[Unahim]

The tag is, of course, hackable, so the end result is the same. Be prepared to wield a floppy male genitalia for a hammer occasionally ^^

Then the hacker should be prepared to be beaten with the floppy male genitalia. But yes, any AR skin you put on the weapon could be hacked. Most hackers wouldn't bother with that, when there's better things to hack, like the smartgun the sammy is carrying, or that guy's cybereyes, or the Face's commlink, or... Besides, do you really want to piss off someone who goes around using a sledgehammer as his primary weapon?

It just sounds like the kind of group where that stuff could get some laughs!

[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

Besides, do you really want to piss off someone who goes around using a sledgehammer as his primary weapon?

Oh, hell, yeah.  I'd hack that thing because he had it as his primary weapon.  .oO(|\|00b.) 

[Michael Chandra]

Ork Gunslinger gets her SMGs hacked. "My babies!" Uses (melee-hardened) SMGs to beat up the hackers. Makes a necklace from their teeth.

[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

See, this is what I love about the propensity for SR4 players to think that the hacker more-or-less has to be running along right next to everyone - or even that anyone is going to notice who did the job.  The first thing the hacker / decker should do is Take Cover.  Then get a little distance.  Then start slicing 'ware and gear - because you can't shoot or magic what you can't see.  The decker's best tricks have always been able to be done from half a world away - and the right hacker is going to be able to 'ride along' and remotely channel a hack through the toughest sam's gear ...

[CanRay]

"Fine, you guys go into combat.  I'll be here, safe and secure in my bullet-proof freezer!"

"Why the freezer?"

"Because Mungo ate all the ice cream, so it is empty.  Also, I overclocked my deck so badly that it overheats like crazy.  Now, where is my parka and knitted datajack tuque?"

[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

"Mungo ate all the ice cream??  ... maybe today is a good day to die!!"

On an amusing side note, at one point I created a Vory-linked troll (giant) character for a new player to the group.  His sidearm was an MGL-6 grenade launcher.  He was the demo tech - lived in an old two-story ex-restaurant, and kept his boom-boom in the old (no longer cooling) walk-in freezer.  Andre the Giant. 

[Michael Chandra]

The first thing the Decker should do is not even be required to take cover and make distance. They should have matrix-spotted the enemies ages ago and started scoring Marks shortly after, ready to eject 3 clips in the first round of combat.

[RHat]

The first thing the Decker should do is not even be required to take cover and make distance. They should have matrix-spotted the enemies ages ago and started scoring Marks shortly after, ready to eject 3 clips in the first round of combat.

Presuming they had cause to assume these guys were enemies.

[Michael Chandra]

Usually  "hey, there's enemies with smartguns over there" is enough reason to assume that when you're on a run. And getting Marks in advance is never a bad tactic.

[RHat]

Usually  "hey, there's enemies with smartguns over there" is enough reason to assume that when you're on a run. And getting Marks in advance is never a bad tactic.

Unless they only turn their wireless on when the fight's starting.

[Michael Chandra]

Which means you're dealing with smart enemies and should grenade the hell out of them.

[Mirikon]

This is why I like starting fights in spam zones or static zones.

[eviltikiman]

Couldn't you use a Unique Enchantment to place elemental damage on it? There is already an example in the Digital Grimoire of a sword that could bond with anyone and was dual natured. Also i heard that in previous editions (back when bug city was still big) that you could enchant a weapon with slay bug or some such thing. It wouldn't be that far of a stretch to bind a spell to the weapon and only the person bound to it would not be effected by it.

[Mirikon]

You could do a unique enchantment to 'bend' the rules, I guess. Remember, though, that the enchantment you're talking about had some stringent requirements, like getting a dragon's tooth, and killing someone as part of the enchantment process. And it was ungodly expensive.

Long story short, no runner will have it.

[eviltikiman]

Well the motto of this edition IS: "Everything has a price." And you don't necessarily have to use human sacrifice, though you could always sacrifice a horrible person like a toxic shaman or mass murderer if you don't want to feel bad.
And they could always find the item.