[haiiro_okami]

Ah, so they meant used reaction enhancers then? Hmm...will have to go through everything (including the example elf street sam) when I'm not on my phone.

[Whiskeyjack]

For shooting, a classic is Wired Reflexes 2 + REA Enhancers 3, a retinal smartlink,a datajack, Used Muscle Toner 3, Platelet Factories, Bone Lacing, and orthoskin

Huh.....guess my book is outdated or something....the availability ratings of a good chunk of that are out of the reach of starting players....

Starting Availability is 12

Smartlink is 8
Wired 2 is 12
Used REA Enhancers 3 is 11
Used Toner 3 is 11
Platelets are 12
Orthoskin 3 is 12, Used R4 is 11
Aluminum Bone Lacing is 3, starting with Used Titanium probably isn't worth it
Datajack is 2

I don't consider 3/8 that big of a chunk, but ymmv.

[haiiro_okami]

So with the samurai build, the priority chart should be something like;

A: (Attributes or resources)
B (Resources or Skills)
C: (Skills most likely....)
D: Metatype
E: Magic (shocking I know)

[Whiskeyjack]

I like:

Resources or Attributes A
Attributes or Resources B
Meta C (variable, depending on what meta you want)
Skills D
Magic E

Resources and Attributes are both important. You can get away with B but I like A for Resources because I want to fit in as much ware as I can at chargen, since earning enough for expensive purchases or upgrades can be hard to impossible in play.

Attributes needed generally include hard cap AGI, high INT, high REA, decent (3 or 5) BOD, WIL ~3, and whatever STR (average is OK even for non-whip melee with ware, there are other options for RC, whip melee can generally dump it). Dumping LOG and maybe CHA is common.

Edge is good. 3 is a good number to shoot for. Humans can very easily have 5+, of course.

Skills B is (imo) overkill. You really just need a ranged attack, Sneaking, Perception, and (maybe) a melee attack. This is why high attributes and gear bonuses are important. Sneaking 1 with a specialty in Urban can easily turn into a somewhat respectable (for the investment) dice pool of 12. Perception is easily augmented with glasses and earbuds. Etc. Take Jack of All Trades and buy other stuff up in-game.

[Hobbes]

Standard Samurai goes Resources A, Stats B, Skills C, Meta D, Magic E.  Stats/Skills are not much different than the Gunslinger Adept.  Basic 'ware is as Whiskey outlines, season to taste. 

Qualities are also very similar.  Perfect Time is handy, Catlike is good, Biocompatibility (Cyberware) is usually worth it. 

With and elf you're going to want to throw some Karma at Edge or figure out how to get by with Skills D.  If you're okay with tanking multiple stats it's barely possible to flip stats and skills, but you're hitting your secondary combat stats pretty hard.  Whatever you put "D" at is going to be a karma sink.

If you're really crazy you can get by with Resources B, Used Muscle Replacement, high Edge, and a budding Jazz addiction but I don't recommend that unless you're real comfortable with the addiction rules.   

[haiiro_okami]

Okay, now I have to ask.....why do people keep recommending the  Perfect Time quality? It seems neat and I can think of a few situations where it'd be useful, but I wouldn't rank it as flat out essential...

[falar]

Okay, now I have to ask.....why do people keep recommending the  Perfect Time quality? It seems neat and I can think of a few situations where it'd be useful, but I wouldn't rank it as flat out essential...

Extra Free Action. More things are Free Action than you're realizing.

Multiple Attack Action? Free.
Eject Clip? Free
Talk? Free
Run? Free
Pre-Emptive Block/Dodge/Parry? Free

If you want to Run, you've eaten up a Free Action. And, since you only get one, that's a bunch of options that you might lose if you don't have Perfect Time.

[Hobbes]

Combined with the 150 Nuyen Gear Access from Hard Targets all kinds of simple actions also become Free Actions.  Need to swap to a different Ammo type?  Free action eject a clip, free action (with Gear Access) to put grab the new clip.

[haiiro_okami]

Combined with the 150 Nuyen Gear Access from Hard Targets all kinds of simple actions also become Free Actions.  Need to swap to a different Ammo type?  Free action eject a clip, free action (with Gear Access) to put grab the new clip.

Okay, here I thought you only got gear access if you got specific armor types and I was considering asking my GM if I could shell out for the MOSLTOV from 4th edition to get the same effect....I thank you fine folks for enlightening me on this.... (what is the name of the gear in question that provides gear access for 150¥?) I think I have a fairly solid framework to build with....will sit down one day and write this all out...

[Whiskeyjack]

Okay, now I have to ask.....why do people keep recommending the  Perfect Time quality? It seems neat and I can think of a few situations where it'd be useful, but I wouldn't rank it as flat out essential...

It's really most relevant for Deckers to rearrange their deck stats to focus on offense at the beginning of their pass and then back to defense at the end of the pass.

I don't see it as being that crucial for other archetypes.

[Hobbes]

Combined with the 150 Nuyen Gear Access from Hard Targets all kinds of simple actions also become Free Actions.  Need to swap to a different Ammo type?  Free action eject a clip, free action (with Gear Access) to put grab the new clip.

Okay, here I thought you only got gear access if you got specific armor types and I was considering asking my GM if I could shell out for the MOSLTOV from 4th edition to get the same effect....I thank you fine folks for enlightening me on this.... (what is the name of the gear in question that provides gear access for 150¥?) I think I have a fairly solid framework to build with....will sit down one day and write this all out...

Hard Targets p 185

[ZeldaBravo]

Combined with the 150 Nuyen Gear Access from Hard Targets all kinds of simple actions also become Free Actions.  Need to swap to a different Ammo type?  Free action eject a clip, free action (with Gear Access) to put grab the new clip.

Okay, here I thought you only got gear access if you got specific armor types and I was considering asking my GM if I could shell out for the MOSLTOV from 4th edition to get the same effect....I thank you fine folks for enlightening me on this.... (what is the name of the gear in question that provides gear access for 150¥?) I think I have a fairly solid framework to build with....will sit down one day and write this all out...

Gear Access is a mod for your armor. It takes 4 capacity.

[gradivus]

Assuming biocompatability
0.18   4000   Smartlink is 8
2.7   149000   Wired 2 is 12
1.035   29250   Used REA Enhancers 3 is 11
0.675   72000   Used Toner 3 is 11
0.2   17000   Platelets are 12
0.675   18000   Orthoskin 3 is 12 
0.9   18000   Aluminum Bone Lacing is 3
0.09   1000   Datajack is 2
6.455   308250   

Since this is over on Ess how about:
0.14   4800   Alpha Smartlink
2.7   149000   Wired 2 is 12
1.035   29250   Used REA Enhancers 3 is 11
.75   72000   Used Toner 3 is 11
0.2   17000   Platelets are 12
.75   18000    Orthoskin 3
0.09   1000   Datajack is 2
5.665   291050   


Resources B is 275k plus 10 karma= 295000 which covers this package. either Born Rich or In Debt IV should cover your remaining needs as a starting Sam.

or you can stay resources A and with restricted gear/biocompatability(cyber):
2.8   125000   Alpha Muscle Replacement 4      
1   190000   Synaptic Booster 2      
0.2   17000   Platelets are 12      
1.25   18000   Used Orthoskin 4      
0.09   1000   Datajack is 2      
0.18   4000   Smarlink      
0.45   8000   Plastic Bone Lacing      
            
5.97   363000         

or you can stay resources A and with restricted gear/biocompatability(cyber):
3.5   246000   Alpha Move by Wire   
0.54   60000   Skilljack[6]   
.75   72000   Used Toner 3 is 11   
0.2   17000   Platelets are 12   
0.75   18000   Orthoskin 3   
0.18   4000   Smarlink   
0.07   1000   Alpha Datajack is 2   
5.99   418000
You could alpha few more thing to fit in a chipjack.      

[Whiskeyjack]

Nice though I'm really not a fan of synaptic booster.

IMO most sams should take a hard look at Transhuman Prototype and justify NOT taking it. That can fit in a good deal of the bioware you'd want.

[haiiro_okami]

Transhuman prototype?
Also, how would I go about bumping up my social limit in order to compensate for the essence loss(apart from tailored pheromones of course and some select clothing items)
At the moment I'm thinking
A-Resources
B-attributes
C-skills or metatype(I can go either way here)
D-skills or metatype (though now that I think about it....I might just go with skills....having some edge when the chips are down is handy)
E-Magic (gee what a surprise)

I tend to be a fan of bioware (flavor-wise) but am perfectly willing to mix and match as needed.... (and I may need to get those skillwires after all) will take that into consideration