Rulings/Custom Mechanics

Qualities

History Is Less Certain Than We Are Taught Cost: 0 karma Requires: N/A We are taught that written history starts 3400 BC, but you’ve heard the songs from long, long ago and far, far away. There is something dark awaiting at the edges of perception...it has been here before… This quality allows the runner to take the following knowledge skills: The 4th World The Enemy The Scourge Rolling these have different mechanics for glitches. Rolling more ones than hits results in a glitch, rolling any ones and no hits results in a critical glitch. This knowledge is the embodiment of an information hazard. This is information that can doom everyone, but if it is applied correctly perhaps it can be used to save us all...or maybe twist us all to your whims. In addition, buying a rank of these knowledge skills requires a run, coming across an artifact or talking with someone with more knowledge. The only exception is for one rank brought at character creation. Characters exposed to this knowledge can shut their minds to it and can not be forced to take this quality. These knowledge skills may only be taken as interest knowledge skills. They may not be taken as any other type. If you glitch or share this knowledge in a mainstream setting, apply a rank of “An Overwhelming Despair” or “A Terrible Fascination”. The following things can also happen at GM discretion. From least to most severe: -3 Reputation, Astral Protection Society -3 Reputation, Draco Foundation +3 Reputation, <Local Area> Elder God Cultists (This isn’t a good thing) Someone who should overhear, overheard 1 Notoriety and Public Awareness -10 Reputation, Astral Protection Society -10 Reputation, Draco Foundation Wanted Quality from the Astral Protection Society or Draco Foundation An enemy contact, dedicated to removing you as a threat to metahumanity An enemy Elder God cultist who thinks you will unlock the secrets of old before them, which can not stand. The attention of a Great Dragon The attention of a Terror

An Overwhelming Despair Cost: -15 karma Requires: History Is Less Certain Than We Are Taught The 4th world had stone citadels with armies of adepts to fight the horrors, our glass towers and fragile lasers can’t stop them… An understanding of what happened brings an understanding of what is inevitable. It is a heavy weight. This quality can be applied 5 times, upon the 5th application, your character is consumed with despair. Every 5th and successive application of this quality, the player may make the following choices with their character: Retire the character, Burn edge to remain in play, Complete a semi-prime or prime run to remain in play. Every rank also applies a negative 2 social modifier as the realization dawns that no one can be saved and nothing can be done. This quality requires a run to buy off.

A Terrible Fascination Cost: -15 karma Requires: History Is Less Certain Than We Are Taught The 4th world scholars said it was possible to harness unknowable power...maybe they just didn’t have the technology to ascend. An understanding of the powerful magic and entities in the 4th world brings a temptation to use this power. The world can bow to you. This quality can be applied 5 times, upon the 5th application, your character falls to the terror’s machinations and risks becoming their agent. Every 5th and successive application of this quality, the player may make the following choices with their character: Retire the character, Burn edge to remain in play, Complete a semi-prime or prime run to remain in play. Every rank also applies a negative -2 to composure tests to avoid using your forbidden knowledge or expanding it. This quality requires a run to buy off.

Mundane only qualities

• A mundane mastery quality is a quality that is only available to mundane characters, and that do not double in karma price postgen. Qualities are divided into two types, Minor and Major. Only one major quality can be applied at a time during tests and actions. In contrast, any number of minor qualities can be applied.
  • Mundane in this context refers to any non-infected character without a magic or resonance score.

Secondary Special Modifications Cost: 5/rank (Max 2) karma Requires: Special Modifications For each rating of Secondary Special Modifications you may either add +1 damage or choose two of the following (may be chosen more than once): -1 armor penetration +1 accuracy +1 recoil compensation +50% Additional Base Ammo capacity -1 Concealability modifier +1 Reach These modifications may not be applied to the same weapon you have modified with Special Modifications. All other rules for Special Modifications are in effect.	Additional Prototype Materials Cost: 5 karma Requires: Secondary Special Modifications, Prototype Materials This acts as an additional rank of Secondary Special Modifications.	Trajectory Mastery [Major Mundane Mastery] Cost: 15 karma Requires: Smartlink or Laser Sight cyberware. When using a ranged weapon equipped with an applicable Smartgun system or a laser sight, you gain an additional DV for every six ranks that you have in the associated weapon skill. Additionally, you gain +3 accuracy with the weapon. Does not apply with throwing weapons.	Deft Thrower [Major Mundane Mastery] Cost: 15 karma Requires: N/A When attacking with a non-explosive throwing weapon, you gain an additional DV for every 6 ranks that you have in the associated weapon skill. This bonus applies for both the Throwing Weapons skill and any Exotic Throwing Weapons skill. When taking the Multiple Attack action with a qualifying throwing weapon, gain +4 to the total dice pool.
Corner Shooter Mastery [Minor Mundane Mastery] Cost: 4 karma Requires: Smartlink cyberware When using a ranged weapon equipped with a Smartgun system, you reduce the penalty from “Attacker Firing From Cover With Imaging Device” to 0.	Augmented Strength Mastery [Major Mundane Mastery] Cost: 15 karma Requires: One of: Muscle Augmentation, Muscle Replacement, a Cyberlimb with Enhanced Strength, or a cyborg shell with customized strength When using a melee weapon, you gain an additional DV for every six ranks you have in the associated weapon skill. Additionally, you gain +4 accuracy with all melee weapons. You gain an additional Free Action once per combat, on the character’s first pass.	Master Brawler [Minor Mundane Mastery] Cost: 4 karma Requires: N/A Whenever you make a location-specific called-shot with a melee or unarmed attack, you reduce the called shot penalty by 3.	Hard Skin Mastery [Minor Mundane Mastery] Cost: 8 karma Requires: Orthoskin, Dermal Plating, Smartskin, Cybertorso, or cyborg shell The effect of this quality varies based on the type of ware installed. If orthoskin is installed, for every 2 points of ware rating gain +1 armor. If dermal plating is installed, for every 2 points of ware rating gain +1 armor. For every 3 points of ware rating gain an auto-success in any soak tests where armor is included. If smartskin is installed, gain 2 DV with your smartskin melee attacks, and for every 2 points of rating gain +1 armor. If a cybertorso is installed, either obvious or synthetic, gain +2 armor and +1 limit to all combat actions.
Shock Abrogation Training [Minor Mundane Mastery] Cost: 8 karma Requires: Platelet Factories or Double Elastin Whenever your Platelet Factories or Double Elastin would trigger and reduce the damage taken by 1, you may reduce that damage by 2 instead, to a minimum of 1 total damage received.	Pain is Gain [Minor Mundane Mastery] Cost: 10 karma Requires: Adrenaline Pump or Damage Compensators. You have adapted your nervous system to the sensation of pain and use it as a performance booster. For every 2 boxes of damage compensated for by your Damage Compensator or Adrenaline Pump, gain +1 dice to offensive actions. (Includes ranged/melee attacks, attack actions on the matrix etc).	Skillsoft Adaptation [Minor Mundane Mastery] Cost: 6 karma Requires: Skilljack or Knowledge Hardwires Once per 24 hour period, you may apply edge to a skill test involving an Activesoft, Knowsoft, Linguasoft, Knowledge Hardwire, or Active Hardwire.	Redundant Protection [Minor Mundane Mastery] Cost: 4 karma Requires: Eye Protector, Ear Protector or Damper cyberware The protection given to your senses have moved beyond just a shield, and become a natural state of being. The weaknesses of biology have no hold on you anymore. You are immune to Called Shot: Shake Up. If you have Eye Protectors, you are immune to Called Shot: Eye. If you have Ear Protectors or Dampers, you are immune to Called Shot: Ear.
Instinctive Optimization [Minor Mundane Mastery] Cost: 6 karma Requires: Math SPU and Logic 4 Immediately before initiative is rolled, you may make either a Tag action or a Calibrate action. The effects of this action are applied before initiative is ordered for the first pass.

Contacts

• The default is for players to choose their contacts from the already made public contacts. We additionally allow the option to create and stat out your own contact. ShadowHaven uses a custom contact system you can read about here.

Note: If you create your own contact, you can delay stating out the aspects. If the GM asks/lets you use it, the assumed dice pool is Connection + Loyalty + Archetype Modifier + 2. It is best to fill out the Aspects, as you usually will be able to make use of more than 1 available aspect.

IRL Timers and Backdating

• Things with IRL timers may now be backdated to their earliest possible qualifying date so that you cannot miss your timer. For example, if your mundane PC has been in play for 6 months, but only taken 1 mundane ascension, you may take two more ascensions (treating them as having been taken at their earliest possible date).

Mundane Ascension

• Mundane characters may undertake a story building ordeal much like Awakened/Emerged characters do. Ascensions have an eight week cooldown. Make up to 5 selections (including multiple copies of the same). Each selection replaces 1 RVP normally gained from the run. Purchasing high availability items falls under the purview of Thematics.
• 5 karma towards a skill, skill group or martial art.
• 20000¥ towards non-ware. You may bank this across multiple ascensions.
• 6 karma towards qualities at post-gen price.
• 4 karma towards edge.
• 10000¥ towards ware. You may bank this across multiple ascensions.
• +20 Faction Rep.

Gear Acquisition

• You cannot purchase items with availability above 19, unless it is upgradable (i.e., has a rating). Exceptions:
  • You cannot purchase foci over availability 19, even though they are otherwise upgradable and have a rating.
• Items beyond availability 19 may be obtained as run rewards with Thematics approval.
• The Awakened or Emerged may only gain a chance to purchase deltaware as a run reward for semiprime or prime runs.
  • For mundane PCs, there are no restrictions on getting deltaware.

Acquiring Gear Up to Availability 12

• Gear at or under availability 12 can be purchased without rolling or paying a finder's fee.

Subcontracting Other PC Shadowrunners

• Shadowhaven officially encourages players to work with their GMs to subcontract other runners. Creativity and GM approval is the limit to subcontracts. They can range from just hiring a decker to drekpost to hiring a full team to do a sub-mission. You hire a rigger to escape from a scene of a crime or a street sam for extreme exterior remodeling.

Downtime Activities

Downtime activities are those carried out between runs and off table. Specific rules exist for some activities. For everything else, see the General Downtime rules.

Downtime Registering and Binding

• Characters at the start of a run "during downtime" may attempt to summon and then bind one spirit of force up to their Magic, rolling as normal.
• Characters at the start of a run "during downtime" may attempt to compile and then register one sprite of level up to their Resonance, rolling as normal.
• In either case, drain or fading accrued is considered to be healed at the time the run starts.
• Using Binding or Registering skills during a run is conducted as normal.

Downtime Alchemy

• During downtime players may fill a single vault of ages with preparations of up to the maximum force that vault is capable of holding.
• Any further vaults filled may be filled with preps of (Magic) force or lower.
• For the purposes of determining potency, remove the force of the prep from your dice pool and then divide the remaining dice by 3, rounded down, with a minimum of 1.
• Drain accrued is considered to be healed at the time the run starts.
• Enchanting during a run is conducted as normal.
• Alchemical Bomb Maker may be applied to downtime alchemy preparations once per preparation. This means +2DV or +10m radius. The extra Drain is healed as per usual. Further applications per prep need to be done during a run as normal.

Downtime Essence Drain

• PCs with the Essence Loss weakness now lose 1 essence per 4 runs, with each use of an active power (as defined by the Essence Loss weakness) reducing that timer by one. Essence does not reset or go away after each run. A PC may engage in 1 downtime essence drain attempt prior to a run, using the below system. This should be rolled in #dicerolling. Any edge used here does not refresh at the start of the run. After a successful downtime essence drain attempt, the PC gains 1D6 essence.

Target: The target sets the threshold for the following tests. The base threshold is 3 for an "acceptable" target. This is a target who may not deserve to be essence drained, but isn't a struggling single mother trying to provide for her young children. This incurs a cost of 1 karma. If the PC does not have the karma to pay for this, they may go into karma debt. The following scale of targets may be selected:

• Deserving target. These are often significantly more capable than your average SINless, and may have powerful friends or benefactors. These have a threshold of 4 and no karma cost.
• Acceptable target. Still capable, but more often footsoldiers or lower-level types. These have a threshold of 3 and a 1 karma cost.
• Innocent target. These are innocent people just trying to live their lives. These have a threshold of 1 and a 3 karma cost.

After deciding the PC's target, the following rolls are needed: a test to Approach the target, a test to Subdue the target, and a test to Get Away Clean.

Approach: Skills such as Sneaking, Con, Etiquette or Hacking are appropriate here. Thematics has the final say over what skills are appropriate. A failed approach test increases the threshold of following tests by 1.

Subdue: Skills such as any combat skill, Spellcasting or Summoning are appropriate here. Thematics has the final say over which skills are appropriate. A failed subdue test means no essence is gained, and the Wanted Clock advances by one segment. When using the off-table essence drain rules, assume your target has as much essence as the result of your die. You must always roll for addiction.

Get Away Clean: Skills such as Sneaking, Con, Etiquette or Hacking are appropriate here. Thematics has the final say over which skills are appropriate. A failed attempt to Get Away Clean advances the Wanted Clock by one segment.

The Wanted Clock: The Wanted clock starts empty and has six segments. If it reaches six segments, it returns to empty and a consequence occurs. The first time this happens, the PC gains the Wanted (Infected Hunters) quality – a known vampire of their appearance is being actively hunted. If it happens again or the PC has the Wanted (Infected Hunters) quality from some other source, the PC begins their next run being ambushed by a group of hunters with an appropriate TL for the run in question. If this would be disruptive to the run in question, the GM may elect to postpone the consequence. Please ping Thematics who will arrange a GM to run the encounter.

On a Run: On a run, the karma cost based on target still applies, but the rest (Approach/Subdue/Get Away/Wanted Clock) is at GM discretion.

Soul Swallower: Those with Soul Swallower gain 1D6+1 essence instead of 1D6.

General Downtime Rules

Characters may perform rituals and other activities that aren't already covered by a specific downtime mechanic during downtime. These rules are meant for activities that may have consequences for the character's health and environment or that may affect play on the next run. These are not meant to hinder in character roleplay. The following rules apply to downtime activities.

• There may not be a risk of character death. This means limiting the activities so that death is never a risk. Having edge available to burn does not remove this requirement, nor does just going in to overflow as both of these are situations that require a GM.
• All physical and stun damage accumulated through downtime activities will be carried into the beginning of the next run.
• Other resources, like edge, will similarly not be refreshed before the next run.
• Rolls for downtime activities must be made in the discord dice rolling channel.
• At most there may be one first aid roll for recovery.

On Call GM for Downtime Activities

If there is risk of significant property damage, character death or other factors outside the character's control, a GM must be present and willing to 'run' the activity. It is the player's responsibility to recruit the GM from the on call GM pool or otherwise. A player may not be their own GM. Other situations and factors requiring a GM include but are not limited to:

• A risk that the character falls unconscious.
• The results of the activity or activities significantly affecting another character, whether PC or NPC.
• Any situation in which another character, PC or NPC, must make a roll to assist the activity or to bail out the character performing the activity.
• The potential for results that affect the local environment beyond the character's property.

Be sensible. If you think you might need a GM, you should ask.

Mana Aspects

• Mana Aspect Rules

Note that Mana Aspects are in playtesting. GMs may optionally use it on their table if they post a notice to that effect on the run post.

Exotic Skills

• Exotic skill shall be no more. Instead, they are bundled up into some new skills. Only the Exotic Natural Weapon and Implanted/Natural Ranged Attack skill can be defaulted and the only specializations available are individual weapons. For example Tensile Weapons (Bull Whip)
  • Please see Exotic Weapon Skills for a complete list.

New Spells

Combat Spells

Flamestrike(INDIRECT, ELEMENTAL, TOUCH) Type: P Range: T Damage: P Duration: I Drain: -6 This spell causes touch-ranged indirect fire damage. Despite claims on magic-related matrix hosts by new users of the spell, a properly performed flamestrike does not burn the caster.	Taser Fist(INDIRECT, ELEMENTAL, TOUCH) Type: P Range: T Damage: P Duration: I Drain: -6 This spell causes touch-ranged indirect electrical damage. It has a number of less flippant names among some traditions where it is more commonly used, such as the ‘Touch of Zeus’ in the Olympianist tradition.	Caustic Touch(INDIRECT, ELEMENTAL, TOUCH) Type: P Range: T Damage: P Duration: I Drain: -6 This spell causes touch-ranged indirect acid damage. There’s a bit of a tricky technique involved in this spell - a quick touch and release. Most of the masters of it are Buddhist Mystic Adepts, but rumours abound of a boxer-turned-magician on the streets of LA.	Ice Claw(INDIRECT, ELEMENTAL, TOUCH) Type: P Range: T Damage: P Duration: I Drain: -6 This spell causes touch-ranged indirect cold damage. Like the spells ‘Ice Spear’ and ‘Ice Storm’ it creates shards of damaging ice. Unlike them, the caster must deliver these shards themselves rather than relying on magic.
Sunstrike(INDIRECT, TOUCH) Type: P Range: T Damage: P Duration: I Drain: -4 This spell functions as ‘Sunbeam’ (SSP 17) but is instead a touch-ranged spell. Like other touch spells, the caster is protected from the destructive energies of the magic, so Infected mages can cast the spell without being hurt by it themselves. Indeed, surveys of shadow matrix hosts revealed that the two most common traditions amongst casters of this spell were Christian Theurgy and Dark Magic.

Cyborgs

• Please see Cyborg for a complete list of rules related to creating and playing cyborgs.

Custom Drugs/Toxins/Compounds

Khamsa Vector: Ingestion Speed: 1 Minute Duration: 1d4+ESS Hours Addiction Type: Psychological Addiction Rating: 7 Addiction Threshold: 3 Exotic Ingredient: FAB 3 Cost per dose: 2,500 Effect: Masking or Nausea Availability: 12F Crash: Astral Beacon for equal duration, -1 dicepool on all actions per dose consumed (resets after resting properly, enough to regain Edge) A development released by the Draco Foundation after confidential research, the Eloyce Inhibitor - better known by its colloquial title, 'khamsa' - was designed through study of both FAB strains and SURGE mutations interacting with the Astral Plane. When ingested, body heat activates the bacteria that quickly spreads through the user's bloodstream. Similarly to FAB III, it feeds on mana; unlike FAB III, this is a much more sluggish process, akin to photosynthesizing via astral 'light'. This dims the colors of the user's aura to nearly background levels, while at the same time, the astrally luminescent byproducts create a flowing aura in their host's form. While khamsa is active, the user's aura is masked to a generic mundane metahuman with no particular mood. If an astral observer gets at least 3 hits on an Assensing Test, they do not see the underlying aura, but it becomes apparent the presented one is fake, similarly to noticing camera footage is being looped. If a prospective user is currently on the astral plane (astrally perceiving or projecting), or enters it while khamsa is active, the effect is immediately lost. Instead, they suffer from nausea for 10 minutes. HMHVV Infected are entirely unaffected by khamsa. HMHVV treats the bacteria like a hostile claimant and viciously defends its host, similar to its response to CFD.

Cinderella Type: M Range: Touch Duration: Permanent (see description) Availability: N/A Exotic Ingredient: Special (Material Link) Cost per dose: N/A Requires a material link to the target. When activated, the preparation alters the subject's aura to look like whatever the material link's origin's aura was like at the time of the sample being taken. If the target was masking, the masked aura will be used. This change isn't instantaneous and takes (Potency) minutes before completion. Realizing the aura is fake will require an Assensing test with a threshold of the hits the preparation got with its Force + Potency roll. The altered aura lasts for 24 hours and the spell isn't sustained during this. After 24 hours have passed, natural shifts in a living being's aura begin to shred the disguise and it becomes trivial to see through. Background counts do not affect the altered aura, but if the background count of the environment is higher than the preparation's Force or Potency during the onset time, the preparation fails. The astral signature of Cinderella begins fading after the onset time ends and can be scrubbed without removing the altered aura.

Custom Gear

Lucifer Lamps

• In 2066, metaphysicists discovered that a modulated electrical current introduced through a filament laced with orichalcum causes the filament to shed dual-natured light, illuminating both the physical and astral planes. Physical and astral solids both block dual-natured light, causing unusual shadows on the physical and greater definition on the astral. Lucifer lamps make excellent additions to magical security setups and as a form of astral communication via semaphore. The light given off by a Lucifer lamp is dim on the physical, but sufficient for characters with low-light vision to see by.
• Availability 15, cost 35,000 ¥
• The light bulbs burn out over time. Replacements are Availability 12, 500 ¥
• Bulbs have a life expectancy of one hour if undamaged.
• Lucifer lamps cannot be strapped to armor or a weapon due to its unwieldiness, they must be held in one hand or attached to a Medium+ sized drone (1 capacity).
• A lucifer lamp projects a cone of dual-natured low light illumination. Visibility modifiers apply, but allows visual Perception checks to see astral forms, signatures and other events (GM fiat). Awakened characters gain a +2 modifier to assense astrally active subjects caught in the light.
• Perceiving astral forms illuminated by a lucifer lamp does not give the same results as Assensing, but relevant knowledge skills or Arcana ranks may permit characters to make educated guesses (GM fiat).
• Lucifer lamps are fragile. Targeting the lamp is a -4 penalty Called Shot. Area of effect attacks also may damage the lamp:
• The attack must deal Physical damage before accounting for armor.
• Any DV that gets past the Damage Resistance test goes to the lamp's Condition Monitor
• Lucifer lamps have a condition monitor of 7. If it's filled, the current bulb breaks. Switching bulbs takes two Complex Actions; one to remove the previous one, one to attach a new one. You must have a replacement bulb ready; remember the actions required to retrieve an item.

Drugmaking With Chemistry

Players can now utilize their ranks in chemistry in order to make their own drugs. Please note the following rules.

• Acquiring raw ingredients requires a chemist or dealer contact. Alternatively you may make a Negotiation Test opposed by the Availability of the drug you're making.
  • The raw ingredients cost half of the normal drug price.
• Mixing drugs requires a Chemistry + Logic Extended Test with a threshold equal to the drug’s (Availability x 2) or (Addiction Rating), whichever is higher, and an interval of eight hours.
• A glitch on any part of the Extended Test requires the player to start the entire test over with no successes; a critical glitch means the ingredients are destroyed and cannot be used.
• You can make up to your Ranks in Chemistry doses between each run.
  • A Chemistry Toolkit makes Street-cooked level drugs up to Availability 10.
  • A Chemistry Shop can make base level drugs.
  • A Chemistry Facility can make designer level drugs.

Please note that currently, Bioengineered Awakened Drugs are not craftable with this system.