Karma Character Generation Options

[anchoress]

Hey folks,

I know this is not a program project (yet), but I made some maths the last days to figure out a simple Karma Character Generation. If you don't mind please take a look at my suggestion and tell me, how you think about it. If you can efford the time, it would be awesome, if you could build one of your characters with this system and compare it to the original you'd built with the Priority System. It will help me out a lot (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

850 KP

Attributes max. 425 KP (except MAG, EDG + RES)
Nuyen max. 190 KP (each KP = 2.500 NY)
Skillgroup Points (Notice: not Karma Points in Skill Groups!) max. 10
Skills as much as you like
Spells max. 10
Qualities max. +25/-25 (except Metahuman and/or Magic/Resonance-Qualities [see below])

Attributes Cost Level x5
Skills Cost Level x2 (Note: no +2 KP for first buying a skill like in SR4!)
Skill Groups Cost Level x5 (Note: no +5KP for first buying a skill group like in SR4!)
Knowledge Skills Cost Level x1
Specializations (Skills) 7
Specializations (Knowledge Skills) 2
Spells 5 per Spell
Power Points (for Mystical Adepts only) 5 per Point

New "Qualities" (Note: They don't count against your qualitiy limit of 25)
Adept 10 KP
Aspect Magician 10 KP
Technomancer 20 KP
Mystical Adept 30 KP
Sorcerer 30 KP

Human - KP
Elf 25 KP
Ork 30 KP
Dwarf 40 KP
Troll 90 KP

I know, it seems like a lot of rules, but in the end it's very close to the SR4 Karma Creation and the SR5 Prio System. I hope, you will enjoy it and I'm looking forward to your feedback (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Thanks a lot!

[Glyph]

I am assuming that for skills and Attributes you are using the exponential costs, rather than flat costs, like SR4 karmagen (and normal karma progression), correct? So a human would pay 70 Karma for an Attribute of 5. Contacts are missing, but I see you have them at Connection+Loyality x2 on your thread in the other forums, so I will use that.

Here are the relevant expenditures for a traditional speed sammie:

[ Spoiler ]

Human Street Samurai

BREAKDOWN (Priority)
A: Resources 450,000 Nuyan
B: Attributes: 20
C: Metatype: Human (5)
D: Skills (22)
E: Magic (Mundane)

Starting Karma (25)
Positive Qualities - 4
Negative Qualities - <25>
Raise Charisma from 1 to 2 - 10
Raise Logic from 1 to 2 - 10
Influence Skill Group: 1 - 5
Stealth Skill Group: 1 - 5
Computer: 1 - 2
Unarmed Combat: 1 - 2
Intimidate: 2 - 6
Pilot Ground Craft: 2 - 6


=Attributes=
Body: 5
Agility: 6 (9)
Reaction: 5 (9)
Strength: 2
Charisma: 2
Intuition: 5
Logic: 2
Willpower: 3
Edge: 7

Essence: 0.45
Initiative: 14 + 3d6

=Positive Qualities=
Ambidexterity

=Negative Qualities=
Code of Honor (Gunslinger's Code = Warrior's Code)
Weak Immune System

=Active Skills=
Computer: 1
Influence Skill Group: 1
Intimidation: 2
Long Arms: 6
Monofilament Whip: 6 (7)
Perception: 3
Pilot Ground Craft: 2
Pistols/Semi-Automatics: 6 (7)/+2
Stealth Skill Group: 1
Unarmed: 1

=Knowledge Skills=
Languages>
English: N
Japanese: 3

Other>
Corporate Politics: 2
Safe Houses: 3
Sprawl Gangs: 3
Underworld Politics: 3

=Contacts=
Fixer (Connection: 4/Loyalty: 2)

So buying it with Karma, I got:
Attributes: 365
Special Attributes: 125
Active Skills: 171
Knowledge Skills: 27
Resources: 180
Human: 0
Mundane: 0
Positive Qualities: 4
Negative Qualities: <25>
Contacts: 12
TOTAL: 859

So very close to Priority for this one. I'll have to see how things like a troll street samurai, or someone with A: skills would come out.

[Glyph]

Here is a troll street samurai:

[ Spoiler ]

BREAKDOWN (Priority)
A: Troll (5)
B: Attributes: 20
C: Resources: 140,000 Nuyen
D: Skills (22)
E: Magic (Mundane)

Starting Karma (25)
Positive Qualities - 3
Negative Qualities - <25>
Raise Charisma from 1 to 2 - 10
Raise Logic from 1 to 2 - 10
Influence Skill Group: 1 - 5
Perception: 3 - 12
Pilot Ground Craft: 1 - 2
First Aid: 1 - 2
Survival: 1 - 2
Extra 3/1 Contact - 4


=Attributes=
Body: 7
Agility: 5 [8]
Reaction: 5 [8]
Strength: 8 [11]
Charisma: 2
Intuition: 4
Logic: 2
Willpower: 5
Edge: 6

Essence: 0.625
Initiative: 12 + 1d6

=Positive Qualities=
Will to Live: 1

=Negative Qualities=
Allergy: Silver, Moderate
Distinctive Style (big cowboy hat, western/neo-tribal look)
Weak Immune System

=Active Skills=
First Aid: 1
Influence Skill Group: 1
Intimidation: 2
Long Arms: 6
Perception: 3
Pilot Ground Craft: 1
Pistols/Revolvers: 6/+2
Survival: 1
Unarmed/Striking: 6/+2

=Knowledge Skills=
Languages>
English: N
Or'zet: 3

Other>
Action Trids: 3
Gun Trivia: 3
Ork Underground: 3

=Contacts=
Arms Dealer (Connection: 3/Loyalty: 1)
Fixer (Connection: 3/Loyalty: 1)

So buying it with Karma, I got:
Attributes: 455
Special Attributes: 100
Active Skills: 163
Knowledge Skills: 24
Resources: 56
Troll: 90
Mundane: 0
Positive Qualities: 3
Negative Qualities: <25>
Contacts: 16
TOTAL: 882

Significantly over this time, and note that he would not be legal under karmagen for Attributes (30 over), even though they were only Priority: B.

[Glyph]

Here is an elven face:

[ Spoiler ]

Elven Face

BREAKDOWN (Priority)
A: Attributes (24)
B: Adept (Magic: 6, 1 rating: 4 skill)
C: Resources 450,000 Nuyen
D: Elf (0)
E: Skills

Starting Karma (25)
Positive Qualities - 16
Negative Qualities - <25>
Raise Strength from 1 to 2 - 10
+8,000 Nuyen - 4
Intimidate: 1 - 2
Pilot Ground Craft: 1 - 2
Pistols: 3 - 12
Sneaking: 1 - 2
Unarmed Combat: 1 - 2


=Attributes=
Body: 3
Agility: 5
Reaction: 5
Strength: 2
Charisma: 8
Intuition: 5
Logic: 3
Willpower: 5
Edge: 1
Magic: 6 (5)

Essence: 5.00
Initiative: 10 + 1d6

=Positive Qualities=
First Impression
Mentor Spirit - Raven

=Negative Qualities=
Allergy: Silver, Moderate
Code of Honor (Innocents)

=Active Skills=
Con: 6(7)
Etiquette: 6(7)
Intimidate: 1
Negotiation: 6(7)
Perception: 4
Pilot Ground Craft: 1
Pistols: 3
Sneaking: 1
Unarmed Combat: 1

=Knowledge Skills=
Languages>
English: N
Sperethiel: 3

Other>
Corporate Protocols: 3
Fashion: 3
Psychology/Social Engineering: 3/+2
Underworld Politics: 3

=Contacts=
Fixer (Connection: 5/Loyalty: 2)
Night Club Owner (Connection: 4/Loyalty: 3)
Smuggler (Connection: 3/Loyalty: 2)
Street Doc (Connection: 3/Loyalty: 2)

So buying it with Karma, I got:
Attributes: 495
Special Attributes: 100
Active Skills: 166
Knowledge Skills: 25
Resources: 56
Elf: 25
Adept: 10
Positive Qualities: 16
Negative Qualities: <25>
Contacts: 48
TOTAL: 914

Like the troll, significantly over, and not legal under karmagen for Attributes (70 over); this character happens to be both a metatype and Priority: A for Attributes.

I will note that I tend to make characters that are more optimized, which might be skewing things a bit. Karmagen tends to be friendlier to generalist builds with mid-to-low skills and Attributes.

[anchoress]

Hey Glyph, thanks for your replies. I recognized that the range of characters is huge at the moment! I was able to build Rigger/Decker with 720 Karma Points, but very skilled characters with a lot of attributes can go up over 1.100 Karma. To balance this up will be incredible difficult. I will go through some ideas and try to come up with some changes in the near future.