Background Count and Adepts, How common is BC and its effects? Options

[Moon-Hawk]

Man, these new poll options are complex. I hope I didn't screw this up.
I'm not too worried about the effects of BC on astral perception, spellcasting, etc. It's pretty simple, less dice, lower force limits. If you're using Background Count then you're doing this, but Adepts actually lose abilities, not just take penalties to the abilities they have. It's more complex, and could be less fun, so I'm trying to get a feel for how everyone handles it.

Low grade background count is supposed to be extremely common, as I understand it. It doesn't take much for a level 1, so they should be pretty much everywhere. Which means Adepts are practically never at full power. Do you actually play this way?
Thanks.

[Drogos]

I pretty much make it that a BC is uncommon, even of a 1. I know that's not how it is written, but I know I would be pissed that if everytime I wanted to use a power I spent points to acquire it would be unavailable. I mean, it's not like the Street Sam starts to develope interference in high wifi traffic or anything. But when I do use it, it tends to be quite dramatic and memorable. I think that's what all systems should do, make for good drama (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Nightwalker450]

Yeah I don't think a BC of 1 should be everywhere. If it was Spell Knack, Spirit Knack, and Astral Sight would never work. And adepts would have to get an extra point of magic (knowing they would never get to use it), just to compensate for the BC. Unless if its a general BC for the city, that anyone who has lived there for a few years has attuned with? If you changed cities you might have to attune again, similar to our previous city casting geasa conversation.

[deek]

Yeah, I have been aware of BC since reading street magic, but I haven't really used it much. I kinda used it when the runners were in a prison, but I cranked it up so high that everyone was mundane, so it really wasn't hard to rule.

Other than that, I really only think about it for special missions...and I really haven't decided how I would use it for adepts...luckily, my group doesn't have an adept in it, so I guess I don't need to worry about it for a while:)

[Moon-Hawk]

One of the options that really bugs me is that if you (GM or player, doesn't matter) decide how it will work every time, then every time you encounter BC the game has to stop while that decision is made, and stopping the entire game (even briefly, but let's face it, people will frequently agonize over decisions like this) to penalize one character is very bad for the pacing of a game. Introducing BC should add dramatic tension, not shatter it.

[Zak]

I've been using background count quite alot.
It is a fucked up sprawl, so I see no reason why I shouldn't go with what is presented in Street Magic.
However, I've come to an agreement with my players that the full BC applies as a DP penalty for magical actions, but only half of the BC (rounded down) is an actual magic reduction.
This way I can have BC of 1 without annoying my players too much with it.

I asked my players to make a list of their powers and in that order they will loose it.

[Nightwalker450]

The list of powers works, as long as your Adepts don't have Increased Reflexes.

The 2-3-5, means that ever so often they loose two points of adept powers. Our adept had this problem in our last run because we kept getting into a higher and higher BC, so every time it changed he had to completely rearrange his powers (he only had Rating 2 Increased Reflexes).

BC1: Loose 1 point of powers
BC2: Loose 2 point of powers
BC3: Loose 2 points of powers and a rank of increased reflexes
BC4: Loose 1 point of powers and 2 ranks of increased reflexes

If someone were to have 2 ranks in increased reflexes they would have to rearrange a couple times

[Shinobi Killfist]

When reading the descriptions of the back-ground counts it sort of sounds like 1-2 BC are fairly common, the barrens and like all of it would have at least a 1 BC and probably a 2. The problem then for me becomes you have to buy effectively extra magic just to do what you ordinarily are supposed to be able to do. My basic rule is for adepts BC 1-2 no penalty,3+ 1 magic lost per BC.

IOW your magic is trained and resistant up to the point of the normal BC you are used to dealing with. I'd allow a 10 point edge to increase you base normal BC resistance by 1.

Luckily I'm playing now and we rarely use BC except in things like bug spirit hives and the like.

Adepts I think need a core way to avoid BC similar to what mages do, an advanced adept centering technique or something.