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Why do Centaurs cost 25 karma?

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Triskavanski

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« on: <02-05-15/2325:33> »
In all honesty I can't figure it out. Its like for every plus they get they get another negative. Sometimes two negatives.

They can sprint fast! but run like everyone else.. and walk even slower. So yeah..
They get a point of magic! What does this even do for them? Oh right , gives them two abilities, one of which I'm not even sure how a PC even uses Search himself. And they both kinda need you to level up mag anyways so... yeah without taking a mage type, you won't be able to do that either. And you don't get the karma refunded if you burn out of your magic. You also lose a max of edge

They're strong and resilient. But so are trolls. Actually more so. And like trolls they lose out on some mental abilities

They kick high? Again, trolls can punch high.. And get their reach with every attack, not just a kick that has less AP value than a punch.
Concepts are great, but implementation sucks. Why not improve it?

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All4BigGuns

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« Reply #1 on: <02-06-15/0015:33> »
Sounds like a case like what happened with metavariants before where they cost more just because of some strange idea that some people have that rarity should be enforced by making rare things prohibitively expensive.
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8-bit

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« Reply #2 on: <02-06-15/0017:53> »
Yeah, I really have no idea why they cost so much. I would've been fine with maybe a 5-7 Karma cost, as you can access them at Priority C (comparable to Orks). 25 is too much though.

jim1701

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« Reply #3 on: <02-06-15/0158:12> »
There does not seem to be much rhyme or reason to how they do the add on costs for priority.  It gets worse when you compare priority to karma costs.  For example, in priority a pixie is 15 extra karma while a centaur is 25 extra but under the karma system a pixie is 70 points while a centaur is 60!?!  AFAICT the wierdest is the Hanuman which costs 100 karma but under priority only costs and extra 5 karma.  Personally I think a dart board was involved.

Squirrel

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« Reply #4 on: <02-06-15/0304:30> »
A dart board isn't random enough.

Is there a way to find out how metatype costs are calculated? A formula that spews out the BBB metas. Which then could be used to correct the costs at least a bit.
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Lucean

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« Reply #5 on: <02-06-15/0400:14> »
Elves:
40 karma - CHA 3 for 25 karma, AGI 2 for 10 karma + Low Light Vision

Orcs:
50 karma - BOD 4 for 45 karma, STR 3 for 25 karma + Low Light Vision - LOG max reduced by 1 and CHA max reduced by 1 - something
So if Low Light Vision costs 5 Karma and we count each reduced maximum with -10 karma we get to 55 karma, but maybe this something includes shorter lifespan?

Dwarves:
50 karma - BOD 3 for 25, STR 3 for 25, WIL 2 for 10, REA -1 max for -10 = 50, thermographic vision + toxin resistance and higher lifestyle costs seem to cancel each other out

Trolls:
90 karma - BOD 5 for 70, STR 5 for 70, 5 times reduced max for -50 get us to 90, so that reach, thermographic vision, and dermal deposits should equal the even higher lifestyle costs compared to dwarves

But aside from my attribute estimates the others feel fragile to me. So take from that what you will.

Triskavanski

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« Reply #6 on: <02-06-15/1142:50> »
How could a Centaur even use the search power?
Concepts are great, but implementation sucks. Why not improve it?

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jim1701

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« Reply #7 on: <02-06-15/1151:35> »
How could a Centaur even use the search power?

I see it as a kind of radar that only works for a specific thing you are looking for.  If you succeed with the extended test you zero in on the target and you "know" where it is located.  If you fail you are unable to lock onto the target.

ScytheKnight

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« Reply #8 on: <02-06-15/1635:04> »
How could a Centaur even use the search power?

I see it as a kind of radar that only works for a specific thing you are looking for.  If you succeed with the extended test you zero in on the target and you "know" where it is located.  If you fail you are unable to lock onto the target.

Kinda like an internal version of Jack Sparrow's compass?
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jim1701

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« Reply #9 on: <02-06-15/1655:48> »
How could a Centaur even use the search power?

I see it as a kind of radar that only works for a specific thing you are looking for.  If you succeed with the extended test you zero in on the target and you "know" where it is located.  If you fail you are unable to lock onto the target.

Kinda like an internal version of Jack Sparrow's compass?

Something like that I think.  If the test is successful I think the centaur would feel drawn? guided? towards the target.  The power description isn't really clear on the mechanics on how the search is performed but at least it is pretty clear on the criteria you need to perform the search in the first place and how to determine if the search is successful or not.


Triskavanski

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« Reply #10 on: <02-06-15/2015:54> »
The power though looks more like if you told a spirit to do this and then it runs off doing that, searching through everything until it finds it. (if check is successful) I suppose having a centaur that can just hone in on targets does help some. Perhaps a good one for tracking down assassination or kidnapping targetS?
Concepts are great, but implementation sucks. Why not improve it?

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DigitalZombie

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« Reply #11 on: <02-10-15/0429:49> »
I actually like the fact that metasapients cost a large chunk of karma (in priority system) I think its fluffy and fits into the shadowrun universe. And no Im not talking about the rarity tax.
Normal metahumans have between 25 and 50 points worth of karma to buy cash, contacts, extra skills, positive qualities etc.
Metasapients wont fit into the society just as easily, and therefore would have trouble gaining just as many useful contacts, restrictive gear qualities, easy access to training facilities for skills etc.

That said...some races especially centaurs and nagas, are overpriced in my opinion. And I would have liked to see some more special attribute points, or something to counter the additional karma cost. Like the Bovine/lupine shapeshifters, they start at a crazy 4 special attribute points, at their lowest available priority.

In the bovine/lupine case, I would have preffered a slighty less amount of special attribute points, with an increased karma cost instead.

For point buy I have no idea...
 

Triskavanski

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« Reply #12 on: <02-10-15/0843:26> »
Them costing extra karma is an okay thing, if they actually get something for the cost of karma beyond being a rarity. I'm not sure how having a karma cost for no other reason other than you just don't fit into society is anything more than a rarity tax.

Its not like that karma costs suddenly makes all the bad stuff of being a centaur just.. go away. Like fitting into cars, or having a decent pair of pants. Or having to hear the hung like a horse joke for the umpteth thousand time.
Concepts are great, but implementation sucks. Why not improve it?

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Sendaz

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« Reply #13 on: <02-10-15/0847:10> »
'Why the Long Face?' also gets old really fast. :P

though the new reboot of 'My Little Centaur' coming out in 2078 is supposed to be pretty good.
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farothel

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« Reply #14 on: <02-10-15/0851:33> »
At least with the 'hung like a horse' you can reply: that's for your wife to know and for you to guess. ;)
Or: Yep, something you can't ever reach even with an implant. ;)

Or you can always show that putting a lot of force on a small surface (say, put a hoof in his nether regions) hurts quite a lot.
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