Contacts rules
These rules are canon for my current campaign.
These rules introduce a simple currency for contacts: favour markers. Certain services from your contacts will cost markers; either instead of, or in addition to, nuyen.
Contacts will generally refuse to help you when you owe them more markers than they have Loyalty rating with you.
Markers are an in-universe concept; characters can talk about them. They can even be traded around (“You still owe me for that time in Cuba. But if you help my boy here out, we’ll be square. OK?”)
Contact types
For each contact you should declare a speciality, an area of expertise. Some examples are below but feel free to ask for more if you feel these don’t cover something you want:
- Legwork: Knows things, or finds them out. Examples: Bartender, Journalist, Info Broker
- Gear: Has things, sells things, finds things. Examples: Talismonger, Armorer, Car Dealer
- Service: Does things. Examples: Mechanic, Smuggler, Medic, Janitor
- Networking: Knows people; can introduce you. Examples: Fixer, Club Owner
Marker costs
Contacts don’t generally have stats. Unless otherwise specified, when it says “roll” below, the roll is:
- ((Connection Rating × 3)+Loyalty rating) if this is the contact’s area of expertise
- ((Connection Rating × 2)+Loyalty rating) otherwise
| Action | What the Contact Does | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Legwork (Knowledge Skills) | Rolls vs threshold based on obscurity of knowledge | For Legwork contacts: free.Otherwise, 1 marker. |
| Legwork (Asking Around) | Rolls vs threshold based on obscurity of knowledge | For Legwork contacts: 1 marker.Otherwise, 3 markers. |
| Networking | Rolls vs threshold of the target NPC’s connection rating. Even on a success, you might only meet with a subordinate. | For Networking contacts, none. Otherwise, 1 marker. Arranging a meeting with dangerous people (like mafia dons or dragons) might cost more, at the GM’s discretion. |
| Gear | Rolls vs. Availability of item (opposed test, not threshold.) | For Gear contacts, see above. Otherwise, as above, plus 1 additional marker. |
| Services | Rolls their appropriate active skill or uses their special ability. | For service contacts, 1 marker for up to 8 hours of work. Otherwise, 3 markers per 8 hours. |
Using other people’s contacts
If you want to make use of someone else’s contacts, they need to pay the favour markers, not you.