[SoulGambit]

Taking a shot at Technomancer. Relies on Edge to make up for some shortfallings in meatspace and ensure success against hosts. Progression will involve rushing Skinlink and FFF, then rounding out skills with Jack of All Trades. I've considered adding to Agility and/or Charisma, nabbing Reaction / Strength 2 via karma.

Resonance A, Attributes B, Metatype [Human] C, Skills D, Resources E

Body 3, Agility 2, Reaction 2, Strength 2
Intuition 5, Willpower 6, Logic 5, Charisma 3
Resonance 6, Edge 7

Compiling 6, Registering (Machine Sprites) 6, Hacking (+2 vs. Hosts) 6, Electronic Warfare 6, Software 6, Computers 1, Perception 1, Sneaking 1, Pilot Ground Craft 1

Matrix Security 6, Corporate Security 3, 11 Points for fluff

Codes linger [Hack on the Fly], Focused Concentration 2, Jack of All Trades

Resonance Veil, Static Veil, Editor,  Puppeteer, FAQ

Karma:
-25 Negative Qualities to taste
10 NuYen
10 Codes linger [Hack on the Fly]
8 Focused Concentration 2
2 Jack of All Trades, Master of None
2 Computer 1
2 Stealth 1
2 Perception 1
2 Pilot Ground craft 1
5 Contacts

Leftover Karma: 7

[Hobbes]

No meat skills and scary physical stats for a Runner.  Are you planning on being the VR guy in the Van?  That works as long as the GM lets it. 

3 Dice of Sneaking isn't.

Combat Hacking is somewhere between pointless and occasionally amusing, FYI.  Paracritters and Mages generally don't care if you brick their stuff and most guard sorts are only slightly slowed down by hacker shenanigans.

You do cover the hacker basics and 7 Edge fixes very many things.  As long as you're cool with chillin' in the Van, you're gold.

[Bewilderbeast]

Computers 1 is going to leave you with a pretty shoddy Matrix Perception DP, isn't it? Tough to hack things when you can't spot their icons.

[Hobbes]

Computers 1 is going to leave you with a pretty shoddy Matrix Perception DP, isn't it? Tough to hack things when you can't spot their icons.

Missed that, read that as a 6 along with the rest of the skills.  Yeah.  Computer 1 is very bad.  Matrix Perception and Matrix Search are actually the two most common rolls a Hacker makes.

[FST_Gemstar]

With Psyche and in VR, an Intuition 5 Computer 1 can roll 11for Matrix Perception, and can teamwork their 9+ with a sprite for Matrix Search.  This character can edge if they need to as well.  To be fair.


Most technos would swap Skills and Meta, to make sure they have skills to cover their bases. BUT... don't forget you are a technomancer with high edge! You don't have to hack everything. You can puppeteer and resonance veil and editor and use sprites. A pre-edged puppeteer at Force 1 is going to get you 19 dice, have a registered sprite help and it gives you 25 dice with only 5 (probably physical) fade to deal with. You can soak a lot of that on your own with 12 resistance dice, and you can post edge it if you need to.  Resonance actions aren't affected by Noise. Go VR someplace safe and have at it! With high edge, You could also daringly compile a big sprite (Level over Resonance Rating), edging the compiling role and post-edging the Fade roll if you need. Popping a Zen beforehand might help a little with that Fade.

This character is better off forgetting about sneaking driving for a while.  Skill wise, I would drop EW a bit, to boost computers a bit. If your character is more of a van type, You may even consider dropping perception entirely at char gen and rely on sensors (which can be used for certain perception tests with EW + Intuition).

I'm less of a fan of Focused Concentration 2 for Technomancers, especially if you are short karma/cash.

Don't forget to buy drugs.

CFs: I always want FAQ, but another CF always seems to take priorty for me. If you are going to keep Focused Concentration, perhaps an easily sustainable Diffusion of Firewall or Data Processing would be more helpful at start (probably firewall)?



Have you tried to build with Resources D Skills E? You'll be low on Computer/EW, but you actually may be able to afford a car to hide out in and a combat drone to protect you. You can pick up the 1 point skills after character generation?

[SoulGambit]

Re: VR Guy. This is a VR guy who uses Edge to handle surprises the GM throws at him inside the van. I can't think of another way to really handle someone focused on technomancy. I'd love a technomancer / infiltrator but that's something like 11-12 skills I'd need along with high Agility and Charisma, which just isn't in the cards.

Re: Skills. Resonance A and Skills D gives me 32 total skill point to spend, with a Compiling and Registering of at least 5 (not an issue).  Compiling, Registering, Software, Hacking and Electronic Warfare all at 6 is 30 points. A hacking specialty vs. Hosts is basically required, leaving one point best spent on a specialty. I could swap Electronic Warfare and Computers, but Control Device is one of the core things people expect Hackers to do, and there is no way I can rely on Puppeteer to compensate with that Fade. Even with a direct connection by being in a Host or Skinlink, I'd be looking at a Fade value of around 10, and even at Edge 7 I can't afford to Edge it every time I make the test. I could lower Electronic Warfare to 4, Software to 5, and nix the Machine Sprite specialty to get Computers to 4. I'm not sure I like that idea, though. The current plan is to use 1-2 Edge per run on Matrix Perception (once for when entering target host to find everything hidden, and once when infiltrating to find all the icons in a given building) and otherwise have Sprites handle Matrix Search and Matrix Perception for me, and to make Computers the first skill I raise after getting FFF. Is that non-viable?

On Edge Rationing: So since I'm making an Edgelord, I need to think of how I'm going to use my Edge and make sure that each use is as high-impact as possible while leaving some room for flex.
1 Enter Host
2 Matrix Perception / Search
1 Puppeteer and/or Diffusion of Firewall
3 Free to be flexible.

Complex Forms: Diffusion of Firewall is probably better than FAQ, sticking with the whole high impact thing. Focused Concentration 2 was for Static Veil, though I'm quietly realizing that any time I'd be taking the penalty from Static Veil, I can just drop it and then re-thread it at level 2 to freeze the time in-between hacks. I'll probably drop it.

Skills E, Resources D: It's a consideration. I would have to go something like Compiling 6, Registering 6, Hacking (Hosts) 6, Software 5, Electronic Warfare 4 with my skill points. I'm not sure if what I'd be able to buy would be worth it. Then again, I need to do a shopping list for Resources E and one for Resources D.

[FST_Gemstar]

You got your hands full! 

Re: Puppeteer. If you thread it at Level 1 you only take 5 Fade. If you pre-edge, you break that level limit. So you can to throw a lot of Puppeteer dice without too much risk (especially if registered sprite helps).

Skills: if you plan to edge your way into hosts anyway, you may not need the specialization. You could probably afford to drop Compiling to 5. I would keep the Registering Specialization though. At skills D you can then get Computer/EW at 4 (or 3 and specs if you prefer). At skills E. You can drop them down to 1 with specializations, and find six karma after character generation to raise them both to 2 (w specs). If you are going to be VR, you will still have decent dice and hopefully a a sprite to help if you need. Throwing it out there.

Resources: Depending on your table (is this for an ongoing campaign, organized play, etc?), having your own car and drone(s) can keep you safe in the meat. If you are VR hacking (using hacking skill), you may be dealing with some Noise, meaning you are going to have to get close enough to your target so you'll need a safe-ish place to be. You can't count on someone staying with you or having a mage lend you a spirit bodyguard.  To me, if you are an in the car/van type, a Bumblebee in the drunk and some Fly-spies around the building perimeter can be both a big asset to your team and give you some utility when not hacking.

[Hobbes]

Re: VR Guy. This is a VR guy who uses Edge to handle surprises the GM throws at him inside the van. I can't think of another way to really handle someone focused on technomancy. I'd love a technomancer / infiltrator but that's something like 11-12 skills I'd need along with high Agility and Charisma, which just isn't in the cards.

Fabulous Fashionable Frensal Fabric Cloak at Rating 6 should be your first purchase.  Sitting the Van being VR guy you're looking at a lot of Noise penalties and Technomancers don't have multiple stacking cheap and easy Noise reductions.   

You can build a TM with moderate agility and a splash of meat space skills and then throw Registered Machine Sprites at everything you do.  But then you're playing a pet class and your GM has to be okay with RAW Machine Sprites.  See my guide in the sig, or really any of my TM builds floating around.  Not for everyone.

IMO, Computer > EW.  Sprites can fake it on EW tests and run devices for you, Matrix Perception not so much.  And you can always throw Edge at a critical EW test, because Edgelord. 

Also if nobody on the team has a vehicle for you to hide in during the run you'll have issues being limp noodle out on the sidewalk outside.  You're going to want to work out that detail in advance.