[JmOz01]

So I am really starting to suspect my GM just likes delaying the game so that I keep tinkering...He knows I can't help myself


So current version, he is poor in physical combat still, but his karma will be going to helping there.  Plan is to improve agility then strength and reaction

Otherwise I think that with judicial use of BUFF spells he should work fairly well as a Face, a Decker, Combat Mage, or a (ranged) street sam

Please note, goal is to be passable in each roll but not overshadow the real ones (IE the dedicated decker should be better etc...).  The name Jonah is a inside joke/reference that I hope a fellow player will get

Not sure if I like the Street name of Jack now that he does not have a data jack...

Jack
METATYPE: HUMAN
B 3, A 1, R 1/3, S 2/3, W 5, L 3, I 6, C 3, ESS 6, EDG 3, M 6
Condition Monitor (P/S): 10 / 11
Armor: 9
Limits: Physical 4, Mental 6, Social 6
Physical Initiative: 7/9+3D6
Matrix Initiative: 9+3D6
Active Skills: Assensing 6, Automatics (Submachine Guns +2) 6, Blades (Swords +2) 6, Counterspelling 6, Cracking Group 6, Electronics Group 4, Etiquette (Corporate +2) 4, Negotiation (Bargaining +2) 4, Perception 6, Sneaking 6, Spellcasting 6
Knowledge Skills: Code of Bushido 4, Corp Culture (Shiawase +2) 2, Myths & Legends (Samurai +2) 2, Small Unit Tactics (Urban +2) 2
Languages: English (Speak +2) 4, Japanese N
Qualities: Big Regret, Buddhist Mystic Adept, Code of Honor: The Path of the Samurai (8dicepool vs. 4), Focused Concentration (3), In Debt (Borrowed 50,000¥, Owes 75,000¥) (10), Mentor Spirit: Magician Powers: Bear, Magician Powers, Poor Self Control - Compulsive (Personal) (1): Clear his name, Quick Healer, Records on File (1): Shiawase
Spells: Heal, Increase Agility, Increase Charisma, Increase Logic, Lightning Bolt, Magic Fingers, Stunball
Adept Powers: Astral Perception, Improved Ability (2): Computer, Improved Physical Attribute (1): Strength, Improved Reflexes (2), Improved Sense: Damper, Improved Sense: Ultrasound Sensor
Gear:
. . Armor Vest
. . Certified Credstick, Standard
. . Erika MCD-1 w/ Browse, Datasoft: The Art of War, The Book of Five Rings, The Tale of the Heike, and other assorted samurai , Encryption, Signal Scrub, Sim Module, Modified for Hot Sim
. . Goggles (1) w/ Image Link
. . Jonah Rim w/ Fake License: Decker (1), Fake License: Magic (1), Fake License: Weapon (1), Fake SIN (1), (1 month) Squatter Lifestyle
. . Kimono
. . Meta Link Commlink
. . Trodes
Weapons:
. . HK-227X [SMG, Acc 5, DV 8P, AP -1, SA/BF/FA, RC (1), 28 (c)] w/ (30x) Explosive Rounds, Folding Stock, Gecko Grip, Silencer/Suppressor, Smartgun System, Internal
. . Tanto [Blade, Acc 6, DV 5P, AP -3]
. . Wakizashi [Blade,Blade, Reach 1, Acc 6, DV 6P, AP -2]
Contacts:
Larry (Connection 2, Loyalty 1)
Trix (Connection 4, Loyalty 2)

Hero Lab and the Hero Lab logo are Registered Trademarks of LWD Technology, Inc. Free download at http://www.wolflair.com
Shadowrun © 2005-2015 The Topps Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Shadowrun is a registered trademark of The Topps Company, Inc.

[anchoress]

Not sure if I like the Street name of Jack now that he does not have a data jack...

He is still a Jack of all trades, master of none. So in the end, the name fits pretty well

[Glyph]

Decking isn't really something you can dabble in.  It's an unforgiving specialty.  It seems like this character could be a pretty good mage, but spends too many resources being a bargain-basement physical combatant (Why?  You have spells - guns should be, at best, a back-up weapon) and a third-rate decker.  A mage is a generalist by having summoning (and maybe binding) and a useful assortment of spells.

[Hibiki54]

Think of it like this - a Johnson has a job and he is looking for a group of specialist in certain fields. He needs individuals to fit certain needs. He's looking for someone who can be the muscle, someone who can provide fire support, a talented individual who can manipulate the arcane and support the two mundanes, and someone who can provide matrix infiltration.

Would you hire your character to fill any of these roles and be successful?

From my point of view if I was a respectable Johnson... No. My reasoning would be his lack of ability to, not only to protect himself, but his lack of specialization. Even with a body of 3, anyone experienced can look at him and see that he's frail as a feather. If you want to be a Mystic Adept and be a hacker, you need to either focus on being a wireless hacker, or drop some magical skills and pick up Lockpicking, Stealth and some illusion spells to fool cameras/sensors. If you want to be a decker, either an AR decker or VR decker, you need to go full bore or specialize in something else.

[JmOz01]

First let me say, I know it goes against conventional character design wisdom, however I think you are underestimating Jack some. 

However let me ask would this character be better in your opinions?  He is loosely based on Jack

Spyder
METATYPE: DWARF
B 3, A 1, R 1/3, S 3, W 5, L 5/6, I 6, C 3, ESS 4.7, EDG 3
Condition Monitor (P/S): 10 / 11
Armor: 9
Limits: Physical 4, Mental 8, Social 6
Physical Initiative: 7/9+3D6
Matrix Initiative: 10+3D6
Active Skills: Automatics (Machine Pistols +2) 6, Computer 6, Cracking Group 6, Etiquette 3, Hardware 4, Perception 6, Sneaking 6, Software 4
Knowledge Skills: Bars (Seatle +2) 2, Security (Matrix +2) 6
Languages: English N, German 6, Japanese 6
Metatype Abilities: Dwarf Networking, Enhanced Senses: Thermographic Vision, Resistance: Pathogens and Toxins +2
Qualities: Code of Honor: White Hats, the Code of the Hacker (8dicepool vs. 4), Jack of All Trades, Master of None, Quick Healer, Weak Immune System
Augmentations:
. . Cerebral Booster (1)
. . Datajack
. . Synaptic Booster (2)
Gear:
. . Armor Vest
. . Certified Credstick, Silver
. . Contacts (3) w/ Flare Compensation, Image Link, Smartlink
. . Ear buds (1)
. . Flashlight
. . Identity: Specify Name w/ Fake License: Matrix (3), Fake SIN (3), (1 month) Middle Lifestyle
. . Medkit (3)
. . Metal Restraints
. . Micro-Tranceiver
. . Novatech Navigator w/ Armor, Browse, Configurator, Edit, Encryption, Signal Scrub, Sim Module, Modified for Hot Sim, Toolbox
. . Plastic Restraints x10
. . Renraku Sensei Commlink w/ Mapsoft: Campaign City
. . Respirator (1)
. . Survival Kit
Weapons:
. . Ares Crusader II [Machine Pistol, Acc 7, DV 8P, AP -1, SA/BF, RC 2, 40 (c)] w/ (40x) Explosive Rounds, Gas-Vent System (2), Smartgun System, Internal
. . Knife [Blade, Acc 5, DV 4P, AP -1]
Contacts:
Fixer (Connection 4, Loyalty 2)
Script Kiddie (Connection 2, Loyalty 1)
Starting ¥: 65 + (4D6 × 100)¥

Hero Lab and the Hero Lab logo are Registered Trademarks of LWD Technology, Inc. Free download at http://www.wolflair.com
Shadowrun © 2005-2015 The Topps Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Shadowrun is a registered trademark of The Topps Company, Inc.

[ZeldaBravo]

Metatype Abilities: Dwarf Networking

Excuse me?

[JmOz01]

It's from run faster.  Part of being a dwarf now...has to do with social skills

[Glyph]

Dwarves are automatically on the short list.


Looking at the character, I don't think it is an improvement over the other one.  He's a suboptimal but functional decker - and that's it.  He can maybe contribute to a firefight, and can sneak a bit, but he doesn't have anything I would call secondary specialties.  I think both characters would have been better if they had something other than skills in priority A.

[JmOz01]

Spyder is:

A: Wealth   B: Skills    C: Race    D: Attributes    E: Magic

Yes, he is sub optimal, but would his hacking skills be hirable? In other words: Are his hacking abilities passable, but he would need some other abilities to make him truly decent in the shadows?

Jack is

A: Skills, B: Magic, C: Attributes, D: Race, E: Money

[JmOz01]

A couple things:

First, thank you all for the help.  I like feedback even when it is negative.  I do not agree with everything people are saying, but I do appreciate it.  I do think the idea that a Johnson would not hire someone who was not a specialist is not necessarily accurate, as I think their main objective is getting the job done and that a utility player can be very helpful as an insurance measure,  However see the end of this post

Second let me say that I think his hacking skills are workable (However I will say that early drafts were not).  Assuming I have my logic spell at three hits I might even out do our normal decker in ability (But not in gear, so that is still a significant issue I will have to deal with in game).  The reason for Spyder was to illustrate what his hacker side can be when he has his Inc Logic spell up.

Third, I am a tinkerer by nature, so changes will probably be made up to game day (Next sunday).  I do not want to overshoot our street mage in ability, but I think in one section of spell casting I will (She throws 14 dice in combat and illusion spells, 12 elsewhere).  So am going to focus on being a buffer (Already is when you look at it, but going to move one spec to give an impressive (to me) 16 dice with health spells and 18 with the Heal spell. 

Street Sam ability: our group does not have one, however we have a lot of "Combat ____________" meaning that most characters can fill in for it.  This one is probably the bottom of the pack but should be able to (Assuming my Increase Agility).

Our face has broader interpersonal skills, so should not take the light from them

As a buffer I  will be throwing 16 dice on Increase (Agility/Logic/Charisma).  Should be a decent boost to whoever needs it.  I figure force 5 versions have little risk of drain, while higher will probably give me a touch of drain (avoiding casting over 6 however)

WHY HIRE/HIS CARD

"Jack"
Primary Spec: Master of augmentative and healing magic
Secondary: Overwatcher (Astral, Matrix & Mundane)
Tricary: Jack of all trades

[anchoress]

I really like that you stick to your idea. Actually, i found out that players of SR are getting more and more... hm... let's say "cautious" building new characters, and starting to prioritize heavily on efficiency. This i guess is strictly correlated to the fact, that in the world of SR everybody tries to betray you, to decieve you and even to kill you - if it is profitable for him/her. So being a pro in one thing and add your skills to a group is more effective. It let's you (maybe) lose the focus on being an individuum that managed to survive on the streets in a dstopian future. Wich means not to die rolling your first climbin test, because you didn't spend points for the athletic group.

No, in fact: i like characters way more, that are polyvalent but not as effective. Because they can survive a lot of situations.Or have multiple solutions for problems. I had the same discussion with our GM. He finally said, if you roll 10 dice or more, you are fine. If you want to be a real expert go up to 15. This leaves us room to fluffwise build our characters and make them survive the acid rain of puyallup and the barrens of redmond. Because i get off track really often, this forum helps me a lot to re-focus and get on point again, but i really like that you stick to your idea and not stepping into the trap of being a - what we say in germany - an expert idiot who can only do ONE thing. But i think this is also related to your level of play. Prime Runner have to be experts, on street level you can play more diversified characters.

Anyway, long story short: a lot of fun and please tell us, how it was to play Jack

[JmOz01]

Had a long post, but at it's root was just two words


Thank you.

[JmOz01]

With Data trails was able to make some adjustments...here is the current

Unnamed Hero
METATYPE: HUMAN
B 3, A 4, R 1/4, S 1, W 5, L 4, I 6, C 4, ESS 6, EDG 2, M 6
Condition Monitor (P/S): 10 / 11
Armor: 14
Limits: Physical 3, Mental 7, Social 7
Physical Initiative: 7/10+4D6
Active Skills: Assensing 6, Automatics 6, Blades (Swords +2) 5, Computer (Matrix Perception +2) 6, Counterspelling 6, Cracking Group 6, Influence Group 4, Perception 6, Sneaking (Urban +2) 1, Spellcasting (Health Spells +2) 6
Knowledge Skills: Mystic Theory 4, Myths and Legends (Samurai +2) 2, Security 4, Small Unit Tactics (Urban +2) 4
Languages: English 4, Japanese N
Qualities: Big Regret, Buddhist Mystic Adept, Code of Honor: The Path of the Samurai (9dicepool vs. 4), Focused Concentration (3), In Debt (Borrowed 50,000¥, Owes 75,000¥) (10), Mentor Spirit: Magician Powers: Bear, Magician Powers, Poor Self Control - Compulsive (Personal) (1): Clearing his name, Quick Healer, Records on File (1): SHIAWASE
Spells: Heal, Increase Strength, Magic Fingers, Stunbolt, Trid Phantasm
Adept Powers: Astral Perception, Combat Sense (2), Improved Reflexes (3), Improved Sense: Damper, Improved Sense: Ultrasound Sensor
Gear:
. . Armor Jacket w/ Fire Resistance (6), Nonconductivity (6)
. . Backpack
. . Ballistic Mask (Customized) w/ Flare Compensation, Micro-Tranceiver, Respirator (6), Smartlink, Trodes
. . Certified Credstick, Standard
. . Contacts (3) w/ Image Link, Thermographic Vision
. . Datasoft: The Art of War, The Book of Five Rings, The Tale of the Heike, and other assorted samurai
. . Flashlight
. . Identity: Specify Name w/ Fake License: Cyber security (4), Fake License: Magic (4), Fake License: Weapon (4), Fake SIN (4), (1 month) Squatter Lifestyle
. . Kimono
. . Mapsoft: Campaign City
. . Plastic Restraints x20
. . Transys Avalon Commlink w/ Attack Dongle level 4 (4), Hammer, Sim Module
Weapons:
. . Ares Crusader II [Machine Pistol, Acc 7, DV 7P, AP –, SA/BF, RC 2, 40 (c)] w/ Gas-Vent System (2), (40x) Gel Rounds, (80x) Regular Ammo, Silencer/Suppressor, Smartgun System, Internal, (2x) Spare Clips
. . Ingram Smartgun X [SMG, Acc 6, DV 8P, AP –, BF/FA, RC 2(3), 32 (c)] w/ Folding Stock, Gas-Vent System (2), (30x) Regular Ammo, Silencer/Suppressor, Sling, Smartgun System, Internal
. . Katana [Blade,Blade, Reach 1, Acc 7, DV 4P, AP -3]
. . Survival Tanto [Blade, Acc 5, DV 3P, AP -1]
. . Wakizashi [Blade,Blade, Reach 1, Acc 6, DV 4P, AP -2]
Contacts:
Fixer (Connection 4, Loyalty 2)
Mobster (Connection 3, Loyalty 1)
Street Kid (Connection 1, Loyalty 1)
Starting ¥: 2D6 × 40¥
Ammunition & Resources:
. . Ares Crusader II - Regular Ammo x40
. . Ingram Smartgun X - Regular Ammo x30
. . Edge Pool - 0/2
. . Spirit Index - 0

Hero Lab and the Hero Lab logo are Registered Trademarks of LWD Technology, Inc. Free download at http://www.wolflair.com
Shadowrun © 2005-2015 The Topps Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Shadowrun is a registered trademark of The Topps Company, Inc.

[Rooks]

Actually, by design, someone on the team should be doing EVERYTHING I do better.  The character is designed to be the "Fallback" guy, that guy who is able to assist the primary, and fill in when needed (but not the first choice).  I personally enjoy being the guy who can always help, but is not the best in the party.

As for the deck...first priority is kill a guy and get one

If you play in a classic Shadowrun setting my question as a GM would be: why would a Johnson hire Jack? If he is missing somebody in his runner team, he will hire a specialist to fill up the gap. If not - why hire somebody else? It would only mean that a) he picked bad runner (and this would mean that he has no money or is a douchebag) or b) that he has not enough information about the run's target (and this would also mean that he is a douchebag).

If your group is fine with it - go ahead But if not, the reason is exactly what WhiskeyJack pointed out: you're a generalist, not a specialist. I personally like it to play a Jack of all trades (which could be an interesting quality for this character btw, not only namewise), but Shadowrun is not the system for it.

OMFG I litterally bursted out laughing reading this you need people to pick up the slack, accidents can and will happen plans will go to drek seen runs turned a complete 180 when the decker got fried. then the rigger who had some hacking skill got in and saved the runs bacon or the rigger got shot and at least someone knew how to drive. Im sorry but even SWAT teams cross train

[ZeldaBravo]

With Data trails was able to make some adjustments...here is the current
[...]

1. It may (or may not) be a good idea to go AGI 3 + STR 2 + Aged II neg quality. More knowledge skills and a better limit plus you can get rid of some other negatives.
2. Isn't Slease dongle better for you?