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House rules: Initial money/implants

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Thu, 2013-10-17 23:02

Ukio

House rules: Initial money/implants

My first game with non pre-made characters, and now I found that its very easy (and tempting) for them to get every single implant they can. 1CP means 1000 creds, so now I have a socialite and a mechanic that are able to face Reapers in combat with not too much sweat. Thus, they raise the stakes, and so I have to do, just to keep it challenging. Didn't like the idea that, with 100cp you have a Reaper, and everybody will know you're a killing machine. But with that 100cp you can have a Synth and 70k creds to get the implants and be a far more discreet killing machine. I stopped the character creation and I'm thinking for a way to limit their initial creds and implants. These are my ideas, but I'd like to have some help here. - Put a limit to the number of implants by their price: 1 High, 3 Moderates and 10 low. - Put the limit on the initial creds. I thought about 10k, because this is what the game gives you when you're hiperelite (plus the initial 5k, for a total of 15k). Any other idea, I'll thank you. PS: I bet my english must be like those guys' http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/4XSeFVWqCXA/hqdefault.jpg

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Wellcome... Wellcome to this world of madness and wonder. You've been dead. For ten long years, you've been dead. Now... That's it! Small steps...

Fri, 2013-10-18 03:23

DivineWrath DivineWrath's picture

Well, the default game

Well, the default game assumes that players will be egocasting from habitat to habitat. Spending loads of credits on a morph would do them much good as they can't take their morphs with them. This isn't Star Wars or Star Trek. Traveling any where in a ship can take months or even years. The second thing to note is that if they lose their morphs in a fight, they will have to buy a replacement. Its not a good idea to put all your eggs in one basket. Third, if you are beaming around lots, then whatever cp went to gear you can't take with you is cp that doesn't improve your character's skills, aptitudes, traits, collection of blueprints, etc.

Fri, 2013-10-18 04:41

Lorsa

You could always do what I

You could always do what I did, and tell them not to worry about a morph and then give them one at the start of the first session. It will depend a lot on how you plan on starting your campaign of course. In the end, I don't see anything wrong with a morph that is a killing machine without looking as such. Currently I have a Sylph with more durability than a basic Fury and as many augmentations as money can buy. It's kind of fun having a deceptively frail exterior.

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Fri, 2013-10-18 08:08

Ukio

I'm not against the idea of a

I'm not against the idea of a Morph that's a Killing machine and doesn't looks like it. The idea that doesn't sound good is that I wan't to forbid Reapers and then get characters who are even more destructive? (I keep in mind this little situations like "Oh, you wan't to get into the city/habitat? Only this little thing: May you please get into this Synth? Don't worry, we'll keep good care of your Reaper") The egocasting idea is not bad, but the game begins on a Scum Barge, and I'd like to keep it on there for a while. I think that the best option is "this is a Scum barge, you just can't find something so expensive here".

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Wellcome... Wellcome to this world of madness and wonder. You've been dead. For ten long years, you've been dead. Now... That's it! Small steps...

Sat, 2013-10-19 14:12

sushibite

Stop saying no

Let them do what they want. As a GM, stop saying no. Believe me it is a tough habit to break. However, read this. It is insanely helpful. Also, I recommend the blog in general. There are a lot of reviews of random products, but he offers key insights into being a strong GM. http://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/35015/roleplaying-games/thought-of-t...

Sat, 2013-10-19 19:30

Ukio

And again: No

I disagree partially with this text. I think by now that my characters are overwhelmed with all that stuff they can get so cheap, that they just don't have an objective in mind. The examples on the article are about "I'm a swordsman" or "I'm a hacker", but I just got in front of a sylph with a hardened skeleton just because he could afford it! I was telling my players the implant list (we hadn't get yet into the equipment list) and one of them got the character sheet almost full! It was insane. Plus, my players, in last game (L5R) were forgetting about their bonuses (some as simple as "Add your Earth to any attack and damege roll), so how would it be with EP? Well... They would get on a fight, and their rival is some hitmen team with enough implants to match them. What happens next? I have this fight prepared, so I use my implants, and they don't. Now, I am a bad GM. Is their first game. For their own good, I want them to keep it not too hard to handle. Am I some kind of control obsessed GM? May be. But I know my players.

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Wellcome... Wellcome to this world of madness and wonder. You've been dead. For ten long years, you've been dead. Now... That's it! Small steps...

Sun, 2013-10-20 00:10

sushibite

You are still falling into

You are still falling into the trap that is the "arms race." The examples were just that, examples. The situation is applicable. Also, if your players seem to be forgetting their bonuses, even at the most basic of levels (I'm assuming your example of Earth magic from Lot5R is basic since I don't play it), then why even bother with worrying at all? It doesn't make you a bad GM if you come prepared and remember to use your stats, and they don't. That just means your players are unprepared and/or forgetful. Nothing inherently wrong with that, different groups function in different ways. However, I am just confused about what you are worried about. You say they have all these implants and they will be overpowered. Then you turn around and say they will never remember to use them, so it is unfair if I use my implants against them.

Sun, 2013-10-20 00:54

Ukio

My main concern is that maybe

My main concern is that maybe, being the first game, I'd like to keep it low. But the most important, is to remain being a fair GM. I've been thinking about the "arms race" before my answer, but... Every group of players is a world by itself, and what I read, didn't was the best for mine. Also, I had some trouble in other games when some players faced the boss in the wrongest way possible (one at a time and without coordination) and then I was unfair for killing them. I have a quite bad reputation for killing PCs and I killed less than 30 in 15 years. But the reputation is still there. I'm looking for a system to put them into the scenario: You're on a Scum Barge, and you can't have this because: Money/rep, get the blueprints, anything.

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Wellcome... Wellcome to this world of madness and wonder. You've been dead. For ten long years, you've been dead. Now... That's it! Small steps...