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Dumpshock Forums _ Shadowrun _ Useful Contacts

Posted by: X-Kalibur Jan 19 2007, 07:39 PM

I'm going to start by admitting that I am terrible at coming up with contacts that are useful in any real manner. Save for the obvious and ubiquitous "Fixer".

What contacts do you find you get the most mileage out of?

Fixer?
Hacker?
Talismonger?
Fence?
Mr. J?
Motivational Speaker (and his broken down van)?
Arms Dealer?
Smuggler?
Street Doc?

These are all ones that spring to mind easily, but there must be less obvious ones that get some good usage out. Let's hear them.

Posted by: HappyDaze Jan 19 2007, 07:47 PM

What kind of a character are selectnig contacts for? It makes a difference.

Posted by: ronin3338 Jan 19 2007, 07:49 PM

Depends on your game...

Fixer is a given, but he's more of a jack-of-all-trades.
Corp Secretary is good, bartender is handy for street info.

When I'm GM-ing, I give each contact some very specific knowledge skills based on their job, making them more useful for specific information.

Posted by: Trax Jan 19 2007, 07:55 PM

Get a Loyalty 6/Connection 6 Fixer, that way you can get any other contacts later on. Give your contacts to low a connection (arms dealer, fixer, Johnson, etc.) and you'll have to go out looking for a better contact unless you're happen with the arms dealer that can only sell some pistols and maybe an SMG if you're lucky.

Posted by: lorechaser Jan 19 2007, 07:58 PM

Players in my group have gotten great returns on Lone Star detective and Reporter. Especially Reporter.

I recently picked up "Ghoul King of the abandoned mall." I'm hopeful that will work out well.

Also, "Big Trog, biker leader"

Posted by: X-Kalibur Jan 19 2007, 08:07 PM

QUOTE (lorechaser)

Reporter actually sounds like a really good one, I wouldn't have thought about that, they are likely to have some info on just about everything.

Posted by: lorechaser Jan 19 2007, 08:10 PM

QUOTE (X-Kalibur)

QUOTE (lorechaser @ Jan 19 2007, 02:58 PM)

Reporter actually sounds like a really good one, I wouldn't have thought about that, they are likely to have some info on just about everything.

Indeed.

And on the flip side, they are often willing to report anonymous pieces of information that mysteriously show up on their comms.

You have to buy them up pretty high to get a story squashed, but even a fairly low ranking reporter can get a story on the air.

Posted by: cetiah Jan 19 2007, 08:16 PM

The party's fixer takes the role of fence, arms dealer, and part-time smuggler. (Although PCs have to sometimes finish the smuggling jobs by taking stuff from the docks.)

Having a hacker as a contact as a really convenient way for the GM to introduce "special tricks of 2070" without actually needing to interpret the bizzare hacking rules. Someone on another thread asked if its possible to clean a commlink that you picked up off a dead guard or something. This sort of thing is perfect for hacker contacts. Same with acquiring new programs or other things like that.

I'm trying to make each fixer specialize in a different area. For example, my street sam's fixer contact ("Janet") is a small-time smuggler who maintains a huge network of people Downtown. So she knows jobs in downtown, shipping manifests, can get exotic weapons, and can sell pretty much anything. But the party will need another fixer if they want to get a wider variety of jobs.

I re-use Mr Johnsons too and I've scrapped the idea that they are anonymous once they know you can do the job. Most players do research on Johnsons anyway, and its useful because it allows Johnsons to give alternate forms of payment based on their specialties. For example, I had a hacker johnson once. You can imagine the possibilties. After the run, I give that johnson over to the PCs as a contact; for example, this johnson gets written up as "Hacker, Connection: 3, Loyalty: 1". Each time the runners do a job for a contact, they get +1 loyalty in addition to any other benefits.

Medic or some such might be a useful contact. But try to think of contacts that have lives of their own and are involved in stuff. I don't really like Talismonger, for example, as a contact, unless you really think he's active. The sort of active that might occasionally need a hired shadowrun or personal favor.

I also like the idea that organizations can be contacts, too. A certain nightclub, an auburne street gang, or a matrix dumpshock forum could all be useful examples of contacts.

Also, I give discounts if the contact is a family member, because that opens up all sorts of interesting possibilities and helps flesh out characters.

Posted by: Jaid Jan 19 2007, 08:21 PM

gangs/gang leaders can be handy for occasional muscle.

a summoner magician who hires out the services of his spirits can be a real help, as could a technomancer who does likewise with sprites.

Posted by: Rotbart van Dainig Jan 19 2007, 08:36 PM

QUOTE (X-Kalibur)

I'm going to start by admitting that I am terrible at coming up with contacts that are useful in any real manner.

Any contact is useful - how useful depends on their connection rating.

Posted by: HappyDaze Jan 19 2007, 08:55 PM

QUOTE

I don't really like Talismonger, for example, as a contact, unless you really think he's active.

Try not to think of the Talismonger as a shopkeeper. I think of a Talismonger as an Armorer/Fixer specialized in all things magical. They get you magical goods, information on magical oddities, and they have many connections among the Awakened. And yes, sometimes they can act as the middleman when mysterious magical groups need to hire runners.

Posted by: X-Kalibur Jan 19 2007, 08:57 PM

QUOTE (Rotbart van Dainig)

QUOTE (X-Kalibur @ Jan 19 2007, 09:39 PM)

I'm going to start by admitting that I am terrible at coming up with contacts that are useful in any real manner.

Any contact is useful - how useful depends on their connection rating.

Thats an interesing point you make and brings something to mind... a table based on what contacts are good for what connection rating.

It's unlikely for example, that a bartender would ever have more than a connection 2 or 3. Versus a Johnson which could range 1 to 6 (low level manager vs corp exec). But even then, not everyone is going to have knowledge relevant to your current run. But some contacts will cover a wider range of options than others.

Posted by: lorechaser Jan 19 2007, 09:04 PM

I dunno - a bartender in the Arcology's private exec suite could very well have a connection rating of 6.

Posted by: HappyDaze Jan 19 2007, 09:10 PM

QUOTE

Versus a Johnson which could range 1 to 6 (low level manager vs corp exec).

A Johnson with Conncetion 1 is a low-level employee using skimmings from the petty cash fund to cover his own ass after something has gone wrong. This is the guy that needs to get back the recording of what happened between him and that corporate escort at the party last night before his wife finds out. Low level adventure opportunities at their finest!

Posted by: HappyDaze Jan 19 2007, 09:11 PM

QUOTE

I dunno - a bartender in the Arcology's private exec suite could very well have a connection rating of 6.

Connection is both who you know and what you can influence/get done. The bartender may be high on the first but he's likely lacking on the latter.

Posted by: lorechaser Jan 19 2007, 09:27 PM

"I tell you whash, John. You don say mucsh, but you listen real good. Whashoo think I should do 'bout that kid?"

"Torimako-san, I am of course, not as wise or reasoned as you, but it seems to me that your company is better off without such a loose cannon. I would allow him to remain with Mitsuhama, and not pursue further activites. It can only make them weaker, and you show your compassion."

"Yer a smart guy, you know tha John?" *drunkenly comms security director* "Kusanagi? Call 'em off. Yup."

But yeah, you're more likely going to see 4/5 as your high end for bartenders.

Posted by: Fortune Jan 19 2007, 09:38 PM

Librarian
Accountant
Lawyer
University Professor

Posted by: Teulisch Jan 19 2007, 10:21 PM

one of the most vitaly important contacts you can have is a doctor. think about it- your in a line of work where getting shot fulls of holes and being unable to go to a hospital is fairly probable. plus you want that illegal ware implanted. and if things go very wrong, you need a cortex bomb removed. a high-loyalty doctor is a VERY usefull contact to have!

Also- why does a contact only do one thing? You could have a contact who has a profession, as well as a political opinion with conetctions to a group. Like say an ork mechanic with conections in the underground, or one of the meta-groups.

Generaly, your 'must-have' list should be an employer (fixer/johnson), an 'upgrade' guy (doctor or magicians group), a equipment guy (arms dealer, talismonger, deckmeister, mechanic), and smuggling. specifics are very character-dependant, and you may want to add Fence to that list of you get enough loot on average (that is campaign-dependant).

Posted by: HappyDaze Jan 19 2007, 10:54 PM

QUOTE

Lawyer

If you are in need of a lawyer, hopefully you have a SIN. Otherwise, a lawyer will do you even less good than they do for the detainees at Guantanamo Bay. You're not a citzen of anywhere and you're being held by heaven knows who - but they have their own legal system complete with Judge & Jury that all get paychecks from the same payroll.

Posted by: Demerzel Jan 19 2007, 11:00 PM

The lawyer might know things be able to get you information etc. that would be hard to get any other way.

Posted by: Fortune Jan 19 2007, 11:11 PM

Exactly. Contacts can be used for way more than one purpose.

Lawyers and Accountants are great people to know, especially when dealing with things like the law and money.

Posted by: lorechaser Jan 19 2007, 11:22 PM

QUOTE (Teulisch)

Also- why does a contact only do one thing? You could have a contact who has a profession, as well as a political opinion with conetctions to a group. Like say an ork mechanic with conections in the underground, or one of the meta-groups.

Game balance.

If you tried to tell me you'd spent 10 bp on a 5/5 contact that was a fixer who moonlighted as a talismonger and was married to a reporter and spent his free time working for the Ork underground when he wasn't caring for his adopted son, who was a mafia don, I'd hit you.

Posted by: Demerzel Jan 19 2007, 11:35 PM

QUOTE (lorechaser)

I would consider assigning connection to the various parts. a connection 5 contact would be maybe 2 in Fixerness, 2 in Talismongeress, and 1 in Ork Undergournd if you wanted to split it up like that.

As fast as the discount in paying only one loyalty cost for 3 different functions I think that is out weighed by the fact that you may lose that one single contact and lose all three as a result. You'd have to make the risk real as a GM possibly charging someone a loyalty if they do something they shouldn't or even outright risking the contacts death.

Posted by: Fortune Jan 19 2007, 11:40 PM

QUOTE (Demerzel)

I would consider assigning connection to the various parts. a connection 5 contact would be maybe 2 in Fixerness, 2 in Talismongeress, and 1 in Ork Undergournd if you wanted to split it up like that.

What about the Mafia and Reporter angles?

Posted by: Demerzel Jan 19 2007, 11:42 PM

Thats the wife and son they are seperate contacts. or Firends of Friends to use the SR3 term

Posted by: Kyoto Kid Jan 20 2007, 01:11 AM

...KK4.3's most useful contacts have been her Detective, "Jade Rose"and Hacker, "Harper" (AKA the "Wild Irishman").

Violet's most useful contact has been her Former Company Man "Mr Beeks".

Hurricane Hannah's is her Sports Promoter, "Big Louie"

Posted by: Gustave Jan 20 2007, 01:37 AM

Wilderness Guide/crazy hermit: Helpful if you need to escape into the wilderness or find any information about... things in the wilderness, like trees or whatever.

Thor Shot Operator: Probably only usable once before they lose their job, but come on... come on now...

Sasquatch: Similar to wilderness guide but... all kinds of awesome

Paranimal Breeder: Never know when their unique knowledge will come in handy or when you'll need a pack of hell hounds

Someone in Airport Security or management: Can smooth over air travel greatly

That's all I can think of for the moment.

Posted by: Mistwalker Jan 20 2007, 01:48 AM

FBI or CIA agent.

You help out their careers, as they know more, and have better arrests (or more spectacular).

Possibly special weapons or permits.

If you get caught by Lone Star or such, you can comm them, ask them to call the cop who is about to arrest you. They can ask for the cop to forget about you, as you are "undercover" / "doing something for the FBI/CIA" / etc... Of course, that will use up a favor or cost you one, but better than being incarcerated.

Posted by: dog_xinu Jan 20 2007, 05:16 PM

fixers are a good choice...
then contacts that releate to their speciality for example..

gun bunny/sammie:
firearms dealer/broker
armourer (sells armour)
gunsmith (repairs)

magic types:
tallismonger

etc...

plus things like...
police detective or if the CON: is low, police beat cop...
reporter has not been chosen yet but could be useful
SIN Forger (to get fake SINs/IDs)
pawn shop owner
junk yard worker/owner
bartender (if in the right type of bar)...

etc..
dog

Posted by: MaxHunter Jan 20 2007, 08:42 PM

How about "ID forger"? One of the Runners in my game has one as a contact and she has become their most popular friend.
There is a couple thread discussing this anyway: every professional runner needs a couple extra SINs for a rainy day.

Fixer and Street Doc are a necessity for everyone

Also:

Troll Biker = cheap muscle / walking intimidation bonus / blind date
Night Club Owner = meeting host
Ghoul = insta body disposal
Hacker= data trace cleaning / info searcher / etc.
Lawyer= when you need it, you really need it; loyalty 3+ a must
Bartender= cheap drinks and conversation what else does a runner need

The most frequent use of contacts is information, though, as varied and as informed as possible.

Cheers,

Max

Posted by: Fortune Jan 21 2007, 01:23 AM

QUOTE (MaxHunter @ Jan 21 2007, 07:42 AM)

That's cool and all, but technically not necessary. After all, you don't have to personally know the actual maker of a product in order to purchase it. This type of thing is typically what Fixers are good for, but there are quite a few organizations that either do this for profit, or have extensive contact with those that do, like most of the underworld organizations.

Posted by: Alex Jan 21 2007, 05:58 AM

One not mentioned yet is a museum director. They can be a great asset when needing information about high end art, can get you into the "by invitation only" gallery showing where your extraction target is snacking on caviar, or provide a convenient place to stash some items. (Have you ever seen the back room of a museum?)