Shadowrun
Shadowrun Play => Character creation and critique => Topic started by: grumble on <08-17-12/1216:01>
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Hi all!
Here it goes, my reason for wanting to play Shadowrun. :)
Without playing the game before, I always wanted to have a character Non-combat focused.
Maybe playing in a group where focus on less (or no?) martial skills can be used to help the campaign narrative along.
Is that popular in Shadowrun?
I know it was very difficult it imagine in AD&D rule settings, but posssible. I never got the chance to RP such a Character myself
*sighs*
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Right off the top of my head, I would say that you could run a Face/Cat Burglar type character, sort of like Fianchetto. He isn't known for his skill with a weapon, but he's second to none as a spy.
Another one that might work is a Package runner / Infiltrator type character, lots of movement abilities and evasion, as well as Urban Infiltration.
Basically, a non-combat type character can be done (and some of them are very useful, actually) but if you plan on going full pacifist, it limits your options greatly.
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Is that popular in Shadowrun?
Sure, why not
A Hacker for Infos,
A Face for the Legwork
A Medic in case the Streetsams fail
A Mage with Buffspell (or Illusions or Knowledgespells)
A Summoner (mage that specializes in Spirits)
A Rigger with Spy Drones (and for Support) and a Transport
A Cat Burglar (may or may not be surged ;D )
with a lot of nonviolent Dances
Medicineman
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Yes,
not necessarily a pacifist at all I had in mind just not a fighter type. maybe a corporate spy type to give an example.
a skilled gatherer of information part of a greater community of the same. Just an idea.
I imagine some very useful augmentations and skills exist to make your (and my?) ideas fun to play......
im still very class based in my roleplaying/character creation. :-\
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You could combine the Face /Hacker & Rigger Archetypes
I guess this may be what You want to play ?
with a combinationdance
Medicineman
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one of my most favorite chars ever was an adept face/hacker (ar only with 4 meat ini passes)
who carried what I call a utility revolver, (bullets to track targets(rfid bullets I think it was) to break locks (shock locks I don't remember if this was houseruled and it is a shotgun only ammunition) and everything with a revolver silencer and smart magazine (so I could exactly fire the bullet I want to))
he stayed away from combat but quickly invested 1 point and a specialization into sniper rifles because ingame the other characters pushed him towards "some usefullness" (he only ever took 2 shots with it though)
he kinda missed out on the typical cat/burglar skills a bit for what I had in mind originally, but it was in fact one of my most favorite shadowrun chars ever
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You can always use a taser or stun baton to defend yourself in combat without being specialized in combat. They are quite effective (ignores 1/2 Impact armor), freeing your character's skillset for other roles. The only constraint is range, unless you use Stick 'n Shock rounds in a regular gun.
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You could combine the Face /Hacker & Rigger Archetypes
I guess this may be what You want to play ?
with a combinationdance
Medicineman
Hmm seem like a lot of skills to gather. ill look into all of them.
i was thinking more of a specialized person. a decker? or healer based
but i would argue a contact based set of resources a (coporate connection) emphasys. to make up for a lack of a broad skill base.
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heal is a single skill... if you want to top/add to that you wanna be a mage (with a heal spell or maybe a shaman with spirits which can heal afaik even more effectively)
you can add that atop any other (mage) character
being a face consists of charisma and the influence group... you can easily put a hacker/rigger ontop of it (deckers don't exist anymore unless you are still playing SR3 in which case you should tell us)
in the end you should pick a skillset that is really expensive (like a mage) and look what you can add atop of that or pick a couple of skillsets (like break&entry+healing+rigging) and see wthat you can fit all/most of it into your character
a simple healer is not enough concept, a hacker neither, however you can easily go for the hacker/rigger look if you can fit in a car (being the driver) and the healing skill
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i forgot about the deckers, and the crash.
i did some quick internet research and looked into technomancers as a possible hacker addition.
Im just looking in to a possible class of character without taking the utility of certain skills into consideration mind you.
i wish a character to be more likely to suceed at a task by having more than one way to do so.
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I do realize that cybernetics is out of the question, i guess.
I was hoping that by 'paying' more attention to contacts i could make the persona an asset to a playing group.
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here is my Technomancer/Hacker:
Male Elf
Attributes------
Body: 1
Agility:2
Reaction: 3
Strength:1
Charisma:5
Intuition:5
Logic:4
Willpower:3
Total Edge:5
Resonance:6
Initiative:8
Skills:
Complilng 3 Etiquette
Decompiling 3 Leadership
Registering 3 Cybercombat
Computer 3 Data Search
Electronic Warfare 3 Software 4
Hacking 5 Hardware 4
Pistols 1 Perception 2
Language (still deciding)
Qualities
Technomancer , Codeslinger (capture wireless signal) , Intulitiive Hacking (Spoof Command) , Paragon (Probe)
Complex Forms:
Hack on the Fly
Detect Hidden Node
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im still not sure about equipment.
This is not an unaugmented char.
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always good to have a commlink to cover the fact that you are a technomancer
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and those 2 complex forms are not right. Complex forms are programs not matrix actions.
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For starters, you've only spent 130 BP on your attributes. You don't HAVE to spend 200, but it is highly recommended. Especially considering with a BOD of 1 you are pretty much an anorexic glass tube with feet.
You are spending 28 BP on Electronic Warfare and Hacking, and you've got Cybercombat listed but no rating, so I don't know how much total BP you spent. Even if the Cybercombat rating is 1, you are spending 32 BP when for 2 less than that you can take the entire Cracking skill group at 3. And along those lines, you have Computer 3, Software 4, Hardware 4, and Data Search with no value. You're spending 44 BP with just the ratings you have listed when you could spend 40 BP for the entire Electronics skill at 4 group if you want these skills.
Now, along with the above paragraph...you are a face, but are lacking the Influence skill group. All of those skills there are essential for a face character. I get it though - you are running out of BP at this point and you haven't even purchased gear or used BP for programs. But if you are gonna be a face, you need some of those skills.
You need to find a way to gain some more BP. I recommend finding some negative qualities as you gain BP for taking them. I always recommend taking In Debt at some level to take a little burden off of the starting cash you think you need, as well as others that fit what your character is. In this case, being Incompetent in some areas, or being Reality Impaired as you are a technomancer, or any host of other negative qualities will gain you up to 35 BP to play with. Which can help offset the cost of the Positive Qualities you have.
Speaking of BP...you paid 35 BP to be an elf, but you aren't making your CHA 6? If you aren't taking advantage of this benefit due to being an elf then you merely paid 35 BP to get the positive quality of low-light vision (which is HIGHLY over-rated IMHO). I'd still drop being an elf and be a human instead, as this will save you 35 BP. If you aren't taking advantage of the advantages, then why have them, right?
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greetings and thanks for the replies.
I havent added any equipment as yet and a comlink is the first thing im looking at. Im still reading about the options I need with VR, AR, and upgrade slots. I figured the program+skill action was enough to be a complex form.
Im afraid your right neg qualities are necessary. I may pick one or two i guess. some bp's point can at least go to cybercombat. If I can find a few for the influence skills....., hmm I may take away perception. im very close to the book limit of 400bp. But i assumed no points was the same a a (1) rating. i allotoed no (0) rating skills. I will have to fix that :-\.
i figured a high charisma as you said. i assumed raising attribs was possible later. its just one point.
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look like attribs are mostly fixed. :-[
ill have to leave charisma at 5. but i managed to raise strengh and body a bit.