Dumpshock Forums > Sample Character Archive

overcannon

Jun 28 2009, 06:24 PM

Since it looks like this thread requires some resurrection, here is another creation.

Weapons Expert, 400BP (â€œAceâ€? Foxstrike)

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Jame J

Jul 20 2009, 02:13 PM

A character, made up using the Fanpro version of SR4 (this was a couple of years ago). Note that I treated the programs as being purchased with nuyen and not build points, and that not having a copy of SR4/Catalyst, any comments/mods for SR4/C would be accepted but not necessarily understood.

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Glyph

Aug 8 2009, 06:08 AM

The Break-In Specialist

"In and out. No problem. They won't even know I was there."

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The break-in specialist is an expert at covert infiltration and bypassing security systems. He prefers to enter and leave unseen, but when it is necessary, he can take guards out quickly and quietly. Despite his formidable array of skills, he is also a transhumanist technophile with the latest gadgets, and 'ware that a street samurai would envy. He knows that his vocation has no room for error. So he embraces anything that will give him that all-important edge.

Glyph

Sep 7 2009, 11:53 PM

The Slick Weasel

"Hey, what do you want? Need to ditch some hot merchandise? Need a cheap gun you can use and lose? Need someplace to hide out until the heat dies down, where the devil rats won't bug you? Whatever you need, I can hook you up. Long as I get my cut. But hey, if you're short on the cred, don't give up. We can always work out something quid pro quo."

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It's already hard to grow up in the Barrens, or the Ork Underground. But it's even harder when you're the runt of the litter. You need to be sneaky. You need to be a smooth talker. You need to be fast on your feet. You need connections. And you need to fight with the viciousness of a cornered rat when you have to.

The slick weasel is THE go-to guy when you're in the worst parts of town. He knows the signs and passwords to get a bunch of breeders through the Ork Underground. He will let the elf know to pull his hoodie up to hide his ears, because the local troll gang really doesn't like elves. He can score you some cheap uzis. He can help you ditch that corper's limo and get a bit of cred in the bargain. He can find a back alley doc to patch up the sammie who's leaking blood and hydraulic fluid all over the floor of your van.

In return, he wants you to be his go-to guy. He wants to move up in the world, to carve a new niche for himself downtown. All he needs is a foot in the door.

DESIGNER NOTES:
The problem with the sprawl ganger is a basic one. He only makes sense as either a lightly cybered character, or an adept. And both types will get chewed up by a heavily cybered character, or an adept with some bioware. So they are basically second-best at something that they have made their main schtick. If you are going to do a ganger, they work better as survivalists (someone who can guide the runners through the dangers of the Barrens), semi-face types with lots of friends in low places, or a mix of the two. This is my attempt to do that, while still being functional in combat.

He didn't turn out that bad, even though SR is rough on skill monkeys. Keeping with the original idea of this thread, he is basic book only. A version with a bit of gear from Arsenal, and some qualities from Runner's Companion, is posted in this thread.

Glyph

Sep 13 2009, 06:27 AM

This is a quick revision of the Former Mr. Johnson to make him SR4A-compliant. All I did was lower Kinesics to 3 (the new cap) and give him two points of Spell Resistance instead.

Former Mr. Johnson

"Let me talk with him. I know how the game is played."

[ Spoiler ]

He's the guy with the cold, dead eyes and the wintry smile, the corporate insider with the jobs and the connections. Who knows what convoluted corporate maneuvers led to him getting tossed to the curb? Now he has to swim with the same sharks he used to toss bloody pieces of meat to. But he can handle that. He may not be on the inside any longer, but he still has people who owe him favors. He is still a trained negotiator with icewater in his veins and eyes that miss nothing. He knows all about security holes, and black projects, and the unwritten rules of corporate infighting. And now he's sitting on your side of the table.

overcannon

Sep 17 2009, 04:51 AM

QUOTE (Glyph @ Sep 13 2009, 01:27 AM)

This is a quick revision of the Former Mr. Johnson to make him SR4A-compliant. All I did was lower Kinesics to 3 (the new cap) and give him two points of Spell Resistance instead.

Former Mr. Johnson

"Let me talk with him. I know how the game is played."

[ Spoiler ]

He's the guy with the cold, dead eyes and the wintry smile, the corporate insider with the jobs and the connections. Who knows what convoluted corporate maneuvers led to him getting tossed to the curb? Now he has to swim with the same sharks he used to toss bloody pieces of meat to. But he can handle that. He may not be on the inside any longer, but he still has people who owe him favors. He is still a trained negotiator with icewater in his veins and eyes that miss nothing. He knows all about security holes, and black projects, and the unwritten rules of corporate infighting. And now he's sitting on your side of the table.

I have to admit, I do like the concept of a former Mr. Johnson as a runner, but there are just a few things that tweak me about this build. I would expect he to be done cyberwise rather than via adepthood, but if feels like his background is a little flat for where he is coming from. I mean, he was a Mr. J, so since he isn't one anymore, something must have gone pretty wrong. I would expect that he might have the "Records on file" quality since I suppose that any Corp worth its salt would keep tabs on their Mr. Js. The other deal is what did go wrong? Enemies, Wanted, Big Regret, High Level Addiction, Flashbacks, Surge/Goblinization, or Infected would make for a solid explanation. It would also be interesting for him to take Judas and trust fund if he was still with the Corp from the wrong end of things. That and an Actioneer suit instead of an Armored Vest. First impression definitely is a solid fit for a J, but Blandness or Erased would also be good traits.

Mickle5125

Sep 17 2009, 03:38 PM

QUOTE (overcannon @ Sep 16 2009, 11:51 PM)

I have to admit, I do like the concept of a former Mr. Johnson as a runner, but there are just a few things that tweak me about this build. I would expect he to be done cyberwise rather than via adepthood, but if feels like his background is a little flat for where he is coming from. I mean, he was a Mr. J, so since he isn't one anymore, something must have gone pretty wrong. I would expect that he might have the "Records on file" quality since I suppose that any Corp worth its salt would keep tabs on their Mr. Js. The other deal is what did go wrong? Enemies, Wanted, Big Regret, High Level Addiction, Flashbacks, Surge/Goblinization, or Infected would make for a solid explanation. It would also be interesting for him to take Judas and trust fund if he was still with the Corp from the wrong end of things. That and an Actioneer suit instead of an Armored Vest. First impression definitely is a solid fit for a J, but Blandness or Erased would also be good traits.

I believe these were primarily done using the BBB. Easiest way for newcomers to get characters without needing a handful of extra books to use.

overcannon

Sep 17 2009, 06:52 PM

QUOTE (Mickle5125 @ Sep 17 2009, 09:38 AM)

I believe these were primarily done using the BBB. Easiest way for newcomers to get characters without needing a handful of extra books to use.

I know, that's why I included goblinization and addiction as options. It's just that for a former Mr. J, just about all the qualities that say "This guy is an ex corpse, and here's why..." are in Runners Companion.

Glyph

Sep 18 2009, 02:22 AM

Mickle5125 is right about why I chose my approach - this is a basic book only character. Runner's companion has all the good flaws, and Street Magic has a ton of adept powers that add a lot of flavor to a social adept. These characters are supposed to be put together better, but not min-maxed to all hell. Otherwise, I probably would have gone for cerebral booster: 2 and tailored pheromones: 3, even for an adept.

Plus, I had a slightly different notion for him. I didn't want to go with burned out, addicted, etc. I wanted someone who still had that hard, cold, ruthless, edge to him, but who was forced to adapt to drastically changed circumstances. Kind of a very twisted Horatio Alger story.

overcannon

Sep 18 2009, 02:45 AM

QUOTE (Glyph @ Sep 17 2009, 09:22 PM)

Mickle5125 is right about why I chose my approach - this is a basic book only character. Runner's companion has all the good flaws, and Street Magic has a ton of adept powers that add a lot of flavor to a social adept. These characters are supposed to be put together better, but not min-maxed to all hell. Otherwise, I probably would have gone for cerebral booster: 2 and tailored pheromones: 3, even for an adept.

Plus, I had a slightly different notion for him. I didn't want to go with burned out, addicted, etc. I wanted someone who still had that hard, cold, ruthless, edge to him, but who was forced to adapt to drastically changed circumstances. Kind of a very twisted Horatio Alger story.

I guess what I am thinking of is really more of a fully fleshed out character rather than a sample character. It's just the question of why a Mr. Johnson is running the shadows isn't explained within the concept, and I suppose that it really even can't be included in a rough concept. Perhaps an addendum after generic characters with some tips for fleshing them out would be a useful addition to the overall thread.

stu_pie

Jul 16 2011, 06:22 PM

Any one got a build for a samurai? I'm not just talking a street sammie, but an actual samurai

Ryu

Jul 16 2011, 08:45 PM

Within the rules of this thread, the main book has to suffice.

Human Samurai
Sometimes it is about attitude. The sword is still a deadly weapon, and SOTA tech can help you along on the way of the masters. There will always be someone stronger, but your hide ain´t cheap.

Attributes -220 BP

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Qualities - 0 BP
Guts 5
SINner -5

Active Skills - 110 BP

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Knowledge Skills -21 free ranks, all at +2

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Ressources - 42 BP
Ware -174k total

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Gear - Upcomming, 36k left.

Connections -20 BP
(Connection Rating, Loyality)
Local Gangboss 3 2
StreetDoc 3 1
Fixer (Weapons) 3 1
Corporate Johnson 4 3

stu_pie

Jul 16 2011, 10:53 PM

Cheers, nice build

HentaiZonga

Sep 10 2011, 11:20 PM

QUOTE (HentaiZonga @ Apr 13 2008, 10:32 PM)

Felicity (Phys Ad / Distraction)

Three years, eight errata releases, and a revised edition later, Felicity is no longer legal. So, here she is, updated:

"You want me to do what? Okay!!!"

Felicity can't help but get into trouble; it's what she's best at. Cute as a button, dumb as a post, and completely useless in a fight, Felicity excels at getting people to pay attention to her - a knack the local Shadowrun team has learned to exploit to its utmost.

[ Spoiler ]

Background

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Felicity would be called a "spoiled brat" if she wasn't so damned adorable, and if she hadn't had a pretty rough childhood. When she was born an Elf to half-Japanese parents in 2057, her parents left their corporate jobs and their lives in shame, fleeing from San Fransisco to Seattle to escape General Saito's metahuman pogrom. Her parents noticed her athletic prowess at an early age, and enrolled her in ballet, rhythmic gymnastics, and capoeira training - anything to keep their kami-touched daughter occupied and out of their sight. It was nearly a relief for them when, at age 12, she ran away on the first of many inscrutable impulses.

She was rescued from recruitment at the local benraku parlors by a local Shadowrun team's street mage, who immediately recognized her aura as that of a severely neglected awakened adept. She was brought in, fed, and the group's physical adept even tried to train her - a futile gesture, given her nearly nonexistant attention span and her ability to make anyone fall over themselves to please her. Still, she has developed into a virtuoso of dance and rhythmic gymnastics on her own, and has proven herself useful on more than one occasion.

The team has tried to run without her, which usually ends in absolute disaster - when she decides to sneak along and show up anyways, any hope of cover is invariably blown. Thus, the team has begun using her as their cover - by sending her in to sweet-talk and distract the guards, her eerie powers of persuasion and performance tend to draw the entire building's security over to watch her antics - leaving the team to walk unnoticed through their rounds.

Unfortunately, Felicity is a complete "wild child", and has the power to get away with nearly anything she wants. She constantly wears utterly inappropriate clothing, and rapidly alternates between playing up the roles of street hooker and innocent child - often deliberately calculated to cause the most amount of confusion in whoever she's talking to. The group is becoming worried about her antics, and the Physical Adept and Mage are discussing finding magical means of reining in their fey ward.

Glyph

Sep 3 2012, 05:31 AM

The Former Joyboy

"Sure I can lure her out of that bar. She went there to hook up with someone like me in the first place, eh?"

"Gotta be careful with suits. They're so used to doing anything they want, they live in an imaginary world where nothing bad will ever happen to them. They will screw you over for the most petty reasons, and lie when the truth could save them."

"Don't be so impatient. Negotiations are like sex - they require a lot of foreplay."

[ Spoiler ]

He doesn't look like he should be running the shadows. He's just a fresh-faced kid with an easy smile, someone who looks like he should be partying with the other carefree company brats. But look closer. There's something colder behind those baby blue eyes.

The streets are a brutal place. You have to be hard and vicious - or you have to sell yourself to survive. It's a world of vicious pimps that ruthlessly exploit workers they all but own. Where jaded suits can do anything they want, as long as they pay enough for it. Where brothels can implant headware that turns people into living sex toys, with whatever personality the customer desires.

But occasionally, someone is resilient enough to survive, to navigate his way out of this treacherous world. To the shadows, where his ability to read people and situations, to charm and manipulate others, can be useful to his fellow runners. Not many people can manage making such a transition - guess he's one of the lucky ones.

DESIGNER NOTES:
A budding face, with lots of room to grow. This is another one of those archetypes that is hard to do with only the basic book, because there are things from the other books that all but beg to be used for the concept. I was inspired by a former joyboy archetype that saw on an old Shadowrun site. Making it a Mr. Lucky pornomancer is my own vile and twisted doing.