SR5 Flashbacks

Design Notes:

One of the difficulties with Shadowrun, is that games can turn in to extended planning sessions where every detail of the plan is nailed down in advance. These planning sessions can take hours. If everyone in the group enjoys this, it's not that big of a deal. However much of the time, a few players really enjoy planning, and the rest are bored. Given the fact that we will only have one game a month, it is imperative that we finish any given Shadowrun in that game session.

The goal of this rule is to cut down on the planning time, and allow most of the game time to be focused on the run itself. We will do that by creating Ocean's 11 or Leverage Style Flashback sequences, where the PC's encounter a complication and we Flashback to where they had prepared for it.

Mechanics:

The Planning Test

After the Shadowrun Team has spent at least an hour planning, they may make a Leadership + Charisma [Social](3) Test. The net hits create a pool of Flashback points. The other members of the team can assist with the Planning Test by making a teamwork roll. This teamwork test should be made using an appropriate Knowledge Skill or other skill as approved by the ST.

Spending Flashback Points

Whenever a Flashback point is spent a short flashback scene should be described, showing the preparation that the character made.

A Flashback Point may be used to do the following.

• Acquire a piece of Equipment. This does not bypass Availability rules.
• Gain +2 Dice to a single roll.
• Make a single roll as part of an Extended roll.

Note: A Flashback Point may not be spent to take any action that would have had risk, or in response to an event that the PC's could not have anticipated. A Flashback point may be spent to make a Legwork Roll to have potentially learned about the new threat, and once the PC's have found out about it, they can spend additional Flashback points.

Example 1 Caduceus has come up do a door leading to in to the room where Aztechnology stores the blood sample for the researcher they want to extract. Unfortunately, he finds that there is a passkey Mag Lock that he was not prepared for. The can spend a single Flashback point to have attempt to Acquire a Passkey. He makes the roll to purchase the restricted item, and we have a short flashback showing him buying the sequencer from his Fixer. Caduceus talks to a man in the back room of a Radio Shack, handing him a credit stick and receiving a small electronic device in return.

Example 2 The team has gotten through the door into the sample vault. They are prepared for the two guards who are waiting for them. They are surprised at the sight of a Manifested Blood Spirit. Because this is something that they were completely unaware of, a Flashback point may not be spent to immediately act against it. Instead <Valkyrie> Spends a Flashback point to make a Legwork roll to talk to ask her contacts about the Aztechnology Facilities Magical security. She then spends a second Flashback Point to purchase a rating 3 Banishing Foci (Blood Spirits) and the 6 Karma to bond it. Finally she spends a Flashback point to get +2 Dice on her Banishing Roll. <Valkyrie> just spent 3 Flashback Points, and 6 Karma but she now has a +5 to her roll to banish the Blood Spirit. <Valkyrie> talks to her Corporate Wage Mage Contact, and her eyes widen as she learns that they might use a blood spirit. <Valkyrie> is in a cluttered lore shop, haggling over an elaborate orichalucm ring. Valkyrie is hunched over her commlink , the AR display showing information on Blood Spirits, as she practices arcane gestures.