[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

Everyone has a different technique. Functionally, though, the longer you live a false ID, the stronger it gets.  While the game rules don't reflect this (or at least not yet), and unless you change your habits your purchase habits can start reflecting the original you and thus let your old enemies track you down, the more data that's real and 'you' the better an ID is.  Thus, getting a R6 or two early makes good sense ...

[Devil]

Well, in this case I'm making a prime runner face, but he's on a budget. I'd like to get the most functionality for a starting character for the least amount of nuyen. As a couple of people have pointed out, these fake SINs are quite expensive now, but a face needs what it needs. Suggestions for starting SINs for a face on a budget?

[Senko]

define budget, whats recommended varies markedly on how much you have to spend and as starting resources can vary from 6k to half a million before you add in other expenses (ware, gear, living expenses) we need to know how much your looking to spend. At a bare minimum I'd recommend 2 Sins for everyone, 3 if you can manage it but the ratings vary depending on how much you can afford.

We also need to know the maximum licensed you'd be buying.

[Devil]

Prime Runner allows for up to availability 15. I think that allows for up to R5 SINs and Licenses, if that is what you are asking.

Budget, in this case, means I'd like to spend as little as I can get away with and still call myself a face. I doubt I could do that for 6k.

[Senko]

Sorry no I meant number as in how many would you want at maximum. That is if you're only planning to need a driver's license it's a lot cheaper than if you think you'll need a firearms license, a concealed carry license, a driver's license, an occult investigators license (to explain the guns). I'm assuming your just straight face not a mage so we can rule out magic license and combat magic license and the various other transport options e g. Pilot's license. Need to know how many and what because you don't necessarily need all of the licenses for all the Sins e.g. No firearms license for your legitimate sin.

Hmmm well as I said I feel you need at least 2 as a runner. Hmmm wanting to spend as little as possible rather than having a set budget is s bit tricky I think I'll leave it up to you to decide and just post some generalities to choose from.  Give me a little bit to sort this out.

EDIT
ok I'd start off by looking at these for a face.

R4 Legitimate SIN (can also be a national or corporate sin it you took the negative quality)
This is your general living one legal, legitimate, tons of spam and try to avoid licenses that could be problematic I.E. Things for work. R4 is the minimum I'd advise R6 myself if you can afford it.I'd also advise having a spare clean one of these secured in a safehouse to start over with if it all goes wrong.

R3 semi-legitimate Face SIN
Again R3 is the minimum I'd suggest R4 to R6. Self defense licenses e.g. Firearms/concealed carry. This is the one you use to meet with clients kept at a high level because you'll need to get into clubs and other high class establishments with good security if you do well.May need to be burned if your double crossed.

R3 illegitimate Running SIN
Again R3 minimum I'd advise R6. This is the sin you use on runs and burn if you feel it's getting too hot or well known. Has the full range of licenses needed for your job. Kept separate from your face SIN because that identity will be known to the client and if they're planning a double cross you don't want them passing on your identity (try to use this for gathering info)

R1 burn SIN'S
Three r1 use and burn sins for emergency use, as the face there's a higher chance you may need a backup after using one, minimum self defense licenses. Two kept available and one in a bug out bag.

Licenses
All these should be at the level of the associated SIN but I can't say what you'd need without knowing more about the character do they drive, have a handgun/shotgun/knife, etc.

The minimum you should have as a runner in my opinion is a legitimate living sin, an illegitimate Running SIN and a emergency burn sin to get clear and I'd strongly advise a back up clean sin to run too..

[Devil]

That's more than I had hoped, but, more importantly, it makes sense. Thanks. I'm going to have to make some changes to the character to accommodate these costs though.

[Senko]

Oh and if for some reason your feeling paranoid I'd suggest getting your real life, clean fresh start and general running SINs from different people so if they decide to sell you out not all your identites are compromised.

Oh and the general running sin I advise R4 to R6 not a flat R6. Higher is nice but it's the most likely to be burned since it sees regular semi-legal and illegal use and you only move onto the burn sins if something goes wrong with it.

[Xenon]

As a face on a budget i would start with 1 R3 fake SIN that have licens for possession of firearms and concealed carry. You use this SIN to get into places, the meeting and as your day to day SIN for the first couple of runs until you get enough resources to buy more fake identities (which is prio for any gifted grifter).

[Devil]

So, do I need a different gun, license, and commlink for every SIN I have?

[Namikaze]

So, do I need a different gun, license, and commlink for every SIN I have?

Depends heavily on the GM.  It's either in this thread or a similar one, but according to the posters there, a lot of them use different license types.  Most licenses used seem to cover a multitude of various items and/or activities.

In that case, I'd say you probably need a license for each SIN that you want to use the license with.  If someone is strictly following the rules and says you need to have a license for each weapon or activity, then it quickly becomes cost ineffective to start putting those on each SIN.

I wouldn't bother putting licenses on Rating 1 SINs though, since those get burned too easily to be worthwhile.

[Xenon]

So, do I need a different gun, license, and commlink for every SIN I have?

License to possess firearms and License for concealed carry are not tied to one specific gun. It let you carry any and all Restricted (not Forbidden) firearms. You can run several different SINs on one commlink. You just choose which SIN you broadcast at any given time.

But yes, if you want two of your fake SINs to have License to possess firearms then you need two fake licenses, one for each of our SINs.

SR5 p. 419 (il)legality
A fake license is connected to a fake SIN, and if one of them is exposed, the other becomes worthless

[Devil]

What about commlinks? People keep saying that you need some disposable commlinks. Why?

[Senko]

If it gets hacked it can be used to trace/locate you. Not to big an issue as thr core book has  a 100 yen one and run faster mentions a 20 yen version. Probably same as the 100 yen but runs out after a month. Also anything on there can be broken into and viewed.

[8-bit]

If it gets hacked it can be used to trace/locate you. Not to big an issue as thr core book has  a 100 yen one and run faster mentions a 20 yen version. Probably same as the 100 yen but runs out after a month. Also anything on there can be broken into and viewed.

Not exactly.

People use disposable commlinks to make highly illegal calls or messages so that they can throw them away without it being traced by law enforcement to them. Generally, you want one higher-end commlink that protects your stuff, and multiple "burner" commlinks that you can throw away without worrying. You use those burner links to make all your calls and messages; your higher-end one for information and legal stuff. If you use burner links to conduct business, you can either preemptively discard them once you are done using them (say, after one run or a week or so of illegal activity), or wait until it gets pinged on law enforcement and it becomes hot. Once it's hot, you just transfer any logs off of it, and throw the thing away so that it can't be traced back to you.

[Senko]

As I said traced to you and hacked into to gather info.