot Programs, is this a situation where you pull the old one out and put a new one in? so you can get 20-30% of the value of the part being pulled out by selling it back? or is this more of a case of "expansion" where you add to existing capabilities? which could imply that you are upgrading the armor as in my 2nd example above. Leading back to that example as well, if it is a matter of complete replacement, do we get 20-30% of the value of the armor being sold back if we are doing the "total cost" example?

For both questions, you pay total cost and do not receive anything back via a selling back scenario.  rr

[Lochabar]

Magical Skills for Mundanes

In Street Grimoire (pg 126, "Arcana and the Mundane") it states "Arcana is the only magic skill not tied to the Magic attribute. As such, the gamemaster can optionally allow a mundane to acquire this skill to represent their limited understanding of the arcane documentation available to anyone.".

This statement is incorrect because there are three magical skills not linked to the magic attribute (core rulebook p142); Arcana (Logic), Assensing (Intuition), and Astral Combat (Willpower).

Following the logic that one non-magic-linked skill can be taken by mundanes, it follows that a mundane may also optionally be allowed to take points in Assensing and Astral Combat as well. Is this correct? (which is unlikely I know)

Or should the Street Grimoire statement be something like "Arcana is the only magic skill not tied to the Magic attribute that can be taken by mundanes."

For Shadowrun Missions, Arcana is the only skill listed under Magical Skills, pgs. 142-143, SR5 a mundane may take.  rr

[Falconer]

Transfering karma between characters.  This comes up especifically with non-mages trying to get spells quickened on them.


Quickening requires the mage to spend karma to make the spell permanent while sustaining it.  To my knowledge there is no way for anyone to spend anyone else's karma to power their own abilities.   The only item I'm aware of and I'm not even sure it's in 5th ed anymore is a ritual requiring the presence of a free spirits formula to give/pay it karma.  Using the expedient of the cash for karma is limited by the FAQ rules limiting monetary between characters to small amounts and the calender.


Is it permissible for a character without quickening to pay karma to a contact/another player to cast and quicken magic?

No, the quickening character (another player) must pay the karma to quicken it.  rr

[Kiirnodel]

Ritual Spellcasting faces similar opposition to what Binding a spirit has (Opposed by double Force). Can we use the same sort of rules as are allowed for Binding? That is, allowed to attempt the roll as normal, rather than forced to buy hits.

Ritual Spellcasting is also designed to be done with a group using Teamwork Test mechanics. Would it be possible to hire ritual assistants? Low-skill ritual assistants wouldn't require much training to be helpful, and don't need to have learned the ritual being performed. For example, a fresh-faced magician with a dice pool of only 8 in ritual spellcasting (3-4 ranks plus 4-5 magic) could buy 2 hits on the assisting teamwork test and get paid for sitting around for a few hours helping out (no other experience necessary). I wouldn't expect this to necessarily be cheap labor, it is fairly unique and does come with a certain amount of risk (taking drain). But that risk isn't much more than a talismonger making a focus, and that requires much more training to avoid the risk of burning out your magic caused by a crit glitch...

Hiring a ritual assistant could be a set number of bought hits (similar to hiring a mechanic to modify gear), with a cost based on the Force of the ritual being performed (to account for risk).

The SRM FAQ Committee decided that this will not be allowed.  We recommend you work with fellow players if you wish to conduct Ritual Spellcasting with a group.  rr

[Kiirnodel]

The SRM FAQ Committee decided that this will not be allowed.  We recommend you work with fellow players if you wish to conduct Ritual Spellcasting with a group.  rr

Just to be clear, you're disallowing the "hiring NPCs" part of what I suggested, right? It was a shot in the dark, sort of hoping for the magical equivalent of hiring a mechanic to help me modify my gear.

Correct, rr

How about the first part, are we allowed to roll out some Ritual Spellcasting at the table like Binding? Being Forced to buy hits makes some of the options almost as impossible as Binding is.

Yes, rr

[Hobbes]

Way qualities, cost double after Character Generation?  Count against 25 point positive quality limit at the start?  Answered previously and Hobbes search-fu is off?

Way qualities are treated like other qualities with regards to your question. - DO

[Hargrim]

As this question was raised at my table I'd like to ask for clarification:

How exactly Power Foci work? It says:

They are very powerful foci that temporarily increase your effective Magic rating. That means they add to your Sorcery, Conjuring, and Enchanting dice pools, along with any other test where Magic is involved.

Do Power Foci add to your Magic rating or they add to just what is on that list?

The first interpretation would make it very powerful, for example, summoning Force 7+ spirits with just Stun drain you can sleep off during mission run in riggers car.

The first sentence, 'adds to your effective magic rating' might seem open to interpretation but the second sentence clarifies the intent.  It adds to Dice Pools of Magic-related Tests, it does not actually increase your Magic Rating.  A Magician with a Magic Rating 6 and Power Focus Rating 1 will still suffer Physical Drain from summoning a Force 7 Spirit. -DO

[Teutonic Overlord]

Please note, until a new SRM Developer is designated and determines how they are going to handle the SRM FAQ, I'm going to lock this thread.  The current SRM FAQ Committee is considered "disbanded" for now.

Please feel free to pose questions in this forum and I or other listed members will provide answers to questions based upon our previous rulings.

[Jayde Moon]

With the release of Chicago SRM FAQ 1.4, I'm also reopening this thread.

All rules for using this topic remain in effect.

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

I asked about whether addiction to Hot Sim is tested for here but it seems this is the appropriate place to have asked.