Alright, I'm working up Passport to Pain, the "Kill the Prime Runner!" thing I ran Sunday at Dragon*Con. I'd like input for formalizing the crunch, -especially- from those who played in it, like Wasabi. So hit me here, and we'll meet up and work on this, if you'd like to give a writer a hand.

I thought it was fantastic. Please note many of my suggestions may not suit you or the situation. They are all the ideas I can think of and once you cherrypick your faves from mine and other brainstormers the finished product may be better for it.

First some broad brushstrokes:

1. It needs a disclaimer in the blurb published on the convention website as well as verbally announced at the beginning of the scenario to state that it is NOT TYPICAL SHADOWRUN. We had two players who had never played before and now they may think that in SR hack n' slash and cheesemonkey-ness is SR when its clearly not.
2. It needs pregens. Get 6 pregens from dumpshockers and xerox all characters brought to the game to build a library of characters. The more options the better. If you get a LOT of characters to choose from create a blurb for each character and have players who dont bring their own choose using the blurbs so they dont get mired in pregen selection. Ideally character selection should take 5min and thats it. An egg timer could speed this up as well. I know I wasted a half hour or so tweaking a non-Passport character to be teh ubehness.
3. Offer uniquely certed awards worth 25 karma ONLY USABLE IN SBSEQUENT PASSPORT TO PAIN SCENARIOS. Offer the awards limit 1 per table per award category for: Succeeding in a way the GM has never seen before, Exceptional Roleplay, and Cleverest Concept. You as GM nominate someone after the game is over and if a majority of players by secret ballot agree, award the cert. Let players know they may not always have winners at the table and that the cert is only usable in followup Passport to Pain chapters and not in reruns of the scenario in which the award is certed.
4. Try two variants: With Edge and Without Edge. If With Edge let the runners know villains will use Edge as wisely as if they were players. This will turn Edge into a survival stat necessary just to stay alive. If you use this option you'll need to only use Edge by supervillains and not minions since as a GM you have unlimited minions and therefore unlimited Edge.

Chargen guidelines:
All characters by RAW except 500 build and 200 karma. Max build converted to nuyen is 100 build so up to 500k from converting karma to nuyen. No avail restrictions. May buy hits on Binding and Registering at the standard 4 for 1 ratio.




Know some counters:
1. Wounds make nanites decrease sharply. Nanohives take FOR-EV-ER to regen them, far longer than a mission would last.
2. Enemies tossing Prophylaxis spells can neutralize combat drugs. The language in the spell is: "Reduce the effect of a beneficial drug by 1 for every hit of the spell."
3. An astral opponent can be countered using a projecting mage using armor that works in the astral and a ton of dicepool. Grappling and Dispelling are also good.
4. Hackers can be opposed by TM's. TM's can be opposed only by other TM's. Learn how to play a TM well.
5. Spellcasters can be countered with trio's of spirits that have counterspelling and the Magical Guard power working in a team. Whether countering a spell being case or dispelling a focus that has Increase Reflexes its a beautiful thing!
6. Conjurers and TM's can be mind controlled.
7. Diplomancers can be countered using super fast attacks. Its not a complex action to roleplay a con roll, it takes longer than that so shoot early and shoot often.

I'm sure there are others these are just some brainstorming.


Lastly, some execution suggestions
1. It will be bloody. Allow Hand of God uses of Edge at the end of a given combat. If they do not have an edge left to burn then have them sit out for one whole combat. After all, they paid to play right?


As far as story goes I think you should continue as you were. The story and villains roleplay was a strongpoint of the game!

Thanks for popping in, I'm sending you the target now. I'd like you to look him over, give me some suggestions, and, if you find the time, work out his -legal- Essence. After that, will come the AI you beat.