Hello gaming type people,

Dashifen here. I noticed that there was a post by Mana Child in the Shadowrun forum showing a desire to learn shadowrun. Well, to that end, I'm going to try and put together a game for ONLY people who haven't played that much and want to learn more. I already personally invited two people that mentioned they were new to the game in other threads, but I'm interested in seeing how many people there are on the boards who are looking to learn the ropes. If there are only a few people that want to learn how to play and I want a few experienced types, then I'll open up character submission to all-comers. Know, however, that if you're of a more-experienced type of player, I'd appreciate it if you let the learners run the show a little bit more -- that way they learn!

Once I get an idea of how many people are interested, I'll start putting together groups. If there's a lot of interest, I might break a large group into smaller ones and run different games.

Don't worry about characters, yet. Once I get one or more groups together and we talk about what you're interested in learning, then I'll start looking for characters.

As for my style of running a game, I generally come up with an idea that I think would be interesting to run, and then a few ways that I would complete it so that I have an idea of what you guys might do. Then, I fly by the seat of my pants doing the best that I can! If you want to read a different game that I'm running on the boards, check out the Mafia Affair. There are links to the IC and OOC threads in my signature.

If you're interested, post below.

Ummm... I'm new. And want to learn. Yeah. Umm... I've never played before, but this "shadowrun" thing sounds neat!

Nice. Seriously, though, if there are no newbies out there that get back to me in a day or so I'll probably just run the game with veterans

I'm not a newb but I've never had the chance to try a decker or rigger and always wanted to learn but was too shy to play one around veteranos...

**keeps eye on thread**

I haven't played much...scratch that, not at all...rules just make sense to me.

I think if we play, I'll be grabbing a mage this time around.

@ D: I'll take your post to mean that I'm at least in the running (no pun intended).

We're using just the SR3 core, correct? I don't have R3 but do have Matrix--not that I was able to make heads or tails of it. I think I bought it just so I could read the section on otaku...

Sure -- if you want to run a decker I think I can manage that. I started the conept for Mana Child, and I haven't heard back on that yet, so I'm kinda just seeing what interest is out there. But, if you want to start working on a decker, go for it.

Ok so I don't think I could pass for a newbie, but I hav never played a rigger before. All I have is the SR3 core rules so I would just use those, so if you were willing to learn with me, it would be like having a newbie....

Hrm.... that's tempting, shadow. I like that idea. One of my RL players wanted a rigger this year and I just didn't have the time to learn the rules, what with having a decker for the first time as well. I think we could work with that. Just going to have to re-read that section of the book and make heads-and-tails of it.

Trying to play a Rigger without R3 or R3R is next to impossible. Yes, you have the core rules, but there is so much more you can do with a vehicle that isn't in SR3. I don't even think SR3 has stuff for adding armor to a vehicle, does it?

honestly not sure. shadow?

Well, if you need guys, I really need a game.
I'll play whatever wierd monstrousity you need me to play. Even (gulp) an Elf

That is somewhat true. It depends on the kind of rigger you are planning on playing. If you are going to be a drone rigger then yes, you can't do it very effectively. If you are going to be the kind of rigger Grendel plays, again probably not. But i was thinking more old school than that. The wheelman, getaway driver, the guy who can drive like nobodies business! That you can do. That was what I had in mid when I mentioned rigger.

Honestly the battletac stuff and driving a tank a round don't strike me as a whole lot of fun. Give me a fast and furious sports car and I am good to go.

Hey!,

As soon as i put together a character (although i may need a little help choosing sensible skills knowledge skill etc to make an effective character) i'll be ready to go.

YAY!

Oh, i own the SR3 rulebook (12th printing) and i was going to buy the sprawl survival guide but i thought that maybe i should learn everything thats in the core rulebook first.

hmm i was thinking of playing a mage but maybe i'm better off playing a "Click Bang" character.
if ya all know what i mean.

I dont know i feel i may be a burden and may complicate things but if your willing to bear with me i'd like to play a mage.

Okay, so as it stands now, I think we've got this going on:

Shadow: "Old-School" Vehicle Rigger
Mana Child: Mage
Kevyn668: Decker
Ditaki: Mage?

Mana Child: if you're interested in magic more so that other forms of characters in the game, at least right now, then the book to look into is probably Magic in the Shadows. If nothing else, it has the rules for initiation, which is how you advance your magic, as well as skads fo new spells which are fun to look through. Or, since Ditaki mentioned that a mage character would work for her/him as well, you could play a fighter type. I usually suggest that for the "first-time-around" players, only because there's less rules. And everyone needs to learn combat eventuall.

You also mentioned that you grabbed NSRCG -- good! It's a great tool. mcmackie If you want to remove all the books that you don't have, go into the options screen (in the buttons at the top). On the first screen, you can select books you don't have that are in the column on the left and hit the button labeled ">>" to move them into the column on the right. Just make sure that you click "Save Book List" before you leave the options screen.

I suggest that you leave the following books available to you: Shadowrun Third Edition Rulebook, Magic in the Shadows, Cannon Companion, and Man & Machine. The Cannon Companion provides more options for gear, Man & Machine is cyberware/bioware which is important if you're going to go the gunbunny route.

I have all of those books so post any questions on gear, spells, etc. here and one of us should be able to answer you!

To those who have played before, I'm probably going to work with Mana Child for a while to get his character up and running. Feel free to chime in with comments, suggestions, etc. but this game may not move as quickly towards an IC thread as the others. Plus, I'm still waiting on one more person to get back in touch with me.

If you all want to, you can start sending me character sheets. I want the FINALIZED .sr3 sheets from NSRCG. Try to download the most recent version before you start working so that you know you've got the most recent bug fixes.

NSRCG...hmmmm.

Is it easy to install? I know I'll have to find that Zip-thingy somewhere...

FYI: The decker I had in mind was going to be a variation (as in "human" and no cyberarm) of the combat decker from SR3. Is that still cool?

Sure -- make what ever you want. I have experience makeing and GMing for Deckers (and Otaku) so I can probably help you out with other stuff. If you need NSRCG then go to the NSRCG Page.

So if I just download from the site will it "just do its thing"? Or wil I have to do stuff?

(can ya see why I never played a decker?? )

It'll do it's thing. There's an installer in the zip archive from the site. If you need help with the program, let me know. Like I said to Mana Child, the first thing to do, go to the Options page and remove books you don't have but leave the four I mentioned above, and you're going to want the Matrix sourcebook on there as well. If you have questions about things, post away! We're probably going to do a lot of stuff with what skills are important, programs, etc. Post in the other forums, as well, to get information as much as you like, as well. Hopefully this is a good learning experience for all.

As Mana Child found out in a thread in the Shadowrun forum, I'm not looking for a real involved backstory right now. I'll probably worry about that later if we keep running with these characters after this run. For now, though, it's a learning experience and we'll just worry about that.

Need players? I'm very familiar with the rules for magic, since mages are my favorite types. Help is free in the OOC if I join the game.

I suppose that technically I still count as a newbie, since well, Shadow's last run, 'Exile's Hope' was only the second one that I ever completed. All of the others I played in never got much further than the meet. I also played in one face-to-face game one time using second edition rules. That would be the first one I played.

I played a decker for the first time ever in Shadow's game.

Character types that I've never played: Rigger
Character types that never finished a game: Adept, Street Samurai

I'll play whatever. I don't care. I have some of each made up or in the works.

Mana Child: Here's some advice for making a character. There are two approaches that I use that seem to work well, though you need not feel bound by either one.

1) I do whatever I want and trim things down until I'm within the points limit.

or

2) I decide on a concept or theme first and effectively have a working draft of the bio in my head before I even start picking skills an attributes. From there, I work things out according to the theme and narrow the points down until I'm in the limit. Of course, sometimes, I start at the bottom and just add in points until I feel happy.

The fact is that there is no right or wrong way to make a character, provided that you follow the GM's rules and you are happy playing the character that you've made.

standard creation rules? 123 BPs/ Priority? Or will all this be made clear when I get the NSRCG? If so, sorry.

@Mana Child: Don't sweat asking questions. If you want to play a mage, play a mage. I'm going to ask at least as many questions about making a decker and decking as you will about making a mage and magic.

Kevyn: Yeah, standard rules. Use any system you like, they all have pros and cons and people should be able to use what they're comfortable with. rating 6 availability 8. NO EDGES AND FLAWS. That's right, none. I usually skip them for people who are trying to learn a system and if I'm skipping them for Mana Child (who doesn't have shadow comp. anyway) we're all gonna skip them. That does mean, too, that my NPCs won't use them either, so it's not so bad.

Leowulf: want to do an adept or a sam again? We don't really have a confirmed fighter type person. Ditaki hasn't gotten back at us yet, but he and Mana Child might be mages. We have a rigger (maybe) and a decker in progress, but no figher or face types. If you want to do an adept/face, don't hesitate to use skills from this page or any others you find online. I reserve the right to say yes or no to any non-canon powers, though. There are some threads on the boards with cool powers, too.

I think I'll probably end up being an Adept, I've got a couple of ideas in mind for that. Probably get around to it a bit later tonight...heh heh heh.

Then I think we have:

Mana Child: Rat Shaman
Ditaki: Adept
Leowulf: Adept or Sam
Shadow: Vehicle Rigger
Kevyn: Decker

I kinda like this spread and for now, I'm concidering characters closed -- the five people I have can alter, evolve, morph, etc. to their characters and concepts for as much as you want. But in case anyone else reads this thread through, I'm going to stick with the five people I have unless something unforeseen happens.

Then i'll play a fighter type, your right by saying its probably the best thing to do as a beginner and we already have a mage anyway or someone who is interested.
I'll need to know if my skill and priority choices are ok though.
In the sense of sensibility.
If i choose crap skills etc i'll have a character thats not good for much at all. but i'll start working on a possible character now.

it really depends, my heart tells me i'm better off starting simple as i tend to take a while for new stuff to get drumed into my head.

i appologise but as far as decisions are concerned i'm the type who always thinks of the negatives of a class type so i can be difficult to look for desicions

Adept or samurai. Maybe I'll make a character who is both in a way. Which books are in, and which books are out?

SR3, SRComp (no edges and flaws, though metavarients are okay), M&M, CC, R3, MITS, and Matrix. Those are the ones I have so those are the ones I use The errata on www.shadowrunrpg.com should be checked.

Is anyone willing to do a mage? Mana child already sent me something of a gunbunny but I don't think we have a spellslinger on the team right now, only fighters, adepts and our decker and rigger.

I like the vehicle rigger idea, but I can play a mage, I have had an idea for a fire elamentalist banging around in my head for a while. Let me know.

Edit

Well no, no, no, I chose Adept really because we needed somebody who could do straight-up physical attacks. Now that we've got that, I'll hop back to being a mage.

ok if someone can assure me that there is a good chance that i wont burn out then i will play a mage and never change my mind again.
I wanted to play a mage in the first place but was worried about burning out.
I'm always worried about things that will probably never happen and i worry far too much and about nothing please forgive me.
I will do the duties and roleplay him/her best of my ability. All i ask is your support as team members as in my previous party memebers in rpg's have left me to die. And i'll need help choosing a sensible array of skills and spells.

Sorry dashifen and team.

*Straightens up*

ok first i'll see what i come up with on NSRCG then i'll email you dashi then well talk about it.

Kind and Nervous Regards

Mana Child

We Have it seems:

Mana Child: Mage or shaman
Ditaki: Mage
Leowulf: Adept or Sam (Adept abilities to augment abilities instead of cyberware?)
Shadow: Vehicle Rigger
Kevyn: Decker

to correct my self i think i'll need alot of help with making a mage i wouldnt know where to start.

That's fine. My theory is that you play what you want to play. If you have trouble making a character one way, we can do it another. If you want to play a mage, be my guest. If we take a few weeks to put your character together, so be it. If others don't want to wait until we're ready, so be it. There's always a myriad of players around the forums so we can find some others. Plus, we've got a new decker and a new rigger so I'll be learning rigging rules right along side those two learning their rules. This run could be choppy just because of the newer players or veteran players playing new types, but I don't mind.

well what priorities in which order should i choose for a mage (i'm not playing a shaman i'm just playing a mage)
and where should i put my attributes and what skills should i get.
I'm going to be an elf.
I was thinking a bit like a "Face/Mage"
A mage that is good with speach and social encounters.
Very charismatic etc.

The trouble with playing an elven mage is that mages, unlike shamans, require a lot of money for their spell and conjuring libraries and elemental conjuring materials. You could have barely enough for that with Resources: C, but you need that for Race if you are playing an elf. Therefore, you really need Resources: B. The bad thing about this is that it puts your Attributes at D, and your Skills at E. The example archetype of the Street Mage uses that Priority allocation - you can see how the Attributes are spread thin.

For an elven face/full mage type, you are a lot better off going with a shaman. If you don't like roleplaying something like sneaky Rat, ruthless Shark, etc., then consider playing a Coyote shaman, which may not give Totem bonuses but allows you the most roleplaying latitude. For an elven shaman/face, you can go Magic: A, Attributes: B, Race: C, and either Resources: D and Skills: E or Skills: D and Resources: E.

For Attributes, you can max out your mental Attributes - shamans summon spirits as they need them rather than ahead of time, so that 8 Charisma is very important. It also makes you extremely tough in astral combat, and is the most vital Attribute for a face (especially for an elf, since you might need to make Charisma tests to overcome an NPCs racism). That still leaves you 10 points to lavish on your physical Attributes - compare that to the Street Mage in the book, who is stuck with a 2 Body.

For skills, the four vital ones, which should all be at 6, are Sorcery and Conjuring, for magic, and Etiquette and Negotiation, to function as a face. That leaves either 3 or 6 points to spend on other skills, such as Stealth or Biotech/First Aid.

For resources, the only main purchases that you need are a low lifestyle, a shamanic lodge - which is only 3,000 Nuyen for a Force: 6 lodge; and some armor and clothing - a secure jacket and 3 sets of normal clothing, for example. If you choose the 20,000, you can buy more clothing, extra months of lifestyle/upgrade to Middle lifestyle, and most importantly, a basic DocWagon Contract. 5,000 gives you the basics, but 20,000 has you starting off a bit more comfortably.

But if you want to play a mage instead of a shaman, it's still very do-able. Just look at the Street Mage archetype and fiddle with the skills a bit, and you can wind up with a good mage/face. For example, just getting rid of the Aura Reading and Pistols skills can let you raise Etiquette to 6 and get Negotiation at 6. If you go that route, though, you will be tracking much more in the way of expenditures with those resources. The big advantage of a face with Resources: B, though, and it is a big one, is that you can buy lots of contacts - and having the right contacts is just as important to a face as having high social skills.

I would agree with Glyph, shamans are cheaper to play, but that doesn't necessarily make them better. The advantages to elementals in sustaining spells and their higher combat effectiveness can make up for their expense when used creatively.

Are the rest of you guys working on characters or should I look for other people. If you're working, that's fine, but if you could give me an ETA for your characters, I would appreciate it.

Still working!! I don't really have an ETA, I can be done in as littel as a day or so if I have to.

No time limit, was just making sure that people other than Mana Child were hard at work.

Well do you think i could convert my mage to a shaman? would it be worth it?
If anyone wants to see the mage pm me and i'll email you the finished
mage.
As it seem i have a half decent amout of materials.

well i have 2 characters,

this one is a shaman that was made in conjunction with sphynx,
although the totem only appears in magic in the shadows page 157.

the only thing thats missing is the knowledge skills and some other stuff:


Priority A) Magic
Priority B) Attributes
Priority C) Resources
Priority D) Elf
Priority E) Skills

Charisma 8
Intelligence 4
Quickness 6
Strength 3
Body 3
Willpower 6

Shaman of the Moon Totem

Force 6 Influence
Force 3 Astral Barrier
Force 3 Barrier
Force 3 Improved Invis
Force 3 Detox (Exclusive spell)
Force 3 Fasion (Exclusive spell)
Force 3 Healthy Glow (Exclusive Spell)
Force 3 Fast (Exclusive spell)
Force 3 Intoxication (Exclusive Spell)
Force 3 Makeover (Exclusive spell)
Force 3 Oxygenate (Exclusive Spell)
Force 3 Prophylaxis (Exclusive Spell)
Force 3 Translate (Exclusive spell)
Force 3 Stunbolt (Exclusive spell)
* All Exclusive spells to reduce spell point cost to 1.

Conjuring 4
Etiquette 6
Negotiations 6
Pistols 4
Sorcery 4
Stealth 3

English: 5
English R/W: 2

Trauma Dampener (Bioware)

I'll make a longer post tomorrow. Strangely enough, the only comp I can post from is the one at work. I'm having some problems w/ my home comp that couldn't be solved by turning it off then turning it back on....

I'm making a Voudoun...expect a character sheet up sometime tonight.

[edit] Character Sheet is up

Voudoun: Hook

[/edit]

Well my boy Mustang is about done. I had to rework him after edges and flaws were taken away. No drones but a couple of highly modified vehicles for use, plus he's handy in a gun fight.