Racial Cost at Creation, Lack of Balance? |
Racial Cost at Creation, Lack of Balance? |
Jul 30 2004, 06:44 PM
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Target Group: Members Posts: 26 Joined: 28-October 02 Member No.: 3,527 |
Ok I've been pondering this a bit and wanted to get some third party input. The specifics I use are with the point based generation but they could apply just as well to the priority system.
There seems to me to be a bit of inequity in the racial point costs at creation. Specifically the penalty for being an Elf seems to be too large for the benefit the player gains by being an elf. Elves gain minimal bonuses for being an elf and the cost seems to outweigh the benefit. Here is a break down of the base races: Elf +1 Quick, + 2 Charisma, Low Light. Net bonus attributes 3. Bonus ability 1 Ork +3 Body, +2 Strength, -1 Charisma, -1 Intelligence, Low Light. Net 3 Bonus 1 Dwarf +1 Body, +2 Strength, +1 Willpower, thermographic, Resist Disease/Toxin. Net 4 Bonus 2 Troll +5 Body, -1 quickness, +4 strength, -2 Charisma, -2 Int, Thermo, Dermal Armor, Reach. Net 4 Bonus 3. Now obviously Troll should be the most expensive. But from this Dwarf should fall in line as the second most or the secondary most expensive alternative. I guess it seems like the Elf gets penalized for no particular good reason. I know they have longer lives but when has that ever really come into play in Shadowrun? I imagine it is to keep them rare but they don't seem like a slightly gimped up version of what a human could do with the same points in the books... |
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Jul 30 2004, 07:28 PM
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Target Group: Members Posts: 26 Joined: 28-October 02 Member No.: 3,527 |
I played all three editions :). I actually prefer the 1st and 2nd editions where the costs were equal for all the races. I think they found that not many people played Orks or Dwarves most likely being the reason for the change.
Well I've tried in my recent games to play the racism angle up more. Honestly they true hard core racists hate Elves as much as Trolls though. It's the incidental racism that is more harsh for the Trolls and Orks.
Now mind you I tend toward playing humans myself. I also know you've got the Reincarnation/Immortal/long life possibilities for Elves...though I'd never let a PC be immortal /cringe. Also they are generally liked better than others by humans.
I'll concede I've missed a few points here :). It bothers me that the primary and most obvious reason is balance though. I personally can generally trust my players to keep the groups balanced. |
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