Okay, you build Prime Runners with BP based on the level of Prime Runner (Inferior to Superhuman) as per the Prime Runner Creation and Advancement Table on pg 277 of the BBB.

If you are building a sapient critter Prime Runner (say a ghoul, sasquatch or Dragon), do you start with the base stats for the critter and add BP from there?

Or do the statistics given in the Friends and Foes section already assume "average" stats (ie, assuming base 2 in all abilities before critter stat mods), and thus you start with the base stats (given stats -1, if the above is assumed) and add BP from there?

For example, a Vampire is listed as Str 3. Is the bonus to Strength for being a Vampire +2, or just +1 with an assumed base human with Strength 2?

Likewise, what is the presumed max statistic for the critters? If the creature is metahuman-based (such as a vampire), we can assume metahuman minimums and maximums, adjusted by racial bonuses. But what of an Eastern Dragon (Dragons, according to pg 295, are always considered Superhuman Prime Runners or higher)? With a printed Body of 14, what is the minimum and maximum Body stat for the Dragon? At what point does the BP cost of Body points jump from 10 to 25?

Thanks for your help!

-~GitM

if I'm building a critter, I make it up. Critters don't have a 'threat rating' or 'creation cost' for those meta-types, and without those you won't ever be able to 'measure' the exact 'value' of a critter effectively.

if you're trying to judge if it's going to be an appropriate challenge level, you're better of just figuring out it's max damage / AP, and defense / DP, and roughly compare special abilities to other prime runners, rather than trying to 'price it all out'.

besides, not all build points are are made equal. A prime runner mage with "control thoughts" and "invisibility" is a hundred times more dangerous in combat than one with "detect magic" and "increase intuition".

Anything that has (for example) hardened armor, will, body, and countermagic at 16 is a huge threat even if just has a pocket knife. Much, much more so if it's a mage.

Generally speaking, the awakened animals are "mildly heroic" already (what with being the 1-3% of critters that have awesome super powers). So they have base attributes that are 3 less than maximum (the equivalent of a 3 rather than 2). In short, a devil rat is "professional grade" just for being a devil rat.

And the Vampire with a Strength of 3 means that it has a normal human strength of 1/6.

-Frank

Thanks! That's very helpful. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cyber.gif)

I take it then that the statistic minimums/maximums for the critters are still 1 +base attribute and 6 +base attribute, respectively?

Dragons have some base skill ratings higher than 6. Should the maximum skill rating be considered to be equal to the highest level skill ( 8 )? Or should it be 7 (or even remain 6), with the assumption that the Dragon naturally has something similar to Aptitude qualities where those skills are concerned?

In the case of critters such as naga and sasquatches, which "may have the Adept, Magician, or Mystic Adept qualities", those qualities would have to be bought with the granted Prime Runner BP, as well as any associated spells. Dragons, however, are listed as always having the Magician quality, and are simply described as having "most spells". Do you think the Magician quality and spells in the Dragon's repertoire should be granted, or should they be required to spend Prime Runner BP for them?

Again, thanks for your help! I'm hoping to have things worked up in time for my next session.


-~GitM

If it's an NPC, why bother with Build Points. Any dragon should strongly outclass any runner team with major heavy weapons. As a GM, you don't have to use specific numbers to build your cast. Just figure out what you're going to be doing with them and go from there. Have a few DPs statted out for the appropriate uses (if it's going to get into combat, have Damage Resistance and know Armor Rating, if it's going to cast spells no it's magic + spellcasting, etc.). Make sure you keep your players in mind while you make those DPs though. You don't want to make it IMPOSSIBLE for them to shine, that's the trick. You also should avoid completely overwhelming them in combat...this also allows you to adjust on the fly if things go how you don't want them to go. Don't let the story suffer because that's what is important. Of course, this all may just be me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

The question isn't "Do I need to do this?" nor "How can I get around doing this?"

The question is: "How do I do this properly?"

I really appreciate Frank Trollman's help. And hope that I can get some more legitimate input from him and others.

-~GiTM