GM Rules

Expectations of ShadowHaven GMs

Have Fun and Put Real Life First

This should go without saying, but we've seen our fair share of Living Community GMs burn themselves out. Never feel like anyone's fun is solely your responsibility. Never feel compelled to GM a game by a certain date. You will make mistakes, but laugh them off and learn from them. When you are relaxed, the players sense your relaxation. If you are really interested in a run's story and a metaplot's topic, your passion comes through the run. It is ShadowHaven's leadership's job to teach you this complex game system. Focus on having fun.

Be a Fan of the PCs

To quote Blades in the Dark's GM section on page 193, "Present the world honestly—things really are stacked against them—but don’t make yourself the enemy of the PCs. They have enemies enough. Be interested in the characters and excited about their victories."

If the players come up with a clever plan that completely negates your security plans, congratulate them on their cleverness. Play with the players, not against them. Challenge and risk can make for a great and memorable experience -- but don’t make the game you vs. the players. Assume competence, and don’t try to catch players in “gotchas” -- competent runners might make a mistake or forget something if they’re pressured for time or under fire, but it’s good practice to give them the benefit of the doubt when they aren’t.

We’re fundamentally here to play games together and have fun, and as the GM you have a lot of control over how the game goes; with that great power comes great responsibility, and the responsibility is to try to make sure people have a good time.

Ask for Help

Don't feel shy to call and break and ask for help in our GM chat if you encounter a situation you don't know how to handle.

Hold on Lightly

To once again quote Blades in the Dark's GM section on page 193, "Always feel free to rewind, revise, and reconsider events as needed. This is not a “no take backs” kind of game. You can always say, “Actually, no... let’s say it was only two guys, instead. I don’t know why they’d have any more than that here.” This can be a tricky principle to internalize. It can be so tempting to put your foot down (often for no good reason) or to treat elements of the game as too sacred. Resist that impulse!"

Impact our Shared Setting

We want organic storylines that have an impact that is felt, those are exciting and cool runs. We want to be able to write about an awesome pink mohawk exalted style sword fight on top of the Space Needle that sent its radio antenna crashing to the ground. We want to cheer on our players as their trenchcoat-wearing PCs send stock prices into freefall. As long as the core elements of the setting remain intact and major buildings can be repairable, go for it.

Treat our Shared Setting with Respect for Other GMs

Tell a story together with other GMs. It really sucks if another GM blows up the homebrew gang that you created. This is a shared sandbox, don't kick down other people's castles. Try to build your castle around their creations. Share the setting with respect towards the other GMs.

Understand the Setting is Vast

Players (and GMs) can play the kind of Shadowrun they want to play. If you have a specific view of how Shadowrun should be, you’re entirely free to pick people who conform to that philosophy, but it’s not okay to tell other people how to have fun, or their kind of fun is wrong. As the GM, it's your responsibility to communicate your particular style to your players - through a Style Guide as well as pre-game discussion.

The setting is vast enough that we can have VTOL battles above the skies of Seattle while runners creep through a high-security facility.

Be Reasonable

Stay within reasonable expectations. It may be fun for a character to get milspec armor from a ganger in the barrens on a low-threat run, but it really cheapens the experience of the player who slogged through the amazon to pry that same armor off a super-soldier during a prime run.

Know the Major Rules for Key Aspects of your Run

If you have a major obstacle, know the rules related to that obstacle. If a big part of the run involves a car chase or a host dive, you should have a good grasp of the rules related to car chases or host dives (or whatever the obstacle is). Ask ShadowHaven leadership and team members for training on mechanics you want to learn.

Assume Competence

There are a lot of trivial decisions -- that is, decisions with a clear best choice and no downside -- that shadowrunners routinely make. These are things like wiping an astral signature, infiltrating in disguise, wearing a mask in a firefight, setting up a DNI before the meet, running silent while hacking, and turning off SINs before committing crimes. In general it’s best to assume that players do these things unless they say otherwise (or some kind of constraint -- like time -- prevents them). Exactly what assumed competence covers is a matter for debate and should be discussed with the players at your table in the event it comes up. When in doubt, rule in the player’s favour; try to avoid “gotcha” moments. Generally for the sake of tidiness and expedient gameplay most GMs choose to assume competence, but each GM table is unique. The standard is to assume competence. The onus is on the GM to explain what they mean when they say they won’t assume competence, and it something they need to ensure players are aware of before a game begins, whether through the application thread, their style guide, or before the game begins.

Keep in mind that a lack of assumed competence doesn’t mean assumed incompetence. The nature of a community means that players will need to adjust to different GMing styles. Consider giving your players the benefit of the doubt in case they forget something obvious, or making use of the Common Sense quality to prevent potentially derailing situations.

Game Masters

Becoming a GM

Simply use the !join Level 0 GM command

GM Levels

GMs are either Level 0 GM, Level 1 GM, Level 2 GM, or Level 3 GM.

Level 0 GM

Anyone who wants to GM can appoint themselves to level 0. These GMs are limited to running lower threat runs or higher degrees of guidance, to reduce the chance of mishaps. The intent of this level is to create a safe place for new GMs to fail and learn. Greenhorn GMs should consider taking experienced players on their runs to learn from them when possible.

Level 0 GMs advance to level 1 by completing 3 runs with an overall game rating over 7. They also need to make a Style Guide.

Level 1 GM

Level 1 GMs advance to level 2 by completing one coached or submitted and approved high threat run, demonstrating competency in all the three big aspects of the game, meat, matrix and magic. Ping @Thematics with your high threat run AAR to advance.

Level 2 GM

Level 2 GMs advance to level 3 to signify the trust that the thematics department places in them. This trust is earned by completed a semi-prime run and weaving it into the shared story by writing an AAR signifying its metaplot impact. Ping @Thematics with your AAR to advance.

Level 3 GM

Level 3 GMs are trusted to freeform any run. They are actual wizards forging the shared story of ShadowHaven. They can lead teams of GMs to tell an intense story across multiple runs and are the Haven’s flagship GMs.

GM Limitations

		Run Limitation
		Coached Run	Approved Run	Structured Run	Freeform Run
Run Threat Level	Milk	Level 0	Level 0	Level 0	Level 0
	Low	Level 0	Level 0	Level 0	Level 1
	Medium	Level 0	Level 1	Level 0	Level 1
	High	Level 1	Level 1	Level 1	Level 2
	Semi-Prime	Level 1	Level 2	Level 2	Level 3
	Prime	Level 2	Level 3	Level 3	Level 3

• Coached Runs - Coached Runs have a GM or a higher or equal level sit in as a non-player to provide real-time support. The GM or the coach can call for a break and discuss matters at hand. PMing during the game is discouraged, outside of asking for a break, because it can be distracting. Because they don't play and are on standby to support a low leveled GM, they earn 10 GMP.

• Approved Runs - These runs have a run proposal posted on r/MastersofShadows for a thematics member to approve. All other members of the Haven can also comment to help the GM develop their run.

• Structured Run - These runs use the pre-existing fully statted Grunt NPCs, hosts and sites for their mechanics and allow the GM to apply a custom story to this mechanical structure.

• Freeform Run - These runs are completely freeform and have no support.

Run Types

A run is __ if ___.

Selection

• Private: the majority of players were pre-selected
• Public: not private

Scheduling

• Scheduled: post and picks were made at least a full day in advance of the run, the post accurately informed players when picks will be decided, and the game started within an hour of the scheduled time
• Impromptu: post and picks were made within just a few hours of the run
• Overflow: an Impromptu that was made within two hours of another run's game start in response to high player demand
• Replacement: an Impromptu that is hosted within two hours of another run's game start in response to a postponed game or missing GM.
• Normal: otherwise

Threat

The following are rough guidelines on threat level in game. For a more detailed description see Run Threat Descriptions

Threat Descriptions

• Milk Run

Milk Runs are extremely low threat games, a way to introduce a player or GM to a new mechanic they may not be familiar with at minimal risk. Rewards rarely go beyond bragging rights.

• Low Threat

Low threat runs have fairly light opposition in meat, matrix and magic, usually disorganized and unlikely to do much other than point and shoot, or surrender if they know what’s good for them.

• Medium Threat

Medium threat runs are designed around more secured sites and people which still are considering the economics of their security. More skilled staff and better equipment is deployed, but they are still typical skilled levels and mass produced equipment. Powerful ‘landmine’ effects come up easily in the now mandatory legwork, and can be circumvented or defended against by a prepared team.

• High Threat

High threat is when things start to get intense. Opposition will routinely use clever tactics like focused fire, hacking unsecured ‘ware, illusion and manipulation spells, and attempts to lure PCs into traps. Static factors and obstacles, such as mana barriers, might be prohibitively difficult to overcome directly.

• Semi-prime

Semi-prime runs pit the runners against highly competent forces, often outnumbering them, and dangerous pitfalls hidden behind difficult legwork. Rewards typically come in the form of rare equipment or powerful contacts, in addition to money and karma. The objective is often located is large facilities such as Skyrakers or Proving grounds limiting the runner's ability to escape before HTR can engage them.

• Prime

Prime runs are the height of a Shadowrunner’s career, offering grave danger and outrageous rewards that can make runners consider retirement, or going off the deep end.

Special

• Multi-Session: a run that takes place across multiple play sessions
• Mock: a run with zero rewards, consequences, or effect on the canon that can be run by anyone, (GM or not) at any difficulty, with no requirements whatsoever, for zero pressure practice or just to have fun, so long as it clearly noted as such by tagging the run post title with [MOCK]. It doesn't even need to use ShadowHaven characters.

Run Rewards

Rewards are primarily based on run threat, as it (usually) represents player risk and GM preparation. However, high duration and multi-session runs may require an adjustment. You can use the following formula to adjust runner rewards and GMP at the high end:

Reward Multiplier: (Total Duration In Hours Across All Sessions) / 6

In general, even if you expect the run to go long, it's best to have the Johnson pay the runners normally and consider any extra allowance from duration to help handle "extra" pay the runners might happen into (like paydata, going out of their way to "get paid twice", fencing loot, etc).

Also, feel free to ask the Thematics Department and fellow GMs for advice on run rewards.

RVP

Player run rewards are measured in RVP (Reward Value Points). They can be converted to

• 2,000 nuyen
• 4,000 nuyen worth of gear, if an NPC has the ability to obtain it at severe discount
  • Giving out gear above Availability 16 requires approval from a GM Deputy
• 1 karma
• 1 karma of positive qualities adequately roleplayed for (ie. at chargen cost if it's a run reward)
• 1 Street Cred (max of 1 per run)
• 1 Connection or 1 Loyalty for a new contact gained that run (ie. 7 rvp for a 4/3 contact)
  • Contacts rewarded can be public or private, but they must be shared (if connection changes or it dies for one character, it does for all the others who have it)
  • Contacts above Connection 6 require approval of the Thematics Department

Additionally, runs may award faction rep as per RAW rules (generally 1-2 per run) and this doesn't count against RVP.

Player Rewards

Standard reward ranges for Normal runs based on threat:

• Milk: 0-5 RVP
• Low: 6-9 RVP
• Medium: 10-13 RVP
• High: 14-16 RVP
• Semiprime: up to 40 RVP
• Prime: up to 100 RVP

Note: A Full After Action Report (AAR) must be added to the run's wiki page for any run that rewards more than 19 RVP if the run is not a Semiprime or above.

These are merely guidelines and exceptions can occur, but chronic overpaying is frown upon and may result in consequences.

Additionally, players may write a Full/Narrative AAR and add it to the Full AAR to earn 2 CDP. This is the PC's version of events, compared to the more unbiased version of events, and should be in character. These are placed in the run's wiki page.

GM Rewards

Base reward for hosting a run:

• Prime: 20 GMP
• Semiprime: 15 GMP
• Low-High: 10 GMP
• Milk: 5 GMP

Base reward for writing an AAR for the run:

• Prime: 8 GMP
• Semiprime: 8 GMP
• Milk-High: 8 GMP

(Note, this need not be the GM who runs it) Additional rewards, which are not affected by the Reward Multiplier:

• Overflow: +2. Increased to +3 for weekends
• Scheduled: +4. Increased to +6 if picks were made at least 2 days in advance
• Run was recorded and uploaded to ShadowHaven youtube: +1
• Run was metaplot linked +Varies, see link

Run Posts

Style Guide

GMs should maintain a document covering their personal GMing style, linked on their run post

• For now, use whatever structure and information you feel best, but the following questions must be covered
  • Whether you're okay with players applying to jobs their character has a high chance of declining at the meet
  • Whether you're okay with players applying to jobs their character will actively attempt to thwart or derail
  • Views on realism and seriousness of the setting
  • Views on consequences and failure
• Runs that notably differ from your normal style as described in your document must be noted as such

Run Content

Reusing Material

Re-using run concepts and ideas is allowed, but GMs are encouraged to make their games as unique as possible for the benefit of the players.

GMPCs

You need a run proposal and approval to have a GM-controlled PC in the game. It is strongly discouraged to have GM PCs in game without good reason.

PvP

PVP is always at the GM’s discretion, and should only occur if both players are ok with it. If PVP does happen, don’t let players burn edge to smackdown in PVP, and if edge is burnt for Not Dead Yet, the player who burnt the edge gets to live. Players are not allowed to circumvent Not Dead Yet (“I shoot him in the head just to be sure”, for example) in PVP.

Space-time

• Downtime

The ShadowHaven operates in real-time. A day in the real world is a day on the Haven. However, some games take place over the course of a couple days, a week, maybe even longer. These games are considered to be part of their “pocket universe.”

Character adjustments, purchases, and other time-sensitive cooldowns are unaffected by pocket universe time. As an example, a character who initiates before a run that spans a month in-game will not be able to initiate at the run’s conclusion as though a month has passed in real-time. Similarly, a character who learns a skill or spell, or increases an attribute during a long run only has that skill in the pocket universe of that run: they must pay for the change in downtime as normal before they can use it on other runs.

• Multi-Session Exclusivity

Note, characters in the middle of Multi-Session runs are assumed to be free to go on other runs unless either of the GMs in question elect to not yet them. This should be clearly communicated in advance to avoid any issues.

Run Content Limitations

Some content GMs cannot use due to their incapability with the lore and lack of consistency with the Haven's rule set. They are also considered non-canon on the Haven

• Growth (Page 49, Forbidden Arcana)

• Multiply Food (Page 50, Forbidden Arcana)

• The Ares Firewatch "Bug Stomper" Custom Armor (Street Lethal, Page 130)

• The Stoner-Ares M-22A1 Vehicle Mounted Heavy Machine Gun (Street Lethal, Page 130) shall be banned from all use, including by GMs.

• The MCT/Winchester-Howe Hornet Direct-Fire Mini-Grenades (Street Lethal, Page 132) shall be banned from all use, including by GMs.

• The Shiawase/Nemesis Arms Man-Catcher (Street Lethal, Page 132) shall be banned from all use, including by GMs.

• Canon (established by Catalyst) runners, immortal elves, great dragons, or other important characters in a run being damaged or changed from their canon lore (canon character is killed/injured/has mental damage/gains a new enemy/loses something they canonically have/or in any other way has their canon meaningfully changed by the interaction)

• WMDs being detonated.

Needs Approval

• Fader IC (Page 89, Street Lethal) shall be permitted, but only with explicit Thematics Team approval.
• Bug Queens
• Master Shedim
• Crystalline Entity
• Yama Kings
• Horrors
• Elder Gods
• Great Dragons that are not named in canon
• (unnamed by Catalyst) Immortal Elves
• Plots that could potentially bring about the deaths of the people within the majority single city block.
• Plots that (do or stand a chance to) alter/kill/remove Public Contacts .
• Plots that involve raids on RP areas (just to confirm handling) such as The Daze.
• Canon: (established by Catalyst) runners, immortal elves, great dragons, or other important characters being directly involved in a run. (they hire the PCs/go on a mission with the PCs/oppose the PCs/tell the PCs critical information in exchange for something etc).
• Street Lethal Future Tech (due to it technically not being invented yet).
• Enemies with Tech/Magic/Skill far beyond their means (Low rank/wealth enemies geared with Deltaware, milspec gear, magic 12 or other odd things without a proper explanation as to why but simply rather to boost their stats (or perceived threat)).
• New Tech (futuretech+, or things that have never been published or are completely homebrew.)
• New creatures/spirits (unpublished, homebrewed adversaries).

Table Rules

In order to establish consistency for our often brand new Shadowrun players, GMs are not allowed to have table rules and must follow the rules listed in the Player Rules. If a GM disagrees with how the ShadowHaven rules on an issue and it truly impedes their ability to GM, they are welcome to contact to a councilor or post their objections in the Topics for Discussion threat.

Run Feedback

We ask that all GMs ask their players to fill in the GM feedback form after their runs. This is to help you improve as a GM and for us to detect gross misconduct, we will not judge you for a few lackluster runs.

GM Moderation

Any moderator or thematics can stop a game in progress for gross misconduct that goes against our community expectations. The thematics team can choose to ban a community member from GMing for gross misconduct and behavior that disrupts the shared sandbox and storyline that other GMs use.

The intent of these rules is to create a safe place for new GMs to fail and learn. If you are failing and learning in good faith, no action will be taken against you. Lower level GMs should consider taking experienced players on their runs to learn from them when possible. Every experienced Shadowhaven GM has ran a lackluster game before, but we learned from our mistakes.

However, we have a duty to ensure our players have a good time as well. Therefore, the run may be modified or fully retconned depending on the outcome.

GM bans may be appealed to the co-sysops by sending Reddit moderator mail.

Acknowledgement

Some of these GM rules were taken, modified or inspired by the Shadownet GM rules and the Light in the Dark GM rules.