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Contact Rules

The Contact rules in the Shadowrun Fifth Edition Core Rulebook (pg 386-392) and Run Faster Splatbook (pg 172-195) are built for a static team-based ongoing story, instead of the flexible team-based interconnected format used in RunnerHub’s living world setting. To account for the differences on RunnerHub, the following sections will explain how to Acquire Contacts, Use Contacts in game, and Advance Existing Contacts. Unless otherwise noted below, use the rules as written in the SR5 Core Rulebook and Run Faster.

That said, RunnerHub does not use the Group or Organizational contact types (RF177), and instead treats Contacts which consist of more than one actual person as a singular Contact, with a slightly different flavor. Additionally, the Blackmail (RF178), Family (RF178), or Maintaining Contact Relations (RF178) rules are not used, nor are Player Characters allowed to have each other as Contacts.

Acquiring Contacts

Contacts can be gained in several ways and have different costs. Character Creation, Run Rewards, Hub Contact purchases, and Contact Networking (CRB388) are all ways that a player can gain new Contacts.

Contacts are separated into three different types of contacts on RunnerHub, but all must have the following descriptors:

• Ethnicity, Metatype, and Gender
• Archetype (Examples: Fixer, mechanic, reporter, arms dealer)
• Affiliation (Examples: Yakuza, Halloweener, Aztechnology, UCAS, Unaffiliated)

Character Contacts

Contacts created by players during character creation or during solo runs are not shared with other players or added to the NPC Index. These are usually unaffected by other players’ actions.

Players creating contacts at character creation must assign Connection, Loyalty, basic vital stats (or just a physical description), an Archetype (if applicable and desired), and a backstory. The backstory should be sufficiently detailed to give GMs who read it clear guidance on what kind of things a contact can do. Players should avoid overly broad contact backstories that grant an excessive amount of power. Sheet checkers and CCD have final authority when evaluating the validity of contacts. These contacts should not have listed proficiencies, as these will be determined during games by GMs based on the contact's archetype, backstory and the nature of the request being made.

Character Contacts are limited to a maximum Karma cost of 7 (after any discounts from Networker and Massive Network), and a maximum Connection of 6 at character creation.

A player may create and buy one new contact per character, per month without an associated run, using the monthly “Contact Purchases” thread on r/runnerHub. These contacts are bought at a total cost in GMP of Connection + Loyalty + 1, and are subject to the same rules as contacts created during character creation. Players must provide the details of the contact they wish to create as replies on the monthly "Contact Purchases" thread and will be able to add the contact to their character's sheet after they are reviewed and approved by TD (or RD/CCD upon TD's request).

Shared Contacts

Contacts gained as run rewards for full runs, Player sponsored runs, during character creation* or otherwise created by GMs and awarded in gameplay. These Contacts are listed on the RunnerHub NPC Index and can be affected by other players’ actions. These Contacts may be Faction Contacts.

• Note: You may only take Shared Contacts during character creation if the Shared Contact has C/L total of 7 or less, and you have permission from the contact's creator listed on the RunnerHub NPC Index.

RunnerHub Contacts

Contacts gained via purchase from the RunnerHub Contacts wiki page or as part of a run reward. These contacts are trusted by the RunnerHub admins, listed on the RunnerHub NPC Index and can be affected by other players’ actions.

Using Contacts

Proficiency

When a Contact needs to perform an action that requires a roll, the GM will use the description of the Contact to determine how proficient the Contact is for the task, and use the table below to determine how many dice the Contact will roll.

High

This is what the Contact is best at, and their expertise in these fields is likely the reason a character chose to associate with them in the first place:

• A Drug Dealer attempting to buy drugs.
• A Mechanic fixing a vehicle.
• A Corp Executive making a Knowledge Test about their corporation.

Medium

This may not be what the Contact does every day, but is easily related to their abilities and influence:

• A smuggler giving safe directions around security areas
• A scientist’s understanding of a different, but similar field to theirs.
• A club owner networking a meeting with a syndicate member.

Low

This is something the Contact does not have much experience with at all, and the only reason a character might call them about it is that it is very loosely linked to their actual skills:

• A squatter facilitating a safe house
• A Decker attempting to buy an assault cannon
• A journalist attempting to forge tickets to a live show

Knowledge Tests

Contacts will usually give a character their Loyalty Rating in hits scored for free, and charge a character for any extra hits they score. If the information a character is seeking is compromising or suspicious, the character may need to succeed at a negotiation test against the Contact with a bonus equal to their Loyalty Rating. What information is withheld and prices for extra hits are GM’s discretion.

Services and Favors

Sometimes a character need a Contact to perform a task to make the run easier. Typically a Contact is capable of performing services up to their Loyalty Rating on the Favor Rating table on CRB389 (also reproduced below). Services higher than their Loyalty Rating, or that would endanger or compromise the Contact, may (at GM discretion) need a Negotiation test against the Contact with a bonus equal to their Loyalty Rating. Do note that the Services/Favors must be something that a Contact of that Connection Rating can do, regardless of Loyalty Rating.

The rules presented in Better than Bad for getting a favor from a Contact are not in use.

Archetype Powers

Certain kinds of contacts have special abilities, termed Archetype Powers. These powers are available to any contact which is assigned an Archetype allowing use of the power.

Most powers count as a favor, and can be paid for in chips or straight nuyen.

Fixers

Fixers are contacts who are generalists and can usually find anything, given time. They have medium proficiency in all legwork, swag, and favor rolls. However they have high proficiency in their specialty, networking.

Paying Contacts

Contacts may charge for Services, Favors, or Information. The typical price is the Contact’s Connection Rating x [¥100 to ¥1,000] - (Loyalty x 10% of the initial amount). The GM will decide the initial amount depending on the Service, Favor, or Information.

At GM discretion, instead of paying a Contact for Services in cash, the character can instead owe the Contact a Favor. The GM gives Chips to the Contact equal to the rating of a Favor using the Favor Rating Table. The Contact may make requests of the character who owes them chips on later runs. Refusing to honor a Favor from a Contact will prompt a Loyalty Test.

GMs will track the Chips that characters and Contacts owe each other using the RunnerHub NPC Index. Players must also note these Chips on their character sheets.

Chips are repaid, by contacts and players alike, on a 1:1 basis.

Loyalty Tests

Sometimes character actions or requests may compromise a Contact or their interests. In these situations, the GM may call for a Loyalty Test: (Contact Loyalty + Character Negotiation OR Character Etiquette) [2]. Failing this test will reduce the Contact’s Loyalty by 1. This cannot occur more than once per Contact per run. This test cannot benefit from Edge or other modifiers (social, quality or equipment).

Contact Advancement

The methods for increasing the Connection and/or Loyalty of a Contact introduced in Better than Bad are not in use. RunnerHub uses a custom system, as described below.

Faction contacts cannot have their Connection raised as described in Cutting Aces, however, characters may exchange 5 points of Faction Rep for 1 chip to apply to a faction contact.

Loyalty

To raise the loyalty of a contact, the character must spend a number of Chips equal to the new rating, and wait Days x (New Rating) up to level 4 or Weeks x (New Rating) for 5 and above. This waiting time can be skipped through a solo run or CSR. Advancing a contact to loyalty 6 has an additional requirement. The character must complete a narrative task that explains the advancement of the contact's loyalty from 5 to 6. Contact TD for discussion and approval. This task may, for example, consist in writing an IC narrative, which may be shared with GMs interested in using the contact in plot hooks. Characters may also advance a contact to loyalty 6 through a solo run or CSR.

Connection

To raise the connection of a contact, the player must spend Chips equal to the new Connection Rating, and Days x (New Rating) for ratings up to 4 and Weeks x (New Rating) for 5 and above. This waiting time can be skipped through a solo run or CSR. To advance a contact to connection 6, the character must also complete a solo or player sponsored run. For Rating 6 and above, the character must also complete a solo or player sponsored run. All other players that have this Contact may update their character sheets to reflect the Contact’s new Connection Rating, but do not change the Loyalty Rating. Contacts may not have a Connection Rating greater than 8. Official RunnerHub Contacts cannot have their Connection raised with chips.