I got my Runners Toolkit in yesterday and I love it. I'm very happy that someone suggested it to me. I have a question regarding the PACKS book though. If you choose the troll metatype, you actually get 10 BPs back. Is this right? I do not know the system well enough yet to "check the math" so to speak, so I was wondering if anyone here could tell me why that is. It just seems odd to me that the most expensive race to play gives you points back. Thanks for any help.

Yeah, it's because you get points back for the reduced attributes.

Normally, you only get a reduced maximum, but applying the metapacks 'PACK-style' give you reductions.

For the troll:
Agi -1 = -10 BPs
Cha -2 = -20 BPs
Int -1 = -10 BPs
Log -1 = -10 BPs

This is -50 BPs, and the cost for Troll is 40, so you total -10. (the +4 Body and Strength are already included in the Troll racial cost)

And that doesn't even include the Infrared Vision, Dermal Deposits, Horns, Greater Reach, Greater Speed, 3+ Metres in height, and the racism that goes along with it!

But see, all those things are balanced in cost by the racism

Well, that and the difficulty in finding a really nice pair of vintage Jimmy Cho's in your size...

Thanks snowRaven! Now I can explain it to my players when they come over for character gen Saturday. PACKS is going to make that much, much faster.

You are most welcome! I hope you have a fun creation session.

Just make sure to double check the final build - there are a few small things in there that's a bit wonky, I believe, and I think some combos can push you over normal BP limits for stuff. I have yet to find anything serious, but I remember there was some minor tweaks necessary when my group used it (that may have been due to some custom stuff and char gen house rules though - not sure).

But yeah, PACKs is great for new players - and it can be quite useful for experienced ones as well (Not to mention lazy GMs)

Without PACKS I couldn't have created 4 characters for 4 newbies in one night.

Using it for just the attributes and a few skill packs is a major help.