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Dumpshock Forums _ Shadowrun _ Most useful piece of Cyber on SR4

Posted by: fistandantilus3.0 Jan 21 2006, 06:48 AM

So in your opinion, what is the most useful/versatile/bad-a/importnat/whatever peice of cyber? What is the one that you would not be without (assuming your runner has cyber)?

Personally, I'd go with either the commlink, because it gives you silent communication , or the eye camera. But that's just because I've played in a lot of campaigns where gathering evidence is important.

Posted by: Glyph Jan 21 2006, 08:20 AM

I would go with cybereyes, almost by default. Smartlinks can come in many equally effective non-cybered forms now, and the ubituous datajack is not as central to SR4's wireless world. A cyber commlink is nice, but like the smartlink, it comes in an equally effective non-cybered version. The other 'ware is useful, but only to a full-bore sammie or hacker... not every character.

Cybereyes are the best because things like goggles are still clumsier and susceptible to being hacked, and cybereyes have a multitude of useful features that you can get with them. They are even better in SR4, because a camera and image link are part of the basic cybereye, before you even start adding in other stuff.

Posted by: Grinder Jan 21 2006, 08:20 AM

I'm having the same opinion about the commlink. It's just so difficult to get a feeling for AR in the game.

Posted by: Butterblume Jan 21 2006, 08:46 AM

In SR3 it was the smartgun, in SR4 i'd say wired reflexes (or the luxus variant aka synaptic boosters, of course ). Force multiplier in combat, AR hacking and even driving .
Commlink second, even my mage has one implanted.

Posted by: LaughingTiger Jan 21 2006, 08:59 AM

I voted other:

The one you always think you'll never need and don't buy.

Posted by: fistandantilus3.0 Jan 21 2006, 09:08 AM

Cyber-magnetic hand system? Or did you not have a particular one in mind, just a general statement?

Posted by: LaughingTiger Jan 21 2006, 09:11 AM

just a general statement. It's going to be different for everyone. We've all that moment when we realized we were in a situation that was just so perfectly made for that one piece we looked at...

Then we buy it, that situation never pops up again. But paranoia makes you keep it.

Posted by: Ophis Jan 21 2006, 01:28 PM

Eyes, win for me, the video camera function is so damn useful.
Sure Wireds are good but the camera thing has so many damn uses, it rewards clever thinking.

Posted by: emo samurai Jan 21 2006, 04:48 PM

But... the sheer amount of power you get from wired reflexes!

Posted by: September Jan 21 2006, 06:09 PM

Sleep Regulator. Five extra hours a day for the price of a good commlink. Sounds like a good deal.

Posted by: Jaid Jan 21 2006, 06:20 PM

skillwires.

you can't get much more multi-purpose than that. and it's pretty dang cheap too, for what it does.

Posted by: Casazil Jan 21 2006, 06:21 PM

I went with wired but that was cause of no cyber-eye option.

I have to agree with others that say the whole cyber-eye. Heck you can get allot of the cool toys in the eyes then add in allot of the cool toys in the ears and spend less than an essance which means it works for any character.

Yes even magic types that get cyber would be better off going all out on eyes and ears in my opinion you can if I remember even stick in a cybered commlink and still be just under an essance or right at it. (at alpha level I do belive)

Posted by: Jaid Jan 21 2006, 07:05 PM

most (if not all) of the functions of cybereyes and ears can be gained without cyber. i don't see the big deal. even the recording part shouldn't cost much of anything, just record onto your commlink's (effectively infinite) storage space and you've got the same effect. it's not all that much for a camera you know.

Posted by: Casazil Jan 21 2006, 08:37 PM

true Jaid but you can't put all the options into sunglasses that you can into cybereyes without haveing several sets of glasses capacity won't allow as much stuff as full cybereyes will.

Posted by: Kerberos Jan 21 2006, 08:55 PM

QUOTE (Casazil)

true Jaid but you can't put all the options into sunglasses that you can into cybereyes without haveing several sets of glasses capacity won't allow as much stuff as full cybereyes will.

It doesn't say so, in fact there's no indication anywhere that there's any limitation on how many enhancements you can add to glasses contact lense or earbuds.

Posted by: FrankTrollman Jan 21 2006, 09:06 PM

...but for starting characters you can't get much into a set of contacts because of acailability. And after chargen you're pretty much at the mercy of fate as to what spy equipment you can come up with.

And lest we forget, a set of cybereyes isn't unusual or threatening - lots of people use them as a form of vision correction. So while you can certainly carry a camera in your hand, or even have one built into your tie, the fact of the matter is that doing that sort of thing can make you suspicious. Having cybereyes gives you all that functionality without forcing you to do or have anything unusual. You can use all that fancy and useful optical equipment while still blending into the background hum of humanity to all but the most invasive surgical procedures.

That's priceless.

-Frank

Posted by: Jaid Jan 21 2006, 09:22 PM

well, i suppose if people see your camera that might be a problem. considering an RFID sensor costs 100 to get with a camera, i would have to question that you can't put a camera into a pair of glasses. there may not be explicit rules written out for it, but it's a bit silly to just say it's impossible just because there are no explicit rules that allow it.

Posted by: MrMiracle Jan 21 2006, 10:09 PM

Commlink. Since nearly every item in the game has some form of wireless connectivity, theres no legit reason not to have one. Music player, camcorder/camera, mic, and gps. Plus, you can communicate with every device you own. Leave your smartlinked weapon somewhere where you can use it as a makeshift spycam. Load up a mapsoft and never get lost again. SR players being the people that they are will likely come up with a million uses that the writers and playtesters never thought of.

Posted by: Angelstandings Jan 22 2006, 02:58 PM

I said commlink, and I wish I could change my answer because you don't need to have it implanted... So, it has to be Wired because you can't get a Wired Reflexes Zebra Jumpsuit Rating 2.

Posted by: mintcar Jan 22 2006, 03:06 PM

Datajack. The only piece of cyber everyone should propably get (combined with image link). It´s the most basic you can get.

Posted by: Angelstandings Jan 22 2006, 03:13 PM

QUOTE (mintcar @ Jan 22 2006, 10:06 AM)

Datajack. The only piece of cyber everyone should propably get (combined with image link). It´s the most basic you can get.

Don't commlinks render datajacks obsolete? Well, I don't see why you couldn't have a datajack on an external commlink for those 'special' occasions.

Furthermore, everything on this list can be done with equipment except for Wired Reflexes, Control Rig, and Reaction Enhancers. Of those three, Wired Reflexes wins hands down IMO. It could be argued that Control Rigs aren't very effective without some kind of IP enchancement.

Posted by: Squinky Jan 22 2006, 05:03 PM

Wired reflexes+Reaction enhancers==the shit.

Posted by: hobgoblin Jan 22 2006, 08:49 PM

QUOTE (Angelstandings)

QUOTE (mintcar @ Jan 22 2006, 10:06 AM)

Datajack. The only piece of cyber everyone should propably get (combined with image link). It´s the most basic you can get.

Don't commlinks render datajacks obsolete? Well, I don't see why you couldn't have a datajack on an external commlink for those 'special' occasions.

its not so much the comlink that make a datajack obselete, as its wireless connections in general. you could rather say that nanopaste trodes with no loss in initiative makes datajack obselete...

Posted by: September Jan 22 2006, 11:07 PM

Datajack still has several things a commlink can't do. Try slotting a linguasoft in your commlink. Not gonna work. Same with skillsofts.
Datajacks also have memory now. Useful for secure storage when everything else is wireless. For just a little extra money you get a data lock, even more secure.
Finally, you can now string your datajack's cable to someone else's for a conversation that's pretty much untappable. I'm sure you can think of some uses for that.

Posted by: Rotbart van Dainig Jan 22 2006, 11:13 PM

QUOTE (September @ Jan 23 2006, 01:07 AM)

Datajack still has several things a commlink can't do. Try slotting a linguasoft in your commlink. Not gonna work.

..you can load it into the unlimited storage memory on a commlink - and will need a sim module or a skill wire anyway?

Posted by: MrMiracle Jan 22 2006, 11:20 PM

QUOTE (September)

Finally, you can now string your datajack's cable to someone else's for a conversation that's pretty much untappable. I'm sure you can think of some uses for that.

Really, really quiet phone sex?

Posted by: Sphynx Jan 23 2006, 07:35 AM

I voted 'other' as well. Skillwires is the best piece around.

Posted by: Galmorez Jan 26 2006, 01:41 AM

QUOTE (Squinky)

Wired reflexes+Reaction enhancers==the shit.

I agree. A huge reaction stat is important in SR4 where dodge is so vital to not getting killed in one hit.
And, there's nothing better for munchkining than making a character with 4 initiative passes in a world where all paracritters, VR, and drones only ever get 3. VR is the speed of thought, but Wired 3 is the speed of thoughtless game design. muhahahaha!

Posted by: Butterblume Jan 26 2006, 01:43 AM

Technomancers can get 4 passes in VR .

Posted by: Galmorez Jan 26 2006, 01:54 AM

QUOTE (Butterblume)

Technomancers can get 4 passes in VR

Yes, but they have no data storage, so there is no documented proof.

Posted by: KB12 Jan 26 2006, 02:07 AM

Problem with wired, at least in my game, is it makes life a lot harder. Runners spend a ton of time in social situations and with so many scanners where ever you go wired can get noticed. True, you can get a permit, but you'll still probably get looks / have people keeping an eye on you.
The most capable characters that I have seen have completely legit stuff and get things done by making sure that if their is combat, they have the advantage in tatics such as cover, body armor, and the ace up their sleeve. When you have that IP's don't matter so much any more.
Just remember that anything not legal can and probably will get noticed, making life a lot harder for the runner, even if they have a permit.

Posted by: Gabriel (Argus #2323) Jan 26 2006, 06:10 AM

QUOTE (Galmorez)

QUOTE (Squinky @ Jan 22 2006, 05:03 PM)

Wired reflexes+Reaction enhancers==the shit.

I'm pretty sure Wired Reflexes can't be combined with Reaction enhancers. Aren't Reaction enhancers technically an Initiative Enhancer?

Looking at the new rules, I'd have to vote Wired Ref. The fact that you can't get more than one pass now unless you're wired puts it above and beyond. When it comes to just plain winning fights and staying alive, acting 3 times as much as anyone else takes the cake; although people can get creative and clever with the cyber eyes, they're not going to help much when the drek hits the fan and you've got bullets (or worse) flying your way.

And as far as Wired affecting social situations... yeah I always imagine the twitchy, jumpy, edgy wire-job razorguy, but I figure that only happens with cheap hack jobs. A decent (even better, alpha or beta) system with the included trigger should be discreet enough (and thank the ghost for fake cyberware liscenses).

Posted by: Squinky Jan 26 2006, 08:09 PM

No. They can be combined....You can't combine things that add more inititive passes, these add more reaction....