Mechanics: Runner's 'Safehouse Bags'

(I decided to start labeling the blog posts as 'Mechanics', 'Opinion', 'Discussion', and other things.)

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Shadowrunners are generally in a dangerous business. What with chasing down everything from organized crime to corps to megacorps to AAA megacorps who are run by spirits and dragons and/or who practice blood magic in their halls. 

Thus, occasionally a runner runs into a situation where they need to get outta Dodge NOW and lay low for awhile. This is why you often see on character sheets a safehouse listed(this is usually another lifestyle one maintains-even if its a dingy flophouse somewhere-alongside their main lifestyle.) And while said lifestyle costs probably includes basic food and clothing, it behooves the prudent runner to keep a sort of 'Survival Cache' on hand at said place, just in case they can't get back to their main hideout for a few days(or more.) 

Thus I decided to offer a bunch of ideas for sorta 'sets' that a runner can keep on hand, if you're curious onto what sorts of things a runner might need. 

Safehouses:

Generally speaking, these run Low or even Squatter lifestyle; Middle and up start to cost quite a bit, but if you're playing a more affluent runner, by all means grab one. If you're using optional lifestyle rules that are scattered around, consider upping Security ratings(or if not, splurging some maglocks, etc-anything to help out with security of a sorta more down-low place.) Keep your character's safehouse a fair ways away from their normal lifestyle, of course(sometimes in a place where people wouldn't suspect.) Low lifestyle costs 1,000/month, Squatter 100/month, so one could probably maintain the latter very easily, and the former, if you're not playing a street level campaign, also fairly easily. A Middle lifestyle safehouse becomes a bit hefty; I suggest to invest in things like maglocks and other security on a discreetly-located Low lifestyle place as to not get too out of hand, but it of course depends. If you're playing a game with big payouts? Go for it!

The Gear:

NOTE: COSTS ARE AGAIN FOR THE THIRD EDITION OF SHADOWRUN.  That being said, if one plays newer editions, you can most likely take these and still utilize them, but you will have to adjust costs(some things are cheaper, while others, like low level fake SINs, can run more.) If you need ideas, though, the lists can suffice. 

So when assembling your runner's getaway bag-of course, starting resources probably affect this somehow(starting with 20k, and you're not likely going to get a particularly amazing set out of it, but it'll be enough to survive). Later in this article I'll write up a few 3rd edition(and maybe even note a few 2nd edition bits) pre-made sets for folks to consider for their games. 

Keep in mind what your character does, of course(someone who doesn't use Assault Rifles may not need one and they're a bit more expensive, a couple of spare pistols are cheap and can be tossed to someone else if the whole team is on the run.) As a rule of thumb, a BASE bag should include:

Pistol+Spare Ammo(Price depending. Regular ammo is 20 nuyen per box of 10.) 

Armor Jacket(or longcoat, vest, etc. Range from about 175 to 850.)

Survival Knife(450)

Survival Kit(100)

Ration Bars/10 days(30)

Medkit(200)

Pocket Flashlight(10)

Stim Patch(25 nuyen/rating point)

Certified Credstick with 100-500 balance

This is probably what I'd suggest at a minimum. It's enough for a runner to hole up somewhere, defend themselves, stay awake, heal basic wounds and buy little things they need(food, etc, if they're able to get to a Stuffer Shack or something), or eat if they're forced to literally not come out. The cost of this kit averages 2500, depending on what sort of pistol/ammo/armor one gets(the armor actually is the potentially most expensive bit, with a secure jacket going for 850 and a secure vest around 175, so they can range, and pistols can range a lot as well.) 

Without the gun and armor it comes out to around just under to just over 1k depending on the credstick amount.

If you like more elaborate pistols and armor jackets it'll be higher. 

Here are some example 'safehouse sets' for a variety of price ranges and characters: 

"Basic Safehouse Set"

Survival Knife(450)

Survival Kit(100)

Ration Bars/10 days(30)

Medkit(200)

Pocket Flashlight(10)

Stim Patch/Rating 4(100)

Certified Credstick/100 nuyen balance 

Browning Max-Power w/50 regular rounds(550)  

Armor Vest(200; B2 I1)

Earplug Cellphone(100)

Large Military Rucksack(140)

Total Cost: 1980

You might wonder why I gave the Browning instead for basic. Truth be told, hold-out pistols for a hiding set when you may actually be hunted after are not the *best* self defense. Generally speaking, hold-outs are best for situations where you're going to be against unarmored(or very lightly armored), poorly combatant types(like average suits). And light pistols, while they're nice to hide, tend to have similar concealability factor for the cheap ones(the higher-cost ones are the ones generally with better.) The Browning is an inexpensive and strong handgun with a nice concealability, and I think it's pretty good to pack in a bag like this. 

This set is indeed a lower cost basic set for those who don't have a lot of nuyen and/or want to pack light and fairly discreet. If one feels vulnerable in the Armor Vest, one can add an Armor Vest with Plates instead for just 200 more nuyen, still, IMO, fairly accessible. This set is probably not going to be used for a character to 'work from their safehouse', but more to lay low. 

"All Purpose Safehouse Set"

Survival Knife(450)

Survival Kit(100)

Ration Bars/10 days(30)

Medkit(200)

Pocket Flashlight(10)

Stim Patch/Rating 4(100)

Certified Credstick/300 nuyen balance 

Earplug Cellphone(100)

Browning Max-Power w/100 regular rounds(650) 

Secure Jacket(850)

Micro Flare Launcher/2 Flares(200)

Respirator(200) 

Large Military Rucksack(140)

Total Cost: 3330

This set preps a runner for a bit more. With a bit more money(for whatever reason, keeping in mind one probably still has some resources of their own, this cred is for super-emergencies), more ammo for holing up, and heavier armor, it's probably the set I'd *personally* keep on my characters that can afford it(which is most save for the more street-oriented types.) This set is pretty good for anyone of any 'archetype.' Much like the other one, this one isn't going to likely be used to 'work from a safehouse' alone.

"Advanced Safehouse Set"

Survival Knife(450)

Survival Kit(100)

Ration Bars/20 days(60)

Medkit(200)

Medkit Refill(50)

Pocket Flashlight(10)

Stim Patch/Rating 4(100)

Certified Credstick/500 nuyen balance 

Earplug Cellphone(100)

Browning Max-Power w/100 regular rounds and concealable holster(750) 

Secure Jacket(850)

Micro Flare Launcher/2 Flares(200)

Respirator(200) 

Nav-Dat GPS(700)

Low-Light Binoculars(300)

Antidote Patch/Rating 4(120)

Fake Sin/Rating 1(1,000)

Chemsuit/Rating 4(800)

Pocket Secratary(3,000)

Pager(10)

Large Military Rucksack(140)

Total Cost: 9640

The Advanced set is once again not geared toward any 'vocation' but comes with a few extra bits to help out, like a Chemsuit, extra slap patches and even a very low level fake SIN. Basically the 'High Level' bugout bag for those who want to make sure they have about all the bases covered. You probably need to be packing at least a priority C in Resources for this one, but it's got enough for a runner to basically function out of their safehouse for a fair bit of time. It even has bonuses like a GPS and a set of low-light binoculars in case one doesn't have cybereyes/eye modification. 

This set is extensive enough that a runner could feasibly 'work' from their safehouse for a bit of time(as in, actually still go to meets, etc, and the like, while living away from home.) Note this should probably be done at the runners' risk, but if they feel like they can work 'from the road'-or perhaps the next town over-it can be very useful. 


Characters can add to these as they see fit, too; these are just starting packages for easy purchase. A samurai could add an extra weapon or two, a decker a cheap cyberdeck, a shaman an extra set of shamanic lodge materials, a mage extra conjuring materials(and magicians in general perhaps spare fetishes), a face extra sets of nice clothing and so on. 

Anyhow, a little something for folks to chew on!