The Official Shadowrun Rule Book defines Luxury Lifestyle as...This lifestyle offers the best of everything; spacious, ritzy digs, lots of high-tec toys, the best food, drink, and you-name-it. The character has a household staff or a maid service or gadgets to do the mundane chores. He has a powerful car, maybe even a hot sports model or a chauffeured limo. Whenther it's a big house, a snazzy condo, or the penthouse in a top hotel, this is the life for the high-stakes winners in the business: top executives, government big shots, high-level yakuza, and the shadowrunners who pull of the big scores. COST: 100,000 nuyen.

The Unofficial Shadowrun Rules defines the Luxury Lifestyle as...This is the lifestyle the runners strive for, whether its being waited on hand and foot living in an exclusive penthouse downtown, or living the life of Riley on a luxury yaught. Everything is beyond reproach. The runner gets only the best of everything. His stature gets him invited to many parties and fundraisers. The bottom line is that the runner finally has it all.

The respect a character draws from society is directly based upon how he choses to live his life. Some elite rich do not have all of the elegances of others. For example, a runner that has converted an abandoned warehouse into a high-tech storage/repair facility that's equipped with state of the art security sytems, would be living a luxury lifestyle. He may not have the chaufer driven limousine, but you can guarantee that he has the technology to make him a force to be reckoned with. This type of character would be paying for a Luxury Lifestyle, yet actually living one equal to a High or Middle, depending on what he has committed to his shadowrun exploits. He would be treated according to the High or Middle lifestyle by society, but by other runners he would be considered to be living the life of luxury. On the other hand, some runners that can and opt to live a luxury lifestyle, have the benefits of that lifestyle. Society folks are generally respected pilars of the community, often giving to charieties and supporting various fundraisers and given invitations to a wide variety of social events. Some of the poor, especially gangers, have labeled the rich as the reason they are where they are. Gangs tend to take any shot they can at the rich, either by physical force, for example taking shots at limousine, or by mental means, such as graffitti on promenant structures or homes.

Credit is great. The character probably owns two or three vehicles that aren't paid for, but the payments are maintained within this life-style. All bills are paid, including the mortgage to a home or homes. Even a luxury yaught can be mortgaged for those cold months in Seattle. Parties and social gatherings are all a part of being on top. Costs of eating out, even with semi-large groups can be absorbed into the lifestyle, after all it's 100,000 nuyen per month. Toys and technology are commonplace. Social events and sporting event tickets are absorbed by the lifestyle. Even charities and small limit gambling would be picked up by the lifestyle.

If it can purchased, then it's available for you! The luxury lifestyle covers all aspects of entertainment. Your trid may be wall sized with complete surround sound systems, some theaters wish they had it so good. Your phone system is state of the art and has all of the amenities offered by the phone companies. Parties, parties, and more parties, is what the character can expect. He is often invited to many social events, mostly fundraisers, but a party is a party. Entertainment available to everyone, such as sporting events, theater events, and nightclub life, is also available to the luxury classed person. Their seating at a ball game is probably reserved club seats that come with many amenities. The nightclub life depends on the clubs the character frequents as to how he'll be treated. Don't go into a bar in the Barrens expecting the red carpet to be rolled out, you're more likely to be shot at.

A character is very likely to have a personal chef on hand to cook meals to perfection. If the character doesn't, it doesn't matter. He enjoys all the quality food he could want. Delecasies are available at all times. Fresh fruits and vegetables, not to mention real meats, are common in the refrigerator. Eating out is also a great pleasure. Characters often show off their wealth by treating friends or possible employers to fine dining. Eating out is more common to the wealthy individual that doesn't keep a personal chef.

Why are you even wanting to work? Shadowrunning jobs at this level are high paying and generally high risk. Your reputation has probably marked you the best in your league. You've established some pretty good contacts within several corporations and they keep you informed of certain aspects of their companies. You have greater control over what you'll be paid and how the run will be ended. The ability to pick and choose runs is the best benefit of this lifestyle. You probably don't deal with Johnsons anymore.

Situationally, during character creation, a player has specific things in mind for his characters background. As a player that selected Luxury for a lifestyle, he may have wanted to be a socialite or political type person. For someone paying this much a month for his lifestyle I like to give that person a few more contacts, let's say five. He made his money somewhere, whether it was on the streets, earned on the market, or even inherited it. It is reasonable to assume that people with money know more people, whether they want to or not. Hit the lottery and you'll see just how many friends you have. I also like to give this character one buddy. This person could be someone that the character hasn't seen in many years, or someone that he deals with on a daily basis. If a person decides that he has a Luxury Lifestyle because of the success of his business, then I would generally allow the business to support a Middle Lifestyle without the character actually having to do anything. He would have to make up the difference.

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