Full Version: Investigating the Run & Johnson
So the question is: Do you (or your players) investigate Mr. Johnson - try to find out who he really works for, his past record, etc, and do you try to find out why exactly this job is happening - who is trying to screw over who and more importantly why? Or does your group go with the flow, take jobs as they come, and worry about double-crosses or whatever as they come up?
I put down "depends."
First off part of the Fixers job (you do remember to give him a cut) is to screen Johnsons. Not neccesarily to show them the door but to tell the players things like "this guy has lost a couple teams", or "word on the street is he once lied in a briefing".
Also a lot of runs have more transperance and can be more readily confirmed than the typical break in there and do something. Be extra careful on those sorts of jobs. Not only because it's harder to confirm what's going on, but also because a dull been-there-run-that premise is more likely to draw GM twists and turns.
First off part of the Fixers job (you do remember to give him a cut) is to screen Johnsons. Not neccesarily to show them the door but to tell the players things like "this guy has lost a couple teams", or "word on the street is he once lied in a briefing".
Also a lot of runs have more transperance and can be more readily confirmed than the typical break in there and do something. Be extra careful on those sorts of jobs. Not only because it's harder to confirm what's going on, but also because a dull been-there-run-that premise is more likely to draw GM twists and turns.
My character usually doesn't, but our face seems to jump on it almost every run. I usually think about after things have gone wonky
"man we probably should checked up on the guy... oh, duck and cover paleskin!"
"man we probably should checked up on the guy... oh, duck and cover paleskin!"
"Depends"
I think that investigating the johnson is a measure of bad taste, if they find out. It always seemed to me that anonymity should run both ways, they don't want to know you, you don't want to know them.
That changes of course once the "screw the runners" card is played. Then all bets are off and courtesy no longer applies.
I think that investigating the johnson is a measure of bad taste, if they find out. It always seemed to me that anonymity should run both ways, they don't want to know you, you don't want to know them.
That changes of course once the "screw the runners" card is played. Then all bets are off and courtesy no longer applies.
where's: 'only if the money wasn't good enough'? *grins*
...I picked always. One too many times of having characters wind up working for a dragon makes me damned suspicious - especially if the pay is good & the job sounds just a little bit too easy.
don't forget if the money's too good also...
Nothing wrong with a little paranoia in a runner's line of work.
Nothing wrong with a little paranoia in a runner's line of work.
Almost always. I clicked 'depends', but it's more likely rather than less.
| QUOTE |
| First off part of the Fixers job (you do remember to give him a cut) is to screen Johnsons. Not neccesarily to show them the door but to tell the players things like "this guy has lost a couple teams", or "word on the street is he once lied in a briefing". |
This is absolutely and utterly true. If your fixer can't be trusted to screen out Johnsons looking for a team to burn, that fixer can't be trusted not to sell you out to the highest bidder. I.E. tighten up your relationship or get a new damn fixer.
By the same token, though, there are many cases in which the fixer will not - or indeed CANNOT - be aware of the intricacies of a job. If you're a runner who has moral compunctions about certain things, it'll behoove you to check up on your jobs. It's also a really good idea to check out what's really going down on a given job, just so you'll know who you're burning and take appropriate steps. Sometimes that includes dropping the job, sometimes it's using only equipment manufactured by the people they regard as enemies. E.G. - if you're hitting Renraku, use MCT gear. If you're gonna hit the Yaks, do yourself a favor and make it look like the Seoulpas.
And if you're hitting a dragon/magical cabal/other scary shit, you'll know to hit them so hard they won't recover. This may include a lot of explosives, or framing them so that a corp might hit them for you.
My players very rarely take any run at anything other than face value. Knowing this, and knowing that they're not interested in being screwed too often, I tend not to do too many behind the scenes machinations. Kind of a shame, too, since Shadowrun is frequently about massive conspiracies and the like. My players tend to become involved in a massive conspiracy and then see it through to the end, not so much because their shadowrunning characters would do that, but because they want to hear more about the story I've concocted. The next campaign that I have simmering on the back burner, though, is going to potentially alter this SOP, though, so I'm hoping my players don't become my ex-players!!
I voted never, but that is just how my group plays it. I personally would prefer a little more paranoia and professionalism. This ain't a dungeon crawl (usually).
I think the thing is that checking out the Johnson and the Run requires ressources - time, bribes, etc, with the risk of tipping off either Mr J or the target prematurely. And the reward for that investment is usually not much... Players expect to get screwed over once in a while, and they figure they'll deal with it then.
But why most people are voting 'depends' is probably because honestly, if your Mr. J is a badly disguised ghoul that keeps saying it's a cakewalk and be sure to salt yourself beforehand, or there's another such reason to assume you're being set up, everyone would investigate at that point.
But why most people are voting 'depends' is probably because honestly, if your Mr. J is a badly disguised ghoul that keeps saying it's a cakewalk and be sure to salt yourself beforehand, or there's another such reason to assume you're being set up, everyone would investigate at that point.
My group never investigates the Why, and I really wish they would. They miss out on so much story that way. That's the real reason to do it. Knowing what the hell is going on and being involved with it is so much more interesting than being cold, fearless professionals who leave their emotions at the door and don't want to know anything unnecessary to the job. In fact, I award bonus karma for not being cold and fearless.
| QUOTE (Eryk the Red) |
| My group never investigates the Why, and I really wish they would. They miss out on so much story that way. That's the real reason to do it. Knowing what the hell is going on and being involved with it is so much more interesting than being cold, fearless professionals who leave their emotions at the door and don't want to know anything unnecessary to the job. In fact, I award bonus karma for not being cold and fearless. |
Hear, hear!
I'm starting a new group this weekend...WARNING: IF YOU'RE PLAYING IN MY GAME, CLOSE THE THREAD NOW!!
The Abstruse One
[ Spoiler ]
The Abstruse One
| QUOTE (Abstruse) |
| I'm starting a new group this weekend...WARNING: IF YOU'RE PLAYING IN MY GAME, CLOSE THE THREAD NOW!! |
[ Spoiler ]
We usually just shoot bad guys who go into exposition mode. Cackle "You fools, you" BangBang Bang.
| QUOTE (kzt @ Jun 12 2007, 04:06 PM) | ||
[ Spoiler ] We usually just shoot bad guys who go into exposition mode. Cackle "You fools, you" BangBang Bang. |
<<Flash Bang grenade lands right by the Exploding Bomber's ankle, goes off stunning Exploding Bomber>>
Clay Moor disconnects the trigger mechanism to the explosives, takes out the explosives, shakes his head at the amount, removes most of the explosive, packs it for a shaped charge, puts back the explosive, and completely rewires the trigger mechanism and updates it. After doing all this at phenomenal speed. Clay Moor then places a stim patch on the Exploding Bomber. He then leaves.
Bombers comes into focus again, and triggers the explosive, BOOM his head disappears in a red cloud.
"Amateurs" says Clay Moor
Man, when I took that poll I was expecting it to be 80% always. I always want to know more about my Johnson. There are two things you should keep in mind when doing this though, 1. Be discreet, 2. Don't let it interfere with the Johnson's job.
The third thing to keep in mind is that if the Johnson does screw you over (and it will happen at some point), this may give you some leverage against him/her.
The third thing to keep in mind is that if the Johnson does screw you over (and it will happen at some point), this may give you some leverage against him/her.
I put depends. For me, it depends on how the GM runs things. If in his game a Fixer screens your Johnsons, and they expect anonymity in return, then no, because getting caught will get another team hired to take you out.
If your GM plays it so that the Johnson's expect a certain amount of investigation, then definitely.
For me, the defining factor is risk. How often does the team get screwed? What are the consequences of getting caught prying into your Johnson's affairs? If the answer is almost never and near certain death, then no. If the answer is frequently and nothing more than what would happen when the Johnson tries to sell you to Lone Star... again, then yes.
Obviously, anywhere in between is up to the players.
If your GM plays it so that the Johnson's expect a certain amount of investigation, then definitely.
For me, the defining factor is risk. How often does the team get screwed? What are the consequences of getting caught prying into your Johnson's affairs? If the answer is almost never and near certain death, then no. If the answer is frequently and nothing more than what would happen when the Johnson tries to sell you to Lone Star... again, then yes.
Obviously, anywhere in between is up to the players.
Criminals working for criminals is always a delicate situation. The very last thing any Johnson would want is for you to know more about him and his situation. But then again, a runner has to do due diligence and make sure he isn't being set up. Maybe some Johnsons freak out about it and other more experienced Johnsons expect you to always check them out to make sure they're kosher. I would expect some to fire you on the spot if they found out you were nosing around about them instead of doing their dirty work.
Probably the professional thing to do (as well as the smart thing) is to find out all about the Johnson before you ever meet with him to discuss the terms of the contract. You don't want to be walking into something ugly (like the cops) and you don't want to be wasting your time after your take the money and the clock is running.
Probably the professional thing to do (as well as the smart thing) is to find out all about the Johnson before you ever meet with him to discuss the terms of the contract. You don't want to be walking into something ugly (like the cops) and you don't want to be wasting your time after your take the money and the clock is running.
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