[revolverocelot420]

So I'm starting a new game and I want to try something different than my norm (gunslinger adept/b&e street sam) I want to try my hand at making a decker/rigger were using priority system but the builds I try making suck I'm really struggling with my gear selection. My priorities are
A-resources
B-attributes
C-skills
D-metatype (human)
E-mundane
I know you need a good deck comm deck programs rcc drones weapons armor programs for drones? And that's were I get confused read crb multiple times but I don't understand the whole programs and is this possible with skills c? And so what would be a good skill selection? Any help would be awesome I've looked at some builds I'm looking to be a little in the action if possible and if I can't I want to be the best damn decker I can be...  Thanks guys

[ZeldaBravo]

Just swap your skills and attributes.

[Dinendae]

Just swap your skills and attributes.

Yeah, do switch those two; you'll find the 5 skill group points to be invaluable in helping you get all the skills you need to have. I would suggest dumping all five in the electronics skill group, buy your hacking and electronic warfare with skill points up to 5s or 6s (electronic warfare is also used in rigging, as well as decking), grab gunnery and piloting skills (stick with ground and air for now), maybe put a point or two in cybercombat (but generally you don't want to fight in the Matrix). Logic and Reaction with be your two main attributes, and agility will be useful for gunnery and a host of meat space skills. You can get you REA and AGI up with ware, so I tend to max Logic, bump BOD and WIL both to 3s (for resistance tests) and then spread the remaining points (if any) around where needed.

With a sleaze (and increase sleaze) modification, you can get a RCC to do just about everything a deck can do, and you can always get a commlink with an attack dongle to help you crack encrypted files you have downloaded. Check out this thread for more on that subject: http://forums.shadowruntabletop.com/index.php?topic=22028.0

*Edit: Also, do yourself a favor and make sure your lifestyle is either medium, or if using lifestyle choices make sure you have medium lifestyle-level matrix access. It helps being able to hop on the normal matrix without having to immediately start an overwatch score.*

[Hobbes]

Depends on your Budget and play style.  If you don't mind not having an attack attribute the Vulcan Liegelord RCC modified to add a Sleaze attribute, and Increase Sleaze Attribute and then run several programs (Smoke and Mirrors is the main one) you can get by at around 70k or so.

Drawbacks, no attack stat so you're spending Edge to remove file encryption.  The RCC is also physically bigger than a deck, suitcase sized.

For around 60k the Microdeck Summit can work, add two Program Carriers (Encryption and Stealth) and use Virtual machine at pretty much all times, Overclocker and Perfect time and you'll have a 6 Limit for really any Matrix action. 

Personally I'd jump up to the Little Hornet with two Program Carriers  (Encryption and Stealth) for around 90k, Perfect Time, Overclocker, two other programs running, up to three with Virtual Machine.  Limit 7 for any Matrix Action, 12 for Sleaze.  90k.

Biggest problem with the low end cyber decks is your PAN size is pitiful and it will drive you nuts occasionally.  Clear with your GM if you can have multiple PANs (RAW is completely unclear) and work it out. 

Oh, and the key to everything is the Smoke and Mirrors program from Data Trails combined with your three Antenna and couple two or three Data Jacks for the stacking noise reduction to eliminate the noise penalty from Smoke and Mirrors.

If you're really cheap you can get by with a couple of Comlinks and Dongles.  Can be done for around 30k, many compromises required.  With Resources A your budget shouldn't be that tight though. 

Skills C can be done if you're not spending Karma elsewhere.  2 Group points into Electronics, break it and dump Karma into Computer skill up to 5 plus specialization in Matrix Perception, for 31? Karma.  28 points... Hacking, gun, sneak, Electronic Warfare at 6, Specialize each.  No Cyber combat skill, no other skills at all really.  I can see it, but you're down to 19 Karma for PQs, and no other Karma.  I can see it if you're aiming for a "Combat Decker" instead of the Cyberarm of Agility Decker. 

[Dinendae]

Drawbacks, no attack stat so you're spending Edge to remove file encryption.  The RCC is also physically bigger than a deck, suitcase sized.

Out of curiosity, can you not just grab a copy of the file, transfer it to a commlink with an attack dongle, and use that to decrypt the file?

[Hobbes]

Nope.  To copy a file requires a successful Edit File action, can't perform any Edit File actions until you're past the encryption.

p. 239 Edit File action:
"If the fie you want to copy has protection
on it, this action automatically fails."

[Whiskeyjack]

Decker/rigger is a hard combination, because rigger has been very much expanded in cost and stuff this ed, and wholly different skill needs.

[Csjarrat]

You can just grab a cheap deck and pimp the attack score with software and overclocker quality when you need it. A R3 dongle is cheap deck price anyways

[revolverocelot420]

See I like k-rad the combat decker build would it be wise to take a second combat or is automatics enough

[Whiskeyjack]

If you're not a combat primary character like a sam, you should probably just stick to a gun skill. If you're a technical character, you're going to be stretched thin for both skill points and attributes, so it's unlikely you'll be good at melee combat.

[revolverocelot420]

I was thinking of taking pistols but could just pick up a machine pistol too was more worried of being disarmed or hacked.

[Whiskeyjack]

If you're the hacker, you're in the best position to prevent hacking

The big issues I have with pistols, is they  are very short range, low damage, and have few options. With an MP, you can at least throw out suppressing fire, and autofire burst defense penalties help offset what will likely be a lower attack pool than a sam.