Help making a feasible Troll Hacker Options

[calypso]

So, I like the idea of a Troll Hacker. But, I need some help from people that have grokked the rules better than I. Since he isn't even a coherent character yet, if you just throw out suggestions, that would help.

For instance, things I have so far:

Cracking and Electronics groups at 4? Or buy them individually, making it cost more but allowing me to get a couple of them to 5?

What weapon to use? I considered a retractable spur, but there really is no advantage to that over, say, a katana.

I like the idea of skillwires for the active skills that make a good runner but I can't afford to get (stealth, pistols, piloting, etc). What do you need for skillwires, just an internal commlink?

Codeslinger (exploit), Codeblock (track), Mild Addiction (hotsim)

Minimum body/strength for a troll, or put a couple points into each?

Wired Reflexes? 1 or 2?

So many questions...

Thanks,
Calypso

[Wasabi]

I made one that used Wired Reflexes 2 so I could use AR as fast as VR albeit without the +2 Die bonus.

For weapon, use drones. You're already a hacker. For a defensive all-around skill Gymnastics is good, as is a Parrying specialization in a weapon skill if you are being defensive in HTH.

Skill wires are good, but the skills cost an exhorbiant amount to be capped as low as they are. I consider skillwires a great expansion for *existing* shadowrunners and rarely include it in my starting buildouts.

Codeslinger (Exploit) is good, as is Codeslinger (Stealth). [the program, not the skillgroup!]
Also good is buying your skills that are in the Cracking group individually with Hacking spiked at 6 or 7 if you can stomach the extra BP for Aptitude and the double-cost 7th point.
Specializing in Login action is my favorite. That way you brute your way into a system much less chance of getting discovered.

Get a Fixer thats in the Matrix at a trustworthy level. You'll need somewhere to sell the paydata, chummer and if you're good it may be a frequent thing.

Lastly, I usually specialize my Etiquette in Matrix since as a Hacker I'm the only one asking questions in chatrooms, data havens, etc.

[FrankTrollman]

I'm assuming that you intend to play this character for a long time.

As per the standard rules, a Troll is nearly as good a Hacker with a Logic of 1 as he is with a Logic of 4, so don't sweat the Logic. On the other hand, buying up your body later is very expensive, while buying it up at chargen is very cheap. You should have a body of 9 even if you are a hacker. It's only 40 points, and in the long run will save you 90 Karma. Since many things can be purchased later on for Karma = Build Points, you'll want to do that instead. That means that you'll begin play with no Specializations at all, and buy them at about 2 per game session from now on until you have one for every skill you have.

Despite some confusing wording, you actually can buy up your skill groups while individual skills in them have specializations (what you can't do is buy a specialization that applies to an entire skill group, something which the main book reminds you of like 12 times). A skill group is defined as having all the skills in the group at the same level, period, specializations or natural aptitudes on individual skills are fine. This means that you never ever want to break up any skill group. Ever.

So you'll start with Electronics and Cracking of 4. You'll take Perception or Gunnery of 6. Fight primarily with Drones, as Wasabi noted. This can get really ugly if you have a good Gunnery Skill.

None of your starting attributes need to be that good, except Body of course. But your Programs do. You can't have a Commlink with more than Response 5 at character start, which means that none of your initial programs can be better than 5. So your programs will be five. This means that on chargen you'll be rolling 11 dice on matrix actions (5 program 4 Hacking, 2 Hot Stim). That's decent enough, and after just one adventure you'll have +2 dice on your favorite Hacking and Electronic Warfare tests.

-Frank

[Wasabi]

With a successful use of a Reality Filter the Response goes up by 1 so a starting character can indeed have effective programs at 6. Once the response goes up the full 6 system rating can also be used which means the reality filter is essentially loaded for free minus the chance an Analyze utility running on the Node discovers you while you tarry in loading the darn thing.

[blakkie]

[calypso]

I didn't even think about using drones... let's see... that requires a Control Rig... and... what else? Do I need to buy better software for the drones? How many drones would be good?

Calypso

[blakkie]

[calypso]

Also, just because you can't buy a Response 6 commlink, does that mean you can't build your own Response chip at rating 6?

[warrior_allanon]

yeah, thats something i've been looking at.

the Orc hacker archtype has fives straight accross the board on his comlink stats, how did this happen, especially since the commlink he has is a puny little resonse one or two

i would really like to know cause i'm building a hacker as well

[Shadow_Prophet]

[warrior_allanon]

thank you very much i knew there had to be something that gave that ability.....to bad your limited to a 12 availability

[Shadow_Prophet]

[calypso]

What about my question about building a commlink Response Chip at rating 6, during character creation? Is that allowed, or is it also limited by availability, despite making it yourself?

[hyb]

It is still limited by Avail.

[Nikoli]

It's limited by availability.
Remember, Firewall isn't limited by system or response, so get it at 6 and for your drones as well (though at 3k a pop, it ain't cheap)

[calypso]

Cool, thanks.

[Rotbart van Dain...]

[Nikoli]

Also, get an agent or 2 at rating 4 (max avail)
Once in game, crack and copy your software (the needed stuff) into them and have them just chill until you need them. They make great assests in the matrix, as reflected by the hefty price tag.
One can handle the party comm spoofing, the other can handle fighting Blackhammer loaded IC (Blackhammer is useless against Agents, especially Smith).
They are highly intelligent at that rating and as good as many hackers are likely to be. Their one failing is that I don't think you can use edge to boost them (similair to Skill wires).

[Supercilious]

So, Blakkie, are you the Anti-Frank?

[calypso]

[Nikoli]

Also good.
But give it Attack and Armor as well.
If it get's fooled into going after an Agent, Blackhammer is a useful as a cotton ball.

[Shadow_Prophet]

[FrankTrollman]

[blakkie]

[blakkie]