SURGE for SR4, Does it translate into qualities? Options Track this topic Email this topic Print this topic Download this topic Subscribe to this forum Display Modes Switch to: Outline Standard Switch to: Linear+

[Konsaki]

Ok, I just started up a SR3 game on another forum, and the GM allowed SURGE effects in the game. I made up my character with some effects, and I expect him to be hazed and ridiculed for some of them.

What I would like to know is if anyone has been able to translate SURGE effects into SR4 like BP qualities. Personnally, I like the effects, and even the RP attribute of having my character who might have been on the 'inside' now an outcast due to it.

For the people who I know will bring up the fact that people make catgirls and such, they get persecuted just as much as the guy who has neon orange scales on his body.

Edit: I did flex my search fu, but found nothing in the first 200 hits.

[Dranem]

I sortof did my own coversion rules for Surge... giving it it's own qualities table. Using a thread I found about converting Edges and Flaws, basically you muliply each point by 5 so that you get the cost in BP. (there are some minor exceptions where you can house rule that it should cost/benefit that much BP for the higher end flaws)

Following the YotC table, you can either do the random dice roll or point build system if your player has a specific metavariant in mind.

I can post my surge table to the board if there's enough demand for it, and maybe with some constructive feedback revise/finalize the conversions I've made.

Using these I had fun creating a Red Fox Blade Adept... where the character has red fur covering the back and sides of the body, and a tail but still gave her humanoid limbs. (Think of Thundercats where the character is more a humanoid than a furry that stands up-right)

[Konsaki]

That might work, the 5x thing. You said you dont count SURGE in with the quality system? I guess most people would have to use negative SURGE aspects to equal it all out then, or else lose out on BP they could spend on other things...
Id like to try that out. Considering SR4 is only 9 years after the SURGE, they would still be around.

[Dranem]

Actualy I said I give it's own quality system. Because one is limmited to 35 bp for Qualities at chargen, things like Chronic Osteocuspus at 25 bp would nearly fill your negative qualities and leave you with little room for anything else.

So, you could double your allowable Qualities (Which gives room for players to abuse the rules and just get more SR4 qualities), or give it it's own table of 35 bp max so that they can only spend those points on SURGE effects.

As a note: Some of the higher digit qualities I actually scaled down by 5 bp cause there are few qualities in the the SR4 table above 20, I pretty much used that as the ballpark allowable BP cost/bonus for any one quality. Particularly since the choice of being a SURGE Metavariant costs 5bp to begin with. (But I'm getting ahead of myself.)

[Garrowolf]

I kind of disagree about the flat multiplier. There are several qualities that are just story stuff and shouldn't give you that much or cost that much. They just aren't that useful or detremental. I also don't think that there would be much of a bias against them anymore. There are pleany of wierder things around anyway. It's most just flavor by this point.

What I would do it treat it as an Unusual Trait Quality. The first level (5 BP) would be a few traits with no real advantage. Then the second level would be several traits with a few useful things like a vision type or horns. Then the third level for more extreme combinations. No negative qualities unless they are really bad. Negative social modifiers wouldn't count as anything.

Characters in shadowrun are weird as it is - they shouldn't get points for scales!

[Ryu]

Do you want this list for conversion of characters? Else I suggest just using the random table, as the selection of surge effects gives players the munchie-fever.

Concerning BP-values: even less than Garrowulf suggested. Free choice of optic effects, free choice as a justification for existing qualities, everything else won´t happen at all.

[Zen Shooter01]

There's an upcoming release called, I think, The Runner's Guide, which is going to be the new Shadowrun Companion. I expect SURGE will be in there.

I'm surprised SURGE has been left out of fourth edition thus far. It was one of the last major things added to 3rd.

[ChicagosFinest]

They defineately need to reintoduce surge and flesh out what happens to surgelings. How much of a percentage are there in the world? What types of traits give an advantage? What does it mean for your character? Are there surge enclaves and organizations? Is there any big name person who is surged, if so whats his history?

Surge, Gouls, Drakes, Technomancers need to be fleshed out always the more info the better but leave a lot of little things for GM's to handle.

[Kyoto Kid]

[Casper]

[Glayvin34]

I totally fell in love with SURGE effects when I read Year of the Comet. My GM let my character have a Prehensile Tail, which he uses for a +2 on balance, a +2 climbing and holding extra clips. I also like to have him hang from branches and rafters by his tail while using both hands to shoot people. We figured 5 BP was about right for such a quality, but we also decided it counts toward the max 35 BP on qualities.
I made sure my character had some knowledge in Seattle SURGE clubs, that's where he goes for fun. I was thinking that the negative SURGE effects at the end of Year of the Comet book can be translated directly to BP, maybe with a 2x modifier.

[Wakshaani]

Meanwhile, our group is hoping that Surge stays buried and is ever mentioned again, save perhaps something like "After the comet left, Surge features gradually faded, then vanished. Five years after the Comet's pass, there were no known Surgelings retaining any unusual features."

And then we'd dance in the street.

[Glayvin34]

[blakkie]

[Wakshaani]

[Kalvan]

We have a few house rules out it, but the rolling table is rather large.

I think the real answer to this question will have to wait for Fanpro to publish their take in some cuttently unwritten sourcebook.