I started skimming through my CP2020 books for campaign ideas, new 'tech' to introduce as background color, ideas fore adding more flavor. And some of the stuff is pretty cool to read, like Wildside which is their book on Fixers. And could give some ideas to how to work with them in SR for some people looking to spice things up.
But the topic of this post is incorporating some of the stranger types of PCs into normal campaigns. A lot of what I've been reading here and other sites is 'If the campaign is not designed for them, they won't have a lot to do, if anything'. And the way my mind works, that's the furthest thing from the truth, so long as the GM is willing to do some work and the player is willing to work as well. Newsies and rockers were done well in Shadowbeat both, but again, require for a lot of people campaigns tailored to them people think.
A normal shoot-em-up action movie turned into a run; the bad guys steal item X and it is good guys idea to recover it. They need to go to building A and work through it only to find the big bad is in building B and then meet them there, shootout ensues between the two, lots of cool dialogue and then Big Bad escapes to building C. Runners track them down, find and stop the Big Bad, recovering item X. Even cops and solos got in on that, maybe your techie was building the gear, walking people through hacking locks and the like if not on site doing it themselves. But what about the musician and the newsie?
The Musician could be a normal runner; in SR, given the classless skill sets, that's quite possible. And anyone who has read John Shirley's story Freezone would understand how a rocker could work. The rocker in the story ended up getting involved in the arching storyline going on, so it sort of fell in his lap, but he had skills that could work in it. And the Rocker in SR1 book says something like maybe the rocker is running for inspiration or lack of money, but these will be turned into great songs someday. And maybe that's what it is. I could see the runner doing some edgy street-inspired rap/techo type thing or even something more like Jon Bon Jovi sort of sound with the music being a commentary. It gives more flesh to the character.
What advantage does a rocker have in a campaign for all this effort? Well, first, starting out ones can play a decent face, or a scout. Have the musician's band play a set before meeting the J in the club so he knows if the guy is expecting trouble. Need to get somewhere quick? Travel with the band, and if you get a high level one, maybe they've got contracts with corps for jets and the like. You can find ways to keep stuff from being scanned. Not to mention you want to get into a restricted area? Arrange a tour or schedule to do a set at the club. And, if you want to be crazy, maybe you're not a Rocker, but another Performer. If you want to be really weird, or possibly inspire some really interesting intrusion plots, 'I am the Great Randolpho, and I do children's parties."
Media types can be a different story. I mean, who wants a news reporter on their team, recording all the events that happen? Sprawl Survival Guide for SR3 had that story and many people wanted the news person dead, and kicker being she died, perhaps moving into the shadows. So, this reporter could be the first on the scene after a run. Sort of the 'April O'neal' or 'Kelly Kinkaid' of the Shadowrun world, showing up just in the nick of time to land the best stories. Though don't push that luck. However, let me propose a twist. You're not a reporter, but instead, you're doing your own show. Or, getting outside of CP2020's classes, you're actually in the Media, but you do something else. You're a Special Effects artist and you're using your talents to get the job done (see movies F/X and F/X 2 and F/X the Series, and at least one episode of Leverage), your background giving the reason why. Maybe an accident, like Mysterio? Or maybe you're coerced into helping or maybe you just like the thrill. Perhaps you're a writer looking for new story ideas?
What advantage in a normal run? News people get reporters for leads, get producers for corporate rumors, hell, there's even the guy in the motorpool. F/X people... well, you've got all sorts of techie types, actors, maybe even could hook up with a director on a movie. "Oh, these? No, they're not guns. I'm the effects guy on that new series 'Gun with the Wind'." Writers and other types of people, well, they know bigwigs, but they also know specialists for research purposes, may know some big name, and lots of little name, stars who owe them favors ("Don't you remember when I wrote that part for you in 'The Thing From Inner Space'?). Another idea is depending on how much the Big Bad knows, your media type could just social engineer them or even arrange them as a financer on the film or even a actor/actress. Get them away from the building they control, onto a set that you do.
There are lots of options, depending on how you two are willing to work together. Just don't focus on what your title says you should do, focus on how it can work for the run.
