[Canticle]

Does anyone follow a set of guidelines or an agenda for handing out Karma? My group has had issues with everyone getting 4-5 karma (most people get 3). Any help with how others hand out karma would help with our current game and my game starting next week.

[inca1980]

I feel it depends too on how often your group is going to be meeting.  If it's like once a week, then I would stick to average of 6 karma.  If it's more like once a month, then I would probably tend toward giving out on the average of 10 Karma.  The idea is of course to not give so little that players feel that their characters aren't visibly improving and then not too much so that they feel that they quickly soon have super-heroes.  Remember that you can also set houserules for how Karma is used.  If you don't allow someone to raise an attribute or a skill more than one level per shadowrun, then they will end up probably buying new skills which I noticed always improves the fun factor for SR.  The idea is to maximize the fun for the whole group and make them develop an affection for the character they're playing and for their teammates.  I'd say a good guideline is to award out enough Karma so that new characters can improve one minor "thing" per adventure (i.e. improve a weak attribute or skill).  Then they can also save up and after a few shadowruns get a "big" improvement (i.e. initiation, improve an average attribute).  Just judge how fast you want people doing this. 

I also noticed that it's easier to kill the game's fun factor by giving out too much money than by giving out a little too much karma.  Shadowrunners just really lose their motivation to go on Shadowruns if they're getting too much money....it's just hard to sustain the disbelief that someone who's already got a ton of money is gonna go on these dangerous runs just out of a sense of adventure.  Shadowrunners by definitions are by and large motivated by money with a few individuals in it for other reasons.  I just feel players tend to role-play their shadowrunners best when they're strapped for cash.  Everything just takes on a lot more meaning in the game when runners have to hustle if they want to get that cool implant or they gotta strongly consider whether APDS are really worth the added cost.  Take the APDS example.....if you want 100 rounds of standard ammo (200nuyen) vs. 100 rounds of APDS (700nuyen), that 500 nuyen difference shouldn't be chump change because i'm telling you, -4 AP is definitely not chump change with regard to game mechanics. 

I mean, on Urban Brawl I've got a character who decided he couldn't move off the streets and be the roommate of another character because he doesn't have the money......that freakin rocks in terms of roleplaying a shadowrunner.  He's just itching to slit one more person's throat or whatever a Johnson asks so that he can just move off the freakin streets (which he's gotta do a survival roll for every month) Lovin it!

[Blond Goth Girl]

We emphasize roleplay in our group and I give out 2 to 3 kp per session and then every three sessions give role play awards with little picture cut-outs and note the scenes.  It's been a HUGE it.

The Depp Award for Best Characterization – Inspired by Johnny Depp (Cpt Jack Sparrow) : 10 - # of instances the PC breaks character and is awarded to the person who stayed in character the most.

The South Park Award for Amusing the GM – Since GM’ing can be a thankless task, I give 3 pts for this.

The Carlin Award Best Comedic Performance – Inspired by George Carlin, this is worth 2 pts.

The Golden Shovel for Best Bull S’er – This is worth 3 pts since BS’ing is actually great roleplaying.

The Hoover Award for Best Sucking Up – One point for the brown noser.

The Pitt Award for Best Character – Brad Pitt as the Pikey in Snatch was incredible.  This is worth 3 to 5 pts based on how well the PC portrays the character they have written up, possibly by playing up merits/flaws and speaking with an accent.

The Shatner Award for Over Dramatizing – Cpt Kirk rocked but maybe the PC needs some acting classes so only 1 pt.

The Pacino Award for Best Bad Guy Moment – In Scarface, the line “Say hello to my little friend,” endures so 1 pt.

The Betty Award for Most Embarrassing Moment – Based on the show Ugly Betty, this award goes for the party fowl.  The player gets 2 pts instead of 1 to make them feel better.

The Doris Day Award for Cheeriest Moment – The PC gets 2 pts for spreading the joy.

The Crimson Heart for Best Flirtation – Two points because sex sells.

The Wooden Paddle Award for Best Disciplining – Only 1 pt since the player has had their fun.

The OJ Award for Getting Away With It – Only 1 pt since the player has already gotten away with something.

The Stewie Griffin Award for Best Manipulation – Only 1 pt since the player conned someone into something.

The Holly Golightly Award for Most Fashionable – Inspired by Breakfast at Tiffany’s, for the player who put some thought into their style since at times we must dress for success.

The James Dean Award for Playing It Cool – One point for a cool head and a calm heart.

The House Award for the Grouchiest Scene – Inspired by Dr. House, the player gets one point for House moment.

The Father Jack Hackett Award for the Most Outlandish Moment – In the British TV series Father Ted, Father Jack is nuts.  2 pts.  This youtube clip says it all: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzMEZ7ZlUVA

The Jay and Silent Bob Award for Best Duet – For roleplaying with a fellow PC, 2 pts each.

[James McMurray]

I follow the chart in SR4A, though I give karma at the end of every run rather than the end of every session. A typical run takes us 2 sessions and gives 8-ish karma.

I also give 1 karma to anyone who pitches in on sodas or food. We do that for any game system we play.

[Malex]

I wanna join Blonde Goth Girls group, sounds like a creative group.

[Medicineman]

Does anyone follow a set of guidelines or an agenda for handing out Karma? My group has had issues with everyone getting 4-5 karma (most people get 3). Any help with how others hand out karma would help with our current game and my game starting next week.

We use the Table from the SR4A Basic Book
its 6-8 Karma Points for a single,simple Run
up to 12-15 for a dangerous and longer (2-3 Sessions) Run
largest "Run" I mastered was a Mini Campaign (Expedition to a lost Caer in Afrika with Lofwyr and a reawakened Horror as Guest Stars) with 9 Sessions
The final Karma Reward was 48-70 Karma

HokaHey
Medicineman

[Canticle]

Thanks for everyone's input. I really like Burning Wheel, and Mouse Guard in particular. At the end of the session each PC would have a turn on the pedestal. In this turn, the other players (GM included) would reflect on one 'thing' that the PC on the pedestal did in that session/run which would earn them Karma. The thing could be good role-playing, screwing the group over in an interesting IC way, doing something bada', coming up with an awesome plan, or digging up good info during legwork. Regardless of the 'thing' each player must pick a different thing to reflect on.
I am in a group of 5 players (GM included) so that would mean each player is given 4 Karma from other players and 1 for surviving. In addition, one player can be named the MVP and given an extra Karma. Then MVP is someone who pulled the group through when no one else could: they had that brilliant thought, word, or deed that moved the game forward.
In my smaller group (just 3 players) starting this summer, there will be more Karma available for fulfilling objectives.

Thoughts?

For example: Four PCs (Tender, Astronaut, Quizzical, and LooseUser) and their GM are finished the session. Tender is put on the podium first.
Astronaut: Okay, I'll just get the elephant in the room out of the way right now, and that's when Tender killed those three Red Sammies in one turn and saved our sorry a'es from a surprise attack. You deserve 1 Karma for that.
Quizzical: That was the one I wanted... alright, so when we had no idea who bought out that A corp selling the cheap cyberwate and Tender's street doc contact came through. We would have been sunk without any leads if that happened, and deserves a Karma.
LooseUser: I liked it when Tender stared down the ghoul in her squatter community. She just intimidated it with her glare... and the ghoul is blind.
GM: Right at the beginning when Tender showed up drunk to see the Johnson was a hilarious.

[Blond Goth Girl]

I wanna join Blonde Goth Girls group, sounds like a creative group.

Thank you very much.  I'm blushing.  They do the most unusual missions that I can come up with.

Oh and I also give a Luck Card which works like an Edge point for bringing food to share.

[Walks Through Walls]

I like the list that Blond Goth girl has and will probably modify it and use it in the game I am starting right now. I also like the idea of the luck card for bringing food to share.

Since we are going to be only playing once a month I think I will be handing out a bit more base karma, but I like the awards idea for things that make the game better.

[Malex]

I wanna join Blonde Goth Girls group, sounds like a creative group.

Thank you very much.  I'm blushing.  They do the most unusual missions that I can come up with.

Oh and I also give a Luck Card which works like an Edge point for bringing food to share.

This is some of the most interesting, nigh ingenious, means of getting people to actually do Roleplaying in a group instead of Roll-playing (and unfortunate thing that my group seems to rely on). I tip my hat to you.

[Canticle]

Seems like Shadowrun should move to more of an award system like Blonde Goth Girl is giving out. I'd like an award for being a bullsh'er like Kane. What is his story anyway... is he as bada' of a pirate as he thinks he is?

For now, however, my GM has agreed to a communal Karma giving experience, wherein the PCs each have two karma points to hand out at the end of the session, and neither may be given to themselves. Our GM will be giving out a few points of karma during the session in addition to the PC karma and the 'you survived' and 'you achieved your objective' karma. That would make each character get at least 4 karma if the GM gave out no Karma points.

[ARCimedes]

Seems like Shadowrun should move to more of an award system like Blonde Goth Girl is giving out. I'd like an award for being a bullsh'er like Kane. What is his story anyway... is he as bada' of a pirate as he thinks he is?

Bad enough to be on Interpol's Most Wanted list...

-ARCimedes

[CanRay]

I'd like an award for being a bullsh'er like Kane. What is his story anyway... is he as bada' of a pirate as he thinks he is?

Been around since Second Edition, IIRC, and started out at pretty close to the Number One Wanted in Aztlan and the CAS then.  Only been adding countries under his belt since.

That isn't BSing, that's Bad Assery.

[Malex]

I'd like an award for being a bullsh'er like Kane. What is his story anyway... is he as bada' of a pirate as he thinks he is?

Been around since Second Edition, IIRC, and started out at pretty close to the Number One Wanted in Aztlan and the CAS then.  Only been adding countries under his belt since.

That isn't BSing, that's Bad Assery.

Heck yeah that is completely  BA.

[Canticle]

I'd like an award for being a bullsh'er like Kane. What is his story anyway... is he as bada' of a pirate as he thinks he is?

Been around since Second Edition, IIRC, and started out at pretty close to the Number One Wanted in Aztlan and the CAS then.  Only been adding countries under his belt since.

That isn't BSing, that's Bad Assery.

That is wonderful. He is one of my favourite Jackpoint posters, it makes it all the better that he is actually a bad ass pirate.