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Karma Based Technomancer

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clintosaurus

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« on: <01-16-12/2347:31> »
I'm building a technomancer for an upcoming campaign centered in London.  We're using the karma build system and I feel a little tight on points.  Here's what I've come up with, as far as stats go:
Theme:  Awesome Hacker/(OK rigger?)
Race: Human
Stream: Sourceror

Skills:
Body 3
Agility 2
Reaction 1
Strength 1
Charisma 3
Intuition 3
Logic 5
Willpower 3
Edge 5
Resonance 6

Complex Forms:
Analyze 6
Command 6
Defuse 6
Exploit 6
Spoof 6
Stealth 6
Shielding 4


Immersion Grade 3 With Echoes:
Multiprocessing
Overclocking
Advanced Overclocking

Negative Qualities:
Braggart
Media Junkie
Oblivious

Active Skills:
Electronics (Group) 4
Cracking (Group) 4

This puts me at 611/750 Karma. 

I'm trying to build a technomancer that specializes in hacking.  If I have the points available I'd like it to also be a passable rigger.
- Rather than using a logic stream should I go charisma?  Charisma seems like it would help considerably in meat space but I've heard that logic streams are the way to go kicked around on the internet. 
- Are there certain echoes that I should avoid or consider over the ones that I've chosen?  I tried spending points on 4 and 5 echoes, however, this eats up points quickly and I still haven't chosen gear.
- Should I avoid putting 6 points into my complex forms using the karma build system? 

Any advice is greatly appreciated.  This is my first technomancer and I'm feeling a little lost.  If there is any more information that would help, let me know.


All4BigGuns

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« Reply #1 on: <01-16-12/2358:17> »
First off, I'd personally suggest dropping the submersion levels. That is one of my major issues with karma generation, as too many people will take having karma instead of BP exactly that way and initiate/submerge in char gen. Personally, I'd disallow the option entirely. You don't need Edge 5 either. Oh, I know a lot of people on here say to get an uber high Edge as a human, and that that's the only thing human is good for, but Edge 5 is overkill. Those changes mentioned should give you back quite a few points to have skills in multiple areas.

Another reason I despise karma generation is that it does not grant the pool of points for knowledges.

Personally, if I were you, I'd talk to the GM and try to get him talked out of karma gen and go with the BP generation, especially since Edge, Magic and Resonance ARE included in the maximum of half your karma for attributes unlike BP where they are NOT included in that.
« Last Edit: <01-17-12/0004:38> by All4BigGuns »
(SR5) Homebrew Archetypes

Tangled Currents (Persistent): 33 Karma, 60,000 nuyen

clintosaurus

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« Reply #2 on: <01-17-12/0010:31> »
I was thinking that I'd need tons of edge for some reason, which is why I went human.  I'm starting to think that I should drop my edge down to 3, switch to an Elf and use a Charisma based Stream.

All4BigGuns

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« Reply #3 on: <01-17-12/0012:50> »
Personally, I'd stick with human and just build it naturally.

(I don't subscribe to the theory some people on here do about humans being worthless except as "Edge monkeys")

Here's an example  Human Technomancer. It isn't overly powerful, and not particularly "optimized", but that isn't really necessary for the most part.


== Info ==
Street Name: 1337@
Name: Lita Deris
Movement: 10/25, Swim: 5
Karma: 0
Street Cred: 0
Notoriety: 0
Public Awareness: 0
Human Female Age 19
Height 5'4" Weight 105 lbs
Composure: 9
Judge Intentions: 8
Lift/Carry: 4 (15 kg/10 kg)
Memory: 9
Nuyen: 1050

== Attributes ==
BOD: 3
AGI: 3
REA: 3
STR: 1
CHA: 4
INT: 4
LOG: 4
WIL: 5
EDG: 2
RES: 6

== Derived Attributes ==
Essence:                   6
Initiative:                7
IP:                        1
Matrix Initiative:         9
Matrix IP:                 3
Physical Damage Track:     10
Stun Damage Track:         11

== Active Skills ==
Animal Handling            : 0                      Pool: 3
Animal Training            : 0                      Pool: 3
Archery                    : 0                      Pool: 2
Armorer                    : 0                      Pool: 3
Artisan                    : 0                      Pool: 3
Automatics                 : 0                      Pool: 4
Blades                     : 0                      Pool: 2
Clubs                      : 0                      Pool: 2
Compiling                  : 4                      Pool: 10
Computer                   : 4                      Pool: 8
Con                        : 0                      Pool: 3
Cybercombat                : 0                      Pool: 3
Data Search                : 4                      Pool: 8
Demolitions                : 0                      Pool: 3
Disguise                   : 0                      Pool: 3
Diving                     : 0                      Pool: 2
Dodge                      : 0                      Pool: 2
Electronic Warfare         : 1                      Pool: 5
Escape Artist              : 0                      Pool: 2
Etiquette                  : 0                      Pool: 3
First Aid                  : 0                      Pool: 3
Forgery                    : 0                      Pool: 2
Gunnery                    : 1                      Pool: 4
Gymnastics                 : 0                      Pool: 2
Hacking                    : 5 [Exploit]            Pool: 9 (11)
Hardware                   : 4                      Pool: 8
Heavy Weapons              : 0                      Pool: 4
Infiltration               : 1                      Pool: 4
Instruction                : 0                      Pool: 3
Intimidation               : 0                      Pool: 3
Leadership                 : 0                      Pool: 3
Locksmith                  : 0                      Pool: 2
Longarms                   : 0                      Pool: 4
Navigation                 : 0                      Pool: 3
Negotiation                : 0                      Pool: 3
Palming                    : 0                      Pool: 2
Parachuting                : 0                      Pool: 2
Perception                 : 1                      Pool: 5
Pilot Aircraft             : 1                      Pool: 4
Pilot Ground Craft         : 1                      Pool: 4
Pilot Watercraft           : 0                      Pool: 2
Pistols                    : 0                      Pool: 4
Registering                : 4                      Pool: 10
Riding                     : 0                      Pool: 2
Shadowing                  : 0                      Pool: 3
Software                   : 4                      Pool: 8
Survival                   : 0                      Pool: 4
Throwing Weapons           : 0                      Pool: 2
Tracking                   : 0                      Pool: 3
Unarmed Combat             : 0                      Pool: 2

== Knowledge Skills ==

== Contacts ==
Fence (3, 3)
Fixer (3, 2)

== Qualities ==
Mania/Phobia (Common, Moderate) (Acrophobia)
Reality Impaired
Sensitive System
Technomancer

== Complex Forms ==
(Tradition: Default, Resist Fading with WIL + RES (11))
Analyze Rating: 6
Command Rating: 6
Disarm Rating: 6
Exploit Rating: 6 (Mute)
Spoof Rating: 6
Stealth Rating: 6

== Lifestyles ==
Low  2 months

== Armor ==
Form-Fitting Full-Body Suit6/2
Leather Jacket            2/2
SecureTech Forearm Guards 0/1
SecureTech Shin Guards    0/1
SecureTech Vitals Protector1/1

== Weapons ==
Unarmed Attack
   DV: 1S   AP: -   RC: 0

== Commlink ==
Living Persona (4 (5), 4, 5, 3)
   +Living Persona
   +Biofeedback Filter Rating 4
Meta Link (1, 1, 1, 2)
   +Vector Xim

== Gear ==
Contact Lenses Rating 2
   +Vision Enhancement Rating 3
   +Image Link
   +Skinlink
Cram
Earbuds Rating 3
   +Audio Enhancement Rating 3
   +Skinlink
eX x4
Fake SIN (Briana Del) Rating 3
Medkit Rating 6
Optical Tap
Satellite Link
Tag Eraser

== Vehicles ==
Flying Eye (Microdrone)
   +Chameleon Coating
   +Improved Sensor Array
   +Improved Takeoff and Landing Level 2
   +Minidrone Sensor
      +Camera Rating 6 [Vision Enhancement 3, Vision Magnification]
   +Tool Kit (Hardware)
GM-Nissan Doberman (Medium)
   +Walker Mode
   +Weapon Mount (Normal, External, Turret, Remote)
   +KE IV x10
      +DMSO
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Camera Rating 2 [Low Light, Vision Enhancement 3]
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Camera Rating 2 [Thermographic, Vision Magnification]
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Microphone Rating 2 [Audio Enhancement 3, Spatial Recognizer]
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Motion Sensor
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Laser Range Finder
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Thermometric
   +Pepper Punch x17
   +Targeting (Self)
      +Copy Protection Rating 1
      +Registration
Lone Star Strato-9 (Medium)
   +Armor, Concealed (Rating 9) Rating 9
   +Chameleon Coating
   +ECM (Rating 2) Rating 2
   +Improved Takeoff and Landing Level 2
   +Obsolescent
   +Weapon Mount (Normal, External, Flexible, Remote)
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Camera Rating 6 [Low Light, Smartlink, Vision Enhancement 3]
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Camera Rating 6 [Thermographic, Vision Magnification]
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Microphone Rating 6 [Audio Enhancement 3, Spatial Recognizer]
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Laser Range Finder
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Motion Sensor
   +Spare Clip (Ingram White Knight) x10
      +Ammo: Explosive Rounds (Light Machine Guns)
« Last Edit: <01-17-12/0018:15> by All4BigGuns »
(SR5) Homebrew Archetypes

Tangled Currents (Persistent): 33 Karma, 60,000 nuyen

UmaroVI

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« Reply #4 on: <01-17-12/0149:28> »
Your problems stem from Karmagen and BP-gen being different, and you doing things that are totally sensible in BP-gen but bad in Karmagen.

Logic streams are good for being able to use 'ware effectively. I think you get even more benefit out of 'ware in karmagen as a technomancer. If you want to use 'ware, stay Logic. If you don't, I would go Charisma and switch Charisma with Logic - you really only need 3 logic, and Charisma boosts your number of registered sprites which is very useful. Logic 'mancers do have the worst streams but this is fixable with echoes and not actually THAT bad.

You are doing fine being human - since you are bombing your physical stats, you won't get much out of ork, troll, or dwarf. If you decide to go Charisma, you might want to be an elf and get more Charisma, but I don't think you need to.

In karmagen, Edge 5 is not worth it. Also, you seem to be trying to softcap things like in BP-gen: don't. Get Logic 6.

Defuse is a deeply bad choice of complex form. You shouldn't even have one point. Trying to defuse, even if you're good at it, is asking to die because of the spiky damage data bombs do.
A r6 data bomb can do 36S to you! They are way more dangerous to technomancers because of the no matrix condition monitor thing. You should never defuse data bombs as a techomancer - always get a sprite to do it.

Putting all your CFs at 6 in karmagen is not a good idea. 6 is worth it for Stealth, Exploit, and Command. Analyze you need, but you don't need 6 enough to pay through the nose for it. Shield 4 is probably not worth it either, maybe 3. Spoof is situational and important when it comes up, but again, not worth the cost of 6. I would go with 3-4 there too. Remember that you can boost CFs when you really need them with Threading and Assist Operation, and keep in mind that you pay more for going from 4 to 6 in a CF than in going from 0 to 4.

Skills:

6 hacking. If you want to be an awesome hacker, you should have 6 hacking. Period. Specialize in Exploit most likely.
You need at least 1 point of Electronic Warfare. Maybe get 2-3. Don't get more.
You do not need Cybercombat 4. Maybe get 1-2 for matrix defense. You should never be making a Cybercombat roll for anything but matrix defense; sprites > you. If you have to matrix fight - which you should try to avoid by using overthreaded and assist-operationed stealth, because you take real damage and hackers can easily fight you from AR - you should be calling sprites in, not sissy-slapping people.
You need at least 1 Computer. I don't think more is really that important but it's not totally useless.
4 Software. Threading is important.
4 Compiling, 4 Registering. Sprites are important. Specialize both in useful sprite types - depends a bit on your choice of paragon.

Rigging is mainly based on your ability to Command, thread, and also sprite-herd. You can get good results from a pack of registered Machine sprites (which is one of the big selling points of Charisma streams). To rig on your own, you will want Gunnery (specialize in Ballistic most likely). You might want a bit of Pilot, but you can default on Ground and Water and you can always summon a sprite. In karmagen I would probably have 1 in Air and Ground and specialize both.

If you want to be able to use drones for spying, you want Infiltration (specialize in Urban).


Qualties:
Analytical Mind.
Codeslinger. Paragon. What they should be depends; there are a variety of good choices for each.

Codeslinger should be Hacking on the Fly or Control Device. CD applies to a huge variety of things, but helps you rig rather than hack. Hacking on the Fly gives you a more specialized bonus but helps with hacking.

Ware:
Note: it's totally reasonable to start with no 'ware and get it later, because as a techno you have a limited amount of stuff to spend $ on. It is also reasonable to start with some. Depends how much cash your GM gives out and how much you care about being good out of the gate vs. long-term. If you go this route, you should be Logic.

Cerebral Boosters, PuSHeD, Encephalon, and a cyberhand or cyberfoot with a Nanohive and Neocortical Nanites are the good things. There's various bits of comedy ware you can install, but those should be the priority and other stuff should, at most, go into spare space and be bought later. I don't recommend losing more than 1 Resonance.

Echoes:
Depends a bit on your stream choice. There are lots of good echoes. Yes, you do want echoes at chargen. It probably is worth having as many as you can afford. Technos care about Resonance a lot more than anything else since it determines so much of their stuff.

1) Find out from your GM how Swap works. It is poorly worded. It works one of four ways:

a) Decreases the penalty for having a sustained complex form, but only for the action "Threading."
b)Decreases the penalty for having a sustained complex form for all actions.

i)Decreases the penalty for each complex form, ie, Swap 1 with 3 CFs is -3.
ii) Decreases the penalty overall, ie, Swap 1 with 3 CFs is -5.

ia and iia are complete and utter crap and if you take those you are a bad person. ib is useful and you should consider Swap 2, then thread your CFs in advance of doing stuff. iib is not useless but is very, very mediocre.

2) If you are lacking key sprites in your chosen stream, Sprite Linking them is a good plan. Machine sprites are key for rigging and if you go for a stream without them you should Sprite Link them. You really should have a sprite that can fight for you; Sourcerors do not and you should probably Sprite Link paladin sprites if you stick with Sourceror. Tutor, Code, and Sleuth sprites can all do things useful enough that you might want to sprite link them, but not as a top priority. None of the other sprites are good enough to be worth spending an echo for.

3) Can you pirate Skillsofts? By default the answer is "yes, very easily." If you can, make a beeline straight for Biowires, and then pirate Skillsofts that you can learn. 4000 nuyen and 4 karma for a rating 4 skill is incredibly cheap and awesome. You can learn a whooole lot of useful skills from skillsofts. It is wierd that you can't pirate during chargen and have to wait for this but it is super awesome.

4) Overclocking/Advanced Overlocking are by no means bad. Extra IPs suffer diminishing returns, though.

5) Widget Crafting for the Widget that gives a bonus to exploits. Make sure you aren't hitting a dicecap, though.

6) Mind over Machine is pro, because you can use it to rig things that were never meant to be rigged like buildings, commlinks, nexuses... requires some creativity, but being able to break the rules like that is very useful.

7)Macro is pro. Note that unlike some of the crappy and similar abilities that don't work at all during combat, Macro only requires that the extra action be a noncombat matrix action, and by that I mean that when you get in trouble you can use Macro to get sprites arriving faster, eg, Command a gun to fire + Compile a sprite, Compile while also calling registered sprites, etc.

8) Multiprocessing is nifty, although its value depends on how much your GM cares about Observe in Detail actions. Normally while command rigging it's a complex action to observe in detail, which blows, but this makes it Free.






UmaroVI

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« Reply #5 on: <01-17-12/0157:14> »
Personally, I'd stick with human and just build it naturally.

(I don't subscribe to the theory some people on here do about humans being worthless except as "Edge monkeys")

Here's an example  Human Technomancer. It isn't overly powerful, and not particularly "optimized", but that isn't really necessary for the most part.


== Info ==
Street Name: 1337@
Name: Lita Deris
Movement: 10/25, Swim: 5
Karma: 0
Street Cred: 0
Notoriety: 0
Public Awareness: 0
Human Female Age 19
Height 5'4" Weight 105 lbs
Composure: 9
Judge Intentions: 8
Lift/Carry: 4 (15 kg/10 kg)
Memory: 9
Nuyen: 1050

== Attributes ==
BOD: 3
AGI: 3
REA: 3
STR: 1
CHA: 4
INT: 4
LOG: 4
WIL: 5
EDG: 2
RES: 6

== Derived Attributes ==
Essence:                   6
Initiative:                7
IP:                        1
Matrix Initiative:         9
Matrix IP:                 3
Physical Damage Track:     10
Stun Damage Track:         11

== Active Skills ==
Animal Handling            : 0                      Pool: 3
Animal Training            : 0                      Pool: 3
Archery                    : 0                      Pool: 2
Armorer                    : 0                      Pool: 3
Artisan                    : 0                      Pool: 3
Automatics                 : 0                      Pool: 4
Blades                     : 0                      Pool: 2
Clubs                      : 0                      Pool: 2
Compiling                  : 4                      Pool: 10
Computer                   : 4                      Pool: 8
Con                        : 0                      Pool: 3
Cybercombat                : 0                      Pool: 3
Data Search                : 4                      Pool: 8
Demolitions                : 0                      Pool: 3
Disguise                   : 0                      Pool: 3
Diving                     : 0                      Pool: 2
Dodge                      : 0                      Pool: 2
Electronic Warfare         : 1                      Pool: 5
Escape Artist              : 0                      Pool: 2
Etiquette                  : 0                      Pool: 3
First Aid                  : 0                      Pool: 3
Forgery                    : 0                      Pool: 2
Gunnery                    : 1                      Pool: 4
Gymnastics                 : 0                      Pool: 2
Hacking                    : 5 [Exploit]            Pool: 9 (11)
Hardware                   : 4                      Pool: 8
Heavy Weapons              : 0                      Pool: 4
Infiltration               : 1                      Pool: 4
Instruction                : 0                      Pool: 3
Intimidation               : 0                      Pool: 3
Leadership                 : 0                      Pool: 3
Locksmith                  : 0                      Pool: 2
Longarms                   : 0                      Pool: 4
Navigation                 : 0                      Pool: 3
Negotiation                : 0                      Pool: 3
Palming                    : 0                      Pool: 2
Parachuting                : 0                      Pool: 2
Perception                 : 1                      Pool: 5
Pilot Aircraft             : 1                      Pool: 4
Pilot Ground Craft         : 1                      Pool: 4
Pilot Watercraft           : 0                      Pool: 2
Pistols                    : 0                      Pool: 4
Registering                : 4                      Pool: 10
Riding                     : 0                      Pool: 2
Shadowing                  : 0                      Pool: 3
Software                   : 4                      Pool: 8
Survival                   : 0                      Pool: 4
Throwing Weapons           : 0                      Pool: 2
Tracking                   : 0                      Pool: 3
Unarmed Combat             : 0                      Pool: 2

== Knowledge Skills ==

== Contacts ==
Fence (3, 3)
Fixer (3, 2)

== Qualities ==
Mania/Phobia (Common, Moderate) (Acrophobia)
Reality Impaired
Sensitive System
Technomancer

== Complex Forms ==
(Tradition: Default, Resist Fading with WIL + RES (11))
Analyze Rating: 6
Command Rating: 6
Disarm Rating: 6
Exploit Rating: 6 (Mute)
Spoof Rating: 6
Stealth Rating: 6

== Lifestyles ==
Low  2 months

== Armor ==
Form-Fitting Full-Body Suit6/2
Leather Jacket            2/2
SecureTech Forearm Guards 0/1
SecureTech Shin Guards    0/1
SecureTech Vitals Protector1/1

== Weapons ==
Unarmed Attack
   DV: 1S   AP: -   RC: 0

== Commlink ==
Living Persona (4 (5), 4, 5, 3)
   +Living Persona
   +Biofeedback Filter Rating 4
Meta Link (1, 1, 1, 2)
   +Vector Xim

== Gear ==
Contact Lenses Rating 2
   +Vision Enhancement Rating 3
   +Image Link
   +Skinlink
Cram
Earbuds Rating 3
   +Audio Enhancement Rating 3
   +Skinlink
eX x4
Fake SIN (Briana Del) Rating 3
Medkit Rating 6
Optical Tap
Satellite Link
Tag Eraser

== Vehicles ==
Flying Eye (Microdrone)
   +Chameleon Coating
   +Improved Sensor Array
   +Improved Takeoff and Landing Level 2
   +Minidrone Sensor
      +Camera Rating 6 [Vision Enhancement 3, Vision Magnification]
   +Tool Kit (Hardware)
GM-Nissan Doberman (Medium)
   +Walker Mode
   +Weapon Mount (Normal, External, Turret, Remote)
   +KE IV x10
      +DMSO
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Camera Rating 2 [Low Light, Vision Enhancement 3]
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Camera Rating 2 [Thermographic, Vision Magnification]
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Microphone Rating 2 [Audio Enhancement 3, Spatial Recognizer]
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Motion Sensor
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Laser Range Finder
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Thermometric
   +Pepper Punch x17
   +Targeting (Self)
      +Copy Protection Rating 1
      +Registration
Lone Star Strato-9 (Medium)
   +Armor, Concealed (Rating 9) Rating 9
   +Chameleon Coating
   +ECM (Rating 2) Rating 2
   +Improved Takeoff and Landing Level 2
   +Obsolescent
   +Weapon Mount (Normal, External, Flexible, Remote)
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Camera Rating 6 [Low Light, Smartlink, Vision Enhancement 3]
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Camera Rating 6 [Thermographic, Vision Magnification]
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Microphone Rating 6 [Audio Enhancement 3, Spatial Recognizer]
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Laser Range Finder
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Motion Sensor
   +Spare Clip (Ingram White Knight) x10
      +Ammo: Explosive Rounds (Light Machine Guns)

As a side note, this technomancer is mostly fine. One of the other conditions for human being a good choice is having BODY+STR of 4 or less, and not caring about Agility or Charisma enough to want more than 5. The only seriously suboptimal thing here is the stream; Willpower streams are really, really bad, and to top it off you have high mental stats overall. Also, Agility 3 and a grand total of 1 skill that will sometimes use it.

All4BigGuns

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« Reply #6 on: <01-17-12/0209:12> »
I like to keep things pretty simple for the most part, but I think I did pretty good with that technomancer considering it's the first one I've made.
(SR5) Homebrew Archetypes

Tangled Currents (Persistent): 33 Karma, 60,000 nuyen

clintosaurus

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« Reply #7 on: <01-17-12/1248:56> »
Is the logic vs. charisma decision a choice between higher logic based rolls and more sprites?  Is a higher logic worth the decrease in resonance?
EDIT:  The higher logic roles originating from 'ware.
« Last Edit: <01-17-12/1256:13> by clintosaurus »

All4BigGuns

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« Reply #8 on: <01-17-12/1255:27> »
Personally, I would NEVER EVER EVER put cyber or bio ware (or nano ware or genetech) into an Emergent or Awakened character. In character creation, you're wasting points you'd put into Resonance/Magic to do it and afterward you're wasting the points put into it from creation and Karma put into it from advancement. The number of dice gained from doing that, just isn't worth what you're wasting to me.

Well, that and I consider it very poor RP to do so.
(SR5) Homebrew Archetypes

Tangled Currents (Persistent): 33 Karma, 60,000 nuyen

Mason

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« Reply #9 on: <01-17-12/1303:06> »
Unless the augments ARE an RP choice, of course. Like a mage who lost an arm before they started cloning them and got a cyberarm.

All4BigGuns

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« Reply #10 on: <01-17-12/1313:02> »
I'll admit, this is possible, but probably going to be few and far between.
(SR5) Homebrew Archetypes

Tangled Currents (Persistent): 33 Karma, 60,000 nuyen

Tsuzua

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« Reply #11 on: <01-17-12/1342:21> »
Personally, I would NEVER EVER EVER put cyber or bio ware (or nano ware or genetech) into an Emergent or Awakened character. In character creation, you're wasting points you'd put into Resonance/Magic to do it and afterward you're wasting the points put into it from creation and Karma put into it from advancement. The number of dice gained from doing that, just isn't worth what you're wasting to me.

Well, that and I consider it very poor RP to do so.
There can be all sorts of reasons for an awakened or emergent person to get cyberware.  Some of it might be personal choice, no choice, or not knowing they were going to need that essence in the first place.  I could see a lot of technomancers ending up with ware between the time they failed their magical potential tests and discovering they were emergent. 

The augmentation argument is hard to make for technomancers.  This is because resonance is so important to them.  It caps their programs, increases their fade resist, and increases their threading.  Everything a technomancer does is heavily limited by resonance.  You really can't hit "good enough" in most timeframe (>200 karma).  That's why I'm normally meh on augmenting technomancers. 

However there's a lot of handy ware.  An alphaware cyberarm of awesome with a nanohive + PuSHeD helps make up the lost program ratings and makes you much better in meat world.  Cerebral boosters helps logic technomancers resist fade, one of the greatest caps on technomantic power.  You do have to ask yourself "why aren't I a mundane hacker instead" if you lose more 1 point of resonance though.

Awakened have a much stronger argument for being augmented.  There's the infamous augmented adept debate.  However, it can be true even for mages.  After Magic 4 and the ability to cast or summon at force 8, you don't need more force.  Your stunbolts are going to KO with net hits and a force 8 spirit can and will just win fights.  Force 12 stunbolts and spirits are overkill and are extremely likely to cause GM aggro (the only check on a mage's power).  Between mentor spirits, power foci, and specialization, you're dice pools are going to be ample enough.  In exchange for 1-3 points of magic loss, you make yourself way tougher with cyberlimb armor, better resist drain with Cerebral Boosters and Dareadrenaline, and a host of other useful ware for your character.  While I don't know if any particular GM will go with it, there's a fair argument to be made that you can cast though cyberware radar.

I find it ironic that going the augmented route isn't the fast and easy way of power, but instead a careful and slow way.  It's about saving up your karma and getting the most of your karma and cash.  It's very much a "power later" style approach.  Lower your magic with ware and buy it back up when it's cheap.  Your overall magic will be slightly lower than a pure mage, but you'll be get away with casting force 8 soundwaves (the ender of fights) without fear and survive attempts to geek the mage.

UmaroVI

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« Reply #12 on: <01-17-12/1441:16> »
Is the logic vs. charisma decision a choice between higher logic based rolls and more sprites?  Is a higher logic worth the decrease in resonance?
EDIT:  The higher logic roles originating from 'ware.

There are 3 real choices for fade stat: Logic, Charisma, and Intuition. Willpower is for sucking.

Logic: You need 3 logic no matter what type of Technomancer you are to get enough CFs. You don't need more unless you are a Logic-stream techno because it doesn't help much. Logic is easily boosted with 'ware (cerebral boosters) unlike the other drain stats.

Intuition: Gets you better Matrix initiative. This is only a good idea for riggers, because when hacking you are going to be going up against people who are way, way faster than you all the time (any hacker who gives half a damn can easily have 14 initiative before hot-sim bonuses). If you are not Intuition and don't care much about rigging initiative, you can afford to bomb this.

Charisma: Gets you more registered sprites, and you can be an elf. You still want Charisma even as a non-Charisma stream because you care about registered sprites.

If you are a Logic-stream technomancer, you should be getting 'ware and vice-versa. If you don't want 'ware and are wanting to focus on hacking over rigging, you should be Charisma. In BP-gen this means you should be an elf, in karmagen, not so much (especially if you can initiate during chargen and just buy more Resonance instead).