I been trying to look for fear in the SR4 but i just cant found anything, unless am just blind or there aint one. So i had a idea about using fear. Ive been playing deadlands (the old ver.) for some time now and am about to start a shadow run some time next month or so. I thought much about how deadland use its fear faction on character's when coming across a grusome scene or ugly monster, etc.
So i was wondeing if you could inport that system like, in shadow run? I had some idea's about using your essence to rating on how easy your charactor can be frightened.
ie. if he has a higher essence he's easy to be scared or the lower would result not easy to be frightened cus he's more machine than man.
Just an idea i had in my head.
Many Thanks
Iceman
Full Version: Fear
I wouldn't tie it to essence, though. That would penalize a character for taking cyber, and in a sammie's case, it would be over the top. You could just say "boo" and he'd have to run off in terror. Doesn't do much for his rep. 
I'd tie it to Logic, I think, in SR4 rules. After all, fear (the non-magical kind) is often an uninformed and illogical reaction to an unknown factor. The quicker a character is at figuring a situation out, the easier it would be for them to keep their wits about them.
That's my quick take anyway.
I'd tie it to Logic, I think, in SR4 rules. After all, fear (the non-magical kind) is often an uninformed and illogical reaction to an unknown factor. The quicker a character is at figuring a situation out, the easier it would be for them to keep their wits about them.
That's my quick take anyway.
Perhaps just make it a Composure check with a Threshold based on his 'scary' something it?
The Fear Critter Power is described on page 288 of the SR4 core book. You might want to use that as a basis for your mechanic.
| QUOTE |
| I wouldn't tie it to essence, though. That would penalize a character for taking cyber, and in a sammie's case, it would be over the top. |
Thinking about it, yeh your right. I dont know about logic cus thats memorizing and learning, etc. Maybe willpower?
Thanks for the reply btw.
Iceman.
| QUOTE (zeb.hillard) |
| Perhaps just make it a Composure check with a Threshold based on his 'scary' something it? |
This is what we do for things like that.
@Iceman, check out the Foreboding spell effect in Street Magic if you want an idea about another idea for just Fear.
P. 130
"Composure (WIL + CHA)
Th ere are many common occurrences in a shadowrunner’s
life—vicious violence, death, metahuman misery, scary monsters
and magic—that would make average citizens crumple
into whimpering, traumatized rag-dolls. Whenever a character
encounters a situation that she has not been hardened to, the
gamemaster can call for a composure test to see whether she
faces the situation with cool resolve, temporarily freezes with
shock, or trembles and pisses herself.
Composure is a Willpower + Charisma Test, with a threshold
based on the severity of the situation (keeping in mind how
oft en the character has faced similar things in the past). Certain
situations are bound to become routine to shadowrunners (getting
shot at, attacked by a angry spirit, or seeing the remains of a
ghoul’s meal); in these cases, gamemasters should no longer ask
for composure tests."
Closest to Deadlands Fear mechanic
"Composure (WIL + CHA)
Th ere are many common occurrences in a shadowrunner’s
life—vicious violence, death, metahuman misery, scary monsters
and magic—that would make average citizens crumple
into whimpering, traumatized rag-dolls. Whenever a character
encounters a situation that she has not been hardened to, the
gamemaster can call for a composure test to see whether she
faces the situation with cool resolve, temporarily freezes with
shock, or trembles and pisses herself.
Composure is a Willpower + Charisma Test, with a threshold
based on the severity of the situation (keeping in mind how
oft en the character has faced similar things in the past). Certain
situations are bound to become routine to shadowrunners (getting
shot at, attacked by a angry spirit, or seeing the remains of a
ghoul’s meal); in these cases, gamemasters should no longer ask
for composure tests."
Closest to Deadlands Fear mechanic
Damn! Forgot all about the Composure test. 
You could also do Karma/X = Grit. Pick a value of X that makes sense for your campaign.
Nice 1! Thanks for the reply ppl. It has been very helpfuly.
Just got off the phone with friend (my GM for deadlands) and he give me another idea.
If you get a critical glitch then you roll on a chart, to see what happens to him. ie he my get a phobia of somthing?
Iceman
Just got off the phone with friend (my GM for deadlands) and he give me another idea.
If you get a critical glitch then you roll on a chart, to see what happens to him. ie he my get a phobia of somthing?
Iceman
| QUOTE (DireRadiant) |
| You could also do Karma/X = Grit. Pick a value of X that makes sense for your campaign. |
Good idea
| QUOTE (Iceman) |
| If you get a critical glitch then you roll on a chart, to see what happens to him. ie he my get a phobia of somthing? Iceman |
I would start with the table of negative qualities as the source for doing this.
Yeah am planning on starting it 2morrow. When i finish, i will post up my table but if anyone wants to do there ver. then go for it.
Iceman
Iceman
I started to use sanity checks and a lot of sanity rules in my game but it didn't work out. What I ended up with was you could make a composure test to see if you freak out or something.
Then, during downtime, you could get a phobia or derangement approved as long as it made sense with what happened. You got to choose your own and it gave you the BP cost in karma.
Then as long as you role played it and did a good job with it you could get an extra karma per session it came up.
Then anytime you made a critical success on a willpower or composure roll you could get rid of it.
Then, during downtime, you could get a phobia or derangement approved as long as it made sense with what happened. You got to choose your own and it gave you the BP cost in karma.
Then as long as you role played it and did a good job with it you could get an extra karma per session it came up.
Then anytime you made a critical success on a willpower or composure roll you could get rid of it.
| QUOTE (Garrowolf) |
| I started to use sanity checks and a lot of sanity rules in my game but it didn't work out. What I ended up with was you could make a composure test to see if you freak out or something. Then, during downtime, you could get a phobia or derangement approved as long as it made sense with what happened. You got to choose your own and it gave you the BP cost in karma. Then as long as you role played it and did a good job with it you could get an extra karma per session it came up. Then anytime you made a critical success on a willpower or composure roll you could get rid of it. |
Here's my recent use of Composure that was a great GM call IMO:
My TM has just hacked a commlink of the target a few seats ahead of him on the subway. He got spotted and cybercombat insued. My TM jacked-out once he hit 9-boxes and back to meatworld he went.
Upon arrival into meatspace, the target and his body guard started scanning the car looking for a guilty party. My TM blew his compure check and as a result the body guard cast a Mind Probe on him and discoverd what had happened and then all hell-broke loose.
Sorta off-topic, but I thought this use of Composure was neat.
Ive been very busy lately, so i havnt had much time to get on with the fear chart. But today i have had a ago at it and got abit stuck with it.
This is what it looks so far.
On a Critical Glitch you roll (D6) on a chart to see what happens to that character.
Negative Qualite's.
Phobia (mild)
He/she has a phobia of an item, enviroment,critter,etc. When in the area/facing
his/her phobia, they get -2 on all action rolls.
Phobia (moderate)
same as above excpet he/she gets -4 on all action rolls.
Phobia (severe)
same as above excpet he/she gets -6 on all action rolls. Also suffers a physical defect of some kind. ie. The character has a streak of white hair, his/her voice box contracts and he/she can only speak in whispers,etc.
Other idea i had in mind was heart attacks but am still trying to work out, how i could inport that in SR.
So what other negative qualites can you guys think of or idea's to put in this fear chart.
Many Thanks
Iceman
This is what it looks so far.
On a Critical Glitch you roll (D6) on a chart to see what happens to that character.
Negative Qualite's.
Phobia (mild)
He/she has a phobia of an item, enviroment,critter,etc. When in the area/facing
his/her phobia, they get -2 on all action rolls.
Phobia (moderate)
same as above excpet he/she gets -4 on all action rolls.
Phobia (severe)
same as above excpet he/she gets -6 on all action rolls. Also suffers a physical defect of some kind. ie. The character has a streak of white hair, his/her voice box contracts and he/she can only speak in whispers,etc.
Other idea i had in mind was heart attacks but am still trying to work out, how i could inport that in SR.
So what other negative qualites can you guys think of or idea's to put in this fear chart.
Many Thanks
Iceman
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