Sprawl Survival Guide Lifestyle Options

[Calabim]

So when I played 3rd ed I really liked the lifestyle system in the back of Sprawl Survival Guide. I realized the only thing stopping me from using it is the change in lifestyle cost. I made this to use in my games but I not sure about the cost progression. Feel free to post changes you would make.

Points/Cost/SR4 Equivalent
-1/0/Street
0/15
1/35
2/70
3/100
4/250
5/400
6/500/Squatter
7/700
8/930
9/1200
10/1475
11/1600
12/2000/Low
13/2350
14/2800
15/3000
16/3800
17/4350
18/5000/Middle
19/5850
20/6650

And it the just goes on like normal from there. I hope someone will be able to use this or help me refine it. Thanx in advance.

[Mercer]

Are any tangible benefits tied to the Lifestyle ratings? Is there anything a rating 12 lifestyle gets for the extra 350 bucks other than lording it over the rating 12's?

[Ryu]

You spend points in several categories, defining the quality of your lifestyle. Each step gives one more point to distribute.

Tangible ingame benefits? Your char lords over the lower ratings, thats about it. A RP decision mostly.

[Mercer]

Which begs the question, what purpose does a mechanic for a RP decision really serve? I mean, the Lifestyle section is pretty bland and I understand the desire for more granularity, but it just seems like its taking big blocks of bland and making them into thin slices of bland.

[Ryu]

It does not do much from an inplay perspective, it just helps to flesh out lifestyles with a fast-and-simple guideline. So everyone is on the same page concerning what a certain lifesytyle can provide. The added granularity is merely an extra.

Using the system is optional in our campaign(s). My GF loves it (to much playing The Sims I assume), one player used it to check if he could get away with only paying low for his concept, the rest does ignore the system.

[Eryk the Red]

What makes the Sprawl Survival Guide lifestyle system interesting is that it allows lifestyles to be defined by more than a cost and a vague guideline. It's a system that gives you some idea what's reasonable to get for a certain cost.

[Ravor]

Yeah, although if I remember correctly (Still haven't got access to my Shadowrun collection yet.) you have to police it's usage to prevent min-maxing.

[Ryu]

There are some minimal safeguards against min/maxing (some rating requirements). What min/maxing could be done was not at all game-threatening. So the character ingame would get a great deal, but could not capitalize on it in a run-deciding way. What you really have to watch are the lifestyle qualities. Defensive setup, One step from everything, friendly neighborhood, escape tunnels, and a high security rating combined make for a strong runner fortress.

But still, thats no problem. Quite the opposite, you now have something useful for the game rather than a monthly payment for playing.

[fool]

the ssg lifestyle choices could be useful in game if your game included things like how secure you are during your down time. Just how hard is it for your enemies (hey you're shadow runners after all, if you're not making enemies you're not doing your job,) to track you down and kidnap you or your loved ones, assuming you have any relationships ofther than with your doberman.
How secure are you from catching a nasty case of type III vitas or some FAB floating around in the barrens where you maintain your street lifestyle.
If you're living a low lifestyle how likely is it that Mr J will want to hire you for the big jobs since you obviously aren't good enough to afford a decent house?
I'd say it all depends on your playing style. Hack and slash definitely wouldn't need something like this. People into the richj details of their characters inner and outer lives probably would.

[Calabim]

We used it in 3rd ed. every time we made a new char. We just never liked that something as big as your lifestyle was as basic as just a rating from 1 -5. We never felt that the system was bland. Try finishing a run with a noisy family acting up next door, or felling good about your matrix over watch when you know your hackers power is unreliable. I also loved that ever one of our players had a low lifestyle with the safe house aspects.

[Ravor]

And you see, I'd disagree that you can't already add richness into the default lifestyle rules.

[Ryu]

We are not disagreeing on that point, at all.

[esmdev]

[Calabim]

I didn't mean to imply that one way was better then the other. I just know that my group enjoyed using the system. I adjusted the cost on the chart so that my self and others who wanted to could use that system. Or if anyone saw any big problems in my Nuyen progression. Sorry if I wasn't clear in my OP

[Ravor]

Aye, when I was pointing out that you can add detail to the existing rules I was responding to fool's post where fool mentioned hack & slash not needing more detailed lifestyle rules, sorry if I was unclear.

My other post was just my perhaps clouded memories that we had to be careful to prevent abuse with the more detailed rules.