HouseRules of RunnerHub

This page is meant to give an overview of the current RunnerHub house rules. These rules have generally been decided on by the Rules Division to streamline the game experience for players and GMs alike, particularly regarding bookkeeping, game balance and clarification of ambiguous rules.

If you have a rules question that isn’t answered by the official Shadowrun 5th edition material or the below rules, you can contact Rules Division.

General Information

Unless otherwise specified in the house rules listed below, the official rules as detailed in the official Shadowrun 5th edition material apply. This includes the core rulebook, as well as official supplements and their errata. New house rules will be added to this page, and changes to the page will be announced in a regular update post on /r/RunnerHub.

Which Shadowrun material is used on RunnerHub?

RunnerHub generally allows use of all official Shadowrun 5E books and supplements. Exceptions to this will be listed explicitly below.

Custom Content

Players can only use content that is included in the official Shadowrun 5E books and supplements or Runnerhub House Rules (including contacts).
Unofficial, custom or homebrewed content as well as content from previous Shadowrun editions cannot be used by players on Runnerhub.
This limitation does not extend to GMs - a GM can, for example, use critters published in Shadowrun 4E material in their games.

Newly Released Material

Newly released material is generally put on hold for some time. This is meant to allow players and GMs alike some time to familiarize themselves with the new information and rules, and work out any potential issues.
- For smaller supplements (e.g. 'Shadow Spells', 'Bullets and Bandages', 'Assassin's Primer', etc.) this is usually a period of one month, or until it's explicitly allowed, whichever comes first.
- Bigger supplements (e.g. 'Run & Gun', 'Street Grimoire', 'Run Faster', 'Data Trails', 'Chrome Flesh', etc.) generally require explicit approval, which will be announced in a house rules update on /r/RunnerHub.
- If you are unsure if a specific supplement is already allowed or not, please ask a GM or member of the organizational team.

Errata

Please note that the official material also includes any errata that are released for Shadowrun 5E material.
A list of currently available erratas can be found on the website of the Critical Glitch podcast. This list is neither guaranteed to be complete, nor to have the latest versions of the errata!

Specific Books

Lockdown

The contents of the 'Lockdown' supplement are currently not allowed for use by players. This might change in parts at a later date.

Character Creation

General Note

The character creation process is overseen by the Character Control Division. The legality of any submitted character is ultimately determined by them, and any questionable aspects of a character are subject to their approval.

RunnerHub uses only the standard priority build system as detailed in the Shadowrun 5th edition core rulebook.

Attributes

Minimum Attributes

Physical and Mental attributes at a rating of 1 are not allowed, unless permanently augmented to a higher rating.

Augmented Attributes

Anything that increases an attribute above its natural rating is considered an augmentation. This includes cyberware, bioware, magic, adept powers, drugs, and anything else that adds to a character's attribute rating.
The maximum augmentation bonus to any attribute is +4, even when combining different forms of augmentation, unless the description of the ability, power or item explicitly says otherwise.

Magic Attribute and Essence Loss

If a character's magic attribute reaches 0, they are permanently burned out. This means that they have lost their magical abilities and cannot raise the magic attribute above 0 again (see p.250, SR5 and errata).
During character creation any special attribute points or karma used to raise the magic attribute have to be applied before reductions from essence loss are applied to the magic attribute.
After character creation (i.e. in play) the karma cost for raising the magic attribute is based on the current magic attribute, after any reductions from essence loss have been applied.

Resonance Attribute and Essence Loss

If a character's resonance attribute reaches 0, they are permanently burned out. This means that they have lost their resonance and cannot raise it above 0 again (see p.250 SR5, errata).
During character creation any special attribute points or karma used to raise the resonance attribute have to be applied before reductions from essence loss are applied to the resonance attribute.
After character creation (i.e. in play) the karma cost for raising the resonance attribute is based on the current resonance attribute, after any reductions from essence loss have been applied.

Qualities

One thing that makes the character fun to play are qualities. The following qualities have been clarified, changed, or banned for usage on the RunnerHub. As a general note, negative qualities must have a negative impact on your character. Attempts to work around this and come out with no negative impact are very likely to be denied by the sheet team.

Metagenetic Qualities

General

Metagenetic qualities can only be taken during character creation by characters with the SURGE quality. They are not regular qualities, but a fundamental part of that character. Therefore it's not possible to buy new positive metagenetic qualities or buy off negative ones in play, unless explicitly stated otherwise in the quality's description.
The only exception to this are extraordinary events that cause a mutation of the character (GM discretion). Such changes should always be discussed with TD first.

Freaks

GMs may decide to not apply a character's social penalties from metagenetic qualities ('Freaks', p.123, Run Faster) in certain situations (e.g. when their abnormal looks would be beneficial in intimidating somebody). However, this should be the exception rather than the norm.

Specific Metagenetic Qualities

See Special Characters section.

Positive Qualities

Biocompatibility

Can only be taken at Character Creation.

Fade to Black

Keep in mind that a Hide action only targets a single persona.

I C U

Note that you need to have visual sight on the target in the physical world to get the bonus.

Made Man

The free crime syndicate group contact has a connection rating of 4 and a loyalty of 3.
For mechanical purposes, treat the group contact the same as an individual contact. See also notes on group contacts.

Otaku to Technomancer

Can only be taken at Character Creation.
To have the full flavor of a former Otaku it's also recommended to have a datajack and a character age roughly between 20 to 35 years old. However, this is not mandatory.

Prime Datahaven Membership

For mechanical purposes, treat the group contact the same as an individual contact. See also notes on group contacts.

Prototype Transhuman

The chosen bioware cannot be of 'used' grade.
When assensing the protoype transhuman, the prototype implants are treated as if they were deltaware (i.e. require 5 hits to detect).
The prototype implants cannot be removed, or upgraded by implant grade or rating.

Redliner

The strength and agility bonus applies to all of the character's cyberlimbs.
Keep in mind that the augmented attribute maximum also applies to cyberlimbs (see Augmentation section).

Strive for Perfection

The advantage only applies when using firearms.
The advantage halves the penalty for any called shot. When combined with other ways to reduce the penalty, the penalty is halved after the other reductions have been applied.

Fame

Limited to the Local and National fame levels.

Restricted Gear

On character submission the player needs to provide a reasoning for the restricted gear he is taking. This is subject to sheet team approval.

Quick Healer

This quality only applies to healing tests made on the character with the quality, whether performed by the character themselves or somebody else.
It does not apply to healing tests made by the character on somebody else.

Banned Positive Qualities

Better to be Feared than Loved (from Chrome Flesh).
Born Rich (from Run Faster).
Erased (from Run Faster).
Friends in High Places (from Run Faster).
Privileged Family Name (from Run Faster).
Revels in Murder (from Chrome Flesh).
Trust Fund (from Run Faster).

Negative Qualities

Addictions

Addictions to non-restricted items, such as gambling, alcohol, smoking, etc. are not handled using the addiction quality, but a lifestyle cost increase in the form of the Dependents quality.
Please see the section on Addictive Substances for more information about the effects of the addiction quality.

Aged

Elves and Dwarves live for hundreds of years, while Orks and Trolls live a fraction of the human lifespan. A character's age must be adjusted accordingly, and Elves and Dwarves may not be pre-Spike Baby ages.

Albinism

Albinism is not compatible with Distinctive Style. You may take a distinctive style for something other than being an Albino though.

Asthma

Asthma is not compatible with Allergy: Pollutants, or similar cases. This is subject to sheet team approval.

Code of Honor: Like a Boss

The Code of Honor is also violated if a sprite or agent under the player’s control causes matrix damage to a target.
It doesn’t extend to physical actions that cause matrix damage (e.g. using electric attacks against drones).

Cyber-Snob

The bonus for this quality is 6 Karma, and the required augmentation grade is alphaware.

Dead Emotion

The chosen emotion requires explicit sheet team approval, and the player should work with the sheet team to figure out how it affects the character and then note it on the character’s sheet.
This quality doesn’t make a character immune to artificially induced emotions (e.g. through a critter’s Fear power) - it’s still a negative quality, after all.

Incomplete Deprogramming

On character submission the player needs to provide a description of the alternate identity. This is subject to sheet team approval.

Poor Self Control: Sadistic

This quality requires explicit sheet team approval and may be denied without further comment.

Records on File

On character submission the player needs to provide a list of the corporations that have the files.
This quality is limited to 3 ranks (or 3 corporations) at character creation.

Superhuman Psychosis

This quality requires explicit sheet team approval and may be denied without further comment.
Characters with this quality won’t accept help or directions from anyone they consider inferior to themselves (i.e. everyone, even other people with the same affliction), and therefore cannot receive bonuses from leadership or teamwork tests.

Signature

On character submission the player needs to provide a description of the signature. This is subject to sheet team approval.

Banned Negative Qualities

Amnesia (8 Karma level) (from Run Faster).
Bi-polar (from Run Faster).
Big Regret (from Run Faster).
Borrowed Time (from Run Faster).
Consummate Professional (from Assassin's Primer).
Data Liberator (from Data Trails).
Day Job (from Run Faster).
Earther (from Run & Gun).
Electronic Witness (from Data Trails).
Hobo with a Shotgun (from Run Faster).
Hung out to Dry (from Run Faster).
In Debt (from Run Faster).
Latest and Greatest (from Data Trails).
Leeroy Jenkins (from Data Trails).
Pacifist (15 Karma level) (from Run Faster).
Pie Iesu Domine. Dona Eis Requiem (from Run Faster).
Pregnant (from Bullets & Bandages).
Tough and Targeted (from Chrome Flesh).
Wanted (from Run Faster).

Special Characters

For the purposes of this document the term "Special Characters" is used to refer to metavariants, metasapients, shapeshifters, changelings, infected characters, AIs and E-Ghosts.
Once a player has accumulated 100 career Karma or more they are eligible for submitting Special Characters.
Every player may only have a maximum of one Special Character active at any time.
Special Characters count towards the general maximum of 3 characters per player.

Metavariants

Unless otherwise specified below metavariants are legal for usage on RunnerHub if the player meets the general criteria for Special Characters.
Increased Lifestyle Costs
- Please note that metavariants keep the increased lifestyle costs of the parents metatype, if applicable.
- For example a Gnome (parent metatype Dwarf) has to pay the same +20% lifestyle cost increase as a regular Dwarf.
Hobgoblin
- Extravagant Eyes are treated as the Distinctive Style quality.
Dryads
- Dryads are not allowed as player characters on RunnerHub.
Nocturna
- Please note that "Allergy: Sunlight" encompasses more than just direct exposure to natural sunlight. See Run Faster, p.134 "Walking in Shadows" for a more detailed description.
Nartaki
- Nartaki have a cost of 8 Karma.

Metasapients

Unless otherwise specified below, metasapients are legal for usage on RunnerHub if the player meets the general criteria for Special Characters.
Centaur
- Centaurs have to pay doubled lifestyle costs to represent the additional expenses of adapting everything they use to their unique physique.
Naga
- Naga are not allowed as player characters on the RunnerHub.
Pixie
- Pixies are not allowed as player characters on the RunnerHub.
Sasquatch
- Sasquatch have to pay doubled lifestyle costs to represent the additional expenses of adapting everything they use to their unique physique.
- Please note that Sasquatch are not able to verbally communicate or use their mimicry to emulate spoken language.

Shapeshifters

Unless otherwise specified below, shapeshifters are legal for usage on the RunnerHub if the player meets the general criteria for Special Characters.
Shapeshifter Attribute Table

Shapeshifter Attribute Table
- Please note that the “Metavariant Attribute Table” for shapeshifters (Run Faster, p.105) is incorrect. Use the table to the right when creating shapeshifter characters for RunnerHub.
Special Attributes
- Rating and maximum of special attributes are shared between the two forms.
- The last sentence of the “Creating a Shapeshifter” section (Run Faster, p.103) can be ignored. Use the Edge values listed in the table to the right instead.
Initiative
- The initiative dice listed in the shapeshifter attribute table are in addition to the usual one die.
- This initiative bonus applies to both forms.
- Additional initiative boni can be gained through the usual means, although the general maximum of 5d6 still applies.
- Example: A Bovine shapeshifter with Reaction 2 and Intuition 3 has an Initiative of 5+2d6.
Falconine Shapeshifters
- The flight power cannot be used in metahuman form.
Distinctive Style
- Remember that shapeshifters keep some features of their animal form when shifting into their human form. A distinctive style related to the character’s shapeshifter nature would therefore mean an even more pronounced form of these features.

Changelings

Only SURGE Class III is allowed for player characters on the RunnerHub.
The SURGE quality does not count against the positive quality karma limit.

Specific Metagenetic Qualities
- Broadened Auditory Spectrum
  - Please note that even though a character may be able to detect communications in the chosen spectrum, that doesn’t necessarily mean they are able to decipher them.
- Corrosive Spit
  - Characters cannot bottle, share, or sell their own spit.
- Defensive Secretions
  - Characters cannot bottle, share, or sell their own secretions.
- Glamour
  - Disallowed.
- Nasty Vibe
  - Keep in mind that the character’s aura might be hindering in situations where they are attempting friendly interactions.
- Natural Venom
  - Characters cannot bottle, share, or sell their own venom.
- Ogre Stomach
  - The lifestyle discount only applies to medium lifestyle and below.
- Impaired Attribute
  - Cannot be taken for a character’s lowest attribute(s).
- Symbiosis
  - Disallowed.

Infected

The only infected quality allowed for player characters on the RunnerHub are Ghouls. All other infected qualities are not allowed for balance and thematic reasons.
Infected player characters on the RunnerHub are effectively “sterile”. This means that they cannot infect other player characters, whether it’s intentional or unintentional.
If a ghoul character’s magic rating drops to 0, the character loses their sentience. This means they become feral and turn into an NPC.
Attribute reductions incurred through an infection quality’s weaknesses are applied at the same time as attribute points are spent.
- Example:
  - All Ghoul variants have a minimum charisma of 1, and incur a charisma reduction of -1 due to the weaknesses of the Ghoul quality.
  - This means that without spending any attribute points on charisma, a ghoul character would be at a charisma rating of 0.
  - Therefore they must spend 1 attribute point to raise their charisma to a total rating of 1, and another point to raise it to a total of 2 and comply with the RunnerHub’s house rule on minimum attributes.

AIs and E-Ghosts

AIs and E-Ghosts are currently not allowed as player characters on RunnerHub.

In-Play

Passage of Time

The current date of the RunnerHub world is generally the current real-time date advanced by 61 years.
In-game time is considered to be equivalent to real time for downtime activities (e.g. raising skills and attributes, acquiring gear, etc.).

When going on a run, the real-time day of the run cannot be used for downtime activities that require the character to actively spend his time (e.g. raising skills and attributes, learning martial arts, etc.). For simplicity’s sake this only extends to the real-time day, even if the run takes multiple days in-game.

Training times etc. are only paused and not reset when they are interrupted by going on a run or similar.

Lifestyles

The advanced lifestyle rules from Run Faster (p.212, "A dump of one's own" chapter) are not used on Runnerhub.
Each character needs to pay the full cost of their lifestyle. Even if characters are sharing their residence with other characters, each one needs to pay the full cost of their lifestyles.

Rewards

The rewards characters receive for going on regular runs are usually in the form of Karma and Nuyen, although some runs may also award contacts, gear, or other forms of rewards.

GM Points

GM Points (GMP) are another form of reward players can earn for various forms of participation on RunnerHub, such as GMing games.
Each GMP is worth either 1 Karma or 2000¥.
Players are free to chose how they redeem each GMP they are awarded.
Please note that we require characters to participate in at least one game before any GMP can be assigned to them.
All GMP rewards are also counted towards Career Karma with 50% (rounded up), regardless of how they are redeemed.
- For example, a player may receive a 10 GMP reward for GMing a game. He decides to take 8 GMP for 16000¥ and 2 GMP as 2 Karma. Regardless of that, half of the GMP reward counts as additional career Karma (i.e. 5 career Karma), while the 2 Karma from redeeming the GMP don't count towards Career Karma.

Career Karma

Career Karma is the sum of Karma a character has accumulated over their career. It is used to determine a character's Street Cred, as well as unlock additional character slots etc.
It's calculated as the sum of all Karma awarded as a player in runs, plus 50% of all GMP awarded to the character.
Karma gained through means other than run or GMP rewards (e.g. Karma/Nuyen exchange) doesn't count towards career Karma.
Please note that depending on the character sheet program you use it might be necessary to keep track of Career Karma yourself (e.g. because the program has a way of tracking Career Karma that is different). In that case please make a note on your sheet to indicate the character's actual Career Karma.
Characters that have been in play before the posting of these rules (29.04.2015) are encouraged to apply them retroactively. However, it sometimes may not be possible to trace everything back and do so, therefore it is not required. Nonetheless all characters, old and new, must adhere to these rules moving forward.

Karma/Nuyen Exchange

Once per run characters can exchange rewards from that run, either Karma for Nuyen or the other way around. This exchange occurs at a rate of 1 Karma per 2000 Nuyen, up to a limit of 5 Karma / 10000 Nuyen.
Karma gained through the exchange does not count towards Career Karma, e.g. for purposes of Street Cred and opening new character slots.
Conversely, Karma spent on the exchange is not subtracted from total career Karma. It is just counted as a Karma expenditure, like increasing skills etc.

Reputation

Street Cred

Street Cred is a measure of a character's positive reputation in the shadows.
For every full 10 points of Career Karma, a character gains 1 point of Street Cred.
GMs can also award it for particularly successful, noteworthy or otherwise outstanding runs.
Characters can use Street Cred to reduce their Notoriety by permanently sacrificing 2 points of Street Cred for every point of Notoriety they want to remove.
Characters can use Street Cred to reduce their Public Awareness by permanently sacrificing 4 points of Street Cred for every point of Public Awareness they want to remove.
Street Cred can potentially be beneficial to a character in social situations where their reputation is known.
- If and how exactly the character benefits from their reputation is left to GM discretion.
- Street Cred does not give any bonuses to attempts at finding gear and items.

Please note that depending on the character sheet program you use it might be necessary to keep track of Street Cred yourself (e.g. because the program has a way of tracking Steet Cred that is different). In that case please make a note on your sheet to indicate the character's actual Street Cred.
Characters that have been in play before the posting of these rules (29.04.2015) are encouraged to apply them retroactively. However, it sometimes may not be possible to trace everything back and do so, therefore it is not required. Nonetheless all characters, old and new, must adhere to these rules moving forward.

Notoriety

Notoriety is a measure of a character's negative reputation.
Notoriety is gained as described in the Shadowrun 5th edition rulebook.
Notoriety can be removed by spending Street Cred, certain RunnerHub contacts, qualities, and exceptional circumstances (subject to TD approval).
Notoriety can potentially be harmful to a character in social situations where their reputation is known.
- If and how exactly the character is hindered by their reputation is left to GM discretion.
Please note that depending on the character sheet program you use it might be necessary to keep track of Notoriety yourself (e.g. because the program has a way of tracking Notoriety that is different). In that case please make a note on your sheet to indicate the character's actual Notoriety.

Public Awareness

Public Awareness is a measure of how well a character is known among the media, authorities, general public, etc.
Public Awareness is gained as described in the Shadowrun 5th edition rulebook.
Public Awareness can be removed by spending Street Cred, certain RunnerHub contacts, and exceptional circumstances (subject to TD approval).
Public Awareness can potentially affect a character in social situations.
- If and how exactly the character is affected by their reputation is left to GM discretion.
Please note that depending on the character sheet program you use it might be necessary to keep track of Public Awareness yourself (e.g. because the program has a way of tracking Public Awareness that is different). In that case please make a note on your sheet to indicate the character's actual Public Awareness.

Character Advancement

General Notes

Characters need to have completed at least one game before they can start any advancements (raising skills and attributes, inititating, submerging, learning spells and martial arts, etc.).
Characters only need to have the Karma necessary to buy an advancement available when it takes effect, but not at the start of the advancement time.
A character can retroactively count unused downtime towards the time needed for an advancement.
- Example: Sally Street Sam wants to raise her logic from 3 to 4, which would take 4 weeks. She hasn't used her past 3 weeks of downtime for anything else, so she can count those towards the advancement time and only needs to wait one more week for it to take effect.

The following are generally just summaries of the character advancement rules in the Shadowrun 5th edition core rulebook.
- The Karma cost for advancements is generally paid once the advancement takes effect (e.g. at the end of the training time for a skill), unless explicitly stated otherwise in the description of the advancement.
- You cannot increase multiple Physical or Mental attributes at the same time. However, you can increase one Mental and one Physical Attribute in parallel. Alternatively, you can improve one attribute and one skill in that period.
- When only improving skills, you may improved an amount of skills in parallel equal to half the character’s logic (rounded up).
- Raising the Edge attribute doesn’t take time.
- When recovering from augmentation surgery, a character cannot increase skills tied to the attributes affected by the augmentation.
- Spells and Complex Forms cannot be learned concurrently with improving attributes and skills.

Gaining Positive Qualities / Removing Negative Qualities

Changes to a character’s qualities can be achieved either through specific RunnerHub contacts (see contact pages for more information) or solo runs.

If there are strong arguments and justification for a character gaining or dropping a quality the above requirements may be waived. This is subject to GM approval.

Raising Attributes

Some RunnerHub contacts can decrease the time it takes to raise attributes. See contact pages for further information.

Improving Skills

Cost
- The purchase cost for knowledge skill specializations is 4 Karma.
- The purchase costs for all other skill improvements are as described in the official rules.
Training Times
- Skills can be increased with the regular training times as described in the official rules.
- Alternatively, a character may spend money to get lessons from a trainer and decrease the training times.
  - For raising skills from rank 1 up to (and including) 8 these trainers are handwaved and just treated as a money expense.
  - When raising skills to rank 9 and above training needs to be provided by either a RunnerHub contact (see contact pages for skills taught), through the Sensei quality, or through a trainer acquired on a solo run.
  - Characters with the Sensei quality do not have to pay for the training provided by the Sensei.
  - The costs and training times when paying for training are listed in the table below:

Training Times and Cost
Skill Type	Cost	Time for Increase to New Rating of:
Skill Type	Cost	Rating 1-4	Rating 5-8	Rating 9+
Active Skill	New Rating x 500¥	1 day	1 week	1 month
Knowledge Skill	New Rating x 250¥
Skill Groups	New Rating x 1000¥
Active Skill Specializations	2000¥	1 week
Knowledge Skill Specializations	1000¥	1 week

Edge Recovery

A character’s spent edge is completely recovered between runs.

Contacts

RunnerHub does not use the advanced contact rules from Run Faster (Chapter "Who You Know").

Group Contacts

Group contacts are not used on Runnerhub (compare above).
Group contacts awarded by qualities are treated the same as individual contacts for mechanical purposes, just with a different flavor.

Acquiring Contacts

After character creation new contacts can be acquired during the course of a run or as a reward for a run.
In addition, there is a constantly growing stable of RunnerHub contacts which characters can purchase with their resources at any time.

Using Contacts

When asking a contact to do something (e.g. help you acquire gear, perform a task for you, give you information, etc.) the contact’s dice pool is generally calculated as (Connection * 2 + Loyalty). For more personal requests, such as asking for a personal favor, this may be changed to (Connection + Loyalty * 2).
When specialised contacts act in the field of their specialty (e.g. an arms dealer trying to get you a weapon), they gain a +2 bonus to the dice pool described above.
What a contact can or cannot do, which variant of the dice pool calculation is used, and whether the specialisation bonus or other modifiers apply is decided by the GM.

Improving Contacts

A contact's connection and loyalty can be improved through solo runs, as part of a run reward, or in the case of RunnerHub contacts also through larger developments regarding these contacts.

Combat

Called Shots

Bullseye Double-Tap

Keep in mind the following clarification from the Run&Gun errata:
- “The last sentence under the Effects sub-header should be changed from “The attack results in an AP increase equal to the base AP multiplied by the number of bullets in the burst with a maximum modifier of x3” to “The attack results in an AP increase equal to the base weapon AP multiplied by the number of bullets in the burst with a maximum modifier of x3.”

Location Called Shots

The DV Limit for location called shots (p.112, Run & Gun) is applied after the damage resistance test.
Keep in mind that net hits on the attack do not add to the damage of the attack, but instead every net hit after the first can be used to activate one of the effects listed for the specific location.
Example:
- Sally Street Sam decides to shoot an uncooperative CorpSec guard in the ankle with her Ares Predator.
- She rolls her attack at a -8 penalty for the location called shot, and the guard rolls his regular defense test.
- Sally gets two net hits, so she can choose one of the listed effects. She decides to go for the slowed effect.
- The guard rolls to resist the base damage of the attack (8P -1) unmodified by net hits. He gets 5 hits, so the damage is reduced to 3.
- Sally then compares the left over 3 damage of the attack to the called shot's DV limit, which is 1. This means that even though the attack would usually deal 3 damage to the guard, in this case it only deals 1, because the called shot's DV limit is lower than the unresisted damage.
- After everything is said and done, the guard suffers one box of damage and one of the called shot's effects.
- If the guard had resisted all damage, the called shot would have had no effect.

Martial Arts

Counterstrike

Weapons/powers/actions that use the unarmed skill can generally be combined with the Counterstrike martial art technique.
However as it is a purely reflexive move, everything that has a specific form of starting condition can not be used.
Specifically this means the following weapons/powers/actions can be combined with Counterstrike:
- Normal unarmed strike attacks, knucks, shock gloves, shock frills, cyber melee weapons, previously activated killing hands, penetrating strike, previously activated elemental strike/weapon/body, previously activated spirit claw/ram, nerve strike, transmit damage, ti khao, push.
- Elemental body still hits an attacking enemy only once.
Hits scored on a counterstrike roll reduce the enemy's hits like any other defense action, but a tie is lost by the defender.

Clinch

The gymnastics + agility test to establish the clinch is not considered to be a regular attack, and the opposed reaction + intuition test is not considered to be a regular defense test.
This means that the usual modifiers and options for defense tests (e.g. combat sense, full defense, etc.) are not applicable.
Any attacks performed while in a clinch are resolved as normal.

Matrix

Repairing Matrix Damage

See Gear section.

Cyberdecks

MCT Trainee

The built-in biofeedback filter doesn’t take up the deck’s one program slot, but is installed in addition to it.

Upgrading Cyberdecks

see Gear section.

Cyberprograms

Agents

Agents have their own persona in the matrix, but share their condition monitor with the device they are running on, as well as overwatch score and marks with the persona tied to the device.
This means actions by an agent that generate overwatch score add to the owner’s OS, and marks placed by an agent can also be used by the owner and vice versa. Conversely, this also means any marks placed on the agent are also marks on the owner, and vice versa.

Nuke-from-Orbit

When using this program to delete a file the Edit File action counts as an attack action and thus generates Overwatch Score (which is doubled, as noted in the program’s description).

Smoke-and-Mirrors

Keep in mind that the noise from this program only affects actions performed with the deck it’s running on.
Actions performed by other sources that are targeting the deck don’t suffer from this noise, except for the Trace Icon action.

Commlink Dongles

Adding a dongle to a commlink is a complex action, as is removing it.

Attack and Stealth Dongles

Please note that the price for attack and stealth dongles is ((Rating x Rating) x 3000¥).
They are limited by the rating of the commlink they are attached to. For example a rating 6 attack dongle attached to a MetaLink (rating 1) could only work with a rating of 1, since the MetaLink just doesn’t have enough power to utilize all of the dongle’s capabilities.
Any marks acquired using an attack or stealth dongle are lost when that dongle is removed from the commlink.

Technomancers

Resonance Attribute

Essence Loss and Burning Out

see Character Creation section.

Living Personas

Living Personas and Noise

When in a situation in which the Noise Rating (excluding noise from distance) is higher than the living persona’s device rating (i.e. Resonance) it cannot use wireless functionality.
This means the technomancer can’t use any matrix or resonance actions through wireless connections. Matrix or resonance actions through direct connections are not affected.

Resonance Actions

Resonance Actions do not suffer penalties from noise, unless stated otherwise in the description of the specific action.

Direct Connections

Technomancers can establish direct connections to devices when using gear that has the capability to do so and has been paid for with essence (e.g. control rigs, datajacks).

Complex Forms

Misread Marks

Note that the affected IC will attack your marks, not the things that are marked.
This means the IC will be occupied attacking targets it can’t harm.

Pulse Storm

This complex form is Duration: Sustained.

Echos

Mind over Machine

This echo is equivalent to the MMRI echo. Which means that you don’t get a datajack and cable from either echo.

MMRI

This echo is equivalent to the Mind over Machine echo. Which means that you don’t get a datajack and cable from either echo.

Quiet

The area of effect for this echo is centered on the character’s physical body.
Since a technomancer’s body is effectively the “device” their living persona runs on, they are always affected by this echo when it is active, even if they are remotely hacking in VR.

Resonance Scream

The area of effect for this echo is centered on the character’s physical body.
Since a technomancer’s body is effectively the “device” their living persona runs on, they are always affected by this echo when it is active, even if they are remotely hacking in VR.

Sprites

Condition Monitors, Overwatch Score, Marks

Sprites have their own condition monitors, overwatch scores and marks, separate from their owner.
- This means sprites can’t use marks that their owner has, but have to place their own marks instead. The same goes for the owner using a sprite’s marks.

Entering Hosts

Sprites can follow their owner into a host without having a mark on the host themselves by tunneling in through resonance channels.
This requires the owner to order the sprite to do so and spend one of its tasks.
It takes the sprite a complex action to enter the host in this way.
Keep in mind that being in a host without a mark is very dangerous in the case of detection.

Submersion

The Karma cost to submerge is (10 + (New Grade x 3)). This cost cannot be reduced by ordeals, solo submersion runs or similar.
The test to submerge is an extended Software+Intuition [Resonance] (New Submersion Grade, 7 days) test. The new submersion grade is gained once the total time for the test has passed. This time can be interrupted (e.g. by runs), and during this time the character may concurrently increase skills, attributes, or perform similar advancements that require time.
Alternatively, the character can bypass this test by going on a solo submersion run. In this case the character gains the new initiate grade upon successful completion of the run. The character then has to wait 7 days to initiate again. Mechanics aside, solo initiation runs are also a great way to do some character development.

Rigging

Attributes when in VR

When using VR to control your drones, all related skills are tied to mental attributes instead of physical attributes. Specifically, Agility is replaced by Logic, and Reaction is replaced by Intuition.
- This means that for example Gunnery is linked to Logic instead of Agility, and Piloting to Intuition instead of Reaction when using VR.
- This is not how most people use these rules, so be careful when reading about rigger advice in other places!

Rigger Command Console

Upgrading RCCs

See Gear section.

Cyberprograms on RCCs

RCCs can run all cyberprograms (but not agents). Also, keep in mind that RCCs do not have attack and sleaze ratings, and therefore cannot effectively utilize a lot of hacking programs.
Cyberprograms running on an RCC use up the same slots as autosofts, and therefore also count against the sharing rating.

Drones

Cyberprograms on Drones

Drones can run all cyberprograms (but not agents). Also, keep in mind that drones do not have attack and sleaze ratings, and therefore cannot effectively utilize a lot of hacking programs.
Cyberprograms running on a drone use up the same slots as autosofts. This means the maximum number of autosofts and cyberprograms combined running on a drone is equal to its device rating.

Drone Sizes

The size ranges for drones listed below can be used as a general guideline to judge a drone's size. They are not binding, for example if a drone's description offers a differing size, that description takes precedence over the size ranges below.
Generally, the GM should decide whether a drone is large or small enough to have a singinificant effect in a specific situation.
- Microdrones (Body 0):
  - Insect sized, less than 10 cm length.
- Minidrones (Body 1):
  - Size of a large insect or small rodent, can fit in the palm of a hand or pocket, length between 10 to 25 cm.
- Small Drones (Body 1-3):
  - Can vary in size from a small to a large dog, smaller examples can be hidden on a person's body, length between 25 to 100 cm.
- Medium Drones (Body 2-5)
  - Can vary in size from a large dog to a motorcycle, generally can't be hidden on a person's body or carried by a regular human, and occupies the equivalent of one seat in a vehicle.
- Large Drones (Body 2-10)
  - Can vary in size from a motorcycle to small car, generally can't be carried by a regular metahuman, and occupies the equivalent of one or more seats in a vehicle.

Magic

Magic Attribute

Essence Loss and Burning Out

see Character Creation section.

Blood / Insect / Toxic / etc. Magic

The above mentioned types of magic, as well as any spells, powers, spirits, metamagics, mentor spirits, etc. tied to them ("Dark Magic" chapter, p.78 Street Grimoire) are considered to be NPC only and not allowed for player use on Runnerhub for thematic reasons.

Spells

Mind-Link, Mindnet, Mindnet Extended

These spells can only be used on metahumans and metasapients.
They can be used to share communication (verbal, text, sensory, emotive, astral).
While it is possible to share sensory information with someone who doesn’t have that sense themselves (e.g. sight with a blind person), they won’t be able to properly comprehend the information. Therefore it has no mechanical effect.

Touch Range Combat Spells

Attacks using combat spells with a range of Touch are resolved with a standard Spellcasting+Magic [Force] test, opposed either by the target's Reaction+Intuition for indirect spells, or body (physical spells) / willpower (mana spells) for direct spells.
An additional unarmed attack to touch the target is not necessary.
The defender’s roll is treated like a defense against a melee attack. This means that melee specific interrupt actions and similar can be used.
Since the spellcasting test represents a touch attack the attack is still successful when attacker and defender tie on their rolls. However, the attacker does not gain the usual +2 bonus for performing a touch only attack.

Spirits

General

Spirits share a specific link with their summoner and will only accept requests for services from them and nobody else.
- A summoner however may command his spirit to aid another person in some form (this uses up services as usual).
- In this case the spirit will generally follow the original instructions of its summoner, which doesn't necessarily mean that it will obey specific commands by the person it was tasked to aid (up to GM discretion).
Keep in mind that it takes a Simple Action to give a command to a spirit or group of spirits.

Elemental Attack and Energy Aura Damage Type

For spirits with the Elemental Attack or Energy Aura powers, the summoner can choose which elemental damage effect these powers have at the time of summoning.
If the spirit has both the Elemental Attack and Energy Aura powers, the chosen elemental damage effect needs to be the same for both powers.
While it is possible to summon a spirit with an Elemental Attack or Energy Aura that's opposed to its own element (e.g. a spirit of water with a fire elemental attack), this can result in a very unhappy spirit. It is left to the individual GM to determine if and how this expresses itself.

Possession Spirits

It is left to GM discretion whether Possession Tradition characters remain in control of their character or not when possessed by a spirit.

Ally Spirits

Inhabitation Spirits
- For ally spirits of the inhabitation type the essence of the spirit and vessel are considered to be seperate.
  - This means that the spirit's essence and magical abilities are not diminished by any cyberware the vessel has.
  - However, the vessel still follows the regular rules for metahuman essence (most importantly, it can't go below 0).

Spirit & Critter Powers

Immunity

This power works exactly as Hardened Armor against the specified type of damage. Therefore, add the bolded parts to the below excerpt from the description of the Immunity power:
- "This means that if the modified Damage Value of the attack does not exceed the Immunity’s rating (modified by AP), then the attack automatically does no damage. If the modified DV exceeds the Immunity rating (modified by AP), perform a Damage Resistance test as normal, adding the Immunity rating (modified by AP) to the dice pool for this test. Additionally, half (rounded up) of the Immunity rating (modified by AP) counts as automatic hits on this test."

Adept Powers

Elemental Strike

Elemental Strike adds the chosen elemental effect (cold, electricity, fire, etc.) to your Unarmed Attack. It does not increase the Damage Value of the attack.

Elemental Weapon

Elemental Weapon adds the chosen elemental effect (cold, electricity, fire, etc.) to attacks with your weapon focus. It does not increase the Damage Value of the attack.

Cool Resolve

The maximum ranks of Cool Resolve you can take is (2 + Initiate Grade). This means that only 2 ranks of Cool Resolve are allowed at character creation.

Magic Sense

To use this power the adept must first make a Perception + Magic [Mental] test.
The threshold for this test is half the force of whatever the adept is trying to detect, rounded up (e.g. a force 6 spirit would have a threshold of 3 for detection).
The adept can use this power to detect the presence of foci (active and inactive), spells, wards, magical lodges, alchemical preparations, active rituals and spirits within range, but not awakened characters, critters, astral signatures, already expired or triggered alchemical preparations, or the effects of permanent spells once they have become permanent.

Kinesics

Kinesics grants +1 dice per level to a character's own opposed rolls when they are the target of a social or judge intentions roll (see also the Social Skill Test table on p.141, SR5 and errata for the opposed rolls to each social test), but not assensing.
The GM may decide that Kinesics affects other attempts to judge the character's truthfulness (e.g. using the Analyze Truth spell), and how it affects them.

Foci

Upgrading Foci

Foci can be upgraded to a higher force. To do so you have to succeed on a regular availability roll for the focus at the new force, then pay the price difference between the focus' old and new force, as well as the Karma difference between bonding the focus at the old and new force.
The time to re-bind the upgraded focus to the character is the force of the upgraded focus in hours.
The delivery time for the upgraded focus is based on its total cost (i.e. the same as buying a completely new focus at the same force).

Weapon Foci

Implanted cyber melee weapons can be used as Weapon Foci.

Power Foci

Power Foci add their rating as a dice pool bonus to all tests that include the magic attribute.
They do not increase the magic rating for other purposes, such as maximum spell force, determining drain type (stun or physical), etc.

Background Counts

RunnerHub uses the rules for Background Counts as described in the official material. Consider the following just a clarification of when the penalties from a Background Count apply.
Background Counts impose a negative penalty equal to their rating for all test linked in any way to magic. For clarity this can be broken down into the following cases:

a) Any test that includes the magic attribute in the dice pool calculation.
b) Any test that includes an attribute or skill that is modified by magical means in the dice pool calculation.
c) Any test that utilizes a magical power, ability, effect, or item.
d) Any test for the usage of a magical power, ability, effect, or item.

The penalty from a Background Count is only applied once per test (e.g. for a test with both an attribute and skill boosted through magic the Background Count penalty is still only applied once).

Damage Resistance tests (e.g. resisting damage from a ranged attack, drain, toxin resistance, etc.) are not affected by Background Count penalties.
In the specific case of magically augmented initiative (e.g. through the 'Increase Reflexes' spell or 'Improved Reflexes' adept power) the character doesn't suffer a penalty to their initiative dice, but a reduction of their total initiative score equal to the Background Count's rating.

Initiation

The Karma cost to initiate is (10 + (New Grade x 3)). This cost cannot be reduced by ordeals, solo initiation runs or similar.
The test to initiate is an extended Arcana+Intuition [Astral] (New Initiate Grade, 30 days) test. The new initiate grade is gained once the total time for the test has passed. This time can be interrupted (e.g. by runs), and during this time the character may concurrently increase skills, attributes, or perform similar advancements that require time.
Alternatively, the character can bypass this test by going on a solo initiation run. In this case the character gains the new initiate grade upon successful completion of the run. The character then has to wait 30 days to initiate again. Mechanics aside, solo initiation runs are also a great way to do some character development.

Schools of Magic

Magicians and mystic adepts can initiate into a school of magic, allowing them to obtain its special rituals, metamagics and echantments.
To initiate into a school the character has to dedicate an initiation to it.
- For most schools, this means picking the prerequisite metamagic for that school as the metamagic for that initiation. Characters can then gain further metamagics within that school on subsequent initiations.
- Arts such as Geomancy, Necromancy, Divination and Invocation don't have any metamagics. In these cases the character initiates into the school by picking any of the rituals or enchantments listed for that school instead. This ritual or enchantment is paid for with the regular initiation cost. Subsequent rituals or enchantments from that school are purchased at the regular cost.
- Arts such as Advanced Alchemy, Advanced Ritual Spellcasting and Advanced Spellcasting list several metamagics with no prerequisite metamagic. In these cases the character initiates into the school by choosing any of the metamagics within that school for their initiation.

Adept Ways

Characters have to follow an Adept way to purchase metamagics, rituals and enhancements from that way.
However, adepts can always choose metamagics, rituals and enhancements from the Undecided Way, even if they are already following another way.

Metamagics

Astral Bluff

Astral Bluff is treated as a metamagic, and as such can be acquired through initiating as usual.

Astral Combat

Against wholly astral entities (e.g. non-materialized spirits or projecting magicians), you attack with the astral combat skill and your mental attributes as per the "Astral Combat" rules on p. 315, core rulebook (regardless if you are unarmed or using a weapon focus).
The only exceptions are characters that have the "natural weapon" (melee) critter power and are dual-natured, or adepts with the killings hands adept power. In both of those cases, you use the unarmed combat skill and your physical attributes for all rolls and damage calculations.
Be aware that in astral combat, you soak damage with willpower instead of body. The only forms of armor that apply in astral combat are the mystic armor adept power and the astral armor spell.

Augmentation

General

Augmentations that are obviously outside of the metahuman norm (e.g. cybertails, extreme bodymods, etc.) may impose social penalties in certain situations (GM discretion).

Augmentation Grades

The optional Gamma and Omega augmentation grades introduced in Chrome Flesh are currently not used for Player Characters.

Upgrading Cyber-/Bioware

It is possible to upgrade installed cyber-/bioware to a higher rating (if it has a rating). To do so you have to succeed on a regular availability roll for the ‘ware at the new rating, then pay the price difference between the old and new rating.
The delivery time for an upgraded piece of 'ware is based on its total cost (i.e. the same as a completely new piece of 'ware at the same rating).
Changing the grade (used, alpha, beta, etc.) of a piece of ‘ware requires a full replacement of the piece.

Cyberware

Implanted Commlinks / Cyberdecks

Cyberware grade only affects the cost for implanting a cyberdeck or commlink, but not the cost of the cyberdeck or commlink being implanted itself.

Active Hardwires

This cyberware is available in a rating from 1 to 6.

Internal Router

The internal router can only provide wireless functionality for a character’s cyberware and devices with a direct physical connection (e.g. a smartgun system connected via datajack cable).
The functionality provided by the internal router includes all wireless functionality and wireless bonuses, unless the description or functionality of the device make it immediately obvious that a matrix connection is necessary for it to work (e.g. wireless skillsoft downloads, hacking with a cyberdeck, sending messages from a commlink, etc.).

Retractable Climbing Claws

The bonuses provided by a pair of climbing claws is a +1 dice pool bonuses for all climbing tests instead of a “climbing skill bonus” as mentioned in the description.

One-Shot Dartgun

This cyber-implant weapon is missing stats for essence / capacity cost, availability and price.
Until the release of an official errata use the following stats:

One-Shot Dartgun	Essence	Capacity	Availability	Cost
One-Shot Dartgun	0.2	[2]	8R	2000¥

Cyberlimbs

General

Keep in mind that the augmented attribute maximum also applies to cyberlimbs. Therefore the maximum bonus (e.g. through enhancements and the Redliner bonus) to a cyberlimb’s (customized) attributes cannot exceed +4, unless explicitly mentioned otherwise.

Cyberlimb attributes do not affect the physical limit.
Keep in mind the official rules for tasks that involve more than one limb. Which tasks involve what limbs is up to GM discretion, since there are far too many possible cases to provide a complete list.

Armor Cyberlimb Enhancement

Cyber hands / feet cannot receive the Armor Enhancement.
Cyber lower arms / legs can receive the Armor Enhancement at a maximum rating of 1.
All other forms of cyberlimbs have no restrictions on the use of the Armor Enhancement.

Liminal Body

This cyberlimb augmentation is not allowed for player use on RunnerHub.

Bioware

Striking Callus

The damage bonus only applies to unarmed attacks using the callus, but not other attacks using unarmed combat (e.g. shock gloves, cyber-implants, etc.), and stacks with the bonus damage from bone lacing cyberware or bone density augmentation bioware.
A character cannot have more calluses than they have limbs.

Symbiotes

Allergy Resistance

It doesn’t cost additional Karma to remove the allergy once the 30 day period has passed.
However, if the symbiotes are removed at a later time, the character immediately regains the allergy quality removed through them.

Nanowear

Implant Medic

The repairs done by the nanites work as referenced and described on p.228 SR5. Please note however that this is an exception to RunnerHub’s house rules on repairing matrix damage.

Nanogear Table

The column headers for the Nanogear table, p.154 Chrome Flesh, are incorrect. They should read “Nanogear | Type | Availability | Cost”.

Genetech

Treatment Times

Due to the fact that downtime activities on RunnerHub are based on real time, the treatment times for genetech are reduced as follows:
- For genetech with a listed treatment time of less than 1 month, reduce the time to 1 week.
- For genetech with a listed treatment time of 1 month or more, reduce the time to 2 weeks.
Multiple genetech treatments can be performed simultaneously.
During the treatment characters cannot go on runs or perform any other downtime activities, however characters are free to still interact with other characters (e.g. in JackPoint posts, IC chat, etc.) from the safety of their vat.

Cellular Repair

If used to reduce the Blighted quality it doesn’t cost additional Karma to do so, and one treatment is enough to remove the quality entirely, no matter which level the quality is at.

Gear and Items

Device Modifications

The rules for modifying devices (“Odd Mods” chapter, p.65 following, Data Trails) are not allowed for use on RunnerHub.

Repairing Damaged Gear and Items

Damaged gear (devices, weapons, armor, drones, vehicles, etc.) can be repaired by a qualified professional or the character themselves.
The cost for a repair is generally either a percentage of the item’s base value (excluding modifications), or a flat fee, whichever is lower.
Repairs done by a professional:
- If the repairs are done by a professional, the character only has to pay a fee to have the repairs done.
- The professional doesn’t have to make a test for the repair, the item is simply repaired once the necessary time has passed and the repair cost has been paid.
- It’s not required to have such a professional as a contact for this.
- The GM can decide to adjust the length of the repair if it happens during a run.
Repairs done by the character:
- To do their own repairs a character will need to have the appropriate technical skill (e.g. armorer to repair armor and weapons, automotive mechanic to repair ground vehicles, etc.) and a suitable toolkit, workshop, or facility.
- Doing the repairs yourself is cheaper than having somebody else do it, therefore a character doing their own repairs only needs to pay half of what it would cost to have a professional do it.
- Making the repairs is an extended test of the relevant technical skill + the relevant attribute (generally logic). In unclear cases the GM makes the final decision which skill and attribute are used.
- The character may receive modifiers for this test, for example from the Build/Repair Table (p.146, SR5), if the GM deems it appropriate.
  
  Build / Repair Table (p.146, SR5)
- The threshold for the test is based on the type of repair being made, see the table below.
  - For physical and matrix damage repairs each hit on the extended test repairs one box of damage.
  - For armor damage repairs each hit on the extended test restores one point of lost armor.
  - When repairing damage to a weapon, the character needs to reach the threshold specified in the table below for the repair to be successful.
- The interval for test is also based on the type of repair being made, see the table below, although it can be longer or shorter if the GM deems it appropriate.
  - For physical, matrix, and armor damage repairs the interval length scales with the amount of damage the item has taken.
  - For weapon damage repairs a fixed interval is used.
- If the character fails to repair all damage, they cannot attempt the test again. The character has simply reached the limits of their skill, and the remaining damage will have to be repaired by a professional.

Type of Repair		Physical Damage (e.g. drones, vehicles)	Matrix Damage (e.g. cyberdecks)	Armor Damage (e.g. acid damage)	Damage to Weapons
Type of Repair		Physical Damage (e.g. drones, vehicles)	Matrix Damage (e.g. cyberdecks)	Armor Damage (e.g. acid damage)	Accuracy	AP	Reach
Repairs done by Player Character	Cost	2% / 500¥ per box of damage repaired	1% / 250¥ per box of damage repaired	2.5% / 125¥ per point of armor restored	7.5% / 75¥ per point of accuracy restored	12.5% / 125¥ per point of AP restored	25% / 250¥ per point of reach restored
	Extended Test Theshold	one box of damage repaired per hit		one point of lost armor restored per hit	10	12	14
	Extended Test Interval	[boxes of damage at start of repair] x [30 minutes]		[points of lost armor at start of repair] x [1 hour]	30 minutes	1 hour	2 hours
Repairs done by Professional	Cost	4% / 1000¥ per box of damage repaired	2% / 500¥ per box of damage repaired	5% / 250¥ per point of armor restored	15% / 150¥ per point of accuracy restored	25% / 250¥ per point of AP restored	50% / 500¥ per point of reach restored
Repairs done by Professional	Length of Repair (rounded up)	([boxes of damage at start of repair] / 3) x [1 day]		(points of lost armor at start of repair] / 3) x [1 day]	2 days

Ranged Weapons

One / Two Handed Weapons

The following applies unless otherwise stated in the weapon description.
All pistols (tasers, holdouts, heavy pistols, machine pistols) are one handed weapons.
SMGs, assault rifles, long arms and heavy weapons are two handed weapons.
Using a two handed weapon with one hand incurs a -2 penalty (-1 for trolls).

Gas Vent / Silencer Compatibility

Gas vent and silencers cannot be combined as aftermarket modifications, since they both use the barrel modification slot.
However, if a weapon has either an integral gas vent or silencer, it is possible to install the other as a modification in the barrel slot.

Ultimax Rainforest Carbine

The stats for this gun read as follows:

ACC	DAM	AP	MODE	RC	AMMO	AVAIL	COST
5	11P	-2	SA/ BF	(1)	18 (C)	8R	2600 ¥

Armor

Chameleon Suit

RPC can be applied to chameleon suits as a modification. The RPC bonus is gained in addition to the native bonus of the chameleon suit.

Snake Mesh Socks

Snake Mesh Socks do not provide a permanent armor bonus, only +2 armor against attacks that specifically target the feet or lower legs.
Because of this they also do not count towards encumbrance.

Hardened Mil-Spec Battle Armor

Hardened mil-spec battle armor (p.66, Run & Gun) is not used on Runnerhub. This includes usage by PCs as well as NPCs.

Upgrading Cyberdecks / RCCs / TacNets

It is possible to upgrade a cyberdeck to the equivalent of a better (more expensive) model.
- To do so you have to succeed on a regular availability roll for the deck you are upgrading to, then pay the price difference between the old and new deck.
It’s also possible to downgrade to a cheaper deck.
- In that case you still have to succeed on a regular availability roll for the new deck.
- It’s assumed that what you get from selling the parts of your old deck is just enough to buy the parts for your new deck.
- Which means you don’t have to pay anything to downgrade, but you also don’t get anything back.

The delivery time for an up-/downgraded cyberdeck is based on its total cost (i.e. the same as a completely new cyberdeck of the same type).

The above mentioned rules also applies to RCCs and TacNets.

Disguising Gear

Gear can be disguised as something similar for 25% of the base cost. This incurs a -2 penalty against tests to see through the disguise and identify the actual item. If the item is examined for an extended amount of time (more than 10 seconds), this advantage is lost.

Drugs and Addictive Substances

Grades of Drugs

The different grades of drugs introduced on p.190, Chrome Flesh, are currently not used.

Customized Drugs

The rules for customized drugs introduced on p.190, Chrome Flesh, are currently not used.

Betel

Betel is not allowed for use on RunnerHub.

Soothsayer

Soothsayer is not allowed for use by Player Characters on RunnerHub.

Drug and Addictive Substance Usage

Modified Addiction Tests

A modified addiction test is either:
- For physiological addictions: (body + willpower + (11 - addiction rating)) vs. addiction threshold.
- For psychological addictions: (logic + willpower + (11 - addiction rating)) vs. addiction threshold.
Characters can use edge on modified addiction tests.
For drugs that are physiologically and psychologically addictive, roll the average of the dice pools for physiological and psychological drugs.

Using Addictive Substances

Every time a character takes an addictive substance, they have to immediately make a modified addiction test.
On a failed roll the addiction worsens by one level (mild to moderate, moderate to severe, severe to burnout), or the character gains the addiction quality at the mild level if not yet addicted. Afterwards the character doesn’t have to make any more modified addiction tests when taking additional doses of the same drug in that session.
Once a character reaches the severe addiction stage, they have a one real-life week grace period where the addiction can’t worsen to the burnout stage.
When a character takes a dose of a drug while already under the effects of that same drug, or a drug with shared effects (e.g. both drugs increasing the same attribute), they take stun damage with a DV equal to the sum of the overlapping drugs’ addiction ratings, resisted with (body + willpower).

Addiction Quality

Characters with the addiction quality must make a modified addiction test at the start of each session for every addiction they have.
If they succeed, everything is fine.
If they fail the test, they either have to take a dose of the drug or suffer the withdrawal penalties as outlined in the description of the addiction quality.
If the addiction is to a drug that is both physiological and psychological, the character also takes withdrawal penalties to both mental and physical attribute based tests.
Remember that if you take a dose, you have to do another modified addiction test to see if the addiction gets worse (see ‘Using Addictive Substances’).
The dose can be taken at any point during the session.
Once the dose has been taken and takes effect, the withdrawal penalties no longer apply.

Getting Rid of An Addiction

If a character wants to get rid of an addiction, they have to stay clean and suffer through a withdrawal period. This means they must not use the drug they are addicted to in any form for a number of real-life weeks equal to the drug’s addiction rating.
During that time characters have to make the modified addiction test at the start of every session, as previously described.
- If the character fails this test, they either have to use the drug, thus ending the attempted withdrawal, or suffer the withdrawal penalties (see ‘Addiction Quality’).
Once the character has made it to the end of the withdrawal period, they make a withdrawal test.
- A withdrawal test is the same as a modified addiction test, except for the fact that edge can’t be spent on it.
- If the character succeeds on their withdrawal tests, they can buy off one level of the quality (from burnout to severe, severe to moderate, moderate to mild, mild to no addiction), spending the appropriate Karma amount as usual.
- If they fail on the withdrawal test the quality remains. In this case the character can immediately start another withdrawal attempt.
- If a character has Dr. Phillis Gued as a contact, they may spend edge on the withdrawal test.

Examples

Addiction in Play

Sally Street Sam just can’t keep her hands off Jazz. She already has a moderate addiction to it.
At the start of the session she has to make a modified addiction test.
- Her body attribute is 5, her willpower 4, and logic 3.
- Jazz is both physiologically and psychologically addicting, therefore Sally needs to use the average of the two dice pools.
- Sally’s pool for physiological resistance is (Body + Willpower + (11 - Addiction Rating) = (5 + 4 + (11 - 8)) = 12 dice.
- Her psychological pool is (Logic + Willpower + (11 - Addiction Rating)) = (3 + 4 + (11 - 8)) = 10 dice.
- The average of both is ((12 + 10) / 2) = 11 dice.
Sally rolls her 11 dice against Jazz’s addiction threshold of 3, and only gets two hits. She starts to feel the craving for Jazz flare up, and either has to take some or suffer through withdrawal.
She chooses to just suffer through it for now. Since Jazz is a mentally and physically addictive, she takes a -2 penalty to all tests tied to mental and physical attributes.
During the course of the run she gets into a fight and decides that this is a really good time to take a dose of Jazz. As soon as the drug takes effect, the penalties stop, and she has to make another modified addiction test.
Sally again rolls her 11 dice against Jazz’s addiction threshold of 3, and only gets one hit. Since she doesn’t want her addiction to get even worse, she decides to use a point of edge to reroll, and gets another two hits, barely meeting the threshold.

Withdrawal

After a while Sally realizes she’s got a problem, and decides to try and come clean.
Since she’s addicted to Jazz, which has an addiction rating of 8, she needs to go through a withdrawal period of 8 real-life weeks.
Sally is serious about getting clean, so popping a dose of Jazz when she fails her modified addiction tests at the start of a session is not an option.
So every time she doesn’t make the addiction threshold of 3 with her modified addiction test dice pool of 11, she has to take the -4 penalties to all tests tied to physical and mental attributes from her moderate addiction for that session.
Eventually she makes it to the end of the withdrawal period.
Sally once more rolls her dice pool of 11 against the threshold of 3 for the withdrawal test, to see if the withdrawal was successful. But the dice aren’t going well for her, and she only gets two hits - the withdrawal was unsuccessful, and Sally would have to go through the process again.
Luckily, Sally has been getting help from Dr. Gued, so she’s allowed to use edge on the withdrawal test. She rerolls, and gets another two hits, for a total of four - enough to beat the threshold!
Sally can now spend 10 Karma (Karma value of moderate addiction * 2 - Karma value of mild addiction * 2) = (18 - 8) = 10) to reduce her addiction quality from moderate to mild.
If Sally wants to get clean entirely, she has to successfully go through another withdrawal period, then she can buy off the quality entirely.