Because the one taking the 6 instead of twice 3 won't be rewarded.

I disagree...

The Dragon PC rules are not any more broken than free spirit PC rules. Or any less broken.

The skill table in SR4 is worthless, has always been worthless and will never be anything other then worthless. Skill doesn't matter in SR, dice pools matter in SR.

@Tymeaus Jalynsfein
So he will be rewarded? How exactly?

I'd go so far and say, the Dragon PC rules are slightly better


sad but true. I will try to convince my table to go with max dice pool = skill x4 once we start a new campaign

*nods sagely* Very inscrutable, kzt. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Are you saying the Dragon rules are good, and/or the spirit rules are bad, or what?

That is an opinion that I disaree with (and always have)... we use it quite well at our table... Skill measures how much you know about the particular subject. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

6 vs. Twice 3?

What exactly does that mean? It makes no sense...

The dragon rules are just as good as the totally awful spirit rules. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

@Tymeaus Jalynsfein
In BP it cost the same about to get one skill to six or two skills to 3.
If you look at the karma costs it is 28 vs 44.

Ahhh... I see.

So what... They are completely different Character Generation Systems...

The guy with a Skill of 6 (Exceedingly rare at our table to start with, by the way) has 1 skill, while the other guy has 2. I would think it is obvious from that alone. The guy with a 6 Skill is better at that skill than the other one with the skill of 3. The other one has a skill the first likely does not, and both of his skills are at professional rating. Higher skill results in higher dice pool. In this case you have a guy with 6 dice from skills, and a guy with 2 skills, each with 3 dice bonus. same 6 dice as far as I am concerned.

What is your complaint at that point?

@Tymeaus Jalynsfein
My point is, they both will increase with karma later on. And after a while it will look like:
4/6 to 3/6.

And they'll be different by one skill point?! Nooo! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Indeed, whatever shall they do?

This conversation is all well and good, but it has digressed from the original questions about Free Spirit PC's and the generation thereof.

As the OP, I was wanting to know if there had ever been a resolution to the shit-poor wording of the Free Spirit rules, and whether or not that resolution was generally accepted.

From what I've seen, this forum is split about 50%/50% on these rules. Some agree with my interpretation, others see the opposite.

I think I'll be sitting down with my GM and discussing a version that suits us, our play style and the rest of our group.

The many comments (both pro & con) have shown me things I had not previously considered about Free Spirit PC's and their design (at least within the BP system), and I'll be incorporating these insights when I speak with my GM.

Thank you all for your feedback and commentary, it is much appreciated.

The way I intend on doing it is like so:

Cost: 100 BP (or karma under Karmagen)
Starting Force: 2
Starting Attributes: 2
Max Attributes: Force
Force Increases do NOT increase the minimum attributes.
If Materialized/Possessing, they can see normally like any other character.

I've probably forgotten a few things but that's what I can remember off the top of my head.

This is what I gather from several comments and such about what the author had originally intended (though my cost is a bit higher than the author originally submitted). I'm probably going to start up a new gaming group as I've had a few people ask if I would run Shadowrun for them.

I agree with you though. The wording was very poorly done. I suspect the Force & Attributes were supposed to only be linked on starting attributes and on the caps, not the minimums.

Re-edit: The only advice on finding this errata was search the forum. I used the search function, searched for "runners companion errata" and the search results were the entire forum. Does anyone have a link to this errata, in English? Also can we start a fund to slap the company until they publish all the errata and books in ENGLISH as well as German?

That's probably the best option.

Then again, you'd be paying 315 BP for metatype + attributes, leaving very little for skills and gear. Not to mention none of your maximums will be impressive out of the gate. You'll be middling in most areas.

And you're a free spirit, an incredible being with unique and amazing powers, that doesn't rely too much on skills (and especially not on gear!). Give them karma as normal and be done with it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Except the powers available to free spirits are neither special nor amazing. Most of that 250 bp is a horrible "snowflake tax".

… they are. I can't imagine what you're talking about; we've spent a good chunk of the thread on that.

Personally, and as I've stated before, I don't think either of these two options is the right choice. However, I don't think that the 'weak' version is so bad that our *only* recourse is to use the 'crazy strong' version instead. If you're aiming for the middle, you have several choices. Two of those are: you can either reduce the cost of the 'weak' version *a little*, or you can increase the cost of the 'strong' version.

Compared to what other spirit powers, exactly? Energy Drain (Karma)?

These powers are immediately identifiable as extremely useful both to the spirit and to its fellow PC's:
Accident
Concealment
Divining
Fear
Guard
Influence
Movement
Regeneration

These powers are not so directly helpful, but have enormous potential if used intelligently:
Aura Masking
Confusion (example: When being chased by some gangers/yaks/lone star/whatever, head onto the highway. Then the FSPC can use Concealment and Confusion to hide the exits from the team's pursuers while the team takes a now-Concealed exit)
Mutable Form
Psychokinesis
Realistic Form
Spirit Pact
Weather Control

How exactly are these powers "neither special nor amazing," particularly in comparison to the abilities of most other character archetypes (mages don't count, since free spirits aren't meant to fulfill a mage role)?

But a Free Spirit CAN fulfill the Mage roll, as they are all Magicians. With no actual Quality Cost even.