Recruitment: Old World Charm, Runnin' in the 'Port Options

[quentra]

Go ahead. I love technos, think they're an awesome addition to SR and fit in with the postcyberpunk theme. The rules might not allow technos to be superpwn awesome, but if you're really bp screwed, I might houserule something.

[Professeur]

Alright, I'll spend a few points in hacking skills.

[Aaron]

Go ahead. I love technos, think they're an awesome addition to SR and fit in with the postcyberpunk theme. The rules might not allow technos to be superpwn awesome, but if you're really bp screwed, I might houserule something.

I should be okay.

[Professeur]

I think I changed my mind... I'd be more at ease if somebody else handled the backup-hacker part. I'm not comfortable enough with hackers to play one in my first Pbp game. Of course if nobody wants to do it I'll keep my word and do it, but I'd rather not, for the sake of the game and GM.

[quentra]

Heh. I actually like the matrix rules (please don't stone me.) But then, I have to handle SR3 decking which gives me nightmares (its true!) The abstract nature of SR4 rules let me interpret a lot of the matrix rules in ways I think they should operate, so it mostly works out.

[Professeur]

Here's a quick first draft of what it's gonna look like. I'm still thinking about the PC and the contacts' backgrounds (and names), but I'm working on it. Basically I'm aiming for a expert Con artist, with some offensive ability. Personnality-wise, I think I'll go for the arrogant french (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Metatype 30 BP
Elf

Attributes 200BP

[ Spoiler ]

Body: 4
Agility: 4
Reaction: 4
Strength: 2
Charisma: 7
Intuition: 3
Logic: 4
Willpower: 3

Special Attributes 60 BP

[ Spoiler ]

Edge: 3
Magic: 5

Qualities -25 BP

[ Spoiler ]

Adept
First Impression
Addiction, moderate (Alcohol)
Allergy com/mild (soy)
Geas (still haven't decided)
SINner

Skills 116 BP

[ Spoiler ]

Influence : 4
Con (Impersonation) : 5 (7)
Etiquette : 4
Leadership : 4
Negotiation : 4
Dodge (Ranged Combat) : 3 (5) - 5 (7)
Pistols (Semi-Automatics) : 2 (4) - 4 (6)
Disguise (Cosmetic) : 3 (5) - 5 (7)
Inflitration (Urban) : 2 (4)
Perception : 3
Running (Sprinting) : 1 (3)
Pilot Ground Craft : 1

Gear 13 BP

[ Spoiler ]

Fake Sin (Rating 4)
Fake Sin (Rating 2)
Fake Sin (Rating 1)
Medkit (Rating 6)
Medkit Supplies
Respirator (Rating 6)
Gecko Tape Gloves
Earbud
+ Audio Enhancement (Rating 3)
+ Select Sound Filter (Rating 3)
Glasses
+Image Link
+Smartlink
+Vision Enhancement (Rating 3)
+Vision Magnification
Goggles
+Ultrasound Vision
Fake License (Rating 4)
Fake License (Rating 2)
5x Certified Credstick (Standard)
2x Certified Credstick (Silver)

1 month High Lifestyle
Mercury Comet (Sedan)

Commlink : Novatech Airware
OS : Mangadyne Deva
Firewall (Rating 4)
Nanopaste Trodes
Subvocal Microphone
Agent/IC/Pilot (Rating 3)
Analyze (Rating 6)
Browse (Rating 4)
Edit (Rating 3)
Encrypt (Rating 3)
Armor (Rating 3)
Black Hammer (Rating 3)
Medic (Rating 3)

Ares Predator IV
Concealable Holster
Silencer
3x Gel Rounds (10 shots)
12x Regular Ammo (10 shots)
10x Spare Clips
Actioneer Businnes Clothes
Lined Coat
Chameleon Suit
Nonconductivity (Rating 3)
Thermal Dampening (Rating 6)

Adept powers (5)

[ Spoiler ]

Kinesics (level 4)
Improved Ability : Pistols (Level 2)
Improved Ability : Dodge (Level 2)
Voice Control
Facial Sculpt (Level 2)

Contacts 7x2 Free + 6BP

[ Spoiler ]

Fixer L3 C4
Vory Boss L3 C3
Corporate Shark L4 C3

As I said it's a first draft, it's bound to change. Any comments ?

[quentra]

Can you add prices to your gear? It really helps me count everything out. Also, I forgot to mention that for my awakened characters, expect a background count of one (at least) in many places.

Yeah, the astral is as bleak and ravaged as you would expect. Mana
ebbs and background counts are the norm, since the new sprawl was
built directly on the toxic remains of the Black Tide.
> Ethernaut

Oh, and Professeur, I'd suggest soft-maxing Cha and getting tailored pheremones, since tailored will bump you up to a cha 8, and save you 16 points if you get tailored 3. (45k or 9 BP compared to 25 to hard-max.) But its up to you, since you'd be losing a point of magic and a power. Put that together with background counts being the norm, you might not want to cyber at all.

[Professeur]

Alright, so I dropped 1 point in charisma, 6 being my new unaugmented max. I bought tailored pheromones 3, which frees up 1bp to pour into contacts. To compensate for the magic point loss, I dropped improved ability : pistols.

As for the gear prices, I'll add them later. I used Daegann's character generator, so there shouldn't be any mistake there.

[quentra]

You have a background for the chara? I'm looking for something a bit more specific than 'arrogant french guy...' (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

Also, is breaking skill groups at chargen in Core anywhere? I'll allow it, but I'm just interested if there's an actual rule for it.

EDIT: 20 die to pretend you're someone else? 7 (skill+spec) + 9 (cha) + 4 (kinesics) if I'm reading it right. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I might just have to use those NPC pornomancers. Now I don't feel bad about the prevalent background count.

[Professeur]

Yes of course I'll write a background (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) . I just have a couple university-related things I have to handle right now before I dive into it. Don't worry, I won't play a cardboard-cutout.

As for breaking skill groups, I haven't read anything about it being allowed or forbidden. I just assumed it was reasonable ; in the present case my character is an all-around good Influence guy, but is a better con-man than negociator. Otherwise, you'd have to leave your skill group at 4 or purchase your skills individually (eeek!).

[quentra]

Yeah, which is why I allow breaking skill groups. Otherwise it makes little sense, since you can break them with karma.

[Tabula Rasa]

I'm pretty sure if you get a skill group you aren't allowed to improve individual skills in that group at character gen or get a specialization in any of them. I'd love it if you allowed us to break from that, or if someone pointed out that I was horribly and embarrasingly wrong.

[crizh]

I'm pretty sure if you get a skill group you aren't allowed to improve individual skills in that group at character gen or get a specialization in any of them. I'd love it if you allowed us to break from that, or if someone pointed out that I was horribly and embarrasingly wrong.

No, you're right. Heck, I wish. That method is saving the sample build 24BP! That's enough for a skill at 6....

[Aaron]

Here's my draft. It's still a work in progress. The background is that he was a young admin for a section of the docks when the Emergence scare happened. He was fingered as a technomancer, chased, and subsequently faked his own death, dropping into the shadows. I'm basing his personality loosely on that of the character, Vila Restal, from "Blake's 7."

Crunch bits below.

[ Spoiler ]

Resterend, Male Dwarf Technomancer, age 23 (25)

ATTRIBUTES (170 P/M, 235 total)
Body: 3
Agility: 2
Reaction: 2
Strength: 3
Charisma: 5
Intuition: 5
Logic: 3
Willpower: 6
Edge: 2
Resonance: 6
Initiative: 7
Matrix Initiative: 11
Essence: 6

ACTIVE SKILLS (108)
Compiling : 5
Decompiling : 2
Registering : 5
Computer : 3
Ground Vehicles : 1
Gunnery : 1
Software : 4
Perception : 2
Etiquette : 2
Hacking : 2

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS (24 free)
The Shipping Business: 4
Portoplex Hiding Places: 3
Motor Sports: 3
Drones: 3
Esoteric Technology: 3
Secret Projects: 3
Geek Matrix Sites: 3

LANGUAGES
Dutch: N
English: 2

QUALITIES (-10)
Technomancer
Codeslinger (Compile Sprite)
Blandness
Sensitive System
Combat Paralysis

LIVING PERSONA
Firewall 6
Response 5
Signal 3
System 3
Bio-Feedback Filter 5

COMPLEX FORMS (22)
Armor 6
Analyze 5
Command 6
Stealth 5

CONTACTS (3)
Marius, Smuggler (Connection 3, Loyalty 3)
Gisela, Drone Service Franchise Owner (Connection 4, Loyalty 3)

GEAR (7)
Full suit form-fitting body armor w/ fire resistance 6 and nonconductivity 6
Armor Jacket (total armor: 14/8, and yes, I know)
Ruger Super Warhawk
10 rounds EX-explosive, heavy pistol
10 flash-bangs
High lifestyle (1 month)
Earbuds w/ audio enhancement 3 and spatial recognizer
Fake SIN (Rating 4)
CMT Clip w/ Vector Xim OS (Firewall 1, Response 1, System 1, Signal 2)
Medkit (Rating 6)
2 trauma patches
Shiawase Kanmushi drone
Sikorsky-Bell Microskimmer drone
"Henny," GM-Nissan Doberman Medium Drone w/ Walker Mode, Weapon Mount (external, fixed, remote control), Clearsight 3 and Targeting 3 [everything up to here included off-the-shelf], Armor +6 [takes 1 slot of 4], chameleon coating [takes 2 slots of 4, -4 to visual Perception Tests], mounted Ares Alpha w/ 1000 rounds EX-explosive ammo and 10 HE grenades.

STARTING NUYEN: (4D6 + 12) x 500¥ -> Roll: [6,3,2,6] = (17) + 11 = 28 x 500¥ = 14,000¥

[Professeur]

I don't think he'll allow all this Arsenal stuff, Aaron... Maybe if you give him the stats he will allow them ?

[cndblank]

Tentative Players

kookyjeld
Tabula Rasa
Professeur
Aaron
Cthulhudreams

You mean I missed out by 41 minutes.

Well keep me in mind.

[Cthulhudreams]

Sounds like Qventra, my ex-FSB techno. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) Must be a Russian thing. Ti ruski v'nastayashamu tojze?

For the Skriatok metavarient can you give me the mechanical details?

It's an ork. No other details or changes. While if I was writing some proccess for them to 'evolve' i'd look at something different, i'm not going to and he is going to be stuck at his current size, which is best matched with an Ork. So ork with no modifications it is. I also don't speak russian (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I like the character, but without BP costs, I can't really say anything. And the background will be important. How did he end up in an urban sprawl like Europort? What're his goals? Does he even has goals? Most importantly, can he function in a team? While there will be plenty of backstabbing, the characters should develop a sense of trust for each other. After all, backstabbing hurts more when you twist the knife.

Haha, yeah, I've got a spreadsheet I'll give you with all details etc, after I've slightly tweak that sheet. Got to change the languages, knowledge skills and spell line up slightly, and fix a few other bits and bobs. i'll cough up goals and a revised background at that junction.

Europort is an obvious half way house if you are a poor peasant leaving russia and moving on to bigger things. As a centre of commerce, well, his theory is the closer you get to the money, the more you get paid.

that said the background count issue is a bit of a problem. Background count double teams mages because you loose magic upfront and your spell is worse later, in a double count. In a background count of 4 a starting character mage cannot cast spells, ever.

Having a BCG of 1 all the time is a heavy hitter! I'll have to think about it.

Last question: Arsenal - is Form Fitting Body Armour allowed? I'd honestly prefer it if the answer to that was 'no' but I'm flexible.

[Aaron]

I don't think he'll allow all this Arsenal stuff, Aaron... Maybe if you give him the stats he will allow them ?

Fair point. Stats added.

[kookyjeld]

Hey, just wanted to let you guys know that I'm working on my character. I'm waiting for some feedback from quentra regarding a mentor spirit, but it should all be good after that. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Aaron]

I just edited my character description a bit.

[quentra]

...that said the background count issue is a bit of a problem. Background count double teams mages because you loose magic upfront and your spell is worse later, in a double count. In a background count of 4 a starting character mage cannot cast spells, ever.

Having a BCG of 1 all the time is a heavy hitter! I'll have to think about it.

Last question: Arsenal - is Form Fitting Body Armour allowed? I'd honestly prefer it if the answer to that was 'no' but I'm flexible.

Yeah, there will be a count of 1 in most non corp areas (which I'm gonna assume have been cleansed.) I'm not gonna hit you guys with higher counts just yet, due to the three awakened players we have, but it's gonna hit you guys pretty hard. About FFBA...I'm pretty flipfloppy on the issue. On one hand, I see it as an SR staple (like Dikote) which makes me loath to remove it (like Dikote.) On the other....6/3 but counts only as 3/1 for encumbrance? Its a damn good deal, and you're pretty damn stupid if you don't pick it up.

I think I'll allow it. Emotitoys are still a no. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) Just don't expect only the PCs to have it. After all, it is a must have item.

Also, can you guys pricetag your gear? That really speeds up the review process.

Also, @Aaron: The only Arsenal thing I'm gonna allow is FFBA and the drone mods. No guns or ammo. Also, you don't have a commlink? So you're gonna broadcast to the world that you're a techno? Also, the Fake SIN isn't a physical document, its a string of numbers stored on some kind of wifi medium, usually on a commlink, so unless you want your gun or clothes to broadcast your SIN, I recommend getting a commlink. And BP total your atts, skills, etc.

[Tabula Rasa]

I'm going to mostly finish my character tonight and post something for you to review. Just out of curiousity, anyone got a good character generator spreadsheet or program?

I have found okay ones, but my best spreadsheet has like no room for cyber beyond a few pieces, the other one doesn't calculed equipment costs for you and the program one I have doesn't print character sheets with BP costs and nuyen costs... gah.

[quentra]

I just use the excel spreadsheet one...Yeah, it doesn't have autogear tables, but I just put them in myself.

[Aaron]

Also, @Aaron: The only Arsenal thing I'm gonna allow is FFBA and the drone mods. No guns or ammo.

Okay, I'll fix that.

Also, you don't have a commlink? So you're gonna broadcast to the world that you're a techno? Also, the Fake SIN isn't a physical document, its a string of numbers stored on some kind of wifi medium, usually on a commlink, so unless you want your gun or clothes to broadcast your SIN, I recommend getting a commlink. And BP total your atts, skills, etc.

That's all going to depend on when we're playing. Is it past the time when technomancers have gained grudging if wary acceptance, or are we still in full lynching furor?

[quentra]

Its after Emergence, so techno's are accepted...kinda. I still see lots of technomancers 'disappearing', but not exactly lynching time. If you wanna be a techno full out, that's fine, but it might cause problems down the road once your cred goes up. Also, I hear techno's still fetch a good price on the black market... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/devil.gif)

I'm gonna be posting an IC news article or two soon, just so you guys can grasp the current corpopolitical situation in the Port, and hopefully understand more about what's going on. I don't wanna throw you guys to the wolves, after all.