[FST_Gemstar]

The pixies w/guns re-discussion prompted this thought piece. Rules legality is dubious, but this pixie has a Rotodrone that he/she turned into a mini helicopter. Basically, a smuggling compartment is used to house meta-adapted rigger cocoon. I put in an extra entrance/exit to make up for the lack doors in a drone, or perhaps to be an escape route. Pixies don't have to worry about falling if they need to escape, as they can fly on their own too! The rigger cocoon add some armor/structure/crash damage resistance to make the pixie inside safer, and the smuggling compartment + sneaking + concealment will help investigators not notice the pixie inside.  It has a standard weapons mount that houses an Ingram X Smartgun. I added a Smartsoft to the drone, hoping it might be usable through sensor ops for a +1 bonus when the pixie manually or remotely uses the weapon. Hopefully a rotodrone is big enough for this effort, as pixies are pretty tiny.

Rotodrone Specs:

Rotodrone - $5000
Power Train (2/4 Mod slots)      Rigger Cocoon           $1500
Protection   (1/4 Mod slots)        Rating 1 Antitheft    $500
Weapon        (7/7 Mod slots)     Standard Mount           $1500
                                                      Concealed Visablity    $4000
                                                      Ammo Bin                $200
Body            (4/4 mod slots)        Extra Entrance              $2500
                                                       Smuggling                $1500
Electromagnetic (1/4 mod slots)   Satallite Link            $ 500
Cosmetic                                     Meta Adjustment          $500
                                                         Built-in Trodes        $70
Autosoft  (Smartsoft)                                                             $1500

Total cost (not including attached Ingram X SMG and ammo) =  19270


Tin Can Fran (Frances or Francis, I haven't fleshed out this character yet),  is like a little street sam in a rotodrone. Fran can pilot, shoot, perceive (through sensors), and move stealthily. Fran is not a rigger, but with some adept perks, the little pixie is at least as competent manually or remotely piloting as an above average talent hot shot with a control rig. Fran doesn't have a lot of resources, but can pick up lots of helpful gear after a run or two, and has the Logic/Willpower for some Psyche when needed.

Issues: I wasn't sure how Uneducated affects skillpoints and free knowledge skill points during character generation, as I wasn't sure if Uneducated quality cost modifiers were applied to skill points or just karma. I did not apply them. If they need to be applied, Fran can drop engineering skill group and doubledown Outdoors, and Fran can halve her Engineering knowledge skill. She can pick up assensing, regular perception, other pilot skills, and other mechanical skills (if needed), after character generation .

I haven't fully adjusted stats for the rotodrone, but is Fran safe enough in a rigger cocoon? If Fran is piloting, defense rolls are going to be higher than just the drone on its own, but a good hit is going to do some damage.

Can fran be part of a runner team? Anything else he/she needs to function as a pixie in the shadow?

Karma Expenditures: 19 on PQs, 16 on Nuyen, 15 on metatype, -25 on negative qualities = 0 remaining.


== Info ==
Street Name: "Tin-Can" Fran
Name: Unnamed Character
Movement: 16/32, Fly: 2
Karma: 0
Street Cred: 0
Notoriety: 0
Public Awareness: 0
Pixie
Composure: 13
Judge Intentions: 12
Lift/Carry: 2 (15 kg/10 kg)
Memory: 13
Nuyen: 0

== Priorities ==
Metatype: B(3) - Pixie
Attributes: A(4) - 24 Attributes
Special: D(1) - Adept
Skills: C(2) - 28 Skills/2 Skill Groups
Resources: E(0) - 6,000¥

== Attributes ==
BOD: 1
AGI: 8
REA: 7 (9)
STR: 1
CHA: 6
INT: 6
LOG: 6
WIL: 7
EDG: 2
MAG: 5

== Derived Attributes ==
Essence:                   6
Initiative:                13 (15) + 3d6
Rigger Initiative:         15 + 3d6
Astral Initiative:         12 + 2d6
Matrix AR Initiative:      15 + 3d6
Matrix Cold Initiative:    6 + DP + 3d6
Matrix Hot Initiative:     6 + DP + 4d6
Physical Damage Track:     9
Stun Damage Track:         12

== Limits ==
Physical:                  4
Mental:                    9
Social:                    9
Astral:                    9

== Active Skills ==
Aeronautics Mechanic       : 1                      Pool: 7
Automotive Mechanic        : 1                      Pool: 7
Electronic Warfare         : 6 [Sensor Operations] Pool: 12 (14)
Gunnery                    : 6 [Artillery]          Pool: 17 (19)
Industrial Mechanic        : 1                      Pool: 7
Nautical Mechanic          : 1                      Pool: 7
Navigation                 : 1                      Pool: 7
Pilot Aircraft             : 6 [Rotary Wing]        Pool: 16 (18)
Sneaking                   : 6 [Urban]              Pool: 14 (16)
Survival                   : 1                      Pool: 8
Tracking                   : 1                      Pool: 9

== Knowledge Skills ==
Engineering                : 6 [Mechanical]         Pool: 12 (14)
English                    : N                      Pool: 0
French                     : 6                      Pool: 12
News                       : 2 [Metahuman Rights]   Pool: 8 (10)
Shadow Community           : 3 [Safe Houses]        Pool: 9 (11)
Sports                     : 3 [Racing]             Pool: 9 (11)

== Contacts ==
; Mechanic (3, 4)
; Coyote (3, 3)
; Urban Anthropologist (2, 3)

== Qualities ==
Addiction (Mild) (Zen)
Adept
Astral Perception
Born Rich
Jack of All Trades Master of None
Lightweight
Mentor Spirit (Wolf)
Prejudiced (Specific, Outspoken) (Deckers)
Uneducated
Vehicle Empathy
Weak Immune System

== Powers ==
Attribute Boost (AGI) Rating: 2
Combat Sense Rating: 1
Improved Ability (skill) (Gunnery) Rating: 3
Improved Reflexes 2
Sustenance
Temperature Tolerance Rating: 1

== Critter Powers ==
Concealment
Vanishing

== Lifestyles ==
Low  1 months

== Armor ==
Armor Jacket                        12

== Weapons ==
Ingram Smartgun X [mounted in rotodrone]
   +Smartgun System, Internal
   +Sound Suppressor
Unarmed Attack


== Commlink ==
MCT Blue Defender (ATT: 0, SLZ: 0, DP: 1, FWL: 5)
   +Fake SIN Rating 4 [Fake License 4 (Driver's License), Fake License 4 (Pilot License), Fake License 4 (Drone License)]
   +Subvocal Mic
   +AR Gloves
   +Sim Module
   +Micro-Transceiver
   +Survival Kit

== Gear ==
Ammo: Regular Ammo (Submachine Guns) x60 
Zen x2

== Vehicles ==
MCT-Nissan Roto-drone (Medium)
   +Autosoft (Smart Soft) Rating 3
   +Mods (See Above)
   +Sensor Array Rating 3
      +Atmosphere Sensor Rating 3
      +Camera Rating 3
      +Ultrasound Rating 3
      +Omni-directional Microphone Rating 3
      +MAD Scanner Rating 3
      +Olfactory Sensor Rating 3
      +Radio Signal Scanner Rating 3
      +Ultrasound Rating 3

[Marcus]

I think that is a great concept, it maybe a very dangerous one given the vulnerability of your average roto drone, but i'd totally allow it as a GM.

[Glyph]

By a strict, literal reading of the Uneducated quality, it costs double Karma at character creation, so Priority skill points and free knowledge skill points would not be affected (sucks if you are using point build, though).  I would still double-check with the GM, though.  I probably wouldn't allow either the sneaking skill or a pixie's personal version of the concealment power to work on a rotor drone - but again, your GM's call.

Fun concept, but I concur with Marcus on how comparatively vulnerable an autodrone is, plus, this character is all but helpless when outside of the drone.  I'm not sure how heavy you can go for mounted weapons on a rotodrone, but I think some kind of silenced sniping weapon might work better.

[FST_Gemstar]

Thanks, folks.

The max armor upgrade for a drone of this size is 2 and was comparatively expensive. I was considering trying to modify a bumble-bee, but I felt weird having an obviously forbidden drone as Fran's primary habitat.

A standard weapon mount can fit a sniper rifle. It's a good idea to keep Fran further out of the fray. I guess in my head I was planning on having Fran be closer with Suppressive and Full Auto firing. I don't think there are any even burst fire sniper/sporting rifles, but the safety and increased damage might be a good tradeoff. Would an assault rifle be a good compromise? 

As for concealment power, it would be to further hide Fran (who is piloting the drone from an already concealed smuggling compartment inside the drone), not the drone itself (though it would be great if worked on the drone too). Though I think pilot's sneaking skill works for vehicles so I feel comfortable advocating that Fran can stealthily operate a drone.

[Whiskeyjack]

I think that is a great concept, it maybe a very dangerous one given the vulnerability of your average roto drone, but i'd totally allow it as a GM.

Oh man it would be glorious to shoot down the mothership and have the entire swarm stop working 

[FST_Gemstar]

Oooh... I didn't even think about swarming as an option... Can someone pilot a drone that is part of a swarm, or do drones have to run on their own to swarm?

And reading over the Concealment power:

Critters with this power can mystically hide themselves, other people, or things that someone else is seeking.

If Fran is using concealment on him/herself and on the drone, and is opposing a perception/sensor test using sneaking, concealment may help keep the drone undiscovered too (as well as him/herself). Now, looking on 184 of core, the opposed tests are confusing. What does someone "piloting" a drone roll for perception defense? I guess the drone doesn't have manual controls like a vehicle might as Fran remotely pilots it with a commlink using control device. But is this modified drone now more of a vehicle or a drone, especially if she can direct connect with with trodes? Does it matter? Vehicle piloting skill is the same as sneaking so it won't limit the roll. Is it sneaking + Reaction [Handling/Pilot] or Sneaking + Agility [Handling/Pilot]. I think this may have been discussed elsewhere already...

[Whiskeyjack]

Oh, I was thinking of swarming like actually piloting one drone and using an RCC on the rest. If there are specific rules about swarming then I'm not familiar and not referencing those.

[FST_Gemstar]

Hmm... Now that I think concealment might work on the drone... Fran as a sniper might make more sense, especially in a rotodrone. Being so far away and concealed, an enemy may not have any perception dice with all of the negative modifiers to even claim to see Fran in order to target. That might make survivability go up. At least long enough for Fran to save up for an actual helicopter like a Northrup Wasp that is a little more durable.

And rereading control device - actions you take are limited by Data Processing, which means I should probably find a commlink with DP greater than 1.

[Hobbes]

IIRC Pixie Concealment is self only.  It wouldn't extend to a vehicle that the Pixie is in.  Even a really small vehicle.

And it's not a technomancer.  Why isn't it a technomancer?  Did your account get hacked?

Gnome in a slightly bigger Drone could be a technomancer.  Just sayin'. 

[FST_Gemstar]

Hehe! Nice Hobbes - I originally knew Pixies only had self Concealment, but then I got tired and started reading rules and forgot that, and then got excited about Concealment! So as I originally thought, concealment is good for finding not Fran in the drone, not the drone itself.


Can a gnome fit into a smuggling component of a  rotodrone? I'll have to look through drones to see if there are any that are cheap enough and modifiable enough that make them more worth it than a Northrup Wasp. Aeroquip Dustoff maybe? I guess it says so in its description in Rigger 5.0....

And if there was a D priority for technomancers you know I would....

Edit: It may be very doable in point buy... hmm... but might  as well get a Wasp...

[FST_Gemstar]

I just quickly made a gnome technomancer version in point buy. Thanks for the bait, Hobbes...

Character uses a Dustoff (if it still priced how it is in text, it is left out of the drone table in Rigger 5.0). The drone has fewer weapon mod slots, so instead of concealed visibility weapon mod, it has an internal visibility weapon mod (you know it's shooting at you and from where and when it's shooting). It is built to fit a body anyway, so I figured it doesn't need a smuggling compartment. I used the Body mod slots for a Life Support System. You can send someone into a toxic atmosphere, or can stay inside if any outside environment is poor. This cost isn't much higher. Weapon mounted is an Ares Alpha Assault Rifle. It has good range, has multiple firing options, and a smartgun system (Diagnostics Power boost).

Dustoff  - $12000
Power Train (2/4 Mod slots)      Rigger Cocoon           $1500
Protection   (1/4 Mod slots)        Rating 1 Antitheft    $500
Weapon        (4/4 Mod slots)     Standard Mount           $1500
                                                      Internal Visability    $1500                                             
Body            (4/4 mod slots)        Life Support 2             $4000                                                     
Electromagnetic (1/4 mod slots)   Satallite Link            $ 500
Cosmetic                                     Meta Adjustment          $500
                                                         Built-in Trodes        $70
Autosoft  (Smartsoft)                                                             $1500

Total cost (not including attached gun and ammo) =  23570


Character below:

This character can eventually jump into a drone, which can be helpful. Also will access to machine sprites that would make gunnery pools and piloting pools higher and more comparable to the pixie adept. Resonance Veil will have its illusionary uses. Character can also have sprites help team matrix specialist do matrixy things. Big disadvantage is lower initiative and defense. If I was putting more time into the concept, it could probably fit some Boosted Reflexes for the extra initiative die. So this character would definitely needs to bee line to rig echoes to compete with the pixie for speed and will be working in VR more often, and will still be slower. Luckily the Dustoff is probably more comfortable than a roto-drone.

== Info ==
Street Name: "Dustoff" Buff
Name: Unnamed Character
Movement: 14/28
Karma: 0
Street Cred: 0
Notoriety: 0
Public Awareness: 0
Dwarf (Gnome)
Composure: 7
Judge Intentions: 7
Lift/Carry: 4 (15 kg/10 kg)
Memory: 8
Nuyen: 4105

== Attributes ==
BOD: 3
AGI: 7
REA: 5
STR: 1
CHA: 2
INT: 5
LOG: 3
WIL: 5
EDG: 2
RES: 4

== Derived Attributes ==
Essence:                   6
Initiative:                10 + 1d6
Rigger Initiative:         10 + 1d6
Astral Initiative:         
Matrix AR Initiative:      10 + 1d6
Matrix Cold Initiative:    5 + DP + 3d6
Matrix Hot Initiative:     5 + DP + 4d6
Physical Damage Track:     8
Stun Damage Track:         11

== Limits ==
Physical:                  4
Mental:                    6
Social:                    5
Astral:                    6

== Active Skills ==

Compiling                  : 4 [[Sprite Type]]      Pool: 8 (10)
Electronic Warfare         : 5 [Sensor Operations] Pool: 8 (10)
Gunnery                    : 6 [Artillery]          Pool: 13 (15)
Pilot Aircraft             : 6 [Rotary Wing]        Pool: 12 (14)
Registering                : 6 [[Sprite Type]]      Pool: 10 (12)
Sneaking                   : 6 [Urban]              Pool: 13 (15)
Software                   : 2 [[Complex Form]]     Pool: 5 (7)


== Knowledge Skills ==
Engineering                : 6 [Mechanical]         Pool: 9 (11)
English                    : N                      Pool: 0
News                       : 2 [Technology]         Pool: 7 (9)
Shadow Community           : 2 [Safe Houses]        Pool: 7 (9)
Sports                     : 2 [Racing]             Pool: 7 (9)

== Contacts ==
; JackPoint (Group(5), 3)
; Mechanic (3, 3)

== Qualities ==
Addiction (Mild) (Zen)
Arcane Arrester
Distinctive Style
Jack of All Trades Master of None
Lightweight
Neoteny
Prejudiced (Specific, Outspoken) (Deckers)
Prime Datahaven Membership
Quick Healer
Steely Eyed Wheelman
Technomancer
Thermographic Vision
Vehicle Empathy
Weak Immune System

== Lifestyles ==
Medium  1 months

== Armor ==
Armor Jacket                        12

== Weapons ==
Ares Alpha
   +Smartgun System, Internal
   Pool: 6   Accuracy: 7   DV: 11P   AP: -2   RC: 4
Unarmed Attack
   Pool: 6   Accuracy: 4   DV: 1S   AP: -   RC: 2

== Commlink ==
Hermes Ikon (ATT: 0, SLZ: 0, DP: 5, FWL: 5)
   +Fake SIN Rating 4 [Fake License 4 (Driver's License), Fake License 4 (Drone License), Fake License 4 (Pilot License)]
   +Micro-Transceiver
   +Subvocal Mic
   +Sim Module
Living Persona (ATT: 2, SLZ: 5, DP: 3, FWL: 5)

== Gear ==
Ammo: Regular Ammo (Assault Rifles) x80
Glasses Rating 3
   +Smartlink
   +Flare Compensation
   +Low Light
Psyche x3
Survival Kit
Tool Kit (Aeronautic Mechanic)
Zen x3

== Vehicles ==
Aeroquip M.E.D.-1 'Dustoff' Medical Evacuation Drone (Large)
   +Autosoft (Smartsoft) Rating 3
   +Mods
   +Sensor Array Rating 3

[Hobbes]

Knew you could do it.  If you go with the Aeroquip you don't need to be a gnome, but those are big, noisy machines.

[Marcus]

I think that is a great concept, it maybe a very dangerous one given the vulnerability of your average roto drone, but i'd totally allow it as a GM.

Oh man it would be glorious to shoot down the mothership and have the entire swarm stop working 

It's a great image and i'm totally gonna steal it as Oppo boss for a game sometime.

[Bushw4cker]

Wow and  I thought I made some crazy characters...

Love the Name though..

As GM, the only thing I don't allow is Centaurs, but your character would come pretty  close to being not allowed in my games..

[Marcus]

I'm totally gonna build a team of crazy riggers. Tin Can Fran, Six Gun Sam, An aircraft engineer turned cowboy rigger with his micro drone pistols. I originally built him back in 4th, but I'm sure I can update him to 5th. Now I just need a couple more crazy concepts to complete that team.