To all you GMs out there, do you allow your Runners to buy things on credit? If yes, do you base their credit rating and maximum draw on their lifestyle, their SIN rating, or both?

While I can't imagine a world without debt, (I mean, how else do you keep your workers working?) I also don't want to see runners take up 5000¥ in debt on a 4000¥ SIN then just burn the thing, rinse and repeat.

So, do you let your players buy legal goods with conceptual money? Pay rent in dry months with it? Launder the credits to illegal goods?

What up?

Depends.

For example: To get a REAL loan from a bank they need to have collateral. Warrants a deep SIN-check, maybe they have to show "their" house/property and documentation to an agent of the bank. All very high-risk.

A loan from a loan-shark or some kind of organized syndicate: SURE, but only if they think they can control the character. (If they know he has loved ones here or otherwise can't disappear, like many runners could).

No one gives money to someone just "because i can trust he might pay it back sometimes". It is all control, power. No one gives TOO much money as well. And many loan sharks deliberitly have long repay plans. (So he can maybe go broke in between, even if he had the money months ago). Also sweet 10% interest rate per months for illigal loans... just to milk the desperate.

OR you can force them to take a HUGE loan, much more than they need. And they have to pay back with insane interest. (They think they can use it for a run or so and swim in money afterwards... but what if it all goes horribly wrong?) For example: 50.000 in cash NOW... but i want 75.000 at the end of the weak (Insert mean smile).

What about credit cards though?

It's hard to go through five pieces of mail or web spam without someone trying to get you to get a _____ credit card.

Getting a loan from Organized Crime/major gangs are very risky and leads only to
major trouble (specially when u can't pay it back)." ..Say..well,we can forget
this months payment if u do this for us.." if it comes to worse,whole
team is pulled to it and dies for as little as 750 yen...

(In charc.Creation better option is Born Rich- Quality (from Runner's Companion),you can always improve your skill ratings)

I think the era of the SINless will probably cause that kind of spam/scam to disappear.

Line of credit probably shouldn't be defined the way we think of a line of credit. Think of it more as, the guy you are buying gear knows you are good for it and will let you have the gear now with just your promise to repay him later (the definition of Street Cred). Historically this sort of lending is what gave rise to store-specific credit cards (think like GMAC). This repayment could be anything from money, to other gear the seller wants, to work. If you're SINless and operate in the Shadows you are operating in the Black Market and much of that is barter.

That being said, if you are getting the line of credit to spend on lifestyle or brain benders then people will generally be less willing to deal with you (notoriety) except for Loan Sharks and drug dealers.

I'd base this off their Street Cred. And Ghost help them if they start getting "Notorious" for neglecting their debts, and everyone starts calling in their markers!

They'd have to have a good "Loyalty" rating with the person they're "Lease-To-Own" the equipment from, however.

I'd let them do it at loyalty 1 or even as friend-of-a-friend but again their net Street Cred would have to pretty good with no Notoriety from the In Debt quality (which I would give them if they welch on the loan).

Street Cred is supposed to represent that you are "good for it." So a street doc upgrading some of your ware to the latest beta would do it on a loan knowing that you'll make good on it later by brining him the latest high tech goodies (paydata from runs), scavenged parts, or just straight up nuyen. There's also the celebrity factor -- if you have a high street cred you will drive business to the guy equipping you as your good rep runs off on the merchant.

Again, this is how banks/credit cards work anyway. Your good rep (credit rating) is based on income, how long you have lived in your house, net worth, and how long you have worked at your current position. These are all things that the financial industry takes as good signs in a retail borrower.

I find that debt to the mob or why not a big mortgage is useful as character motivation provided that the character in question actually is integrated in that setting in a good way. Otherwise its just free money

People got to 'Run for a reason...

I would consult the favor table found on page 281 of the SR4 core rule book

PC gets the In Debt Quality.... for free!

And watch Repo Man with Jude Law about cyberware getting repossessed when folks are late on their payments. Yay, RFID's built into Cyber.

Ask your fixer...

Repo! The Genetic Opera is a better movie.

For the SINless, there aren't a lot of options. Generally, those options are all organized crime or small-time freelance money launderers. Some folks will allow you to gladly pay them Tuesday for a Thunderstruck today, but if they can get ahold of one of those - well, make sure you pay on time.

I could only make it through about 3 minutes of the opening song. And I think that one was for bioware, which should be less useful after being reposessed.

My players haven't seen either one sooooooo, their next job may be to get some cyber back, or stop the repo guys.

Okay, okay. 'Better' = campier. Anything that has enough of a cult following to shadowcast it is worth watching, IMO.

TBH, either flick is a decent representation of Tamanous, though TGO would be the Azzies if the Corporate Court would let them.

And probably the way it is in Aztlan.

I don't recall the Rossis sacrificing any hearts to Quetzcoatl, but it's a good approximation.

"If I can't find a hole, I will make one..." Close enough.

Sure don't, but then again they've never tried. : )