[White_Ghost]

What about Sprites?

What stops a T'mancer from using a deck?

How many complex forms are there?  How many can you buy at chagen?

It's one thing to say Deckers have more versatility and Technomancers have more upward growth but what stops a T'mancer from doing both?

Very good questions:

• Sprites are very much the same as in SR4, (Attributes determined by level, same types of tasks) and the powers have been adjusted to reflect the new matrix rules.
• Nothing prevents a Technomancer from using a deck, As I said above. But when doing so, the TM is prevented from using Resonance actions, (therefore, no sprites, or complex forms.)
• Currently there are 14 complex forms, you gain some depending on your resonance/magic priority, can buy extra at character creation at 4 karma each, and may have a max at character creation of your logic attribute.

Maybe Upward Growth was incorrect. Maybe I should have said Specialization, or Power.

But I suppose shoehorning any archetype into only one type or word would also be doing a disservice, you can absolutely have a specialized Decker, or a Versatile Technomancer, depending on your build.

[Icy]

• Sprites are very much the same as in SR4, (Attributes determined by level, same types of tasks) and the powers have been adjusted to reflect the new matrix rules.

I like how Sprites have a "level" now
That's funny and cool at the same time.

[Sengir]

Tm's cannot run programs, be a slave or master, be part of a PAN or WAN

WTF? I guess that means Dronomancers don't show up anymore?

[White_Ghost]

Nope, No dronomancers that I can see. To Rig, you need a RCC. I imagine a technomancer could use one to rig, but as with cyberdecks, her resonance/sprites/complex forms would be of very little use.

[Icy]

Nope, No dronomancers that I can see. To Rig, you need a RCC. I imagine a technomancer could use one to rig, but as with cyberdecks, her resonance/sprites/complex forms would be of very little use.

I could imagine an echo which replicates the RCC. Maybe in he matrix rule book.

[StarManta]

To Rig, you need a RCC.

I've actually been looking for this, is it actually stated in the rules that you need an RCC to rig? As far as I can tell RCC's are mostly useful for maintaining connections to multiple drones.

More relevantly, I guess, can you be a rigger/decker and use your cyberdeck instead, if you're willing to forego quickly jumping from one drone to another? The rigger chapter seems to imply that such use is possible with commlinks, so if I'm reading that correctly, a cyberdeck could naturally serve as well.

[White_Ghost]

To Rig, you need a RCC.

I've actually been looking for this, is it actually stated in the rules that you need an RCC to rig? As far as I can tell RCC's are mostly useful for maintaining connections to multiple drones.

More relevantly, I guess, can you be a rigger/decker and use your cyberdeck instead, if you're willing to forego quickly jumping from one drone to another? The rigger chapter seems to imply that such use is possible with commlinks, so if I'm reading that correctly, a cyberdeck could naturally serve as well.

The one necessary thing needed to rig is the VCR (Vehicle Control Rig) It's an implant and comes in 3 ratings.

Beyond that you can use a commlink to create a PAN or WAN of your drones. But you should use a RCC (Rigger Command Console) Which is similar to a Cyberdeck. The RCC has Noise reduction and can share autosofts between drones. It also comes with a rating and data processing and firewall scores.

The big thing this means is that Dronomancers are no longer possible, unless they want to take the hit to essence and resonance, and be unable to hack and rig at the same time.

[Sengir]

The one necessary thing needed to rig is the VCR (Vehicle Control Rig) It's an implant and comes in 3 ratings.

Beyond that you can use a commlink to create a PAN or WAN of your drones. But you should use a RCC (Rigger Command Console) Which is similar to a Cyberdeck. The RCC has Noise reduction and can share autosofts between drones. It also comes with a rating and data processing and firewall scores.

AKA everything back to pre-4th

Now please tell me that riggers and hackers at least stay in the same Matrix and we don't need Rigger Emulation Module somethings again

The big thing this means is that Dronomancers are no longer possible, unless they want to take the hit to essence and resonance, and be unable to hack and rig at the same time.

...or use any other Resonance abilities, right? In other words, a rigging TM is unable to do anything TM-ish. And every TM is unable to interface with his bloody pocket secretary, because making the virtual world bend to one's will does not grant the ability to become part of a PAN...

[StarManta]

The big thing this means is that Dronomancers are no longer possible, unless they want to take the hit to essence and resonance, and be unable to hack and rig at the same time.

I just found this Echo on p. 258:

Mind over Machine: You get the benefit of a Rating 1 control rig. You may take this echo up to two additional times (for a total of three), with the effective control rig rating increasing by 1 each time you take it.

So dronomancers are possible, clearly. It's just that, at chargen, you'll have to be pretty nerfed and unable to actually jump into drones until you can submerge. Machine sprites should be able to mitigate that, though.

[Reiper]

The big thing this means is that Dronomancers are no longer possible, unless they want to take the hit to essence and resonance, and be unable to hack and rig at the same time.

I just found this Echo on p. 258:

Mind over Machine: You get the benefit of a Rating 1 control rig. You may take this echo up to two additional times (for a total of three), with the effective control rig rating increasing by 1 each time you take it.

So dronomancers are possible, clearly. It's just that, at chargen, you'll have to be pretty nerfed and unable to actually jump into drones until you can submerge. Machine sprites should be able to mitigate that, though.

I've been wanting to do a dronomancer for a while, so I may actually try that out. I'm fine starting a tad subpar to get my Legion concept going.

[Sengir]

So dronomancers are possible, clearly. It's just that, at chargen, you'll have to be pretty nerfed and unable to actually jump into drones until you can submerge.

Even then, the tidbits Ghost posted make it sound like you would be unable to use an RCD (or however they call it now)...

Also, I take that to mean no Initiations/Submersions on chargen?

[White_Ghost]

Now please tell me that riggers and hackers at least stay in the same Matrix and we don't need Rigger Emulation Module somethings again

The big thing this means is that Dronomancers are no longer possible, unless they want to take the hit to essence and resonance, and be unable to hack and rig at the same time.

...or use any other Resonance abilities, right? In other words, a rigging TM is unable to do anything TM-ish. And every TM is unable to interface with his bloody pocket secretary, because making the virtual world bend to one's will does not grant the ability to become part of a PAN...

I guess we can't have it all can we? But I was wrong, See below:

I just found this Echo on p. 258:

Mind over Machine: You get the benefit of a Rating 1 control rig. You may take this echo up to two additional times (for a total of three), with the effective control rig rating increasing by 1 each time you take it.

I hadn't seen that echo! Good find StarManta.

That makes me very happy, because it lets TMs eventually gain that capability, but doesn't make them able to do everything Right out of the gate.

[Wildcard]

I'm holding judgement until I've got the book in my hand, but going by what others are saying, it seems like TM's got hit with a giant nerf bat, which makes me frown. They were great generalists before, and now they're seemingly poor at everything, but have a chance of coming out ahead if a game lasts 50 sessions.

[StarManta]

Also, I take that to mean no Initiations/Submersions on chargen?

That's correct, although I'll probably allow them in my home game. I've always thought it was silly that even though your character has all sorts of skills and training, Initiation/Submersion is just verboten until you happen to start running in game.

[Bull]

Yeah, you have between 25 and 50 karma you can spend during chargen for character improvement.  There's a list of specific items you can spend it on in the Chargen chapter, but there's honestly no real reason you couldn't houserule that you can start as an initiate with it.