Difference between revisions of "SR4 Qualities"

Revision as of 20:50, 20 September 2005

SR4 Qualities

Remember characters may only start with + or - 35 points of qualities

ATTRIBUTES

Old Wound (+10)

This quality is selected for one attribute (physical or mental). If the character experiences a glitch when using this attribute (in an attribute or skill test) then the attribute rating is instantly halved (rounded down). On a critical glitch the attribute is reduced to zeore. Attributes at zero in effect can't be used (e.g. the character rips a muscle [strength], has a heart attack [body], or a mental breakdown [charisma]). The attributes points can be regained at a rate of 1 pt per 24 hours, although the GM may call for even more measures to regain the lost points.

SKILLS

Sensei (5)

One of the characters contacts is also their teacher in a certain skill (e.g. Karate). The teacher begins the game knowing the skill at two levels higher than the character and an extra 1 level for each additional 5 BP.

Unique Martial Art (10)

A short bald Chinese man has taught you to wax on and wax off and now you know a martial art that is unique to you and a select few others (such as the evil other student who went bad). The character may start the game with a martial art designed form the Cannon Companion rules with the G Ms approval. (See Martial Arts Qualities)

Unskilled (+5)

The character has a starting skill maximum of one skill at 5 or two at 4, instead of one at 6 or two at 5. This is incompatible with apptitude.

PHYSICAL

All Thumbs (+5)

The character is at a +1 thresshold on all manual dexterity tests. Trolls are often subject to this flaw. The character is also prone to drop/break small delicate items (so don’t let them hold the missions sensitive data chip!)

Lack of Balance (+5)

The character suffers a +1 threshold on all for all balance related and knockdown tests.

Burned out Neural System (+15)

The characters nervous system has been severely damaged. The character may not use any SIM or DNI technologies e.g. trodes, datajacks tec This can be corrected by a 30,000 Nuyen Surgical procedure. Such procedures are very rare and this can’t be purchaced at character generation.

Easily Bruised (+10)

The character is very susceptible to damage. The character has a -1D on all body resistance tests against Physical/Stun attacks (not disease or drugs).

Sensitive Vision (+5)

The character is very susceptible to glare and bright lights. Double all modifiers for glare and flash effects. This flaw can’t be bought with cyber eyes and flare compensation.

Essence Loss (+10/level)

The character has suffered a severe trauma or even a vampire attack and has lost a number of points of essence equal to this flaws level (max 3).

Sight Defect (+5)

The character has an untreated sight defect such as short-sightedness or long-sightedness. This can be easily corrected with spectacles or latter in the game the character in the game may elect to have minor cosmetic surgery to correct the vision. For short-sighted add -1 dice at medium range,-2 dice at long and -3 dice at extreme. For longsighted add -1 dice at long, -2 at Medium and -3 at short. No modifiers apply if the character is astrally perceiving or is wearing spectacles.

Obesity (+10)

The character is seriously obese and suffered a -1 to agility tests, but +1 dice when resisting melee stun attacks. The character also receives a -2 modifier on test that the GM deems appropriate, e.g. certain social tests or athletics.

Illness (Various)

The character suffers from an illness that hasn’t been cured. To construct the cost for the illness the character must choose from three categories: severity, treatment period and treatment cost. Illnesses may be cured after character generation but at a cost of 5000 Nuyen multiplied by the point cost of the flaw plus finding a doctor who can do it!

Severity

Alternatively characters who fail to get treatment may suffer the effects on a number of flaws. The number of points of laws taken in this way must be equal to 1.5 x the cost of the flaw in total. e.g. If a person takes 5 point of severity for the illness flaw and fails to recieve treatment they will get 8 points of flaws. This may be used in combination with the damage effects.

Treatment Period

Cost of Treatment

Other Modifiers

• Side effects could as qualities with a rating equal to the number of flaw points.

Dr Faulks suffers from a Muscle Wasting Disease that leaves him in serious pain and unable to move easily (Serious effect +15) if he doesn’t take the drugs he needs every day (daily treatment +5). Trouble is the meds cost him 100 Nuyen per shot (100 Nuyen per dose +5) and the condition is currently incurable (Incurable +10). The total flaw if worth 35 points.

Will to Die (+5/Level)

The opposite of Will to Live, the characters body overflow maximum is reduced by a number of boxes equal to the rating of the flaw. Overflow can be reduced to a minimum of 0.

Piper has a will to die level 3 and a body of 4. He may only take 1 box of physical overflow before dying…

MENTAL

Sociopath (+10)

Your character shows no feelings or emotions when it comes to killing. In fact killing is such a normal act to the character, they must make a willpower (2) test not to kill a person if it seems the coldly logical thing to do.

Cyber Psychosis (+10)

Your cyberware makes you very prone to depression and withdrawal from society. The character must make a will power (2) test with +1 thresshold for each point of essence under 3 to avoid the symptoms each day.

Bilingual (10)

The character can speak two languages fluently. They start with both languages as native languages.

Multilingual (20)

As bilingual the character speaks multiple languages fluently. The character gets an addition three languages at a native level.

Gift for Tongues (10)

The character picks up languages very quickly. When defaulting to understand an language they half the thresshold. The also can learn languages at -1 karma cost (minimum of 1).

Foreigner (+10)

The character starts the game with a language that is not the main language of the region. They also can’t spend any skill points to have this language at character generation.

e.g. Techebo-san has just come over from Japan to Seattle but is unable to speak a word of English.

Trivia Wiz (5/10)

The character seems to have the ability to recall are numbers of useless facts and trivia and probably could make a living by going to pub quizzes. For 5 points the character is a trivia wiz in a particular area e.g. sports. For 10 points the character is and all round trivia wiz and probably can name all the capitals of ever country in the world. When making an intelligence test to recall a trivial fact the character receives a +2 modifier.

SOCIAL

Status (5 pts/level)

The character has a certain status within an organization. Examples range from 1 level (So you’re a made man in the mob), to 5 levels (you’re the right hand man to a Yakuza Oyabun). This edge may be combined with Day Job with the additional bonus that the income from the day job is multiplied by the level of the Status edge. This however does come with some draw backs. With status comes responsibility and the character may also be a target by their subordinates who want their position.

Mr. Fitzpatrick works for the Mafia as a lieutenant (Status 2). He spends about 20 hours a week on Mob business, doing shakedowns, watching out for yakuza etc (Day Job 2). This earns him 4000 Nuyen a month (2000 Nuyen x 2 for Status).

Side Kick (10)

The character starts the game with a side kick or, some useless street urchin who feels its there destiny to walk in the footsteps of the character. Worse thing is the character is to good to get ride of them. The Side Kick’s will often get the character into trouble but could be worth something (someone else to shoot at?). The side kick is generated as a character with 250 BP. This may of course be combined with the dependant flaw (“Holey Rusted Metal Mr. Johnson!”).

Out of Town Contacts (Variable)

The character starts the game with contacts in another city. These contacts cost only one half the normal vale (these points count as Qualities points). The character may not have seen them in some time and it may take some time to catch up with them.

Legal SIN (+15)

The characters legal SIN number is still active and your name and details appear on numerous databases through out government and corporations. This can be a serious liability for shadow runners who rely on anonymity. Corporations, police and government will easily be able to I.D. the character from their pictures, finger prints etc. This flaw may be removed by later wiping the SIN (see Sprawl Survival Guide).

Hidden Identity (5)

Most characters automatically start the game with a rating 6 SIN identity wipe (see Sprawl Survival Guide). With the edge the character has a particularly water tight SIN wipe with a rating of 8.

SIN less (10)

The character has never had a SIN number and their details do not appear anywhere on the matrix. This is often the case of characters born into gangs in Z class areas or in countries or areas where SIN numbers aren’t used.

Dwain Dibbley (+5)

The character has no sense of fashion (tres chic means what?). The character dresses completely randomly and has a -1 on all social tests involving the characters appearance (anyone seen my new green golfing pants?)

Shifty (+5)

The character has a naturally shifty appearance or demeanor. Add -1 to all etiquette tests and other appropriate social tests based on trust. This flaw only applies when dealing with a contact that doesn’t know the character. Once the character has worked with a contact for some time then they are unaffected by the qualtiy (unless the character really is shifty…

Part of a Scene (10)

The character is part of a particular social scene, crowd or community. The character can use this to act as a contact and source of information, although only with a limited knowledge base. The character may also be able to get limited support in some situations from there community.

Possible scenes: Urban Brawl Fans (Specific Team), Particular Culture (e.g. local Irish), Media.

Code of Honour (+5/level)

The character follows a strict code of honour which the character strongly believes in. The points cost of the flaw dictates the severity of the code. If broken the next 10 x cost of good karma the character earns is used to pay for this flaw.

Techebo is a ninja and has sworn a level 3 code of honour to the local Oyabun. He always does as his master asks (through his own free will) even if it means his own death!

Contribution for the Cause (+5/Level)

The character must give up 20% of there earnings x the level of the flaw to an organization or person. They may then decide how to use the money (if you are real nice to them they may even buy you something nice with the money you’ve given them). Many shadowrunners often find themselves paying 20% of their earnings to the local mafia to keep them of their backs. Failure to pay can result is drastic consequences…does swimming with the fishes mean anything?

Servitude (+10)

The character owes allegiance to a person or organization. When they say jump the character has to jump. Examples include being a member of the mafia, yakuza, triads, humanis policlub etc. If the character fails to obey an instruction from the organization then this flaw is converted to an extra enemy and hunted quality.

Fame (5/Level)

The character is famous, not just in the shadows but to the general public. Maybe the character was a character on a trid show, a news presenter or urban brawl player. The character game use this fame is social situations and gets extra dice equal to his fame rating added to any social tests. This edge can vary from 1 level (a former small team urban brawl player only known by a core of loyal fans) to 5 levels (there album just went super platinum last year).

Fame can be combined with the quality Day Job. This amount of money earned by a day job is multiplied by the level of the Fame edge. Note that fame can be as much as a problem as it is a help. Not many Mr. Johnson’s will hire someone who is so well known, and other runners may not want to work with such a famous character. Also if the character is very famous they need a good reason why they would be running the shadows at all… Use the table below to decide how famous the character is.

Marty O’Raferty is an investigative reporter for Channel 47 News in New Orleans. He is known through out New Orleans and the Louisiana state (Fame 3). He spends about 40 hours a week working (Day Job 3) at the new station and earns 15000 Nuyen a month (5000 Nuyen x Fame 3). This doesn’t leave him much time for his second job as a shadowrunner, which is where he finds the leads for all his best stories!

Infamous (+5/Level)

The character is infamous in the eyes of the generally public, hated for some reason or another. The character receives a modifier equal to the flaw cost on any social skill in situations where his infamy is recognized. This can vary from 1 level (Your that urban brawl player the one who always cheats…) to 5 levels (Your that murdering humanis policlub member I saw the documentary on last night…get him!). The area their infamy covers is the same as the area for the fame edge above.

Provided Life Style (Various)

Some one pays for your up keep and lifestyle, but they usually want something in return…whether its to clean your room once in a while (for all of those teen deckers hacking from their bedrooms) or something more serious this edge can be combined with flaws such as Servitude. The BP cost of this is equal to the lifestyle build point cost (sprawl survival guide). But remember your land lord may well be inclined to kick you out or worse if you don’t do X, Y, and Z, and all by Wednesday!

Conformist (+5)

The character has a tendency to go along with what everyone else is doing and will rarely attempt to got against the majority. The character must succeed in a willpower (2) test to go against the trend.

Good Looking and Knows It (10 BP)

Adds +2D on Interaction tests with the opposite sex or +1D with the same sex

Squemish (+5 BP)

Character must make a Willpower (2) test on the sight of blood, guts etc or suffer -2 to all dice pools for D6 minutes.

MATRIX

Lost Link (20)

The character has been created a Hacker but has lost their link. This lost link doesn’t require any starting resources. The character may not start with a link, any programs, or components. The link maybe regained through role play.

Flawed Utilities (+10)

Your utilities have been designed to be useless on a certain government or major (AAA) mega corporate system e.g. Renraku. This flaw can be fixed by a programming (5, 1 week) extended test for each program.

Secure Drop/Bulletin Board (5)

You maintain a hidden bulletin board or secure drop on someone else’s host. Of course it goes to say that they will be fragged at you if they find it.

Flawed Deck (+20)

Your deck has been designed to be useless on a certain government or major (AAA) mega corporate system e.g. Renraku. This can be fixed with 6000 Nuyen and an extended Hardware (20, 1 Week) test.

GEAR

Out Dated Tech (+10)

The character may start the game only with equipment of a rating of 3.

Limited Availability (+10)

The character may not start the game with any equipment of availability above 6 (rather than 12).

Custom Designed Cyberware (10)

The character has some sort of unique custom built cyberware. Something unusually which is a rare sight on the streets and isn’t covered in the standard design specs. Examples could include a retractable spur that comes out of their chest! A cyber gun designed to fire backwards out of the elbow instead of the hand. Note this piece of cyberware may be difficult to repair as street docs will not recognize it…

Custom Built Weapon (10)

The character has had a weapon custom built and designed for him, or he’s stolen from someone else! The character can start the game with a unique weapon designed using the rules from the Cannon Companion.

Anachronistic (+10)

The character is completely baffled by modern technology. They may start with no modern technical based skills and when ever the character attempts to use (or default to) or learn a modern technical skill they are at -2 modifier. Shape shifters, Gnomes and Ewoks often have this as a quality.

State of the Art (35)

The character has access to high availability (16) from character generation in one particular area. This only applies in character generation and must be explaining in the characters background.

State of the art can be taken for the following areas: Small Arms, Heavy Weapons, Ammunition, Armour, Electronics and Communications, Computers and Programs, Vehicles, Foci, Pharmaceuticals, Bioware, Cyberware, and any others the GM chooses.

Dodgy Cyberware/Bioware (+5/Level)

The character has one or more faulty or damaged pieces of cyberware. They may have been previously damaged or just a flawed model. For each 1 essence of damaged cyberware (rounded up) the character gets +5BP. When ever the cyberware is used in a stressful situation roll a test with 4 dice and a threshhold of (3). Success indicated scomplete cyberware failure.

PROFESSIONAL

Battle Hardened (10)

The character has seen his fare share of firefights and combat, so much so that his is now far more clear headed than most people in battle. The GM may offer advice and extra time to decide on actions during combat.

Undercover (+25)

You’re a reporter, cop, G-man or company man, undercover in the shadows looking to infiltrate them to gain information. Your loyalties truly are to your employer and after a set amount of time your handler will call you in. It’s obvious that if this is found out you will probably at the lest be killed… Through role playing this may be converted to the Cop Gone Bad flaw.

Cop Gone Bad (+25)

You were once an undercover operative for some organization but began to like it too much. You are now actively hunted by the organization which hired you with the intention of bringing you in (best case scenario) or much, much worse. Shadowrunners may also have a hard time believing you’ve gone bad after all no one ever leaves the company!

License to Kill (20)

A government or corporation has given the character a license to kill. If the character kills a persons in the line of duty, then the government/corporation will look the other way and even actively get the character off the hook. Of course this does not apply if another government/corporation captures you…

Company Man/G-Man (10)

The character works as an agent for one particular corporation or government. That corporation has wiped the characters SIN and send a good stream of work the characters way, but beware, rival corporations may have the character as a marked man in their books, at best not doing business with him, at worst killing him on sight!

This edge ideally is combined with the following: License to Kill, Legal Permits (Security), Servitude (to the Corporation/Government), Ritual Sample or Cranial Bomb, Extra contact (Mr. Johnson).

Bounty Hunter (10)

You (or a fake I.D.) hold a legitimate bounty hunter permit. You have permits to carry and use non-automatic pistols, shotguns and resricted cyberware. You may also detain persons who have a legitimate bounty on their head (e.g. escaped felons, suspects who have jumped bail etc). You also often receive work from local and federal government courts. This edge may however make other shadow runners a bit twitchy around you…

Licensed Pilot (5)

The character has a legitimate license to pilot a category of aircraft e.g. Fixed Wing, Rotor etc. To qualify for this edge the character must have a relevant skill.

Thaumaturgy License (5)

The character has a legitimate license to practice thaumaturgy (magic) for purposes such as magical healing and security. To qualify for this edge the character must have a relevant skill.

M.D. (5)

The character has a legitimate license to practice medicine. To qualify for this edge the character must have the relevant skills (Biotech 5+ and other medicine skills).

MAGIC

Ritual Sample (+15)

Someone (an enemy, a contact, a corporation) has a ritual sample from you, and if you cause them any problems they are going to use it.

Novel Spell (+15)

The character starts the game knowing a new spell (created using the spell generation rules in Magic in the Shadows). The edge costs 1 per 2 force points of the spell.

Ungoblinized (+25)

The character must pay the cost to be an Orc/Troll or associated meta variant but has not yet goblinized. This event occurs at the GM’s discretion usually at a time of great stress and instantly causes a deadly physical wound.

Stained Aura (+10)

The character has performed some terrible act which has strained the character aura. The character has a personal background count of 1, which works against them and effects only them. The metamagic technique of cleansing can remove this or some act of atonement dictated by the GM

Magic Loss (+10/level flaw)

The character at some point has got on the wrong side of a bullet or popped too many stims and has lost magic points. For each level of flaw the character loses 1 point of magic.

Noticeable Spell Casting (+5)

The character is very obvious when he casts spells. Other characters are at -2 threshold to notice this character spell casting.

MISCELLANIOUS

Random Fire Hits Bob (+10)

The character is just plain unlucky. Any time the GM decides to roll randomly to see who is attacked this character has double the chance of all others.

Piper and Whisper are both in an alley when a thug with a pistol ambushes them. The GM decides to determine who the thug attacks randomly and would normally flip a coin, but because Piper has the Random fire hits Bob flaw the GM rolls a D6, on 1-2 the thug attacks whisper on 3-6 Piper.

Bad Timing (+10)

At any opportunity where a character can suffer from a case of bad timing roll 1D. On a result of 4 of more the bad timing occurs.

No sense of time (+5)

The character often loses track of time and doesn’t realize what the time is. This flaw often makes them turn up late to meetings.

Investment in the Stock Market (5/Level)

The character may begin with 10,000 Nuyen x edge rating of their starting resources invested in stocks and shares. The value of the stocks varies by the below table each month (roll 2D6). The GM may also add modifiers to this based on other events such as shadowruns! If the character does not have a SIN then he must use a contact to broker the deal for a 10% commission. These rules may also be used for characters in game who want to invest.

Other Modifiers

+1 Foiled shadowrun against corporation
+1 Successful shadowrun against rival
-1 Successful shadowrun by rival
-1 Shadowrun foiled by rival
+1 Successful extraction
-1 Company employee extracted by rival
-1 Executive assassinated
-1 Product sabotaged
-1 to -3 General market crash

In Debt to Loan Sharks (+5/Level)

The character owes money to some rather unscrupulous individuals. These individuals charge 20% interest per month on the loan. If the character misses one payment the shark may be negotiated with, two and he’ll send the boys around. This flaw may then be converted into equal point flaws such as hunted. The character does not get this extra money at character generation, they just owe it.

METAGAME

Game Log (+5)

The player must keep detail notes of everything that goes on in the game both to his character and to others.

Sketches (+5)

The player must make sketches of his and all of the other players characters in the game.

Character Journal (+5)

The player who plays this character must after each game write a personal journal based on the characters experience in the game.

Book Monkey (+5)

This player seems to bring every single book required for the game… but has a severe spinal problem from carrying them.

Rules Lawyer (+5)

The player is an expert and knows one set of rules inside out and can answer any question the players or GM has. E.g. decking, rigging.

GM Assistant (+5)

The player often handles tasks for the GM such as decking intrusions.

Supporting Cast (+5)

The character assists the GM by role playing other peoples contacts.

Food (+5)

The player always brings stacks of food to the game for everyone else!

Venue (+5)

The player often hosts the game at his house. Give them a break and an extra character point. This flaw may be modified by life style.

Contact Qualities

Contact Competance

Contacts are normally considered to have appropriate skills at rating 3 (dice pool of 6). This quality is applied to one contact (but can be purchaced for multiple contacts) allowing you to adjust their competence.

Groups

Groups are a special type of contact. The cost for groups is 5 x the sum of their connection and an additional attribute of the characters membership. Connection functions just as described under contacts (although it applies to the whole organisation not individuals). Connection rating also determines the size of the organisation. Membership rating represents the characters position and power within the organisation.

Connection

Membership

Examples: Mafia Lutenant: Conection 20 points, Membership 15 points. The Mafia lutenant can order around grunts to do his dirty work. His ambition is to become a made man. Go-ganger: Connection 15 points, Membrship 10 points. You're a member of the Burning Tires biker gang. You take orders from the gage bosses but you're tight with the other gang members. Evo tech Black Ops Newbie: Connection 30, Membership 5. You're the new member of the Evo tech Black ops unit. People don't really respect you much yet but that'll change!