I know a guy who knows a guy, Fixer contacts Options

[Touji]

Hey all I'm new here, I'm the GM for our group and I've got a couple questions about Fixers and how you handle them contacting other runners or individuals. I've kind of got an idea that a "good" fixer doesn't just hand out names, and doesn't exactly sell names either, I mean would you really trust (as far as shadow business goes) a guy that sells your name just to make a few nuyen? I'm trying to figure out a way that they could contact someone with both parties being relatively anonymous and the fixer still getting paid in the process. Just making the initial contact really, after that it would probably be up to said parties how they conduct business. Any suggestions would help, thanks in advance :D

[Siege]

It depends on what kind of name you're asking for -- I'll typically ask for an introduction to a supplier with the fixer providing my bona fides.

The fixer deducts a service charge for screening clients and then I get to haggle with person in question for the good or service I desire.

Example: "Hey, Twitch: I need to hook up with a mechanic who does custom work. Can you recommend anyone?"

At which point, Twitch comes up with a name for a nominal service charge which, naturally, comes out of your pocket and not the mechanic to whom you're being referred.

Alternatively you can ask a fixer for a good or service specifically and that will be provided without you ever meeting the source. I.E. "Hey Twitch, I need an Ares Alpha, a box of minigrenades and a week's worth of ammo. You know, the good stuff."

Just cause Twitch deals with four different sources for the requested items, I only interact with him.

Does that make any sense?

-Siege

[Touji]

Yeah, that makes sense I think.

[Large Mike]

Basically, a fixer lives on his rep. Even more than Shadowrunners. A runner without a rep *could* be good, but nobody wants to deal with the fixer that could rat on them and they'd never have a clue. A good fixer will do exactly everything he can to make sure that a) nobody screws anybody else where his name is involved and b) he gets paid.

Just remember those two priorities, and you can play a good fixer. What order you put them in is up to you.

[Siege]

In that scenario, Twitch probably calls the mechanic and says, "I have a guy who's looking for a mechanic who does custom work and I thought of you first omae. He's a good guy, pays his bills regularly. Wanna meet him? Sure, I'll give him your number."

This way, he clears it iwth the mechanic so as not to alienate his contact base and not risk irritating a potential client by recommending a mechanic who doesn't have time to take on new customers or can't do the work requested. (No since in referring a car rigger to an aircraft mechanic or vice versa)

-Siege

[Cain]

Anonymous meets for more esoteric things can be handled via the matrix. If you're looking for new talent, you can interview them via matrix club, and decide from there.

[Touji]

That works, thanks for the tips guys :D The whole thing about the rep is a good point, I've got a mage in the group who's developing a bad rep for not getting the job done, he's already being handed the short end of the credstick because of it, heheh.

[Fresno Bob]

I'll put it this way. A fixer is one contact, who has many contacts of his own. It's easier, because if you want a bunch of stuff, like a gun, a cyberarm, and a '22 Americar, instead of going to an Arms Dealer, a Cyberclinic, and a Carguy, you go to the fixer, and he goes to his Arms Dealer, etc, and gives you the items. For a fee, of course.

[Sigfried McWild]

What kind of services do you usually use the fixer for?
Just getting stuff you need, or also to fence loot? Do you usually have a "one stop" fixer that does everything including getting you jobs?

[Lilt]

In-general the better the fixer they are the more they can do. You could have a specialised fixer though, it's up-yo uour GM what benefit that'd have.

For example, Fred the Firearms Fixer knows 100 people that sell firearms. When you ask him to get you the Ares Alpha, Minigrenades, and Ammo it is far more likely he will be able to find it, and he will probably be able to find it faster, than the fixer who knows only 10 firearms dealers amongst their 100 contacts. Conversely, he's not much use for getting runs from or finding cyberware. It's up-to the GM but I don't think that availability (both TN and base time) reductions are out of the question for if you take specialised contacts.

[Touji]

[Siege]

There isn't a canon rule for generalist versus specialist fixers, although your GM may apply extra dice or reduced target numbers to reflect specialization.

You could a contact that deals directly with the good or service in question: Deckmeister or Armorer, for example.

They may not deal in bulk sales as their major business, but odds are they could come up with the desired item. Again, as Lilt says, it really depends on how flexible and creative your GM is willing to be.

-Siege

[Crusher Bob]

Notice that a fixer whose main 'ability is how many different guys he knows (so he can get you most anything) will cost more on a per item basis that a guy who you deal with directly:

You need 100 AK-98s for a small get together with some friends...

You go to you "Gun guy" and he says: "I've got 30 AKs and can give them to you at 500 a pop."

Your Fixer goes to his 3 guns guys, and gets the 100 AKs at 500 per too, so he has to charge you more than that. But the 3 different "Gun Guys' he knows are more likely to have whatever it is you want.

A quick rule of something like -1 TN +10% cost, or something quick like that might be a quick way to show this.

This means that 'Fixers' tend to work better for the friendless, and give allow the characters to act a fixers themselves if they know plently of people.

[toturi]

Lady Jestyr has a good section on Fixers ion her UCAS Online. Here you go.