Rockers in SR, What's the Premise? Options

[FrostyNSO]

I have heard (and very vaguely remember) that Rockers used to be a character archetype, actually with a description in the books.

What is the premise for the "Rocker"? Why does he run the Shadows? Is he a rocker first, or a shadowrunner first? Are Rocker shadowrnners common? If you're playing a Rocker elf, are you required to sport a mullet?

[Zeel De Mort]

I remember you got them in CP2020 anyway. I think. Don't know where they were in SR, but I wouldn't be much surprised if they did exist in an earlier edition.

[Fortune]

[DrJest]

Yes, the Rocker was an archetype from SR1. The biggest problem with it was finding a reason why they were running the shadows. For your basic garage bands and low-income pub-circuit talent, I suppose it was a means for extra cash (especially if SINless) or to finance your ongoing bid for fame and fortune.

There was also a media sourcebook, Shadowbeat (my copy of which mysteriously disappeared some years ago dammit) that included a segment on musicians. It categorised performes by their fame, and noted that the more famous a rocker was the less successful he'd be as a runner (I believe the quote was: "Hey - wasn't that..?" "Sure was! Wonder what he was doing in our R&D lab?")

I could see a SINless pub-circuit rocker making a good Face for a team when gigs were thin on the ground.

[GrinderTheTroll]

The Rocker archtype had to be one of the more confusing ones in SR1. I suppose you could akin them to "The Face" contact from SR3, but we all just laughed everytime we saw The Rocker.

/boggle.

[DrJest]

She looked pretty dire, actually. The last time I saw someone like that, I woke up to them after Iron Maiden at the Hammersmith Odeon and about a dozen pints ;)

[GrinderTheTroll]

Her or the Wage Mage, LOL.

[DrJest]

Heh, yeah, competing for Slightly Suspect Slapper of the Year award 2050 :) More Tim Bradstreet, say I.

[Fortune]

I've had worse. :eek: :D

[Kanada Ten]

The rocker archetype is one of the better examples of how Shadowrun wasn't all about "steal the secret prototype" but also included elements of the underworld (and what a great game it is to have a simstar running from her past of Mafia bankrolling, Yakuza modifications and drug habits) and the media (in the nanosecond world of the future where fame fades faster than washable ink in the machine how does on pay for their rock and roll lifestyle? blackmail? scams? could she be a con artist?). The collision of law, life, fame and favors - that's the rocker.

[Guest_Crimsondude 2.0_*]

What a novel idea--a celebrity running from their shadowy past. It's make a good pre-gen adventure, I bet.

Shadowbeat is one of those SR1 books I enjoy for the visceral experience--especially the humor (as opposed to the pathological sence of dread you get reading the UB sourcebook, or Bug City in probably the only good example of such writing in SR2).

But, yeah, it had rules for playing a Rocker, Simstar, or Reporter, as well as a couple of archetypes. I especially enjoy the idea of a Performance Test.

Shadowbeat also introduced the Open Test.

[Kanada Ten]

[Guest_Crimsondude 2.0_*]

I'd hope not.

[Zen Shooter01]

I liked the Rocker, and want to see it rise again in SR3.

Instead of a street gang, your PCs could be a band seeking gigs, shelter, and a recording contract while trying to survive in the urban jungle. And Rockers made very interesting NPCs.

But the real value of the Rocker material were the solid rules about performance skills, which SR3 doesn't have - not even in SOTA64, with the Artist's Way Adept.

[FrostyNSO]

Isn't it just an open test?

[CircuitBoyBlue]

Actually, the open test was multiplied by charisma, with some modifiers for good equipment or having a Sasquatch in the band.

I found the rules a little constricting for other types of performances. We usually house rule it so that if it's something like writing a novel, you multiply by the average of charisma and intelligence, because it seems like a good book relies as much on the author having intelligence and good perception as it does on charisma. Still doesn't feel perfect, but you're right; it's better than anything in 2nd or 3rd editions.

The reporter archetype rules were pretty neat, too. Haven't come across a chance to use them, but I can easily see one. I had an idea once about having a group of political operatives using those rules. Of course, they'd be highly unethical, basically running around trying to dig up dirt about the other guy (which is fine), and then when they failed setting him up in compromising situations in pre-arranged conditions conducive to the rotodrone with the holocam getting a good shot (not so much). But alas, this hasn't happened yet. Just as well, I still haven't thoroughly read the rules on pix value and how stories get spiked and what-not. All this time with the book, and only the sections on popular entertainment have really gotten my attention.

[Mr. Man]

[Wounded Ronin]

There's something supremely badass about a game system that effectively gets sidetracked into rules about throwing good rock concerts but spends the rest of its time on blowing things up with guns that can actually kill you instead of doing d4 damage.

[Zen Shooter01]

The reporter was another great idea that's gone by the wayside. The 6th World -- and the 5th, as we all know -- is soaked in media. Somebody digs all that up, and they get paid ridiculous money for it. If I had pictures of Britney Spears sunbathing topless, I could make 100 grand in about two hours.

It was an interesting campaign alternative that's been sadly ignored in SR3.

[Wounded Ronin]

I think that's because a lot of people don't understand how most reporters are incredibly frantic and running around everywhere trying to get an exciting story with general applicability.

[Snow_Fox]

most people have commented onthe official entrys for "Rocker"- SR 1st Ed and Shadowbeat- I love the line about "Wasn't that?" I visualize Bruce springstein with a rocket launcher.

as for why, I can only think of the anti-establishment message of such diverse people at Arlo Guthrie and Twisted Sister.

Hard core punkers might be more willing to just get off on the mindless destruction. "Frag me man, we trashed that lab good." "Yeah, like that time when we got toasted in Windsor with those twin groupies and burned up the hotel room."

More message oriented rockers might be more willing to do runs for the right cause. "If four people do it, they might htink it's an organization, an' if 50 people doit a day, they might htink it's am obvement and that's what it is, the alice's Restaurant anti-massacree movement and all you got to do to join it is to sing out the next time it comes around on the guitar....You want to end war and stuff you gotta sing out loud."- Arlo Guthrie

[mfb]

it could be part of the image, i guess. the rocker portrays himself as a cool, fight-the-system shadowrunner; in order to market himself (assuming he lacks corp backing), he's gotta have some street cred.

[Edward]

I would think that many corp backed rockers would portray themselves as badass shadow runners, because they are far to valuable to actually risk on a real run that is what stunt doubles are for.

Now that would be an interesting adventure. “I want you to do this run and get recognised as our star but not leave enough evidence for a prosecution”

In truth all his runs are probably simulated and he has pistols (posing with hand canons) 1(6)

Edward

[Guest_Crimsondude 2.0_*]

Like the hooks in PR to set up milk runs that the football player troll from the Seahawks can participate in.

Fun stuff.

[Zen Shooter01]

You're all thinking of Fred Durst as shadowrunner. But a lot can be done with a struggling band trying to make it in the Barrens, dodging exploitative managers, vampire groupies, gang violence, drug problems, the police, whatever, while hunting for gigs and a big recordng deal.

You're all right - why the heck would a media megastar run on the side? Which is why the band starts out as media nobodies.