Help this noob create his first character, .. a typical, run of the mill Street Sam Options

[TinkerGnome]

You could probably get benefit from having a Guardian as well as a Pred. Not like you can have too many guns :cyber:

[Glyph]

It's too bad you're using the Priority System. Not that it's a bad system, especially for someone learning the rules, but it penalizes you for being a mundane human. An ork or dwarf (race priority D) could take the same Skills, Attributes, and Resources as you, and then get to add their Attribute bonuses for race. An ork would have 3 more Attribute points than you do - that's like having A: Resources and A: Attributes!

[Moab]

Okay .... I looked into some cyberware and basically decided to go with what TinkerGnome mentioned an elf sammie he mentioned earlier in this thread had taken (skilwires R4, wired reflexes II<alpha>, reflex trigger<alpha>, datajack<alpha>, chipjack<alpha>, cyberear replacement<alpha> with dampener, hearing amp, and select sound filter) except he didn't mention memory for the Skillwires R4, so I went with 150 MP and the end result (according to my often incorrect calculations) had my cyberware running me 734,500 :nuyen: (and that's WITHOUT making adjustments for the Street Index)

My figures on my Bioware (Enhanced Articulation, Muscle Toner 3, and Synthcardium 2) put my B.I. at 2.1 and the cost at 130,000 :nuyen: which brings the total so far to 864,500 :nuyen: (again, without making adjustments for the S.I.)

Throw in the cost for weapons (which has changed ... again :D ) Predator III, Colt Manhunter, Defiance SS, Franchi SPAS-22, and the Cougar shortblade (without ammo and accessories ...for now...) and thats an additional 3,875 :nuyen: bringing the new total up to 868,375 :nuyen: (again, no SI has been figured in)

I still have to figure ammo and accessories, armor and clothing, lifestyles, contacts, transportation, and other stuff like fake ID and whatnot. Does everything sound okay or have I royaly fragged things up?

[RedmondLarry]

Moab, the "standard" for Skillwires 4 would be 48 MP of memory. You'll save around 200,000 with the lower memory! Cost 96,000, essence .80.

48MP allows using one general rating 4 skill chip.
(General Skillsoft memory used = Rating x Rating x 3)
(Specialization Skillsoft memory used = Rating x Rating x 2)

New characters don't have to adjust for Street Index for their gear. It's only after character creation that you use Street Index.

/Edit: Suggest you add Chipjack Expert Driver 3, and Smartlink 2.

[RedmondLarry]

Here are costs using the CED 3, Smartlink2, and assuming the Select Sound Filter is Rating 5 (expensive!)

It looks to me like you are doing things properly.

[TinkerGnome]

[Moab]

Crud! I made a few errors in my list (it was 2 am when I posted it afterall). I don't know why I put the Colt Manhunter, I must have been reading about it when I typed the list up. That should be my AVS. That is going to be my "holdout" gun, even though it is not listed as a holdout. What would some of you guys say is your favorite Holdout gun and why?

Also, can I have a Smartlink 2 on my SPAS-22 or no?

On a different note, I read in M&M where you can take up to .5 esence worth of cyberear ... components (i.e. Dampener, Hearing Amp, Sound Filter) without further effecting the essence cost. So, if I understood that correctly, would't that leave me with 1.44 essence remaining?

You think Skillwires R3 -MP 27 will do nicely for Tex at startup?

Where do I find info and prices for fake IDs?

And I know this is way off topic ... but what, exactly does "Omae" mean? I assume it means something like, buddy, pal, or friend. How do you pronounce it? Oh-may, Ahm-e, Ohm-wa? I know it's trivial, I'm just curious. I am familiar with a lot of other SR slang (though not all, I'm sure) but I haven't seen an explanation for "Omae."

I'll think of more stuff to ask later, I'm sure. Like, how would I determine the cost of an OLD Harley Davidson (like from the year 2012)? And I will certainly ask more when I start looking at skillsofts, knowsofts, activesofts and whatnot.

Well, thanks again chummers. :D
Catch ya later

"Big Mo"

[TinkerGnome]

Yep, if you have your eyes or ears replaced with mechanical ones, you get .5 essence worth of free (essence-wise) addons. Keep in mind that you have to match grades for cybereyes (ie, alphaware eyes can only have alphaware addons). You can also just stick the addons into natural eyes/ears (most of them) and not have your meat eyes/ears removed.

The SPAS comes with smartlink-2 standard :)

Skillwires 3 vs. skillwires 4. 6 dice for most stuff vs. 7 dice for most stuff. If you intend to use the wires for combat stuff where running out of task pool is important, then I'd go with the 4. If you're mostly chipping B/R skills, technical skills, etc, then 3 should be plenty.

Fake IDs are on page 239 of the main book.

[kevyn668]

I'm glad you didn't get caught in the "Using Priority? Might as well be a dwarf or ork. They get good bonuses!" trap. ;)

For hold outs...This has been debated around here and generally hold-outs don't pack enough of a punch to be worht carrying. I personaly don't like going anywhere w/o at least a heavy pistol. So my "hold out" of choice is the Morrissey Elite.

If you really want something lighter, go w/ one of the high conceal Light Pistols like the Walther.

But the way its written, Light Pistols and Hold Outs seem to be just for flavor. With the right ammo and a good enough pistols skill, I guess you might be able to slow some one down--a human or elf someone, anyway. But you aint gonna stop 'em.

Edit: if you get alpha eyes remember that the alpha componts going in get the Essence reduction as well.

[TinkerGnome]

With a cybered character, the vision mods aren't that significant and, in the long run, a human's extra karma pool makes them as good a choice as elf or ork ;)

[kevyn668]

Good points. I wasn't advocating the Dwarf or Ork option.

[TinkerGnome]

I know you weren't, Kev, but that is the "trap" of the dwarf/ork. Most people look at them and think "wow, that's 3-4 attribute points and a natural vision mode for nothing!" when the truth is that it costs you the equivalent of a 5 point flaw (Bad Karma) and the potential for racism. It's about even in terms of choices ;)

[kevyn668]

You're preaching to quire on that one. :)

That being said, I don't have anything against them as long as char race is selected based on concept rather than numbers.

[Moab]

Where do I find these Edges and Flaws I've been hearing about?

[Moab]

I really hope I'm not annoying you guys by inundating you with questions. I really appreciate all the insightful information you guys are providing. Thanks a million.

[Connor]

Edges and Flaws are covered in the Shadowrun Companion.

[Vlad the Bad]

Damn, I wish I had a panel of experts to help me with first shadowrun character. :) I would have gotten up to speed much faster.

[Moab]

:D Ask and ye shall receive. At least that's how I did it. :nyah: . Okay, time to study some more Shadowrun stuff. :read:

[TinkerGnome]

You'll know you've annoyed people with questions when they stop answering them (though it's always possible no one really knows). Considering the perpensity of people on this board (myself included) to love the sound of their own typing, I doubt that'll happen any time soon ;)

[RedmondLarry]

[Moab]

That sounds like a great idea. Where can I get this program?

[Xirces]

There's some really good software out there. Check the community projects board here - you'll find threads on NSRGC (a complete character generator), Gun creation software, Valkyrie (for Cyberware), CCOC (for Decks) and probably some others that I've missed. A lot of people also have their own tools to help (I've used an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of things).

I've only recently converted to using computer software for these things after I used to destroy a couple of rain forests for each character (Even using pencil and an eraser there's only so many times you can correct things!). Nothing like having something automatically keep track of points/money etc either.

Word of warning though - the writers of the software might not agree with you (or your GM) about how certain rules work... Bear that in mind and you should be fine. Good hunting :)

[RedmondLarry]

The NSRCG is available on matrix.dumpshock.com/mcmackie. Get the full package for your first installation. It is not a substitute for the books, but is sure helps making sure the addition and subtraction required during character creation is done right.

[Eyeless Blond]

Valkyrie Module is here, and the CCDC is here. If you look up at the Community Projects forum (one of the sub-forums at the top of this one), the creators have discussion and bug-reporting threads, so you can help out by reporting bugs and keep abreast of updates and the like. Now looks to be very exciting, because it looks like all three projects are going to be interconnected into one big chargen system.

[Xirces]