Magic & Awakened Characters
Are we using the "Focus Addiction" rules presented in the "Magic in the Shadows" book?
Yes. Note that two sixes on the magic loss test are automatic success, two ones are automatic failure, and everything else is up to the dice.

Can mundanes use sustaining foci?
Mundanes cannot use foci of any sort. All foci must be bonded as per SR3, p190, which states "This requires a magical ritual". If you don't have any magic, you can't do the ritual; therefore you cannot bond to, activate, or deactivate any focus directly.

However, a mage could cast a spell with a mundane as target and place a sustaining focus on the target to sustain the spell. The target has no control over the focus, though the target can terminate the sustained spell by breaking contact with the focus.

How does a mundane use an Anchoring focus?
Mundanes cannot use an anchoring focus directly because they cannot bond to it. However, mundanes can be the targets of the spells based on the trigger condition (drinking for the healing potion or a detection spell for other types), but they are not the user and they are not bonded to it. For clarification, use of an anchoring focus is placing a spell into it and then taking the drain when the spell is discharged. This is different than activating it, which can be done by just about anyone or anything that meets the trigger conditions or detection spell requirements.

Is there a range to sustaining foci?
There is no range associated with sustaining foci as long as the caster is physically present when he casts the spell and places the focus on the target. After that, the target can literally go anywhere in the world and the spell will stay up.

Can a sustaining focus be used to sustain different spells? What about different targets?
Sustaining foci can be used for different spells, but they require rebonding to change the spell they will sustain. The caster does not have to rebond a sustaining focus if he is placing it on a different target as long as he is using it for the same spell.

Can I summon Elementals before the adventure starts?
Yes! You may pre-conjure Elementals before an adventure begins unless the adventure specifically forbids it. Simply deduct the conjuring materials as appropriate and make the rolls in front of the GM. To save time at the table, you may attempt to summon up to half your Magic rating, pre-adventure. Failed rolls have the usual result. Once the adventure starts, you may certainly attempt to summon more Elementals, up to the normal limit. If you had any Elementals carried over from a previous adventure, remember that your Charisma limits the amount of Elementals you may have at any one time.

Note that this also applies to Shamans that wish to have watcher spirits that last for long periods of time. As per rules found in MITS, a character can spend either 1,000 nuyen or 1 Good Karma point for every week he/she wishes the watcher to remain around, for whatever reason. Also note that just like Elementals, a Shaman (or Hermetic) may only have a number of watcher spirits equal or less than their Charisma attribute, which do not count towards regular Elementals. If a mage or shaman spends enough Karma to have the watcher survive the intervening time between adventures, then they carry over to the new adventure. Otherwise, you may not preconjure watchers - you may certainly take the time to do so once the adventure begins.

What kinds of magic characters can I play?
You can play a shaman, mage, aspected magician or adept as shown in the core SR3 rules. These are described and expanded slightly in MITS.

For the Path of the Shaman, you may play a traditional totem shaman that follows Animal, Nature, Mythic, or Idol totems as outlined on pages 152-162 of MITS or any of the totems in the SR3 core rulebook. You may also choose to be a shaman of Wilderness or Urban paths, as found on pg 16 of MITS. Elemental, Ancestor, and Pantheism shamans are not allowed as player characters.

For the Path of the Mage, you may play a traditional hermetic mage as presented in the SR3 core rulebook. Hermetic mages which follow Hermetic Schools or Elemental Mages are also allowed, provided they follow the additional guidelines for magical traditions (see below).

The Paths of Wuxing, The Wheel, Toxics, and Awakened Oddities such as Psionics are not permitted to player characters - they are for adventure NPCs only.

Can I play a druid or other magical tradition from Magic in the Shadows, pg 24-26?
Yes! You may decide to follow a magical tradition to add further "flavor" to your character (only open to full or aspected magicians, not adepts). There are, however, a few restrictions. You may still follow a tradition which follows one of the proscribed paths above, but you do not gain the ability to access such a path. For example, you may desire to follow Egyptian Magic traditions. This tradition states that magicians are pantheistic shamans, however, Pantheism is not allowed. Therefore, you could follow this tradition and use the suggested Tools and Trappings, but would not receive the benefits normally associated with this tradition. In Hawai'ian Magic, it states that some kahunas have the ability to summon salamanders rather than spirits of man. Since other Paths which normally summon salamanders and similar spirits are not allowed, this aspect of Hawai'ian Magic is also not allowed - the rest of the tradition may be followed normally.

Traditions which deal in injury or sacrifice are plain out. These traditions are Aztec, Black, and Hindu (Kali only - others such as Vishnu allowed).

Can a mage who is astrally perceiving and using spell defense for people or objects protect them in both the Astral and Mundane world at the same time?
Yes. It is possible for an astrally perceiving magician to affect both the physical and astral world at the same time, since the magician exists in both the worlds at the same time and interacts with both worlds at the same time. You do not have to split dice to cover an object or person in both worlds.

Are ally spirits allowed?
Yes, ally spirits are allowed but your next GM must review the ally creation process and provide witness to all rolls.

How do I find a mage instructor to teach me a spell?
You'll have to find an instructor through interacting with other players or contacts, or will just have to go to Seattle University. Keep in mind that if you can only find legal instructors, like the ones at Seattle University, they will only teach you a spell up to Force 2 -- anything higher would be illegal...

Can shamans or other mages who can't summon Elementals benefit from someone else's Elemental to help them learn spells?
No, due to the fundamental differences between shamanic and hermetic mages, a shaman may not use an Elemental to learn a spell. Shamans do receive totem dice for learning spells just as they do for casting. Hermetic mages, including hermetic aspected sorcerers, can benefit from someone else's Elemental.

Cyberware & Bioware
Can I upgrade my cyberware?
Presuming that the item in question has not been damaged, you may sell back cyberware for a flat 25% of its retail value (book price; taking into account alpha or beta mark-up, if any) when upgrading cyberware. Remember, if you upgrade from 3 points of "normalware" to the equivalent in alpha grade, the alpha only takes 2.4 Essence points off, but you DON'T get the excess back-- you simply have a 0.6 point "hole" which can be filled with something else at no further Essence cost until the "hole" is exceeded.

Cyberware above alpha grade is normally only available through adventures.

Can I buy used cyberware or get it from "former enemies"?
Used cyberware is NOT available at character creation. Presuming that the item in question has not been damaged, you may opt to purchase used cyberware from a Street Doc or Chop Shop contact - don't forget to figure in the Street Index when calculating the price. On the flip side, if you have a similar contact and have come across some cyberware recently that is "no longer in use by the previous owner", you can expect to sell it for 20 - 25% of its retail (book) value. Just remember: when selling, you collect on average 20-25% of retail value - when buying, you must figure in Street Index.

Equipment
Can characters purchase customized weapons and armor as described in the Cannon Companion?
Yes, as long as it is only one or two modifications, don't sweat it - and you don't even have to make any rolls if you're doing it at character creation... anything more than that will require a gamemaster to approve it...

Can we buy credsticks (fake IDs) as listed in the core Shadowrun 3rd Edition book?
Yes! We follow the normal availability rules for credsticks.

I have a fake ID credstick. Can I buy equipment with it at retail value, instead of Street Index value?
A fake ID credstick does allow you to purchase items as a common citizen. For example, if you have a SILVER credstick Rating 4, then you can safely purchase anything up to 20,000 and/or that requires fingerprint identification. The legality of the item must also be taken into account. Getting a handgun legally requires a permit, and that requires defeating a Rating 6 reader, which you should roll in front of a judge and have them sign off on it.

Also keep in mind that credstick transactions ARE TRACKED. In other words, a Rating 4 Silver credstick is designed to give you the background you need to pose as a common Middle lifestyle sarariman. If you buy items exceeding the lifestyle appropriate to the credstick, then you will be investigated by Lone Star. For more information, read more about credsticks in the World View section.

Does the security armor I just took from a guard fit me? If not, is there any way to adjust the armor to make it fit?
The description for security and military armor mentions that the armor is designed for ease of movement for the individual. The weight of the armor is further dependent upon the Body attribute of the wearer. Therefore, the armor comes in standard "sizes" based on a character's Body attribute.

Security and military armor consists of hardened plates over a jumpsuit arrangement. Making it larger would leave gaps in between the plates in certain areas, thus defeating its protective value. Making it smaller would mean that the plates would be overlapping in some areas and rubbing, etc, so you would have to make the plates smaller. This latter step will require an armorer, who will charge you the same cost as if you went out and bought the armor through a fixer.

Armor that is less than security armor is made of semi-flexible fabrics and has less stringent sizing requirements, and therefore secure clothing can be tailored to fit within the same metatype to any Body size. If you're a troll or dwarf though, you have to have the clothing from another similar metatype.

How many square meters of ruthenium polymer does it take to make a bodysuit?
Use the rules under the Dikote listing (M&M, pg 91). For a normal human: jacket 1.5 square meters, full suit 2.25, and long coat 2.75.

Does the "Zoe Second Skin" line of armor use the Form Fitting body armor rules?
While it is not listed in its description, the "Zoe Second Skin" line of armor should use the same layering rules as Form-Fitting body armor.

Vehicles & Drones
Can a starting rigger make any customizations to their vehicle before they start playing?
Yes, if they have the nuyen and with some restrictions. As always, you have to abide by the Availability of 8 and Device Rating of 6 limits for character creation. Also, if the vehicle has like a dozen or so mods, then your gamemaster will want to review it. Getting a van and adding a popup turret is one thing, having a Bison with amphib ops, underwater ops, mine layer, torpedo launcher, enviroseal, satcom unit, blah blah blah, and of course the armored beer refrigerator is a different matter entirely...

Can a character use a "Mechanic" contact (and pay nuyen) to have the work done for them if they don't own a Vehicle Facility (ex.: adding weapon mounts requires a vehicle facility).
Yes, they can do this if one of their contacts is a Mechanic. However, at character creation, you would not have to pay the install charges, just as a street samurai doesn't have to pay surgery costs for cyberware.

Will any vehicle sporting visible weapon mounts have Lone Star run your license plate for a permit?
Not necessarily. If you're unsure, then please contact the staff with the specific situation.

Miscellaneous & General
Can I fence the gear I found during an adventure?
Presuming that the item in question has not been damaged, you may sell back items which you find during the adventure at 20-25% of retail (book) value. If it is damaged, you'll be lucky to get anything for it, unless it is a very expensive or unusual item. Vehicles, drones, cyberdecks, and similar equipment can usually be fenced if they have taken three (3) or less boxes of damage, but be prepared to get much less payout on these items.

If an item is obviously "hot" or very expensive or rare, you might not be able to fence it - at least not until someone has found a buyer for it. The fixer or fence will probably have you hold on to it, so that no one comes looking for it at the fence's house.

How do I keep up with all the latest news and get all the neat stuff?
Pop on over to www.dumpshock.com and check out the forum for Shadowrun Missions. By visiting this forum, you can get up to the minute (almost literally!) information on Shadowrun Missions events, rules, and other important information, as well as a forum to talk in and out of character with others in the campaign.

You can also sign up and create a player account on www.commandohq.com . Once you've created an account, you can sign yourself up with FanPro Commandos in your area or in areas that you are willing to travel to in order to play Shadowrun Missions. When the Commando hosts an event, you'll get an automatic email notice to let you know what is going on. Your local Commando is also the one to talk to about any metagaming events or things you'd like your character to do between adventures.

I've got a neat idea for an adventure, but it involves a new piece of equipment that's not in the Shadowrun rules. Can I use it?
Yes, we allow limited "literary license". Please contact the campaign director with specific questions.

Can I use Karma Pool between adventures to learn spells, customize vehicles, etc... ?
Yes, as per the core rules. However, you must declare AT THE START how many Karma Pool dice you are using for each action. If, after a month (game time), you have not succeeded in the action (ex.: learning a spell), then you must pay a month of living expenses. Now you have two options, go back and do some shadowrunning, or continue to learn the spell. If you continue with your studies, you only have Karma Pool left if you have not yet used them. Otherwise, they have NOT refreshed.

All these rolls are made, as usual, in front of the adjudicating GM.

Are any of the "Target" books approved?
At this time, the Target collection of books (ex.: "Target: Awakened Lands") are for background material only and therefore not eligible for character use.

Am I allowed to have a DocWagon Contract? Do I have to have a False ID before I can get one?
DocWagon is certainly available to all characters - but beware the shortcomings of this service!

First, opening a contract with DocWagon requires that you file a tissue sample with them. Sure, it's kept in a nice safe vault protected by bonded guards and mages - how many of you out there are paranoid about ritual sorcery? Second, consider that the contract requires that you have a sealed band wristphone on your person at all times. You NEVER take it off - if you do, that means you've ruptured the band, thereby alerting DocWagon that you are in need of medical assistance. And these bands are constructed so that DocWagon personnel can read information off the band without removing it by using simple hardware. I'm sure that DocWagon representatives are the only ones that have this equipment though. Third, and probably the most important for shadowrunners: DocWagon will not respond to calls on extraterritorial government or corporate property without permission from that controlling authority.

It is not tied in any way to your credstick, a membership card, or any other outward sign other than the ubiquitous sealed wristband. DocWagon is a true capitalistic corporation - as long as you keep paying, they'll keep taking your money.

What adventures are available for SRM?
SRM00-01 Mission Briefing
SRM00-02 Demolition Run
SRM00-03 FORCEd RECON
SRM00-04 A Fork in Fate's Path
SRM00-05 A Dark and Stormy Night
SRM01-01 Double Cross
SRM01-02 Strings Attached
SRM01-03 Harvest Time
SRM01-04 The Gambler
SRM01-05 A Walk in the Park
SRM01-06 Lost and Found
SRM01-07 Keys to the Asylum
SRM01-08 Duplicity GenCon SoCal 2005 PREMIERE
SRM01-09 For Whom the Bell Tolls GenCon SoCal 2005 PREMIERE