[Big John]

So...I wanted to ask some questions about the runners in Street Legends, but before I did I tried my best at "due diligence" and perused the forum for potential answers to my questions. Unfortunately it appears that Fastjack has locked the Street Legends forum due to...ahem...fiery disagreements.

In respect to that, shall I ask my questions in a different thread, and suffer potential dumpshock when Fastjack sends his armies of IC after me, or do I wisely hold it all in, and ponder the myriad ways I believe things as a whole are somewhat messed up?

Choices, choices, choices...

[CanRay]

Depends on the questions and how they're asked.  Be polite, be respectful, and always have a plan to kill everyone in the room.

...

No, wait, wrong set of rules...

[Big John]

OK, I can do this...be polite...be respectful...

<deep breath>

<glances around the room nervously>

So, I noticed that a few of the characters had awful high attributes. I'm fairly curious what the "nebulous amount" of karma was for creating them.
I also noticed that at least two elves have Edge 7, one human had Edge 10, and two humans had Edge 8, all without qualities that provided for it. What kind of logic was used. I truly hope it wasn't the "They are cool characters for the game and can therefore ignore the rules" mindset, because then I'm gonna have to relate you all to TSR / WotC, and we cannot be having that...

<prepares the almighty "Decimate All In the Room" spell>


P.S. Thorn is absolutely, positively the most awesome character in there. He made me laugh so hard...awesome stuff.

[Big John]

Oh, also - Software and commlink ratings up to 9 and 10. Am I missing a sourcebook somewhere?

[Crimsondude]

Oh, also - Software and commlink ratings up to 9 and 10. Am I missing a sourcebook somewhere?

War!

[UmaroVI]

Never ascribe to "2 kool 4 skool" syndrome what can be ascribed to lazy editing.

[Mirikon]

Oh, also - Software and commlink ratings up to 9 and 10. Am I missing a sourcebook somewhere?

Generally just assume that megacorp CEOs, national militaries, dragons, and immortal elves can afford the bleeding edge stuff that is going to be SOTA in a few years. Afterall, who do you think MAKES all those SOTA programs?

[Wakshaani]

Oh, also - Software and commlink ratings up to 9 and 10. Am I missing a sourcebook somewhere?

War! is the sourcebook that details hardware and software over rating 6.

In terms of creating Street Legends, no karma was given ... writers weren't told "You have a thousand karma, go", for instance, and instead made them at a level that felt right. LOTS of different writers were involved, each having a different idea of how they wante dto assemble things (Shocking, I know), so, you get some differences in power level.

[Crimsondude]

I also noticed that at least two elves have Edge 7, one human had Edge 10, and two humans had Edge 8, all without qualities that provided for it.

As I recall, this was answered before the threads were closed to assume they have Lucky. As for Winterhawk's Edge 10, I know that was explained as an error in layout along with the correct stats being posted.

The karma budget was "Best judgement." Thorn's been an active spy/terrorist/runner for most of the twenty-first century. Lugh Surehand has been around a long, long time. Talon has been in at least a half-dozen epic "career-making runs." Martin de Vries was already a stupendous badass when he first appeared in Prime Runners. A very active runner who's been around for a decade or two can earn an incredible amount of karma, and that applies to virtually everyone in that book.

[Big John]

I'm good with "the story rules" thinking, I prefer such. When I read through the book, however, everyone's attributes were high, especially Edge. Most had 5 or 6, with a couple 4s and the previous high ones. I was beginning to wonder if I fully botched a portion of my character creation again! My poor sod of a troll only has 3 Edge...

I also understand that after years of experience a runner will have high skills and attributes. That didn't bother me. 10 Edge however....I want that Positive Quality!

Have I mentioned Thorn is awesome? I'm thinking Big John is becoming a shaman...yes. He will have Mentor Spirit (Thorn). Indeed....

[CanRay]

A very active runner who's been around for a decade or two can earn an incredible amount of karma, and that applies to virtually everyone in that book.

Pity the fool that picks a fight with ARGENT!

Or, hell, even Peg!

[Crimsondude]

I'm good with "the story rules" thinking, I prefer such. When I read through the book, however, everyone's attributes were high, especially Edge. Most had 5 or 6, with a couple 4s and the previous high ones. I was beginning to wonder if I fully botched a portion of my character creation again! My poor sod of a troll only has 3 Edge...

SR4 makes increasing Attributes in character advancement really important and wise (and hence more expensive) because Agility, for example, is the Linked Attribute for nearly every combat skill. And you can default to Attributes. Edge is just ... Edge.

I also understand that after years of experience a runner will have high skills and attributes. That didn't bother me. 10 Edge however....I want that Positive Quality!

Yeah. That would be something.

Have I mentioned Thorn is awesome? I'm thinking Big John is becoming a shaman...yes. He will have Mentor Spirit (Thorn). Indeed....

Critias will be pleased to read that. Have you seen his errataed stats (linked in Critias' signature)?

[Critias]

I'm good with "the story rules" thinking, I prefer such. When I read through the book, however, everyone's attributes were high, especially Edge. Most had 5 or 6, with a couple 4s and the previous high ones. I was beginning to wonder if I fully botched a portion of my character creation again! My poor sod of a troll only has 3 Edge...

A big part of that -- at least in my own mental calculating and statting up of my guy -- was that in a way it was like having a pretty high Edge was almost a requisite in order to someday become a Street Legend, just 'cause you really need it to stay in the business for very long. 

Edge isn't just dumb luck, it's at times also been described as will to succeed, the ability to persevere when body and mind (should) have failed you, and that sort of thing.  And for an awful lot of the Street Legend characters, they're plenty cinematic and "impossible hero," stars of their own novels (or more than one), and that sort of thing.  Edge is the go-to attribute for explaining that sort of plot-immunity type stuff, so it was a pretty popular stat for folks statting up these guys.  Not only is it a handy way to boost the stats of these characters all across the board (to keep them larger-than-life and nasty in a fight), but they're also handy ways to kind of explain how they lasted a long time.

Have I mentioned Thorn is awesome? I'm thinking Big John is becoming a shaman...yes. He will have Mentor Spirit (Thorn). Indeed....

Well, it's much appreciated.  I'm glad to hear it!  His first actual appearance was as the 'voice' of about a chapter and a half of Spy Games, if you haven't read that one yet, including the chapter on espionage tradecraft, which was fun to write.  He hasn't got any outright fiction in there, but there's lots of word count from him, even if not about him.

And, let's see, Thorn as a Mentor Spirit?  I'd say +2 to either Combat or Manipulation spells (choose), bonus on summoning spirits of Man...and...hmm.  Given his temperament, maybe the downside that Adversary followers get?  That's how I'd wing it, at least.   

[Wakshaani]

I'll admit that Thorn is someone I don't want to write for. I can't get the dang Lucky Charms voice out of my head and it taints everything I try and manage with him. I had to physically restrain myself from writing "Boyo" instead of "Boy" in a passage from him, and that hurt.

If we add a couple of southerners (Kane doesn't count, because, well, he's *Kane*) then I'll be sure to thwack people for miss-using Y'all.

[CanRay]

I'll admit that Thorn is someone I don't want to write for. I can't get the dang Lucky Charms voice out of my head and it taints everything I try and manage with him. I had to physically restrain myself from writing "Boyo" instead of "Boy" in a passage from him, and that hurt.

Are ye sayin' th' Irish talk funny, Lad?

Sure enough, ye keep on doin' just that, and ye'll get my Shillelagh upside the head!