Full Version: Buying Karma
Any one know the page number on the rules for buying karma?
Shadowrun Companion pages 79-80.
Optional rule, GM may allow it or use it with limitations (like limiting the exchanging of Karma to be only between team members at whatever price they agree to).
Optional rule, GM may allow it or use it with limitations (like limiting the exchanging of Karma to be only between team members at whatever price they agree to).
Though not actually buying karma, one could use standard rules of MitS to let someone else pay karma, it is on the last page before the index in the list of magic costs.
Although it won't help in many situations, paying an enchanter to create a focus and then paying them 5000
to bond the focus to any desired magician present can help. Especially if one is a magician perpetually short of karma.
Need to bond a Force 3 sustaining focus? Pay an extra 15000 for the karma to have it bound. Take the 3 karma savings and learn 3 Force 5 spells by doing a rating 4 astral quest to reduce the karma of each spell by 4, sorry there is a 1 karma minimum.
Although it won't help in many situations, paying an enchanter to create a focus and then paying them 5000
to bond the focus to any desired magician present can help. Especially if one is a magician perpetually short of karma.Need to bond a Force 3 sustaining focus? Pay an extra 15000
for the karma to have it bound. Take the 3 karma savings and learn 3 Force 5 spells by doing a rating 4 astral quest to reduce the karma of each spell by 4, sorry there is a 1 karma minimum.
Joker9125 has found rules for creating Orichalcum that would net a new character almost 300,000 in a month of work, or an Initiate 2 about 500,000 in a month, if the GM lets the character sell Orichalcum at book-price. I think he wants to work a month and then buy 100 Karma, spend his Karma, and then take his next run while his Ally spirit makes his next batch of Orichalcum. Every month thereafter he can earn 5 or 6 karma doing runs, and buy another 60 to 100. His character currently has about half-a-mil on him.
in a month of work, or an Initiate 2 about 500,000 in a month, if the GM lets the character sell Orichalcum at book-price. I think he wants to work a month and then buy 100 Karma, spend his Karma, and then take his next run while his Ally spirit makes his next batch of Orichalcum. Every month thereafter he can earn 5 or 6 karma doing runs, and buy another 60 to 100. His character currently has about half-a-mil on him.
that's probably the most munchkin job scheme i've ever seen.
awesome, in that "totally breaks the game" way.
awesome, in that "totally breaks the game" way.
Yeah, fourstring_samurai, I'm impressed. He's mixed things from 3 or 4 books in a way that outdoes the munchkins in my campaign. I look forward to his future creative postings, as they better prepare me to just say no when my munchkins come up with something new. (Most in my game, including me, try to come up with the next creative munchkin thing that we'll have to outlaw.) I pity his GM.
| QUOTE (OurTeam) |
| I pity his GM. |
I don't! In my opinion, his GM brings it on himself.
If the player wants to become a talismonger, more power to him. Kinda defeats the purpose of playing the game.
And I'm sure the regular contributors to the "Evil Bastard GM" thread could innundate us with volume after volume of complications that could manifest to make this player's life absolute hell.
-Siege
And I'm sure the regular contributors to the "Evil Bastard GM" thread could innundate us with volume after volume of complications that could manifest to make this player's life absolute hell.
-Siege
And if necessary I could always try to summon the magic NotW. I'm not sure how accurate his statements were, but he told tales of being the accepted EvilGM Lord of Dumpshock way back when.
~J
~J
The easiest way I've seen of dealing with this is simply by placing a cap on the maximum amount of karma you can buy per adventure. At present the rule in our game is every time you go on a run (or complete a major objective that occupies a night of gaming) you are allowed to buy a maximum of 10 karma. This usually allows a player to pick up enough extra karma to do some reasonable character development if they're willing to burn the nuyen but prevents large payoffs from resulting in massive jumps in power.
The idea that someone could walk out and dump a few hundred k and suddenly become godly powerful seems somewhat, well, silly.
TBO
The idea that someone could walk out and dump a few hundred k
and suddenly become godly powerful seems somewhat, well, silly.TBO
Well, it is a brilliant use of game mechanics and optional rules.
Yeah, cause there's absolutely no way that the game mechanics and optional rules could be broken regarding the enchanting process. Nuh-uh.
Of course not! 
However, it is up to the GM to say "No!" and stop the ridiculous thing from happening.
However, it is up to the GM to say "No!" and stop the ridiculous thing from happening.
| QUOTE (OurTeam) |
| Joker9125 has found rules for creating Orichalcum that would net a new character almost 300,000 in a month of work, or an Initiate 2 about 500,000 in a month, if the GM lets the character sell Orichalcum at book-price. I think he wants to work a month and then buy 100 Karma, spend his Karma, and then take his next run while his Ally spirit makes his next batch of Orichalcum. Every month thereafter he can earn 5 or 6 karma doing runs, and buy another 60 to 100. His character currently has about half-a-mil on him. |
That's assuming; 1.) That one is able to find a buyer for the Orichalcum. It is after all a bit pricey and not always a selling market... especially during the comet days. 2.) That much Orichalcum tends to make one a target for those who don't want to spend the money. More than once I've tagged a runner's doss for trying to do that and wasn't properly prepared.
As for buying karma, I put limits on how much can be bought in a specific time frame and also how much each costs according to rep level. I don't allow my players to buy more karma than thier karma pool in a single month of game time. They can't boost thier good karma over three times thier karma pool either. Finally, the cost break down;
Shadow
Total
101 - 250 1,000¥
251 - 500 1,500¥
500 - 750 2,000¥
750 - 1000 2,500¥
1001+ 5,000¥
That's just the way I found to limit the rule tweaking.
Geez, my players never even get past the first tier on that chart 
| QUOTE (Zazen) |
| Geez, my players never even get past the first tier on that chart |
LOL, I make my players earn thier first hundred before they can start buying. Of course, I also slow down karma pool after the 100 mark to 1 point every 25 instead of every 10 as well.
It's easy enough to justify -- drop two or three hundred k for full-immersion virtual trainers that are almost as real as actually being there.
Game mechanic: cash spent for Karma spent on skill improvement.
-Siege
Game mechanic: cash spent for Karma spent on skill improvement.
-Siege
| QUOTE (Siege) |
| It's easy enough to justify -- drop two or three hundred k for full-immersion virtual trainers that are almost as real as actually being there. Game mechanic: cash spent for Karma spent on skill improvement. |
Which is why I don't allow cash-for karma, but I do allow cash for karma discounts. If someone does what you describe, going above and beyond my requirements, then I reduce the karma cost by an appropriate amount. I don't actually give them any extra karma, although it works out in a similar fashion.
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