Moving from Earthdawn to Shadowrun Options

[Bode]

We have been in a very successful campaign in Earthdawn for a little over a year which was a new system for me at the time. The GM has set up a situation where we will be playing in the Shadowrun world for about 6-8 months with our characters redone in the 'modern' world.

Being unfamiliar with Shadowrun I am in a bit of a spot as I played a character that was very in touch with information, politics and spying. In Shadowrun, having glanced at the source material, I am little concerned that I will not be able to have a similar 'feel' for being in touch with what is happening. I certainly do not know what sort of gear I should take or even what skills I should focus.

Now do not get me wrong our GM is excellent and will be taking us through character development every step of the way but it would be nice to have a window into how I should be setting up my character who relied on memory, disguise, evidence analysis and contacts in Earthdawn.

I would describe him as a cross between Sherlock Holmes, Elijah Bailey with a hint of Batman as far as coming up with plans in a pinch.

any thoughts for the newby?

[3278]

I don't have useful input, but I want to tell you: I love you. Earthdawn players hold a special place in my heart.

[Herald of Verjig...]

You want a variety of a "Face."

The face is the part of the team you want everyone to remember when deciding who to hire. High charisma, good etiquette, skilled negotiator.
A pure face doesn't normally work very well except in large teams. Your "Batman" line implies non-lethal B&E skill. You will want a few types of toolkit (getting past maglocks), some personal defense weaponry, and maybe some bioware to suppliment your own capabilities.

Rough setup:
High skills, high or medium high attributes, sufficient resources.
Etiquette, negotiation, electronics (maglocks), stealth, a skill or two for a fight, maybe athletics, leadership and lockpicking (for pin&tumbler locks).
plus whatever sounds fun.

Gear: weapons that match combat skills above, electronics toolkit, sensory aids, possibly tailored pheremones, a subtle way to record meetings might help, and sunglasses. The face always needs to look good, so look at the fashion armor instead of obvious armor.

Pick what skills look right for the character idea, look the gear and make a list of what looks helpful, and then see what you can afford out of that list.

[Bode]

Excellent suggestions. Helps to sort through the enormous amount of devices, skills and so on. How you people get it all straight I will never know. :)

[Herald of Verjig...]

Too much free time. Too many character ideas. A lot of time looking at the books and playing with the NSRCG (where was that page...).

[Bode]

Earthdawn was a very new system for me after D&D tabletop. Nice change. I am expecting Shadowrun to be an equally cool system. Looks like there are a lot of passionate fans out there.

[3278]

Plus - and this is as debateable as anything else - Shadowrun's system actually makes /more/ sense than Earthdawn's. I love ED, but that's for the story, not step dice. ;)

[Ancient History]

Well, if'n ye need any help, ask us.

Oh, and hey, let me pimp: visit my site, The Ancient Files! Link's in my sig.

[3278]

Hear-hear. Ancient History has the best SR/ED site I've ever seen. [And I've seen them all.]

[Large Mike]

Passionate fans? Dude, I'm personally a step above passionate fan, and there are still people on here that would eat me and spit out my bones in the fandim department.

Shadowrun doesn't have players and GMs, it has criminals in training and devious masterminds.

I'll lay down ten dollars (one fifth of my entire net worth) that says that over half the people on this board have caught themselves casing a place they were in, looking for cameras, likely ambush spots, and how to get the loot out.

[Crusher Bob]

Nah, I'm much too sneaky to be caught at anything. :D

[Digital Heroin]

[sidartha]

Having played a character very much like the one you decribe I think you'll enjoy playing it.
As far as suggestions; Contacts, as many as you can afford in as many places as you can get them(ask the GM) basically all the megacorps and all the crime syndicates.
Skills: my char was also the teams B&E guy so electronics and B/R.
etiquette and negotiate are the base you can think about specializing but that's more dependant on your background.
Pistols, this doesn't have to be high but you shouldn't be useless in a firefight.
Stealth, because you use it more than you might think.
Cyber/Bio: Enhanced Articulation is the single most useful piece in the game, other than that follow your hart.
Equipment: Tres-Chic clothing is the best thing for you as is a nice car. By the book, the Secure Tech line of armor is the higher fashion so wear that for meet and greets. Other equipment depends on what else you decide to do, the Face is all in a good Cha, two skills, lots of contacts and not sticking your foot in your mouth during roleplay. After that you have the rest of our char to be a Shadowrunner and not a Salesman ;)
Hope you like the Game, and that we see you back soon. Probably to complain. :P

[RedmondLarry]

A high Intelligence attribute gives you lots of Knowledge Skills points (5*Int). Your choice of Knowledge Skills, corporate-oriented or street-oriented, depending upon your background, may let you know things yourself without having to go to your Contacts.

Here are some interesting Knowledge Skills for you:
Megacorp Politics
Corp Politics
Underworld Politics
Tribal Politics
Seattle High Society

Gang Identification
Area Knowledge: Redmond Barrens (a place of low-life people)
BTL Dealers
Prostitution Rings
Automotive Chop Shops
Shadowrunner Haunts
Ork Underground
Sewer Ecology

[theartthief]

[BIG BAD BEESTE]

Welcome the the wonderful, wide, wacky, (Sixth) world of Shadowrun!

OK, first up I forsee some serious problems in transfering an ED character to SR (not as many as vice versa though). I assume that your character is being moved into the Sixth World rather than playing a decendant or creating a whole new character while the GM takes a break from their regular ED campaigning?

(BTW: I've played SR since Day One and Earthdawn too - still running 2 ED groups every week/fortnight, so I can understand the crossover problems)

Right, heres advice I'll give you if you're playing an ED character transported into SR.
> You'll likely be an adept as all ED characters are. Sound like a troubadour with some versatility bonuses to my mind. This is going to be tricky to adapt because currently there are no social adept type of powers on a level with the ED talents. (Wait until SOTA 2064...)
However, you'll find that the concealing your ID and socialising to get information angles are a heck of a lot what SR is all about. No doubt your GM is going to adapt scenarios to fit your group. Making contacts is essentil, and if you've just popped up from an interdimensional rift, then you'd better get the hang of things darn quickly. After all, the world is a radically different place. Remember that having a Speak Language talent or form of making safe communication when you arrive is the most essential necessity.
Once your in and have established a beachhead of squat and some basic contacts (boy can I forsee fun when you ask for a blacksmith or alchemist and are sent to the armourer/streetdoc) you'll have to adjust to the society you're in. As for picking skills, I'll also assume that you'll have to learn all about this world and its interesting technology. Yup - no knowledge of gangs or electronics or megacorps. Although whatever knowledge skills you possess in ED might be invaluable (Alchemy) or able to be adapted (t'skrang Aropagoi = megacorp structure?).
Play it by ear and if you're going to survive get your hands on suitable clothing and armour ASAP. You'll need it. If your GM is intending on sending you back, then avoid getting Cyber/Boiware. Not least because it'll screw up your magical abilities/capability (Circle Loss?) but because trying to get your cyberarm repaired after an encounter with Saurials will be more than tricky. Plus there's the possibility you'll be chief targets for "in-depth study" by certain cabals of Theran magicians. (Hmmm, This "technology" is superior ro our Blood Magic! How could we replicate it for the Legions...)