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Following are some of the house rules we are trying out.

Rules of Play.

No rolls just to roll to decide something unless the result of failure is significant – as long as they have a skill.

Only roll if failure is an option of the result – not to just see if you pass.

Only roll if levels of success matter

Resolve MOST actions with ONE roll. Do not use multiple rolls to allow dumb chance to ruin everything.

GM mode will be: Yes, but….

Everyone gets 3 FAT, not 2.

Narrative freedom – players may use Bennies to alter the narrative, either just spoken, or just encountered, or just about to be encountered. Wild Cards are mostly immune to this. Narrative adaption will be negotiated.

You get 3 skills point per Skill advancement choice, not 2.

Stress.

Players may elect to remove a SHAKEN flag from their character and replace it with a STRESS level.

Stress will require rest or treatment, see Downtime Activities.

If you enter a run with any Stress you must roll SP vs 4+Stress to avoid gaining a Mental Defect roll, as follows:

1 - Psychosis

2 - Phobia

3 - Hindrance

4 - Special

5 - Shakes, ST/AG/VG rolls at -1

6 - Vague, SM/SP rolls at -1.

Benny Options

The following options are allowed with Bennies:

Reroll your skill or trait roll.

Minor narrative or action change, involving yourself mainly, not the group.

Eg: instead of shooting me, they shoot Mark! Must be announced before action is taken.

Reroll a Wound result effect.

Soak wounds using VG roll.

Drone Hardiness

Drones that you are running in PILOT mode will be treated as Wild Cards. If you leave a drone with more than one point of damage it crashes/destructs immediately (recovery roll).

Life Styles.

Living expenses (P265) will be paid at the start of every SESSION, regardless of what game time has passed.

Mission rewards will factor in extra money to reflect this if the mission goes long.

Life style will reflect your appearance and the safety of your living quarters. I will be rolling during down times to see what MIGHT happen at your place of residence. If you go poor then do NOT leave anything behind.

Your clothing will reflect your life style. Low lifestyles will attract -4/-2 penalties in high end establishments. AT the other end High lifestyle will give you bad CHA at dive establishments, unless you dress down.

Continued LOW lifestyles may result in VG rolls to stay healthy, and will certainly effect Healing rolls during down times.

Repercussions and Retributions

At the end of a mission that has a surviving organisational structure that was impacted by the mission, determine if they will hold an ongoing malice to the players.

Roll STREETWISE vs 4+# of people on the mission, for each player.

The total of failures (-1) and critical failures (-2) is compared to successes and raises (1).

Make a HACKING skill roll vs 4+- the score rolled above. This represents the Hacker going around after the mission and tidying up all the loose ends.

The size of the organisation will determine the next rolls dice type:

Multi-national d4

Nation d6

National d8

State or City d10

Local d12

Modifiers:

Military/Police/Paramilitary +1

Criminal +2

Theft of prototype +1

Theft of IP or Valued Staff +1

Considerable property damage +1

Press attention +1

Aggressive organisation +1

Pacifistic organisation -1

Dis-organised crime -1

Small value target -1

Existing HEAT -1

Roll vs 4+mods, four times.

First roll determines if there is a response.

CF - Yes and Heat +3

Fail - Yes and Heat +2

Pass - No but Heat +1

Raise - No

Second roll determines if there is a on-going response:

CF - personal grudge, Major Enemy edge.

Fail - yes, Minor Enemy edge

Pass - maybe

Raise - no, stop rolling.

Third roll to determine time frame:

CF - immediate

Fail - in the next month

Pass - months

Raise - years

Fourth roll to get degree of response:

CF - extreme

Fail - considerable

Pass - average

Raise - token.

Heat.

Heat; is the level of attention a nominated organisation has on the players, how much they have been pissed off and the likelyhood they are to mount of response to the players activities. Eg organisations: Yakusa, Mafia, Lone Star, Knight Errant, Renraku, Aztechnology etc.

Only one roll is made at the start of an adventure, during a downtime, using the highest Heat value. Draw a number of cards from a deck equal to the highest HEAT value. Match the card to see if it matches any assigned group (Table controlled by GM).

If a match occurs draw again to determine the level of the reaction based on the suit and number.

Card draw. (one card for each match)

2-4: No response but HEAT +1

5-8: Minor but immediate response

9-10: Moderate but delayed response (Heat -1)

JQ: Moderate but immediate (Heat -2)

KA: Major but delayed response (Heat -2)

Joker: Major and immediate response. (Heat -3)

Suit.

Hearts: Relationship attack - Contacts, Family, Friends, Fake IDs. Effect to make rolls harder or unavailable (-2, -4 NA).

Diamonds: Money attack - steal money or assets, raid homes, steal equipment, raise living costs for the session, prohibit purchasing.

Spades: Reputation attack - VR and Street reps, favours, frameups, slanders, broadcasts, advertising etc.

Clubs: Physical attacks - by agents, police, assassins or shadowrunners, reinforcements arrive at a combat etc. Can be against the players or against their equipment or assets (hacking, breaking or devaluing).

Heat can be reduced by doing a "Take it on the Lamb" downtime activity.

Downtime events vs Players (roll everytime players take downtime)

2-3 Major

4-5 Moderate

6-8 Minor

9-10 Limited

J Enemy

Q Opposite sex

K Extended event

A Planned event

Jok Unique story.

Equipment conversions from SR.

Melee weapons: STR/2+# converts to ST+x, where x is 1=d4, 2=d6, 3=d8, 4=d10.

AP values are the same

Price is generally halved from the SR price.

Gun damage:

4p = 2d6

5p = 2d6+1

6-7p = 2d8

8p = 2d8+1

9p = 2d10

10p+ = 3d8.

Legality and Availability codes will be used a guides.

Toolkits & Ammo rules option:

All players must agree to this.

All toolkits and ammo supplies will not be tracked, instead if you roll a Skill roll of 1 (not wild dice) you get that shot but you maybe depleted on that gun/kit.

If there are similar equipment in the event you may use a Notice roll to spot a reload. Takes one action to collect and load. It must be appropriate to the situation.

When you roll a 1 on a skill dice (not the wild dice), you consult the Wild dice to see the effect.

1 Critical failure

2-3 Out of ammo

4-5 Mechanical failure (jam)

6 Physical ineptness (dropped the weapon)

If you double tapped or burst fired apply -1 but only down to 2.

If you full auto'd or suppression fired apply -2 but only down to 2.

Instead of a complete out of ammo result it can be a re-load action required result (and if you have fast reloaders it may have little effect).

A roll of 1-1 is a critical fail and the normal rules for that will remain in effect.

Never Miss Rules.

Rolling to achieve something uses the following principles:

Critical Failure - No and...

Failure - Yes but...

Success - Yes.

Raise - Yes and...

What this means is that nearly all attacks hit, nearly all shots hit. The theory behind this is that in a six second round many things can happen, and the dice roll and result simply reflect the best result of those 6 seconds. Further, that a roll that does nothing, misses, is a waste of time and effort and of no interest to the game. We want something to happen everytime the dice are rolled - that the rolling of the dice indicates that something did happen and its just a matter of determining what, but that the essential point of the roll is the basic thing that did happen.

If you roll a failure consult your wild dice for the 'but...' effect:

You hit, but...

1. Out of ammo/disarmed
2. Exposed +2 to be hit till next action
3. -2 damage for this attack.
4. Confused +2 vs SM tricks till next action
   1. Unstable +2 vs AG tricks till next action
   2. Unbalanced -2 PAR till next action
   3. Vulnerable +2 dam till next action
5. Fall prone
6. Equipment failure
7. Shaken

You succeeded but...

1. Error or flaw
2. Detection
3. Takes longer
4. Expends consumable
5. Adds complication
6. Inflicts suffering/anguish (FAT)
7. Triggers event
8. Equipment failure
9. Blow to confidence, -2 to future rolls of this skill during session.
10. ??

Critical Failures, roll d6.

1. Hurt yourself
2. Hurt another
3. Gross equipment failure
4. Local physical damage
   1. Local narrative damage
   2. Physical or mental event inflicted.

Benny Stacks.

There are a number of Benny Stack options. Some are triggered by the event, some are voluntary.

Clue Stacks: AT the start of a new run players may elect to form a Clue Stack. The GM will offer 1,2 or 3 bonus bennies as encouragement, based on the expected amount ofguess work that may be happening. EACH player must agree to put in one Benny to create the stack. The GM will add a new Benny at the start of every session it remains in effect (has 1 benny left). Players are free to draw from the stack for use on 'clue gathering' type rolls made outside Events (not in combats).

Timers: the GM may create a timer stack to show that events are on a time limit, and that when the timer runs out something big will happen. Players can take bennies from the stack if they wish to use them, but this will advance the event. Players may also add to the stack to delay the event but delay will remain within the sessions time frames so it is still relevant. It may give you an extra round, or an extra minute.

Research & Investigation: at the start of a new story the GM will consider the level of R&I they expect the story to have and then offer the players 1,2 or 3 bennies to form a R&I stack. If the players agree they ALL must give 1 benny to the bennies offered and this will be the R&I pool/stack. Players may freely draw from this pool to make R&I type rolls, rolls outside of encounters/events/combat. If a story goes over a session the R&I pool will gain a fresh benny at the start of each session as long as it still exists.

Hate.

Players may try to generate Hate during a combat. This will result in the player with the most Hate being the target of more attacks. Hate can be generated by deliberate actions, such as Taunt and Intimidate. It can also be created by killing/wounding if the player wants it to. Hate must be visible to be used, enemies wont shoot through a wall just because they hate you.

Modified Edge

New Edge: Bug Killer – same as Giant Killer.

VR Shows.

Shadowrunners are paid good money to take video gear on their runs. Built in security features ensure that no incriminating evidence leaves the actual camera. Runners have an option to run live broadcasting or recorded. Live broadcasts pay better, especially as the team gains Rep.

The income is based on your VRRep.

Grp Income = $500 x (VRRep + Rating*/5 + Agent roll)

*Rating: is a Stack. It starts at zero and grows during the mission when players perform cinematic moments. If the players fail the mission it is halved.

Players can gamble on dramatic moments, to gain or lose a Rating point, based on an attempted dramatic action and success. The action must involve a skill roll, and often with a negative penalty or target greater than 4.

Cinematic Moments.

A player can announce they are going “in Camera” by spending a benny.

Whilst INCamera they get +2 to all actions.

At the start of every Round after that someone must burn a benny to continue the mode. All bennies go into the INCamera pool.

The INCamera person MUST be the centre of the action, if they leave focus the mode lapses.

Every action you must achieve a success or lose the mode.

If you overcome the enemy in a significant way (kill one or capture something significant) you may take a benny from the pool and give it to anyone.

This can only be done once per adventure and cannot be the same player as last time. When you lose focus or the mode ends you suffer 2 FAT.

INCamera will increase royalty fees.

Co-operative actions/Tactical support.

As long as you have a means to communicate to another player you can use some skills to improve their actions, similar to the assist rules. This can be in the form of tactical advice, providing physical circumstances to support them at range (sort of like suppressive fire), or pointing out some important fact or knowledge.

Interrogation.

There are three main forms of interrogation:

Subtle manipulation = via persuasion vs SM

Physical = via intimidation or damage vs VG

Chemical = via drugs and any other skill vs VG. You really need to have medical or Chemical knowledge for this.

Matrix Noise

Noise is based on real physical distance to target, acts as a penalty to rolls.

Priority traffic routes, traffic will be prioritised on the various domains, public email and such are at the lowest level, corporate data on corporate domain is high etc. Hackers will be at a penalty (-4,-3,-2,-1, 0) unless they can lift their priority to an appropriate level. Bare in mind that publich traffic on a public network is probably all at 0, but public on a corporate network might eb at -4.

Finding Stuff And Shopping.

To buy things takes time (a week) and effort, mainly a Streetwise skill roll vs 4, but you can also use a Craft skill to locate materials relevant to your craft. You can use Common Knowledge for Common materials.

All items will be rated as follows:

Common 0 1d6+1 allotments (Day)

Uncommon +2 1d3+1 allotments (2Days)

Rare +4 1 allotment (Week)

Very Rare +8 1 item (Month)

Primitive, Modern: may be modifiers depending on the legality of the item.

Advanced (latest tech systems, limited release): extra -2 to all rolls

Advanced+(proto-types, experimental): extra -4 to all rolls.

Illegal (req a license or mostly illegal): extra -4 to roll.

Proscribed (immediate arrest and incarceration at gun point, grounds for shoot to kill): extra -6 to roll.

So each "TimePeriod" anyone with Streetwise may search for one type of item (common, uncommon etc). They should have a list of items ahead of time to match the possible number that can be generated.

Multiples of the same item are possible.

An allotment can be a single item, or a gross of them, whatever seems appropriate.

Multiple people can co-operate to achieve a result.

Some places may be better than others when it comes to finding stuff. The city of Tyre is a major merchantile hub for the entire region and GMs may allow +2 to the above finding roll in such a city. On the contrary, some cities are remote or poor and may suffer a negative, such as Thebes due to the political situation there.

Extra successes can be used to reduce time (x2/3rd each), or to increase allotments.

Rare and Very Rare items can be resolved as a extended task, requiring a number of successes to achieve, and requiring multiply weeks and rolls.

Contacts.

The following are some suggested contact types and their possible in game usage, with easy reference.

Most of these will do their work for you as a FAVOUR, or by using Rep.

Chopper; vehicle disposal, everyday vehicles will get you a 20% return. Unusual or hot vehicles will give little or no return but will vanish cleanly.

Streetdoc: general medical person.

Splicer; better than a street doc, able to install cyberware cleanly. Can give a 20% discount on Gutter or Streetware.

Heavy, Blade, Dancer, Artist; street muscle for hire when you need backup.

Agent: media agent, generates a 10% boost to your media incomes.

Briefcase: lawyer, will get you out on bail, will reduce charges, can make a deal.

Rigger, Motorhead, RevHead: rigger for hire.

Decker, Hacker: hacker for hire

Escort; male or female escort service, will be trained in self defence and other activities.

Fence; will sell your gear for 20% return.

Fixer; employer, acts for the Johnson. Gives you missions/work. Can act as your Fixer.

Transporter; expert driver, comes with a vehicle. Knows the way.

Shark; can get you money, fast, but with interest at a monthly rate (as opposed to weekly).

Badge; police contact within a nominated org, Lonestar etc.

Face; media contact with face recognition - appears on camera.

Politico: contact within the Seattle political machine.

Corpse: contact within a specific mega-corp.

Cleaner, Mechanic: member of a cleanup crew.

Gangbanger: member of a street gang or close to the street gang life.

Ironmonger: supplier of weapons and vehicles.

Forger; makes fake documents or ids.

Wizard; master of SOTA technology, access to a lab.

Chemist, Beaker: organic scientist, access to SOTA lab.

Stoolee (Org): Someone who can warn you if the Heat is ON.

Lifesaver; someone expert of providing safe places to hide out.

Slang: http://www.intercom.net/user/logan1/glossary.htm

Regional Traits in Seattle.

Auburn: Moderate, BlueCollar, Industrial, SmallGangs, OrgCrime

Bellevue: Rich, Wealthy, Secure, Corporate, GoodServices.

Downtown: Wealthy, Active, Corporate, Trendy, ExcellentServices, Waterfront

Everett: Modest, Wharves, OrgCrime, Mafia, Yakuza, Triad.

Fort Lewis: Modest, Military, Wilderness, Sparse, Patrolled, Bases.

Puyallup: Destitute, Devastated, Dirty, Lawless, LowPower, WeakServices, Sparse, Rough.

Redmond: Poor, RunDown, Violent, Glow!, Lawless, Gangs, Walls(Bellevue), PoorServices.

Renton: Wealthy, MiddleClass, HumanisHQ, Commercial, OrgCrime, Mafia, Yakusa.

Snohomish: Moderate, Agriculture, Sparse, Norse, Multi-Cultural.

Tacoma: Moderate, Docks, Industry, TransportHub, OrgCrime, Mafia, Yakusa.

Council Island: Rich, Isolated, Political, Secure, Patrolled, Dangerous.

Orc Underground: Poor, Controlled, Patrolled, LimitedAccess, WeakSignal, Secrets.

Destitute, Poor, Modest, Moderate, Wealthy, Rich.

Lifestyle differences will give -1 per level (max -2) to Persuasion, Streetwise, Investigation generalised activities.

Area Opposition:

Native: players may adopt a tag of Native(Area) and gain some specific benefits for that area, but also some negatives. If you are not Native then you are not a local and will suffer generally bad things.

Native gives the following general bonuses:

+1 to interaction rolls (persuasion, intimidate) with citizens of that area.

+1 to Streetwise, Survival, Driving (Ground), Investigation, Know Local, Riding, Stealth

Identity.

Your TAP is an obvious means by which to definitively identify you, however this would make life very difficult in a cybergame.

Your TAP will hold two levels of ID, a file based system and a DNA Encoded System (DES). The DES is a unique serial number on your TAP bonded to your DNA, it cannot be faked short of a clone. To access your DES however will require a warrant, arrest and processing. All of which takes about a week and costs a fair amount of money, so it is only done for major crimes (level 6+).

File based ID is simply an encrypted ID file similar to a futuristic credit card, and all in one credit card. It can be faked fairly easily and players are assumed to have a level 4 (d6 skill) Fake ID as part of their living expenses. Higher level Fakes IDs can be purchased.

The ID quality test is not done till an inspection is carried out, in which case it is a skill roll vs the level of the ID. Fail and it is at +2 to all tests, fail by more than 3 they are at +4, CF = +8.

Notice rolls are used to test vs a fake ID, the following modifiers apply:

Casual or rushed inspection: -1

Suspicious: +1

On Alert: +1

Security station (better scanners): +1

Corp Zone, Military zone: +1

Top secret zone: +2.. or more.

After a Trial conviction: +1.

Persuasion roll modifier by the player... -1@success

Legal System - Crime and Punishment.

The following is an attempt to replicate a legal process for the players. Far too often players do not go through arrest and trial in a game world where they are surrounded by violence and crime. This is an attempt to streamline it.

For starters, players will be awarded a Benny for surrender in situations where the "Authorities" are present and considerable public collateral damage will occur.

A criminal charge will be rated from 1 to 10. Time and Money can be used to fulfill the level requirement of the crimes sentencing.

An arrested person will go through 3 phases of justice: Arraignment, Trial and Sentencing.

Public prosecutors and defenders will generally be rated d6 if the crime is level 5 or less, d8 for higher crimes.

• During arraignment you must chose to go for Dismissal or Reduce the Charges. If you chose Dismissal your briefcase will roll at -2. AN opposed roll is made to determine results. The defender is at a penalty of (Charge level -4), -2 extra if they are going for Dismissal. If you chose Reduce the Charge then each success (you rolled higher) and raise you gain will lower the charge rating 1 level. If you were rolling for Drop the Charge and you win the contest (have the higher roll) the charges are dropped and you are free.
• Eg: you are charged with Grand Theft Auto, a level 6 charge. The prosecutor rolls, the defender rolls at (6-4) = -2. If you went for a dismissal the defender would roll at -4.
• During Trial: another opposed roll is made with the Defender at a penalty of (Charge level -4). You can plead Guilty at this time (before rolls are made) and gain a +2 modifier to the Sentencing phase.
• Sentencing: another opposed roll as above. At the end of Sentencing a final check is made on the current ID if you are serving any real Time, with a +1 mod. If failed you will be automatically found guilty of using a Fake ID (level 4 crime) and will be re-tried with a -2 modifier to all rolls, plus you will be DNA scanned. You can avoid this by pleading Guilty during Trial.

In all the above rolls a Fail by the defender or the Prosecutor will apply a mod of 1 to the next roll. A CF will apply a mod of 2, as appropriate.

The resulting Charge level must be fulfilled with levels of the following:

Some crimes will be rated as Capital Crimes and each Money option will provide only half a level, and Time must be equal or higher than Money.

Typical Crime Levels

Murder, Treason - 10 (Capital)

Man slaughter, Kidnapping - 8

Grand Theft Auto - 7 (Capital)

Assault, Grand Theft (>$50,000) - 6

Break and entry - 5

Fake ID, Theft - 4

My advice - get a good lawyer with a good team (ie WC).

Eg: The players are arrested and found to be using fake IDs, they provide better IDs (that are also fake but better quality) and these pass the test so no further action is carried out as this will be a level 4 crime.

One of the players goes cheap and uses a Public Defender (d4), another pays and goes with a WC at d8, that means it will cost him $2000 ($1000x2).

During arraignment the second player goes for Dismissal. The Public Prosecutor rolls 4 and 5, vs target of 4, meaning both successes. The defenders rolls of 3 and 8 (got an ace). The target number for them is 4 + (Crime level-4) = 4, so one fails and the other has a success (8-2 for Dismissal, 6vs5). So the second player gets off free at this time, but it costs him $2000. The first player failed so his next roll will be at -1.

During trail the Public Prosecutor rolls 3 and the Public Defender rolls 2-1. Both are fails so the mods equal out.

During sentencing the PP rolls 4 but the PD rolls 6 (got an ace), so the level is reduced to 3.. The player elects to take 1 Money, 1 Time and 1 Suspended Sentence. So he will end up with a fine of $1000, $3000 as a Bond and 4 months suspended time. Because he has avoided any real Time he does not face a final ID check. As he is using a fake ID he can simply elect to dump it and have a clean slate.