Hello guys. I ran into a problem during character creation. I had a bounty hunter who was rising the ranks so it would be Likely for him to have a lot of weapons right? Well the only ones affordable options without extra obligation is a blaster pistol and only 100 bucks left, which barely buys anything. I think it's unfair to force a choice between reasonable gear or extra obligation. Especially since it takes away your chance for xp. Thoughts appreciated.

-user

Your game, your choices.

The character creation part of the game has some hard choices in it. Do I have enough cash? Is owing a Hutt obligation worth it for more money? Do I have enough EXP? Is it worth becoming a criminal, betraying my clan, or being a spice head to have some more EXP?

You don't want to make those choices? Don't. You are missing out on a facet of the game about being "hungry", but it is your game.

This game forces you to make some hard choices in character creation. Really, if they allowed you enough credits to comfortably start, no one would take extra obligation unless they wanted more xp. And that's pretty much all it would be used for.

That said, there are lots of people on this board that have mentioned they would give the players more starting credits. It's their game, they can run it how they want.

I don't, because of that hard choice. Really if you think about it, the playing field levels pretty quickly. And if you are that bounty hunter with a pistol you'll get your hands on a Blaster Carbine or Rifle after your very first (serious) firefight. I think the initial choice between more xp or more credits is perfectly fine and not "unfair" at all.

Don't forget your players can take on extra obligation and split it. For example, with 10 starting obligation you can then take up to an extra 10, but you don't have to pick all xp or all credits. You can use that extra 10 obligation for +5xp and +1000 credits or +10xp or +2500 credits. Or you can just choose 5 extra obligation and get +5xp or +1000 credits. Whatever helps.

In my game I will be giving 1000 starting credits instead of 500. This is to make sure characters can afford at least the bare necessities of their build, such as a tool kit and a blaster or a blaster rifle.

1000 is still low enough that there is some appeal to turning to obligation for extra credits if you want that heavy blaster rifle or that armored clothing.

Hello guys. I ran into a problem during character creation. I had a bounty hunter who was rising the ranks so it would be Likely for him to have a lot of weapons right? Well the only ones affordable options without extra obligation is a blaster pistol and only 100 bucks left, which barely buys anything. I think it's unfair to force a choice between reasonable gear or extra obligation. Especially since it takes away your chance for xp. Thoughts appreciated.

-user

Rising through the ranks would imply you had to step on a few toes to get there. It makes sense to increase your Obligation for more gear. I agree that 500 credits isn't a whole lot, but as was said before: that's the point.

I've been trying to make a gunslinger character who favors two blaster pistols. It's not easy, that's for sure (especially knowing that you have to be happy with your Characteristic scores because there is no way of increasing them short of a Talent or cybernetics). I'd like to have an Agility of 4 (to account for the extra purple die you have to take to use two weapons), but I don't like what it does to the rest of my Characteristics.

Most of my group took on look at cash obligation and decided to "acquire in play", most of them took the exp anyway.

Alot of stun grenades and stun only pistols to start with .

I built a charming, extremely polite assassin who's only starting weapon was a vibroknife.

It was not his only weapon for long.

If your guy is an established badass and can't afford the gear to match, make it part of your backstory.

Maybe a rival or - even better - someone you trusted stole your gear and left you for dead.

Or maybe your guild took your gear away because your last bounty went bad and the target was killed.

If you're the GM, conspire with that Player, give them all that cool gear then roleplay the scene where they lose everything. The Player will be motivated without feeling cheated, and the other PCs will get to see him work his way back to the top of the food chain. Your story about the ultimate professional just became an underdog story.

The mechanics matter less than the story you tell.

IMO it's pretty paltry starting money for the characters who depend on specialty equipment to even do their jobs at all. A bounty hunter can be pretty lethal with just a single blaster pistol. A Technician, Medic or (especially) Slicer can't afford anything (in the Slicer's case, not even cheap armor) if they take the equipment that counts as "right tools for the job."

I don't think that it would have been unreasonable to give characters a set of starting gear based on Career and first Specialization. The game has one example - the Bounty Hunter career grants a bounty hunting license. They could have done this with the others as well.

Tools, etc. seem more expensive than guns. How does that compare with the real world?

(I ask because I assume most here are from the US, and Predator 2 teaches us that you guys are armed at all times - so you'd know, right?)

The standard blaster pistol is 400 credits. The toolkit is 350 credits. A blaster rifle is 900 credits and costs more than most non-weapon personal items.

The standard blaster pistol is 400 credits. The toolkit is 350 credits. A blaster rifle is 900 credits and costs more than most non-weapon personal items.

Sorry, mean relative to real world.

The standard blaster pistol is 400 credits. The toolkit is 350 credits. A blaster rifle is 900 credits and costs more than most non-weapon personal items.

Sorry, mean relative to real world.

I was responding to your assertion that tools seem more expensive to guns in the game.

The standard blaster pistol is 400 credits. The toolkit is 350 credits. A blaster rifle is 900 credits and costs more than most non-weapon personal items.

Sorry, mean relative to real world.

I was responding to your assertion that tools seem more expensive to guns in the game.

I understand. To me, a handgun being only 14.3% more expensive than a box of tools would be frightening. But I have no idea how much handguns actually cost, so "frightening" may just be frighteningly accurate.

Tools, etc. seem more expensive than guns. How does that compare with the real world?

(I ask because I assume most here are from the US, and Predator 2 teaches us that you guys are armed at all times - so you'd know, right?)

Depends on the tools and the guns.

If you've got $500 cash and live in a red state you've got a decent choice in firearms.

By that same token, you can spend a LOT of money on tools. It's easy to rack up a serious tab on tools.

Well, if you're curious about "real world" comparisons, the data set is simply too varied, I'm afraid. Handguns can be relatively cheap (in strict terms of currency, I mean) and "a box of tools" can be very, very expensive depending on the specific makeup and quality of the inventory. I used to work in a forklift repairshop and the top mechanics were expected to own literally thousands and thousands of US dollars worth of handtools, diagnostic tools, etc.

I suppose they are used to fix everything. From a toaster to a space ship.

( My toaster broke this week )

I am one of the few that thought the starting credits were too low.

However, after discussions on these boards and the many good reaction I received I have since changed my mind about this.

I haven't houseruled starting credits, but everyone in my group took an extra 5 Obligation to get an extra 1,000 credits at the start of the game (1,500 credits total), so starting funds was obviously a concern.

Tools, etc. seem more expensive than guns. How does that compare with the real world?

(I ask because I assume most here are from the US, and Predator 2 teaches us that you guys are armed at all times - so you'd know, right?)

Yes Predator 2 is a classic film and an accurate depiction of firearms ownership in America!

Seriously though, without making this a long involved post, in my part of the US a good but still fairly portable collection of hand and power tools will cost roughly the same as a good quality handgun, so it does line up.

If you want a more accurate breakdown PM me. I'd rather not post it in the open because firearm ownership in the US is a rather hot-button political topic over here right now and I'd rather not start a flame war.

I don't know if it's necessary to change the starting amount of cash or equipment unless your initial adventure requires they have it. The PCs starting stuff is snapshot of their careers just as they begin to go from background characters to roll of The Protagonist. Theres is no guarantee, nor should there be, that they begin this new chapter of their lives fully equipped to start. The game gives you a way to equip your PCs well (or nearly so) by using the Obligation mechanic. I'd use this mechanic unless the specifics of your campaign require they have more than Obligation can provide.