Technomancer Riggers - am I reading this right? Options

[HentaiZonga]

So, a Technomancer's Response is equal to their Intuition, +1 when in full-VR, and with another +1 if they've bought the Overclock Echo. Also, a Reality Filter adds +1 Response while working in a compatible node.

When "jumped in" (which is a full-VR interface), a rigger uses Response + skill + Handling to make any skill test with drone arm/legs.

So, a "jumped in" Technomancer uses (Intuition + 1 to 3) as their Attribute when performing any skill checks with a drone they're rigging? Is that right? And their Initiative is (Intuition x2) +1, with 3IP?

[Jaid]

So, a Technomancer's Response is equal to their Intuition, +1 when in full-VR, and with another +1 if they've bought the Overclock Echo. Also, a Reality Filter adds +1 Response while working in a compatible node.

When "jumped in" (which is a full-VR interface), a rigger uses Response + skill + Handling to make any skill test with drone arm/legs.

So, a "jumped in" Technomancer uses (Intuition + 1 to 3) as their Attribute when performing any skill checks with a drone they're rigging? Is that right? And their Initiative is (Intuition x2) +1, with 3IP?

no. like any rigger, they are limited to the response of the vehicle they are operating.

however, they would indeed get their matrix initiative as their initiative score, and since they can only operate in hotsim when in full VR and rigging must be done in full VR, they would indeed have 3 IPs (4 with overclock)

also, depending on how much you follow what the rules say vs what the rules intended, riggers operating an anthroform humanoid drone use their vehicle skill as their agility attribute, including stuff that effects vehicle skill rolls (for example, a rigger with pilot anthroform 6 (biped +2), a control rig, and control rig booster nanites (rating 3) would have an effective agility of 13 + handling when operating a humanoid anthroform drone. if said rigger also has automatics 4 and a smartgun, their DP when firing an SMG using the drone's hands would be 13 + 4(skill) + 2(smartlink) or 17).

that last rule is listed for cyborgs specifically, but the devs (or at least, a dev) has said those rules were intended to cover any time a humanoid drone is being rigged at all.

[HentaiZonga]

no. like any rigger, they are limited to the response of the vehicle they are operating.

however, they would indeed get their matrix initiative as their initiative score, and since they can only operate in hotsim when in full VR and rigging must be done in full VR, they would indeed have 3 IPs (4 with overclock)

also, depending on how much you follow what the rules say vs what the rules intended, riggers operating an anthroform humanoid drone use their vehicle skill as their agility attribute, including stuff that effects vehicle skill rolls (for example, a rigger with pilot anthroform 6 (biped +2), a control rig, and control rig booster nanites (rating 3) would have an effective agility of 13 + handling when operating a humanoid anthroform drone. if said rigger also has automatics 4 and a smartgun, their DP when firing an SMG using the drone's hands would be 13 + 4(skill) + 2(smartlink) or 17).

that last rule is listed for cyborgs specifically, but the devs (or at least, a dev) has said those rules were intended to cover any time a humanoid drone is being rigged at all.

Interesting! I never liked that rule; I always had (Response + Handling) substitute for Agility, and the rigger's Skill is limited by their Pilot Anthroform skill - i.e., if you have Pistols at 5, and Pilot Anthroform at 3, you can only use 3 Pistols dice.

Also, where is a vehicle's Response rating listed?

[Jaid]

Interesting! I never liked that rule; I always had (Response + Handling) substitute for Agility, and the rigger's Skill is limited by their Pilot Anthroform skill - i.e., if you have Pistols at 5, and Pilot Anthroform at 3, you can only use 3 Pistols dice.

Also, where is a vehicle's Response rating listed?

there is a device rating table in the matrix chapter. in general, most drones have device rating 3, security drones have 4, and i think milspec are supposed to have 5. specific attributes mentioned in the drone's equipment section override the device rating (usually only pilot is overwritten)

[HentaiZonga]

Huh. So... how are technomancers cool again? Also, didn't Reaction used to matter for riggers, before SR4?

[Aaron]

Huh. So... how are technomancers cool again? Also, didn't Reaction used to matter for riggers, before SR4?

It did, but that was apparently before somebody noticed that you don't actually use your body when you're rigging.

[Jaid]

Huh. So... how are technomancers cool again? Also, didn't Reaction used to matter for riggers, before SR4?

from a rigging perspective?

well, first off, there's the fact that a TM even has the possibility of getting a rating 12 machine sprite which they can use to control a drone. granted, that's probably only a compiled sprite, not registered, but still, that's a sprite which is likely throwing either 10 or 24 dice at most problems. that's not exactly minor. secondly, depending on how you rule multiple pilots for one vehicle (for example, having one drive and one shoot), you might be able to use a couple of sprites for an additional drone or drones, which will still have very respectable dicepools. all of these sprites would (apparently, per the latest errata) have edge, which regular drone pilots won't. they can't be spoofed by normal hackers, either (it takes another TM). but perhaps most importantly, is that by starting off with a good command CF (5 of 6) and threading it up (i figure 3-4 points from threading isn't too unreasonable to assume) and following up with a registered sprite giving a boost to your command CF (another 3-4 points) you can have an effective command CF of 12ish fairly easily (even 14 or more isn't too improbable, if you have resonance 6 to start off). if you then take the codeslinger(control device) quality, and add onto that hotsim, you're getting 16+ dice to most tests... or rather, 16+ dice plus skill. plus handling for pilot skills, of course. throw in a machine sprite with diagnosis for another few dice, and you're looking at a very scary rigger. assuming we actually top out everything (base CF of 6, thread for another 6, and get an assist operation from a rating 6 sprite) it's 22 dice before skills. so for example, your passive dodge will be 22 dice for such a tricked-out technomancer.

now of course, this is not without problems. but the point is, a tricked out technomancer can actually do some pretty crazy stuff... you just have to build specifically for that, and accept you won't be much good at other stuff... which basically describes the tradeoff for any technomancer you care to create.