[X] My Assistant

[mrT]

Is there a post/address in which i can browse some optimized builds?

I am entering a new campaign and the gm told me that its gonna be really hard to survive it so i need something extra special :o

thanks

[toturi]

Usually people post their builds and then ask people to critique.

[Cabral]

Why don't you start by saying what type of characters you normally play and someone might chime in with experience, advice and builds.

I enjoy gadgets myself, so I like to pack Freeze Foam in splash grenades. Need to stop the other guys? Freeze Foam! Need to barricade the door? Freeze Foam! Need to take cover behind the desk while security is taking shots? Freeze Foam! (the desk then get behind it and look for better cover)

[Emy]

Honestly, if your campaign is trenchcoat enough, player carefulness will make much more difference than rolling a big brick of dice.

So if I were you, I'd look for some campaign logs.

[Badmoodguy88]

I think part of the optimizing takes into account how long you will be playing.

One point in a skill is better than no point at the start but it is cheaper to get the first point in game with karma. The same goes for spells.

It is also the conventional wisdom to have your most important stats high at the start and the less important ones very low, because it is cheaper to raise the low stats then to raise the high stats even higher.

But if the mission is a one shot or close to it then it may be worth it to get the restricted gear quality and buy something critical that you will not have time to save up for.

Wasting build points bound spirits and money on totally expendable stuff might get you through a mission but then be an unsustainable strategy by spending money and karma faster than you earn it.

[Ryu]

There is the Sample Character Archive. You could look for something you like, open a thread in this section of the boards with your variant of one, and ask for specific help.

We would need to know what books you have available, too.

[Mäx]

We would need to know what books you have available, too.

And what chargen system your group uses. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Mäx]

Damm super fast mouse douple licking. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

[Glyph]

In general, Shadowrun is designed so that magic and augmentations give huge advantages, and specialization is very effective (although hyper-specialization is discouraged by making those last few points extra expensive). Dice pools are important, and you get them high by combining high stats, high skills, and stacking modifiers.

Mundane characters and generalists can be fun to play, but they are kind of going against the grain of the system, and tend to be less powerful. Optimized builds, while they should still be functional outside of the areas of their specialty, are usually more focused. Also keep synergies in mind, such as skills that use the same Attribute. In other words, if you have a street samurai with boosted Agility and Reaction, then it is comparatively easy to make him good at infiltration (which uses Agility) and/or piloting ground vehicles (which uses Reaction).

More than that, I can't tell you until I have more of an idea what type of character you want to play (hacker? street samurai? mage?).

[Piersdrach]

In general, Shadowrun is designed so that magic and augmentations give huge advantages, and specialization is very effective (although hyper-specialization is discouraged by making those last few points extra expensive). Dice pools are important, and you get them high by combining high stats, high skills, and stacking modifiers.

Mundane characters and generalists can be fun to play, but they are kind of going against the grain of the system, and tend to be less powerful. Optimized builds, while they should still be functional outside of the areas of their specialty, are usually more focused. Also keep synergies in mind, such as skills that use the same Attribute. In other words, if you have a street samurai with boosted Agility and Reaction, then it is comparatively easy to make him good at infiltration (which uses Agility) and/or piloting ground vehicles (which uses Reaction).

More than that, I can't tell you until I have more of an idea what type of character you want to play (hacker? street samurai? mage?).

Well damn, I better tell my group we are playing wrong then, our mudanes and generalist characters are not in the 'grain' of the game.

[toturi]

Well damn, I better tell my group we are playing wrong then, our mudanes and generalist characters are not in the 'grain' of the game.

The game mechanics makes it easier for a specialist to succeed at a task than for a small team of generalists. I do not think that Glyph was implying that anyone playing mundanes and generalists are playing "wrong".

[Yerameyahu]

Look at the opening credits to Leverage: 'Grifter', 'Hitter', 'Hacker'… The concept of specialists is one we can easily understand. Nothing wrong with that. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[mrT]

Why don't you start by saying what type of characters you normally play and someone might chime in with experience, advice and builds.

I enjoy gadgets myself, so I like to pack Freeze Foam in splash grenades. Need to stop the other guys? Freeze Foam! Need to barricade the door? Freeze Foam! Need to take cover behind the desk while security is taking shots? Freeze Foam! (the desk then get behind it and look for better cover)

I would like someone who is not that hard to play, is a weapon specialist, preferably with high tech gadgets and weapons.

I need someone who can be powerful from early/mid game, campaign will last for about a year )(1-2 sessions per week)

[Lansdren]

might be worth deciding if you want to go magic or ware for your bonuses. makes a big difference

[Glyph]

Well damn, I better tell my group we are playing wrong then, our mudanes and generalist characters are not in the 'grain' of the game.

I prefaced that statement by saying they can be fun to play, didn't I? I go against the grain of the system myself every now and then - troll tanks and elven faces are the most optimal builds, but I'm likelier to play a troll face or an elven tank. Mundanes are disadvantaged over augmented or awakened characters, though, both of whom get incredible boosts relatively cheaply. And it is far easier to make an effective specialist than it is to make an effective generalist, because you can quickly spread your dice pools too thin.

When I say they are going against the grain of the system, I mean that the rules make those choices more difficult (not impossible!) to play, rules-wise. This actually fits Shadowrun, since people are supposed to be frightened of the weird powers that the awakened and technomancers have, while at the same time being constantly tempted to sell off bits and pieces of themselves to get faster, smarter, stronger, etc.

[Glyph]

might be worth deciding if you want to go magic or ware for your bonuses. makes a big difference

Another option is both - adepts, at least combat-oriented ones, can benefit a lot from taking a point or two of bioware.

[Cain]

I would like someone who is not that hard to play, is a weapon specialist, preferably with high tech gadgets and weapons.

I need someone who can be powerful from early/mid game, campaign will last for about a year )(1-2 sessions per week)

Weapon specialists aren't the best way to go for that. One-weapon-skill adepts tend to do much better, numerically speaking. For example, the base book has a semi-decent dual-wielding SMG specialist that can cause some serious damage.

[Faraday]

Another option is both - adepts, at least combat-oriented ones, can benefit a lot from taking a point or two of bioware.

Works great for rigging and hacking too. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)