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Technomancer and Cyberware?

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« on: <11-18-15/1332:51> »
I know every point of Essence lost is a point of Resonance lost.

But is that really so bad to loose 1 point to pick up some cyber- or bioware? Some of that stuff is really sweet.

From what I can tell, while Resonance is used for almost every special TM trick, sprites, complex forms etc, is 1 less of it really gonna break you, considering the benefits you could gain in return?

Please don't just answer with "Yes" or "No" or "How can you be this stupid?" please, but at least a sentence or two of explanation why you think so. Thanks

falar

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« Reply #1 on: <11-18-15/1410:38> »
No. It's not so bad.

Consider - Cerebral and Cerebellum Boosters increase Logic and Intuition by the rating. For you, that's a direct increase in ... one of your Living Persona stats as well as making the rolls better. You should get it.

Also Consider - Narco and abusing Psyche or Cereprax. Both drugs would boost your Logic/Intuition by quite large amounts and increase your Living Persona as well. Or even do a Loco and take some Red Mescaline with the Psyche to get your Charisma and Willpower up by +2 to apiece as well.

Danny Montanny

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« Reply #2 on: <11-18-15/1711:56> »
Or just Biocompatibility: Bioware and Prototype Transhuman. Have your cake and eat it too.

kyoto kid

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« Reply #3 on: <11-18-15/1742:19> »
...as long as this isn't a Missions character. In the FAQ, the Karma cost for Prototype Transhuman is double (20 Karma). So with Biocompatibility - Bioware you'd be at the maximum of 25 K for PQs
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Whiskeyjack

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« Reply #4 on: <11-18-15/1926:43> »
Resonance sucks quite a bit compared to Magic, and even Magic likes to lose 1 point a lot of times.

TMs are arguably better wared than not wared, because of how they are at a baseline.
Playability > verisimilitude.

FST_Gemstar

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« Reply #5 on: <11-18-15/2002:53> »
Yep. Having high Resonance is less important to a technomancer than having magic is to magician. Even without biocompatibility and prototype transhuman, investing in 'ware can help technomancers be good at more than just matrix things or even excel more at matrix work if that is their focus. As written, it seems that unaugmented technomancers have a tough time standing toe to toe with other archetypes.

As Falar said: Drugs are nice too!
« Last Edit: <11-18-15/2038:55> by FST_Gemstar »

Whiskeyjack

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« Reply #6 on: <11-18-15/2016:50> »
They do well as a pet class  ;)
Playability > verisimilitude.

gradivus

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« Reply #7 on: <11-18-15/2023:52> »
They do well as a pet class  ;)

after initiation they do well as riggers too.
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falar

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« Reply #8 on: <11-18-15/2215:11> »
As Falar said: Drugs are nice too!

I took three characters to GameHole Con - all but one of the sessions were the same GM. At one point he asked me if any of my characters weren't addicted to something. I smiled sadly and told him the Sixth World was a nasty place and sometimes you just needed a little something to get by.

kyoto kid

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« Reply #9 on: <11-18-15/2256:56> »
...played deckers (back in the 3rd ed days when decking was really incomprehensible) Even played an Otaku.  Not interested in Technomancers as they are even more of a disadvantage in the meat world than the awakened.  Mages can get spells, foci, and the assistance of spirits while Adepts have powers and a few foci that can make them both survivable and effective on the physical end. Having to deal with 1d6 of initiative and no augmentation to abilities/skills in the meat world (other than what a few PQs grant) is a recipe for trouble when the lead starts a flying.

I wish they would have based them off the original idea of the Otaku and not just made them into another form of "Mage". One would think technos would embrace the benefit of technological augmentations rather shun them for fear being hamstrung.
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adzling

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« Reply #10 on: <11-18-15/2309:35> »
Our Techno took exceptional attribute: resonance and a Renraku Tradesuite and stuck a rating 4 Machine Sprite in there full time.
Resonance 6 and....
Boom rating 7 skill in anything, anytime.
She is the parties fill-in-the-gaps runner.
« Last Edit: <11-18-15/2311:19> by adzling »

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« Reply #11 on: <11-19-15/0044:13> »
Our Techno took exceptional attribute: resonance and a Renraku Tradesuite and stuck a rating 4 Machine Sprite in there full time.
Resonance 6 and....
Boom rating 7 skill in anything, anytime.
She is the parties fill-in-the-gaps runner.
Interesting idea, but can you elaborate on the math behind this? I don't get how it would be rating 7 in every skill.

Also, are you sure using one of the Kits is a good idea? They got some pretty nasty downsides with wireless not being able to be turned off and them being "chatty".

FST_Gemstar

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« Reply #12 on: <11-19-15/0111:56> »
Kyoto Kid: Yeah... the published materials make it seem like technomancers have nothing to do with 'ware and protect their Resonance more than anything, even though yes, it makes a lot of sense that they should be most technologically integrated... but with less than one essence worth of 'ware, even with just core materials, technomancers can keep a highish resonance and use drugs to boost initiative and sprites to boost dicepools in the meatworld just fine--more as a slower street sam with some stealth skills that can help boost/protect the team decker do the real hacking. How technomancers are described in the world are different than how they can be developed into actual playable characters, which is confusing when trying to build one from the getgo. I hope the new technobook is more expansive on technomancer lore.
« Last Edit: <11-19-15/0138:04> by FST_Gemstar »

adzling

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« Reply #13 on: <11-19-15/0120:35> »
disclaimer: you must purchase the activesofts or a subscription to an activesoft service

4 from active soft and 3 from the rating 4 machine sprite using Diagnostics on the Skillwires (+3 to any skills used via the skillwires).

Our Techno took exceptional attribute: resonance and a Renraku Tradesuite and stuck a rating 4 Machine Sprite in there full time.
Resonance 6 and....
Boom rating 7 skill in anything, anytime.
She is the parties fill-in-the-gaps runner.
Interesting idea, but can you elaborate on the math behind this? I don't get how it would be rating 7 in every skill.

Also, are you sure using one of the Kits is a good idea? They got some pretty nasty downsides with wireless not being able to be turned off and them being "chatty".

falar

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« Reply #14 on: <11-19-15/0936:51> »
Ja. Only 20,000 nuyen per effectively Rating 6+ skill. It's a pretty sweet deal. Combine with Attributes A so that you can shine across the board ...