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Random Idea for a Character: Jack Trade

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JmOz01

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« on: <07-12-12/2219:40> »
So, knowing me, I like to play characters who are not great at anything, but are good second stringers,  Right now I am loving Gremlin, a special ops elf with good fighting/hacking skills.

However I am tempted to try to make a character who is a bit of EVERYTHING (well ok, not everything, but you get the idea).  So where would I start, this is really a exersise in learning the system, but I am thinking he should be part::

Mage,
Hacker
Street Sam

any other major archtypes I am leaving out?

JustADude

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« Reply #1 on: <07-12-12/2239:18> »
So, knowing me, I like to play characters who are not great at anything, but are good second stringers,  Right now I am loving Gremlin, a special ops elf with good fighting/hacking skills.

However I am tempted to try to make a character who is a bit of EVERYTHING (well ok, not everything, but you get the idea).  So where would I start, this is really a exersise in learning the system, but I am thinking he should be part::

Mage,
Hacker
Street Sam

any other major archtypes I am leaving out?

Adepts, Faces and Riggers.

Unfortunately, given the broad spectrum of stats required, you're essentially going to create someone that sucks at everything. You can combine two pretty easily, especially if there's synergy, but trying to do everything is just going to mean one of two things:

1) You're going to suck at all of it until you've got more Karma than most people retire with.
or
2) You're creating a Spike Baby that's been Shadowrunning since before mercenary work was actually called Shadowrunning.
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JmOz01

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« Reply #2 on: <07-12-12/2324:11> »
Yah, I noticed, the first draft would have been killed in a heart beat.  I am really happy with Gremlin (My Hacker/Sam, whose more an infiltrator than anything else).  I definatly don't think it is possible to do something that covers all six listed, Just the three i listed seems quite imposible to be honest...

JustADude

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« Reply #3 on: <07-12-12/2342:48> »
Yah, I noticed, the first draft would have been killed in a heart beat.  I am really happy with Gremlin (My Hacker/Sam, whose more an infiltrator than anything else).  I definatly don't think it is possible to do something that covers all six listed, Just the three i listed seems quite imposible to be honest...

The problem, there, is that Mages are karma sinks that just aren't worth it unless they're your primary focus. Whatever you do is going to be a Mage with some secondary abilities.

They're also the antithesis of a Street Samurai... one needs all the ware it can get, the other should avoid it like the plague.
“What is right is not always popular and what is popular is not always right.”
― Albert Einstein

"Being average just means that half of everyone you meet is better than you."
― Me

Unadept

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« Reply #4 on: <07-13-12/0711:22> »
I'd do a Mystic Adept/Hacker if I wanted to hit most of these points.  Hacking doesn't even require cyberware (though it helps), and you can manage a decent Combat Adept + Spell Slingy with the Mystic Adept.  Spam a Force 3 or 4 Sustaining Focus for Increased Reflexes instead of having that boost from Adept powers, and you'll have, say, 3 points to Adept with and other points to Magic.

If you choose a Charisma-based Tradition, you'll likely be a good Face, too.

That gives you Mage, Adept, Hacker, Face and, by some extension, Rigger.  Street Sam, however, seems right out.  Still pretty resource-heavy, though.

rasmusnicolaj

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« Reply #5 on: <07-14-12/0249:33> »
Be from a possession tradition and be like a street sam when possessed?

A rigger is a hacker with a good Command program and some drones. That is not hard to pull off. With some cyberware in your hacker you can fight (a good cyberarm to begin with). Have a decent charisma and Pheromones for face. Learn som skills and get the gear and you can be an expert in infiltration and breaking & entering.
You will not be the best in any of your choosen fields (except maby hacing) and you wont have any magic at all. But you will be a fairly good generalist with lots of useful skills.

Rasmus
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Glyph

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« Reply #6 on: <07-14-12/1812:37> »
UmaroVI has shown that it is possible to make a great Jack of all Trades build here.  Your main challenge in playing it is not to overshadow the other players with your awesomeness.

groduick

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« Reply #7 on: <07-16-12/0732:30> »
Tried to do that here.

The character is a mage/face/hacker; as a possession mage, he can use spirits when he needs stealth/physical skills, same thing with most technical skills.

It's unfinished business, but I guess it can provide you a base to work on if you want a character who can handle its own in almost any situation.

For such characters, I think possession is the way to go, as it can cover a lot of skills