User:Jit
Discord: @jit
---
GM Style Guide
"You wouldn't punch a guy with mirrored shades, wouldja?"
Yes, I would! To clarify as it's not a very well defined term, what I mean by "mirrored shades" is sort of a hybrid between Pink Mohawk and Black Trenchcoat, leaning slightly toward the latter. Picture it like a heist movie - the crew assemble, observe the target, plan meticulously, and account for all contingencies. If they don't, then there will be appropriate consequences. However, at the end of the day, it is still a movie, and the player characters are still the protagonists. Lateral thinking, creativity, and cool moments (usually greased with a little bit of Edge) will fly at the end of the day, and Not Dead Yet edge burns will always be respected, even if some narrative footwork must be done.
I love legwork, and often try to include red herrings on more involved runs for runners trying to piece together the reality of whatever situation they find themselves in. Expect deep dives and thinking, a lot of the time, and planning to infiltrate well-guarded spaces rather than brute force.
I also love roleplay and descriptions. Although often glanced over, detailed descriptions of what the runner is doing, how they look, how they feel, are all welcome. Social rolls, unless pressed for time, are also almost always roleplayed out. Exceptions can be made for the socially self-conscious among us, but a rough outline of the train of logic being used by the person speaking and what they're trying to accomplish is still highly encouraged.
Also worth noting, I love the Matrix. For runs with Matrix involvement, please anticipate those rules not to be glossed over, including minutiae like grids and such.
FAQ
- Q: Are you okay with players applying to jobs their character has a high chance of declining at the meet?
- A: Not usually, but if you've got some cool roleplay in mind, ping me and we'll work something out.
- Q: Are you okay with players applying to jobs their character will actively attempt to thwart or derail?
- A: Yeah, probably! Just give me a heads up when you apply so I can plan for it. You don't wanna see me when I'm at 100% improv.
- Q: What are your views on realism and the seriousness of the setting?
- A: If we the players and GMs aren't taking the setting seriously, then why are our characters? It's reality to them - there are funny people, funny situations, funny coincidences. Life has laughter all within it. But it also has immense tragedy and hurt, and more often than not, as shadowrunners, we're looking at the latter more than the former. Expect jokes and lightheartedness and leniency more often than not, but the ultimate acknowledgement that the Shadowrun world is one with consequences.
- Q: How do you view the role of consequences and failure on a run?
- A: Consequences should be proportional to the actions that have caused them. Please don't take a left turn to yeet the samurai at an Ares CEO and expect the Medium run to remain a Medium. That said, I like runs with alternative fail states to death. Killing a target or bricking a comm before managing to extract intel, for example, or brushing up against the wrong side of a harsh deadline. Murderhobo runs have their place, but I typically prefer more complex objectives than that, with more interesting ways to miss the mark.