Technomancer Question, Machine Sprites Options

[Gothic Rose]

So, I'm going to be running a SR pbp game on a different forum, and one of the players wants to play a Technomancer with 2 pet sprites that are in 2 drones.

I know there's been a good deal of talk about how it's a waste of BP to buy registered sprites/bound spirits at character creation.

So, what d'yall think of just letting a player have one or two sprites be registered for free at chargen? I mean, it's free in game, and all.

Thoughts?

[Feshy]

1 or 2 points on a 400 BP character? No problem at all, unless you really worry that a character will be 0.25% more powerful than their team mates.

This is especially true of technomancers, who have to sink so many points into 'mancer abilities that they are nearly useless in most other areas most of the time. They could use a BP or two ;)

[Rock_Bottom]

My SR4 character is an elf technomancer, so I'm really short on the BP after that. A couple of free spirites would be good, but since they're free in game, I just figured I could make them when I needed them. I have yet to use one anyway.

It would be nice to have that option, though. But then, mages should get one or two bound spirits for free as well.

[Jaid]

i would have to disagree with free starting spirits.

for a few reasons:

1) iirc, nothing bad really happens if you glitch a compiling test. there may very well be significant consequences (especially if you play with pre-errata spirits) if you summon poorly.

2) it literally costs nothing except time and drain to compile a sprite. it costs money to summon and bind a spirit.

i would probably be fine i guess if you could just pay the :nuyen: and start off with a spirit or two, maybe, but probably not any really high force ones.

[Gothic Rose]

Actually, the game is 500 BP, and the character has spent 12 BP on the 2 sprites - both at force 5 (which he can compile and register without going into lethal fading) and a bunch of services.

Would the general concensus be it's ok to start with a few free sprites like them, since it only does cost time and drain for a techno to compile a sprite and register it?

[Jaid]

i would say it's fine, IMO.

i mean, it's not like he couldn't just compile them and bind them and sleep off the drain in a single day pretty much (errmmm... i can't remember what technomancers call it when they bind spirits... i mean sprites... and uhh... drain... whatever those magician clones call it. fading?)