• Download the PDF of BeCKS v2
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Editor's Note

It's been less than two years [Editor's Note to the Editor's Note: Well, it's been about four years, as of 2004...] since BeCKS was first published online - first posted to the Dumpshock and Bulldrek forums, then printed in The Shadowrun Supplemental #15. I knew it would be a popular addition to many peopleís Shadowrun games, but I didn't expect it to be as popular (and frequently discussed and deconstructed) as it was. It's garnered more comments than any other article ever published in The Shadowrun Supplemental, and perhaps more than any non-FanPro publication over the last few years.

So, it's with great pleasure that we can present a revision of the original article to you. The rules have been revised based on reader feedback and expanded to include aspects of Shadowrun that they previously missed. This supplement contains more material than the original BeCKS, including more sample characters built with a wide variety of Karma costs to show off the system. There's also a Frequently Asked Questions list to address common concerns, and a single-page compilation of all the necessary tables to create a character using BeCKS v2.

Enjoy BeCKS v2 -- make some characters, roll some dice, create memories and legends -- and most of all, have fun!

BeCKS Revisited 

Issue #15 of The Shadowrun Supplemental saw the debut of Bethyaga's Complete Karma System, a new method of character creation for Shadowrun. As an alternative to existing systems, BeCKS creates characters using Karma instead of priorities or points (as presented in Shadowrun Third Edition and the Shadowrun Companion respectively). The feedback I received was very gratifying and a little overwhelming. Most of it was very positive and included much constructive criticism. 

Therefore, what follows is BeCKS v2, which incorporates many of the suggestions provided and fixes other inconsistencies found through my own experiences. Additionally, I've thrown in a few bonus features, including Karma costs for all the archetypes provided in the core rulebook, with prices from the original BeCKS for comparison. Also, I have a very brief FAQ to try and answer some of the most nagging recurrent questions about the system. 

My thanks to everyone who uses BeCKS and to all of those who shared their comments and suggestions with me. 

What's New? 

This newest version of BeCKS has been tweaked and supplemented to correct earlier errors and omissions. The major changes are:

• New rules for otaku, shapeshifters and ghouls. 
• New rules for SURGE. 
• Total revision of resources. Resources may now be purchased 1 Karma point at a time with an increasing stepped progression, and the top end has been lowered to 120 Karma. 
• Reduction of Contact costs. 
• Trolls cost a little more now. 
• The "extended character creation phase" option has been removed. Instead, the "standard" BeCKS rules are followed by options and guidelines for customizing them for individual campaigns.

BeCKS v2

Bethyaga's Complete Karma System

By Mike Jones, Peter Taylor, and Eleanor Holmes

Each character starts with 425 Karma for character creation that may be spent as follows:

Metatype

Ghouls

This cost includes all the inherent advantages and disadvantages of being a ghoul (so you can't take blind as a flaw for extra points). Also, as with points, characters do not have to roll for infection if they are starting as a ghoul during character creation. It is assumed that the character comes through with its mind relatively intactóand if not, then that should be reflected in their attributes during character creation.

Shapeshifters

The cost for being a shapeshifter includes all the advantages and disadvantages listed for shapeshifters in the Shadowrun Companion, including 5,000 nuyen to start. Shapeshifters are allowed to spend Karma for additional resources, but at twice the listed cost (i.e. 40 Karma for 5,000; 80 Karma for 40,000; etc.).

Otaku

Being an Otaku costs an additional 120 Karma, and that purchase includes all of the benefits and limitations described in the Otaku creation rules in Matrix (pp. 133- 146), including 5,000 nuyen and a tribe with a Squatter lifestyle. Otaku may raise the lifestyle of their tribe by one level for each 20 Karma points spent for that purpose.

Additionally, like shapeshifters, Otaku may spend Karma for additional resources above the 5,000 they start with, but at three times the listed cost. Otaku created under BeCKS may not exercise the option of taking minimal physical stats in order to add two points to mental attributes. To make up for this, an Otaku who spends no Karma on physical attributes is allowed to take the Exceptional Attribute edge (see Edges & Flaws below) once for each mental attribute, if desired.

Attributes

All characters start with base attributes of 1 plus any racial modifiers. No starting attribute may be less than 1. Therefore, for the attributes of B/Q/S/C/I/W, orks would start with 4/1/3/1/1/1, and humans would start with 1/1/1/1/1/1.

Attributes are then purchased according to the costs in SR3. That is, the character pays Karma equal to twice the attribute level being acquired. So to raise an attribute from 1 to 2 costs 4 Karma (2 x new level of 2). To raise it again from 2 to 3 costs 6 Karma (2 x 3), etc. No attributes may be raised above their racial modified limit (6 for humans, 6 +/- starting modifier for metahumans).

Example 1: For a human to purchase a starting Body of 4 would cost 18 Karma (4 Karma for Bod 2, plus 6 Karma to raise it to 3, and 8 more to raise it to 4. 4+6+8 = 18 Karma).

Example 2: An elf wishes to purchase a Charisma of 7.

Elves have +2 to Chr, so the starting value is 3. It would then cost 8 to raise it to 4, +10 to get to 5, etc. Final cost: 44 Karma.

For quick reference, the Karma cost for attributes can be found in Table 2.

Skills

Skills are purchased according to Karma costs in Shadowrun, Third Edition (pp. 244-245).

To figure the cost, find the multiplier for the skill in Table 3, and multiply it by the skill level to be achieved.

Building skills in character generation is cumulative just like attributes above. All fractions are rounded down.

As per the standard Shadowrun rules, no skill may start with a rating higher than 6, no specialization may be higher than 7, and no specialization may be more than twice its general skill value (except skills of 1, which may specialize to 3).

Example 1: A character with Quickness 4 decides to purchase Pistols 5. The total cost would be 1+3+4+6+10 = 24 Karma.

Example 2: A shaman wants to buy Conjuring (City Spirits) 4(6). It would cost 1+3+4+6 or 14 Karma to get Conjuring 4. Then the specialization would cost 2 pts to get to 5, and 3 more to get to 6.

Grand total: 19 Karma.

Intelligence, Language and Knowledge Skills

First, the character picks his or her native language. This Language Skill is automatically known at a level equal to the character's Intelligence. Also, the character has the Read/Write skill for their native language at one-half of their Intelligence (rounded down) .

In addition, the character will receive 15 Karma per point of Intelligence that may be spent only on Knowledge or Language Skills. Unlike the standard rules, characters do not get separate points for Language Skills and then for Knowledge Skills, or for that matter for Read/Write skills. All of these things must be purchased out of this initial pool.

Note: As a shortcut for purchasing Active and Knowledge/Language skills from scratch, use Table 4, which figures in all the intermediate steps for you. Be careful, however, because the costs in Table 4 assume that the skill value does not exceed its base attribute.

Magic

Characters wishing to be Awakened pay the following Karma costs for magical abilities.

Resources

The character receives a set amount of nuyen for each point of Karma spent. That amount increases as the total Karma spent increases as per Table 6.

Note that while the chart goes by fives, resources can be bought one Karma point at a time. Resource value per point is listed in the right hand column of the chart.

No character may spend more than 120 Karma on resources.

Contacts

Characters start with two free Level 1 contacts and may also purchase additional contacts according to Table 7.

Edges & Flaws

Edges and Flaws (if used) cost a number of Karma equal to 5x the point cost listed in the Shadowrun Companion. The exception is Exceptional Attribute, which costs 15 Karma. For the cost list of Edges and Flaws, see p. 31, Shadowrun Companion.

The only Edge not used under BeCKS is the Bonus Attribute Point. Instead, it is replaced by an Edge called Exceed Racial Modified Limit. This edge costs 5 Karma and allows the character to exceed the racial modified limit of one attribute by 1 point. Exceed Racial Modified Limit may only be purchased one time by any given character. After purchasing the Edge, the character still needs to pay the normal Karma cost for raising the attribute to its new level.

Example: A human with Strength 6 would like to raise it to 7. First, it costs 5 Karma for Exceed Racial Modified Limit. Then the character must pay 21 Karma (3x the new level) to raise it to seven.

SURGE

SURGE is handled in the same way as Edges and Flaws. If your campaign uses SURGE rules at character creation, then such modifications can be purchased at five times the build point cost. Full SURGE rules are available in Year of the Comet, pp. 137-143.

Additional Notes

Normal maximum limits and availability limits from SR3 still apply.

Magically active characters may not use Karma at character creation to initiate or acquire ally spirits.

Cyberware/bioware that adjusts Karma costs does not apply during character creation. This is specifically intended to address the mnemonic enhancer, but this could apply to other enhancements as well. The bonuses granted by such ware would only apply during actual game play if your group chooses to use them.

Customizing BeCKS To Your Campaign

The rules provided above are for creating "standard" characters, about equivalent to the archetypes from SR3 and characters created either with the priorities system or with 120 build points. Gamemasters, however, are encouraged to customize this system to suit their campaigns, thus creating more or less powerful characters, by adjusting any of the following.

Starting Karma Total

The "standard" is 425, because that is the average amount required to create the 16 archetypes in the core rulebook, but a gamemaster could set this amount at anything from 300 for a very low level starting campaign to 1,000 or more to represent very powerful veterans of the shadows.

Attribute & Skill Maximums

A gamemaster may choose to lower or raise or even remove the normal maximum limits set for attributes and skills in character creation.

It is recommended, however, that the bonus Karma for Knowledge/Language skills be limited by the racial modified limit for that character. So even though a player may create an ork with a 7 Intelligence, Karma for Knowledge/Language skills should be 90, based on the maximum Intelligence of 5 for orks.

Resources

For low-powered campaigns, gamemasters may want to set a limit on the amount of resources a character may purchase. For more powerful campaigns where the gamemaster might want to allow starting resources greater than one million, there are a couple of ways of going about it. The gamemaster could simply allow characters to keep spending Karma for resources at the top rate of 1 Karma = 20,000 nuyen. Alternately, for a campaign where money doesn't come so easy, characters can be required to start over at the bottom of the scale again once they hit the 1,000,000 mark. As an example, spending 200 Karma on resources would then buy 1,000,000 in resources for the first 120, and then (referring to the chart) another 300,000 for that last 80 Karma.

Initiation & Allies

The GM may decide to allow Awakened characters to start with initiate levels or ally spirits. Initiates will pay full cost for every grade. No discounts for allies, ordeals, or group membership are allowed. Those discounts are only available when the character roleplays through them (i.e. during game play) and so are not applicable during this extended creation process.

Karma Pool

If the GM wishes, he may allow characters to purchase a starting Karma pool to reflect their long experience. A character may buy Karma pool dice for a cost of 2 Karma. The GM will also probably want to set a limit on how many Karma pool dice can be bought in this way.

Archetype Costs

Table 8 shows the Karma costs for creating all of the Archetypes in the SR3 main sourcebook under BeCKS v2 rules, broken down by category. For the sake of comparison, the original BeCKS numbers are also included in the final column. The average cost of all 16 archetypes in BeCKS v2 is 425 Karma (hence the new starting total). The average cost under the original system was 468 Karma.

BeCKS FAQ

Why create BeCKS at all when the existing Shadowrun sourcebooks already provide two viable methods for character creation?

I created BeCKS to remove the discrepancy between how characters develop during character creation and how they develop in game play. The existing character creation methods for Shadowrun both encourage a min/max-ing attitude. For example, let's say you're using priorities to build a troll strongman. He currently has a Charisma of 1 and a Strength of 9, and you have one attribute point left to spend. Where should you spend that point? The "good roleplayer" would say to put it in whichever would best suit the character, but the smart money says to put it into strength. After all, the extra point of Charisma may be more in-character, but you can always buy up that extra point with 4 Karma after one or two sessions of game play. Raising the Strength score to 10after initial creation would cost 20 Karma. The primary rule of BeCKS is that all elements of a character should cost the same amount whether purchased before or after starting play.

A pleasant side effect of this, I've found, is that starting characters tend to be more well-rounded, with more midrange skills and fewer high-level skills. As was pointed out to me, when you can buy two skills at 4 for slightly less than one skill at 6, which option do you think will be most useful to your character? This means the sixes are reserved for the most vital skills of each character, and everything else tends to be more diversified. This works ideally for the sort of campaigns I like to run. I understand that other people like to see specialist characters who have a narrower focus but are better at what they do. That's fine. That's why BeCKS is simply one option among many.

BeCKS is extremely complicated. Shouldn't character creation be more about the character and less about fiddling with numbers?

By its nature, BeCKS is complicated–as complicated as character advancement in Shadowrun with the added hardship of having to allocate so much Karma at one time.

And as I've said before, it's not for everybody, but for me personally, it allows me to focus more on creating exactly the character I want without worrying about if I'm getting the most bang for my karmic buck. The example I used in the first BeCKS article is still my favorite: Jack Bull, the ork decker, is almost done with his character– he just has two skill points left to allocate. He realizes that his history mentions his time as a chauffeur, and he thinks that he should really spend those points to take Car 2. But on the other hand, if he instead raises Assault Rifle from 4 to 6, he'll be that much more effective in combat, and he can always buy the car skill later for just 4 Karma, when the gun skill would have cost 16 Karma at least. By staying true to his character concept and taking the vehicle skill, he essentially shorts himself out of a 12-Karma advantage.

Why should he be punished for staying in character? Of course, I personally prefer freeform character creation with no artificial constraints, but that sort of thing doesn't work so well in Shadowrun where there is more emphasis on and need for fairness and game balance. In that vein, BeCKS is as fair and balanced as character creation gets.

Why are trolls so cheap (or elves, or orks)?

In the very beginning, based on the approximate Karma cost of skills and attributes at each priority level, BeCKS was based on an approximate translation of 1 Priority Level = 30 Karma. However, it quickly became clear that 90 Karma for elves and trolls made mostly nonviable characters. Slowly then, the system was revised so that the cost of the various metatypes is based primarily on the specific advantages and the disadvantages provided by each, and also to some degree judgment calls in the interest of sheer playability. Therefore, the pros and cons list for trolls looked something like this:

Pros

• +5 Body (30 Karma)
• +4 Strength (22 Karma)
• Thermovision (10 Karma)
• +1 Reach (5 Karma)
• Dermal deposits (5 Karma)
• Increased Bod/Str maximums (10 Karma)

Cons

• Reduced maximums for Int/Chr/Wil (15 Karma)
• Massive size (10 Karma)
• Prejudice (5 Karma)
• Higher cost for "average" stats (10 Karma)

This isn't a complete list, and many of the items and costs may be open to quibbling, but this is the general concept.

But if I make a human and a troll with identical stats, the troll comes out much cheaper.

Correct. But then you also have a character who cannot fit into many buildings and most vehicles. One who can't use any standard equipment and pays 50-100% extra for everything he uses. One who is hideous by conventional standards and is hated and reviled most places he goes. There's more to a character than just the numbers on the page.

Why are attribute modifiers for metatype applied before purchasing attributes? Wouldn't it make more sense to apply them after so that "average" stats cost the same for every character?

Modifiers are applied before buying stats so that the attributes will cost the same whether they are bought before or after initial character creation. If modifiers were applied after stats were purchased, then we'd be back to the min/max-ing situation we were trying to avoid in the first place. Attributes would then be cheaper if bought in initial character creation.

So do the negative attribute modifiers for some metatypes mean anything at all then?

Penalties to attributes for trolls and dwarves and orks do not cost anything up front in character creation. The attributes in question simply start at 1 and may be bought up normally. The penalty is reflected only in the reduced maximum levels for those abilities (see "Why are trolls so cheap?" on the previous page).

Why does it only cost 90 Karma to be a full magician? Isn't that low compared to the 120 Karma for full resources?

A full magician is worth 90 Karma, however, you also have to pay separately for each spell point, putting a "standard" mage back up to around 120 Karma.

Why separate Contacts and Resources?

Simply because I thought it was silly to lump them together in the first place. Equating a "lifelong friend" to an amount of cash just seemed wrong to me. I understand that in the priorities system, Contacts was not an important enough item to make a separate priority, so it was lumped in with Resources. But once we moved away from priorities, there was no reason to leave them together. Under points and priorities, there is no way for a shapeshifter or Otaku to have a Friend for Life (level 3 contact) or even a Buddy (level 2), because their resources are limited. In fact, if either one decides to buy any equipment at all, then they wouldn't be allowed to have any contacts at all beyond the two defaults. Similarly, under points and priorities, anyone who does want a Friend for Life has to take at least 400,000 in resources, leaving 200,000 extra after the Friend is bought. That just doesn't make sense.

So should we expect a new version of BeCKS every year now?

No, I'm pretty sure this is about it. I plan to add new rules to accommodate changes in the world of Shadowrun (such as adding SURGE rules), and ideas have been tossed around for adding other BeCKS supplements in time (like a variable magic system for purchasing magical abilities in pieces), but the basics are sound. I always gladly welcome comments, criticism and suggestions, but don't expect any more substantial changes any time soon.

Leah Markinson - "Marksman"

Human adept. Created with standard BeCKS v2 rules.

Leah grew up on a small corporate farm in the Sioux nation, her father a manager and her mother a biotechnology researcher. Leah was an active and outdoorsy child who loved farm life, and grew up with a rifle in her hand for hunting vermin and targeting tin cans.

When Leah was sixteen, her father was promoted and her family moved to Seattle. Leah hated the city and blamed her parents for uprooting her from the natural environment she loved. Her relationship with them deteriorated into constant fights and tension until she eventually moved out. Joe jobs at convenience stores tided her over until she applied, on impulse, to work at a local firing range. Her knack with firearms quickly became evident and she started working as a gunsmith for the range as well.

Her skill with guns didn't go unnoticed by some of the range's regular customers, and she found herself with a few surreptitious job offers. Her surprising competence startled the people she worked with, and more than compensated for her inexperience. She's since started making a name for herself in the shadow biz, although she still works at the firing range for pleasure's sake.

Leah's unaware of her nature as an adept - living on a farm throughout her pubescent years, she slipped through the cracks of standard testing programs, and has no idea she's anything out of the ordinary. All she knows is that when she has a gun in her hand, the whole world looks different, and it's not a feeling she's willing to give up.

Rollo

Elven ghoul sharpshooter. Created with 750 Karma, no maximums or availability limits. Knowledge skill karma limited to racial maximum for intelligence.

Rollo grew up in a black Islamic household in the UCAS. He was an army sniper, but was dismissed from service in the UCAS Armed Forces after a run-in with ghouls during an action in western Africa.

After his infection, one of the first things he did was buy himself new eyes. He has acquired a little bit of cyberware since then, but he sees the punishment it deals out to his awakened nature, so he didn't go to the extremes he would have liked.

Rollo was fortunate enough to come through his infection process with his mind largely intact, but he compensated by taking his already careful and meticulous personality to extreme levels. Rollo is the consummate planner and tactician. He will not go into any situation without having researched every available aspect of it and developing contingency plans for every reasonable possibility. When the unexpected occurs, Rollo is more likely to ditch a run and return later than try to wing it.

Simon Blackfoot

Ork tracker/investigator. Created under standard BeCKS v2 rules.

Simon was born and raised among the Cascade Ork.

Growing up, he took quickly to a life of thuggery, joining the Cascade Ork road gangs, extorting and robbing travelers–all under tribal sanction, of course. Simon felt a calling to the Bull Moose totem early in life (similar to Bull), and was a natural leader. He rose quickly in the shady ranks of tribal ork politics.

Because of his calling, he was snatched up by a small magically oriented corporation, Opus Macrosystems.

They moved him to a research and training facility in Quebec where Simon spent the next three years of his life. It became quickly obvious though that in spite of his link to Bull Moose, which reflected clearly in his aura, Simon was in no way magically active. Once they had given up on him, Opus transferred him to a job working security back in the Seattle area, and once he had given up on them, Simon quietly went AWOL and headed back to the Cascades.

Despite the warm welcome he received from his old friends and cronies, Simon was no longer comfortable playing the ruffian, feeling he was destined for something greater... something more meaningful.

Simon now lives on his own in the wilderness of the Cascades. He gets on well with the old tribe, but they feel like he's "gone white" and deserted them. He steers clear of Opus Macrosystems, but they aren't making any big effort to find him yet, in spite of the cyber investment they made during his security tenure. Simon is waiting to find his greater destiny, and in the meantime, he makes his living as a tracker and guide, occasionally hooking up with the shadows of the metroplex for supplemental cash.

Seamus

Human adept. 375 Karma. No skills higher than 5.

Seamus is little more than a punk kid who's stumbled into the shadows of Detroit. He is human, but grew up in a family of Orks. His younger sister goblinized at 13, but Seamus never did. He's 19 now. His mom left when he was younger, and his dad is a drunk who does contracting and construction work whenever he can find it.

Seamus drinks a lot, like his old man, and has tried the construction biz, but just doesn't like it. He's found that he does have a knack for fighting, and lately he's hooked up with a more experienced runner who has been getting him odd work here and there.

Seamus doesn't realize that he is an adept yet. He just assumes he's really good at what he does. Ultimately, Seamus's goal is to try to earn his old man's respect. He feels like he's always been a disappointment just by being a human. So now he wants to find his own way and show that he can make it without having to be like his father.