NPC's and Karma |
NPC's and Karma |
Jan 9 2011, 04:01 AM
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#1
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Target Group: Members Posts: 15 Joined: 6-January 11 Member No.: 19,336 |
A few members of my regular group and I were wondering if NPC's have karma.
It came up in a talk about karma drain and blood spirits and whether or not they could drain karma from NPC's We noted that Karma is not a field in the normal statblock but also recognized that they probably should have some karma from just life. So is there any info about this out there? |
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Jan 9 2011, 04:35 AM
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#2
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Shooting Target Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 1,989 Joined: 28-July 09 From: Somewhere along the brazilian coast Member No.: 17,437 |
Your players have access to blood spirit and karma drain?!?!?
I'm afraid to ask what kind of game you guys are playing. |
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Jan 9 2011, 04:44 AM
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#3
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Target Group: Members Posts: 15 Joined: 6-January 11 Member No.: 19,336 |
They certainly do not.
It was more of a theory kind of talk and about if a prime runner had access to said abilities and was using it on NPC's |
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Jan 9 2011, 04:44 AM
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#4
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Target Group: Members Posts: 66 Joined: 4-December 09 Member No.: 17,943 |
No we don't. Some mage in our group, Foobot, wants to bind some blood spirits so that he can make a pact, share powers, and then karma drain children.
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Jan 9 2011, 04:55 AM
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#5
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Advocatus Diaboli Group: Members Posts: 13,994 Joined: 20-November 07 From: USA Member No.: 14,282 |
… Of course he does. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)
It kinda bothers me that things like Essence and especially Karma have in-world, literal existence. I guess everyone should have some Karma 'lying around'? Meh. I can't see it ever actually coming up, but I understand it's a theoretical question. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) |
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Jan 9 2011, 05:05 AM
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#6
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Target Group: Members Posts: 66 Joined: 4-December 09 Member No.: 17,943 |
We are merely trying to discern whether or not that it is confirmed in any book that NPCs have their own karma pool or if it is implied they have a fluid development similar to reality. In contrast to the blocky karma based development of PCs.
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Jan 9 2011, 05:26 AM
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#7
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Running, running, running Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 2,220 Joined: 18-October 04 From: North Carolina Member No.: 6,769 |
I would say, based on the sample contacts, that they do not.
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Jan 9 2011, 05:33 AM
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#8
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Target Group: Members Posts: 66 Joined: 4-December 09 Member No.: 17,943 |
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Jan 9 2011, 05:35 AM
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#9
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Old Man of the North Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 9,675 Joined: 14-August 03 From: Just north of the Centre of the Universe Member No.: 5,463 |
… Of course he does. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif) It kinda bothers me that things like Essence and especially Karma have in-world, literal existence. I guess everyone should have some Karma 'lying around'? Meh. I can't see it ever actually coming up, but I understand it's a theoretical question. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I still struggle when trying to talk about karma in game, particularly when playing a Free Spirit PC who can develop powers that can draw karma from others. How exactly does one phrase, "I'll give you my ItNW for 4 karma"? ***** "I will imbue you with my mystic barrier defense against physical damage if you feed me your creative life force. I will only take enough to empower me to learn. It won't hurt at all." |
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Jan 9 2011, 02:54 PM
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#10
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Running, running, running Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 2,220 Joined: 18-October 04 From: North Carolina Member No.: 6,769 |
I still struggle when trying to talk about karma in game, particularly when playing a Free Spirit PC who can develop powers that can draw karma from others. How exactly does one phrase, "I'll give you my ItNW for 4 karma"? ***** "I will imbue you with my mystic barrier defense against physical damage if you feed me your creative life force. I will only take enough to empower me to learn. It won't hurt at all." Do you generously intersperse slurping sounds like you're eating limp noodles into that statement? |
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Jan 9 2011, 07:15 PM
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#11
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,150 Joined: 15-December 09 Member No.: 17,968 |
I still struggle when trying to talk about karma in game, particularly when playing a Free Spirit PC who can develop powers that can draw karma from others. How exactly does one phrase, "I'll give you my ItNW for 4 karma"? ***** "I will imbue you with my mystic barrier defense against physical damage if you feed me your creative life force. I will only take enough to empower me to learn. It won't hurt at all." I imagine different entities see it in different ways dependent on philosophy, tradition, etc. I also imagine that almost no metahumans have any concept of it at all, so the spirit can make up any old rubbish to make the sale! In answer to the OP I would assume the average man on the street has a few based on the professionalism scale, except not judged merely on combat proficiency - so a wage slave might have 1 or even 2, a manager 3 or 4 and the upper echelon (ceo, etc.) 5 or 6. |
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Jan 9 2011, 07:49 PM
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#12
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,899 Joined: 29-October 09 From: Leiden, the Netherlands Member No.: 17,814 |
Those karma-trading powers are really troublemakers aren't they?
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Jan 9 2011, 08:44 PM
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#13
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,248 Joined: 14-October 10 Member No.: 19,113 |
QUOTE Those karma-trading powers are really troublemakers aren't they These problems are easily solved: only allow players to earn karma by earning karma. i.e. by experience. Anything else is so much an abuse of the game that it isn't funny. |
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Jan 9 2011, 08:46 PM
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#14
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,899 Joined: 29-October 09 From: Leiden, the Netherlands Member No.: 17,814 |
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Jan 9 2011, 09:47 PM
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#15
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,244 Joined: 2-August 07 Member No.: 12,442 |
Ask your PCs this question:
"Are we playing Karma-Run or Shadowrun? Do you want to just sell your karma generating services? Or do you want to go on runs? Because once your PC starts selling karma transfer services, he'll have no motivation to run anymore, as he can make a living from his new powers. At that point, he'll retire from the shadows, he'll become an NPC, a contact (high loyalty, moderate connection) for the party. The player who has his PC retire, will get to roll up a new PC, at 400 BPs, no starting karma. So by doing this, you'll effectively lose karma...which is the opposite of your goal. Are you sure you really want to do this?" |
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Jan 9 2011, 10:05 PM
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#16
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,899 Joined: 29-October 09 From: Leiden, the Netherlands Member No.: 17,814 |
Ask your PCs this question: "Are we playing Karma-Run or Shadowrun? Do you want to just sell your karma generating services? Or do you want to go on runs? Because once your PC starts selling karma transfer services, he'll have no motivation to run anymore, as he can make a living from his new powers. At that point, he'll retire from the shadows, he'll become an NPC, a contact (high loyalty, moderate connection) for the party. The player who has his PC retire, will get to roll up a new PC, at 400 BPs, no starting karma. So by doing this, you'll effectively lose karma...which is the opposite of your goal. Are you sure you really want to do this?" In this case, it's about stealing karma from NPCs, I think. |
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Jan 9 2011, 10:09 PM
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#17
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,244 Joined: 2-August 07 Member No.: 12,442 |
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Jan 9 2011, 11:07 PM
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#18
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Target Group: Members Posts: 66 Joined: 4-December 09 Member No.: 17,943 |
In either case, the PC would use the karma on a money generating skill set. With those skills, he would make a comfortable living and then retire. He would probably spend said karma to initiate, gain magic, initiate, gain magic, rinse and repeat. But in either case your point is valid, but the topic of the post was not if this SHOULD be allowed, but do, as written, NPCs have karma to drain. |
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Jan 9 2011, 11:14 PM
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#19
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,899 Joined: 29-October 09 From: Leiden, the Netherlands Member No.: 17,814 |
Well, the only RAW source of (new) Karma is end of mission awards for PCs, and that doesn't apply to NPCs.
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Jan 9 2011, 11:28 PM
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#20
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,899 Joined: 29-October 09 From: Leiden, the Netherlands Member No.: 17,814 |
Also, I can't find why you think Blood Spirits would have access to Karma Drain. They have energy Drain (Esence), not Energy Drain (Essence).
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Jan 10 2011, 01:53 AM
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#21
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 633 Joined: 16-March 05 From: 51° 16' North 7° 11' East Member No.: 7,168 |
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