Introducing new characters to a team Options

[BullZeye]

I've been puzzling over this for few days now so figured I will ask for some advice from the great DS community (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cyber.gif)

Last game session ended up in a catastrophe and half of the team, 3 characters, ended up dead. Two of them had the chance to redeem their actions but instead they decided to commit suicide. Rest of the team's rep was totally destroyed and they were all hunted but as the other half of the team had few days time to hide, they did survive for now.

The setting was so that a corp Johnson hired the team to do a series of runs but after exposing the team AND Johnson to Lone Star and few other folks who were really not suppose to know what's going on, the Johnson will never work with the group again. The survivors managed to clean their name by changing them and erasing all the data of their former lives so they have a fresh start but then comes the question, how to integrate 3 new characters to such a group that had such bad experience?

I know at least two from the group are reading this so can't give too much details (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

And on more general question, how to introduce new characters in general to SR?

[Ol' Scratch]

That's the entire point of a Fixer. They put teams together then puts that team together with a Johnson.

[BullZeye]

That's the entire point of a Fixer. They put teams together then puts that team together with a Johnson.

Ah yes, of course (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Now all I need is a sledge to get it into the player's head that they need contacts...

Thanks, that gave me ideas (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Coldhand Jake]

Yeah, really got to agree here. Have your local Fixer contact the new guys -and- the old guys about the same job. Of course, tailor the run to make his/her selection make sense, but it's not really that hard.

Since the old guys are clearly trouble, the Fixer should test them with crap-paying, low-challenge work to get their reps back, as clearly they can't handle the big boy stuff. Let that Notoriety do its job. "Sure you're chromed and killer, but it's clear you missed out on the basics of the job, dude. As in 'No botching things'. So, now you get to start from scratch, and that means working with newbs. Welcome back to the rookie leagues."

[Ed_209a]

Your Fixer calls you up, says I have a job for the three of you. Meet the Johnson at <date/time/location>...

Your Fixer calls Replacement_1, says I have a job for you. Meet the Johnson at <date/time/location>...

Your Fixer calls Replacement_2, says I have a job for you. Meet the Johnson at <date/time/location>...

Your Fixer calls Replacement_3, says I have a job for you. Meet the Johnson at <date/time/location> ...

Easy as that. Recruiting is simply part of the Fixer's job. Johnson calls Fixer, Fixer forms a team, team talks to Johnson (Johnson screws team, team murders Johnson...).

If the Fixer can pick a existing team, great, but I bet Fixers have to go ala carte a lot.

[Skip]

I have to agree with Jake.

Also, as the GM, insist on at least 3 contacts and at least one with more than the minimum level. Don't forget to award contacts like you do Karma. Every good job or friendly interaction should get the person the contact at 0/0, let them role play and or spend their way into the person's life to increase the rating.

[sunnyside]

Yeah contacts are the sort of thing that should grow with a game. Also players can usually buy more (as in offering a grand or whatever to a Fixer to get put in touch with a good Talismonger).

Which brings me to the other alternate option to a fixer throwing a group together. And that's people working to put a squad together. Runners have to do it. And smart players will even add some talent to the group if they think they need some specific skills for a run. (i.e. hiring a face for a run).

This could be the remianing three trying to rebuild a team that can actually get the job done. Or it could be one of the newcommers, especially if they're a face, and the old team is looking to join up as the new guy could serve as an front for the group that isn't notorious.

[BullZeye]

Which brings me to the other alternate option to a fixer throwing a group together. And that's people working to put a squad together. Runners have to do it. And smart players will even add some talent to the group if they think they need some specific skills for a run. (i.e. hiring a face for a run).

This could be the remianing three trying to rebuild a team that can actually get the job done. Or it could be one of the newcommers, especially if they're a face, and the old team is looking to join up as the new guy could serve as an front for the group that isn't notorious.

Gonna go with that idea, cheers (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[cryptoknight]

I have to agree with Jake.

Also, as the GM, insist on at least 3 contacts and at least one with more than the minimum level. Don't forget to award contacts like you do Karma. Every good job or friendly interaction should get the person the contact at 0/0, let them role play and or spend their way into the person's life to increase the rating.

Actually, I like how Missions does it...

You get these funny little cards... You might get a Johnson with Connections rating 3...

After all... the connections of Johnson are Johnson's biz

Each time you get the card... if the number of cards you have equals the next loyalty rating you get it.


So if you do three jobs for say a rating 3 Johnson and do an exceptional job twice you might get two cards... so you have a connection 3 johnson with a loyalty of 1... if you manage to get the next card (showing you did another exceptional job) you get to loyalty 2... (1 card = 1, + 2 cards to get to 2 = 3 cards total)

I'd expect that you earn contacts outside of missions similarly... your contact's connection is generally something set by the GM... his loyalty to you is something you earn... starting at the lowest rating of 1... and maxxing out after you save this guys world a hundred times or so.

[Skip]

I like the card idea, but that is essentially what I mean.

You do a good job for someone and you get them at 0/0. Roleplay an interaction with anyone well and you earn them at 0/0 too. It gives people another reason to roleplay, and it gives me a good staple of regular contacts to play. Every time you play the scene with a contact you can earn more. You can also use money and karma to add to it, but even then I usually ask the person to let me know what they have planned.

When the contact is "Bartender 2/2" it's a line on a sheet. When it's Bob who sometimes slips you a free beer, it becomes a bit more realistic.

[Pendaric]

I would add that the fixer can call in a favour from a contact of the PC. So they hear about the job from a friendly face and are lead to the fixer, then the Johnson and then the run.