Ganger Drug Manufacturer, Build Challenge Options

[klinktastic]

I'm potentially joining a group that wants to play a street level campaign as gangers and drug dealers. The plots is going to be very sandbox-ish and open. We will be free to manufacture and sell drugs, expand our turf, make alliances and enemies, and many other things. The other PCs have made their characters and I wanted to be the mastermind behind the drug operation. Anyway, I was wondering, for those of you who wanted to challenge, was to make a chemist character. I have no preferences on race, mundane/awakened, or anything else. Just interested to see the variety that comes in. Thanks in advance if you end up participating!

[Karoline]

Does 'street level' mean 300BP and special restrictions, or are you playing 400BP street characters?

Also, sounds like a great game.

[Nifft]

Does 'street level' mean 300BP and special restrictions, or are you playing 400BP street characters?

Also, sounds like a great game.

When I was making pregens for some gang-level one-shots, I ended up using 400bp + the usual -35bp in negative qualities.

My self-imposed restrictions were:
- No magic
- No 'ware
- No gear above 9r availability

Some notes on play experience:
- Having a lot of skills enabled a lot of flexibility in tactics
- Having skills for weapon groups allowed them to pick stuff up off the ground in an extended firefight
- Mr. Lucky is awesome under these constraints

Cheers, -- N

[Udoshi]

I'm almost dissappointed you went with no magic.

There's good money to be had in awakened drugs. I -may- be mistaken about this, but i don't think you need to be a full magician to Enchant stuff. You certaintly don't need any magic at all to use arcana, but you do need some spark of magic to assense.

I"d almost go with a magical drug dealer, using the various crank/enabler spells, and an advanced lifestyle with Homegrown Farming to represent growing his own crap to make magical drugs out of.

[Karoline]

I'm almost dissappointed you went with no magic.

There's good money to be had in awakened drugs. I -may- be mistaken about this, but i don't think you need to be a full magician to Enchant stuff. You certaintly don't need any magic at all to use arcana, but you do need some spark of magic to assense.

I"d almost go with a magical drug dealer, using the various crank/enabler spells, and an advanced lifestyle with Homegrown Farming to represent growing his own crap to make magical drugs out of.

Those were Nifft's restrictions, not Kilicktastic's.

And yes, you need a magic rating to be able to enchant. Arcane can be used without it, but that's the only one.

[klinktastic]

Ah, sorry, no restrictions. 400 BPs for sure. The idea though, isn't to make an uber elite character. It's to make an accurate representation of what you would imagine a ganger/dealer to be. I wouldn't give a ganger synapse boosters, but I could see some bioware and most cyberware. Constrain yourself as you see fit.

[Karoline]

K, lets see what I can manage. A science adept.. interesting...

[Nifft]

Ah, sorry, no restrictions. 400 BPs for sure. The idea though, isn't to make an uber elite character. It's to make an accurate representation of what you would imagine a ganger/dealer to be. I wouldn't give a ganger synapse boosters, but I could see some bioware and most cyberware. Constrain yourself as you see fit.

Yep yep. My point was that even with those restrictions -- which are the usual suspects in terms of big expenditures -- it's still really easy to spend 400 points.

[PresentPresence]

I'm always up for a build! Let's do this! I've got me an idea for a paranoid rigger who keeps his drug lab in his Bulldog.

I assume you will want to use this from Arsenal...

OPTIONAL RULE: CHEMISTRY ACTIVE SKILL
If the use and abuse of chemicals is going to play a large role in your campaign, you may want to consider transforming Chemistry from a Knowledge skill to an Active Skill (part of the Technical skills category):
Chemistry (Logic)
The Chemistry Technical Active Skill governs the use of and understanding of the properties of matter. It includes proper laboratory procedure and the ability to read chemical formulae.
Default: Yes
Skill Group: None
Specializations: Compounds, Drugs, Toxins

Here's what I've made so far:

[ Spoiler ]

400 BP
Name: Nim Bull
Race: Dwarf (25 BP)

ATTRIBUTES (160 BP + 10 BP Special)
Body: 4
Agility: 3
Reaction: 3
Strength: 3
Charisma: 3
Intuition: 4
Logic: 5
Willpower: 3
EDGE: 2
Phys Init 7
Passes 1
Essence: 4.675

ACTIVE SKILLS (182 BP)
Athletics (Group) 2
Stealth (Group) 2
Biotech (Group) 2
Influence (Group) 2
Cracking (Group) 2
Electronics (Group) 3
Chemistry (Drugs) 5 (+2)
Pilot Ground Craft 3
Pistols (Hold-outs) 2 (+2)
Dodge 2

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS (54 Free LP, 0 BP)
Criminal (Seattle Gangs) 2
Hangouts (Criminal) 2
Regional (Seattle) 2
Politics (Underworld) 2
Hangouts (Safehouses) 2
Design (Vehicles) 2
Business 2
Auto Mechanics 2
Languages:
English N
Or'zet (Cityspeak) 2
Sperethiel (Cityspeak) 2
Japanese (Cityspeak) 2

QUALITIES (-25 BP)
Standard Qualities
Gearhead (GMC Bulldog) 5
More than Metahuman 5
Paranoid -5
Allergy (Common, Mild - Soy) -10
Implant-Induced Immune Deficiency -10
In Debt (10,000) -10

GEAR (165,000 available 33 BP (In Debt) 3,315¥ remaining)
Commlink:
Novatech Airware; Res3 Sig 5
Response Upgrade Rtg 5
Iris Orb OS; Fir 3 Sys 3
Firewall Upgrade Rtg 6
System Upgrade Rtg 5

Programs:
Iris Antivirus Suite (Analyze Rtg 5 (Viral Resistance Rtg 3), Purge 5 (Viral Resistance Rtg 3))
Browse and Encrypt Rtg 6 (Optimization Rtg 1), other 5 Rtg 3
Biofeedback Filter, Data Bomb, Spoof, Stealth, ECCM Rtg 3
Mods and Accessories:
Armor Case Rtg 10
Hardening Rtg 6
Customized Interface
BTL Hot Sim Module
AR Gloves
Subvocal Microphone
Fiber Optic Cable 10m

Armor:
Lined Coat B6/I4
STPPP Leg and Arm Casings B1/I1
- Vitals Protector B1/I1
- Helmet B0/I2
- Forearm Guards B0/I1
- Shin Guards B0/I1

Weapons:
Morissey Elan
+Barrel Reduction
+Top-Mounted Laser Sight Accessory
+5 x Hi-C Plastic Rounds
50 x Regular Ammo Rounds (For drone turrets)

Other Electronics:
2 x Earbuds (1-3) Rtg 2 (One with SSF, one with SR)
+2 x Audio Enhancements Rtg 3
+Select Sound Filter Rtg 3
+Spatial Recognizer
Goggles Rtg 5
+Vision Enhancement Rtg 3
+Flare Compensation
+Image Link
+Low Light
+Vision Magnification
Emotitoy,nonmobile Rtg 6
Micro-transceiver Rtg 6
Chemistry Shop

Services:
DocWagon Basic 1 Year

Lifestyles:
Garage: Middle Lifestyle, 1 Month Purchased in Advance (2,600)
C1 E0 Nc3 Nb0 S5
Workplace
Physical Privacy Screen
Homegrown Farming
Green Plan

Vehicles and Drones:
GMC Bulldog Step-Van
Pilot: 2
Sensor: 1
Device: 3
Body: 16
Armor: 8
Signal: 0
Accel: 5/10
Speed: 90
+Rigger Cocoon
+Rigger Adaptation
+2 x Minidrone Racks
+Electromagnetic Shielding
+Chemistry Shop (Just the slot space)
+Middle Amenities

Ferret RPD-1X
Pilot: 3
Sensor: 3
Device: 3
Body: 3
Armor: 1
Signal: 0
Accel : 10/20
Speed: 60
+Ultrawideband Radar
+Gecko Tips

Micro-tapper Bug
Pilot: 3
Sensor: 1
Device: 3
Body: 0
Armor: 0
Signal: 0
Accel : 2/10
Speed: 10

GM-Nissan Doberman
Pilot: 3
Sensor: 3
Device: 3
Body: 3
Armor: 6
Signal: 0
Accel : 12/30
Speed: 90
+Engine Customization (Speed and Accel)
+Adaptability 3
+Defense 3
+Covert Ops 3
+Maneuver 3

Cyberware: (1.2 Essence)
Modular Obvious Lower Arm
+Armor Rtg 1
+Large Smuggling Compartment
+Small Smuggling Compartment
+Datajack
Built-in Medkit Hand Rtg 6
Built-in Utility Kit Lower Arm
Control Rig
Math SPU
Datajack

Bioware: (.225 Essence)
Cerebral Booster Rtg 1
Sleep Regulator
PuSHeD

CONTACTS
Skraacha Troll Street Dealer (Loy. 3 Con. 2)
Ancients Go-Ganger (Loy. 3 Con. 2)
Yakuza Wiz Kid Ganger (Loy. 3 Con. 2)

Concept:
I, personally, was disappointed by the lack of a cheap drug for enhancing Agility (2,000 for P4M0? I don't need that all week!). So this was kind of a way for me to get one. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

This "apothecary" has created a new drug which raises Agility stats by 1. The drug is named after its creator, Nim Bull, who himself is only averagely nimble. He is just starting to distribute his invention, but needs to make a quick buck on the side to pay for the investment loan he took out. His contacts represent those he will be distributing to.
Basically, the deal with his van, and his rigging skill as a whole, is kinda complicated and maybe mostly fluff. He is Paranoid, and so lives out of his van and is constantly changing garage locations, as opposed to actual homes. His van serves as his drug lab, as well. It has Electromagnetic Shielding to hide his actions, and he only uses a direct wired link to access it and his drones, accept for his Doberman, which he simply Commands. The Micro-tapper allows the Ferret to use its sensors outside of the van and share them through a fiber optic connection. A fiber optic port in the armrest of the Rigger Cocoon connects him to the van through his cyberarm; another in the headrest connects to the jack in the back of his head, and has another port on the outside that the Micro-tapper uses.
He got a modular lower cyberarm because he appreciated its functionality and capacity to hide certain substances. The large compartment normally holds the Elan, and the small one holds doses of Nim Bull when he's distributing.
Everything else is sort of fluff and generalization, which I think is important in a street-level campaign. You don't survive on the streets by being a munchkin.

I know that this character does not fit the "mastermind" idea, but I still like him. A mastermind would probably need more Charisma and would have to be more trusting (Not paranoid).

[Makki]

I once sketched a drug adept, who'd be able to take K-10, that he cooked himself. only as a last resort of course. maybe once every 2-3 runs ^^
what I did, give him loads of Will, Pain Editor and Superatural Toughness (Stun) 5

well, he wouldn't fit your mastermind idea. more the crazy scientist

[klinktastic]

I like it. The fluff can be adjusted, as well as the flaws as need to tailor the character. Good thoughts on the rigger. Has some good synergies. Maybe he sells drones with auto injectors of his drugs inside. Legally selling illegal stuff.

[Neurosis]

I may give this a shot, though I am annoyed by formatting characters to be readable on dumpshock. I'd also like to second that this campaign sounds really cool. I'd like to play it.

[klinktastic]

Here's what I got:

[ Spoiler ]

Ork
BOD 4
AGI 3
REA 4 (5)
STR 3
CHA 4
INT 3
LOG 5
WIL 4
EDGE 4

Skills:
Chemistry (Drugs) 4/6
Biotech Group 2
Electronics Group 2
Influence Group 3
Stealth Group 2
Automatics (Machine Pistol) 3/5
Perception 4
Dodge 4

Wares (costs 81,400 Nuyen):
Math CPU
Mnemonic Enhancers 2 (Used Std)
PuSHeD
Taste Booster 3
Attention CoProcesser 3
Wired Reflexes I
Sleep Regulator (Used Std)
Gastric Neurostimulator
Skillwire 3
Modular Lower Left Arm (Used Std) - Olfactory Booster 3, Armor 2, Smuggling Compartment, Cybergland, Nanohive 1 (Change out parts = Utility Kit Arm and Medkit Hand R6)

Gear = 48,600 Nuyen worth (with wares, total of 26 BPs spent on Gear & Ware)

Contacts = 10 BPs

Basic Outline of Wares: Math CPU, Mnemoic Enhancers and Sleep Regulator taken from Chemistry Grad Student (who they murdered). Cyber partial arm because the real one got blown off in bad batch of drugs. Perception increases to keep him alert of any issues with the drug manufacturing processes, smell and taste for purity testing.

[PresentPresence]

I like the wares fluff, but if you're going to be tasting your own goods you might want to get a toxin extractor or something.