[Raiderjoseph]

I know it varies but is there a general method to finding a fixer? If someone has(or chooses) to turn to Shadowrunning to Survive then how exactly does one find a fixer in the Shadowrunning world? This is from a In-Universe view. Not gameplay rules mind.

[RowanTheFox]

In my games I always play it off as the players knowing a guy who knows a guy who dated the sister of his best friend's former roommate.

[Raiderjoseph]

In my games I always play it off as the players knowing a guy who knows a guy who dated the sister of his best friend's former roommate.

I appreciate the flawless humor of a Mel Brooks anything as much as the next guy but I was being serious.

[Sendaz]

The Fixer is sort of a metagame thing, providing the reason the various players come together. 

EiraHaexa is not far off though, without someone knowing you, albeit at a distance, why would they hire you?

When the newbie joins the shadows he has little to no rep and fewer connections.

They will probably start out by doing odd jobs to get by, depending on their skill set.

As they gets to know people and be known in turn, some of those connections will probably pass the word along what they can do.
 
The Fixer pays attention to this networking, sifting the stats from the hype and may throw the new runner a job or two to test the waters.

If they don't muck it up, more jobs may become available.

You also have to remember there are few dedicated Fixers whose sole purpose in life is just hooking people up.  Most have other aspects to their life and the Fixing often ties in with it.
A local gunsmith might act as your Fixer for gearing up on some hard to find ammo or putting you in touch with a gunbunny he supplies who might be willing to provide some needed firepower for a job is one example.

Most tables sort of skip this initial initiation into the shadows, and just put the team mates in touch with each via the Fixer and get on with the runs.

[Novocrane]

If you chose to become a shadowrunner (and sometimes even if you didn't), then you probably went looking for places fixers frequent. It's not that hard; there are bars and such for deckers, mages, fixers, etc - you might not know who you're looking for, but if you case the joint long enough (or march straight up to the bartender like a rookie) you'll pick something up.

[Raiderjoseph]

The Fixer is sort of a metagame thing, providing the reason the various players come together. 

EiraHaexa is not far off though, without someone knowing you, albeit at a distance, why would they hire you?

When the newbie joins the shadows he has little to no rep and fewer connections.

They will probably start out by doing odd jobs to get by, depending on their skill set.

As they gets to know people and be known in turn, some of those connections will probably pass the word along what they can do.
 
The Fixer pays attention to this networking, sifting the stats from the hype and may throw the new runner a job or two to test the waters.

If they don't muck it up, more jobs may become available.

You also have to remember there are few dedicated Fixers whose sole purpose in life is just hooking people up.  Most have other aspects to their life and the Fixing often ties in with it.
A local gunsmith might act as your Fixer for gearing up on some hard to find ammo or putting you in touch with a gunbunny he supplies who might be willing to provide some needed firepower for a job is one example.

Most tables sort of skip this initial initiation into the shadows, and just put the team mates in touch with each via the Fixer and get on with the runs.

I would love to play a campaign like that. I don't really feel like I know the Shadowrun Universe. I know lore but it doesn't replace expierence you know?

If you chose to become a shadowrunner (and sometimes even if you didn't), then you probably went looking for places fixers frequent. It's not that hard; there are bars and such for deckers, mages, fixers, etc - you might not know who you're looking for, but if you case the joint long enough (or march straight up to the bartender like a rookie) you'll pick something up.

Its funny that was my first guess and I didn't think it would make much sense!

[Fabe]

If I recall correctly Slam-O! is a second generation shadowrunner  so that's one way to get in.

[Bull]

Also keep in mind that usually the game sorta assumes that while you're a new Shadowrunner, you're not necessarily new to the lifestyle in general.  PCs are, skillwise, already a cut above.  To use a D&D analogy, normal folks are 0 Level, basic beat cops, gangers, and corp guards are 1st through 3rd level, and most starting PCs are 5th level.  They have some kind of experience, they've gotten some gear, they've learned some skills, and they've made a contact or two.

I usually encourage my PCs to either take a Mr Johnson or a Fixer as a basic contact at chargen to represent this.

[Senko]

Also keep in mind that usually the game sorta assumes that while you're a new Shadowrunner, you're not necessarily new to the lifestyle in general.  PCs are, skillwise, already a cut above.  To use a D&D analogy, normal folks are 0 Level, basic beat cops, gangers, and corp guards are 1st through 3rd level, and most starting PCs are 5th level.  They have some kind of experience, they've gotten some gear, they've learned some skills, and they've made a contact or two.

I usually encourage my PCs to either take a Mr Johnson or a Fixer as a basic contact at chargen to represent this.

I usually go with this method myself. New runners are generally assumed to be at least semi-experienced even if they don't have a major rep. Unless your specific campaign assumes otherwise going by my reading of the books. As Bull said new runners for the game aren't the same as new runners for the world. Its the difference between my getting framed by the police, going on the run and trying to stay alive/free long enough to prove my innocence or just embrace the shadows and my having been a runner for years. In the former case I know no one, have no running relevant skills and will probably be "Killed resisting arrest" shortly unless a group of actual runners take me in because they were hired to find out the truth of the incident I was framed for and keeping me alive provides them bait. In the later I know what I'm doing, I have contacts who can get me gear, I have useful skills but my being hired is "I know a guy" still not "I know how to get in touch with that person" much less "You don't want to poke the tiger unless its very important". So people looking for a skilled mage who can provide some security will have me offered as a possibility, people looking for a massively experienced combat mage to take part in an assault on the Renraku Arcology as part of an information gathering strike will have someone else suggested because I wouldn't survive long enough to provide useful information.

Given the way the game handles character creation the only way in my opinion to represent a brand new to the running world is either have a group fully in agreement who purchase mostly non-running skills artisan vs automatics or run a street scum campaign where you have other skills but only represent the running relevant ones.

[Marzhin]

Maybe it's time for a new version of one of my favourite supplements ever, Mr Johnson's Black Book? With all informations about how the whole shadowrunner ecosystem works.
It could even be fused with an updated Sprawl Survival Guide. Now that would be awesome.
I would name it Mean Streets. Or Street Smarts.

[Overbyte]

I think the answers to this question are as many as the number of shadowrunners.

For a completely new team...
Obviously you can have a face char on the team that knows "everyone in town". He has the contacts, so no one else needs to at least to start.
After a few (successful) jobs, the face's fixer is everyone else's fixer too.

Or maybe one of your contacts knows a guy.. or knows a guy that knows a guy.
Perhaps you got kicked out of the University for practicing unlicensed magics.. and you just ask your bartender buddy if he's heard of any work.
He hooks you up with a fixer that has a lot of his meetings in that bar.

Maybe you work part time for Doc Wagon as a medic and you've cleaned up more than once after someone's run went bad.
You are looking for some extra cash to buy that sweet new bike so you ask one of your patients where you can find some "night work".

The possibilities are really endless.

[RowanTheFox]

In my games I always play it off as the players knowing a guy who knows a guy who dated the sister of his best friend's former roommate.

I appreciate the flawless humor of a Mel Brooks anything as much as the next guy but I was being serious.

I was too, lol.

PC: "I need to find some work soon. Rent is overdue and my landlord is threatening me."

PC's friend: "I think my chummer's girlfriend knows a guy who might be able to set you up with something. I mean, as long as you're ok with working under the table."

[HobDobson]

Given the way the game handles character creation the only way in my opinion to represent a brand new to the running world is either have a group fully in agreement who purchase mostly non-running skills artisan vs automatics or run a street scum campaign where you have other skills but only represent the running relevant ones.

Judging by our own campaign, starting at "street scum" is one of the better ways to explore 'running from the ground up - especially with a table full of folks used to D&D/Pathfinder. Since neither the PCs nor the NPCs are tricked out with cyberware and munitions, the setting's a little less lethally unforgiving of mistakes.  The risks and rewards do ratchet up with time.

However, "a guy who knows a guy who dated the sister of his best friend's former roommate" would be an IMPROVEMENT. Lately, it's been one prospective Johnson or another so desperate that someone gave them our team's contact info.   

[RowanTheFox]

A homebrew mission I played through with my sharpshooter, Mouse, started like so...

Mouse arrives in Denver from the Salish-Sidhe tribe, to get a taste of the big world immediately after losing her brother in the second matrix crash.

Goes to a local concert that is showing a few local bands.

At concert, gets to talking with a lead drummer who uses the band's tours to cover for his work as a fixer. (Mouse doesn't know that last bit yet)

We both hear screaming, and find a young wage mage being chased down by a Red Samurai. (Just the one, but it was a troll)

We both intervene and save the woman's life.  She offers a fair chunk of Nuyen to get her out of Denver, we accept.

Find out later that she is carrying a data chip that holds proof of Renraku's involvement in the second matrix crash, and implicates several corporate executives in criminal activity.

After getting her out of Denver, we have a decker make several copies of the files, and make BANK selling to various interested parties.

Mouse now works as a fixer in Denver, supplying anti-Renraku jobs.

[Quatar]

My current character used to be a thief/burglar before becoming a shadowrunner. She knew a few low-time fences that bought her stuff, and one day they said "Hey I know this guy, who's looking for someone who can get into places without being seen. Interested? Here call this number".

That's basically how she met her fixer.