[Dudesomebody]

  Many people online have come up with many different ways to make a full conversion cyborg so we arent talking about how to do that here.  We will assume that the player is not using homebrew and just taking 4 cyberlimbs, a torso and a cyber skull (or 2 partial if your GM allows that).
 
  Ok, they have all that shiny and are chromed out to the nines but, what role do they play in a shadowrunner crew??  The easiest answer is just pile on the armor and make a tank but that is really boring. You want to make the best use of the chromed out monster you have built but most people dont want to be one trick ponies. The augmentation is expensive but imagine a fully borged hacker. I feel bad for anyone that traces the signal!! Maybe a front line rigger or even an anti mage (que terminator theme here)

  If you folks where going to make a full conversion cyborg, what role would you have it take?? what are some interesting ideas that make the best use of its augmentation but isnt just a damage sponge?? This idea popped into my head and while I like the concept, i would love to hear how you guys would flesh it out.

Edit: wrong their in title, been on the internet long enough to know better ;p

[FST_Gemstar]

Besides a tankey sam there are some options if you really want to do it.

I'll break it down with priority selection:

DCEBA - Mental skillsets

This makes a variant of handling mental stat linked characters that give up super mental stats for an interesting bod. With 20 karma, you can a natural human B:3 A:2 R:3 S:2 in bodies, E:5,  6s and 5s in primary mentals and 2/3 in secondary ones. Elfs works too, basically trade less edge for max agility (for limb boosting)

So you can make a decker with  a natural C:3 I:5/6 L:6/5 W:3 (these can be boosted with Narco + Drugs), reasonable deck, and get your decking skills and basic runner skills up to par just fine aided with your high agility limbs. Load up limb capacity with useful 'ware.

This configuration can also make an non-decker Logic focused character/tank.  It helps justify loading a character with demolitions, engineering, lockpicking, etc. if they can also serve as a tank in a fight. Have lots of built in tool kits.

You can switch to Charisma/Intuition Primary and make a heavily 'wared face character, perhaps with Terminator style intimidation angle.

Go primary Intuition and Willpower for an outdoorsy skillset and 'ware to help boost that even more (nutrition/waste storage, breathing tanks, etc). Tracking, navigating, survival, sneaking, disguise, climbing, etc. Might need to invest in strength in limbs which might warrant a melee combat style. Can also add hydrolic legs to help with jumping/falling, and can use this to reskin as an urban survivalist/courrier (data lock, storage 'ware).

CBDEA: Burnout Adept Ork/Dwarf

Skillwires: Takes advantage of burnout adept essence cost reduction (combined with biocompatability) and cheaper 'ware, lets you fit a cybersuite suite, some loaded limbs, R4 skilljack/wire, Narco, and a datajack (and them some). Play up that utility character angle.

Skip the skillwire system above and you can still have over 1 essence, and hence keep a max magic rating of 1. Build a basic melee tank, but re-buy a magic point in play. Now you are a magic cyborg. Use a weapon focus. Assense stuff. Get a metamagic like Psychometry or an adept specific one. Get a power powerpoint, get a mentor spirit. etc.


If willing to make due with a partial cyberskull and not a full one,

DEBCA - Anti-Magic Ritualist melee tank:

If willing to suffice with a partial cyberskull and some alpha limbs (and biocomp), you can start play as a Magic 1 Aspected sorcerer that can have a melee tank skillset and +6 counterspelling, bond a ritual focus for meaningful dice pools for casting rituals (which are not set by magic rating, but by lodge rating). Initiate, raise magic, and bond a weapon focus to be even better at anti-magic (fight spirits better). 
Taking dedicated spellslinger for 5 karma is worth it. You can start play with two rituals (ex. watchers and your choice), and two utiliy spells that are still useful with one hit (detox, levitate, etc.).

CDBEA - Skillwire techno

Similarly, you can make a technomancer with an R2 skillwire/jack system. Invest skills into compiling, registering and software, throw a machine sprite or two into your skill jack system, now you have technomancer that can help a decker out with auxilary matrix help (cleaning overwatch, static veiling overwatch score time increases, creating resonance veil illusion, etc.) Have low level sprites to compile/register for matrix help or to boost teammates gear, be a decent skillwire character, and still tank ok.



 

[Dudesomebody]

  So many great ideas here, The magic cyborg has got some interesting angles to it, no one would expect it. My group and I are always spit-balling weird ideas but then never have any idea what role they can play in the group. Its kind of like the sniper characters that pop up here now and again, ok you shoot good but what else have ya got.
  Love these suggestions, gonna play with numbers and see what mayhem I can come up with

[FST_Gemstar]

I mean. A full cyborg should still easily fill a combat role, so there is always a place for them in that regard, these other ideas are mostly to duel role (ex. Matrix or social) in interesting ways or to trade traditonal complimentary skillsets for less typical ones (ex. Ritual casting or skillwires, etc.)

[Dudesomebody]

I mean. A full cyborg should still easily fill a combat role, so there is always a place for them in that regard, these other ideas are mostly to duel role (ex. Matrix or social) in interesting ways or to trade traditonal complimentary skillsets for less typical ones (ex. Ritual casting or skillwires, etc.)

Totally agree, I just have trouble conceptualizing and am often too worried about cheesing it. I toyed with the idea of a full conversion cyborg because it was a neat concept that fits neatly in shadowrun, chrome flesh even has two qualities that lend themselves to it a nicely, it is just to easy to fall into the trap of making it a shiny brick. I just wanted to see what weird ideas the community could come up with. Turns out I was thinking to narrowly myself

[FST_Gemstar]

I just stated a generic face cyborg... Added cybereyes and ears to go even farther in.

Karma spent: -25 (needs 25 negative qualities)
10 Agility 10 Strength (I am just used to doing this, but if going full cyborg it prob isn't necessary and the karma can be spent on more nuyen and contacts and saved for in-game skills), 5 on nuyen.
Nuyen Remaining: 45k. Only gear I bought was armor so far. The rest should suffice vehicle, and starting runner gear.
Still needs: Contacts, Negative qualities, gear.

Tanks really need Pain Editors to shine in combat, but didn't feel like squeezing one in here as the concept was to be a solid face first. Armor is currently at 29, but can still go higher with armor mods and aux armor. Damage resistance should be good enough to survive a fight/draw some fire/intimidate without collapsing with a mix of edge/and stim patches.

== Personal Data ==
Street Name:
Name: Unnamed Character
Movement:4/8 (2m/hit)
Swim:2 (1m/hit)
Karma: 0
Street Cred: 0
Notoriety: 0
Public Awareness: 0
Human
Composure: 9
Judge Intentions: 11
Lift/Carry: 6 (45 kg/30 kg)
Memory: 5
Nuyen:44,940¥

== Priorities ==
Metatype: D,1
Attributes: C,2
Special: E,0
Skills: B,3
Resources: A,4

== Attributes ==
BOD: 3
AGI: 2( [might be lower depending on how calculated, may have to play with custom agility in some 'ware to raise back up]
REA: 3(5)
STR: 2(3)
CHA: 6
INT: 5
LOG: 2
WIL: 3
EDG: 5

== Derived Attributes ==
Essence:                                0.02
Initiative:                             10 +1d6
Rigger Initiative:                      10 +1d6
Astral Initiative:                     
Matrix AR:                              10 +1d6
Matrix Cold:                            5 + DP +3d6
Matrix Hot:                             5 + DP +4d6
Physical Damage Track:                  16
Stun Damage Track:                      10

== Limits ==
   Hydraulic Jacks [+2] (Only for Gymnastics (Jumping) and Running (Sprinting))
   Hydraulic Jacks [+2] (Only for Gymnastics (Jumping) and Running (Sprinting))
Physical:                               5
   Hydraulic Jacks [+2] (Only for Gymnastics (Jumping) and Running (Sprinting))
   Hydraulic Jacks [+2] (Only for Gymnastics (Jumping) and Running (Sprinting))
Mental:                                 4
   Attention Coprocessor [+1] (Only for Perception)
   Math SPU [+1] (Only for Scientific or Technical Knowledge Skills)
   Orientation System [+2] (Only for Navigation)
   Spatial Recognizer [+2] (Only for Perception to find the source of a sound)
Social:                                 6
   Vashon Island: Sleeping Tiger [+1] (Must be visible)
   Vashon Island: Synergist Business Line Longcoat [+1] (Must be visible)
Astral:                                 6

== Active Skills ==
Automatics (Machine Pistols)            Base:6          Pool:14(16)
Con (Fast Talk)                         Base:6          Pool:12(14)
Disguise                                Base:5          Pool:10
Etiquette (Corporate)                   Base:2          Pool:8(10)
Impersonation (Human)                   Base:1          Pool:7(9)
Intimidation (Physical)                 Base:4          Pool:10(12)
Negotiation (Bargaining)                Base:6          Pool:12(14)
Palming                                 Base:5          Pool:13
Perception (Visual)                     Base:4          Pool:9(11)
Sneaking                                Base:5          Pool:13

== Knowledge Skills ==
English                                 Native
Cybertechnology (Cyberware Design)      Base:3          Pool:8(10)
Fashion (London Scene)                  Base:1          Pool:6(
Mathematics                             Base:2          Pool:8
Neo-Classical Music (The (19)70's)      Base:1          Pool:6(
News (Technology)                       Base:1          Pool:6(
Shadow Community (Personalities)        Base:1          Pool:6(

== Qualities ==
Agile Defender
Biocompatability (Cyberware)
Common Sense
Jack of All Trades Master of None
Perfect Time
Sharpshooter [for intimidating shots]
Watch the Suit

== Cyberware/Bioware ==
Cyberears Rating 1 (alpha)
   + Sound Link
   + Translat-earRating 6
   + Spatial Recognizer
   + Antennae
Cybereyes Basic System Rating 1 (alpha)
   + Image Link
   + Smartlink
   + Flare Compensation
Datajack (alpha)
Obvious Full Arm (AGI 8, STR 3, Physical 5) (Right) (alpha)
   + Customized AgilityRating 6
   + Enhanced AgilityRating 2
   + ArmorRating 2
   + Magnetic System
   + Commlink
   + Telescoping LimbRating 2
   + Cyberfinger (Fingerlighter)
Obvious Full Arm (AGI 9, STR 3, Physical 5) (Left) [character is lefthanded]
   + Enhanced AgilityRating 3
   + Customized AgilityRating 6
   + ArmorRating 2
   + Grapple Gun
   + Machine Pistol
Obvious Full Leg (AGI 6, STR 3, Physical 5) (Left) (alpha)
   + Customized AgilityRating 6
   + ArmorRating 2
   + Magnetic System
   + Hydraulic JacksRating 2
   + Radar SensorRating 3
   + Fingertip Compartment
   + Nutrition Storage SystemRating 4
   + Biowaste StorageRating 4
   + Smuggling Compartment
Obvious Full Leg (AGI 6, STR 3, Physical 5) (Right) (alpha)
   + Customized AgilityRating 6
   + ArmorRating 2
   + Magnetic System
   + Built-in Medkit
   + Hydraulic JacksRating 2
   + Attention Coprocessor
   + Math SPU
   + Orientation System
   + Biomonitor
Obvious Skull (AGI 3, STR 3, Physical 5) (used)
   + ArmorRating 3
   + Fiberoptic HairRating 6
Obvious Torso (AGI 3, STR 3, Physical 5)
   + ArmorRating 2
   + Large Smuggling Compartment
   + Internal Air TankRating 3
Reaction Enhancers Rating 2 (alpha)

== Armor ==
Vashon Island: Sleeping Tiger           13
   + Custom Fit
   + Newest Model
   + Ruthenium Polymer Coating 3
   + Holster
Vashon Island: Synergist Business Line Longcoat10/+3
   + Custom Fit (Stack)
   + Holster

== Weapons ==
Cyber Machine Pistol
   + Smartgun System, Internal
   Pool: 14 (16)   Accuracy: 4 (6)   DV: 6P   AP: -   RC: 3
Unarmed Attack
   Pool: 7   Accuracy: 5   DV: 3S   AP: -   RC: 2

[BeCareful]

Your only non-Alphaware limb is the one for your dominant hand? Sounds like something backstory-related to me.

[FST_Gemstar]

Eh... just the arm to fit the most stuff in without going over availsbility.