[Headhunter]

Why is it actually called karma? Anytime i introduce a new player to Shadowrun they always ask why its karma and i have no idea what answer to give them.

[Jack_Spade]

It's a legacy thing.

Once upon a time runners could earn positive and negative Karma for their actions - which in the later editions has become just another word for XP

[Reaver]

Karma (Sanskrit: कर्म; IPA: [ˈkərmə];Pali: kamma) means action, work or deed;[1] it also refers to the spiritual principle of cause and effect where intent and actions of an individual (cause) influence the future of that individual (effect).[2] Good intent and good deed contribute to good karma and future happiness, while bad intent and bad deed contribute to bad karma and future suffering.[3][4]Karma is closely associated with the idea of rebirth in many schools of Asian religions.[5] In these schools, karma in the present affects one's future in the current life, as well as the nature and quality of future lives - one's saṃsāra.[6]



Basically, Karma is the metaphysical reward for your actions and deeds. Other games call it Experience.

Karma has been used in other game systemd as well. (TSR's Marvel Superheroes comes to mind)

[MijRai]

Besides the cop-out of 'that's what they always called it,' it's a little hard to answer.  Here's a quote from the 1st Edition rulebook:

"KARMA
In Shadowrun, Karma measures the experience characters get when they go out on an adventure. You don't get Karma for doing the laundry, unless your laundromat is in an urban combat zone. Karma is needed to improve attributes, skills, and special resources.
Karma is awarded at the end of an adventure, not necessarily after a single playing session. The gamemaster decides who gets Karma, and how much they get. Everyone in a group gets it for some things, but some awards go only to individuals. Each surviving member of a team gets Karma for staying alive, succeeding at a mission, and for the amount of danger in the mission. Individual characters can get additional Karma for good roleplaying, gutsy fighting, smart planning, sheer luck, and other personal feats.
Once you get it, what do you do with it? You can spend Karma one of two ways: as Instant Karma or Good Karma."

Instant Karma was a lot like Edge in the current edition, and Good Karma was improving yourself. 

It's probably attached to the vaguely Japanaphilic theme from a lot of Cyberpunk; a good fraction of Japan follows Buddhism.  As one (simplified) definition of karma is 'a sum of a person's actions which decides their fate,' using Karma as their term makes sense.  By raising your Reaction using time dedicated to practice, you're making yourself dodgier, thus less likely to die. 

[Kiirnodel]

The concept of karma is also probably why you get more for making "good choices" and less for making "evil choices" while Shadowrun is a mostly moral grey game, karma does balance it out a bit. Siding with the morally corrupt corps every time earns you less karma in the long run.

[friczvonbrock]

Usually in my games I put some questions to the players and conflicts.
If they get more money killing someone innocent or something like that, They get less Karma that they should get.
If they try to help the innocent person, they'll receive more karma and less money. Maybe gain some notoriety in the process, it's very nice to put those conflicts, so you can see hooders and merc runners.

[Teknodragon]

Usually in my games I put some questions to the players and conflicts.
If they get more money killing someone innocent or something like that, They get less Karma that they should get.
If they try to help the innocent person, they'll receive more karma and less money. Maybe gain some notoriety in the process, it's very nice to put those conflicts, so you can see hooders and merc runners.

Nice, that fits in with the fluff and mechanics with low-essence street sams and the metaphysically connected magic users.

[Mirikon]

No, you must not question the sacred cows!

Seriously, though, that's just what it has been called for several editions now, just translate it to 'XP', and you're good.

[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

... or don't call it XP.  Because of what karma-the-word means.  Call it XP and you tacitly, if subconsciously, give your players the OK to play rat frelling bastards who kill everyone and loot the corpses every single time.  You let them know that it's just like D&D, except for the fact that ... it's just like D&D.

Call it karma, and it tells them - presuming they know what the word means - that what goes around comes around.  That 'doing a good deed' and 'trying to keep your soul' may be a hard-fought battle, but that in the end it is going to be worth it.  That yeah, sometimes they'll have to shoot people in the face for money, but that doing the right thing in the long run will be a better decision if they can swing it.

Of course, then you have to reward that.  Do that by giving them a bit more karma.

[Medicineman]

>>>> Of course, then you have to reward that.  Do that by giving them a bit more karma.

+1 from Me

Hough !
Medicineman