[fourstrifes]

Rules: Standard Karmagen with 750 karma. No books are currently disallowed. No initiation/submersion. The main house rule is that the threshold for all hits is 4 instead of 5 (not entirely sure how this changes balance other than everyone is easier to kill, some tests are easier, and spirits/sprites are slightly harder to control).

Can't really tell what level campaign this is supposed to be. This is my second character for this campaign. The first one somehow slipped 6 submersion grades past the GM for 3 weeks before she realized how technomancers get echoes because she is new to 4th edition, being very well experienced in 3rd edition. (And me being completely new to this game.) The first character was getting 40+ dice to exploit with 26 stealth (out of chargen because I didn't know submersions weren't allowed) so we agreed to retire it. The other major complaint was that my character was entirely too frail. Currently the campaign is more near pink mohawk but the GM has told us it will become more difficult very soon. None of the PCs (including myself) have played Shadowrun (or much of any pen and paper RPG) so she is probably toning it down for us. Right now I want to see what I can get away with because I don't want this guy to die. I must fulfill a hacker role on the team. We have a mage, a face, and a street sam already. Their dice pools are in the teens generally.

Any suggestions on how to improve this character would be appreciated. Already looked at UmaroVI's Archetypes but probably missed some optimizations. I probably broke a rule somewhere by accident too. Is there anything that doesn't fit the character? GM wanted me to submit it to the forums before I gave it back to her. Will crosspost to dumpshock (where she wanted me to post this).

Here's a link to the chummer html.
Gondol the Wise

Terry "Gondol the Wise" Gondelman

Long time security consultant for a megacorporation, Terry was hired as a high ranking security officer specializing in matrix security. He got his nickname from his subordinates somewhat facetiously for his aged appearance and his sage-like, immovable personality, somewhat uncharacteristic for a troll. However, a month into the job, he was framed for a security leak and fired. Mysteriously snubbed by most of his contacts, he was somehow thwarted at every attempt to investigate. Managing to finagle his way to a much less glorious job as a small time security spider, Gondol the Wise decides to delve into the underworld to perhaps find clues to uncover the conspiracy behind his termination.

From childhood, Terry has trained in the martial arts, being most at home in the midst of battle. After decades of training under multiple disciplines, Terry was surprised to learn from a corporate mage of his strong yet untamed astral presence. Thereafter, years of meditation and training focused his unbeknown magical gift into his martial abilities and to a lesser degree his talent for white hat hacking. However, despite years of study and meditation, 'Gondol' still struggles with an instinctual rage during battle that is mostly absent outside of fighting.

Living a somewhat austere life, he enjoys working on his motorcycle and battle rifle. He also has a mild fondness for hard liquor.

Metatype: Troll (Fomori)
Age: 64
Sex: Male
Height: 7'0"
Weight: 300 kg

BOD 7      [6/11]
AGI 5      [1/5]
REA 5 ( 8 )   [1/6]
CHA 2      [1/4]
INT 4      [1/5]
LOG 2      [1/5]
WIL 3      [1/6]
EDG 3      [1/6]
MAG 6

Qualities:
Adept                        SR4 90
Arcane Arrester                  RC 111
Astral Beacon                  SR4 94
Codeblock (Reboot)               SR4 94
Day Job (20 hrs/week)            RC 103
Distinctive Style                  RC 103
Metagenetic Improvement (BOD)      RC 114
Nano Intolerance                  AU 22
Poor Self Control (Combat Monster)   RC 107
The Warrior's Way               WA 14
Thermographic Vision            RC 115

Skills:
Athletics Group 1
Electronics Group 2
Armorer 1
Automatics 4 (High Velocity Rifles)
Automotive Mechanic 1
Cybercombat 2 (GM implied this will be featured. Not my style but probably want it.)
Dodge 4
Electronic Warfare 4
Etiquette 2
Hacking 6 (Exploit)
Infiltration 3
Intimidation 1
Perception 3
Pilot Ground Craft 1
Unarmed Combat 4 (Martial Arts)
Knowledge:
Alcoholic Beverages 1
Firearms 1 (Disguised Weapons)
Matrix Security 1
Physical Security 1

Adept Powers: 6 PP exactly
Critical Strike   6   Way Bonus            SR4 195
Improved Ability (Non-Combat) (Hacking)   3   SR4 196
Improved Reflexes 3   Way Bonus            SR4 196
Killing Hands      Way Bonus            SR4 196
Penetrating Strike   3                  SM 179

Martial Arts:
Karate   1   AR 157
+1 DV on Unarmed Combat attacks
Kung Fu   1   AR 157
+1 DV on Unarmed Combat attacks
Muay Thai   2   AR 158
+1 DV on Unarmed Combat attacks; +1 DV on Unarmed Combat attacks
Blind Fighting AR 158; Finishing Move AR 159; Full Offense AR 160; Iaijutsu AR 160; Riposte AR 160

Armor: 17/15
Clothing ("Overcoat")    0/0   SR4 326
   Pulse Weave; Ruthenium Polymer Coating
Form-Fitting Full-Body Suit   6/2   AR 48
   Chemical Protection 6; Nonconductivity 6
SecureTech Forearm Guards   0/1   AR 49
SecureTech Helmet   0/2   AR 49
SecureTech Leg and Arm Casings   1/1   AR 49
SecureTech Shin Guards   0/1   AR 49
SecureTech Vitals Protector   1/1   AR 49
Vashon Island: Steampunk Corset/Vest (Ensemble)   9/7   AR 46
   Kevlar-Threading

Weapons:
Ares Executive Protector w/ Smartlink   5P   0 AP   SA/BF/BF   5   30(c)   AR 24
Stock; Gas Vent 2; Heavy Barrel; Metahuman Customization; Personalized Grip; Sound Suppressor
   S: 0-10   M: 11-40   L: 41-85   E: 86-150   
Ares HVBR   7P   -1 AP   SA/BF   8   48(c)   WAR 155
Shock Pad; Stock; Firing Selection Change, Small Mod (FA); Gas Vent 3; Improved Range Finder; Metahuman Customization; Personalized Grip; Smartgun System
   S: 0-100   M: 101-250   L: 251-500   E: 501-750
Unarmed Attack   13P      -3 AP   1 Reach   SR4 159

Vehicle:
Harley-Davidson Scorpion (Chopper)
GridLink Override; Metahuman Adjustment, Troll; Run Flat Tires Rating 1; Smoke Projector, Vehicle Sensor

Commlink:
Custom Commlink   Response 5   System 6   Firewall 6   Signal 5   SR4 328
ACCESSORIES
AR Gloves; Armor Case 10; Custom Commlink OS [Analyze 6; Armor 6; Attack 6; Biofeedback Filter 6; Black Hammer 6; Blackout 6; Browse 6; CarnivoreGold 6; Command 6; Corrupt 6; Data Bomb 6; Decrypt 6; Defuse 6; Disarm 6; ECCM 6; Edit 6; Encrypt 6; Exploit 6; Firewall 6; Lip Reader 6; Medic 6; MonaLisa 6; Nuke 6; Purge 6; Reality Filter 6; Scan 6; Sniffer 6; Spoof 6; Stealth 6; System 6; Tacsoft 2; Track 6] ; Customized Interface; Fake License 4 (Programs); Fake License 4 (Driver's); Fake License 4 (Weapons); Fake SIN 4 (Gondol the Wise); Hardening 6; Optimization (Exploit); Satellite Link; Simrig [Sim Module (Hot)] ; Skinlink; Subvocal Microphone; Trodes

Gear:
High Lifestyle 1 Month
Ammo: EX-Explosive Rounds (Battle Rifles)   -         400   SR4 323
Ammo: EX-Explosive Rounds (Submachine Guns)   -   100   SR4 323
Ammo: Stick-n-Shock (Submachine Guns)   -         150   SR4 324
Ammo: Stick-n-Shock (Battle Rifles)   -            200   SR4 324
Contact Lenses   3   1                           SR4 332
   Flare Compensation; Image Link; Skinlink; Smartlink
Earbuds   3   1                                 SR4 333
   Audio Enhancement 3; Skinlink; Spatial Recognizer
Fiberoptic Cable   -   75                           UN 199
Gecko Tape Gloves   -   1                        SR4 336
Glasses   4   1                                 SR4 332
   Cryptochromic; Skinlink; Vision Enhancement 3; Vision Magnification
Grapple Gun   -   1                              SR4 337
Light Stick   -   5                              SR4 336
Maglock Passkey   4   1                           SR4 335
Medkit   6   1                                 SR4 337
Micro Sensor   -   1                           SR4 333
   Laser Range Finder; Skinlink
Micro Sensor   -   1                           SR4 333
   Motion Sensor; Skinlink
Micro Sensor   -   1                           SR4 333
   Radio Signal Scanner 6; Skinlink
Miniwelder   -   1                              SR4 335
Optical Tap   -   1                              UN 199
Satellite Link   -   1                              SR4 328
Standard Rope (100 m)   -   5                     SR4 337
Stealth Tags   -   100                              SR4 329
Tag Eraser   -   1                              SR4 330
Wireless Adapter   -   1                           UN 200

[Lethe]

Rules: Standard Karmagen with 750 karma. No books are currently disallowed. No initiation/submersion. The main house rule is that the threshold for all hits is 4 instead of 5 (not entirely sure how this changes balance

You will get at least 50% more net hits on every test.

BOD 7      [6/11]
AGI 5      [1/5]
REA 5 ( 8 )   [1/6]
CHA 2      [1/4]
INT 4      [1/5]
LOG 2      [1/5]
WIL 3      [1/6]
EDG 3      [1/6]
MAG 6

Troll without STR? i assume 5.

Martial Arts:
Karate   1   AR 157
+1 DV on Unarmed Combat attacks
Kung Fu   1   AR 157
+1 DV on Unarmed Combat attacks
Muay Thai   2   AR 158
+1 DV on Unarmed Combat attacks; +1 DV on Unarmed Combat attacks

The DV boni from Martial Arts stack only up to +3.

Form-Fitting Full-Body Suit   6/2   AR 48
   Chemical Protection 6; Nonconductivity 6

Max armor modifications is the higher armor rating times 1.5, or 9 in your case. Means one rating 6 and one rating 3.

Commlink:
Custom Commlink   Response 5   System 6   Firewall 6   Signal 5   SR4 328

There are no custom commlink rules. You can only buy a base and upgrade the hardware.

ACCESSORIES
AR Gloves; Armor Case 10;

Max rating 6 allowed during chargen.

Custom Commlink OS [Analyze 6;

Commlnk only had response 5, so the system also only works at rating 5, which limits all your programs to rating 5.

Simrig [Sim Module (Hot)] ; Skinlink; Subvocal Microphone; Trodes

simrig includes trodes. also establishes an dni so you wont need a subvocal microphone.

[fourstrifes]

Thank you! It's hard to remember all the rules at 4am. Also yes, the STR is 5.

I assume I can upgrade response later. For some reason I think the max is 5 that you can buy at chargen but I will double check this. And I assumed that 'custom commlink' in chummer was just the cheapest one without an os, which I think is 100Y so I think the cost is accurate but I will fix that later.

But again, thank you. I would never have caught all that on my own. I was not aware of the armor mod rule at all. Can you tell me why the martial arts advantage bonuses only stack to +3? You can specifically take it twice with Muay Thai...so I dunno.

[Henzington]

Intimidation really isnt worth it given your cha is at 2.  Three dice won't be scaring anyone

[fourstrifes]

Intimidation really isnt worth it given your cha is at 2.  Three dice won't be scaring anyone

From what I understand, a troll can get probably +2 or +3 from his size, +2 from a visible weapon, and +2 for roughing up a target a little. To me, that's enough to be worth not defaulting it. Heck, I'm getting almost as much as our face in those circumstances. Then again, our face is almost like The Joker from Batman...

[Henzington]

thats quite true and its still true if you dont have the skill

[Tecumseh]

Given that your Logic is 2, I might ask about some of the Logic-based skills at low ratings, such as Armorer and Auto Mechanic. If they're there as hobbies/color, that's great, but their in-game use might be limited. Your dice pool is only 3 for these, although the rule about 4s counting as hits goes a long way toward generating a hit out of small dice pools. Still, you won't be accomplishing anything but the most basic of repairs or adjustments. Personally, I would look around for karma to spend on specializations for your non-grouped skills. Once plays begins, you'll want to bank the majority of your karma for Initiation, although it sounds like you already know this if you managed to submerge your technomancer six times.

I would also make sure that your GM is content with you spending just a handful of karma on knowledge skills. I also note that you have a hacker as a contact. Perhaps that's part of your back story or your day job, or just the natural extension of your character seeking out fellow-minded enthusiasts (birds of a feather), but having a hacker contact - especially one with relatively low Connection and Loyalty ratings - doesn't broaden your horizons much.

From a fluff perspective, the average lifespan of a troll is 55 years. (I don't know of any lifespand differences among the subspecies.) It's certainly possible that your character could live longer well beyond that, especially if he enjoyed a corporate lifestyle with a good medical plan, but it would make him roughly the equivalent of a 75-year-old human and a distinct oddity in the shadows. Who knows, maybe all the martial arts have kept him in great shape, but it could impact some of your Social rolls (including Intimidation) depending on how your GM sees it.

[UmaroVI]

Intimidation really isnt worth it given your cha is at 2.  Three dice won't be scaring anyone

From what I understand, a troll can get probably +2 or +3 from his size, +2 from a visible weapon, and +2 for roughing up a target a little. To me, that's enough to be worth not defaulting it. Heck, I'm getting almost as much as our face in those circumstances. Then again, our face is almost like The Joker from Batman...

You can't get a larger Social Modifier bonus to your social skills than your Charisma score. So you can't get more than 5 dice.

[CanRay]

Beats defaulting and getting 1 die.

Anyhow, it's something to work on, and you can have the Face do the intimidating for you while you just stand there, backing him/her/it up.

[UmaroVI]

More generally:
I'm not a big fan of Penetrating Strike. It's not that it isn't useful, it just costs too much for what it does. For the same price as critical strike, you get about 1/3rd the value. I'd probably take Improved Physical Attribute (Agility) instead. See below.

I don't think Pilot, Intimidation, Armorer, or Automotive Mechanic are worth it for you. Pilot isn't because you can default to be good enough for basic driving anyways, and being slightly above average doesn't get you jack. The other three you just suck at too badly to be any use.

Perception and Infiltration it would be good to get to 4 for karma-efficiency reasons. Derp, ignore this.

Electronics Group has Software, Hardware, Data Search, and Computer. You really should have at least 1 point in Software and Data Search, but you don't really need to be super great at them. Computer, however, sets your Matrix Perception and it really is worth not sucking at. I would suggests 1/0/1/4 rather than a skill group at 2.

If you really want to be able to "win" at cybercombat, agents are the way to go. A pack of rating 3 agents with the autosofts Expert Offense and Cascading and the programs Analyze, Blackhammer, Armor, Attack are fairly cheap and much more effective than a lone hacker. In particular, there are many, many things that you are simply not capable of cybercombatting, but at the same time, you don't really care that much since you are an AR hacker.

[Tecumseh]

Perception and Infiltration it would be good to get to 4 for karma-efficiency reasons.

It's karmagen so there are no karma-efficiency considerations.

[UmaroVI]

Derp. You are right, ignore that advice. Also, ignore that part about IPA Agility, I forgot you are a troll and thus 5 is your base max. I still recommend just about anything other than Penetrating Strike. Elemental Attack (Sound), Combat Sense, and Enhanced Perception (it applies to Matrix Perception too) all come to mind.