[Chhinnamasta]

First of all, let me say hello and thanks for existing. I just re-booted my old Shadowrun campaign after a two year hiatus, and it feels good to be back in the game. However, I've noticed a certain paucity of pre-generated mooks and disposable NPCs in the Core Rulebook, and I was wondering if anyone could point me towards a resource for meatwads to send flying into my players' spurs. Alternatively, if anyone has advice on a metric or system to quickly make goons, that would rule. Equally important is the total lack of statted-out prime runners in the Core Rulebook. I can generally make my own, but my players have a bad habit of making big bad enemies, and I'm worried about the idea of pausing for two hours in the middle of a game to whip up a rival runner. Does Street Legends have anything? I was looking at a description of that book, but it seems a touch high-powered. Any advice, good people?

[Xzylvador]

The missions (and any other pre-made adventure) have pre-made NPC's in them. Seasons one and two are free for download on shadowrun4.com.
The new book, Jet Set, seems to have a whole bunch of them too, though from what I understand they're pretty high level.

[Mason]

First of all, let me say hello and thanks for existing.

Aww, thanks! I am thankful to exist too! ;P

You could check Contacts and Adventures...

[CanRay]

Missions 4 are worth the purchase price, as well.  Even if Burn is a little of a letdown at the end.

[Van Gogh]

This is exactly the thread I have been looking for as I can't plan for every NPC the group comes across, and I was wondering what other GMs do to come up with NPC stats and how much time they put into developing them for each adventure.

[TheVanguard]

I've got a whole library of standard NPC stats handy for those occassions. Gangers, Lone Star cops, mob hit men, you name it. I love making NPCs. I've made whole gangs where everybody had individual stats and his own backstory, only to see them getiing gunned down in one combat round.

In there rare occassions where I'm caught without something prepared, I tend to eyeball the stats like this:

Incompetend: DP3
Some competence: DP6
Experienced: DP8
Pro: DP10
Legend: DP12+

Mix and match as desired. Older Ancients gannger? Attacks with DP6, dodges with DP8 (full; halve for normal) and soaks damage with DP3 + armor.
For bigger threats you could use the sample characters.

[DarkLloyd]

I've got a whole library of standard NPC stats handy for those occassions. Gangers, Lone Star cops, mob hit men, you name it. I love making NPCs. I've made whole gangs where everybody had individual stats and his own backstory, only to see them getiing gunned down in one combat round.

In there rare occassions where I'm caught without something prepared, I tend to eyeball the stats like this:

Incompetend: DP3
Some competence: DP6
Experienced: DP8
Pro: DP10
Legend: DP12+

Mix and match as desired. Older Ancients gannger? Attacks with DP6, dodges with DP8 (full; halve for normal) and soaks damage with DP3 + armor.
For bigger threats you could use the sample characters.

I don't know about that "bigger threats" thing. the Archetypes aren't that badass. I would defiantly consider the "bigger" gangs to be more of a threat than a baseline archetype.  They wouldn't still be the "Bigger" gangs if they weren't dangerous. Groups like the Halloweeners and the Ancients should be challenging for the runners. Just like the mobs, the Yaks or the Vory.

[TheVanguard]

I'm talking about emergency improvisation here. If you have the foresight, the inspiration and the time to do it, then you can create the NPC according to your liking. If not, taking the baseline stats and modifying them on the fly can get you out of a tight spot.

Furthermore, the assessment of threat levels is a highly subjective endeavor. Personally, I see the real danger of gangs and syndicates more in their strenght of numbers and their social clout. If someone packs Move-by-Wire and a LMG, the average gang should go down hard if caught unprepared. But the people in the area will have to suffer for it, so you can kiss your Street Cred good bye. And any survivors, affiliates and allies will be back with a vengance. Thus, they are still dangerous for the runners, but on a wholly different level.

But that's just my game, of course - and yet another reason why generic stats are a difficult thing.