Technomancers V2.0, Un-nerfing the TM's Options

[The Jopp]

Ok, the rules have been slightly revised after looking at different aspect of the technomancer rules as a whole.Yes they are powerful and they are still hackers but they have become fundamentally different from regular hackers and unlike regular hackers who branch out into different aspects of runners technomancers will fully immerse themselves into different aspects of hacking.

Sure, if they spend points for it they will be ?ckers in one specific field from the beginning but then they will have shortcomings somewhere else. Technomancers will be more flexible and hopefully more fun to play ? not to mention a bit more mystic as their powers make them fundamentally different from any other hacker.

EDIT
I changed the persona rules a wee bit as i found the freebie techno points to be too good, you now trade in resource points at a 1/5 ratio. Also, Matrix projection through firewalls was too easy so now it takes a test like those to go through walls and barriers.

Almost equal to hackers and can with time become very powerful but now cost more karma since all persona attributes must be bought with karma to improve.

Technomancers V2.0

Technomancer BP Cost
Due to the changes the TM Quality now costs 15BP.

Technomancers have abilities that mimics the following ware
-Limitless Storage Memory (Brainframe)
-Imagelink
-Eye Recording Unit
-Ear Recording Unit
-Sound link
-Touch link
-Skinlink / Wireless Datajack (So that they can transfer data)
-Datalock (Rating as Willpower Attribute)
-Sim Module (Hotsim)
-Commlink (Duh!)
-Simrig (Yes, they CAN remember things) (Technomancers makes GREAT simsense stars)

Technomancers and Cyberware
Technomancers follow the general rules regarding Essence and Resonance from SR4 with the following add-on. If they choose to install a piece of ware like a pair of cybereyes for example they will replace their natural ability with that selection.

The Technomancer would have to clone a pair of new eyes in order to regain his or her natural ability in that case.

The Living Persona
Since Technomancers "Commlink" is so vastly different from any regular commlink and operating system that it is often utterly alien to regular commlink users – And when the Technomancer essentially IS the node it is no easy task to hide and operate inside the node in secrecy.

Technomancers are always in Hot-Sim when using VR
Technomancers gains +2D6 to Matrix perception tests.
Any action (legal or not) against the TM from within the TM Node are at a -2D6 Dicepool.

Matrix Projection/Materialization
Technomancers are not bound by the normal rules of the matrix as they manipulate code like it was a toy. Technomancers have the ability to “Ghost� the matrix through a process called Matrix Projection and can in these instances pass through firewalls and are completely invisible to any matrix entity except other ghosting technomancers and sprites. The drawback with this is that they cannot manipulate anything within the node, they can only use the following programs against the node itself:

Analyze
Sniffer
Track
Browse
Reality Filter

Projection counts as AR and all damage is Stun while Materialization counts as Hot-Sim and all damage is Physical. This also counts when a technomancer suffers Dumpshock.

Passing Through a Firewall
Passing through a firewall is no simple task and follow the same rules as for passing through barriers. The technomancer rolls [Resonance+Charisma] VS [System+Firewall] opposed test. Each Net hits allow the projecting technomancer have with him an active Complex Form or Sprite.

This means it is far simple to go through a firewall with a clean Persona, but you are more open to attack from other sprites and technomancers – and there is no stopping the technomancer to activate complex forms when safely through the firewall.

A failure to pass through the barrier will result in an alert being raised.

Matrix Materialization
A technomancer can opt to materialize within a node after passing through its firewall – very useful for sneak attacks but not without it’s risk. The drawback is that the technomancers Stealth Complex Form is basically useless as the technomancer creates a flood of static and data corruption. The node is allowed an analyze check against the technomancers complex form that is reduced to a dicepool of 1 (which can be modified by Edge and other possible bonuses).

The same thing applies for going from Materialization to Projection – The node and other watching/active entities are allowed a free track action and the technomancer is allowed to use his Spoof for a Redirect action with a dicepool of 1 (which can be modified by Edge and other possible bonuses).

Materialization also means that the technomancer becomes visible for all matrix entities and not just other technomancers and sprites. A technomancer can also use complex forms and hack nodes as usual while materialized.

And finally, due to the required concentration in manipulating such immense amount of data in order to manifest in another Node means that the first Combat Turn after making a materialization is reduced to Initiative: 1 and Initiative Passes: 1.

Shifting between VR and Projection and Materialization
Shifting to projection is a free action. Shifting between Projection and Materialization is a Complex Action.

Time Limit
Technomancers can only be ghosting and in Full VR up to their Resonance of hours before having to go back into VR, they can go back immediately but they need to reconnect with their body within this time or suffer physical dumpshock.

Technomancers: Connection Lost
A Technomancer who looses his signal while on the Matrix through Full VR takes Dumpshock as they are yanked back into their own body. Since their minds are attuned to the matrix they only take Stun damage from Dumpshock in this instance.

A Technomancer that looses his signal and the contact to the Matrix becomes somewhat more than just irritated by the loss of a matrix connection, one of his most important senses have just been lost. Imagine suddenly becoming blind when you move out into the countryside.

A Technomancer is considered a junkie (Mild Addiction) insofar that they need to be connected to the matrix, they don’t need to DO anything on the matrix but they need that background “buzz.� Connections to a node doesn’t count, they must have a connection in some way to the actual matrix.

The Persona and surveillance
For surveillance purposes regarding hidden signals and SIN checks and similar applications the Technomancers Persona Signal counts as hidden – It is not a regular signal that can be picked up by normal scanners – it functions normally against other TM’s though.

Due to the “hidden� signal TM’s cannot broadcast their SIN through their persona. The “hidden� signal can be found the usual way by scanning for hidden signals – including security checks. They can like everyone else choose to turn off their wireless link and connect directly to a commlink with their persona and hide their TM signal.

Technomancer & Dicepool
Agents/Sprites: Decompiling+Charisma Net Hits Limited by Resonance
Personas/Icons: Cybercombat+Logic Net Hits Limited by Complex Form Rating*
Computer: Attribute+Skill Net Hits Limited by Complex Form Rating*
Hacking: Attribute+Skill Net Hits Limited by Complex Form Rating*

*Complex Form is always limited by the Technomancers Resonance Attribute.

Starting Technomancer Resources
A Technomancer buys his resources as normal and can trade resource points at a 1/5 ratio to improve his Persona and Complex Forms. The maximum rating of any Persona attribute or Complex form is equal to Resonance.

This removes the Logic restrictions regarding Complex Forms for Technomancers in SR4 – also note that Technomancers no longer have any “freebie� CF like Biofeedback Filter – they have to buy them just like hackers does regular programs. Simsense programs like Wallspace and Virtual Weather are also available and cost 1 Technomancer Resource point per Complex Form.

Upgrading the Persona Attributes at Character Creation
Sprite Complex Forms 1TP
Common Complex Forms 1TP
Hacking Complex Forms 2TP
System 2TP
Firewall 2TP
Signal 2TP
Response 2TP

Persona Attributes VS Mental Attributes
The Technomancers mental attributes sets a cap on how powerful the Persona can be. Resonance is always the final Cap on the Persona no matter how high a mental attribute is. Complex Forms rating are only limited by Resonance (and System in regards of how powerful programs it can run).

Submersion grade improves the maximum attributes by one in regards to Persona rating.

Response: Intuition
Signal: Charisma
Firewall: Willpower
System: Logic

A technomancer with Mental attributes of 4 and a Submersion grade of 1 would count his mental attributes as 5 instead of 4 in regard to how powerful his personas attributes are allowed to be.

Threading new rules
With the new rules the threading rules from SR4 becomes too powerful so a slight change is in order.

A technomancer can choose to thread a complex form into a more powerful form by threading. Note: The total amount of net hits cannot exceed Complex Form or Resonance, whichever is lowest.

Roll Logic+Software - Each net hit are additional Dice with that complex form for net hits amount of dice rolls.
Fading is Willpower+Resonance VS Total amount of net hits regardless of limit by resonance or complex form rating. Damage from Threading is always stun even if done while Projecting/Materializing.

Threading sprite complex forms are not possible as they are not Complex Forms per se, but rather a base template for compiling sprites.

Threading: Free Action
Bonus: Base Complex Form Rating Dicerolls
Activation: Logic+Software
Fading: Willpower + Resonance VS Net Hits

Example: Teddy the Technomancer threads his Exploit complex form (Rating 3) and rolls Logic(3)+Software(3) and gains 3 net hits. He now gains +3D6 for 3 dice rolls. He then rolls Willpower (4) + Resonance (5) against 3 (Stun).

Sprite Rules Change and New Sprites
A new type of complex form has been added and a technomancer can improve it like any other complex form. In order to compile a sprite the technomancer must know how to compile it so a base template is needed. Even though sprites are formed from the technomancers mind they will still need something to work from. Unlike regular complex forms these are not limited by the personas attributes but only by the Technomancers Resonance of how powerful sprites that can be compiled and the rating of the Complex Form.

A Sprite cannot gain a rating higher than Complex Form rating or Resonance+Submersion – whichever is lower.

Machine Sprites
The machine sprite can function like the pilot sprite but only for devices, not vehicles and drones. The machine sprite can be installed in any electronic device and act as the OS of the system. They can be installed in clothes, sensor tags, stealth tags, printers, washing machines etc…

This means that while you technically can have a commlink with a sprite hacker in it that can run programs, IC Agents etc, but in all other purposes it is a drone so it can be spoofed – something regular devices cannot be, and a spoofed commlink can leak information you might want to keep secret.

Pilot Sprites
Pilot sprites are a specialized in that they cannot function without a body. Some technomancer see them very much like a hermit crab – it needs a “shell� to call home. Some of them even demand more space and can become grumpy if the home is too small (Sprite Rating VS Drone Response). A Pilot Sprite must be subscribed and one task will automatically go to be a Remote Task, in this case a possession of the Drone vessel. A pilot sprite will stay within its new home for Rating X2 Days. During that time the Sprite will follow any commands the technomancer gives regardless of how many tasks it has left. Re-registering the sprite will extend the timeframe for another Rating X2 days. Add +1 for the duration it stays for each point of Response that exceeds the Sprites rating.

Pilot Sprite
Pilot sprites are specialized at controlling vehicles and drones. Of all
sprites, they are the most likely to actually interact with the physical
world via a vehicle or drone.

Pilot Response Firewall Drone Initative IP
Rating Rating Rating+2 Rating+Response 3

Note: All pilot ratings like Attributes, Skills, Powers, Autosofts and Complex Forms are limited by the Vehicles Response.

Powers do not impede the drones Response but Autosoft and Complex Forms counts as running programs.
Skills: Chosen Vehicle Skill, Gunnery, Electronic Warfare
Complex Forms: Encryption, Analyze, ECCM
Powers: Diagnostics, Hash, Stability
Optional CFs: Any Autosoft
Allowed Tasks: Remote Task, Loaned Task

Improving Complex Forms, System and Firewall
Complex Forms, System and Firewall can be learned through the SR4 rules as usual and through a process called Registred Threading – a fixed increase to a complex form. The test is done exactly like learning a complex form.

Complex Form Registred Threading
To succeed the technomancer must succeed with a Intuition+Resonance (5, 1 day) Extended test (Karma cost equal to desired rating). After the extended test the technomancer must make a follow-up test of [Software+Resonance VS Desired Rating] to make the increased complex form permanent.

A failure or glitch will force the technomancer to start over (although the Karma cost is only when the process has succeeded.) The maximum rating a technomancer can gain through this process is equal to software skill.

System & Firewall Registred Threading
System and Firewall I not something a Technomancer can be taught, it is after all a product of their own logical thinking, willpower and intuition – no persona is alike it would be like a rock teaching a fish to fly as their Personas are so different.

Follow the rules for improving complex forms with the following exception: The karma cost is new rating X2 and a Technomancer must roll System/Firewall + Resonance VS the desired rating of the chosen attribute as their follow up test.

Response & Signal Registred Threading
Increasing the Response and Signal of the Persona is a tremendous test of control and discipline by the Technomancer as he struggles to improve his connection to the Resonance and reach out further into the Matrix. Follow the rules for improving System & Firewall.

Submersion Changes and New Rules
Whenever the Technomancer goes through Submersion they can choose one of the following abilities and also increases their Resonance maximum by 1. Unless otherwise noted a submersion can only be chosen once.

Overclocking: The technomancer accelerates his living persona’s system clock, allowing him to act more quickly within the Matrix. This grants the technomancer + 1 to his Response (also increasing his Matrix Initiative), and grants him an additional Initiative Pass while operating in full-sim VR.
Matrix Link.

Accelerator: The technomancer improves his system speed and display time so that he can work more quickly. The technomancer gains a +1IP in Augmented Reality for Matrix Actions Only.

Boosting: The technomancer improves his signal rating by 1. A technomancer with this ability can also use Threading to boost his signal rating up to Resonance or Signal rating X2 (whichever is lowest). Sustaining the Signal is a -2 Dicepool modifier. (Roll EW+Charisma VS New Signal Rating).

Resonance Link: This echo establishes a low-level, one-way empathic link with another technomancer of the character’s choice. As long as both characters are meshed, the technomancer can discern the dominant mood and emotions of the linked companion. He knows whenever the linked companion is under attack or duress, feeling pain, or otherwise endangered online. The resonance link works in only one direction (the linked companion does not receive empathic signals), but two technomancers may both take the echo with each other in mind to create a “two-way� link. A Resonance Link can only be tied to another technomancer by mutual agreement and can be severed by the Technomancer by agreement or an opposed test of Resonance X2.

Device Link: The Technomancer establish a low-level connection deep within the software of a chosen computer system, device or commlink through the Matrix - and always knows the general location of the device and can discern its system status, amount of running programs and how many devices (but not what) are subscribed to it as long as it is connected to the matrix. In order to succeed with this the system must be Spoofed (Drone) or hacked. The link can be severed and established with another device if desired. The link can be found if the Node discovers a hidden signal originating from its own location.

Sprite Power: This submersion gives the Technomancer the ability to learn one Sprite Power. The Technomancer must still find a Sprite that can teach it to him (or compiling his own). A regular test for learning a complex form apply. This ability can be taken multiple times for learning other Sprite Powers. The Electron Storm would become a complement to Cyber Combat very much like Killing hands for Adepts.

Vessel Possession: Vessel possession gives the Techomancer the same abilities as someone with a Control Rig when jumped into a vehicle (it is not compatible with the cyberware version.)

Tunneling: Tunneling works very much like masking – the technomancer can hide their abilities from other technomancers so that they appear like normal people, mostly by hiding their signal completely from other technomancers and making it much harder to find their hidden signal.

Any test to find the Technomancers hidden signal (Sniffer) or by the Track program is increased by their Submersion grade against non-technomancers and it also counts as a hidden signal against other technomancers.

Mass Decompiling: The technomancer reach out and manipulate code on a massive scale as he performs a decompiling on ALL agents and Sprites within the Node all at once.

The technomancer can make an attack on the node itself instructing it to erase every trace of agents, IC and sprites. The drawback is the massive concentration needed and the fact that he basically becomes a lighthouse on the node. The initial attack counts as a Surprise Attack so surprise tests are in order for each target.

All perception tests bonuses for finding the Technomancer is the net damage code on the attack test. Dicepool modifiers on the Decompiling test is -1D6/Agent,IC and Sprite up to a total of -5D6.

A technomancer that dish out 10P damage through matrix combat on ALL active Agents, IC and Sprites would give the Node and surviving entities a +10D6 to the Analyze test to discover intruders.

The technomancer rolls Decompiling+Resonance+Modifiers as normal VS Highest Rating X2.

[Ta'al]

Excellent! I'm glad that SOMEONE finally decided to un-nerf the TM's, and although I'm sure you'll find some minor points to be argued, on the whole these TM's seem far more playable than the stock ones.

One thing, I like the Technopoints system you use, but I'm a little unclear on the way it works. The TM starts with rating 1 in everything (as it should be) and then spends the appropreate TPs on upgrades at char creation, okay.

The wording here is a little confusing (at least for my tiny mind ;))

[The Jopp]

heh, well, i realized shortly after i posted this that improving your Personas Signal and Response can only be done through Submersion which is a bit wrong - i need to change that.

I’m thinking of changing Response and Signal into Attributes that can be raised individually and then one can add Submersion abilities to increase it even more. I need to rework that.

The Tech Points are used individually for each Complex Form. If you want armour to be at rating 3 you pay 2 points to raise it from 1 to 3.

[Kyoto Kid]

...just skimming through I like what I see and agree with the higher BP cost. I will take a longer look at this during my lunch break.

[The Jopp]

A quick change:

Response & Signal Improvement
Increasing the Response and Signal of the Persona is a tremendous test of control and discipline by the Technomancer as he struggles to improve his connection to the Resonance and reach out further into the Matrix. Follow the rules for improving System & Firewall. Cap for Response is Intuition and Charisma for Signal.

and Submersion abilities:

...Unless otherwise noted a submersion can only be chosen once.

And another clarification:

Device Link: The Technomancer establish a low-level connection deep within the software of a chosen computer system, device or commlink through the Matrix - and always knows the general location of the device and can discern its system status, amount of running programs and how many devices (but not what) are subscribed to it as long as it is connected to the matrix. In order to succeed with this the system must be Spoofed (Drone) or hacked. The link can be severed and established with another device if desired. The link can be found if the Node discovers a hidden signal originating from it’s own location.

[iron_ic]

I do like some of your ideas (higher BP cost in exchange for more special abilities, esp. emulating cyberware) whereas I don't like others. Generally speaking I'd say: Good points but way to much text and way to many totally new rules (ghosting, Techno Points). Try to stick to known rules as everything else is like opening Pandora's box.

[The Jopp]

[Ravor]

Well personally I'm not sure why anyone would acutally play a Decker anymore, although I agree that Technomancers need a boost, this isn't my cup of tea.

What I did was treat Complex Forms like spells, you learn them once and they are good to your Resonance Rating.

[The Jopp]

[Garrowolf]

What I did to make them less of a karma hog was to change what complex forms were a bit. I made them the resonance aspect of a program. Basically a TM would still need a regular program but they could create a complex form that they could attach to the program to make it work better then it should.

A TM could create a complex form of a rating equal to half their Resonance rounded up. This is added to the program rating. So if they have a snoop program at 5 and they have a Resonance of 4 then they can create a snoop complex form of 2 and add that to the 5 to get a 7. They only have to pay for the complex form of 2.

TMs now use computer skills the same way as everyone else but they can add the complex forms to augment their software. This means that they are hackers with special abilities instead of having special abilities that mimic hacking. I think that this makes more sense.

I guess one way of thinking about it is that in the RAW they are sort of casting a spell to create a gun. In this version they are casting a easier spell to improve a gun they already carry.

Make sense?

[Garrowolf]

I was also thinking it would make more sense to break up some of these extra abilities you are talking about into submerssion abilities so that people could decide on their direction themselves.

[The Jopp]

[Eleazar]

I like where these rules are going but I would like to see them fit in with the current SR4 a little bit better. I don't want to have to treat Technomancers completely different in character creation. These rules while improving Technomancers makes them much less accessible from a rules and ease of use standpoint. I really like where your going though.

[The Jopp]

Well, the quickie version is to givet hem points for complex forms through [Intuition+Logic X Resonance] and skip the Logic cap at character creation.Due to the heavy cost in Resonance and mental attributes they are point and karma hogs already.

[Garrowolf]

well the Ghosting would make sense as a submersion ability. Another echo I thought would be interesting which may be covered by your ghosting is make TMs the ones that can do things to AR in interesting ways. Like have him able to do illusions and such that anyone with AR will see. Have him be able to make himself invisible to everyone with AR and cybereyes, ala the Laughing Man from Ghost in the Shell.

Make a series of complex forms that are not linked to a program and expand upon certain abilities.

BTW what did you think of the previous post about rethinking complex forms?

[The Jopp]

A new Submersion

Torrent: The technomancer becomes scattered through the node and his persona is hidden all over the node. Any perception test to find the technomancer or track him have a negative dicepool equal to the technomancers submersion grade.

[ornot]

That's a little overpowered if you ask me. TMs can already thread their stealth CF to ridiculous levels. Just my 2yen.

[Chunk Of Horn]

I really like where you are going here, I am going to try to implement it in my game, perhaps as an NPC as none of my players wanted to play a TM because they are so wholly broken as stated in the rules and I will post my experience when I get a chance to play test it. But seriously thanks for your time and effort to fix this class, as I really love the concept… to the point I used to play a otaku…

-Daniel

[The Jopp]

[The Jopp]

Hmm, I have now tried to compile a basic "Average" Technomancer with the followinng stats
from these rules:

Technomancer: 15 points
Physical Attributes Value: 3 (Physical and mental)
Resonance: 3
Persona Attributes: 3 (System, Firewall, Response, Signal)
All Program Complex Forms: 3
Sprite Forms: All at 3 except Machine and Pilot at 1 (Tech points ran out)
Electronics Skill Group: 3
Cracking Skill Group: 3
Tasking SKill Group: 3

90BP left for the following:

Needed Active Skills
Resources
Contacts
Race
Edge

So even with all these bonuses we get an across-the-board average Technomancer
which means that they are still very much like SR4 envisioned them, specialists -
because in order to be better at soemthing compared to a starting Hacker you WILL
have to specialise within a specific field.

*EDIT*

Even though they get a marginally better start (by having access to all complex form in one way or other for example) they will still be karma hogs.

The entire persona is limited by mental attributes so in order to improve the persona you need to have better attributes. So, first you pay karma for the mental attribute and then additional karma to increase a persona attribute.

Overall they get a better start but in the long run they will probably cost just as much karma.

[The Jopp]

Ok, I have now revised the rules and edited my first post and there are several changes. First and foremost is the fact that I see them as matrix mages and so I needed fix the earlier “ghosting” a bit.

Like mages they now have Matrix Projection and Matrix Materialization (with accompanying drawbacks and risks) to truly make them into digital mages that roam the matrix.

[Dentris]

My take on how to-unnerf the technomancer: Submersion automatically gives a bonus to the technomancer's known complex form equal to its submersion grade. A starting technomancer is still worst than a hacker, but he's catching up fast with a few karma.

[The Jopp]

[The Jopp]

I’ve been tweaking and rearranging certain aspects of the Technomancer V2.0 and especially the Resource aspect.

The persona and complex form are now more handled like a Commlink in regards of gaining it, you buy it. All Complex Forms AND the Persona starts at Zero which means that for those that wants to you can begin as an emerging technomancer that has to learn things from scratch..

You still use Techno points and gain them by trading in your regular resources at a 1/5 ratio. So if you start off dirt poor you can gain 250 Techno points and a Persona that eats black IC for breakfast – but you most likely live in a dumpster.

Like the hacker you CAN start with all complex forms at 6 and your Persona attributes between 5-6 but you wont have BP’s for much else. Most likely you would land around rating 4 on everything and lower some aspects to specialize in something else.

Anyone know where I can host these files instead of updating the 1st post all the time for those who are interested?

[El Comandante]

Is it an official revision, just a draft or a personal non-canon proposition?