Help Help Technomancer Build Needed Help Help, ..get the impression I need help? Options

[Cyntax]

OK so I am totally clueless on how to build a 5th edition Technomancer. So, I came looking here. Could y'all please post your characters so that I can look at them for sources of information? I tried search but its hard to sort the wheat from the chaff, y'know?

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Here is the one I made for the Game I am in.
She has worked pretty well, in game, so far.

[ Spoiler ]

Zhou Weihong - Technomancer
Burned Aegis Cognito Operative

Spying is called espionage. Spying on one's own country is known as treason, and the Canton Confederation takes a very dim view on treason. But nationalistic patriotism is just so much romantic drivel in the 6th world, the age of Nuyen and corporations rivaling countries in terms of power and influence. So when the world's premier intelligence gathering corporation approached me, the choice was easy... money talks, and Jingoistic Anthems don't.
I started as an asset, but the handlers apparently saw a lot more potential in me, and soon I was a full agent. The bulk of my intelligence gathering was uncovering and leaking information about what Baihu and Wuxing were cooking up defense wise for the CC and what sorts of methods were being used to sniff out Fujian dissident groups. I wasn’t really concerned who purchased the info from Aegis or how they used it, I just liked the steady money and the rush of doing something that could be sooo dangerous if I were caught. A predator for years, stalking the useful bits of info that would get me paid. Unfortunately, I eventually found myself the prey.
The bits (or bytes) were there, dangling in front of me, but I just wasn’t sure if they connected or not; or what it truly meant. The handlers told me to let it go, that it was too much risk and not enough guaranteed payoff. But it was there teasing me... something big, something that could shake up the geopolitical and corporate status quo. So I went in deep... too deep. The handlers were right, the risk was too great, the players too big.
I made it out with knowledge of what the powers that be were cooking up, but no proof. And to say I made it out... well, the ancestor’s luck was with me that day. Two slugs in the back and one in the head, and then I washed up along the banks of the Pearl River. It’s a good thing that I have a few good chummers; Chummers not known to Aegis. They got me patched up, but my handlers burned me. Disavowed and dumped, I lost their connections, their resources, and their steady work. I don't know if it was Aegis that tried to whack me, or the CC's Internal Security Bureau, and I still haven't found out yet, though I am looking into it when I have the time. But I do know a secret, and it is one that I am smart enough to keep. Now I just have to stay alive long enough to find the hard evidence.

Character Background Notes:
• I know things. A lot of things. My time in Aegis exposed me to a lot of secrets that get folks killed, including the BIG ONE that almost got me geeked
• I have a couple of very loyal contacts that helped drag me out of the river, and man am I glad that Aegis knows absolutely nothing about them. Makes me happy that I kept them under wraps all those years.
• My skill set and aptitude is one geared towards intelligence gathering, both on the ground and in the Matrix.
• I have a pretty good understanding of the CC and other players, both Corporate, and National, within south eastern Asia 

Skills A (46/10), Stats B (20), Technomancer C (Res 3, 1CF), Resources D (50,000¥), Human E (+1 Res)

Stats:
Body 3 (4), Agility 3, Reaction 3, Strength 2, Charisma 3, Intuition 5, Logic 6, Will 3
Essence 6 (5.04 - due to 0.96 Essence Loss)
Resonance 4 (3)
Edge 2
Initiative: 8+1d6
Matrix Initiative (Hot VR): 11+4d6

Mental Limit: 7
Physical Limit: 4
Social Limit: 5
Street Credibility: 0
Notoriety: 0
Public Awareness: 0
Lifestyle: Low w/Perks – 1 Month
Starting Low Lifestyle Cash - 660¥ + 1,000¥ in Remaining Chargen Funds
Technomancer receives a +2 to Matrix Perception Tests (13 DP)
Technomancer Hot-Sim Addiction tests are Logic + Willpower + Resonance (1) to Resist Addiction (12 DP)

Skills (46/10, +8 Karma *Active Skills)
Biotechnology Group 1

• Biotechnology
• Cybertechnology
• First Aid
• Medicine

Influence Group 2

• Etiquette
• Leadership
• Negotiation

Engineering Group 2

• Aeronautics Engineering
• Automotive Engineering
• Industrial Engineering
• Nautical Engineering

Electronics Group 5

• Computer
• Hardware
• Software

Cybercombat (Data Spike) 4/6
Electronic Warfare (Hiding) 6/8
Gymnastics (Jumping) 3/5
Hacking (Hack on Fly) 6/8
Locksmith 5
Perception 5
Pilot Ground 1
Pistols (Semi-Autos) 3/5
Sneaking (Chameleon Shrouded) 5/7
Unarmed Combat (Li-Chia Kung Fu – Short Fist Kung Fu) 1/3
*Compiling 2
*Armorer 1

Knowledge Skills (22/22, +2 Karma *Knowledge Skill)
Native Language – Chinese (probably Mandarin or Cantonese, Whichever is predominant in Guangzhou)
2nd Language: English 3
Southeast Asian Politics (Deadly Secrets) 3/5
Tradecraft (Agent Handling) 4/6
Matrix Security (Guangzhou Local Grid) 2/4
Infiltration Techniques (Matrix Hosts) 2/4
Engineering (Schematic Analysis) 1/3
Corporate Security Systems (Surveillance Devices) 1/3
*Classical Music 1
*Technomancer Network Havens 1

Qualities (50/50 Karma Spent – 23 on Positive Qualities)
Codeslinger: Hack on the Fly (+2) -10 Karma
Codeslinger: Hide (+2) -10 Karma
Insomnia: Base Level +10 Karma
National/Corp Limited SIN +15 Karma
Quick Healer (+2 to all Healing Tests) -3 Karma

Complex Forms (1, +4 Karma Expenditure *CF): (Not really a fan of the Current selection of Complex Forms, but this is an Instant, so it works for me)
Resonance Spike
*Infusion of Firewall

Living Persona
Attack: 3
Sleaze: 5
Data Processing: 6
Firewall: 3

Contacts (9, +3 Karma Expenditure):
Chen Zhu (Male) – Street Doc 4/2
Ma Wei (Male) – Pirate Trid Reporter 4/2

Gear: (69,000¥/70,000¥; +10 Karma Expenditure)
Alpha Bone Density Augmentation 1 (.24 Essence, 6,000¥, Avail 6)
Alpha Orthoskin 2 (.4 Essence, 14,400¥, Avail 10)
Alpha Damage Compensator 3 (.24 Essence, 7,200¥, Avail 11)
Alpha Datajack (Provides Data Storage and Direct Connections, NR1 when Wireless Enabled) (.08 Essence, 1,200¥, Avail 4)

Armored Jacket, Stylish (Armor 12) (1,000¥)
w/Nonconductivity 6 (1,500¥)
Chameleon Suit (Armor 9) (1,700¥)
w/Nonconductivity 3, Insulation 3 (1,500¥)

Remington Roomsweeper, Wide Choke Setting (250¥)
w/Laser Sight (+1 Accuracy) (125¥)
w/Shot (Flechette) Rounds – 50 Rounds (325¥)
w/Slug Rounds – 30 Rounds (60¥)
Concealed Holster (150¥)
Shock Gloves (550¥)
Flashpak (125¥)

Transys Avalon Commlink (Personal, DR 6) (5,000¥)
Rating 4 Fake Sin (Zhou Weihong) (10,000¥)
Rating 4 Weapon/Concealed Carry License (Zhou Weihong) (800¥)
Throwaway Commlink, Metalink (DR1) (100¥)

Data Chips (50) (25¥)
Data Tap (300¥)
RFID, Standard Tags (100) (10¥)
RFID, Stealth Tags (110) (110¥)
RFID, Security Tags (50) (25¥)
RFID, Sensor (Camera) Tags - Rating 2 (10) (2040¥)
Mapsoft (Guangzhou, Hong Kong) (200¥)
Electronics Toolkit (500¥)
Endoscope (250¥)

Stylish Dark Glasses, Rating 4 – Thermographic, Lowlight, Flare Compensation (1,650¥)
Micro-Earbuds, Rating 3 – Select Sound Filter 3 (900¥)
Micro-Transceiver w/Subvocal Mic (150¥)
Plastic Restraints, 30 (15¥)
Chisel/Crowbar (20¥)
Lockpick Set (250¥)
Miniwelder w/Extra Fuel Canister (330¥)
Gecko Tape Gloves – All Climbing is Assisted (250¥)
Rappelling Gloves (50¥)
Respirator Rating 6 (300¥)
Survival Kit (200¥)
Grapple Gun (500¥)
Catalyst Stick (125¥)
Stealth Rope (1000 Meters) (850¥)
Medkit, Rating 5 (1,250)

Low Lifestyle 1 Month w/Special Work Area (Electronics Group, +1,000¥), Extra Secure (+20%) and Difficult to Find (+10%) (3,900¥/Month)
Entertainment Systems Saddleback (Dodge Scoot) (3,000¥)

1,000 ¥ Remaining – Carry over to Character.

[pragma]

If I were building a TM (I'm just going to leave a skeleton here), I'd do the following:

Priorities:
A: Skills
B: Attributes
C: Technomancy
D: Broken human w/ 3 points
E: Money (+20,000 from 10 karma)

Remaining karma goes to 3 more complex forms and a minor attribute boost taking something from 1 to 2. You'll have to take a disadvantage of some kind to make that work.

Max logic (first) and intuition for sure. Balance Cha, Will and physical attributes depending on concept.

With skills A you can grab other interesting skills while still making a very competent decker (hacking dice pool is 12) and TM (you can still get resonance 6). You're still a little strapped for attributes, but the character should work out pretty well.

[Jaid]

i don't know that i would focus on resonance. +3 resonance means you can soak 1 extra rating point of complex forms on average. +3 edge means you can ignore limits, and therefore reduce your fading down to the minimum possible, in critical situations up to 3 extra times.

considering that in many cases it means you can leave your threaded CF rating at 1 instead of 5-6, that's probably saving you 4-5 fading when you really need it, although you do of course lose out a bit on your fading for mediocre stuff... but then, why on earth are you using complex forms for simple stuff anyways? if you have a decent dice pool, just use regular hacking with no complex forms for standard stuff. i'm not convinced there's such a thing as a build that can handle using complex forms for everything anyways, so you're already saving them for special occasions; would you rather have to eat 7-8 points of fading in crisis situations, or 2-3?

[DMK]

I've put together this guy, who I haven't played yet, but want to. I've compounded the usual difficulties by making him a Dwarf, but what can you do? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[ Spoiler ]

Timothy Smith, Shadowrun 5th Ed Technomancer (PRI A)
Race: Dwarf (PRI C) Age: 20 Height: 4' 2" Weight: 120 lbs
Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown

Attributes (PRI B):
Body: 3 Agility: 2 Reaction: 3 Strength: 3
Charisma: 5 Intuition: 5 Logic: 5 Willpower: 7
Initiative: 8 + 1d6 Essence: 6 Edge: 3 Resonance: 6

Qualities: (+25 Karma)
Code of Honor National Sin Allergy: Trees (Uncommon, Mild)

Active Skills: (PRI D)
Software: 6 Computer: 6 Hacking: 5 Cybercombat: 2
Electronic Warfare: 5 Hardware: 2 Perception: 2 Pistols: 2
Etiquette: 1 Negotiation: 1
Decompiling: 1 Compiling: 5 Registering: 5

Knowledge Skills:
(Street) Criminal Organizations: 3
(Academic) Philosophy: 2 Computer Networks: 4
(Interests) 20th Century Pop Culture: 3
(Language) English(N) Mandarin: 3 Japanese: 3 Or'zet: 2

Gear (PRI E):
One month Low Lifestyle: 2400NY
Streetline Special: 120NY
Three Spare Clips: 15NY
50 Gel Ammo: 125NY
Armor Vest: 500NY
Transys Avalon Commlink: 5000NY
Subvocal Microphone: 50NY
Goggles (Capacity 6): 300NY
Flare Compensation: 250NY
Thermographic Flashlight: 25NY
Medkit Rating 3 750NY

Complex Forms: Transcendent Grid, Resonance Veil, Cleaner, Static Veil, Resonance Spike

Fixer: Loyalty 2, Connections 5
Street Doc: Loyalty 4, Connections 1
Decker: Loyalty 2, Connections 1

Starting Nuyen: 465 + 3d6x60NY

Karma Spends:
Edge 3: 15 karma
Cybercombat 2: 6 karma
Hardware 2: 6 karma
Pistols 2: 6 karma
Perception 2: 6 karma
Etiquette 1: 2 karma
Negotiation 1: 2 karma
Decompiling 1: 2 karma
Nuyen: 5 karma

[Cyntax]

I've put together this guy, who I haven't played yet, but want to. I've compounded the usual difficulties by making him a Dwarf, but what can you do? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[ Spoiler ]

Timothy Smith, Shadowrun 5th Ed Technomancer (PRI A)
Race: Dwarf (PRI C) Age: 20 Height: 4' 2" Weight: 120 lbs
Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown

Attributes (PRI B):
Body: 3 Agility: 2 Reaction: 3 Strength: 3
Charisma: 5 Intuition: 5 Logic: 5 Willpower: 7
Initiative: 8 + 1d6 Essence: 6 Edge: 3 Resonance: 6

Qualities: (+25 Karma)
Code of Honor National Sin Allergy: Trees (Uncommon, Mild)

Active Skills: (PRI D)
Software: 6 Computer: 6 Hacking: 5 Cybercombat: 2
Electronic Warfare: 5 Hardware: 2 Perception: 2 Pistols: 2
Etiquette: 1 Negotiation: 1
Decompiling: 1 Compiling: 5 Registering: 5

Knowledge Skills:
(Street) Criminal Organizations: 3
(Academic) Philosophy: 2 Computer Networks: 4
(Interests) 20th Century Pop Culture: 3
(Language) English(N) Mandarin: 3 Japanese: 3 Or'zet: 2

Gear (PRI E):
One month Low Lifestyle: 2400NY
Streetline Special: 120NY
Three Spare Clips: 15NY
50 Gel Ammo: 125NY
Armor Vest: 500NY
Transys Avalon Commlink: 5000NY
Subvocal Microphone: 50NY
Goggles (Capacity 6): 300NY
Flare Compensation: 250NY
Thermographic Flashlight: 25NY
Medkit Rating 3 750NY

Complex Forms: Transcendent Grid, Resonance Veil, Cleaner, Static Veil, Resonance Spike

Fixer: Loyalty 2, Connections 5
Street Doc: Loyalty 4, Connections 1
Decker: Loyalty 2, Connections 1

Starting Nuyen: 465 + 3d6x60NY

Karma Spends:
Edge 3: 15 karma
Cybercombat 2: 6 karma
Hardware 2: 6 karma
Pistols 2: 6 karma
Perception 2: 6 karma
Etiquette 1: 2 karma
Negotiation 1: 2 karma
Decompiling 1: 2 karma
Nuyen: 5 karma

Hey hey now, nothing wrong with dwarves (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Trolls now..that's different.

[Sendaz]

Some say Trolls use 50% more Bandwidth when decking. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Some say Trolls use 50% more Bandwidth when decking. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Well... DUH!!!

[pragma]

I was looking through complex forms to make a list I recommended (since there are some duds in the list). I stumbled upon a topic worth discussing:

Puppeteer allows you to command a matrix action from a device or a persona. Invite marks (any number) is a matrix action. So my interpretation is that you can use puppeteer to force any device to give you three marks with out any risk of detection (beyond a resonance signature) on failure. This seems tremendously powerful.

By the way, the only must-takes I saw in the complex form list are: Cleaner, Puppeteer (if above interpretation is correct) and Infusion of Sleaze

Others that are situation specific: Static bomb, Resonance veil, Stitches and Infusion of firewall

Resonance Spike and Editor might be interesting if you want to try to build a TM without hacking, EW or computer.

[RHat]

I was looking through complex forms to make a list I recommended (since there are some duds in the list). I stumbled upon a topic worth discussing:

Puppeteer allows you to command a matrix action from a device or a persona. Invite marks (any number) is a matrix action. So my interpretation is that you can use puppeteer to force any device to give you three marks with out any risk of detection (beyond a resonance signature) on failure. This seems tremendously powerful.

By the way, the only must-takes I saw in the complex form list are: Cleaner, Puppeteer (if above interpretation is correct) and Infusion of Sleaze

Others that are situation specific: Static bomb, Resonance veil, Stitches and Infusion of firewall

Resonance Spike and Editor might be interesting if you want to try to build a TM without hacking, EW or computer.

The trick with Puppeteer is that because it's resisted, you'll be dealing with ridiculous Fading codes to use it, which renders it an emergency trick at best.

[Jaid]

The trick with Puppeteer is that because it's resisted, you'll be dealing with ridiculous Fading codes to use it, which renders it an emergency trick at best.

you'd be dealing with ridiculous fading codes even if it wasn't resisted. the fact that it's resisted just means you face even worse ones.

i mean, at rating 1 it's 5 points of fading. for that much, i can drop an AOE sustained mind control spell that will last for several rounds if i'm a magician.

but yes, this is a prime example of why i value edge more than resonance. when you're facing 8 fading or something crazy like that to use your CFs that are actually worthwhile, an extra 3 dice to soak feels hardly worthwhile (and in difficult situations, you may even get stuck taking physical fading). certainly not compared to being able to reduce that to only 5 fading, at least, though that's not exactly sunshine rainbows and lollipops either.

[Sternenwind]

Ask your GM if you can create a SR4A (karma rules) Technomancer. And convert him to SR5.

[DMK]

Hey hey now, nothing wrong with dwarves (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Trolls now..that's different.

Heh.

I just meant that giving up your C priority to be a Dwarf is tough on a Technomancer.

[Jaid]

being a technomancer is tough on being a technomancer. but yes, having to give up priority C (which could have otherwise been used on being a technomancer so that A and B are available for other things) is indeed more difficult for a technomancer.

[Sengir]

Step one: Acquire your GM's copy of the rule book
Step two: Fudge the Fading values to something sensible, taking spells as a guideline

[Kyrinthic]

There are actually quite a few ways to build one. The only really important point is that you need a B or better in attribs.

A lot of people think they want an A pick for resonance, but if you let your Resonance drop to C, you only get one CF to start, but honestly, with the way they are, you dont want to many to start, so you dont accidentally kill yourself with fading.

If you go with a C resonance, then you can pick between A skills for versatility, or A attribs for survivability.
You can put the A in resonance, but that means a C skills and you will be scraping to get all your matrix skills on par, and your non-matrix skills will be non-existant.

Past that you can go with D in resources, and be fine, or put your resources in E and probably have to shore it up a bit with karma, but a technomancer can get by with no resources better than some classes, buy good armor. There isnt a whole lot that you will want that you can buy with 50k that you couldnt buy with 6k-10k.

If you have E for metatype, you probably should put the special point in resonance but edge can be viable. if you have a D for metatype, you can either go Elf for some extra Attack attribute on your personal deck and a decent ability to play face for a group, or go human +3 and get your resonance capped out at 6.

The most effective character is probably
A: stats, B: attribs, C: resonance, D: metatype, E: resources.