House Rules

This page includes all of our server’s house rules. They are listed as either rule changes or rule clarifications. Rule changes are just that - a deviation from Rules As Written to better serve the living community. Rule clarifications do not go against the rule as written but give a specific interpretation to be used within the living community.

Character Applications

 * Below are the guidelines to get a character approved in Neon Jungle LC:
 * You must be running Chummer 5.203.0, thru 5.212.0 (this can and will be updated as newer stable versions are released)
 * New characters should use the newest stable release (currently 5.212.0), but older characters do not need to be migrated (Chummer has a way of breaking characters in that process).
 * Version 5.209.0 may demonstrate unusual behavior - change if you notice issues
 * Your chummer file must be submitted in Create mode
 * Please mention @Review Team when you post your chummer file to the #applications channel
 * You may build using Priorities, Sum to 10, or Point Buy (800 karma)
 * You may only have one active application at a time
 * You must wait a minimum of 3 days to submit a new character after getting one approved (this does not apply when making suggested updates from a review)
 * Players may have up to 3 characters active at one time. Introducing a fourth character requires retiring one of their three active characters. A retired character may be brought back if it makes narrative sense, but they must be built again from scratch.
 * Chummer House Rules and Optional Rules should use the ones enabled below only.

Additional information can be found in the Character Creation Guidelines.  Rules Changes  The following rules are specific house rules applied to all games in the shared world. These override the rules as written in any of the official rule books.

Berserk Effects
When any effect causes an adept with the Berserk or Berserker's Rage adept powers to go into a rage, those powers are automatically activated (this does modify the duration of the rage to match the active power).

Consummate Professional [Quality]
Consummate Professionals receive only a +1 bonus to Social tests against employers. The negative effect of the quality is changed to instead prevent these characters from leveraging Rumors about themselves.

Dedicated Conjurers and Innate Spell
Spirits summoned by a mage with the quality Dedicated Conjurer no longer have access to the Innate Spell power, regardless of if that spirit is part of their base tradition or one of their additional selected types. These spirit types may still be summoned, but will not have access to the power Innate Spell.

Frostbite [Quality]
This quality may not be taken for any skills in the Tasking skill group. Specifically, it may not be taken for Compiling, Decompiling, or Registering.

Friends in High Places [Quality]
A third restriction is added to Friends in High Places: The sum of Connection and Loyalty for each contact purchased with the Friends in High Places bonus karma may not exceed 12. This quality does not allow players to begin play with deltaware qualified contacts.

Groveler [Quality]
Groveler is now restricted to using a maximum of (Resonance + Submersion Grade) sets of data chips for a single instance of Fade.

Lift and Carry
The Lift & Carry formula is changed to Strength squared multiplied by the Lift factor in kilograms (5 for overhead, 10 for carry, 15 for heavy lifting, and 20 for dragging). Hits on a Body + Strength test increases your effective Strength for the action.

Adrenaline Boost [Adept Power]
This power can be used only once per Combat Turn.

Bull’s Eye Burst / Double Tap
The final AP of such an attack is set to Weapon AP * (Bullets, up to 3) + 4 for APDS.

Charging Bonus
A charging character gets a +4 bonus to their attack, and still takes the -2 penalty for running.

Firing Mounted Weapons
When utilizing a mounted weapon, you can use either the appropriate weapon skill or the gunnery skill. AGI or LOG (depending on whether it's manually or remotely operated) applies as normal.

Teamwork Tests
Teamwork Tests can be used on any test that is not an astral/physical attack, a defense, or a resistance. If a teamwork test would result in the leader getting a mark, each assistant also gets that mark.

Teamwork Tests
Teamwork Tests can be used on any test that is not an astral/physical attack, a defense, or a resistance. If a teamwork test would result in the leader getting a mark, each assistant also gets that mark.

Mercury-Alpha Signal Booster
This accessory can be in Passive or Active mode. Passive mode gives 3 Noise Reduction, and shifts all Noise due to Distance modifiers up one level. Active mode gives a +2 bonus to Electronic Warfare tests. Switching between modes is a Simple Action. The Signal Booster requires its micro-dish transmitter to be set up and attached to derive any benefit from it.

Teamwork Tests
Teamwork Tests can be used on any test that is not an astral/physical attack, a defense, or a resistance. If a teamwork test would result in the leader getting a mark, each assistant also gets that mark.

Composure for Bluffing
In situations where you are passively lying, such as answering a yes or no question, or trying to deny something, you may choose to roll a Composure Check instead of a Con Check. GM discretion on where the line between a passive and active line occurs.

Consummate Professional [Quality]
Consummate Professionals receive only a +1 bonus to Social tests against employers. The negative effect of the quality is changed to instead prevent these characters from leveraging Rumors about themselves.

Teamwork Tests
Teamwork Tests can be used on any test that is not an astral/physical attack, a defense, or a resistance. If a teamwork test would result in the leader getting a mark, each assistant also gets that mark.

Dedicated Conjurers and Innate Spell
Spirits summoned by a mage with the quality Dedicated Conjurer no longer have access to the Innate Spell power, regardless of if that spirit is part of their base tradition or one of their additional selected types. These spirit types may still be summoned, but will not have access to the power Innate Spell.

Spirit Manifestation, Possession, and Mana Barriers
Spirits may only enter the astral plane or possess a vessel within physical line of sight of the summoner (astral does not count). Possession spirits are able to possess a prepared vessel without the need for their summoner to have physical line of sight.

In addition to the line of sight limitation, spirits must always force their way into any barriers into which they have not been given explicit permission. If a spirit is summoned or would manifest inside a barrier, it would instead appear directly outside of the barrier.

Teamwork Tests
Teamwork Tests can be used on any test that is not an astral/physical attack, a defense, or a resistance. If a teamwork test would result in the leader getting a mark, each assistant also gets that mark.

Groveler [Quality]
Groveler is now restricted to using a maximum of (Resonance + Submersion Grade) sets of data chips for a single instance of Fade.

Mind Over Machine/MMRI [Echoes]
Mind over Machine and MMRI Echoes Per the Shadowrun Missions FAQ, Mind over Machine and MMRI echoes may not be combined; a technomancer may take one or the other.

Custom Drug Manufacture
Characters can also manufacture existing drugs using the test provided by the Custom Drugs section in Chrome Flesh. Use the drug’s statistics to determine the cost of materials and the threshold of the test. Weapons

Ammo Skip System
This modification is not required to be installed on revolvers to access its functionality. You can select your cylinder position on a revolver as a Simple Action, or as a Free Action using a DNI.

Concealability

 * The Blood Drinker Combat Axe’s concealability is now +2.
 * The Nodachi’s concealability is now +10
 * While collapsed, a Telescoping Staff has Concealability +2.

Explosives Availability
For explosives with a variable Rating but a static Availability, the Availability listed in the book is considered to be for Rating 8 explosive of that type. Any increase or decrease from that rating applies to the availability directly. For example, if you want a rating 14 Plastic Explosive you add 6 to its availability, putting it at 16F + 6 = 22F. If you want a rating 2 Binary it's 18F - 6 = 12F

Hand Load Availability
Hand Loads can be purchased for any round type. The finished rounds have an availability of the round type's availability +4. Materials to hand load the rounds yourself have an availability of the round type's availability -4.

Armor and Gear Modifications
All gear modifications can be purchased following our gear purchase rules. We do not require installation fees or tests, and you may purchase modifications after-market on any gear. Cyberlimb customization is an exception to this rule.

Chameleon Suit
This suit is compatible with Ruthenium Polymer Coating and will apply both the perception penalty of RPC and the Sneaking bonus at the same time if it is modded with RPC.

Avibras-Nissan Helicopter
The Acceleration of this Helicopter is 3, not 0.

Firing Mounted Weapons
When utilizing a mounted weapon, you can use either the appropriate weapon skill or the gunnery skill. AGI or LOG (depending on whether it's manually or remotely operated) applies as normal.

Rigger Attributes Rule (Mental Attribute Override)

 * Jumped-In Movement: INT + Pilot (X) [Handling]
 * Jumped-In Mobile Skills: INT + Skill [Handling]
 * Jumped-In Fine Manipulation Skills: LOG + Skill [Sensor]
 * Jumped-In Mounted-Weapon Attacks: LOG + Gunnery [Accuracy] OR LOG + Gunnery [Sensor]
 * Jumped-in Held-Weapon Attacks: LOG + Weapon Skill [Accuracy]
 * Jumped-In Defense/Initiative: INT + Data Processing
 * Remote Movement: INT + Pilot (X) [Handling]
 * Remote Mounted-Weapon Attacks: LOG + Gunnery [Accuracy] OR LOG + Gunnery [Sensor]
 * Remote Held-Weapon Attacks: LOG + Weapon Skill [Accuracy]
 * Remote Limits: If Data Processing is less than the relevant limit, use Data Processing
 * Remote Defense: INT + Data Processing
 * Drone Melee Damage: BOD OR Drone Arm STR
 * Drone Recoil Compensation: BOD (Mounted-weapon) OR STR/3 (Held-weapon)

Smuggling Compartments
Vehicular smuggling compartments can store weapons with a positive Concealability of less than half of the Body (round up) of the vehicle the compartment is in; breaking down a weapon divides its Concealability by 2 (round down). Cyberlimb smuggling compartments can store weapons with a positive Concealability of half of the capacity they require (round up).

Drone Modification
Drones may not have any modification that requires either a Seat (Valkyrie Module / Rigger Cocoon) or Mod Points greater than the drone’s current Body. The Fragile Quality in chummer is bugged - it should only add 1 Mod Point per Rating.

Drone Swarms
Swarms may only be formed by drones operating autonomously. A rigged in drone cannot be part of or benefit from a swarm. The swarm bonus is limited to the rating of the RCC. You must be able to draw LoS between drones in such a way that they form a single cohesive group in order for them to form a swarm. In addition, the swarm bonus will apply to all vehicle tests, not just actions. (e.g. defense tests) For example, if you have a group of three drones down one hall and three drones down another. In order to form all six into a swarm, at least one drone must be able to see both groups at the same time.

Rigger Attributes Rule (Mental Attribute Override)

 * Jumped-In Movement: INT + Pilot (X) [Handling]
 * Jumped-In Mobile Skills: INT + Skill [Handling]
 * Jumped-In Fine Manipulation Skills: LOG + Skill [Sensor]
 * Jumped-In Mounted-Weapon Attacks: LOG + Gunnery [Accuracy] OR LOG + Gunnery [Sensor]
 * Jumped-in Held-Weapon Attacks: LOG + Weapon Skill [Accuracy]
 * Jumped-In Defense/Initiative: INT + Data Processing
 * Remote Movement: INT + Pilot (X) [Handling]
 * Remote Mounted-Weapon Attacks: LOG + Gunnery [Accuracy] OR LOG + Gunnery [Sensor]
 * Remote Held-Weapon Attacks: LOG + Weapon Skill [Accuracy]
 * Remote Limits: If Data Processing is less than the relevant limit, use Data Processing
 * Remote Defense: INT + Data Processing
 * Drone Melee Damage: BOD OR Drone Arm STR
 * Drone Recoil Compensation: BOD (Mounted-weapon) OR STR/3 (Held-weapon)

Smuggling Compartments
Vehicular smuggling compartments can store weapons with a positive Concealability of less than half of the Body (round up) of the vehicle the compartment is in; breaking down a weapon divides its Concealability by 2 (round down). Cyberlimb smuggling compartments can store weapons with a positive Concealability of half of the capacity they require (round up).

Deltaware Access
To balance the lore of deltaware being very difficult to acquire and the mechanics of the availability roll, the availability modifier for Deltaware grade is increased to +16. A character must have access a cyberdoc contact with Connection 8 or above with a deltaware qualification awarded by the Plot Team. We do not allow characters to start play with a deltaware qualified contact.

Enhanced Augmented Reality Reflex System (EARRS)
All non-matrix skill actions apply the -10 dice pool modifier while the EARRS implant is active. The system allows a character to use Cold or Hot Matrix Initiative while in the AR interface mode (non-initiative effects of Cold and Hot Matrix interface modes do not apply to this mode).

Gene Therapies
Gene therapy treatments no longer require ‘vat time’ allowing characters to resume shadowrunning immediately.

Custom Drug Manufacture
Characters can also manufacture existing drugs using the test provided by the Custom Drugs section in Chrome Flesh. Use the drug’s statistics to determine the cost of materials and the threshold of the test.

Adrenaline Boost [Adept Power]
This power can be used only once per Combat Turn.

Berserk Effects
When any effect causes an adept with the Berserk or Berserker's Rage adept powers to go into a rage, those powers are automatically activated (this does modify the duration of the rage to match the active power).

Unarmed Combat Adept Powers
Unarmed combat attacks using items may still use your adept powers that affect unarmed attacks.

Control Actions / Mob Control [Spell]
These spells allow their caster to use their skills to take physical actions using the body of the subject. The caster is unable to use the subject’s DNI or magical actions. The subject is also unable to use DNI or magical actions; they can only make Resist Manipulation tests and pay initiative to use Full Defense. The subject can make Defense tests, but takes a penalty equal to the remaining net hits of the spell.

Dedicated Conjurers and Innate Spell
Spirits summoned by a mage with the quality Dedicated Conjurer no longer have access to the Innate Spell power, regardless of if that spirit is part of their base tradition or one of their additional selected types. These spirit types may still be summoned, but will not have access to the power Innate Spell.

Influence [Spell]
This spell now lasts Force minutes, rather than a minute per net hit. It also no longer applies a penalty equal to its Force to the subject’s resistance tests.

Vehicle Mask/Switch Signature [Spell]
These spells do not have an opposed test when casting them. Vehicle Mask applies any hits not matched by a resistance test from a sensor to the Signature modifier of any Sensor attacks made against the Vehicle. Switch Signature lasts up to ten minutes per hit on its casting test.

Ritual Formula Costs
All Ritual Formulas will have a cost of 1,500 nuyen and an availability of 6R.

Critter Powers
Powers that use a critter’s Magic in an opposed test can be resisted with Spell Defense dice like a spell. The Influence critter power’s opposed test is against the subject’s Logic + Willpower, not just Willpower.

Critter Terrain
Critters that have a power referencing ‘terrain’ like Movement now define that terrain as within 10 * Magic meters.

Disallowed Content

 * Rules
 * Odd Mods (Pg 65-66, Data Trails)
 * Custom Decks (Pg 60, Kill Code)
 * Casting Multiple Spells (P281, Core Rulebook)
 * Street Cred
 * Notoriety
 * Grids
 * Books
 * All German material
 * Shadowrun 2050
 * Equipment
 * Hardened Armor
 * Painade
 * X-Ray (Sensor Function)
 * Vision Magnification (as Sensor Function, the Sensor Enhancement is fine)
 * Gammaware
 * Metamagics
 * Quickening
 * Qualities
 * Amnesia
 * Bad Rep
 * Borrowed Time
 * Dead SIN
 * Poor Self Control (Sadistic)
 * Prank Warrior
 * Pregnant (May be taken with certain conditions see admin)
 * Revels in Murder
 * Stolen Gear
 * Astral Bouncer
 * Spells
 * Manablade (Powerblade is allowed)
 * Petrify
 * Turn to Goo
 * Fix
 * Control Thoughts
 * Mob Mind

Extended Test Resets
If you run out of dice to complete an extended test, you may refresh your dice pool by taking two intervals of time away from the test. This does apply to natural recovery rolls.

Initiation Cooldown
Initiate Grades one through three can use the standard extended test, but the interval on which you complete the test is considered to be instantly completed. When you succeed on the test, a 28 day cooldown applies before you can attempt your next Initiation. Initiate Grade four and above can only be completed using Initiatory Ordeals in a Side RP (except Asceticism, which is restriction applied to your next [new IG] runs). Optionally, the need for a Side RP can be supplanted with a Character Fiction submission about the initiate’s Ordeal; this submission receives no karma reward, and takes effect when the submission is approved (this cannot be used for Deeds or Metaplanar Quests).

Lift and Carry
The Lift & Carry formula is changed to Strength squared multiplied by the Lift factor in kilograms (5 for overhead, 10 for carry, 15 for heavy lifting, and 20 for dragging). Hits on a Body + Strength test increases your effective Strength for the action.

Opposed Roll for Selling Gear
Since the book gives no clear guidelines on how to determine how many dice should oppose your negotiation test when determining the sale price of gear, we have decided to use the highest availability of any items you group together to sell. So if you are selling four items at 12 and one at 20 together, you are opposed by 20 dice in your negotiation.

Player Economy
Players may not give away equipment to other players. Characters may not make Availability rolls for other characters. You are permitted to lend gear and consumables that you possess or acquire to other characters on runs with you, but at the end of the run any remaining items must be returned to you or be lost. In downtime, aid may only be extended to other characters for recovery purposes, not character progression.

Purchasing Gear
Any gear with Availability 6 or lower can be purchased without making the negotiation test. You still pay full price for the item - the only change is not rolling the negotiation test to find it. This applies even if the gear has an R or F code on its availability.

Staff Compensation
Server staff (all roles with responsibilities), as compensation for their work on the server, are given a 5000 nuyen discount on a month of one Lifestyle for each of their characters each month that they maintain their staff role. This discount is nonrefundable, but does apply after lifestyle cost modifiers.

Training Times
Training times are required only to learn Spells and Complex Forms. (Attributes / Skills / Martial Arts / etc do not require time dedicated)

Upgrading Gear
Mundane characters can upgrade much of their gear for just the difference in cost between the upgraded version and the current version. This benefit can only apply to gear with clear stages. For gear with mutable characteristics, this applies to any increase in Rating, Grade, or step in a linear progression. For gear with immutable characteristics, this applies to the purchase of a model with a higher Device Rating that is in the same line of products (Cyberdecks, RCCs, Commlinks). Availability rolls are still necessary, and delivery time subsequently. Implement this in chummer by selling the current item for 100% and using the proceeds to purchase the new item. When the above rule does not apply, the rating of cyberware and bioware can still be upgraded for the cost difference, but grade replacement applies a 50% reduction to the value of your previous ‘ware, and a 100% reduction to the value of your previous cultured bioware. Selling ‘ware that is not cultured bioware, geneware, or boosted reflexes can be done using the Fencing rules.

Contact Rules
In order to standardize what contacts can and cannot do to help a runner during a job, we have a short rework of the contact rules. You can find them in the Contacts Rules

Dice Pool Bonuses
All dice pool bonuses to skill tests are limited to the character’s ranks in the skill. Specializations and adept powers do not count against this limit. Teamwork bonuses are considered regular bonus dice by this rule. For example, if a face character has 1 rank in Pistols, the highest dice pool bonus they can receive is 1. If the pistol has a wirelessly active smartgun system (+2 dice pool bonus), the wireless bonus is limited to 1 because he only has 1 rank. This limitation is exactly the same as the dice pool bonus limit in place for teamwork tests.

Another example would be a street sam character who has 1 rank in Sneaking. If they are wearing a wirelessly active chameleon suit (+2 dice pool bonus), the wireless bonus is limited to 1 and they may not get any other bonuses to Sneaking from any other equipment.

Edge Refresh
Instead of recovering edge by RAW, at the beginning of each voice or text session, a character refreshes his entire edge pool. During a session, a GM can refresh any number of points of edge at their discretion. Outside of each session, a character can spend one edge per day on a downtime roll. If the character has Insomnia, that character must make their Intuition + Willpower roll at the beginning of the session; on a failure, only half (rounded down) of their edge pool is refreshed. These characters must also make their Intuition + Willpower roll prior to spending a point of edge on a downtime activity.

Flag Points
Certain character choices are assigned flag points - these could be qualities, traditions, dice pools, etc. Characters submitted for application may accrue up to 10 flag points and still be legal for Neon Jungle play. Using these points is not mandatory as they will carry over in to play. A character may both acquire additional flag points and accrue additional flag point expenditure during play. For more information, see Flag Points

Lifestyle Events
We allow players to build lifestyles using the Run Faster Advanced Lifestyle options. We do not apply Fatigue damage, and seven lifestyle qualities have a new effect addressed on the first of each month in the Lifestyle Events document.

Lifestyle Expenses
Once per day, you may add Free gear to your sheet to a maximum of 1% of your lifestyle level’s base cost; this gear cannot have an availability over 6, and this subsidy cannot be accrued across multiple days.

Rumors
A character can try to leverage a relevant rumor about a character or event in a social encounter. This requires a Memory test with a threshold equal to the rumor’s age in months (-1 if Rating>3). A successful recollection can then be leveraged with a segue; make a Charisma + Etiquette Test. Each hit on this test can be spent to affect Social tests for the rest of this encounter in a number of ways. There are no restrictions on how many of each effect can be used on a single test. You may not leverage the same rumor more than once in an encounter. for more on Rumors see Word on the street rumors +1 Social Limit for yourself or an ally. +1 Dice Pool Bonus for yourself or an ally.

Server Works Reward
Once per week (Monday-Sunday), each member of the server may submit a work of fiction for approval to receive a monthly scaling reward to apply to one of their characters. These works are approved as long as they can be appropriately published to the in-character fiction channel.

First Reward: 1 Karma or 3000 Second Reward: 2 Karma or 6000 nuyen Third Reward: 3 Karma or 9000 nuyen Fourth Reward: 4 Karma or 12000 nuyen

Instead of a work of fiction, a GM who runs a game session is considered to have qualified for their Works Reward that week. Every Sunday, if the Review team has addressed every item pending in the applications channel for longer than twenty four hours, they qualify for a Works Reward.

Rigger Attributes Rule (Mental Attribute Override)

 * Jumped-In Movement: INT + Pilot (X) [Handling]
 * Jumped-In Mobile Skills: INT + Skill [Handling]
 * Jumped-In Fine Manipulation Skills: LOG + Skill [Sensor]
 * Jumped-In Mounted-Weapon Attacks: LOG + Gunnery [Accuracy] OR LOG + Gunnery [Sensor]
 * Jumped-in Held-Weapon Attacks: LOG + Weapon Skill [Accuracy]
 * Jumped-In Defense/Initiative: INT + Data Processing
 * Remote Movement: INT + Pilot (X) [Handling]
 * Remote Mounted-Weapon Attacks: LOG + Gunnery [Accuracy] OR LOG + Gunnery [Sensor]
 * Remote Held-Weapon Attacks: LOG + Weapon Skill [Accuracy]
 * Remote Limits: If Data Processing is less than the relevant limit, use Data Processing
 * Remote Defense: INT + Data Processing
 * Drone Melee Damage: BOD OR Drone Arm STR
 * Drone Recoil Compensation: BOD (Mounted-weapon) OR STR/3 (Held-weapon)

Working for the Man/Working for the People
The ratio between karma and nuyen is being changed from 2,000 nuyen per 1 point of karma to 3,000 nuyen. If you are Working for the Man, you can trade 1 Karma for 3,000 nuyen. If you Work for the People, you can trade 3,000 nuyen for 1 Karma. Each time you Work for the Man / People, you may convert up to 5 karma / 15,000 nuyen; regardless of the amount, it takes seven in-character days.

Anchoring [Metamagic]
This metamagic no longer requires Quickening as a prerequisite, but cannot be taken before Grade 2. It is modified as follows. Karma must be prior to making the Spellcasting roll, and the caster must determine whether the spell will be cast in astral or physical space. Astral spells may be anchored on an astral form or a point in space relative to the Gaiasphere and the caster must decide if they will dissipate or be cast if the astral form they are anchored to ceases to exist; this decision does not increase the Drain of the spell. Physical spells may be anchored to a nonliving object or a point in space relative to the Gaiasphere. An anchored spell has its own astral form like that of a sustained spell, and can be counterspelled. If the spell is a sustained spell, when it triggers, it will sustain for a number of minutes equal to its Force.

Channeling [Metamagic]
This metamagic is changed to require one service for every combat turn that you channel a spirit.

Initiation Cooldown
Initiate Grades one through three can use the standard extended test, but the interval on which you complete the test is considered to be instantly completed. When you succeed on the test, a 28 day cooldown applies before you can attempt your next Initiation. Initiate Grade four and above can only be completed using Initiatory Ordeals in a Side RP (except Asceticism, which is restriction applied to your next [new IG] runs). Optionally, the need for a Side RP can be supplanted with a Character Fiction submission about the initiate’s Ordeal; this submission receives no karma reward, and takes effect when the submission is approved (this cannot be used for Deeds or Metaplanar Quests).

Islamic Alchemist [Tradition]
These characters are required to initiate into Fixation, followed by Advanced Alchemy, followed by Anchoring; they are not required to take Quickening.

Paradigm Shift
Characters who wish to change their Tradition can use a Paradigm Shift during an Initiation to do so. This does not cost the character the opportunity to gain an art and a metamagic. This also does not cost the character any of their prior arts or metamagics. This does sever the bond of the character with their attuned or bound items; such items have to be rebound, using another karma expenditure (and/or rituals).

Background count
A Background Count applies a reduction in the effectiveness of magic in its area. All tests tied to magic, whether by the inclusion of a magical bonus or use of an adept power, take a dice pool penalty equal to the rating of the background count. The effective rating of active foci and hits scored on sustained spells are reduced by the rating of the background count when entering; if reduced to 0, the focus deactivates or the spell ends. Foci cannot be activated in a background count. Assensing and Astral Combat tests also receive a dice pool penalty equal to the rating of the background count. The sidebar has additional rules on astral tracking, alignment, and acclimation.

Ballistic Mask + Helmet
Per the Shadowrun Missions FAQ, the ballistic mask may not be combined with a helmet. A character may wear one or the other.

Commlink Accessories
Cyberdecks and Rigger Command Consoles are considered commlinks for the purpose of attaching commlink accessories. Only a single accessory can be attached at once. A simsense module does not use this slot.

Drugs and Cyberlimbs
Performance enhancing drugs only modify your base physical stats and will not apply to a cyberlimb. For example, Blue Eyes is a pistol expert with Agile Defender that has a cyberarm that give him an AGI of 7 but has a natural AGI of 4. He takes kamikaze in order to gain the edge in a difficult combat encounter. With the kamikaze in his system, his base AGI goes up to 5, but his cyberlimb stays at a 7. If he takes a full defense he gets to add his base AGI to his defense pool, giving him 5 bonus dice, but when he goes to shoot his gun with his cyberarm, he still only has 7 AGI, not 8.

Greater Ritual Clarification
The "Greater Ritual" metamagic does not allow you to add your Magic rating to a ritual's actual Force. The Force doesn't change; only the limit, area, and effect are modified. (I.e. A Homunculus spells would create a higher force minion, as an effect, but not for counterspelling or for minimum requirements, such as "Summon Greater Spirit" ritual.)

Gridlink

 * Gridlink is considered Standard Equipment on all Land Vehicles designed for On-Road use.

The Gridlink is not Standard Equipment and may be added on as a mod to Vintage Vehicles, a Land Vehicle that was designed primarily for Off-Road use, or for Vehicles that have added a form of Secondary Propulsion appropriate for use on a road.

Harmonious Defense Requirements
In order to use Harmonious Defense, you must begin Astrally Perceiving. This means that an adept without Astral Perception is unable to take advantage of this ability.

Informed Opinion (Social Maneuvers)
This Social Maneuver allows a character with a directly applicable knowledge skill to roll that skill at a -4 penalty to gain a dice pool bonus and Social Limit increase equal to the hits scored. This effect is applied to your Social tests for the remainder of this encounter.

Matrix Action: Invite Marks
If a slaved device uses the Invite Marks action (willingly or through the Puppeteer Complex Form), the invited marks do not “travel up” to the master device or host. Only marks acquired through hacking (Hack on the Fly or Brute Force) travel up to the master device or host.

Multiple Explosion Damage Calculation
When calculating the damage value of multiple explosions, each subsequent explosive has its damage halved. The first explosive would have its full DV, the second would be ½ DV, the third would have ¼ DV, and the fourth would have ⅛ DV, etc., to a minimum of 1. (I.E. You have a bundle of six HE Grenades, each dealing 16P. They would then do 16+8+4+2+1+1= 32P when combined.)

Necro Summoning Ritual Availability
The Necro Summoning Ritual is exclusive to followers of the Necro Tradition.

Nerve Strike
This server uses the Street Grimoire version of Nerve Strike, which means that this adept power can be used with melee weapon attacks and the attribute reduction dealt with it is recovered at a rate of 1 point per hour.

Neurostun and Overflow
Because Neurostun is tailor-made to be nonlethal, it does not overflow from the stun track and cause physical damage. Purchasing Mods that Change Availability There are no rules in place that say that mods that adjust the availability of an item, such as YNT or Internal Smartlinks, can only be added at purchase. The purchase of such modifications is legal and uses the base item’s availability + the modifier to determine the availability of the item for purchasing.

RPC Cloaks and Penalties
Any cloak with an RPC mod suffers the same -3 penalty to their effect while moving, due to the rippling nature of a cloak, not just RPC Cloaks from Hard Targets. By getting a designer cloak with RPC, you spend more money but are able to put additional modifications on it that may prove useful.

Sharing Lifestyles
Only PCs may share lifestyle costs; any NPC that lives with you should either be represented by the Dependents quality or is assumed to be paying their own share, which as no effect on what you pay.

Toxin Resistance Test - Multiple Vectors
When a toxin delivers via multiple vectors, the toxin resistance test dice pool is equal to the character’s lower resistance pool between the two toxins.

For example, Chance enters a room filled with Neuro-stun with Rating 1 chemical protection; that will give him one bonus die against contact vector toxins. Since Neuro-stun is both inhalation and contact vector, his resistance pools would be 3 (Body) + 2 (Willpower) + 1 (Chem Protection) for a total of 6 for contact vector and 3 (Body) + 2 (Willpower) for a total of 5 for inhalation vector. In this case, Chance would only roll the inhalation vector pool against the Neuro-stun.

In another example, Cysco enters the same room filled with Neuro-stun with his trusty gas mask on, but only wearing a t-shirt and jeans. Gas masks provide immunity to inhalation vector toxins, but he does not have any other protections. Despite the immunity to the inhalation vector, Cysco must still make a drug resistance test using his Body + Willpower + Any contact vector bonuses (none in this example) against the Neuro-stun