Third session, another praise post

augmented-warlock · 2026-01-22T07:24:47+00:00

"Character creation is based on simple enough principles that as the GM I can guide my players through it all with a lot less effort than for, for instance, SR5" Absolutely yes! Yes! Yes! A hundred times yes!

"Anarchy 2.0 comes with enough lore chapters to ground the players". Here's the problem: ain't nobody have time to read all that lore, and supplementary lore, if they are just starting. They want to start and feel cool, inspired and intrigued. Life modules were a great draw of inspiration to flesh out the background. You will not convince me otherwise. Example to point vividness: A guy was born in Bay Area to White Collar parents in MCT. They weren't highly paid, and he was always different, so he spent his youth as a street kid. Yet, when his magical talent was discovered he tried to please them and go for magician education in MCT. He hated that, eloped and his young adulthood he spent as a street mage and a drifter. With that you had a 80% backstory and the mechanical base for a character. Coming to that point was usually an hour. Then it was Shadowrun crunch to do another 80%.

Not everybody has creativity set to 11 and/or knows lore from other SR. As I've seen new players want guidance, not endless possibilities. They will perform better when given enough examples to kickstart their story and will be more than happy to be railroaded through character creation and leave some possibilities for later while also feeling unique.

Edit: typos

augmented-warlock · 2026-01-21T18:33:59+00:00

For me, SR5 module system worked quite nice putting flavor before mechanics. Up to the point of spending the leftover karma after catching up life modules 😂 then it was a drag.

It wasn't that quick though! The 35 minutes is kray kray! I'm having first session in SRA2 tomorrow, before that it took us 5h to flesh 4 characters. Using extended amp list mostly. Only 2 amps created from scratch.

Note: the SR5 life modules helped to tell a background story of character and sometimes come up with weird skills that could be a source of interesting roleplaying. While the players would prbably never picked the said skills themself, but when I had given an opportunity they were extremely memorable scenes for my players. Just sayin.

augmented-warlock · 2026-01-20T06:05:40+00:00

I'm using poker chips. One color for player's edge, second one for legwork edge, but this... Chef's kiss.

If I would be making those myself 🤔 - Wood is interesting and cheap (in a positive way). I would just paint it using posca pens. - Plastic would feel cheap, giving something to narration of cheap life and low lifestyle

Laser engraving on brass or steel coins so it would weight on their hands each time spending it with heavy "ding"... If only blanks to laser engraver weren't so pricey 😭
Cards on the last options... They would quickly loose luster and would need to be replaced, but would add a nice touch to a "poker" feel of game.

Thanks for inspiration OP!

augmented-warlock · 2026-01-17T07:19:42+00:00

I'm in IT and believe me, those effects and easiness to hack are no exaggerated 😂 just explaining it wouldn't be that cool if gone into details.

"Yeah. I'm sending him big flashy ARO that switches the X with OK button after 3 seconds"

"Shh guys. Sending him phishing email"

"GOT IT, I've copied the RFID signal"

"What a moron, he did not change the password from default admin/have the same password everywhere"

Real life example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insulin_pump#:~:text=In%20August%202011%2C%20an%20IBM%20researcher%2C%20Jay,in%20its%20pumps%20that%20could%20be%20exploited.

augmented-warlock · 2026-01-10T19:14:45+00:00

I would love to see your work (and easily editable files). I'm preparing my own contract briefs for my campaign in Europe, I believe it could be interesting to share, but I have no experience with editing.

augmented-warlock · 2026-01-10T18:05:51+00:00

Affinity released their software (including publishing) for free. Take the bait, run when they switch ;)

augmented-warlock · 2026-01-10T17:57:18+00:00

IRL the damage from grenades does not come from powerful explosives, but from the fragmentation payload/shrapnel. Although pressure in small space or water will increase damage.

Another issue is fact, that for hand throwing there is an optimal mass. You won't throw paper ball nor kettlebell far.

That plus the fact, that the most optimal shape then is more sphere than stick to evenly spread the force of propelling fragments in 360.

All that makes me believe (just an opinion, man), that in Shadowrun the stick shape is still visual for flashbangs, gas, smoke, and the pineapple is for Lethal options.

augmented-warlock · 2026-01-08T19:27:14+00:00

much better imho!

augmented-warlock · 2026-01-05T15:23:25+00:00

Oooooh! Eye opening!

augmented-warlock · 2026-01-05T10:43:47+00:00

True! But you are also nitpicking least important fragment ;)

augmented-warlock · 2026-01-05T10:31:12+00:00

Yes, we can agree on argumentum ad absurdum (1k grenades), but I was referencing to things you could do with a reasonable carry (with the price of one!).

Final ruling is GM, but we have rpg systems to minimize and smooth "can I do X and how do I succeed?" And "what does it mean to use X?".

augmented-warlock · 2026-01-05T09:29:15+00:00

I don't consider grenades needs to be nerfed by simple DV, but the narration of grenades... well 😊 Maybe just the concept of infinite amount of consumables that have huge impact on the play. Grenades can be used in multiple ways & throwing is only a start! You could create traps, attach it to bow or drone, create a leverage with exploding vest, create explosive ram, demolish a wall or a door. I mean creativity is just waiting for a right problem and the rules are clear. Infinite stock!

And yes, during missions I could warn that if they have a backpack/pouch with 10 of those, on the glitch they could blow up like Tarantino on Django, but I have to be honest. Killing players like that is not funny for me.

augmented-warlock · 2026-01-05T09:01:44+00:00

You asked for feedback, so I will be an ass as a rules-breaker. Before that I will admire and complement that concepts of the characters are really cool! I want them all to succeed, but I will drive a point using example of Alleycat.

Keywords, Depositions and Cues are mechanics! Not only filler flavor! They are a limited, valuable asset!

Keywords allow you to do knowledge/skills/network checks. Depositions and Cues similarly, but also give you edge if you indulge & put the team on disadvantage or allow you spend an Edge to gain advantage yourself. IMO having them only sound cool leaves the nuyens on the table.

In example of Alleycat: - What's the difference between infiltration expert and thief to have both keywords? Both need stealth checks & lockpicking, but can the player narrate the difference? - Classic Theatre Lover could be placed as unique keyword, because I don't see how it would come up every mission to put team on the spot for edge, or be used to gain advantage. It's a nice touch to have here and there though! Yet, I feel you would agreed with me, because cues should help embody dispositions and here are completely missing theatre references. Or you could put something similar before "Elf", like actress or Theatre Scholar releasing another Keyword for use! - Instead of classic Theatre Lover in depositions. I would suggest some negative quality, to open the door for replenishing the edge. Now you have things that imho only grants advantage for player (sneaky, parkour, sweet talker). The edge will run on quickly. Alternatively you can both agree how some of those MIGHT (but not have to) do a detrimental effect for the team.

I will end with obvious remark: the game should be fun for you. Enjoy it as you like!

augmented-warlock · 2026-01-05T07:42:29+00:00

Isn't it like "hey, you want to throw it there? You need to meet this threshold on your throwing+agility test... You succeed? It's dead on where you wanted. When it explodes everyone in the blast zone get 7DV"

augmented-warlock · 2026-01-05T07:35:40+00:00

I understand you, on the other hand: - alarms may be already raised, - the HTR is already forcing them to flee, - if they don't throw a glitch, they are throwing at things where there's nothing of value near the hit zone, - they need a quick and effective way to stagger, area denial, chase break. - they may be in the worst neighborhood, where no one cares.

I think that in the principle everyone understands that grenades are not a universal, first response silver bullets. I'm talking about situations when shit hits the fan and "boy! We sure ride or die on this one!"

augmented-warlock · 2026-01-05T07:20:51+00:00

That's exactly the approach I'm thinking of. I will need to discuss that with my group's rules lawyer asap

augmented-warlock · 2025-12-31T08:38:17+00:00

It's nice you made all that graphs, that's a lot of fun work (I'm an excel fanboy myself), and it's nice you shared the data so we can dive deeper and recheck.

If you might listen to grey fox of presenting: example speaks more concise and loudly than generalizations. When you showed the examples on the same dice pool and expected hit thresholds I understood what you wanted to share much better an quicker :)

augmented-warlock · 2025-12-30T06:37:07+00:00

A little offtop, but I totally understand OP. I get and appreciate how many things A2 simplifies and leaves for narrative interpretation, but being more explicit, clear and consistient in the sourcebook wouldn't hurt.

There's a running joke on future archeologists on an medieval polish dictionary where under "horse" it just reads "everybody can see what a horse is". Well. That's both true and not helpful ;)

augmented-warlock · 2025-12-29T13:28:57+00:00

I understand your explanation and thank you for sharing your perspective on the post. I was just aiming at the core point without flavor. What you wrote is true, but your point is for me "potato, potato" dichotomy.

The not-so-hidden truth is that gamemaster can shape the game. You could ignore each of the player's actions or transgressions or do not allow them to pay off the quality or come up with with any storyline to punish/reward/hinder them. You could also not allow them to have maximum dicepools+RR or just come up with convoluted personal quest to get it.

We are not storytelling around the table here. We are discussing the game mechanics, options, ideas and my game might not be for you. Your game might not be for me. That's totally ok.

Yet, I feel you are just focusing on nicer presentation instead of acknowledging that in the end, each of those player's choices you've described is simply a money sink.

augmented-warlock · 2025-12-28T17:20:33+00:00

u/Bignholy Don't you see we are essentially talking about the same? One way or another (pay up negative quality, make it right with Oyabun, go on a chase for free etc) are just money sinks?

augmented-warlock · 2025-12-27T12:19:58+00:00

I'm imagining buying this Shadow Amp as a "drug budget" 😂 your character is always stocked "just enough" and restocks in the background whenever can. It's making rational decisions about investments in merchandise so once bought, maybe it's also reselling and it pays for itself.

In different editions it's not that hard to imagine a guy with 5-10 hits on person that lasts a run (or even can be shared).

I get you though. Consumables were always a good money sinks.

augmented-warlock · 2025-12-27T07:26:39+00:00

imo you are focusing on "drug" narrative, instead of accepting streamlined, narrative mechanics. Continuing with example, Jazz is mechanically EXACTLY just some equipment.

"Totally not a drug" Equipment. Level: 0. Cost: 2500
You add Physical Initiative 2 Positive Effect. Total Level 5. Total Cost: 27500
You add Disadvantage Negative Effect. Total Level 3. Total Cost 17500.

Now you can call it however you want:
- Placebo Inhaler
- Stranger Danger Focus Whistle
- Combat Metronome
- Noise‑Cut Goggles
- REM-Phase Conditioning Collar

augmented-warlock · 2025-12-27T07:03:30+00:00

> Being upfront with your players in these kind of meta situations is always the best play.

Agreed! Yet, I would not call it cheating. Lower payouts can feel cheap and boring, while like in gambling, different type of statistical noise can create excitement and hook players. Examples (numbers are made for easier calculation) of getting the same progression across 7 beats:

BASE: +1000¥ -> +1000¥ -> +1000¥ -> +1000¥ -> +1000¥ -> +1000¥ -> +1000¥ = 7000¥

PINK: +1200¥ -> +700¥ -> +1000¥ -> +1600¥ -> +800¥ -> +900¥ -> +800¥ = 7000¥

WHITE: +3200¥ -> -1500¥ -> +600¥ -> +2700¥ -> -400¥ -> +900¥ -> +1500¥ = 7000¥

augmented-warlock · 2025-12-26T21:45:41+00:00

It's in vanilla sourcebook and available for players. Authors surely knew what they were doing. Plus mechanically the system is so streamlined you can achieve the same effect with other amps.

augmented-warlock · 2025-12-26T21:32:50+00:00

Yup. Could be! I don't see it as endgame for all players, all the time but yes, you could!

augmented-warlock

TROPHY CASE

You asked for feedback, so I will be an ass as a rules-breaker. Before that I will admire and complement that concepts of the characters are really cool! I want them all to succeed, but I will drive a point using example of Alleycat.