Basic Character Generation
Character generation will use the 400-Build Point rules in the main
rulebook. However, before you start in on that, think about the type of
character you want and answer the questions in the Character Quiz (Runner's Companion, p.18);
alternately, you can use the "20 questions" questionnaire in the
second edition rulebook
.
Barring that, you can always grab an archetype (pre-generated character) from the Shadowrun Fourth Edition Anniversary rulebook or Shadowrun: 2050. Be advised that the Shadowrun: 2050 archetypes may need some tweaking to fit in the 2070 era.
Advanced
Character Generation
Once
your first character gets killed, retires, or otherwise leaves the
game, you can continue on using a character created using the 400
build point method in the core book. This method allows for more
detailed
character concepts and options, such as
bonded spirits, foci, mystic adepts, or registered sprites. If going
through 400 build points seems a bit daunting, you can make use of
the PACKS (Pre-Generated Auxiliary Character Kit System) in the Runner's Toolkit, which
presents a number of kits at each step of the process.
With regard to experience, we can certainly tweak the new character so
they're up to speed with the rest of the crew - if you want. Sometimes
adding a newbie to a crew of experienced characters can be fun, but it's
up to you, the player, to decide if that's what you want to do.
The
loss or retirement of your first character also opens up a number of
other possibilities with regard to character metatypes and variant
metatypes. Additional
character concepts in Runner's
Companion allowed (with
GM permission) later in
the game include:
- Changeling (RC, p.57-59, 73-75)
- Drake (RC, p.59, 74-76)
-
Metavariants
- Dwarf, Gnome (RC, p.54-55, 71)
- Dwarf, Koborokuru (RC p.53, 71)
- Dwarf, Menehune (RC, p.54, 71)
- Elf, Dryad (RC, p.51, 71)
- Elf, Night One (RC, p.51, 71)
- Elf, Xapiri Thëpë (RC, p.53, 72)
- Ork, Hobgoblin (RC p.49-50, 72)
- Ork, Ogre (RC, p.50-51, 72)
- Ork, Oni (RC, p.51, 72)
- Troll, Fomori (RC, p.55-56, 72)
- Troll, Giant (RC, p.56-57, 72)
- Troll, Minotaur (RC, p.57, 72)
- Pixie (RC, p.65, 84)
- Shapeshifter (RC, p.66-67, 86-88)
Running The Shadows By Post
Posting Frequency: I'd love it if we could manage a turn a day for this game, but I know that's not going to always be possible (if ever). At any rate, if we can manage a turn or two a week minimum, I'll be happy.Being AFK (Away From Keyboard): Like I said above, life happens. If you don't make a deadline, don't sweat it. I won't kill or penalize the character. What I'll do is try to have the character act as best I can approximate, including rolls.
Roll20/Hangout Sessions: If possible, I'd love to have a live Roll20/Hangout session once a month. I know people's schedules are all different and life happens, but we should give it a shot.
Roleplaying Action and Combat: In play-by-post games, description and detail are important things to remember. You don't have to describe every wrinkle on a character's creased brow - I myself was told by an English prof that I use "an economy of words" in my writing - but describing your character's actions in some detail and interacting in their "voice" is beneficial to the game and the character under the cinematic rules (p.75, SR4A rules, and shown below).
Combat is going to be one of two types:
- Quick, simple fights where your choices are simple (fight, run, or die). I can resolve these quickly, but if you want to make the necessary rolls, that's fine.
- More detailed fights will be where I describe the environment and situation followed by your initiative rolls and description of your actions. For example, I might write: "Responding to Thunder's insult, the ork biker kicks him in the joy department, causing your fellow runner to curl up in a ball on the floor. The ork then rests one of his boots on the side of Thunder's face, rubbing the sole in to ensure maximum comfort. The ork's fellow gangers immediately stand and start swinging at anybody not wearing their colors. The red-headed elf who's been staring at you grins, pulls a black rose from her sleeve, and starts to leave out the back way. What do you do?"
Based on the situation, you'll need to supply your character's immediate long- and/or short-term goals. For example, your character's long-term goal might be to find the troll street samurai who burned them in a run gone bad. Your short-term goal in the situation above might be: "Hit the ork with my chair, then make my way to the nearest door or window. If the elf draws a gun or starts to cast a spell in my direction, I'll throw a knife at her. Once I reach a door or window, I'll jump through it, get on my motorcycle and find a motel in the next town. In the morning I'll try to sell the datachips I stole and replace the knife I lost. I'll also check around to see if there are any trolls who look like the street sam who left me holding the bag in the Joslyn run.
Your posts should take into consideration as many contingencies as you can think of (such as the possibility of the elf casting a spell in the above example) and should describe your actions in enough detail to avoid ambiguity. For example, if your character is locked in a jail cell, you can't just simply say "Escape." You need to do something like "have my cellmate stage a distraction so we can knock the guard out" or "try to pick a fight with the guy in the cell across the hall so the guard comes in," or otherwise outline some definite course of action.
The Cinematic Rules: Since not everybody is going to have the rulebook open on their phone, tablet, or computer while reading this, I'll reprint the cinematic rules here for your benefit.
- Hits occur on a 4, 5, or 6, rather than just a 5 or 6. This makes it much more likely for characters to succeed in their tasks; extra hits can be interpreted as “flair.” This may be a preferred style of play if you’re seeking dramatic action-movie scenes with lots of stunts and flourishes.
- Up to three extra dice will be awarded to characters who describe their actions in colorful, inventive ways.
- If you do a particularly excellent job in describing your character's action and/or interacting in character, the "Rule of Six" will be applied to your roll (if Edge has not already been applied), meaning all dice coming up a 6 are counted as Hits and rerolled. Any additional Hits rolled are then included and 6's are included and rerolled until no more 6's come up.
- You may use Edge to negate all of the damage inflicted by any single attack (the attack miraculously misses or leaves you unharmed) at a dramatically appropriate point in the game. This requires GM approval.
