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Bioware Technomancer

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moonlightshadow13

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« on: <05-22-14/1856:12> »
Saw a technomancer with a bioware and decided to try something.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0ArQfAX3jRVFndExWdGJEOWpJWkhRb25FX3ZmaFA5TUE#gid=7

What do you think.

TheDai

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« Reply #1 on: <05-26-14/1059:25> »
What Priorities did you take?

And I don't see Registering anywhere on your sheet, which I find weird. Compiling a Sprite is nice and games, but with Registering you start the real fun.
Also I can't find your Complex Forms anywhere. With Charisma 2 and Focused Concentration 2, I guess you took Increase Attack?

Why did you choose a Crossbow and Archery-Skill, over just Pistols? Is there an idea behind it?
Computer is quite low. There are a lot of things to do with it.

The Knowledge-Skills seem a bit weird to me. You have no Addiction, but are excellent in Street Drugs. Only 1 Contact is not much, but I guess there isnt much you can do with just 6 Points. :) I'd like to know what the idea behind this character is, and since so much knowledge goes into Street-Stuff, you could think about reducing the life-style from Middle to low. Might make sense.
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firebug

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« Reply #2 on: <05-26-14/1620:30> »
Since Trisk hasn't posted with his archetype-warping ideas, am I safe to assume you are trying to be a matrix specialist and hacker?

Let's see...  Since it's a "bioware technomancer" I'll address the bioware first.  The cerebral booster is a great choice; I would consider improving it to R2 if you can.  However, the rest are rather wasteful.  A datajack doesn't benefit TMs, as they can't use it with their Living Persona (which I can explain if you don't understand).  Cat's eyes give a very small benefit that's easier replicated with simple contacts.  And Platelet Factories are a trap.  You don't want to be taking physical damage, you want to be taking stun.  If you're taking physical, one less won't save you, you need to be running away, because whatever they did can probably be repeated next turn.

Now for skills and attributes.  As TheDai mentioned, Computer is a bit too low.  Some very important actions use Computer, namely Matrix Perception and Trace User.  Matrix Perception is extremely useful, and I'd suggest at least R4 in the skill.  The single points you have in Sneaking, Palming, Disguise, Ettiquette, and Cybercombat are very cost-ineffective.  Additionally, for all of those save for Cybercombat, you have low attributes to use.  With a dice pool of 6 or less, you won't succeed very often if you're opposed at all.  Decompiling is a very rarely used skill; I would replace it with Registering, which is vital for a TM to make proper use of Sprites, one of their biggest assets.  Hardware, I would buy at rating 1 for 2 Karma.  It's a skill you don't need too much of that you can make use of over an extended period and multiple rolls.  Keeping it as is won't hurt anything though.

If you're looking to make good use of bioware on a TM, you could improve your CHA (thus boosting your Attack attribute as well, making Cybercombat more usable, and more contacts to boot) and get Tailored Pheromones.  R3 Pheromones and R2 Cerebral Boosters would be 1 Essence, thus not costing you more than what you're already giving up.  Rebalance your skills to include Con, Negotiation, and Ettiquette at decent ratings.  You would be able to have passable social skills while being a hacker primarily.  Alternatively, I would suggest some kind of defensive augmentation.  Bone Density or Orthoskin would help you more than Platelet Factories ever would.

Crossbows can do decent damage, but if you use a modern weapon you can get some good benefits from it.  In particular, using a Machine Sprite to boost your dice pool via its Diagnostics power is a staple move.

I would suggest against specializing in Resonance Spike.  It's not a powerful ability; it really only works if you're okay with plinking away at a target and hoping they don't notice.  Adding two more dice isn't really needed.

You also got your Data Processing and Sleaze attributes confused; your LOG is your Data Processing and your INT is your Sleaze.

This is about all I can offer right now; if you give some feedback I can try and help more.
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Novocrane

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« Reply #3 on: <05-26-14/1900:11> »
Quote
A datajack doesn't benefit TMs, as they can't use it with their Living Persona (which I can explain if you don't understand)
I'm interested.

firebug

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« Reply #4 on: <05-26-14/1917:01> »
Well, starting with the assumption that it doesn't work (which I think I read on the FAQ), I would understand it as...

A datajack is a link from your brain (which is not the TM's living persona or "bionode", SR4 established this) through a cable to another device.  When you use it in tandem with a commlink or cyberdeck, you're forming your persona after the connection is made.  I don't believe you can do it the other way around.  Essentially, because your Persona is formed outside the datajack, you can't "reroute" it through the jack.  It goes from your brain to a device and vice versa; since you're not starting at your brain (but instead something disconnected that you have a DNI with) you can't use the 'jack to connect to other things.

Similar, but not the exact same, I know you are not able to use a Satellite Link with a Living Persona.  If you can't even do that, I don't think you could use a datajack.
« Last Edit: <05-26-14/1919:24> by firebug »
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Namikaze

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« Reply #5 on: <05-27-14/0041:42> »
Datajacks and Technomancers are one of those areas that needs some help, if you ask me.  The rules clearly state that some of the most secure systems are only accessible physically.  But by the rules, Technomancers have almost no recourse for connecting to these systems.  The only option that I can see is to use a trode net and a cable, but even that's not explicitly stated as being legal.  Thus, all of the Technomancers at my table have the Skinlink echo at creation.  Just for simplicity's sake, and to make them even more different from deckers.
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Davidvs

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« Reply #6 on: <05-27-14/2018:25> »

If you're looking to make good use of bioware on a TM, you could improve your CHA (thus boosting your Attack attribute as well, making Cybercombat more usable, and more contacts to boot) and get Tailored Pheromones.  R3 Pheromones and R2 Cerebral Boosters would be 1 Essence, thus not costing you more than what you're already giving up. 


Do TMs work if they can't smell you - like in the matrix?

firebug

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« Reply #7 on: <05-27-14/2230:44> »
I assume you mean tailored pheremones?  No, they have to be able to "smell" you (though it's not something normal people will notice). 
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d20filmguy

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« Reply #8 on: <05-28-14/1048:37> »
I think the advantage of the Platelet Factories would be to help soak physical fade. If he plans on weaving some high level Complex Forms, then that might help. Complex Forms can cause considerable Fade; really make sure you're using them when you absolutely need to. (Puppeteer is one of the best, but it's FV: L + 4... yikes!)

I think that giving up 1 Essence/Resonance can be worth a few bioware boosts, but you'll want a more "I'm always wireless and hack myself" character rather than a "I compile sprites and weave CFs to do my dirty work" type of technomancer.

If you're going to do that... then might as well just be a decker.

firebug

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« Reply #9 on: <05-28-14/1106:43> »
It's unlikely to end up doing physical damage via drain with CFs for this character; he'd have to roll 6 hits on 11 dice.  It's possible, but not something that you'd build around.

And for the most part I agree... There's a few neat things a TM can do with cyberware (not bioware) but otherwise, if you're going for augmentations, you'll be so much more effective and much less pained/restricted if you just be a decker.  Unless you stay with 1.0 Essence cost or less; because even magicians can benefit from a small amount of augmentation.
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Davidvs

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« Reply #10 on: <05-28-14/2201:55> »
I assume you mean tailored pheremones?  No, they have to be able to "smell" you (though it's not something normal people will notice).

Thanks for the reply. I misread the post and got confused.