Imperialus' dedicated character thread, please, let me know what you think. Options

[imperialus]

This is my first attempt at creating a character who can hack. I'm sure I've overlooked stuff. Thanks in advance for any input/advice/critisisem you have.

Streetname: ???
Primary SIN: Jiro Hastamura
Concept: Combat Hacker
Race: Human

Attributes: 200BP
Bod: 5 +1to damage rolls
Agi: 5 (7)
Rea: 4 (5)
Str: 2 (4)
Cha: 3
Int: 3
Log: 4
Wil: 2

Edge: 3 (4)
Essence: 0.66 (without Biocompatability factored in)

Skills: 128
Cracking (group): 3
Automatics: 5
Pistols: 4
Ettiquette: 2
Dodge: 2
Unarmed Combat: 2
Computer: 3
Hardware: 2
DataSearch: 2
Software: 2
Pilot Ground Craft: 1/Car 2

Knowledge Skills: 21 (free)
Japanese Underworld: 4
Bodyguard Procedure: 3
Japanese Classical Music: 2
Matrix Security Procedures: 2
Corporate Security: 3
Megacorp Security: 3

Negative Qualities:
Mild Allergy: Soy (-10)
Addiction Mild: Stims (-5)

Positive Qualities:
Biocompatability: (10)

Cyber/bioware: (50 bp 250,000 :nuyen:)
Phenotypic Alteration (Priced at 25,000 since it’s just for background)
Custom Obvious Full Arm +2 agility: 27,250
(small smuggling compartment, Cyberarm Gyromount, Agi mod +2, Armor mod +2, Str mod +1, Body mod +2) (final stats: agi 7, bod 5, str 4, arm 2.)
Cybereyes: 8750
(smartlink, Low light, vision enhancement 2, thermo, flare comp, vision mag)
Datajack (beta): 2000
Commlink: 2000
Plastic Bone Lacing: 10,000
Skillwires 3: 6000
Internal air tank: 650
Muscle Replacement 2: 10,000
Synaptic Boosters 1: 80,000
Sleep Regulator: 10,000

Gear:
Scan 5, Analyze 5, Browse 3, Command 4, Edit 5, Encrypt 5, Reality Filter 3: 2100
Armor 4, Attack 5, Biofeedback 2, Black Hammer 5, Decrypt 3, Exploit 4, Medic 3, Sniffer 2, Stealth 5: 27,500
Meta-Link Comlink: 100
Vector Xim OS: 200
Custom Cranial comlink Res 5, Sig 5, OS 5, FW 5 modified for Hot Sim: 10350
Used Ford Americar (Honda Sprint w/4 doors): 10,000
Actioneer Business Cloths: 1500
Armored Jacket: 900
Rating 6 SIN (attached to implated comlink): 6000
Rating 6 License for cyberware: 3000
Rating 3 SIN attached to meta link: 3000
Rating 1 SIN (attached to implated comlink) (this is active when he’s hacking): 1000
Streetline Special (crap gun I know, but it’s all I could justify him sneaking past airport security): 100
10 rounds regular ammo: 20
5 nights pre-paid at a low end motel 500
no lifestyle yet (he just got into town)

2080 :nuyen: left.


Fiction:

As the doors of Seatac slid open, Jiro Hastamura got his first look at Seattle. The smog was heavy and a moderate drizzle quickly began to soak his business suit as drops of water ran down the hard lines of his face. As he paused for a moment to get his bearings several painted joytoys, of both sexes approached him shouting propositions, ideas, and prices. Jiro fought hard to keep a sneer from appearing on his face… He’d heard of how forward American society could be, but it was much more so than he’d imagined. If any of the punks knew that as little as a few months ago he would have likely killed them all where they stood for their impropriety with almost total immunity from any consequences they may have acted differently… but that was a different man, in a different world, living a different life. The old rules no longer applied, he had to adapt, evolve and relearn his skills if there was to be a hope of accomplishing his goals. He muttered something about not being interested and pushed his way past them to a line of waiting taxi’s.

Pulling the door open he shoved his small suitcase into the far side of the passenger seat and settled into the cracked, greasy synthleather seat. The driver, a grinning Rastafarian with no more than a half dozen teeth in his head turned to look at him.

“Hey mon, where ya headed?�
“I would like to be driven to an… inexpensive hotel near downtown please…� the English still felt strange on his tongue.
“No prob mon, you here fer business?�
“Yes… you could say that.�

The cabbie continued making small talk as the car wound its way through the rain slicked streets before pulling up beside a shabby mid sized building with a neon vacancy sign flickering in the evening light. As Jiro stepped out of the cab another streetwalker leaning against a streetlight smoking a cigarette shouted something at him. As she was across the street Jiro simply ignored her as he paid the fair adding the ten percent gratuity that his guidesoft assured him was customary in Seattle. Judging by the cabbies reaction the guidebook was wrong… ten percent was high, and he made sure to give Jiro his com-address in case he needed a ride back to the airport.

As Jiro walked into the hotel room and flicked on the light a naked fluorescent bulb bathed the room in a sick yellow light. He slowly removed his suit jacket and hung it to dry smoothing the creases that had formed around the armor plates concealed in the chest. Crossing the room to the window he gazed out at the street, apparently there was a club that was just starting to get busy but already the noise from the crowd and the thumping bass track could be heard clearly, sleeping might be a challenge tonight. Still though his eye caught the antiquated fire escape bolted to the side of the building, that was good, it always helped to have an escape route.

Moving to the bathroom he turned on the water and splashed some on his face. Pausing he gazed at the reflection in the mirror. His fingers slowly traced the hard line of his jawbone and across the thin lips that were still completely alien to him. It had only been two weeks since he’d emerged from the tank in Keruki San’s shadowclinic. Kanaye Sanesha had died in that tank and Jiro had been born. The rounded face that had earned him the nickname “kiddo� had vanished, replaced with angular, predatory features that looked vaguely like a bird of prey. Jiro was even taller, a fact that became readily apparent on the economy class flight over. Kanaye had sacrificed everything to come to Seattle and now it was up to Jiro to finish what Kanaye and so many others had died for.

After quickly drying his face Jiro activated his contacts list and found the one Seattle number in the list. His old fixer Hakari had given him the number, apparently Tinman was a friend of his. Hakari had gotten in touch with him and Tinman had agreed to try and find Jiro some work once he got here.

“Tinman-San, this is STREETNAME. I have just arrived in Seattle. Could you possibly return my call when it is convenient? I must purchase some items and find some employment and was told that you might be able to provide both.�

Jiro then began looking through the matrix hunting for some of the legal item that would be necessary to start his new life. He flagged a listing for a four-year-old Americar that would likely suit his needs for now, but had a difficult time finding a listing for an apartment that met his criteria. Perhaps this Tinman might have some suggestions.

Jiro quickly changed into jeans and a t-shirt and began organizing the rest of his possessions around the room. His armored working jacket went on a chair beside the bed. He mentally popped a catch on his cyberarm and removed a small compact pistol from the hidden compartment. He checked the clip and placed the pistol on the bedside table. The rest of his cloths were carefully folded and placed in the dresser drawers. With nothing left to do but wait and his sleep regulator preventing him from actually sleeping Jiro lay back on the bed and stared at the slowly rotating ceiling fan thinking back on the chain of events that had brought him here.

Background:

Jiro was born Kanaye (kiddo) Sanesha in the Osaka prefecture. His mother was a single working mom and though she tried hard to keep her son on the right path the idea of easy money and a glitzy lifestyle drew him into service with the Yakuza. He became a soldier for the Yakimura clan and proved to be a quick learner and quickly rose through the ranks. He was one of the first soldiers in Yakimura to adapt to the new wireless matrix and became a fairly accomplished hacker. He was one of the clans rising stars and had begun to make a name for himself when life as he knew it came to an end.

Approximatly two months ago the a rival clan called the Saito’s attacked the Yakimura’s by surprise and in a single bloody day managed to completely eliminate the clan. Such an attack was made possible by the treachery of one of Yakimura’s senior Oyubans who provided the Saito’s with detailed plans surrounding the marriage ceremony of Wasari Yakimura’s youngest daughter. Kanaye was the only clan member who wasn’t present, and therefore killed when the Saito’s blew up the convention hall where the reception was being held. He was out of the city for his mothers funeral and had received permission to miss the ceremony. Gobe Mamuru, one of the senior soldiers within the clan survived the initial blast and emailed Kanaye to tell him what had happened and wire him a large sum of money along with his final orders. To kill the Oyuban who had betrayed the Yakimura’s and do everything he could to destroy the Saito clan.

Kanaye decided that it would be best to erase all trace of his past and track the traitorous Oyuban down. He soon learned that he had been sent to Seattle to oversee their operations there so Kanaye contacted a doctor who was loyal to the Yakimura’s and had a well equipped shadowclinic and underwent phenotypic alteration to turn him into a new man that the Oyuban would never recognize. Unfortunately the process was not a hundred percent successful as it retarded much of his muscle memory forcing him to relearn many of the skills that were formerly as natural to him as breathing.

Very quickly after getting out of the clinic Kanaye, now Jiro discovered that the Oyuban who betrayed the Yakimura’s had been sent to Seattle by his new masters becoming the Oyuban over all their operations in the city. Jiro contacted another old friend who got him in touch with a fixer in Seattle and Jiro set out to accomplish his mission.

[Spike]

I'm assuming you're going for a Japanese name over some vaguely japanish handle?

Hastamura does not work. Drop the S and you'll be fine. With few exceptions you don't run into too many double consonants in Japanese language (Tsu is good, however. As is Shi... and many case a pp, or other literally double (same letter twice)) is legal and proper.

ST, however jars.






Um... I'll have to get back to you if you want game related advice here....

[Adarael]

Goddamit, Spike. You totally beat me to it.
Woe unto me, for my position on these boards has been stolen.

[Spike]

[imperialus]

well that's easy enough to fix. Thanks for pointing it out. Baby name books are great for first names but a little short on surnames.

[Moon-Hawk]

[Spike]

[Marwynn]

Wow, 0.66 Essence... Even with Biocompatibility with Cyberware factored in you're barely over 1.10 Essence.

That's a bit too much for a starting character. Money will be easy to come by for a hacker, for anyone really, and it may be worth it to hold off on a few things till later.

Are these essential to your character? And wouldn't the presence of cyberlimbs, especially an obvious one, not be a big clue as to his identity. Or was that accomplished after his transformation?


Suggestions:
- Non-combat programs (Analyze, Edit, etc) should be purchased at Rating 6. They're cheap.
- Cracking skill group at 3 while automatics at 5 makes this guy more of a shooting sammy that can hack. I'd suggest going for the full 4 points there at least.
- Purchase Electronics as a skill group. Saves you points.
- Hacking/Cybercombat programs should be at 5-6 if you can manage it. 4 is respectable. You'll need 'Spoof' which throws people off your electronic trail and lets you do all sorts of stuff.

May I also suggest going for Muscle Augmentation / Muscle Toner at Rating 2 instead of Muscle Replacement 2? Unless it's necessary for his background it'll save up some Essence for later. For example, when you get access to a sweet cranial commlink with R6 and S6 and want to replace the one you have, you'll have plenty of "space" left over.

[imperialus]

Well the downside to the bioware is price. I just can't afford it... Perhaps if I lowered the muscle replacement to rating 1 that would up my essence to 1.66 and still keep my str at 3 and agility at 6. I can always pawn off the cyber and replace it with the toner augmentation combo once I get the cash. That'll also free up some cash for some better programs.

I was kinda going for a street sam first hacker second.

The cyberlimb is going to be a new addition. He didn't previously have one.

[Ryu]

Nice char. Your campaign ignores availability-limitations (avail 12-(SIN), no betaware)? Exploit should always be at max., because you might need to hack on the fly.

Consider bioware-muscles instead of muscle replacement. Your skillwires are "empty"? Get them later on, those are cheap.

You don´t need Pilot Ground Craft: 1/Cars to drive a car to town. It´s only needed if you are doing any kind of risky maneuver. As it does nothing for the concept and is rarely aquired in japanese towns (land of mass transit), I´d drop it.

[imperialus]

[Jaid]

[imperialus]

[Jaid]

[Adarael]

[Fortune]

[Fortune]

[imperialus]

Hrm... You're right. The char gen must have forgotten math... I just checked my re-jiggered skill list by hand and it adds up.

And yes I spent 4 points on languages

[Dizzman]

As a street sam first, hacker second he looks good. Some changes that would streamline the character a little bit, make him more of a hacker and free up some resources/essence.

-Buying electronics as a group is a good way to free up some BP
-Exploit and Stealth are vital - I would consider them at 5 or 6
-I'd drop the muscle replacement for muscle toner (str isn't that important)
-