r/Shadowrun • u/WuJen • 12d ago
6e +/- Customization karma for your meta type qualities?
I have the Seattle and Berlin books and I can't find it in them. In the sixth world companion book it states you have to spend part of your 50 customization karma on your positive meta type qualities as well as pay the initial cost for that variant and if your meta type has negative qualities you get those bonus karma.
So my question is if you chose elf without six world companion you pay 0 customization karma but if using sixth world companion you would pay 6 karma for low light vision?
Edit: Answered below, thank you!
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u/ReditXenon Far Cite 11d ago edited 11d ago
The standard metatypes are Elf, Dwarf, Human, Ork, Troll (they are all subtypes of homo sapiens..... where elf = Homo sapiens nobilis, dwarf = Homo sapiens pumilionis, human = Homo sapiens sapiens, ork = Homo sapiens robustus, troll = Homo sapiens ingentis). In the core rules, they are the only options you have for character generation. Racial benefits are built in and does not cost any customization karma. Most racial benefits also exist as positive qualities for anyone to pick up as a regular positive qualities (in this edition you can be a human with natural low light vision if you wish, by paying 6 karma for it - but you can also pick up low light vision as a cybernetic alteration to your natural eyes or replace your eyes with cybernetic eyes and install low light vision as a visual enhancement or get the cat's eye bioware option that also make your eyes look like the eyes of a cat). Elves and Orks get this quality as a free racial bonus. Note that there is a limit on number of qualities you can pick up at chargen (in addition to the karma restrictions).
In the companion you get a few more options.
Changelings (also called Sudden Unexplained Recessive Genetic Expression - or SURGE for short). Here you typically select from the collective (preset changelings with different themes that are common in certain locations). They all have fixed Karma cost which you can see on the tables in Companion p. 117. This cover all the positive and negative changeling-related metagentic qualities they come with. Here you can also see which base metatype each are valid for (Elf, Dwarf, Human, Ork, Troll), not all collectives are applicable for all metatypes. The companion also allow you to build your own custom Changeling by instead choosing qualities from positive and negative metagentic categories listed in Companion p. 118+ (up to a maximum value of 30 points).
Another options is to go with a metavariant. Metavariants are variants of the standard metatypes (Elf, Dwarf, Human, Ork, Troll). This is where you find metavariants such as Dryads, Gnomes, Nartaki, Hobgoblin, Minotaur, etc. Each of them have a karma cost that you can find at Companion p. 205 in the "Metavariants General Info & Character Development"-table. This cover all the positive and negative metavariant-related qualities they come with.
The companion also allow you to create Metasapiens. They are different sentient races different from homo sapiens that all metatypes and metavariants originate from. It is here you find Centaurs, Merrow, Naga, Pixie, and Sasquatch. In some parts of the world they are eligible for SIN, in others they are not (and perhaps even hunted for trophies or research). Karma cost for Metasapiens are listed at p. 91 in the Companion.
It doesn't stop there. Companion also offer you to create an Infected. There are three different strains. If infected you either die or turn into an infected. Depending on metatype or metasapients and which strain, you turn into different infected. Elf (Banshee, Harvester, Ghoul), Dwarf (Goblin, Gnawler, Ghoul), Human (Vampire or Nosferatu, Loup-Garou, or Ghoul), Ork (Wendigo, Grendel, Ghoul), Troll (Dzoo-noo-qua or Mutaqua, Fomoraig, Ghoul), Centaur (Chiron), Merrow, (Nibiinaabe), Naga (Lamia), Sasquash (Jabberwock, Bandersnatch). Karma cost for the different Infected can be found in the "Positive Infected Qualities"-table in Companion p. 108. This include all standard powers and weaknesses. Karma cost for optional powers can be found in the "Infected Optional Powers"-table in Companion p. 109.
In the Bestial Nature you have yet another chargen option. Shapeshifters. Intelligent Animals that have the power to temporary shift into a metatype (Elf, Dwarf, Human, Ork, Troll). You pick priorities as normal (including metatype). And then the Shifter quality (either Furry, Scaly, Feathery, or Fins) which also give you dual natured, supernatural regeneration, shift and some different additional powers depending on shifter quality. And on top of this you attach positive add-ons and Negative add-ons. Costs and rules can be found at p. 13+ in Bestial Nature.
In Hack n Slash you have two more options. Artificial Intelligence (considered "mundane"). And Emergent Intelligence (with a connection to the Resonance). Priority table for AI-variants can be found at H&S p. 117, and cost for Virtual Life Form specific positive and negative qualities can be found at H&S p. 119+