I have a question (and couldn't find it using search), at a recent con I got into a discussion with about Exceptional Ability and the total cost.

I was arguing that the end cost for the attribute was 10+10+10+10+25+25=90 (at char creation) because it doesn't increase the racial maximum. Just allows the "possibility" of getting one point higher. They were arguing that it increases the racial maximum so it was 10+10+10+10+15+25=80

The person I was discussing with was two people that have been playing with SR since 1st ed, and were running several games at the Con. But I was fairly certain that my reading was correct.

So any input?

It raises the racial maximum, so cost is 10,10...10,25 done. Otherwise you get into the case of, that very last (Exceptional attribute point) isn't raising to the racial maximum, so doesn't cost 25 points, it only costs 10 like normal.

Edit:

Good point, well made.

This is part of why the cost for the quality is 20 points.

if it were 15 you could get +1 max for 'free' if you had spare positive qualities; if it were 10 it would actually be cheaper to take exceptional attribute even if you were never going to go past 6.