Busy and buried here. It will be a few days I think before I can get the questionnaire back to you. Sorry.

Still working on it, lotsa stuff to write and conceptualize.

Being a Mechanic/Rigger I was thinking of using a Gaz pickup and maybe a bike for personal travel. But then I remembered the Horseman Personal Mobility Vehicle and I just had to slap a Rigger Cocoon in that thing, it seems perfect! Even has the Drone attachment.

What were your thoughts on used vehicles/drones Kerenshara?

EDIT: My 'Magigger' only has a pair of combat drones and a pair of spy drones. Getting tight with the nuyen so I had to cut back.

EDIT 2: The GMC Hermes Van is just about perfect. But it's 45k. It's a goal even if we don't start with one.

I'll be falling into that category as the scrounger I think, but I'm not looking for anything spectacular at any rate. I'm seeing this guy becoming more like Whistler from the Blade movies more and more as I work on him.

I think I now have everything done: The background, the Questions, and the Character sheet.

Made some awesome progress tonight. The character sheet is finished. Still need to flesh out the contacts with full names and backgrounds, but it's mechanically ready for play at this point. I'll set to work on answering those questions tomorrow.

Oh, my only question involves fake licenses; I know you've mentioned them before, but they're always really sketchy to me. If I have a gun, which requires a license, do I need another license for each modification or accessory attached that also requires a license? Because that shit adds up quick. Or, is a "license to carry concealed weapons" or something a big catch-all for all that stuff?

What about other, non-weapon class equipment that requires a license? One for each and every item? Or a single catch-all for items of a particular field?

-milk.

From what I understood, I figure at worse you would have to get a single license to own modified weapons which would cover all restricted weapon modifications. Similarly for equipment I figure that one license will cover a big blanket worth of gear. For instance there is likely a license to have hacking programs, and another for drones (Matrix Security license and rigger's license).

I think Keren's goal here is to make it so that you can reasonably have a license for everything you own without spending an extra 20 karma on the license costs for it.

OK...

First: If I miss a question from somebody (and there's about a dozen of you working on characters at the moment), I apologize. PM or Email me. If I don't get back to you within 24 hours, PM or Email me AGAIN. Seriously. You're all working dilligently and I feel an obligation to support you.

Second: I though I hit this previously, but I will take a moment to clarify this one...

Items marked with an "R" availability require a permit to PURCHASE (read: instant background check or Weapon Permit or RIRC or Medical License or...), generally. That includes weapon accessories. The only things you need licenses for, generally, to posess are firearms and drugs. When you modify a weapon, you're "acquiring" the parts and so on, and it's the responsibility of the armorer to verify your right to acquire such an item. So long as it's not a "F" modification and you have a permit to posess weapons generally, you're golden. If you have a particular item you're still not sure about, ask, but for the most part, it's no biggie.

A "permit" to posess weapons represents a background check and a certification on your SIN. You only need one of these per SIN.

A "carry concealed" permit is a separte item, and each SIN only requires ONE to cover all weapons.

If you posess even a single "R" piece of 'ware, you are going to need a "Restricted Implantation Registration Certificate", which is attached to each SIN and covers ALL implants.

What about "F" implants you ask? How good is your SIN, Citizen? "Oh, you're Honorably Discharged from our military? Carry on, Sir!" - the acquisition is the tricky part on those. You still need to have them declared on your RIRC above if you want to pass as apparently legal.

Items marked with an "F" availability will require a permit - and it had better be a GOOD one - to posess at all. What form would that permit take? The FN P93 Praetor SMG is "exclusive" to the police forces of the Corporate Court... so how about a badge, chummer? If it's good enough (see below), do you think Lone Star is going to stop a member of the Corporate Court? "And if you're gonna give me any of that juris-my-diction crap, you can shove it up your- hey, what are you- *gurgle*" Now, explaining why you, a member of the Corporate Court Police Force are slumming with a bunch of hooligan 'runners, that's another matter... what's your Con skill rating? *grin*


Checking ID's on-the-fly:

IF ID Rating > Checking System Rating THEN: I'm not making anybody pick up dice. Period.

IF ID Rating = Checking System Rating THEN: The Checking System rolls RTG x 2 against a THRESHOLD of the ID Rating - Yes, usually the ID will win!

IF ID Rating < Checking System Rating THEN: Roll Opposed Test of RTG vs. RTG; The checking system is the defender, so yes, you will lose more often than not... did I hear somebody say "EDGe"?

For "In-Depth" background checks, I will handle those on a case-by-case basis.


Is all that canon? Maybe, maybe not; I don't give a good godsdamn. That's how I'm doing it.


Does that work for everybody, more or less? (I'm beginning to wonder if some of you actually sleep for any continuous 8-hour period. *grin*)

8 hours of sleep? That's crazy talk.

Sounds good to me. I just need to figure out what kind of permit would allow me to carry around assassination gear now

A "license to kill", obviously.

Heh, imagine how quickly people would proceed to not ask you questions after that showed up

Yes, those ID rules work fine. I am not sure when the comparison / check will use the license rating (4 for all of mine), and when it will use the ID rating (3 for both of mine), but I will let you figure that out. If I am reading the license stuff right, I have two sets (one for each SIN) of three licenses. One license for the restricted bioware. One license for the restricted software (I have only one piece, but the license will cover if I end up with any more), and one license for the flash-bangs I have.

Yours,
Mach
Joel

Restricted (attack?) software?

Curious, how'd you justify that one? *grin*

That grin got me started. Now you must suffer.

"You ever heard those stories about how all the 15 year old girls online are FBI agents? Not true. This one was an AI and even with the restraining order, not within 100 nodes, she tries to get to me everywhere. A man has to defend himself.

What? 15 is plenty old enough for a troll... don't judge me."


BlueMax

*finally regains their composure*

Oh, that...

that...

that...

was SICK!

*still laughing*

*won't comment on 15 year olds... yet*

Edit: The easier explanation is that you are a matrix security consultant and need the programs to test system or help defend them. Basically a freelance white hat.

Question: Contacts, are we buying them as per normal or was it decided that there'd be Charisma-based Contacts?

Per normal, though Keren did mention something about possibly doing something with free contacts, but never said anything else about it.

I believe we're buying them as normal, Mar. I didn't see any special, charisma-linked contacts rule, but I may have missed it.

-milk.

Ahh thanks. I had them sorta written up but I forgot to buy them!

I dislike that rule for several reasons:

#1) It unfairly favors Elves and penalizes Trolls, like Elves need more bonuses and Trolls need another kik in the tusks.

#2) Sheer CHArisma does not make for numerous ( or effective / loyal ) contacts. That takes skill, effort and most importantly: chance. We make our friends and associates largely by chance.

If I was going to give away "free" contacts, it would combine some kind of die roll based on EDGe combined or multiplied by some combination of CHArisma and social skills.

If I see opportunities in your background and you seem like somebody likely to make lasting or beneficial connections, I will hand out what I see as apropriate as well as what will work best for my game.

Just checking in. Still need to finish gear and am working on the questionaire and background. I forgot that the questionaire had to be IC so I have to rewrite waht I have already done. Should be finished in the next couple of days.

RL Note: Woohoo finished the house repairs.

I believe you said the smartgun software was restricted (1R if I recall correctly.)

Alright the sheet is done!

Working on the questionnaire before I draft the write-up. I have used the entire 250k by the way.

Question some others may be interested in as well so I'll ask it here.

I have the Mechanics Skill Group. Do I need a toolkit or shop for each seperate skill?

RL: I mean when it comes to mechanics, tools are tools except for custom tools for specific jobs. But the same Craftsman kit will get you through most any job.

Sort of related:

Years ago my then-wife, a writer who remembers dialogue for a living, told me of a trip she took years earlier through the north-central U.S., on the way to California. Her car, a brand new Subaru she had bought in Southern Ontario, had run over some big rock on the highway in the middle of North Dakota. Something under the engine had been dislodged, and the car wouldn't work. It was towed to the nearest service station. The mechanic lifted the hood and looked at the engine.

"Hooowheee!" He cried. "Billy Joe, come look at this." Yes, he called for Billy Joe. Billy Joe came and looked under the hood. "Whoa," he said, " I ain't never seen nothin' like that before!" Just the thing a woman stuck in the back country wants to hear, no? Besides the foreign design of the engine, the Japanese car used metric bolts and nuts. The repair shop had none. To fix the car, they had to order metric tools. She was in North Dakota somewhat longer than she had planned.

I can tell you that you met the exception not the rule. Those two would be considered idiots no matter where they were from.

I've got my uncle's tools from his time as an auto mechanic. The set is about 25 yrs old and it has it all. I've been fixing things since I was a toddler handing my dad the wrench. and I've never picked up a set of tools that didn't have both.

Gentlemen, Ladies,
I believe we wait on Keren for an answer here and I believe it is that answer that is all that matters.

Lord and master,
Orb

BlueMax

Absolutely. The post just reminded me of these guys, and I had to share.

Sorry, didn't mean anything by it. It's just a pet peeve of mine that people see the midwest as dumb hicks. I know that's not what you were saying pbanarth but it just hit the wrong nerve. Again sorry

No problem. I can understand your position, too. Most people come from somewhere that has some prejudice about it. I'm no exception.

Well, I ain't got no idea what yous talkin' 'bout. I's from the deep south, and we ain't gots no pre juices 'bout us down 'ere.

Yeah, there is a difference between metric and "Stupid American Only System", but most tool kits wouldn't have a problem with that. I'm actually curious if SAOS would even be in use any more really as far as bolts and stuff go. I'd think the corporate upheaval and massive globalization would bring all those sorts of things over to the metric system.

That aside, I throw my hat into the idea that 90+% of the tools for the various mechanic jobs would be the same, and you could likely get a general 'mechanics toolkit' which would have what you need for any of them for maybe 150-200% the cost of a normal one. I'd think that the shop and facility would actually have even less trouble, because they would have more complete sets of tools anyway, and more and more of the tools would start to overlap.

Thats why I am asking. I want to get an automotive mechanics shop but I know from personal experience it isn't much different than an Aircraft Mechanics shop. I took the mechanics skill group and want to see if I have to buy a kit for all of them or if one shop would cover most or at least substitute for a kit for the others.

I'm not sure if the tools you all have for your charas is by concept or not, but I plan on having tools...lots and lots of tools.

Imagine if Whistler from Blade was a dwarf and you pretty much have my character. Maybe this frees up some points you allocated to yen for other stuff.

I'm really new to the karmagen so, can someone please answer the following?

Are you still limited to 250k in money?

Do you start at metatype minimum attributes and increase from there? (books says you do, but might be errata I havent seen.


@Keren: I plan on (by your approval) taking up residence in Everrett in a large warehouse (probably gated off...by advanced lifestyle). It'll afford me the space I need and I'm possibly looking at having an RV parked inside...or not, but the question is if I did how would you assign certain aspects of the lifestyle, are they paid for is my question.

Last I looked my auto shop didnt have spanner wrenches (yep they're real and not a George Lucas invention) or voltage dischargers, linch pins or radar gear for microscopic cracks. My point is, there is a difference in tools.


My figuring is that most things went metric by about 2020 or so...just my thoughts.

What the frag, why not ?

For basic light maint, its 100% true, if you have a neat kit you are set.
For heavy maint, you start wanting tools as to not damage bits. They could still be in a toolkit.

Shops though, thats another statement.
Machine shops ain't got lifts.
Auto shops rarely have good lathes and millls.
Aeronautic repair bays have a plethora of sheet metal tools.
(All have some welding and brazing tools)

But thankfully, "this is Shadowrun"™ and in the perfectly engineer future , a multitool can do just about anything. Why, Orbs Pleatherman can braze and arcweld. And Megas is cheap, thus everything uses the same basic components. Even if that means they don't work with great efficiency.

But you know what boggles my mind? I had to buy wireclippers. And they were 25 Nuyen. Talk about steep.


BlueMax

I may just limit it to kits for the mechanics stuff then. The skills are to show his wide range of technical talent. Although my main role is infiltration/ diguise. Imagine a mix between the movie "The Saint" and "The Pretender" tv show. Only not quite so smart. The guy is able to assume different identities and has the skills to back them up. I did take Biotech group 3 and am buying a Medical Shop to be an impromtu street doc if needed.

I'd imagine you would want a necessities of 4 with the Workshop positive quality, which gives you space equivalent to luxury, which means 750 square meters of space. Alternately you could go with just 3 in necessities with the workshop quality and that gives you somewhere around 500 square meters.

was mostly thinking a warehouse sized area with either a small apartment in it, or an RV parked inside.

Oh, I see. Then that might fall under the 'No Neighbors' quality or something. Or I guess if you just had a space necessities of 4-5 it could be considered to be your 'lawn'

Here is a quick mock up of a Garage with an appartment in the office. It represents a not too great appartment, but with good security and a lot of raw space for your workspace. The work soace has been set up just perfectly, so it gives you a lot of utility and saves time when working on stuff.

[2] Comfort (Low)
[2] Entertainment (Low)
[3] Necessities (Middle)
[2] Neighborhood (Low)
[3] Security (Middle)

[1] Workshop - Necessities +2 for space (examples are Mansion with extensive grounds, multi-floor penthouses, and villas)
[5] Feng Shui - +3 to Artisan and Technical skill tests

17 pts > 7,000 nuyen a month - ouch, maybe some negative qualities.

Your tools would love you better if it had a Resonance Well.

Orb

[-3] Ambusher's delight would make alot of sense since it is so wide and open for the most part.

I like those suggestions....alot!

That is really close to what I have for my workshop. I'm running at 10000Y a month though.

Mine is:

Comforts 1
Entertainment 1
Necessities 2
Neighbourhood 2
Security 4

Positive
Well Made, Workplace, Homegrown Farming (food), and Feng Shui

Negative
Not Big Bob's Auto's, Rough 'Hood, Crash Pad, Trigger Happy Landlord, No Privacy 1, AI in Residence

Low @ 2000 a month. Imagine moving into a repair station of some kind.


EDIT:

Also bought a Shop, to pay for the tools and spares, and a Magical Lodge F6. Three different "kits" too, one for cars, other for drones, and the third for well I don't know yet but I got three of them.

Anyone have answers for these? Particularly the stats.

Yes, you are still limited to 250k (Which costs 100 karma).

And yes, you get your race for free (Metavariants cost double the difference between the variant cost and the base race cost), but you have to start raising your stats from a higher point. A troll for example has.. 5 min bod I think? So he starts at bod 5, and will have to spend 6x3=18 karma to raise it to 6.

You get to spend half your total karma (half of 750) + double the BP cost of your race (So 80 for trolls if I remember right) on stats. Like in BP, edge, magic, and resonance (Or whatever that technomancer one is) are counted separate from that limit.

If I am not mistaked, In Debt, will take you past 250k.

It ain't worth it though chummer.


BlueMax

Thank you guys!

In Debt is a good one for flavor in my opinion, but I'd never take it for just points or the cash. My Missions Hacker has In Debt and Poor Self Control issues dealing with Gambling compulsions...a great match.

I actually took In debt. Largely because Kerenshara sent such a big grin when I asked about it.
I'm going to have to pay off 22,500 nuyen and 30 karma. Although I hope to pay part of the karma with a replacement negative quality.

The other reason was that it was just enough money to flesh out the equipment in ways that made sense.

For life style, I ended up with middle everything, high security, living in a mixed metarace apartment building. Due to background, it just didn't make sense to lower any of the components further.

The questionnaire is interesting, as it forces me to say more than just "he's a Troll with a lot of knives." (Actually, I did start saying more than that, but ...)

Mach / Joel