In order to streamline the rules, I'm making a new thread and holding it to one post per topic.

People new to Shadowrun:
This is the "rules" thread.  YOU CAN SAFELY SKIP MOST OF IT!  I expect you'll come back to it later, but with the exception of character generation, there is nothing where I expect you to deal with the numbers directly.  If you want to know what all the numbers mean on your character sheet though, this is where to find out.  Otherwise, tell me what you want to do and we'll work it out together.

People familiar with Shadowrun:
I am implementing a number of rules from Shadowrun 3rd edition Revised (SR3R).  Be aware, many of these rules may be unfamiliar to you!  If you are familiar with the main rules, especially if you know the system backwards and forwards, it behooves you to read this thread and catch up on changes.  Some things may surprise you!  I encourage comments on all house rules.  This is the result of a community project and player feedback is required to make it the best it can be.

These equipment lists are not comprehensive. I add stuff as it's used/requested. I do normally permit everything in the SR3 manual without issue. Other items are on a by-request basis only. Custom-building equipment not in any book is fine; tell me what it is and I'll help you stat it out.

Please note, I do try to keep this thread trimmed down, so I regularly come in and delete posts which don't add much.  This sometimes results in conversations being a little disjointed.  I apologize for that.  If anything is unclear, please don't hesitate to ask!
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:23, Mon 27 Jan 2014.

SINs are the IDs that separate the "real" citizens from the unwashed masses.  Unfortunately, they also serve to track you, what you do, what you buy, where you go, who you talk to, etc.  They tag you in almost every interaction you have in your day-to-day existence.  Which is why most Shadowrunners aren't especially keen on them.  However, because they are so required to do most anything, fake SINs are very common.  Because of how everything is interlinked, a fake SIN has to have a detailed history, including medical records, credit history, living arrangements and the like.  This means they can get to be very expensive, but a low rating fake SIN isn't likely to be worth a whole lot.  On the flip side, fake SINs create a history of their own, mapping out your activities as they're used. For people in the shadows, that means fake SINs need to be regularly thrown away and replaced.  The cost for fake SINs are as follows:

Rating Cost              Availability
1-4   Rating*Rating*$1k  Rating/24 hrs.
5-8   Rating * $5k       Rating/72 hrs.
9-12  Rating * $10k      Rating/14 days
13+   Ratign * $50k      Rating/30 days

It's also worth noting that most of the gear a Shadowrunner totes around is illegal without an appropriate permit. For those interested in trying to carry a firearm, spell or other tool "legally", they need to have an appropriate license. A license is for a single weapon, tool or spell (and associated ammo) and linked to a SIN.

Permits can be bought for any non-military weapon.  Permits cost a flat fee of $100 for any melee weapon, $200 for any single shot or semi-automatic weapon, $400 for any burst fire weapon and $1,000 for any auto-fire weapon (note the list of burst/auto-fire weapons which are "non-military" is very slim).  Each permit allows an unlimited number of weapons in that category, for an additional $20 fee per weapon (so if you have 5 pistols, it costs $200 for the base permit, plus $100 for the 5 pistols, then all are legal).  Permits are not required for clubs or knives.

Note however that, even with a permit, walking around with a gun in downtown Seattle will get you nabbed, unless you clearly have a justified reason for it.

All spells over rating 3 are ILLEGAL without a permit.  Combat and many manipulation spells are illegal at any level.  For all other spells, permits may be purchased for $200 * (Force - 3) (so a rating 6 Treat spell is $600).  This process includes casting the spell in front of a law enforcement officer who will be able to recognize your astral signature.  Because of difficulty in recreating an astral signature, this isn't especially threatening to the mage, but that officer will always be able to recognize the mage's signature and can tie any spell cast by the mage back to the mage in the future.  Additionally, any spells cast of the type the mage has a permit for almost guarantee that its use in illegal activity will warrant at least a brief visit by Lone Star to make sure the mage didn't do it.

There are some decker programs that are legal for use.  This means the street index is 1 and they are always available.  You still need to shop around to make sure it doesn't require personal information or leave a trail of cookies in your wake, however.  The cost for these legal programs is halved and they are always legal.  The list is below:
Browse
Commlink
Read/Write
Medic

All other programs are considered hacking programs and are available only to security and military personnel, so there is no permit available.


As a note, money not attached to a SIN is attached to a certified credstick.  A certified credstick is sort of like those prepaid debit cards or phone cards.  They represent an account in a bank.  The account can be tracked by its account number.  It may be attached to an individual under some circumstances (for instance, if you bought it with a normal credstick, that fact may be attached to the certified stick).  So the bank would probably have a list of monetary exchanges its done with a particular stick, although how long it maintains that list or associated data depends on the particular bank (for the reasons you specified).

In general I expect that your credstick has an account in some more or less reliable no-name bank (there are a few) or is even laundered through the Mafia or somesuch.  It does still have an account registered to it though, and it's not hard for a decker to do a really anonymous transaction by sending it through a dozen other transactions until it reaches the intended recipient.  That's why a lot of times after a run the decker will immediately take all the cash and transfer it to other sticks, trashing the sticks the Johnson actually paid you with.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:58, Mon 27 Jan 2014.

Melee Weapons
Amazingly, no one has asked for this, so I haven't written them all out. If it exists now, it exists in SR.

Guns!
This is only a summary.  I'll include the damage code (which is Power (a number) and Damage Level (L)ight/(M)oderate/(S)erious/(D)eadly), the mode the gun fires in (Single Shot, Semi-Automatic, Bust Fire or Full Automatic), and finally the cost.  I'm goign to skip a lot of guns, since it gets sort of repetitive.  If you're interested in a CATEGORY of guns that I haven't filled out completely, ask me.

rc is Recoil Compensation.  It makes it easier to fire more bullets (and hence, is *VERY* useful when firing Burst or Full Auto).  You can upgrade your guns before or after purchase.  When something is listed in the parens, that's what the gun comes with.  You don't pay extra for it (and do get a discount when upgrading that to something else).

PISTOLS          Firing Mode Dmg Cost Ammo
-Hold-out (highly concealable, few rounds)
Streetline Special     SS    6M  $100  4
Walther Palm Pistol    SS    6M   $200 2 (can fire two shots simultaneously)
-Light (shoot worse than heavy pistols, more visible than hold-outs)
Beretta Model 101T     SA    7M   $350 8 (foldable stock with 1 rc)
-Machine Pistols (fire multiple shots)
Ceska Black Scorpion   SA/BF 6M   $850 35
-Heavy Pistols (the bread and butter of gangers and runners everywhere)
Ares Predator          SA    9M   $450  15
Browning Max-Power     SA    9M   $450  10
Remington Roomsweeper  SA    9S(f) $300 8 (sawn off shotgun.  Less damage vs. armor.)
Ruger Super Warhawk    SS    10M  $300  6 (revolver, cannot accept silencer)
Ares Taurus            SS   9M   $900  4 (knife-gun, see below)
-Taser
Defiance Super Shock   SA    10S(Stun)  $1,000 4 (15-meter range.  Ask for details)

SUBMACHINE GUNS
AK-97 SMG/Carbine   SA/BF/FA 8M  $800  30
HK227               SA/BF/FA 9M  $1,500 28 (retractable stock, laser sight, rating 2 gas-vent recoil system for 3 points of rc)
Ingram Smartgun     SA/BF    9M  $950 32 (integral smartlink, folding stock, rating 2 gas-vent recoil system for 3 points of rc)
Uzi III             BF       8M  $600 24 (folding stock, laser sight for 1 point of rc)

(When using shot, as opposed to slugs, shotguns lose -2 to power and -1 to their damage level per range category (so 8D/6S/4M/2L for Short/Medium/Long/Extreme range).  Every type of armor counts as hardened vs. shot (if the power of the attack isn't higher than the rating of your armor, no damage is done).  Shotgun has an effective choke of 1 (the cone spreads by .5 meters every meter from the gun).)
SHOTGUNS
Defiance T-250      SS      12S  $500 5
Enfield AS-7        SA/BF   10S   $1,000 10 (laser sight)

(The weapons past this point automatically decrease the target's armor by 3 points due to their superior penetration)
RIFLES
Remington 750       SS       7S  $600 5 (rating 1 mag scope)
Remington 950       SS       9S  $800 5 (rating 1 mag scope)

ASSAULT RIFLES
AK-97             SA/BF/FA  8M   $700  38(folding stock for 1 pt of rc)
AK-98             SA/BF/FA  8M   $2,500 38 (folding stock for 1 pt of rc, underbarrel grenade launcher)
FN HAR            SA/BF/FA  8M   $1,200 35 (folding stock, laser sight, rating 2 gas-vent, 3 rc)

(Because of the heavy weight of these weapons, they reduce the user's combat pool by 3 for the purpose of dodging only.)
HEAVY WEAPONS
Ingram Valiant Light Machine Gun  BF/FA  7S  $1,500 (hip brace 1rc)
Ares Antioch Grenade Launcher     SS    by grenade  $1,700


Ares Taurus (custom-designed weapon, not in the books)
This gun doesn't seem to quite know what it is. A sword, the size of a sawn-off shotgun, with an integrated handgun. Built as a ridiculous show weapon, mostly for buyers with more testosterone than brains, but with a little tweaking it's an ideal close-combat one-two punch.

The weapon looks almost like a short machete, with an oversize handle and wide spine. The blade is considered adequate, with a conceal of 4, damage of (STR+2)L.

The firearm has an internal magazine holding four rounds (plus one in the chamber), which it can fire single shot. Because of its awkward configuration, it suffers a -1 penalty to attacks, however it does have quite the punch (9M). It can receive an additional top accessory for $100 extra, due to the costs of re-balancing the blade. While not designed to support barrel accessories, street shops have designed a silenced barrel for $600.


Fire Weapons:
Flamethrowers

Flamethrowers us the Spray Weapons skill (which I'm not going to bother adding to our list because no one ever gets the Spray Weapons skill).

Flame throwers can be used on a single target, or swept across an area (using the current SR3 shotgun rules in the book).  They do not have a choke, they are simply 'walked'.  Flamethrowers damage is reduced by Impact Armor.  As always, any objects, armor, weapons, etc. hit roll their Object Resistance against the power of the attack, staged appropriately given the flammability of the item.  Ammunition may cook off, people catch on fire (causing 6M damage per round until extinguished).  Flamethrowers have a barrier rating of 10 on the tanks.  Flamethrowers may not mount any accessories, but may be mounted as an underbarrel accessory to a long gun for an additional $200.

FLAMETHROWERS    Firing Mode Dmg Cost    Ammo  Weight  Avail
Flamethrower           SS    8M  $1,000   10       21   10/1wk.
Shiawise Blazer        SS    6M  $750     4        6   12/2wks.
SI: 3

Empty tank - $50
One "shot" worth of fuel - $5


AMMUNITION
Ammo - per 10 shots
Standard  $20
Gel Rounds $30 (these stun the target)
Flechette $100 (these cause tremendous damage to unarmored foes, but significantly less to anyone with armor)
Explosive Rounds  $50 (increased power)
EX Explosive rounds $100 (even more increased power, more stable)
Incendiary Rounds (see below) $150
Tracers $75  (helps target when using autofire
Taser darts $50 (for tasers only)

With the exception of tracers, you cannot put multiple ammunition types in a magazine.


Incendiary RoundsThis magnesium rounds work like tracer rounds (decreasing TNs when using autofire).   They count as standard rounds for the purposes of determining weapon damage, however when they hit a target, they continue to burn.  When hit, the character mus resist an attack with a power equal to twice the number of incendiary rounds that hit him and a damage level of Light.  This reduces by 2 per Combat Turn.  Armor does not reduce this effect and Combat Pool cannot be used.  These may cook off ammunition, etc.

Incendiary rounds are naturally unstable.  If more than half the dice on a given attack are 1's, the round bursts inside of the firer's gun.  Each consecutive phase incendiary rounds are used counts as an automatic 1 for this purpose only.

$150/10, availability of 10/1 wk, SI of 2




You can purchase grenades as well.  That uses thrown weapons skill to use, but you can also set them up as booby traps, or deposit them quietly.  Minigrenades, for grenade launchers, are the same price.  Many grenades come in HE or AP versions.  HE is High Explosive, it's your standard grenade.  AP is Anti-Personnel, and fragments more than normal, making it more deadly to unarmored foes.

(For 1)
Offensive (HE or AP)  $30
Defensive (HE or AP)  $30 (tigher, more controlled blast, equal power)
Concussion            $30 (stun damage only)
Incendiary            $50 (Object resistance test +2 or catch fire for 10
                           rounds. W.in range of 1m 8M damaged reduced by Impact/2)
White Phosphorous     $120 (15m range, 14M first, then 10L for 15 rnds vs. Impact/2)
Gas (neuro-stun VII)  $60 (releases a stun gas)
Smoke                 $30 (releases a cloud of smoke you can hide in)
IR smoke              $40 (releases hot smoke to block infra-red vision)
Flash-pak            $250 (releases a blinding flash, like flashbangs)



FIREARM MODS
Here are some modifications for your weapons.  Remember, weapons cannot mount an infinite number of mods, but most mods can be swapped out.  Pistols can only accept a barrel accessory and a top mounted accessory.  All other guns can accept Barrel, Top Mounted and Underbarrel Mount.  I allow the integral Smartlink system to not take a mount.  For each item, I indicate its name, cost and mounts.  Most modifiers either decrease recoil or make it easier to target something.  Pistols and rifles have no use for more than 1 point of recoil compensation, but SMGs, assault rifles, machine guns and anything else that uses rapid fire needs as much as it can get.

Most modifiers also decrease the concealability of the weapon, so keep that in mind.

Type          Mount     Cost
Bipod         Under     $400  (2 recoil comp when in use)
Conc. Holster -         $100  (+2 to pistol conceal)
Silencer      Barrel    $500  (TN to hear shot goes up by +4)
Sound Suppr.  Barrel    $750  (TN to hear goes up by +2, for long guns)
Tripod        Under     $600  (6 recoil comp, not easily available)
Gas Vent II   Barrel    $450  (-2 rc, -1 conceal, CANNOT BE REMOVED)
Gas Vent III  Barrel    $700  (-3rc, -2 conceal, CANNOT BE REMOVED)
Gyro Mount, Std Under   $2.5k (1/1 armor, halves CP, -5 rc)
Gyro Mnt, Dlx Under     $6k   (1/1 armor, halves CP, -6 rc)
Shock Pads    -         $200  (-1 rc, doesn't take a gun slot)
Imaging Scopes                 These types can be combined by adding prices
  Low Light   Top       $1.5k  Scopes are not compatible with Smartlink
  Mag 1       Top       $500
  Mag 2       Top       $800
  Mag 3       Top       $1.2k
  Thermo      Top       $1.5k
Laser Sight  Top/Under  $500   -1 to hit, Not compatible with Smartlink
Ultrasound Sight Top/Under $1,300  Creates ultrasound map
Ultrasound Goggles -   $1.1k
Smartlink Goggles -    $3k    Allows non-cybered person to use smartlink, -1 to hit
Smartgun, internal -   +100% Weapon price   A smartgun link must be installed
Smartgun, external Top/Under  $600          on a weapon to use smartlink cyber
Grenade launcher (ARs only)  under  $1,700  A grenade launcher.  Uses
                      launch weapons skill.  Mountable on Assault Rifles only.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:49, Mon 27 Jan 2014.

The following are the types of armor you can buy.  There are two ratings with armor, Ballistic and Impact.  Ballistic blocks firearms almost exclusively.  Impact blocks arrows, shrapnel, fire, punches, knives, swords and most everything else.  Stacking armor is difficult, and depends heavily on your Quickness rating.  If you go over it, you do begin to suffer.  I'll help anyone with that if they do that.

Name             Ball/Imp  Cost
Tres Chic clothing 0/0  $1,000
Fine clothing      0/0  $500
Normal clothing    0/0  $50
Riot shield, small 1/2  $1,500
Riot shield, lg    2/3  $1,500
Riot shld, ball.   3/1  $1,500
Camo full suit     5/3  $1,200 (you must choose a single pattern when bought)
Camo jacket        3/1  $800
Armor clothing     3/0  $450
Armor jacket       5/3  $850
Armor vest         2/1  $175
Armor vest w/ plate 4/3 $350
Lined Coat         4/2  $650 (this also adds to the concealability of weapons)
(the Securetech line is higher quality, and more appropriate for social gatherings)
Secure clothing    3/0  $500
Secure jacet       5/3  $900
Secure vest        2/1  $200
Ultravest          4/3  $350
secure coat        4/2  $700 (this also adds to the concealability of weapons)

Armor Modifications
While armor modifications are in the books, for this game we don't normally permit them. The exception is:

Armor Fire-Resistance Modification
Armor can receive modifications.  The total rating of all combined modifications is limited by the armor's base Ballistic + Impact rating, each individual addition cannot exceed its Ballistic or Impact rating (whichever is higher) and may never be added to Securetech armor.  Currently only Fire resistance is offered.  Each level of Fire resistance adds +1 against any flame-based attacks.

Rating * $100  +1/+12 hours to armor availability, +.25 to Street Index.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:22, Mon 27 Jan 2014.

I'm going to reproduce the cyberware list briefly here.  I'm only putting in name, essence cost and monetary cost.  I'll further explain what each piece does if asked.  You can buy Alphaware, a higher grade of cyberware.  You multiply the essence cost by .8, and the monetary cost by 2. Also notice gear that replicates some cyberware at the bottom of the post.

* indicates the price or use of the item has somehow been houseruled from the original rules in the book.
$ indicates that the item can be bought for 25% of its full price when used.
N indicates the technology is not yet available in this timeline.

Bodyware       Ess. Cost   Description
Bone Lacing N               Augments ability to absorb and resist damage
  Plastic      .5   $7.5k
  Alunimum    1.15  $25k
  Titanium    2.25  $75k
Fingertip compartment  .1  $3k  Concealable hiding place
Hand Blade      .1  $7.5k$N       Concealable weapon, (Str+3)L
  retractable   .25 $10k$
Hand razors     .1  $4.5k$       Replaced fingertips (Str)L
  Improved      NA  +$8.5k$      +2 power
  Retractable   .2  $9k$
Muscle replacemnt Rating  Rating * $20k  +Rating to Strength, Quickness
  (max rating 4)
Program Carrier $25k               Chips embedded in the decker permits him to deck "naked"
Smartlink       .5  $2.5k$       Superior gun use, targetting
Spur            .1  $7k$         Long blades (like wolverine), (STR)M
  Retractable   .3  $11.5k$
Voice modulator .2  $45k        Modifies, scrambles and disguises voice
  (other options available)
Boosted reflexes N               Increases speed and reaction, inferior version
  Lvl 1         .5  $15k
  Lvl 2        1.25 $40k
  Lvl 3        2.8  $90k
Dermal Plating                  Augments ability to absorb damage
  Lvl 1         .5  $15k
  Lvl 2         1   $40k
  Lvl 3        1.5  $45k
Filtration systems              Filters out poisons
(Ask for types and costs, if interested)
Simrigs N                        Allows for the recording of Sim videos
(Ask for types and costs, if interested)
Skillwires   .2*Max rating  Max total MP * Max Rating * $500
                        Allows 'downloading' of skills from chips
Vehicle Control Rig             For riggers, enhanced driving speed and skill
  Lvl 1         2   $12k
  Lvl 2         3   $60k
  Lvl 3         5   $300k
Wired Reflexes                 Boosts speed and reflexes, superior
  Lvl 1         2   $55k
  Lvl 2         3   $165k
  Lvl 3         5   $500k
Reaction Enhancer .3/point  $60k/point   Boosts reflexes
Reflex trigger  +.2  +$13k    Allows character to turn off wired reflexes, prevents 'accidents'

Headware:
Chipjack       .2  $1k$   Allows for reading of data chips, skillwire chips
Datajack       .2  $1k$   Multi-purpose connection jack, essential for decking
Knowsoft link  .1  $1k  Allows for reading of data chips only
Memory      MP/600 $MP*75 Storage memory*
Synthlink $1k Permits musicians to connect with their instruments
Tooth Compartment N       Storage space for chemicals or small items
   Breakable   -    $700
   Storage     -    $1.5k
Communications           Assorted communication options
Commlink       .3   Rating * $5k N A radio-waves scanner
Radio          .2   Rating * $2k$N  A radio (transmits and receives) *
Radio Receiver .15   Rating * $1k$N  Receives radio only *
Subvocal mic   .1   $850$N
Telephone      .2   $3.7k$ *

Eyes  (Many of these options can be installed WITHOUT cybereyes, however cybereyes have .5 essence 'free space')  Most cybernetic reproductions of naturally occuring benefits (low-light, thermo), are slightly inferior to the real thing.

Cyber replacement .2  $5k$  Cybernetic eye, no special options
Camera         .4   $5k
Display Link   .1   $1k$    Displays text data
Flare Compen.  .1   $2k$    Reduces modifiers from bright lights
Image link     .2   $1.6k$N  Displays pictures, video
Low-light      .2   $3k$    Low-light vision
Retinal Clock  .1   $450 N Is a clock
Thermographic  .2   $3k$    Sees heat
Vision Mag N               Magnifies objects (optical required for mages)
  Electronic 1 .1   $3.5k$
  Electronic 2 .1   $7.5k
  Electronic 3 .1   $11k
  Optical 1    .2   $2.5k$
  Optical 2    .2   $4k$
  Optical 3    .2   $6k$

Ears (Like cybereyes, ears hold .5 essence in options without losing further essence.  Most options can be installed without a cyberear.)

Replacement    .3   $4k$
Dampner        .1   $3.5k$   Reduces penalties from loud noise
Hearing Amp    .2   $3.5k$N
High Frequency .2   $3k
Low Frequency  .2   $3k$
Recorder       .3   $7k
Sound Filter   .2   Level * $10k N Increases chances of hearing particular noises
  (Levels 1-5)


Cyberlimbs
Obvious arm/leg   .75  $37.5k$
Synthetic arm/leg  .75 $50k N- difficult to spot as cyber, conceal of 8
Built in device    -  4*normal cost
Built in smartgun link  .25  $2.5k$
Direct Neural Interface  .1  $4.5k$
Strength Enhancement (default strength is 6 for humans)
   1-3 (per limb)  -  $25k$  per point (-1 conceal per point)
   4-6 (per limb)  .2/pt  $37.5k per point (-2 conceal per point)

Cyberlimbs come with 2/2 armor.  To calculate total armor added by cyberlimbs: add up the armor from all the limbs and divide by 4 (round down).  The resulting number is added to worn armor without any stacking penalty.   A cyberarm adds 1 point of recoil compensation to any weapon fired with it.



NON-CYBERWARE Equipment
Personal Electronics N -- None of these items are available in 2050
Gabbana Designer Eyewear (these accept cybereye mods without requiring cyberware installation)
Goggles - .5 essence in add-ons and has a datajack plug-in to allow DNI control.  They function for eight hours before needing to be recharged.
Shades - .3 essence in add-ons.  Functions may be toggled using control bumps on the edge of the frame.  They function for four hours before needing to be recharged.
Contact lenses - accept up to .2 essence in add-ons.  Functions are always on while worn.  They function for one hour before needing to be recharged.

All packages can accept any eye-based cyberware modification, up to the maximum essence capacity of the eyewear.  The eyewear does not accept any non-standard cyberware grades, and does not cost the wearer any essence.  With the exception of the goggles, no eyewear is capable of DNI control, and therefore all functions are controlled manually, if at all.  All versions run on a battery based on the size of the equipment, limiting their degree of use.

Novatech eBud Earwear
EBuds or ear buds can hold up to .3 essence in cyberear add-ons without costing the user any essence. The operate for 10 hours between chargings. Add-ons must be standard grade.  All functions can be toggled through a tiny control on the ear bud itself.

Lead's Show-Off Nails
Press-on or installed nails, these can have their color and pattern changed with a simple touch of their attached stylus.  Show-Off nails can be installed as cyberware for .05 essence for ten, and at an additional 300¥ cost.

Conceal Weight Avail. Cost St. Index Legal
Goggles 6 1 4/1 day 500¥ 1 Legal
Shades 8 - 4/1 day 1,000¥ 1 Legal
Contacts12 - 6/2 days2,000¥ 1 Legal
eBud 8 - 4/1 day 500¥ 1 Legal
Show-Off Nails (for 10) 10Always100¥ 6 Legal



A note on money at character generation (chargen):
When you purchase equipment at chargen you do NOT count street index.  However, you're limited to an availability of 8 and rating of 6 (yes, that applies to your cyberdeck as well, but you can still buy as many programs as you'd like.)

When you're done with character generation, you keep 10% of whatever money you haven't spent.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:14, Mon 27 Jan 2014.

(This post is incomplete because no one has asked for me to flesh it out. Suffice to say, there are vehicles, and we generally used the SR3 rules and stats. A few clarifications/notes:)

You can mount up to the Body rating of the vehicle in weapons. Weapons receive a recoil compensation bonus of BODx2. You need the Gunnery skill to use mounted weapons.

There are two types of mounts for the two types of weapons.

Heavy weapons (Medium Machine Guns and up) are mounted on Hard Points. This counts as 2 points when compared to the body of the vehicle.

Light weapons (everything else) are mounted on firm points.  You only count this as 1 point of body.

So a body 3 car can take 3 light weapons or 1 heavy weapon and 1 light weapon.

External firmpoint $750
Internal firmpoint $1,500
External hardpoint $2,000
Internal hardpoint $3,000
(Internal points are concealed, and slide out when you need them.  External anyone can see.)

As a house rule, you can mount two weapons with an identical damage code on a vehicle. This counts as a single weapon, but doubles the maximum rate of fire, and permits additional recoil compensation. (The vehicle bonus to recoil compensation only applies once, however.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:45, Mon 27 Jan 2014.

For those of you interested in becoming adepts...  You have 6 power points.  You can buy more later, but they're very pricey.  Getting cyberware lowers the number of available points.  You can 'purchase' the following powers:

Astral Perception - 2 (can see the astral plane)
Attribute boost - .25 per level (make a test and, if successful, a particular attribute by the level of the power for a number of rounds)
Body control - .25 per level (lets you resist toxins and diseases)
Combat Sense - 1/2/3 (each level adds one to your combat pool, and makes you harder to surprise.
Enhanced perception - .5 per level (each level adds one to making perception tests)
Improved ability - .25 per level for stealth, athletics, .5 per level for combat skills (each level adds +1 to that particular skill)
Improved physical attribute - .5 per level (increases attribute by 1
Improved reflexes - 2/3/4 (works like wired reflexes at an equivalent level)
Improved sense - .25 per sense (allows you to emulate any other sense that occurs in nature, ex:  thermo, low light, smell, direction sense, flare comp, etc.)
Killing Hands - .5/1/2/4 (your hands do physical damage on the physical and astral planes.  Each level increases the damage level by one (L/M/S/D))
Magic resist - 1 per level (adds one die to resist any spell.  Can be turned off.)
Mystic armor - .5 per level (each level adds +1 impact armor)
Pain resistance - .5 per level (this reduces the penalties caused by wounds by a number of boxes equal to its level)
Rapid healing - .5 per level (lets you heal faster)
Suspended state - 1 (allows you to enter a comatose state, slowing bleeding when severely wounded)
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:35, Mon 27 Jan 2014.

No one's asked for it, so it's not here.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:44, Tue 28 Jan 2014.

Because it has been requested, Magical Equipment!  Remember, many things listed here have a KARMA cost as well as monetary before you can use it!  Many of the listings have a price of F*$XXX.  F refers to the FORCE of the item.  Force means both how much karma it costs to bond to it, but also determines how many dice it adds to your casting or how high a spell it can effect.  For instance, the Expendable Spell Focus will add a number of dice equal to its Force to either the casting or drain resistance.  A Sustaining Focus can sustain a single spell with a force less than or equal to the foci's force.  SI is the Street Index.  When you're buying these illegally (on the street), you multiply the original price by the SI before adjusting due to negotiations.  People with no negotiations skill can still expect to pay more.

When a focus only works for a specific category or spell, that category or spell is chosen AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE.  A focus is built with that specialization, and so it can't be changed later.


                          Price   SI     Karma
Expendable Spell Focus   F*$1.5k   1       0
     -Single use, adds Force to spell of a particular category
Specific Spell Focus    F*45k     2        1*F
     -Adds Force to every casting of a particular spell
Spell Category Focus    F*45k     2        3*F
     -Adds Force to every spell of a particular category (as well as defending against spells of the same)
Spirit Focus            F*$60k    2        2*F
     -Adds Force to every conjuring of a spirit of a particular category
Power Focus             F*$105k   2        5*F
     -Adds Force to caster's effective Magic rating, may add Force to sorcery, conjuring or drain resistance tests or Spell Defense
Sustaining Focus       F*$15k     2        1*F
     -Allows the caster to sustain the spell cast into the focus without concentrating on it
Weapon Foci  [(Reach+1)*$100k]+F*$90k (3+Reach)*F  2
     -Adds its Force to linked combat skill, damages physical and astral creatures

Elemental Conjuring Materials  F*$1k 1   -
     -Required ingredients for summoning elementals of that specific type
Shamanic Lodge Materials  F*$.5k  1      -
     -Required elements for building a shamanic lodge
Hermetic Library (per skill) Rating*Rating*$1k  1  -
     -Different hermetic libraries are required for mages to do different things

Fetishes
Combat                $200       1      -
Detection             $50        1      -
Healing               $500       1      -
Illusion              $100       1      -
Manipulation          $300       1      -
- Fetishes are required for a magic-user to cast a fetish-linked spell.  Spells are only linked to fetishes if they are intentionally learned that way

Spell Formulas
L Drain               F*$50      2      -
M Drain               F*$100     2      -
S Drain               F*$500     2      -
D Drain               F*$1000    2      -
- Spell-casters can learn spells using spell formulas

Feel free to ask questions :)
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:44, Mon 27 Jan 2014.

Latex face mask - Availability 8/1 mo.   Street index  4  $500

This is a latex mask kit, including the materials necessary for a single cast.  The latex mask can be matched to a single facial structure.  Similar kits can be bought for hands (accurate down to the finger print level) for half the price.

Autopicker - Availability 6/1 mo.  Street index 4 rating*$200

Also called a pick-gun.  It's about the size of a light pistol down to an electric toothbrush, with a long, slender piece inserted into the key hole.  With either a snap of a spring or an electric vibration, this snaps the cylinders into place.  The user can use the rating of this device in place of the lockpicking skill on any locks not specifically designed to overcome them (generally rating 8 locks or above).  These do make noises, and may be heard on a perception test with a TN of 4 (although likely not recognized).  They can also be made at home with some basic electronics skill (the difficulty is based on the rating).  It generally takes approximately 5 seconds to work.

lockpick set - Availability 2/1 wk. Street index 2 $30

This or the autopicker are required for lockpicking.  This depends completely on the user's skill (lockpicking).  The TN for picking is based on the quality of the lock.  These are exceptionally simple to make at home assuming you have the tools and some basic skill, which makes them easy to pick up on the street.  A lockpick set can be replaced by a lockpicking kit, shop or facility (standard prices), which also will decrease the TN of picking the lock.  Lockpicking can be done almost silently, causing no more noise than the normal operation of the lock, but generally takes longer (this will be a test against a TN based on the lock.  The basic time it takes is 10 minutes per attempt, divided by the number of successes.  No penalty for multiple attempts.)

Chain saw - Availability 4/1 wk.  Street inex 1.5  $300

It's a chainsaw.  It cuts through things.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:51, Mon 27 Jan 2014.

(Vigo is now immortalized in my mechanics thread, which will probably be saved and used for other games):

Hello, fellow gamers, this is Big Brother, your Gamemaster.  Like you, I am a real person, living in a very real world, even though we're all enjoying ourselves in this fantasy land.  Some of you may notice that our characters snort novacoke, shoot themselves up on jazz, booze themselves into oblivion or fry their brains on sizzling club drugs or addicting simsense rigs; its fun to watch, isn't it?  And even more fun to experience through a vicarious, imaginary shell that you can load up with highly lethal methamphetamine cocktails just for kicks, right?

Sadly, in the real world, things just don't work that way.  In the real world, crushing the drug peddler's skull in with your vibrohammer and stealing his powder for your own personal use isn't an option like it is in the world of Shadowrun.  In Shadowrun, meters and meters of white lines followed by a full case of poppers and a marathon of unprotected kinky orgy sex is romantic and transforms you from the average street thug or wannabe into a cool, totally awesome shadowrunner!

In the real world, though, all that kind of behavior does is make you an A-list movie star in Hollywood or a high-ranking politician in Washington, DC, neither of which, as we all know, are anything to aspire towards.  You're better off with a squeaky clean future in computer maintenance.

This is your Big Brother, signing out.  And remember:  knowing is only half the battle!  JUST SAY NO!

BB


Addendum: Don't shoot people either.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:59, Mon 27 Jan 2014.

Drugs:
Drugs are sold by the dose.  The dose varies from drug to drug, but each dose is generally small enough to fit in a single hypodermic needle.

Drugs have damage codes just like other weapons.  Damage cannot be staged up, only staged down.  A second dose applied before the first has taking effect will increase the damage level by one.  Additional doses past that do not increase the damage, but each increases the power by +1.  Ongoing exposure results in regular damage resistance tests, however a drug can never cause more than it's base Damage Level + 1.  The exception is overdosing and prolonged use, which will be covered later.

Below are common combat drugs:

CS/Tear Gas  4/2 weeks  SI 4 $150
Contact/inhalation
Speed: 1 Combat Turn
Damage: Make Body(5) test.  +3 modifier to all actions, -1 per success.  Effect is for 5 minutes -1 per success.  -2 to willpower vs. fear or intimidation.
Effect: Stun Damage, Disorientation
Description: Commonly referred to as tear gas, CS gas is an
irritant that affects the skin, eyes, and mucus membranes, causing
them to burn and water. It also stimulates a physiological
panic response: increased heart rate, shortness of breath, and so
forth. Washing thoroughly with soap and water can remove CS
from the victim’s skin, thus ending the duration of the nausea
prematurely. CS gas becomes inert after 2 minutes of contact
with the air.


Cyanide 3/48 hrs.  $360 SI 1
Speed: Instantaneous
One of the most rapidly acting of all natural poisons.  Its presence is noted by a momentary burning sensation in the mouth (if swallowed or inhaled), the smell of bitter almonds, and an almost instant lapse into spasmodic breathing.

Cyanide works by inhibiting and blocking the enzyme that controls the oxygen release from red blood cells.  The result is death by cellular asphyxiation.  Oxiding agents, such as hydrogen permanganate or potassium permanganate can transform cyanide into a harmless oxamine, but they must be applied immediately.


Gamma-Scopolamine
Gamma-Scopolamine  8/2 wks.  $200  SI 5
Vector: Injection
Speed: Immediate
Damage: 10D
Effect: Paralysis, Truth Serum (see Description).
Description: This neuromuscular blocking agent renders a target unable to move. It is derived from the natural toxin found in Atropa Belladonna, commonly known as nightshade. Gammascopolamine takes effect immediately, causing dizziness, dilation of the pupils, speech loss, delirium, and paralysis. The full effects last for one hour. After the hour has passed, the residue remaining in the body acts as a “truth serum” for an additional hour. Reduce the target’s Willpower by 3 (to a minimum of 1)
for the duration of the chemical’s effect.


Narcoject
Narcojet    6/2 wks.   $50 SI 6
Vector: Injection
Speed: Immediate
Effect: 8S
Description: A common knockout drug, narcoject is often used with dart guns. It has no side effects.


Nausea Gas
Nausea Gas   4/48hrs. $25  SI 2
Vector: Inhalation
Speed: 3 Combat Turns
Damage:  See below
Effect: Disorientation, Nausea
Description: A victim who breathes nausea gas will feel the need to vomit.  Further, the character suffers a +5 modifier to all target numbers, -1 per Body(5) success.  Characters who suffer a higher TN modifier than their willpower must make another Body(5) test or vomit (and thusly be incapacitated for 3 turns).  Nausea gas lasts for 5 minutes per +1 modifier.


Neuro-Stun XI
Neuro-Stun   36/36hrs.   $20  SI 2
Vector: Contact, Inhalation
Speed: 1 Combat Turn
Power: 6S
Effect: Stun Damage, Disorientation
Description: This colorless and odorless knockout gas is used for emergency-containment conditions. Neuro-Stun comes
in different concentrations. Some become inert after only 10 minutes of contact with the air; others become inert after only 1 minute. Wind and other environmental conditions may disperse the gas more quickly.


Pepper Punch
Pepper Punch 2/4 hours SI 1 $5
Vector: Contact, Inhalation
Speed: 1 Combat Turn
Damage: 12L Stun
Effect: Stun Damage, Nausea
Description: Pepper punch uses oreocapsicum, derived from hot peppers, as an active ingredient. A victim dosed with pepper punch feels an intense burning on any affected skin, and her eyes and nose will water. Eyes that are sprayed will burn fiercely and the victim will have difficulty seeing. The throat and nasal passage will be irritated, making breathing difficult.

In addition to resisting 12L Stun, the victim rolls a Body(5) test.  He suffers +5 to all actions, -1 per success, for 10 - (2 per success) minutes.


Seven-7
Seven-7   20/2 wks.   $1,000 SI 6
Vector: Contact, Inhalation
Speed: 1 Combat Turn
Damage: 10D stun
Effect: Damage, Disorientation, Nausea
Description: This colorless and odorless cutting-edge war gas was developed by Mitsuhama specifically to bypass chemical protection measures. In addition to Physical damage, Seven-7 causes cramping, nausea and double vision to victims. Seven-7 oxidizes and becomes inert after 10 minutes of exposure to air.  Standard chemsuits do not reduce the power, but only add 2 turns to the gas' speed.


Non-Combat drugs:
I use this term loosely to cover any drug you might use on yourself instead of on someone else.  This primarily includes medicinal, recreational and enhancement drugs.  In 2050 drug makers have refined their products to make them both more addictive and less lethal.  To do otherwise risks losing business.  As such, most of these drugs are "safer" but more addicting than their modern counterparts.  Unfortunately, these drugs are just as deadly in the long run, they'll just drain the bank account longer.

Drugs have several important ratings:
The addiction rating - this determines how addictive the drug is.  There are two "types" of addiction ratings, physical (P) and mental (M) for the two different types of addictions.  Mental addiction is resister by willpower, Physical by body.  A drug may have two addiction ratings, making it both physically and mentally addicting.

Tolerance - This is how easily you develop a tolerance for the drug in question (which can be very useful for those poisons you can build a tolerance to, by the by).  With regular use (usually after an addiction), I'll begin making this with the addiction test.  Some chemicals will have their tolerance go down by 1 every test until you discontinue use for some time.  Some won't.  This is a case by case basis, so feel free to ask.  Building up tolerance means that the effects of the drug are diminished and you either need to bump up the dose or find a stronger drug in approximately the same category.

Speed of Addiction - This determines how many uses in 6 months are required before you make an addiction check.

There are some other factors (acceptable time between fixes and the like) which will be played out, but I see no reason to document them all here.

Results of Addiction - This varies from drug to drug, and ultimately isn't always even known.  Some drugs are intentionally made to be free of any serious side effects, assuming "moderate" use.  Many drugs carry a measly -1 to resistance against diseases (alcohol and cigarettes) and/or a +1-3 to Athletic TNs (depending on the length and strength of the addiction).  Street drugs are generally not so kind, however, and are more likely to allow the user to build up a tolerance, forcing them to find a "better" fix.  This generally includes a gradual decrease in physical and mental attributes (repairable only by expending karma again) and eventually a loss of physical health boxes (repairable only through prolonged drug treatment).

Interactions with magic: There are an assortment of drugs designed specifically to positively reinforce magical abilities.  They may be used for dream quests or other magical sojourns.  Most of these are now carefully manufactured and controlled, just like any other prescription medication (although buying the "natural alternative" is often possible and even preferable for shamans and the like).  Unfortunately, like all drugs, even these, through prolonged use, may have a negative impact on the balance of the user's spirit.  After an amount of time depending on the drug, the user rolls a Magic Loss check as though he had suffered a deadly wound.  If the check fails, the user loses 1 magic point permanently.  They amount of use required varies from drug to drug, but a ballpark figure is around 2-3 * Speed of Addiction.  This includes Physical Adept powers.

Drugs and cyber:  Drugs cause unusual physiological effects which cyberware generally is not made to handle.  With weaker drugs, the effects generally are minimal except when used directly on the cyberware (tobacco used with a cyberlung, for instance).  However, combat drugs especially may cause unusual side effects.  A user popping Kamikaze when he already has Wired Reflexes 3 may cause his body to move "faster" than his mind, sending him into convulsions.  Alternatively, when the same user pops Jazz, the effects of the drug (including the intended effects) are almost completely unoticable, as though he hadn't used it at all.  The general rule is if a drug increases a statistic already increased through cyberware, an unusual drug interaction is significantly more likely.  Generally the result is a decreased potency of the drug, but it can result in significantly more strength than intended, rocketing it to dangerous levels.

Drug to drug interactions:  Mixing drugs with other drugs is a dangerous game to play.  Increasing a single dose will give you half again the potency of the first (round down), but doubles the crash effects.  This is especially dangerous when tolerance has already reduced the effects of the drug.  When a drug is overused, depending on the drug, other negative effects may come into play.  It's difficult to overdose on marijuana, although it'll put the user out for a while.  Overdosing on novacoke is dangerously easy, however.

Mixing a drug with a drug with similar effects (example: heroine and alcohol) greatly reduces the risk of accidental overdose.  Mixing a drug with an opposing drug (heroine and cocaine) can have unpredictable effects and again is deadly oftentimes enough to make it dangerous.  Mixing drugs is generally not recommended, although a medical practitioner may be able to recommend appropriate mixes safely.


Jazz 8/4 days  $40 SI 3
Addiction: 3m
Vector: Inhalation
Speed: Immediate
Duration: 10 * 1d6 minutes
Effects:  Developed by Lone Star's R&D Division, jazz was designed to better the odds for run-of-the-mill law-enforcement officers who run up against wired and chromed street samurai.  Designated as an "energizer", jazz significantly boosts the user's reflexes and reactions for a short period.

Usually taken from a signle-dose inhaler (or "popper"), jazz increases the user's Quickness by 2, Initiative by +1d6.

When Jazz wears off, the user crashes and is flooded with despondent and miserable emotions.  The user must resist 8L stun damage and apply a +1 modifier to all tests involving concentration and a -1 penalty to quickness for 10 * 1d6 minutes.


Marijuana  .5/1 hrs $10 SI .5
AKA: grass, weed, hashish, dubich, ganja
Addiction: 3m
Tolerance: 3
Speed of Addiction: 20
Speed: 2d6/1d6 minutes
Vector: Inhalation/Ingestion
Duration: 4d6 minutes/1d3 hours
Effects: Quickness -2, Intelligence -1, Charisma -1, Willpower -1, Reaction -2, lethargy, euphoria, block-all(2)
Crash Effects: Charisma -1, Reaction -1, Willpower -1, hunger, sensory sensitivity, Stimulant(1)
Permanent Effects: Artistic skills +1 once per month of use [Charisma(6), +1 maximum total increase], Charisma +1 once per month use [Willpower(6), +1 maximum total increase]


Kamikaze  5/4 days $50 SI 5
Addiction: 4p
Tolerance: 4
Speed of Addiction: 8
Vector: Inhalation
Duration: 10 * 1d6 minutes
Effects:  Kamikaze is a tailored amphetamine combat drug.  In moderate doses, kamikaze can give users an edge, somewhat equalizing the odds when unaugmented (either biologically or cybernetically) individuals face augmented opponents in combat.  As use continues and addiction grows, the individual requires larger doses and adverse side effects begin to manifest.  Large doses can cause excitement, tremors, momentary euphoria and dilated pupils.  Excess doses (bordering on overdose) cause anxiety, hallucinations and uncontrolled muscular movements.

Used as a battle stimulant, kamikaze adds +1 Body, +1 Quickness, +2 Strength, +1 Willpower and +1d6 initiative.  It also provides pain resistance equivalent to 4 levels of the adept power.

When kamikaze wears off, the user crashes and suffers -1 quickness and -1 willpower for 10*1d6 minutes.  They must resist 6M stun.

Repeated use has a destructive effect on the user's metabolism.  On top of the likelihood of addiction.  On top of the likelihood of addiction, every four applications in six months, there is a serious chance of cyberware or bioware malfunction (GM has secret mechanics, don't worry).


Novacoke 4/1 hr. $10 SI 2
AKA: coke, nose-candy, exec, C17H21NO4, snow
Addiction: 7p
Tolerance 3
Speed of Addiction: 1
Speed: Immediate
Vector: Inhalation
Duration: 1d3 hours
Effects: Quickness +1, Intelligence +1, Charisma -2, Body -2, aggressiveness, risk-taking, block-all(3)
Crash Effects: Depression, hyperactivity, M stun wound
Permanent Effects: Charisma -1 [Willpower(6)]
Addiction Effects: Body -1 per 3 months [Willpower(6)], Willpower and Intelligence -1 per 3 months [Willpower(4) for each.  Resets after 6 months of no use.


FoolKiller 8/3hrs. $35 SI 2
AKA: ripper, charge, egg in a pan, joker, Herc
Addiction: 5p
Speed of Addiction: 5
Tolerance: 2
Speed: Immediate
Vector: Inhalation
Duration: 1d6 days
Effects: Charisma and Willpower +3, Body +2, Intelligence and Quickness -1, feeling of invulnerability, unshakable confidence, zealotry, aggressiveness, as activated pain editor
Crash Effects: Body -1, Willpower +1 for 1d6 days [Willpower(6)], Quickness -2 for 1d6 days [a Body(6) save will cut to -1], Intelligence -1 for 1d6 days
Permanent Effects: -1 physical box per dose [Body(4)], Body -2(vs. pathogens and poisons) [Body(5)]
Addiction Effects: -1 physical box per week [Body(5)], -1 physical box per month [Body(5)]


Phencyclidine 8/14 hrs $25 SI 2
AKA: PCP, dust, angel dust, stage, theatre, JWB
Addiction: 5m
Tolerance: 4
Speed of Addiction: 4
Speed: 2 minutes
Vector: Injection
Duration: 1-4 days
Effects: Body, Strength, Willpower +3, Quickness -3, Intelligence -4(cognitive), Willpower -3, Charisma -2, withdrawal from reality, intense hallucinations, as stimulant patch (5), as block-all(5)
Crash Effects: Withdrawal from reality, lethargy, concentration-based activities -2, serious stun wound
Permanent Effects: -1 physical box [Body(5)], Willpower -1 [Willpower(5)]
Addiction Effects: Intelligence, Charisma, Reaction -1 per 2 months use [Body(8) for each]


Better Than Life 2/1 hr  $60/$3,000 SI 2
AKA: BTL, Beetle
Addiction: 7m
Tolerance: -
Speed of Addiction: 2 (roll addiction test vs. 3m on first use)
Speed: Immediate
Vector: Electronic
Duration: Single use chip - 30 minutes.  Continuous use chip - until it burns out
Effects: BTLs are basic simsense recordings except that failsafes against high emotional output have been turned off.  While basic simsense is a full VR, sometimes interactive recording, recording the internal monologue and emotions of the main character.  Because the biofeedback hasn't been capped, or at times has been intentionally magnified, these chips are literally "better than life".  Happiness is happier, fear more terrifying, danger more dangerous (excepting of course that you can always turn it off).  Niche BTLs can push this to the edge, with snuff BTLs being surprisingly popular.

When your life is worthless (or you just feel like it is), BTLs are very tempting.  It's not uncommon, especially in the barrens, to find BTL dens where people play out their electronic fantasies in relative safety.  Most of the dangerous side effects result from the addiction causing the user to neglect himself.  BTL users usually eventually die due to malnutrition or because they unknowingly put themselves in physical danger, not because of anything the "drug" itself does.

Adrenaline 6/2 wks. $400 SI 4
AKA: epinephrine
Addiction: 3m
Speed of Addiction: 15
Tolerance: -
Speed: 1 combat turn
Vector: Injection
Duration: 8 combat turns
Effects: This is an artificial version of adrenaline, made for a number of medical purposes.  However, when used in large enough quantities it can substantially increase the physical abilities of a user for a short period.  The user +1 Qui, +2 Str, +1 Wil, +2 Rea.  When the rush runs out, the user must resist 8D stun.  The hormone may be used twice, doubling the effects and increasing the duration by 4 rounds, but increasing the final stun damage to 12D.  The duration can be decreased through the application of MAO.  The user still takes Deadly stun, but the power is equal only to the number of turns the adrenaline was active for.  Because this is a "natural" chemical, it's fairly safe to use with magic or cyber, but the user runs the risk of causing himself permanent harm by using his increased physical abilities in a manner the metahuman body was not made to function.

MAO $280 5/36 hrs. SI 2
Addiction: -
Speed: Immediate
Vector: Injection
Durationn: 10 turns -1 per success on Body(4) test

Effects:  Monoamine oxidase (MAO) is an enzyme that promotes rapid oxidation of adrenaline, thus removing the effects of adrenaline.

Upon its injectin, MAO lowers a target's Reaction by 1 and Initiative by 1d6.  On users benefiting from extra adrenaline (as above), all benefits are lost except a +1 to Reaction (counteracting the -1 provided by MAO).  With a double dose, the user keeps the original Reaction bonus, -1, but all other modifiers are reduced as though he took a single dose.

Anabolic steroids  $40 4/12 SI 1
Addiction: 3P
Time to Addiction: 12
Tolerance: -
Vector: Ingestion, injection

Effects:  When taking regularly in large doses and combined with muscle-building excercises, steroids can help to increase strength.  Such a character can reduce the karma cost for raising the Strength Attribute by half (round up) or Body by a quarter (round up).  To obtain this bonus, the number of weeks of steroid use and excercise should equal the desired attribute score.

Continued steroid use may result in adverse effects such as acne, hallucinations, aggressive behavior, hair loss, sterility, impotence, muscle spasms and hypertension - among others.



Most of the drugs listed don't react especially well with cyber or magic.  Since most of you have one of those or the other, you're likely going to notice that most of the drug use will be among the poor and the desperate (not unexpectedly, such a dependence oftentimes makes them MORE poor and desperate).  But at least you'll know what you'r elooking at (and tempted with), even if you never use the rules yourself.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:05, Mon 27 Jan 2014.

Decking is the odd duck (well, everything in Shadowrun is the odd duck, but decking is odder).

A decker's primary piece of equipment is his deck. At Chargen, these are the decks available:

Allegiance Sigma 14,000¥
Sony CTY-360–D 70,000¥
Novatech Hyperdeck–6 125,000¥
CMT Avatar 250,000¥
Renraku Kraftwerk–8 400,000¥

The full specs for each are in the SR3 book; I won't go into them here. But the rule of thumb is to buy the best you can afford. The decker IS his deck.

The decker then loads up his deck with software. Software costs are based on their rating and size, and size varies by the type of program. So hang onto your decker-hat, we're going to do some math.

Each program has three ratings; Rating (how good it is), Multiplier (how much space it takes), Program Size (how big it is). Multiplier isn't good for anything except getting from Rating to Size. The equation is: Rating * Rating * Multiplier = Size. Yay, you don't need a 10x10 chart.

Because cost is also based on rating, that means a high-rating program can get very pricey.

Your deck can only run a number of programs based on its available Active Memory. So if you have 10Mp of memory, you can run two 5Mp programs, but not a 5Mp and a 6Mp.

Note you can attempt actions without the right program. But the program reduces the modifier to complete it, and those TNs are frequently in the 9 to 12 range.

Here's the list of programs and their multipliers:
Analyze 3 (legal)
Browse 1 (legal)
Commlink 1 (legal)
Deception 2 - used for logging on/off w.out valid credentials
Encrypt 1
Redirect 2 (aka Relocate) used against tracking programs
Read/Write 2 (Legal)
Scanner 3 (Legal) finds other deckers
Spoof 3 lets you interact with nodes/system slaves
Track 8 lets you track other people
Attack Light 2
Attack Medium 3
Attack Serious 4
Attack Deadly 5
Black Hammer 20 causes physical damage to the decker
Killjoy 10 causes stun damage to the decker
Slow 4
Armor 3
Cloak 3 helps you escape combat
Lock-On 3 helps you target (like aiming)
Medic 4


Nuyen Cost:

Rating 1-3 costs Size * $100
Rating 4-6 costs Size * $200
Rating 7-9 costs Size * $500

There is other equipment available, of course; external memory, additional screens, etc. I won't go into them; they're pretty cheap and quite available. If it exists now, it exists then.

As a note, deckers almost always use a datajack. Some people use a trode-net, which is the goofy hat that lets you connect without cyberware, but you'll be very slow compared to a properly jacked-in decker.


Note that this is just the equipment list, so I've avoided going into details. If you're not familiar with the rules, we'll work through  an example for you to get a feel for it.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:50, Mon 27 Jan 2014.

Character Generation
When making a character, each player has three options:
1)  Use a premade character, from the book or elsewhere, that I then approve and customize to some degree.
2)  Give me your character concept and we design it together with me doing most of the mechanics work.
3)  Use the sum-to-ten system to generate your own character.

Sum-to-ten is a system used in 2nd edition that is related to the Priority system currently in the books.  It's a little difficult to describe, but easy to do once you understand it.

Turn to the page in the book with the priority chart (I've included it before) and change the letters to numbers, with A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1 and E=0.

Each priority (race, attributes, etc.) can have a SINGLE number attached to it.  The number determines what you get for that particular priority.  All the numbers together must be equal to or less than 10.

Priority    Race    Magic    Attributes    Skills    Resources
   4          -    Full Mage    30          50       $1M
   3          -  Adept/Aspected 27          40       $400k
   2      Troll/Elf   -         24          34       $90k
   1      Ork/Dwarf   -         21          30       $20k
   0        Human     -         18          27       $5k

So, if you wanted to make a Troll Mage, you'd choose:

Priority 4 - Mage
Priority 3 - Skills, Attributes or Resources.  Let's choose ATTRIBUTES here.
Priority 2 - Troll
Priority 1 - Skills or Resources, let's choose SKILLS here.
Priority 0 - Resources.
So we'd end up with a Mage Troll, with 27 Attribute Points, 30 Skill points, and $5k.

A mundane Human might end up with this:
Priority 4 - Attributes
Priority 3 - Skills
Priority 3 - Resources
Priority 0 - Magic
Priority 0 - Race

So he would have 30 Attribute points, 40 Skill Points, and $90k.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask : )



For money and magic, I've listed a lot of options above (and more below).  Ask for details if you don't know them.  For skills, I list the complete skills list below.


Attributes
Attributes are the physical aspects of the character.  There are six basic attributes:
Body
Strength
Quickness
Intelligence
Willpower
Charisma

These have all sorts of impacts on game play I won't go into detail here.  During character generation, skills cost 2 points instead of 1 if their rating goes over their associated attribute (check out the skill list below).  So someone with lots of firearms skills will want higher Quickness so he uses fewer skill points.


In addition, there are derived attributes:
Essence - by default 6, reduced by cyberware
Magic - Essence (rounded down) for awakened characters, 0 for everyone else
Reaction - Quickness + Intelligence / 2

Also note that you get two free contacts! Contacts can also be purchased for $1,000 (2-point), $5,000 (4-point), $10,000 (6 point), or $200,000 (9 point). Your two free contacts are both 4 points. See the Contacts rules later for details.

Skills

Each skills linked to an attribute.  If the skill rating you're going for is less than the attribute, it costs one point.  If it's more, it costs two.  I've skipped out skills that are rarely used.

Body
- Athletics (now includes Throwing)

Strength
- Edged weapons (daggers and swords)
- Clubs
- Polearms/staves (anything larger than a two handed sword)
- Unarmed (including cybernetically implanted weapons)
- Projectile weapons (bows, crossbows)
- Heavy weapons (machine guns)
(Note:  Astral combat requires an actual combat skill, not just Sorcery)

Quickness
- Pistols
- SMGs
- Rifles (including assault rifles)
- Shotguns
- Lasers

Intelligence
- Aura reading (magic users only)
- Demolitions (please no)
- Gunnery (mounted weapons)
- Direct Launch weapons (rocket launchers, grenade launchers)
- Indirect Launch weapons
- Computers
- Electronics
- Biotech (first aid, surgery, anatomy, etc.)
- Build/repair (see below)
- Language skills (you get a certain number of points for free)

Charisma
- Etiquette (ability to deal with others properly)
- Interrogation
- Intimidation
- Negotiation
- Astral Combat

Willpower
- Sorcery (mages only)
- Conjuring (mages only)

Reaction (Intelligence and Quickness averaged)
- Stealth
- Astral Stealth
- Bike
- Car
- Winged Aircraft
- Rotor aircraft
- Vector Thrust aircraft
- Lighter than air craft

Build/Repair skills include:
- Land vehicle b/r (Build/Repair)
- Water vehicle b/r
- Air vehicle b/r
- Computer & electronics b/r
- Combat equipment b/r (includes any personal equipment that is not a firearm or electronic, for instance, armor)
- Firearms b/r

Build/Repair (b/r) - any skill that involves using equipment has an accompanying build/repair skill.  This is the ability to build or repair that equipment (but not necessarily use it).  So you'd use Pistols to fire a pistol, firearms b/r to fix it, build a new one or upgrade a pistol. Note the b/r skills have been grouped differently compared to vanilla SR3. In the case of Electronics and Electronics b/r, they overlap enough that I'll accept one or the other for most tests.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:38, Mon 27 Jan 2014.

I am allowing edges and flaws.  Don't feel constrained by the book, run them by me and I'll give you a point value.  On the flip side, just because it's in the book, don't think I'll allow it.  I give extra points to flaws that let me have more fun (invisible friend, amnesia, mental disorders, etc.)

There is a maximum strength to both edges and flaws, and a maximum number you can take in total.  No one can have more than 10 points in edges or flaws (so 10 points in edges and 10 points in flaws), and no edge or flaw can be worth more than 8 points (and rarely above 6).  They should all be realistic, such as color blindness, phobias, allergies, addictions, education, perceptiveness, bonus to an attribute, etc.

There are certain things I will NOT accept.  I will not accept a unilateral decrease to TNs in a particular area (so, you couldn't say all melee tests are one step easier) with few exceptions, I will be hesitant to accept anything that stacks with a lot of other things (such as something that gives you another initiative die when you already have magic or cyberware that does that), things that in any way make you 'invincible' or absolutely superior in any area.  I will not accept a flaw that will never come into use ('I have a phobia of space monsters', 'I'm allergic to death').  I will not accept a flaw you already have ('I look like a dwarf.'  'But you ARE a dwarf!'  'Yeah, I know.')

*whew*

By the rules, you can buy off flaws at the cost of 20 karma per point.  I think that's crazy.  You can buy off flaws for 10 karma per point, assuming you have an in character reason to do so (for instance, you have the 5 point 'cancer' flaw.  Your character will gradually weaken and die.  You spend 30 karma and, in character, get chemotherapy, so the flaw goes down to a 2 point flaw, 'cancer in remission'.  You are still very sick, and it may come back.  You can spend another 20 karma and get more treatment to eliminate it altogether, never to be haunted by it again.  But both the karma and the in character aspect must be there to eliminate a flaw.

Alternatively, you can exchange it for ANOTHER flaw (at my discretion, of course).  Rather than spend 50 karma, you sign up with the mafia on the promise that they treat you and you do services for them until the end of time.  You gain the 2 point 'mysterious cyberware flaw', since they install stuff into you when they patch you up, and the 3 point 'bought man' flaw.  If you run away, that becomes a 3 point 'enemy' flaw.  At no point are you spending karma (although you could, for instance, spend 10 karma, do a favor for the don, and win some favor with him, lowering the 3 point 'enemy' flaw to 2 points).

You cannot take on flaws for karma.


Now for what everyone is waiting for, edges.

I will allow people, for now, to purchase any edge I approve without the in character justification, although I will give karma bonuses for giving in character reasoning as to how you've acquired it (not just 'I was born with it').

You can EITHER spend karma equal to 10 karma points per edge point (no loans, but you can upgrade over time if it has multiple levels), OR you can take on flaw points to balance it out.

So, for instance, you want Ambidexterity 2, which costs 2 points.

You can EITHER spend 20 karma on it, or take flaws to make up the 2 points (or any combination there of).  For instance, you can take Enemy for 2 points and Ambidexterity for 2 points and they balance out.

It would help if you made the back story to go with it.  You spent many months training and searching for secrets of your particular combat art.  As you searched, you met a sensei who was willing to teach you the beginnings of this new fighting style in exchange for your guarding his honor, however, before your training was complete, he was killed by a competitor.  You are now sworn to avenge your sensei, and he to kill you.

Should you actually kill your enemy, the 2 point enemy flaw will be replaced by a different 2 point flaw (unless you buy it off with karma).


You may notice that some edges and flaws have multiple costs.  In general, the higher the cost, the more effective the edge or flaw.  An 2 point enemy is far, far weaker than a 6 point enemy, and a 2 point ambidexterity edge won't accomplish nearly as much as an 8 point edge.

I've included some edges and flaws here:

Edges:
Bonus Attribute Point 2 - This is 1 bonus attribute point that may be added on to any attribute, even if it goes above your racial maximum.  This edge can only be bought once.

Double Jointed 1 - This is a +1 skill bonus to all escape artist tests, and any tests that require extreme flexibility.

College Education 1 - The penalty for defaulting between knowledge skills is reduced by 1.

Perceptive 3 - +1 die for any perception tests

Photographic memory 3 - with a perception test, can remember precise details accurately (more info in the book)

Magic resistance 1-4 - each point adds +1 to the test for anyone to cast magic on you

Ambidexterity 2,4,6,8 - each level of this decreases the penalty for firing with a pistol in your off-hand by 1.  Additionally, Ambidexterity 6 or 8 eliminates the need for an off-hand skill when wielding melee weapons.

Flaws:
Computer illiterate -3 - You suffer a +1 to all TNs related to using a computer or technical device

Blind -6 (-2 for magically active characters) - You cannot see.  Cybereyes will not cure this.

Deaf -3 - You cannot hear.  No technology will cure this.

Pacifist -2 - You are not willing to kill another sentient creature under any circumstances.

Distinctive style -1 - You are compelled to always leave your 'trademark' at a crime scene somehow/you must always wear or do something that's easily recognizable.

Astral Impressions -2 (magical characters only - Your spells and magical actions leave evidence on the astral much longer than normal.

Jack Itch -1 - You must jack into the matrix at least once every 24 hours or suffer consequences.

Hunted -2, -4, -6 - Someone or some group is out to get you!  The rating determines how ambitious and how many resources the hunter has to draw on.

Mysterious cyberware -3 - You have a mysterious piece of cyberware.  Fun for the GM, mystery for you!



*whew*  There, any questions?  Feel free to make suggestions in PMs.  If it's a good example, I'll post it here (with your permission, of course).
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:05, Mon 27 Jan 2014.

Karma and money are the two things that let you advance in the world.  For the time being they cannot be interchanged.  I *MAY* eventually allow you to sell karma for money, however.  And while money is dependent on negotiating the Johnson and can be quite a hefty pay-off for relatively little work, karma is dependent solely on how hard you work for it.  It's awarded for completing specific objectives, surprising the GM, being really, REALLY lucky, brave, adventurous, smart, driving the party and, dare I say it, funny.  Karma cannot be docked, only spent by you.

On your character sheets there should be two tracks: karma and total karma.  We need to keep track of your total karma, since it effects other things, so be sure to update both.  Karma is the existing, available balance of karma, whereas total karma is the total amount you've earned over the lifetime of the character.

I've already begun updating character sheets though, so you shouldn't have to change this.

When you receive karma, the first thing to look at is karma pool.  For humans, every tenth karma point goes directly into the karma pool.  For non-humans, it's every twentieth point.  Karma pool is your 'save your butt' pool.  It refreshes only once per ADVENTURE (or slightly more often, if I'm feeling benevolent).  Some uses PERMANENTLY use karma pool points.  But it also has a lot of butt-saving uses.  Generally I will automatically factor in karma pool when you're about to die.  You can specify when else I should use it by saying this is a VERY important shot or just saying 'I use karma pool'.  It greatly increases your chance of success.  It also works as a general measure of your level as a character.

Because karma pool is meant to be an advantage, not a penalty, I will allow you to spend your karma pool like normal karma.  But remember, you only get it every tenth or twentieth point, so this isn't a good idea, especially so early in the campaign.  Just be aware this option is open to you.

Karma is spent to develop stats and skills.  Attributes and skills must be bought one point at a time.  In other words, if you want to get rating 5, you must buy ratings 1, 2, 3 and 4 first.  You can't just straight to rating 5.  The costs are as such:


Attributes cost 2 * the NEW value.  You can do this up to your 'racial limit'.  For humans, that's 6 in any of the six major attributes.  Your racial modifiers to attributes also change how much it costs to boost those attributes.  Talk with your local GM before boosting attributes if you're not human.  Past that it's 3 * the NEW value for the next 3 points.  This all does not count cyberware, but it *MAY* count adept powers.  So to raise Quickness from 4 to 5 is 5 * 2 = 10 karma points.



The cost for skills are based on the linked attribute.

If the NEW skill rating is less than or equal the attribute rating, the cost is 1.5*the NEW rating for active skills, 1*NEW rating for knowledge/language skills.  Round fractions down.

For skills GREATER than the linked attribute, but less than 2Xthe attribute, active skills are 2*the NEW rating, language and knowledge skills are 1.5*the NEW rating.

Specializations are .5*New Rating if below the linked attribute, 1*New Rating if above the linked attribute.

(Ask about skills above 2*the attribute).

In all cases, round fractions DOWN.

To start a new skill at 1 costs 1 karma.


So if you have pistols 4 and Quickness 5, the new rating (5) is less than or equal to the linked attribute.  So the cost is 1.5 * 5 = 7.5 = 7 karma points.  Next time it will be above the linked attribute, so the cost will be 2 * 6 = 12 karma points.  Starting the new skill, SMGs, will cost 1 point.


This all requires some time to train, so you can't just *poof* know a new skill.



The Physical Adepts (I think Dominic is the only one) can buy power points for 20 karma points per power point.  You can save up power points, but you can't change powers once they're bought.


Bonding to magical items (I think Thaden is the only non-magical character here, sorry) costs between 1 and a bajillion points.  Find the magical item first and I'll tell you how much it costs.  Cost generally reflects its usefulness (so for Dominic's dream sword, the cost will likely be in the area of 32-50 some odd karma).  Now would be a good time to look into buying magical stuff, if you're interested.


Magical spells are very special.  For one, mages do not have to buy the intermediate levels of spells.  You can buy a spell directly at whatever force you want.  The karma cost is equal to the force of the spell.  So buying a force 5 spell costs 5 karma.  If you already have the spell at force 4, it still costs 5 karma.  If you've never heard of the spell before, it still costs 5 karma.  If you have the spell at force 7, it costs 5 karma but you're stupid, since you can already cast it at force 5.  However, unlike anything else, you have to make a learning test to LEARN the spell.  The difficulty is 2*force of the spell.  So learning a force 8 spell is *VERY* difficult.


In all cases, something to learn from and/or some way to practice is required.  Generally speaking, this is pretty easy.  Practicing strength?  Just go excercise.  Increasing your firearms skill?  Go down to the barrens and shoot rats.  Having a tutor, automated or not, CAN directly decrease the karma cost of training slightly, but this is expensive.  A tutor must have the 'instruct' skill, so Thaden isn't likely to be able to teach you how to drive better just because he's better at it than you are.


For those of you who really don't want to deal with this, just give me a list of things to update in order.  As soon as something can be improved, it will be automatically with no muss on your end.  Otherwise, well, send me what you want to spend your karma on and I'll adjust your character sheet accordingly.

BTW, I have a tendancy to not watch the money carefully.  Please do feel free to remind me how much I said you get when to keep me straight.  I know money is tight right now, but keeping track of it is more your priority than mine.  I don't mind if you lose all your money :P
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:43, Mon 27 Jan 2014.

I've gone over a lot of the rules, but I'd like to reiterate a very basic point that is easily overlooked.  In the Navy, they say that adding a second fighter jet results in an increase of combat effectiveness by a factor of three; two jets working together are better than two jets each working on its own by a significant margin.

The same is true in Shadowrun many times over.  Not only is combat significantly easier when you have a wing man, but your mix of abilities make it possible for each individual to perform in ways he couldn't before.  Have you ever been stopped by a simple door lock?  Ever encountered a spirit who ignores your bullets?  Without each member of the team working at his best and in coordination with the rest of the team, the entire team fails.  It's important to remember this when deciding what you're doing.  Each person needs to know he can rely on his other team members, and that they can rely on him.  Sometimes that means taking a hit to your pride (or your paycheck) for the greater good, because in the long run the greater good is what keeps you breathing.

The biggest conflict I've seen in teams is lack of leadership.  It's good to have one person who takes charge when stuff is hot, but who should that person be?  The most experienced?  The information specialist?  The 'thinker'?  The fighter?  The lover?  Well, probably not the lover...  Oftentimes the character with the biggest gun or the loudest voice is the one who takes charge.  We should ask, is this a good thing?  After all, the leader should probably be someone who has experience doing what you're doing, who knows each member of the team, who is charismatic enough to ease disagreements and, most vital of all, willing to compromise when appropriate.  I bold this because compromise is oftentimes forgotten by the leader, but only rarely will the leader make up a successful plan all on his own (and for good reason!)

In the other game I'm running, every person has the right to an equal voice, but they have each agreed to stick with the group in the case of a conflict.  The 'leader' is actually the weakest member of the group; the decker.  He's not especially good with a gun, not outfitted for heavy combat.  But he's become the leader because he's friendly, unassuming, willing to work with people and bring together a plan.  When the drek hits the fan, he knows his heavy gunners will go out and make mincemeat of the enemies, but he personally stays to the back to support them as best he can, to gather information, and to protect those who can't easily defend themselves.  I think he makes an excellent leader as a consequence; he doesn't want the glory, he doesn't want to be the brains.  He's only the leader because he gives so much up to the team first each member has learned to trust him intrinsically.

I wanted to bring this up both for those of you who are finding their own place in the group but, more importantly, for those dominant personalities who seem to be leading the group.  Those strong personalities are vital for moving the group to action, for being the banner man in the center of the fray and for clearing the path for those whose specialties lie elsewhere.  But oftentimes it is the quieter personalities we should look to for true direction (which also means those dominant personalities who wish to lead should consider suppressing themselves so they can do so fairly and compassionately).
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:10, Mon 27 Jan 2014.

As I posted waaaaay back in post 1, we're using the Shadowrun 3 Revised ruleset. This was basically a project taken on by a bunch of SR3 fans to make the SR4 we wish we had. As such, it revisits a lot of SR3 rules, tweaks them, tests them, and reports back.

This post includes only those quick, one-line changes. These changes have already been applied to the other sections of this thread. HOWEVER, I do not always remember to apply them. If I forget, feel free to post them. If you don't think a rule works well, say something; feedback is the only real way to improve things.



Terminology:
DL refers to Damage Level.  A weapon may do 9M damage.  9 is the power, M (moderate) is the Damage Level.

Some other acronyms I used...

AV is Anti-vehicular
TN is Target Number
SMG is submachine gun
APDS is another form of anti-vehicular armor (it basically cuts through any armor)
HP is Heavy Pistol
SL is Smartlink
CP is Combat Pool
SS/SA is Single Shot and Semi-Automatic respectively


Like I said, this is meant to be a menu for people who are comfortable with the rules as they are.  A lot of this stuff won't make sense to half of the group (for instance, we've never used shotguns, and if we did, you wouldn't see the mechanics at work behind it).  Some of this stuff has already been implemented (reduced cyberware costs) so you don't know any other way of running it.


Gun Rules
-The Laser weapons skill is a Firearms skill
-Rifles and assault rifles use the same skill (Rifles)
-APDS rounds are only available in Heavy Pistol and heavier varieties
-Anti-vehicular rounds are only available in rifle-class or larger weapons
-Shotguns no longer have a choke
-Grenades that decrease in power by 1/m are called defensive, 1/.5m are offensive (name change only)
-Called shots only serve for neat, described effects and to damage components
-Thrown Weapons is part of Athletics
-Firearm damage codes have been rejiggered to make more sense
-Rifles and heavy weapons divide non-hardened armor in half
-A scope can only be used after an action is spent Aiming
-A dart gun must inflict damage to deliver its drug payload
-Shotguns lose -2 to power and -1 to their damage level per range category (so 8D/6S/4M/2L for Short/Medium/Long/Extreme range).  People other than the main, designated target take at most Moderate damage.  Every type of armor counts as hardened vs. shot (if the power of the attack isn't higher than the rating of your armor, no damage is done).  Shotgun has an effective choke of 2.
-The launch weapons skill is broken into direct and indirect fire
-Smartlink, shock pad and laser sight do not cause a concealment modifier when added to weapons.
-There are pump and bolt action rifles and shotguns that only operate in Single Shot mode.
-Burst and auto fire does NOT add to the damage code of an attack.  It adds a number of additional dice equal to the number of bullets fired.  Penalties for recoil apply normally.
-Weapons recoil compensation from being vehicle-mounted is equal to twice the vehicle's body.
-Firearm mounts may be ixed to a solid structure, the ground, etc., for an additional +2 recoil compensation.

Other combat:
-Encumbrance from armor is based off strength, not quickness
-For every 10 points advantage a character has for his initiative, this counts as +1 reach for one attack
-Friends in melee does not decrease the target number to attack, only to defend
-Shockgloves cause only the highest damage rating, not both
-When stun falls onto the physical track (i.e. above Deadly stun), each box of physical damage must be healed separately both as physical damage (to reduce physical damage modifiers and avoid death) and as stun damage.  Only once all stun overdamage on the physical track and box 10 on the stun track has been healed can the character awaken again and return to the action.



Magic:
-Invisibility and improved invisibility spells are being rejiggered.  More in the spells post
-Spell defense is based solely off of the Spell Pool.  It can be allocated spontaneously.
-An elementalist can cast elemental manipulation spells from his element of choice.
-Casting suffers range modifiers like firearms (use LMG ranges)
-Astral combat uses the appropriate melee skill, NOT sorcery
-Astral combat may also use the Astral Combat skill when projecting only (linked under Charisma)
-Transparency on the physical has NO bearing on transparency on the astral. You can't cast astral spells through closed windows unless you're dual-natured.

Other:
-Permits can be bought for any non-military weapon.  Permits cost a flat fee of $100 for any melee weapon, $200 for any single shot or semi-automatic weapon, $400 for any burst fire weapon and $1,000 for any auto-fire weapon.  Each permit allows an unlimited number of weapons in that category, for an additional $20 fee per weapon (so if you have 5 pistols, it costs $200 for the base permit, plus $100 for the 5 pistols, then all are legal).  Permits are not required for clubs or knives.
-Some equipment is 'common' and their USED cost is marked down 25% (chipjack, cyberears, eyes, datajack, subvocal mic, telephone, cyberlimbs, autoinjector, biomonitor system, handblade, handrazors, smartlink, spurs, cyberskates)
-Add equipment, latex mask, chainsaw, tool laser, fiber optic probe (handheld & cyber)
-b/r skills are merged into firearms, land vehicle, water vehicle, air vehicle and computer & electronics skills
-The roll to spot something is based off Intelligence
-Cyber-implant weapons skill is a specialization of unarmed combat
-Stealh is tied to Reaction instead of Quickness
-New skill: Astral Stealth (also under Reaction). You can default from one to the other at a +2 penalty.
-Vehicle Control Rigs come with an Image Link to permit use of the virtual dashboard

Already implemented (we're already doing this anyway):
-Electronics and Electronics b/r are merged into one skill
-Contact rules are reworked (see below)
-Edges & Flaws costs are reworked, 10 karma per point to buy or eliminate an edge or flaw
-Karma pool can be spent like normal karma
-r/w skill should be full value of the linked language skill
-We are using my custom drug rules
-We are already using modified cyberware costs


New contact rules:  (Loosely based on SR4)

Every contact has two values.  The first is Connections, the second is Loyalty.  Each one rates from 0-6.

Connection of 0 - This person is no one of import.  This is primarily for roleplaying NPCs.  Your dad who lends you the washing machine when you visit, your brother in law who lives in Russia and will never know anything useful, so on and so forth.  They might like you, they might lend you $20 now and again or give you directions, but they won't help you with anything illegal, will be completely incompetent when offering legitimate help, and generally are just there for color.  They may love you, but they can't really help you.

1 - Knows very few people and practically no social influence.  Most useful for their knowledge skills.  Squatter, manual laborer, academic graduate assistant.

3 - Meets people on a regular basis and has some personal pull.  Beat cop, PI, street doc, street-level fixer or fence.

6 - Well-connected individual who knows people all over the world, or holds a key executive position.  Mob boss, corp exec, fixer or fence with international ties.

Connection is a measure of how useful a person is...  and also how easy they are to get in touch with!!  The bum on the street has nothing better to do, but that corp exec will be tough to get in touch with in a hurry.  This is off-set by the Loyalty rating.


Loyalty -
0 - This is someone who really doesn't care about you. I guess if you want to list someone who has no real relationship with you you can...

1 - Just Biz.  You have a purely mercenary relationship.  Interactions are based solely on economics.  You may not even like each other, and you won't get any sort of preferential treatment.

3 - Acquitance.  A friendly relationship, though it would be a stretch to call it a friendship.  Contact is willing to be inconvenienced in small ways, but won't take the fall for you.

6 - Friend for life.  The contact will do whatever he can for you, even if it means putting his own life on the line.


Every contact can be rated by the two digits, like 4/1 (a quality fixer you have a working relationship with, perhaps) 0/5 (your silly, retired father who loves you dearly, but won't be able to offer much help), or even 6/6 (your beautiful, rock-star girlfriend fixer who regularly has deals in Geneva, Paris, Hong Kong and Rio).

Contact ratings will fluctuate over time.  Loyalty, of course, depends on how you treat him or her.  A regular, good customer may go from 1 to 2.  An accepted marriage proposal will shoot her up to 6 (or maybe just 5).  Betraying, short changing, asking too many favors and the like will decrease loyalty, perhaps to 0.

Connections is a bit tougher to change.  Some people will naturally go up or down because of the contours of their own careers.  They may also go down if the NPC gets caught offering you a favor (such a as a cop who sneaks you some secret files, only to get audited the next week).  This may also impact loyalty.

Contacts are bought based on their combined scores.  So the previous examples are 5 (4/1), 5 (0/5) and 12 (6/6) respectively.  You can buy a 2 point contact for $1k (generally 1/1), a 4 point contact for $5,000 (generally 3/1), a 6 point contact for $10k (generally 3/3) or a 9 point contact for $200k (generally 6/3).  In addition, you get two 4 point contacts for free (which happen to match up evenly with your existing two free contacts!!)

No contact upkeep is required, except for infrequent favors and the like.  It's assumed you do fun things with your contact on your off time and the costs more or less balance themselves out.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:27, Tue 28 Jan 2014.

SR3R Decking Rules!

Quick Rules
1)  Unusual or one-use utilities have oftentimes been dropped if they could be grouped under another utility.  Since we don't use the Matrix book, this is a short list (below).

The Sleaze utility has been dropped.  Masking alone determines detection Factor.

The following utilities are gone (program in parenthesis is what replaces it):
Decrypt (encryption), Relocate (Redirect), Sleaze (-)

2)  IC (Intrusion Countermeasures) are frame agents loaded with appropriate programs (including, almost always, Analyze).  While the terms still are applicable, IC are more diverse and can be custom loaded.  Attack damage is based on the attack program loaded, not on the host level.  IC attributes are equal to their rating (so rating 4 IC has rating 4 attributes and generally rating 4 programs).

3) When the security tally reaches a point, IC is dispatched instantly, but first must find the decker.  It will go through an analyze-icon cycle, scanning each icon in the area of the offense until it finds a suspicious one, which it then 'attacks' as appropriate.  It is possible for IC to be fooled and set on the wrong icon, or to never find the decker in question.  IC search as the host's eyes, so if IC has locked onto a decker, the host can dispatch other IC directly to that point or even dump the decker, so beware probe IC.  Stationary IC will analyze all icons within range and react to anything suspicious regardless as to tally.  As the tally goes up, expect more stationary IC.

4) Tally is not associated with a single icon or decker, but applies across the host.  In other words, if another user is bumping up the tally, you'll find the IC that responds to your actions will be much tougher.  On the flip side, the tally naturally decreases, even while you're in the system (the precise numbers are still being worked out).  A host may have a high tally when you enter, and the tally may be lower when you leave.  Null Ops operations still mean that loitering is dangerous, however.

5)  There will oftentimes be a background tally already when a decker logs onto a host.  The background tally depends mostly on how many people use the host, so larger hosts will have a higher background tally (and as a consequence, generally a more forgiving security sheaf).
6) ASIST and Encryption rules, below

The ASIST Interface - How Man Meets Machine

In the world of the 2060s, metahumanity has three different levels in which he can interface himself with computers and other machines:

"Tortoise" Mode- This is the world of keyboards and touchpads, LCDs and low-level tactile feedback units. By the '60s such interfaces are considered quaint or even antiquated, but are still in use because they are also very safe and easy to disconnect from if something goes wrong.
Advantages: No lethal/nonlethal biofeedback possible
Disadvantages: No access to Hacking/Control Pool/Response Increase/pure DNI, +4 TN to all Matrix actions.
Examples: Keyboards, touchscreens, HUDs, image links, etc.

"Cold" ASIST/Simsense- ASIST literally writes data directly to your sensory neurons and reads data directly from your motor neurons, allowing you to use your whole body as an I/O device. Using either trodes (a network of electrodes carefully attached to specific points on the brain) or a direct datajack connection, people can immerse themselves in the matrix.
In many cases, Cold ASIST is used to "overlay" important or helpful data over a person's meatbody perceptions, granting him a bonus to certain tasks. A good example of this is driving, where a datajack-assisted driver can "feel" the turns and the roar of the engine. A Smartlinked weapon user can not only see, but also "feel" the target.

Advantages: -1 to all applicable TNs when the ASIST/simsense data coincides with your meatbody data (getting data to coincide frequently requires a visual display via image link or goggles. Does not apply to Matrix actions.) Access to 1/2 Control/Hacking Pool, and up to level 1 Response Increase. Access to Pure DNI (able to use purely mental actions to control properly modified gear). No lethal biofeedback possible

Disadvantages: Up to a +2 distraction penalty on ALL TNs when ASIST/simsense data does not coincide with meatbody data. Penalty can be erased by activating RAS Override (see below), disconnecting from Cold ASIST, or, when physical/mental initiative are different, deliberately "slowing down" mental/Matrix initiative to equal physical initiative. Nonlethal biofeedback/dumpshock possible. +2 TN to all Matrix actions.

Examples: Datajack-assisted driving, datajack-assisted Smartlink weapon use, decking in Cold ASIST.Knowsofts/Linguasofts rating 5 or lower.


"Hot" ASIST/BTL- "Hot" ASIST attempts to pipe in more data to the brain through a dedicated brain connection like a datajack than the brain is truly equipped to handle.
Requiring highly dangerous modifications to hardware, and in some cases wetware, "Hot" ASIST can provide incredible bonuses to people willing to take the risks. Even more incredibly, with the proper nervous system modifications, some are able to use foreign objects as if they were actually part of his own body. Properly modified soldiers with a Smartlink cyberware modification truly can feel as if the gun is an extension of their body. Properly-equipped drivers using a VCR and running Hot ASIST can "jump into" their vehicles or drones--a process called rigging--and can literally become the vehicle, feeling the tires and engines and weapons as if they were limbs and heart and teeth.

Of course, red-lining an ASIST interface like this is nearly suicidal. Even the smallest glitch in the code being pipelined into your wetware can cause lethal consequences. But hey, what's a few fried lobes, compared to the power of unlocking the full potential of the metahuman brain?

Advantages: -2 to all applicable TNs when the ASIST/simsense data coincides with your meatbody data (Does not apply to Matrix actions). Full access to Control/Hacking Pool, and Response Increase. Access to Pure DNI (able to use mental actions to control properly modified gear). No modifier for Matrix actions.

Disadvantages: Up to a +4 distraction penalty on ALL TNs when ASIST/simsense data does not coincide with meatbody data (same conditions/solutions as with Cold ASIST). Nonlethal/lethal biofeedback possible. Lethal Dumpshock. May be addictive.
Examples: Fully smartlinked weapon systems; "jumped in" rigging, decking in "hot sim" AR/VR. BTL chips, Activesofts at any level, Knowsofts/Linguasofts higher than rating 5.

Using a Trode Net
Individuals who want access to the matrix or AR resources, but not the pain of getting a datajack can use a trode net helmet. Putting on trodes requires a Quickness test of 4 and a base time of 1 minute. Trodes slip easily. When in an active situation, such as combat, a Quickness 4 test is required to keep trodes in place (the TN may be higher, based on the circumstances). If it slips, it causes disorientation (+4 modifier to all actions) until re-adjusted or one turn after being removed. This modifier may be avoided by using a simple action to gracefully shut off the system and remove the trodes.

Encryption
Encryption is broken along two axes:
Many vs. few users
High vs. low bandwidth

Many-user, high-bandwidth systems are things like (most) matrix hosts. They necessarily require encryption to be relatively light and seamless to allow for fast processing and easy key distribution. Breaking in is normally fairly easy, and use the default decker rules.

Few-user, high-bandwidth systems are things like rigger networks. Key distribution can be done manually, and so the systems are more secure, but with all of the data being transferred, it must be easily decrypted (and it provides plenty of data for analysis). Because of manual key distribution, this type of network can be very difficult to crack. Normally the encryption level is effectively doubled for decryption purposes.

Many-user, low-bandwidth would be things like SIN checks, where it has to enable quick and easy key distribution, but the data is small and so can be encrypted better. I don't have any rules for how to crack these yet, but expect them to be fairly robust.

Few-user, low-bandwidth would be things like private files meant for storage or emailing, as well as your secure radios. They are the best encrypted things, but suffer from the lowest usability of any form of encryption (since key exchange is a hassle, and throughput is limited). Time for decryption is based on the details of the encryption method, and the quantity of data. Items in this category may be impossible to decrypt using conventional methods.


Of course, anything may qualify for a higher level of encryption but in practice be encrypted at a lower level out of concerns for cost, user-friendliness, technical skills, etc.


Decrypting something requires three steps:

1) Determining port & protocol - easy, a simple electronics test, modified by your gear (when decking, this is normally already resolved when you logged into the system)
2) Decrypt the data stream, if appropriate - as long as there is constant transmission between the drone and home base or sufficient encrypted content has been downloaded for review, the decker/rigger can start attempting to decrypt that data.  How difficult that is depends primarily on the type of encryption used (above).  If #1, this is relatively easy, assuming she has the tools.  If #3, a good deal harder.
3) Overcome any active resistances. Any data stream can be actively monitored and react in response to attackers. For riggers, this is classic EW. For deckers, normally the only options are to attack the decker or cut that feed (possibly changing over to a backup feed), just because speed in decking is so much faster than RL.

Frequently the most effective way of defeating encryption is to work around it. Steal one encrypted radio and you have access to the entire network, for instance.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:24, Tue 28 Jan 2014.

The summoner of a given spirit is not automatically or magically aware of his spirits condition, their disruption or destruction or whether they has completed any of their services or not.  The summoner must get this information through conventional means.  A summoner may spend a simple action to find out the number (but not identity) of any spirits bound to him.  A summoner may also release a spirit from service at any time, allowing him to summon a new spirit.  Releasing a spirit from service, however, is not the same as ordering it back to its home plane, and may result in unintending consequences if it is currently involved in a task.

Additionally, controlling is reworded as such:
If the spirit is within the caster's area of control, anyone trying to control the caster's spirit follows the rules as stated in the rules. Both suffer drain as appropriate.

If the caster is NOT present, the second mage must get more successes than the caster did on his initial summoning. As normally, if the spirit ends with 0 services owed to either caster, it goes uncontrolled. Regardless, only the new mage rolls drain, the original caster does not, and is not magically or automatically aware of this attempt.


Finally, spirits are limited as to where they can go.  Spirits can only go somewhere where the caster has been previously, or where the spirit could fly or walk to on the physical plane (disregarding armed guards who can shoot at them).  This is to prevent a caster giving an elemental an order to appear in the locked security room of a facility and break everything there, but still allows them a wide range of motion.  They can get past closed doors by manifesting, opening the door, then returning to the astral (or in the case of air elementals, they can simply flow in the cracks around the door).  They can appear outside of a locked door, bash it in, then proceed, and can appear outside of a ward, fight the ward, and pass on, but cannot otherwise appear on the other side of the barrier.

Elementals cannot easily communicate with their casters, nor can they carry objects onto the astral with them.


Immunity to Normal Weapons has been changed slightly.  Power of the attack is reduced normally by 2*Force.  For every 2 points the power is reduced below 1, the damage level of the attack is reduced by one step.  A 7S attack against a Force 5 elemental becomes 2M (7-10 = 3).


In the case of nature spirits, anything in a nature spirit's domain "belongs" to that spirit, so it may pass through locked doors etc. of things there (however may not be especially inclined to do so.  The spirit of a secure facility probably will not like a runner trying to break in and steal stuff.)


Spirits and elementals do have their own personalities, preferences and limitations.  Elementals have relatively little, in part because hermetic conjuring completely overcomes their will.  Elementals who are upset with a mage will choose to misconstrue the spirit of an order, while obeying the letter, and may act on its own initiative, when orders permit, to sabotage the mage.  They also may reject any order which puts them in their elemental opposite (so an earth elemental won't appear in mid-air, a fire elemental won't appear in a pool, etc).  Nature spirits have a lot more personality and a lot more freedom.  Nature spirits may refuse orders, if it goes against what they believe in (a forest spirit won't destroy its forest).  Shamans are asking spirits for favors, not commanding them.  If a spirit will not or cannot commit to a course of action, it will tell the shaman and that favor is not used.  On the flip side, the conjured spirit only came because it likes the shaman, and is likely to go out of its way to read into the spirit of the shaman's orders, even if it technically goes beyond its specific orders.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:07, Mon 27 Jan 2014.

The following represents elemental and spirit behavior based on existing and game-specific rule variations.  Game-specific variations or interpretations are marked with italics.

All 'physical' elemental and spirit attributes are all based on force.  Values are as follows:

Attributes:

* With flame aura, attack is Force M instead of Force - 2 M.

Initiative is 10+1d6 + Reaction.  Charisma, Intelligence and Willpower are all equal to force.

Air and Fire Elementals and Spirits of the Sky can fly, which allows them "higher ground" advantage in melee.  Water and Earth elementals and Spirits of Man, Water and Land cannot fly, though Water elementals and Spirits of Water take no damage from falling.  Flying has the same speed as normal movement.

Man, Land, Sky and Water look quite similar to Fire, Earth, Air and Water elementals, respectively.  Differences are: Sky spirits can attack, air elementals can't.  Land spirits don't get +1 reach like earth elementals.  Reaction of water spirits is -1 instead of +1.  Spirits of Man don't have flame aura.

As a general analysis, Air elementals and Sky spirits are fast but can't fight worth beans.  Earth elementals and Land spirits are slow but brutal.  Fire/Water & Man are in the middle.


Common powers:


Accident - Forces target to make test (choice of I or Q) against target of Force.  If fails, target next initiative phase.  GM may choose to add other affects based on type of domain and how badly the character fails their test.  Accidents can affect all characters with in an area of "Force" meters in diameter.  E.g. size of rock fall, large wave, gust of wind or whatever action impacts the characters

Concealment - Adds "Force" to all perception attempts on the target.

Confusion - Adds "Force" to target modifiers of all victims.  Also, to make a decision, victim must make Willpower test against Force or will be unable to make up their mind until prompted by an attack or verbal reminder to retry the test.  Also, seems odd that there's no ability to resist this as there is with the confusion spell.  Suggest allowing a Willpower test against Force with each success reducing the target penalty at least.  One service will result in the spirit maintaining the confusion effect for Force minutes.

Fear - Opposed Test between willpower and essence.  Net successes by spirit represent number of combat turns of "terror" suffered by character and severity there-of.  GM determines actions of characters while suffering fear.  Limited to affecting "Force" characters within line-of-sight of the spirit or elemental per service

Guard - Allows prevention of accident power, as well as regular accidents.  Reduces target number for accident-prone activities - e.g. climbing a cliff or building by Force/2.  Also converts catastrophic failures resulting from all 1s, to normal failures for events the spirit or elemental could reasonably affect.  E.g. May keep a character from falling off a ledge, but won't help much with decking.  One service will result in the spirit maintaining the guard effect for Force hours.

Materialize – Elementals and spirits are normally only present in astral.  However they can materialize to attack non-astral characters or to exercise their powers.  Elementals and spirits can dematerialize and re-materialize as a simple action.  That means that over the course of two combat phases they can disappear from one place and reappear in another.  Alternatively, they can go from astral to physical based on their astral initiative, however, they don't do anything else that phase after they materialize, nor the phase following.  E.g. Elemental rolls 29 astral initiative.  They hold action until just before their next initiative slot (19).  They then materialize on phase 19.5, do nothing on phase 19 and may act again on phase 9, perhaps engulfing the character they just popped up next to . . .

Movement – Affects movement of a single character or vehicle by multiplying or dividing the character's movement by their Force.  This applies to the character for the following combat phase.  Each character affected is considered to be a separate action.  E.g. If the elemental has 3 actions based on initiative, they can affect 3 characters.  This power can be invoked when the elemental is in astral form.

Search - Spirit makes opposed test between target's intelligence/object's Resistance and  2 x Force.  Searching can only find objects in spirits own domain.  Base time is 20 minutes * "area of search in 10k square meters" / Force / Number of successes.  No successes takes the same length of time as 1 success, but has a result of "couldn't find it".  Note that the roll is made by the GM as the result of no successes appears the same as a result where the target is not in the spirit's domain or search area.


Special powers:
Swamp Spirit:
Bind – Target is "stuck" to surface or spirit's materialized form.  Character must make a strength test of 2 x Force to get free.  Binding can only affect "Force" characters per service

Storm Spirit:
Innate Lightning Spell – Rolling sorcery of Force with a damage code of (Force) M.  No drain unless spell is sustained (area of effect is F square meters), in which case drain is F/2 S.  Lightning can short out electrical equipment (-1 on equipment's resistance).  Metallic armor doesn't help.  Flying or high insulation may reduce power at GM's discretion.

Air elemental:
Noxious Breath – Any character in touch range to suffers Force S stun, resisted by Willpower or Body.  Force is reduced by 2 if character is wearing a respirator.

Psychokinesis - Acts as a Magic Fingers spell with strength and quickness equal to force.  (No drain)

Fire elemental:
Flame Aura - When activated, the damage of their attack increases by 2.  Also, if a character succeeds in melee attack or defense against the elemental, they *still* must resist Force M damage, with no ability to dodge, and may only apply armor if it covers the part of the body attacking or defending with.

Innate Flamethrower Spell - Rolling sorcery of Force with a damage code of Force M.  No drain unless spell is sustained (area of effect is F square meters), in which case drain is F/2 S


All spirit powers can only affect characters within a spirit's domain.  The area in which a power can have an effect is limited to force * 10000 square meters, with the "center" and "shape" of the area being determined by the GM for spirits.  E.g. If you summon a water spirit at the edge of a lake, the boundary of their domain is likely to be the edge of the lake, or perhaps the edge of the beach.  A spirit can invoke their power on a larger area, but suffers a +2 penalty on their success tests or a -2 on their effectiveness for each doubling of effected area.  E.g. A force 6 city spirit could search 480000 square meters (2x2x2x60000), but would suffer a +6 penalty.  At the GM's option, a spirit *might* be convinced to accompany characters who are mobile and extend a power such as concealment or guard without penalty beyond their standard range, provided the characters remain within the spirit's domain.

Elemental powers can affect anyone within line of sight of the elemental which must remain within a certain distance of the controlling character unless ordered to go elsewhere.  Elementals are inherently mobile and will move with the character if asked to do so.

Also, for a single service, elementals and spirits can only affect a number of characters or objects equal to their force.  This applies to Accident, Concealment, Confusion, Fear, Guard and Bind.

NOTE: the 10k square meters is taken from MITS.  I'd be tempted to increase it to more in a natural environment - e.g. wilderness

While a spirit or theoretically an elemental can volunteer to attack or use a special power, in general requesting an elemental to use a power or attack constitutes a service.  Powers can only affect physical objects or characters when an elemental is materialized.


Combat:
For melee combat, the elemental or spirit's skill is their reaction.  They have a standard combat pool (Q+I+W)/2.  Attacks on an elemental or spirit with weapon foci or magic hands do full damage.  Other melee attacks have their power dropped by Force.  Alternatively, a character can attack using their willpower as their combat skill and damage of Willpower M stun, though they can't use their combat pool, nor can the elemental or spirit use its combat pool to reduce damage (though it can still use combat pool when attacking).  Reach bonuses apply to willpower attacks, provided they are made with a weapon the GM deems 'appropriate'.

In ranged combat, the elemental or spirit's immunity to normal weapons reduces the power of all ranged attacks by F * 2 unless the attack is elemental in nature (elemental manipulation, firehose, etc.) in which case it is only reduced by Force.  For elementals and elemental-associated spirits, attacks from their opposing element are not reduced in force and are increased by one damage level.  Elementals a are completely immune to attacks from their own element.  (

Note that element attacks must actually be capable of causing damage normally in order to damage an elemental.  However, merely exposing an elemental to the opposing element even in a non-damaging way will behave as a minor allergic reaction giving +1 to all the elemental's target numbers while so exposed.  More substantive exposures may increase the penalty, or even result in light damage for every minute of exposure.

In astral space, all elementals and spirits are identical, with all attributes and combat skill equal to force and initiative of 20 + force + 1d6.  All attack damage is Force M.  If a character is astrally perceiving, an elemental or spirit can attack from astral space using its astral initiative and damage rating.  Astral elementals and spirits are immune from all physical attacks, including element-based attacks, regardless of element.

Regardless of damage type, elementals and spirits heal at a rate of 1 box/minute.   (Adapted from MITS) (So the elemental you beat on with severe physical and stun damage on the way in may be raring to go when you come back out . . .)

In spell combat, elementals and spirits are affected normally by combat spells.  The power of elemental-manipulation spells is reduced by F, with two exceptions:
- spells from the opposing element have full force and increase their damage code by 1 on elementals.
- spells from the same element cause no damage to elementals and element-associated spirits

If an elemental takes deadly physical or stun damage, it is disrupted and cannot return to earth for 28 days - force.  (I.e. If you kill a conjurer's elemental, you don't have to worry about them bringing it back right away).  On the other hand, if a conjurer dismisses an elemental *before* it is disrupted, it can be resummoned and will be at full strength, though it will consume a new service if ordered to attack.

All elementals can also engulf.  This requres a successful melee test using quickness instead of reaction.  Once engulfed, a character suffers damage on each combat phase (including the one were they're engulfed) until they break out or the elemental lets them go.  To break out, they can use a complex action to make an opposed test of character's strength vs. spirit's Force.  None of the damage can be scaled up by combat dice, nor can it be dodged.  The damage varies by elemental/spirit type:

• Air - Force S Stun, can be resisted using Willpower or Body.  No benefits from armor or breathing gear
• Earth - Force S, power can be reduced using impact armor and resisted using Body
• Fire - Force M, power can be reduced using 1/2 impact and resisted using body.
• Water - Force M stun, with power of +1 for each subsequent combat phase of engulfing damage.

Note: Whenever fire damage is done (flame aura, flamethrower, engulf) there's a chance of damage to equipment and potential for ignition of clothing and cookoff of ammo.  (Roll 2d6 against resistance of material.  If ammo goes off, it does <To Be determined> <i>damage with no ability to dodge, though armor helps.  If clothing ignites, it does 6M damage every turn until extinguished.)

Finally, just to make things *really* interesting, elementals and spirits have a karma pool equal to the number of successes when it was originally summoned + 1.  This karma pool is only refreshed when the elemental has completed all of their services.  However, characters have no control over when this pool is used by a spirit or elemental.  They will typically use it to only defend their own interests, whatever those might be.


Other characteristics:
Conjurers have a “connection” to any summoned spirit or elemental.  While connected, a conjurer automatically knows if the spirit or elemental is killed (disrupted), banished or controlled.  Connections to elementals are lost if the elemental and conjurer move more than conjurer’s (Willpower + Charisma + Magic) * 10 meters.  Connections to spirits are lost if a shaman leaves the spirit’s domain.  This includes switching domains mentally, such as to summon a creature from other domains.  When a connection is lost, all additional services are lost, though the service the spirit or elemental is performing will be followed through to completion.  If a spirit or elemental is disrupted, banished or controlled and the conjurer does NOT have a connection, they can still find out that the spirit is no longer "in their stable" of controlled creatures.  Checking their stable requires a simple action by the conjurer.  Knowing that an elmental or spirit is missing from the stable does not indicate why they're not there.  It could be they've completed their service, or it could be something bad happened.  No way to know without going plane-hopping.

Elementals and spirits can be banished.  The banishing conjurer rolls conjuring dice against the spirit/elemental's force.  The creature rolls Force dice against the conjurer's magic attribute.  Whoever gets more successes reduces the other's Force/Magic attribute by the number of successes and chooses whether the process continues on the winner's next combat phase.  If there's a tie, the contest automatically continues (on the previous winner's next combat phase).  While the process continues, neither participant can take any other action.  If the spirit/elemental's force is reduced to zero, the creature is permanently banished.  If the conjurer's magic attribute is reduced to zero, they are knocked out (D stun) and they risk permanent magic loss.  Otherwise, Magic and Force are regained over a period of hours.  Elemental Force is automatically regained the next time the elemental appears from their plane regardless of how short a period of time it's been.

Elementals and spirits can be controlled (but only by hermetics and shamans, respectively).  The conjurer attempting to control the elemental rolls their conjuring dice against the elemental's force.  The original conjurer can resist if they still have a connection with the spirit/elemental, rolling their conjuring + their charisma dice against the elemental or spirit's force.  Otherwise, the successes made by the original conjuring are used.  If the attempted controller gets less successes, they fail.  If they get more successes, they acquire the net number of services.  If there's a tie, elementals go uncontrolled and spirits vanish.  The attempted controller takes drain as if they were summoning the elemental or spirit.  The original controller only takes drain if they were in the radius of control/conjuring domain and they lost control of the elemental/spirit.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:23, Tue 07 Aug 2018.

Sorcery
Four out of the five categories of spell can be split into direct spells and indirect spells (the exception being Health, which has no indirect spells):

Direct spells are the more straightforward types of spell. As the name suggests, they work by directly affecting the subject(s), meaning that the subject(s) of the spell is also the target. Since the subject is also the person/object resisting the spell, the target numbers for Direct spells tend to be linked to one of the subject's attributes (or OR, for objects).

Examples of Direct spells are the combat spells Manabolt and Manaball, the detection spell Detect Enemies, the health spell Heal, the illusion spell Chaotic World, the manipulation spell Levitate.

Indirect spells work a little differently. Indirect spells are cast around a subject, just as direct spells are. The spell uses the subject as a center or focal point to affect the spell's targets, which may or may not include the subject. Since the spell's targets are not the person/object resisting the spell, the target numbers for Indirect spells tend to be a static number, usually 4 or 6 depending on the difficulty of the spell. Also, note that the Line of Sight requirement only applies to the spell's subject; this allows mages to strike "around corners" by casting an area spell and letting the effects expand into areas the mage would not be able to see or affect. Indirect spells tend to be more complex, and therefore usually have either weaker effects or higher Drain than a direct analogue.

Examples of Indirect spells are the combat spell Fireball**, the detection spell Clairvoyance, the illusion spell invisibility, the manipulation spell Magic Fingers.

Special note: Invisibility has been nerfed. It is replaced by Camouflage. Both Camouflage and Stealth (which add modifiers to visible and audio perception, respectively) come in three flavors; Camouflage (or Stealth) which works on people, Improved Camouflage/Stealth, which works on people and electronic sensors like cameras and microphones, and Camouflage/Stealth Sphere, which affects people within an area. Both add +1 modifier to detect per success, capped by Force and max of +8.


**Elemental manipulations should be Indirect Combat spells, with the current variable-TN versions (the ones keyed to Willpower etc) as Direct Combat spells. The "subject" would be the point of origin for the (elemental) spell--usually a person, object, or point in space--and the targets would be everything in the area around. Note that, as in canon, targets don't necessarily need to be in LOS of the caster, but subjects do.

Wards
Successes in the creation of a ward to go either towards extending its duration OR to reduce the amount of time necessary to create that ward.

Astral
In addition to the astral combat rules previously ...

Two characters on the astral can sense ("see") each other at any range as long as they have LOS. This transmits certain basic information, as is the nature of the astral, especially their condition, emotions, etc. Astral characters can hear (almost) normally, and standard rules and ranges apply. Concrete and mundane concepts are generally more difficult to transmit than magical or spiritual ones.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:06, Fri 26 Dec 2014.

Content pending

A post for other items of import (mostly rules clarifications/house rules).

Surprise: We follow the book rules EXCEPT surprise happens before initiative is rolled. It's one action that's divided up among those who have a high enough reaction roll to respond, and everyone else misses out. This helps low-speed characters survive a surprise attack, and helps us miss an initiative roll that's only half-used.

Matrix: We're using SR1 matrix rules from modules, plus SR3 rules. I'm still working back and forth on details, and I take a level of narrative imperative. Understand the matrix works like the SR1/2 dungeon-crawl style, plus the security tally and system-wide actions from SR3.