[Vestax]

Would appreciate JustADude's input creating this AI Hacker / Rigger.

==Background ==Input / ideas are welcome!
A Cyberspace Designs Dragonfly, originally used as a mobile hacking agent by a fellow runner, has been acting a little odd lately.  Difficulty following orders and doing things without the runners command, gremlins maybe? The runner had finally had enough and decided to leave the drone behind.  The drone however did not forget about the runner, recently going as far as to tag along on runs, and enjoying the thrill of shadowrunning as it saw best. The runner has indeed had a run of good luck on doors being left unlocked, cameras being turned off, etc.  Meanwhile the drone has even managed to find a few upgrades for itself, spending most of its free time coding software, optimizing its hardware, or data searching the matrix.

Street Name: None (ideas?)
Name: Cyberspace Designs Dragonfly
Age: 0

== Attributes ==
CHA: 5
INT: 5
LOG: 5
WIL: 5
EDG: 1

== Derived Attributes ==
Matrix Initiative:            14 (In Drone)
Matrix IP:                       3 (Anyway to increase this?)
Stun Damage Track: 11

== Active Skills ==
Cybercombat          4
Electronic Warfare 4
Hacking                   4
Electronics              4

== Knowledge Skills == Would love some input here
English Native
Curious AI
News 6
Politics 4
Megacorps 4
Area Knowledge: Campaigns major city 4

Inherit type knowledge
Security Design 4
Security Companies 4
Security Tactics 4


== Contacts ==
Not sure about this? The AI is very new so while learning knowledges seems logical, given the AIs high intellect. Contacts maybe be a little different?

== Qualities ==
Authority
Pilot Origin 2
Rootkit
Sapper

== Negative Qualities ==
Combat Paralysis

== Lifestyles ==
Low (1 month)

== Gear ==
Analyze 6
Browse 6
Command 6
Edit 6
Scan 6
Defuse 4
Armor 4
Biofeedback Filter 3 Not relative to the AI but part of a package
Medic 3
Track 4
Decrypt 5
Encrypt 5
Stealth Inherit
Exploit Inherit
Spoof Inherit
Sniffer Inherit
Attack Inherit
Clearsight 4
Maneuver 4
Chaser 4
Covert Ops 4

== Drone ==
Cyberspace Designs Dragonfly Home Node

Improved takeoff / landing 2
Hardware toolkit
Modular Electronics
Improved Economy
Additional Fuel Tank
Chameleon Coating

Hardening 6
Customized Interface

= Sensors =
Camera Front
Low Light
Microphone

Signal 8
Firewall 8
Response 8
System 8

== BP Remaining ==
7

[JustADude]

Well, it's nice to be asked for by name, but I'm not really a Hacker guy, so I can't really give too much in-depth advice on what Programs to take/leave beyond the obvious. I've just studied up on tactics for building an AI a bit. With that in mind, here I go:

First thing is drop the Cybercombat skill and Attack program. Replace Attack with Decrypt as an inherent program, and use some of the BP from Cybercombat to boost Hacking to 6. Why? Because your best bet is always going to be to bail, change your Access ID, and try again later. Your goal is for people to never know you were there until you're long gone.

Next, replace Sapper with Code Flux. Code Flux means you can just "random-walk" through public nodes on your way to and from your target node until your ID changes. You can also "take a walk" and then then go back for another pass at the security if you hit an alarm. Saves all sorts of headaches, too, since you're impossible to back-trace as long as you take the time to Flux before heading home . To me, guaranteed anonymity is worth trading an average of 0.667 of a hit on your Exploit rolls for.

As for IPs, adding a Simsense Accelerator as a system mod (ala Hardening and Customized Interface) would be your only way to get an extra IP. Yes, that means meat hackers can be faster in the matrix than AIs. Makes no sense, but there ya go.

Good to see you're exploiting the use of Autosofts, but you forgot to grab Gunnery and the various Piloting skills, either as Autosofts or as actual skills. They're going to be essential to you as a Rigger. Especially Gunnery/Targeting.

Also, the Profession Autosoft is your friend. You can use it to grab Armorer, Chemistry, Demolitions, First Aid, the Mechanic skills, etc... all good things to have that make you a Swiss Army Character when it comes to planning.

As for knowledges: "Matrix Sites," "Network Infrastructure," etc are all good ideas, as well as maybe some "hobby" skills.

Contacts... Technomancers, Hackers, and other AIs are all good to know. Even a group contact to represent a Warez Group that your AI is part of.

And, last but not least, find a way to get 35 BP worth of Negative Qualities. I might suggest Codeblock (Matrix Attack) and Incompetent (Cybercombat) to go with your Combat Paralysis, along with either Media Junkie (Mild) or Addiction (Mild) to something you feel is appropriate.

[WhackedMaki]

Where are you getting that your drone has 8's across the board? It takes its' 3, and add's half of your ratings round up, giving it an additional 3, for 6 total. Not 8.

You'll also want to get at least computer and data search skills (if not just the whole electronics group), seeing as those are needed to scan, and then search nodes (you're not much good as a hacker if you can't even find the node to hack after all).

It may also be worth investing in a home node that won't be in the heat of battle, because it's way harder for them to destroy something that isn't there. It'd suck to lose your dragonfly, but it'd suck harder to lose the dragonfly, and the only node you own to call home (as well as making you easy to kill if you're forced to start realigning). Getting a low level nexus, or even a commlink left with a loyal contact will make you way harder to take down.

[JustADude]

Where are you getting that your drone has 8's across the board? It takes its' 3, and add's half of your ratings round up, giving it an additional 3, for 6 total. Not 8.

You'll also want to get at least computer and data search skills (if not just the whole electronics group), seeing as those are needed to scan, and then search nodes (you're not much good as a hacker if you can't even find the node to hack after all).

It may also be worth investing in a home node that won't be in the heat of battle, because it's way harder for them to destroy something that isn't there. It'd suck to lose your dragonfly, but it'd suck harder to lose the dragonfly, and the only node you own to call home (as well as making you easy to kill if you're forced to start realigning). Getting a low level nexus, or even a commlink left with a loyal contact will make you way harder to take down.

I was assuming that he'd upgraded them from 3 to 5, since he's gone through the trouble of taking Modular Electronics.

Also, he does have the Electronics Skill Group... it's just labeled only as Electronics. That threw me, too.

As for that last point... the AI seems pretty "new" and grew out of the Drone's software. Keeping the Dragonfly safe and having a more visible "presence" in a Manservant or Combat Drone (along with that backup Nexus ready for it to move in, just in case!) are probably going to be some of the next IC steps.

[WhackedMaki]

I was assuming that he'd upgraded them from 3 to 5, since he's gone through the trouble of taking Modular Electronics.

Also, he does have the Electronics Skill Group... it's just labeled only as Electronics. That threw me, too.

As for that last point... the AI seems pretty "new" and grew out of the Drone's software. Keeping the Dragonfly safe and having a more visible "presence" in a Manservant or Combat Drone (along with that backup Nexus ready for it to move in, just in case!) are probably going to be some of the next IC steps.

Makes sense, he just didn't state it specifically, so I didn't account for those two extra ranks.

Guess I just looked over that part, didn't stand out to me as being a skill group.

Even if the AI is new, a hacker would have SOME kind of commlink, not only a dragonfly drone. At the very least, the hacker should be taken as a contact. Possibly at a low starting loyalty, as he doesn't even know the AI really exists, but if the AI needed another piece of tech to hide in, the hacker would have one. Also, he has so many programs and autosofts, that having them all loaded on the drone would take some hits to its response (17 matrix programs, including the AI itself)

Oh, it should also be noted that AI's don't have a stun damage track, they have a matrix damage track. There's not a lot of difference, but you can't hit an AI with blackout/black hammer, as they have no physical or stun track.

[Vestax]

I see your point JustADude with simple running from cybercombat, especially since it's just a "Hey I run" no real opposed check to get away.  I'm hesitant to completely drop it though because what happens when another entity decides to hack into MY stuff. Then my only defense without combat would be rebooting the node or removing them (firewall + system I think).

Autosofts are great, I picked up a few more. Pilot ground, pilot air, gunnary, profession aircraft mechanic. Would love to grab more but BP is running out and these are probably relatively easy to obtain in game. Also added in a software developer and AI (club bartap) contact.

WhackedMaki, I did grab upgrades to the drone for 5s along with the electronics skill group, sorry I didn't specify. I intend to expand my drones / nodes as the game progresses, maybe even moving into a more combat capable drone.

[JustADude]

Always stay in the Dragonfly, not the Combat Drone. The Combat Drone is meant to be an extendable puppet, not your home.

And as for you getting hacked... Strong Encription (24h) + Firewall 8 + daily reboots should keep that off your head.