In an ongoing quest to make interesting technomancers. In the recent discussion re: fixing technomancers with Banshee, I noticed that a lot of try to use the cyberarm decker as a decker/samurai-lite as the go-to hybrid that can't be easily matched by a technomancer in either decking or combat. Concept is a medic/hacker, with a loaded cyberarm to lob grenades filled with self made toxins from far enough away for AOE damage/effects. I think this takes him out of the samurai-lite category but can provide a useful and less usually covered area of combat. Hacking chops are still mostly up to par. Machine sprites are used to help with all of the building/repairing tests, first aid, throwing, and to boost teammates. Other sprites can help with with their powers and teamworking in the Matrix. Drugs help initiative, defense, and hacking/other logic/intuition linked skills.
I've been limiting myself to Priority character generation, having some basic runner skills (social, sneak, etc.) , and no unaugmented Attribute 1s (though I am very with alternate character creation, defaulting, and attributes at 1, I want to make character inspirations that can be played at more tables). Without these requirements, there are some more efficient ways to design such a character. Ex. If Attribute 1s are ok feel free to ditch the muscle replacement and fit in some other 'ware. My original concept had used muscle toner/augmentation and a cerebellum booster instead muscle replacement, but muscle replacement freed up a little karma and a lot of cash.
Karma: 25 for Reaction, 10 for Charisma, 13 for PQs, -25 for NQs = 2 Remaining.
Nuyen still on hand: ~2.4k
== Info ==
Street Name: Eek
Name: Unnamed Character
Movement: 4/8
Karma: 0
Street Cred: 0
Notoriety: 0
Public Awareness: 0
Human
Composure: 7
Judge Intentions: 6
Lift/Carry: 5 (30 kg/20 kg)
Memory: 13
Nuyen: 2385
== Priorities ==
Metatype: E(0) - Human
Attributes: D(1) - 14 Attributes
Special: C(2) - Adept, Magician, or Technomancer
Skills: A(4) - 46 Skills/10 Skill Groups
Resources: B(3) - 275,000¥
== Attributes ==
BOD: 3
AGI: 1 (2)
REA: 3
STR: 1 (2)
CHA: 2
INT: 4
LOG: 6 (
WIL: 5
EDG: 2
RES: 2
== Derived Attributes ==
Essence: 4.0
Initiative: 7 + 1d6
Rigger Initiative: 7 + 1d6
Astral Initiative:
Matrix AR Initiative: 7 + 1d6
Matrix Cold Initiative: 4 + DP + 3d6
Matrix Hot Initiative: 4 + DP + 4d6
Physical Damage Track: 11
Stun Damage Track: 11
== Limits ==
Physical: 4
Mental: 9
Social: 5
Ballistic Mask [+1] (Only for intimidation, Must be visible)
Mortimer of London: Berwick Dress [+1] (Must be visible)
Astral: 9
== Active Skills ==
Biotechnology : 6 Pool: 14
Chemistry : 6 [Drugs] Pool: 14 (16)
Compiling : 3 [Machine] Pool: 5 (7)
Computer : 4 Pool: 12
Con : 2 [Fast Talk] Pool: 4 (6)
Cybercombat : 0 Pool: 7
Cybertechnology : 6 Pool: 14
Electronic Warfare : 3 Pool: 11
Etiquette : 2 [Street] Pool: 4 (6)
First Aid : 6 Pool: 14
Hacking : 6 [Hosts] Pool: 14 (16)
Hardware : 4 Pool: 12
Medicine : 6 Pool: 14
Perception : 2 [Visual] Pool: 6 (
Registering : 6 [Machine] Pool: 8 (10)
Sneaking : 2 [Urban] Pool: 4 (6)
Software : 4 Pool: 12
Throwing Weapons : 5 [Aerodynamic] Pool: 7 (9)
== Knowledge Skills ==
Biology : 2 [Microbiology] Pool: 10 (12)
Data Havens : 1 [Shadows] Pool: 5 (7)
Engineering : 1 [Mechanical] Pool: 9 (11)
English : N Pool: 0
News : 1 [Health] Pool: 5 (7)
Security Design : 3 [Matrix] Pool: 11 (13)
Technomancer Tribes : 1 [N. America] Pool: 5 (7)
Underworld : 4 [Drugs] Pool: 8 (10)
== Contacts ==
; Fixer (Medical) (5, 1)
== Qualities ==
Addiction (Mild) (Psyche)
Addiction (Mild) (Cram)
Biocompatability (Cyberware)
Hawk Eye
Impassive
Jack of All Trades Master of None
Quick Healer
Technomancer
Weak Immune System
== Lifestyles ==
Lifestyle 1 months
== Cyberware/Bioware ==
Cerebral Booster Rating 2
Muscle Replacement Rating 1
Narco
Obvious Full Arm (AGI 9, STR 6, Physical 6) (Left)
+Customized Agility Rating 6
+Enhanced Agility Rating 3
+Customized Strength Rating 6
+Armor Rating 2
+Large Smuggling Compartment
== Armor ==
Armor Jacket 12
+Chemical Protection 2
+Concealed Pocket
+Drag Handle
+Fire Resistance 2
+Insulation 2
+Nonconductivity 2
+Radiation Shielding 2
Ballistic Mask 2
+Respirator Rating 6
Chameleon Suit 9
+Thermal Damping 2
Mortimer of London: Berwick Dress 8
+Concealability
+Custom Fit
== Weapons ==
Grenade: Flash-Bang (Aerodynamic)
Pool: 7 Accuracy: 4 DV: 10S (10m Radius) AP: -4 RC: 2
Grenade: Gas (Aerodynamic)
Pool: 7 Accuracy: 4 DV: Chemical (10m Radius) AP: - RC: 2
Grenade: High Explosive (Aerodynamic)
Pool: 7 Accuracy: 4 DV: 16P (-2/m) AP: -2 RC: 2
Grenade: Smoke (Aerodynamic)
Pool: 7 Accuracy: 4 DV: (10m Radius) AP: - RC: 2
Survival Knife
Pool: 1 Accuracy: 5 DV: 4P AP: -1 RC: 2
Throwing Knife
Pool: 7 Accuracy: 4 DV: 3P AP: -1 RC: 2
Throwing Syringe
Pool: 0 Accuracy: 4 DV: 0P AP: -1 RC: 2
Unarmed Attack
Pool: 1 Accuracy: 4 DV: 2S AP: - RC: 2
== Commlink ==
Living Persona (ATT: 2, SLZ: 4, DP: 8, FWL: 5)
MCT Blue Defender (ATT: 0, SLZ: 0, DP: 1, FWL: 5)
+Fake SIN Rating 4 [Fake License 4 (Matrix Software License), Fake License 4 (Medical License), Fake License 4 (Projectile License), Fake License 4 (Concealed Carry Permit), Fake License 4 (Restricted Cyberware License), Fake License 4 (Driver's License)]
+Micro-Transceiver
+Subvocal Mic
+Sim Module
== Gear ==
Backpack (Good)
Biomonitor
Climbing Gear
Cram x10
Crowbar
CS/Tear Gas x5
Grenade: Flash-Bang (Aerodynamic) x10
Grenade: Gas (Aerodynamic) x10
Grenade: High Explosive (Aerodynamic) x2
Grenade: Smoke (Aerodynamic) x5
Handheld Housing Rating 3
+Motion Sensor Rating 3
+Ultrasound Rating 3
+Omni-directional Microphone Rating 3
Hazmat Suit
Medkit Rating 6
Medkit Supplies x2
Narcoject x10
Novacoke
Psyche x5
Slap Patch, Stim Patch Rating 6 x4
Slap Patch, Stim Patch Rating 4 x3
Survival Kit
Throwing Knife x10
Throwing Syringe x10
Tool Kit (Armorer)
Tool Kit (Hardware)
Tool Kit (Cybertechnology)
Tool Kit (Demolitions)
Tool Shop (Chemistry)
Tool Shop (Demolitions)
Tool Shop (Forgery)
Zen x5
== Vehicles ==
Chrysler-Nissan Jackrabbit (Subcompact)
+Sensor Array Rating 2Growth:
Looking to pick up ratings 1 in Demoltion, Forgery, Armorer soon after chargen. Then it's off to submerge twice for skinlink and FFF. Character is more a decknomancer (my usually less favorite kind of hacking technomancer) so doesn't have much investment in CFs/software and doesn't plan to. The long game would be to raise Resonance and edge, but for now the character should be able to pump out ratings 2 machine sprites without too much trouble and go for rating 4 ones without risking death.
With toolshops already purchased, the character plans to manufacture his own designer drugs, toxins (for grenades), small explosives, and can serve as the gear/weapon/ware repairer for the team.
Issues:
Charisma/Attack: I like having a Reaction 3 as a drug using character as it allows for Reaction reducing drugs to be taken without hitting Reaction 0 (like Red Mescaline, Zen, and Novacoke). However, A hacking technomancer with Charisma less than 3 is probably going to have a tough time cracking files. A way to mitigate this is to teamwork with fault sprites for the limit increase and use Novacoke/Red Mesc when hacking. As my characters tend to like using Cram/Psyche combos, this means I have to wait to use Cram (as like Novacoke/Red Mesc it is a Reaction affecting drug) until the character knows he is not hacking. Not my fave. Or the the character could go Reaction 2/Charisma 3, but not use the Reaction limiting drugs.
Skills A/Skill Groups: I originally had 6 ratings in Cracking, with 6 in First Aid and a couple of 1s + specs in medicine and cybertechnology. I flipped it to have 6 in Biotech, 6 + specs in Hacking, some skills in Electronic Warfare and and 0 Cybercombat. While a 6 in all biotech skills seem excessive, with low Charisma, cyberattack is just not at all useful for a technomancer. I am going either way on it though. Alternatively, Dropping Biotech to 4 and Electronics to 6 probably makes the most sense, but it is tough to justify any first aid character without rating 6 (maybe 5).
Demolitions: For how much I like demotions as a concept, I have such a hard time reading/understanding the demolitions sections of Run and Gun. This character bought some gear to make some grown explosives to go with his grenade throwing theme and was going to pick up a skill point or two after character generation, but I'm not sure the investment is worth it.
Cyberarm: I put in a large smuggling compartment in the arm to hold some concealed grenades. However, I'm not sure how many grenades would "fit" into such compartment. Would a regular smuggling compartment work too? Other options could be implanting a medkit (instead of lugging a big one around), and GM permitting installing some antennae/Math SPU.
