Shadowrun: House Rules

This is a list of all additions or revisions to the Shadowrun 4th Edition rules used in the Shadowrun campaign. This list was compiled by Jonathan Freund - other GMs in that campaign are very strongly encouraged, but not required, to use these rules to maintain consistency. If anyone feels that a ruling should be changed, please bring it up with me outside of session and we can debate it. My reasons for implementing these rules range from "necessary game balance" to "it seemed like a reasonable idea", so I'm open to criticism.

Time Spent To Improve Skills
There were a couple of problems with the standard time-to-learn model. First, it seemed to take too long - weeks to get better at firearms might seem reasonable on paper, but in practice, since you can only improve one skill at a time, you were stuck practicing the same thing for many runs before you could improve. Second, a single bad learning test set you back too far, while a good one made things too easy. Therefore, we use the following alternate rules:
 * Instruction: Instruction checks now provide one bonus die to the learning test per net hit. A session with an instructor costs $10 per point of rating in the skill being trained per day. (Example: An instructor with Automatics 5 would cost $50/day.)
 * Improving An Active Skill: Improving a single skill's rating now requires an Extended Test of [skill] + Intuition (new rating * 5, 2 days).
 * Improving A Skill Group: Improving a skill group's rating now requires an Extended Test of [group] + Intuition (new rating * 5, 1 week).
 * Improving A Knowledge Skill: This takes the same time as improving an Active Skill.

Logic Boosts and You
All implants, spells, drugs, and other mechanics which increase or decrease the Logic attribute also provide an equal (non-stacking) increase or decrease to the dice pool of Logic-linked skills. Thus, the drug Psyche (which grants +1 Logic) would give a +1 dice pool bonus to Logic-linked skills for its duration, while a Decrease Logic spell with 3 net hits would cause a -3 dice pool penalty to Logic-linked skills.

Pulling Your Punches
If you normally deal Physical damage with melee attacks of any variety, you may take a -3 dice pool penalty to deal Stun damage instead.

Mystic Adepts and Astral Perception
All mystic adepts are capable of astral perception without purchasing the Astral Perception adept power.

Detecting Mental Manipulation Spells
The target of a mental Manipulation spell knows that such a spell has been cast upon it if the caster rolls two or more hits below the target on the Opposed Test.

Computers and Hacking
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Getting in Contact with Contacts
Roll one die as normal against the contact's Connection to determine if the contact is available immediately (if you roll below their Connection, they are away or busy at the time of the call). If they are unavailable, however, they will get back to the character eventually. They immediately begin an Extended Loyalty Test (Connection, 1 hour). When they succeed, they return the character's call (or find out about the visit and call, or whatever is appropriate).

Cyberware

 * The Penile Implant augmentation now has Capacity 2. (This was done to permit cyberpenises to include holdout pistols. Purely for the lulz.)

Weapons

 * Heavy weapons receive Recoil Compensation equal to one-half the user's Strength (rounded up).

Programs

 * Common programs are available up to Rating 9 on the market, with Availability (Rating - 6 * 4). They cost Rating * 300 nuyen. They are usually paired with the Optimization option (Unwired, p. 115) so that they can be run on a standard system, and frequently have Copy Protection and Registration as well. Keep in mind that the Optimization option increases the Availability of a program.