Dumpshock Forums > Orc Hacker needs some love

RedRum

Jul 17 2007, 04:43 AM

Here is what I have so far.

The campaign allows anywhere from 400 to 450 build points, I am hoping to cut it down to 430.

The character is an adapt hacker who I might branch out into spell-casting. Its just so hard to decide what to play in SR.

Any suggestions, critiques, positive or negative criticisms are welcome.

[ Spoiler ]

Fix-it

Jul 17 2007, 04:48 AM

QUOTE

Allergy (Uncommon, Severe) [15bp]
Allergy (Uncommon, Moderate) [10bp]
Allergy (Uncommon, Moderate) [10bp]

mmmm... nothing like a little negative quality abuse.

RedRum

Jul 17 2007, 04:51 AM

Nice huh?

Let's see, allergic to peanuts, shrimp, milk

edit: Actually I was thinking about putting these together into the severe category as food allergies and coming up with two more

Cheops

Jul 17 2007, 07:31 AM

hmmm...I'd give up a few of those resource points to get at least 1 contact. I'm not sure how your GM runs thing but contacts are almost ALWAYS useful in some way. Even if it is just a friend of yours who's a cabbie and can help you out of scrapes or get you to a safehouse and/or street doc.

Crusher Bob

Jul 17 2007, 09:45 AM

Better to buy all your programs at level 6 at char gen, so you'll never need to worry about buying new ones. Also, you'll want some armor to wear just walking down the street.

I'd consider trading out the firearms group for pistols 4, automatics 4, and heavy weapons 2 (also 4 points) as this lets you use the grenade launcher under the ares alpha (which is probably a better choice is you are carting around the alpha anyway).

IIRC, as a mystic adept you have to allocate at least 1 point to magic. In addition, you are not likely to have the karma to develop a skill in spell casting and to learn the spells.

If being a mystic adept is really that important I'd try to get at least counterspelling.

So you could change you skills to:
drop firearms group 4 in exchange for:
pistols 3 (autoloading)
heavy weapons 2 (grenade launchers)
giving you 16 points to buy counterspelling 4
Then you carry a predator and an MGL-12

AS the group hacker, if you have to fire your alpha, things are probably seriously hosed. At this point you really need 2 air-timed grenades an action, not two short bursts with only a middling amount of dice behind them.

But that spreads your points even thinner, you still have nothing left over for contacts.

Ryu

Jul 17 2007, 11:49 AM

If you are going to buy spellcasting you can take sensitive system as a flaw, you´ll not want to pay for keeping up magic on top of your other karma needs.

You´ll want at least spellcasting 3 and 3 points of magic for general use, so improved reflexes III is out. The point of an adept hacker is to have improved ability, so you´ll "need" at least magic 7. Ouch. I´d consider improved reflexes I for chargen and buying that one up last.

See if you find enough spells that work with low force and spellcasting pool to make this worthwhile to you.

RedRum

Jul 18 2007, 03:20 AM

QUOTE (Crusher Bob)

Better to buy all your programs at level 6 at char gen, so you'll never need to worry about buying new ones. Also, you'll want some armor to wear just walking down the street.

I'd consider trading out the firearms group for pistols 4, automatics 4, and heavy weapons 2 (also 4 points) as this lets you use the grenade launcher under the ares alpha (which is probably a better choice is you are carting around the alpha anyway).

IIRC, as a mystic adept you have to allocate at least 1 point to magic. In addition, you are not likely to have the karma to develop a skill in spell casting and to learn the spells.

If being a mystic adept is really that important I'd try to get at least counterspelling.

So you could change you skills to:
drop firearms group 4 in exchange for:
pistols 3 (autoloading)
heavy weapons 2 (grenade launchers)
giving you 16 points to buy counterspelling 4
Then you carry a predator and an MGL-12

AS the group hacker, if you have to fire your alpha, things are probably seriously hosed. At this point you really need 2 air-timed grenades an action, not two short bursts with only a middling amount of dice behind them.

But that spreads your points even thinner, you still have nothing left over for contacts.

Good point on the programs.

Programs:
Armor, Attack, Black Hammer, Data Bomb, Decrypt, Defuse, ECCM, Exploit, Medic,
Sniffer, Spoof, Stealth, Track
Rating 6 78,000¥

Analyze, Browse, Command, Edit, Encrypt, Scan
Rating 6 3,600¥

Running Total: 111,075¥

Armor:

Armored Jacket 900¥

As for the mystic adapt, I was confused as to whether or not you were forced to spend one point in magic for casting purposes. If that is the case, I could use 3 points for improved reflexes 2, .5 points in improved ability hacking or electronic warfare and .5 in improved ability infiltration. That would leave 1 point for spells. For role-playing purposes I had imagined the character to have latent magical abilities that he had not discovered yet.

In regard to grenades and heavy weapons, I think I will just leave off the Ares Alpha and grenade launcher altogether. If I bring pistols and submachine guns down to 3 that leave 16bp to put into a magic category. I brought perception down to 1 and that gives me 20 to put into a spell casting group. Since my magic for casting is going to be low anyway I could just use the summoning group

Active Skills:
Athletics Group: 1 [10bp]
Electronics Group: 3 [30bp]

Pistols: 3 [12bp]
Submachine Guns: 3 [12bp]

Cybercombat: 4 [16bp]
Electronic Warfare: 5 [20bp]
Hacking: 5 [20bp]
Dodge: 4 [16bp]
Infiltration: 4 [16bp]
Perception: 1 [4bp]
Pilot Ground Craft: 1 [4bp]

RedRum

Jul 18 2007, 03:23 AM

QUOTE (Cheops @ Jul 17 2007, 02:31 AM)

hmmm...I'd give up a few of those resource points to get at least 1 contact. I'm not sure how your GM runs thing but contacts are almost ALWAYS useful in some way. Even if it is just a friend of yours who's a cabbie and can help you out of scrapes or get you to a safehouse and/or street doc.

QUOTE (Ryu @ Jul 17 2007, 06:49 AM)

If you are going to buy spellcasting you can take sensitive system as a flaw, you´ll not want to pay for keeping up magic on top of your other karma needs.

You´ll want at least spellcasting 3 and 3 points of magic for general use, so improved reflexes III is out. The point of an adept hacker is to have improved ability, so you´ll "need" at least magic 7. Ouch. I´d consider improved reflexes I for chargen and buying that one up last.

See if you find enough spells that work with low force and spellcasting pool to make this worthwhile to you.

I had aimed for making him primarily an adapt at early level, our Gm sometimes gives large karmic awards for runs.

I could easily switch out one of the Allergy flaws for sensitive system, which on the plus side makes it less abusive.

Our campaign offers contact points for free so I wasn't too worried about spending points here.

Crusher Bob

Jul 18 2007, 03:32 AM

The automatics skill covers machine pistols, submachine guns, and assault rifles. So having automatics 3 still lets you use an AR.

Counter magic is a worthwhile investment because it's effectiveness doesn't depend on your magic rating. If I remember the rules for mystic adepts correctly you'll have an effective magic for spell casting of 1, which means that you can cast force 2 spells with physical drain, but that's it.

And you could switch out one of your cheesy flaws for one that would effect you even less, haha.