The biggest question I have is it seams like a lot of people are saying that deckers rule and technomancers drool. I get that deckers have agents, programs and don't take bio-feedback unless htey are in hot sim, but why else are deckers superior? I also seams that to be a good technomancer you need to be creative and you might not be as straight forward as a decker.
I think that there is a problem with the CONCEPT of Technomancers (both as described and as shown in fiction), and the RULES of Technomancers. Specifically, the strongest type of Technomancer would:
1: use a Deck, and put enough Sprites into it so that every test that they make on it gets the skill dice (or the ability dice for a defensive test) doubled due to the Sprite's assists. You lose ratings in the deck's Matrix Attributes, but on defense that doesn't matter as much as the extra dice, and on offense the assisting Sprites will increase the test's limit anyhow so you act as if you are using a more expensive Deck, other than not being able to run as many Programs.
2: use a Cyberarm, which both makes up for allowing them to dump AGI / STR, and using Sprites, doubles the skill of any one-handed attacks that you may make.
3: use a Monofilament Whip, with a Sprite preventing Glitches so it's a safe weapon.
4: run a strong combat Drone, with a Sprite or two doubling its effective skill
5: get First Aid and use a Medkit, with a Sprite boosting the First Aid skill
etc.
Basically, the strongest rule-based ability of Technos over Deckers is the Diagnose ability of a Machine Sprite. But, that means that in order to take the best advantage of it, you need to use as many electronic devices as possible. Both in the Matrix, and out of it. But the concept of Technos is of people who can do amazing things without using ANY devices. Except that their best ability is only useful FOR using devices. So we have a conundrum, a conflict between the fluff description of Technos and the rule benefits of min-maxing a Cyberarm, Rotodrone, and cheap Deck.
You can start a Techno character who is tossing 20 dice into Hacking checks, AND 16+ dice into shooting with a SMG, AND 13+ dice into swinging a Monowhip. Maybe even afford a drone that shoots with 14 dice on its own, or up to a ridiculous 20 if you're controlling it (normal remote control, not Jumping In, until you get the control rig echo). I'm kind of uncertain whether you can afford an arm, deck, AND drone plus whip all at the start, but you can definitely do the deck and one kind of heavy offense: either the arm or the drone. To me, that compares nicely to Cyberarm Deckers, who have other advantages but are no longer clearly better overall.
But you have to go BADLY against the usual Technomancer concept. Even more than back when Adepts first were added, and people scoffed at the idea of gun-based Adepts, because clearly Adepts were Mystic Martial Artists, and shooting a gun was "Not Martial Arts". So now, Technos are clearly "Mind over Machine", which means that if you're using machines, you're a sell-out Technomancer and not worthy of the name.
