Still working on getting the FAQ finalized and approved. In the meantime, since folks want to start making characters, here's a quick run down on what's planned. Keep in mind this is subject to change, but likely won't.

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1) Banned Qualities

Bad Rep
Code of Honor
Dependent(s)
Loss of Confidence
Social Stress

Also for Allergies, you can take them, but they have to be for something you can possibly encounter under normal circumstances. Allergies to Polynesion Killer Bees or Gazelle Meat is not really something that has a chance to ever come up, so you shouldn't go there.

For Addiction, it has to be something that has an actual negative consequence to your character. Addiction to Stims, Sex, or MMO's all make great Roleplay addictions, and all are real life addictions, but they're not likely to really adversely effect you in a Missions campaign. So stick with things that actually have an effect when you take them.

Incompetent may be taken, as it effects an entire skill group now and not just a single skill, but it has to be something your character may actually need to use. So the magic and resonance categories are out for non-mages and technos, and unless your a rigger/mechanic you should probably not take the Mechanical skill group.

2) Lifestyles

Positive Lifestyle Options are allowed, negative are not since they will likely never come up in Missions play.

3) Are mind control spells and the like banned?

No. But keep in mind that spellcasting is noticeable (espeically at a high enough force to actually be sueful), and that these spells are not unobtrusive. People will know something was done to them after the spell wears off, and they will go looking for answers. So abusing these spells, especially against powerful people, is a quick way to end up in the morgue (or at least making a lot of powerful enemies). Use these selectively and with extreme caution. (i.e., making a guard go to the bathroom, probably not a problem. Forcing your Mr. Johnson to pay you extra for the job, or reading his mind to find out who he is? Probably a problem).

4) Can I screw over other players?

No. There is no non-consensual PvP of any kind. Money is divided evenly, players cannot attack or screw each other over, etc. Unless all parties agree to it it out of character, and then fine, go to town. But many Missions games are played at Conventions and Game stores where you're playing with strangers and/or you may have paid good money to get to play. And when some jackass comes in and screws you over, its not fun.

5) Wheaton's Law

Don't Be A Dick.

Seriously. Do not be a dick. To the other players. To the GM. Don;t hog the game, don;t try and ruin the game, don't treat the other players or GM badly. Almost everything in the FAQ that is not directly geared toward a game rule can technically fall under this header. Just don't do it. Your fun is important, but not more important than anyone else's fun. Ever.

6) Chargen

Mystic Adepts are the wrong cost. For the time being, assume they are 5 Karma for a Power Point instead of 2. This may and likely will be superseded when the official SR5 Errata is released.

Dwarves have Thermovision.

Trolls pay double lifestyle cost, but do not pay +50% equipment cost.

All other Chargen rules should apply as usual.

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That should be enough to get you started. Enjoy!

Bull

I for one would like to reiterate my preference for "no grandfathering" from Season 5 onwards.

If a rule gets changed, and someone has to alter their character to be legal again, well, they already got the benefit of playing for a while pre-change. Letting them continue while everyone else has to toe the new line seems just unfair.

I say this fully aware it will negatively impact my current Season 5 characters.



-k

Hi Bull,

I assume that to be consistent with the Troll Lifestyle rule, Dwarves should pay increased lifestyle cost instead of extra for their gear. And if so, should they use +20% (as suggested on p. 66) or 10% (per p. 94).

Thanks!
~Jason

Looking forward to that FAQ. Just started one of my groups, (my guinea pigs) on creating characters.

Bull, if it would be possible, could we get an official ruling if initiation/submersion during character creation is allowed for SRM?

I'd like to point out that adventures shouldn't push for this stuff. Season 3 SRM ends with what amounts to one person possibly making a choice that potentially most of the rest of the party generally opts to each handle differently. I saw it coming when I prepped the mod and realized that this would be a big version of non-consensual pvp. I worked it out the only way I could come up with, I simply broke the one table of 8 players up into 8 one player tables for the last scene of the mission.

Please don't let that happen again. It's not fun, and judging a group of players wanting to kill each other sucks. Likewise with Season 4, you generally have a party of 3 people who want to send stuff to the Atlanteans, and another 3 who want to give it to Draco, or Saeder Krupp, etc. Which means that they decide somebody or other gets the McGuffin, and everybody's loyalties run around neutral unless they can agree to always give the McGuffin to the same faction (which is less common at a convention than anywhere else).

Yeah. We're actually dropping the faction stuff almost completely in Season 5. I liked it, and like the choices you can make, but unfortunately sometimes it led to situations that would "split the party". So now we're going to try and make decisions more group based, and results mroe success based than anything else.

I think Pathfinder Society (organized play) does a pretty good job with their system if you are seeking inspiration.

~Jason

I think that's best.... ideally faction rep is earned anonymously through what the party does, and it's not designed as a zero sum game.

i.e. you can gain rep, but losing it is much harder. It might not be as realistic, but it will probably provide more fun and less Seattle standoffs. (like a Mexican standoff but with drones and panther XXL assault cannons).

So what is a Mexican standoff - Blood Magic and Toxic Spirits?

In 2070 probably.

For all of you who play missions, Official Ruling from Bull:

Note this is a "for the time being" answer. It's something that should be clarified in an upcoming official SR5 FAQ, and Missions will follow the official game ruling. But until then, "no" is the safest answer, since if they decide "yes", well, no one's stuck with a retcon, they can still pick it up post chargen (and if they were smart, tehy saved 7 karma from their freebie karma to get them started). But if I say "yes" and they decide "no", then characters are stuck retconning. So erring on the side of caution for now.