It's probably not too far from the truth to postulate that us Dumpshockers see the role of "Sprite Rigger" as the only worthwhile career for a Technomancer. I've been toying with the idea of including one in my Emergence campaign as a recurring character (either the antagonist or contact of the group's TM, depending on developments) -- for some reason, however, I am having a hard time envisioning a working character.

So I'm coming here for help, ideas and templates: What should a TM Rigger look like? I'd love to see the community cook up some examples. Since we're probably all agreed that Technomancers need all the help they can get, min-maxing should be a non-issue, and as Prime Runner, this character has 600 BP to work with.

Looking forward to your characters,
E.T.
(No, not phoning home. )

This should be interesting. My group has put some thought into this as well, but has never built one. Would it possible to make a starting (400 BP) Technomancer/Rigger or is it something a character would have to grow into (600 BP)?

I may have dropped 5 BPs somewhere along the way, revising an earlier chargen. Perhaps this needs more investment in EW, perhaps an EW autosoft for the Fly-Spy. This design includes augware with about .9 Essense cost, and thus a hit to Resonance; no further augmentation expected. He starts with a Fly-Spy, and whenever he needs a vehicle, he can find one and hack his way into the controls.

Sylvester got started as a low-end taxi driver. He found that he could often think his way into the control systems, and whatever sedan was assigned to him always ran better than anyone else's. He's also done some driving for CrashCart, and quickly got assigned as driver on HTR missions, which has yielded enough cash to invest in high-end gear.

BOD 2
AGL 2
REA 2
STR 3
CHA 4 (Biofeedback Filter 4)
INT 5 (Response 5)
LOG 5 (7) (System 7)
WIL 5 (Firewall 5)
EDGE 1
RES 5 (4)
INIT 6 (VR Init 10)
Essence 6 (5)
Dwarf 25 + Attributes 200 + Qualities 15 - Qualities 30 + Skills 150 + CFs 15 + Gear 20 + Contacts 5 = 400
Positive Qualities:
Codeslinger
Technomancer
Negative Qualities:
Allergic to Jamming (Uncommon, Mild)
Allergic to Pollen (Uncommon, Mild)
Addicted to Psyche (Mild)
Sensitive System
Skills
Compiling 6 (Machine Sprites)
Programming 4 (Threading)
Pilot Aircraft 4 (Rotorcraft)
Pilot Groundcraft 4
Auto Mechanic 4
Computer 2 (Analyse)
Hacking 2 (Exploit)
Hardware 2 (Vehicle Control Interfaces)
Decompiling 1
Registering 1
Etiquette 1 (Leet)
Cybercombat 1
Data Search 1
EW 1
Perception 1
Dodge 1 S: Ranged
Pistols 1 S: Slivergun
Knowleges
Street: Data Havens 2
Street: Junkyards 2
Academic: Electronics Design 4
Academic: Matrix Protocols 4
Academic: Vehicle Designs 4
Profession: Taxi Driver 4
Profession: Crashcart Driver 4
Languages
English N, Lingo: Leet
Complex Forms
Armor 5, Analyse 5, Stealth 5
Contacts
Honest Al, taxi dispatcher and chop shop manager, loyalty 2, connection 3

GEAR
Augmentation
Control Rig (Alpha) ¥20,000
Sleep Regulator ¥10,000
Cerebral Booster 2 ¥20,000
Electronics
Custom comlink ¥31,650
Response 5, Signal 5, Firewall 5, System 5; Agent 5, Exploit 5, Stealth 5, Attack 5
Fake SIN lvl 4 (George Kalandra) ¥4,000
Fake SIN lvl 1 (Steve Fairfield) ¥1,000
Subvocal Mic ¥50
Commonly Carried
Ares Viper slivergun w/smartlink sensor ¥1200
Spare clip (30) ¥305
Armor Vest 6B/4I, +2 Fire ¥800
Glasses ¥1000
Antiglare, Telescopic, Image Link, Smartlink, +3 vision enhancement
Stim Slap Patch R6 x2 ¥300
Thermal Smoke Grenade x2 ¥70
MCT Fly-Spy Microdrone (Buzz) Y2,700
Camera w/Thermal Vision & +3 Vision Enhancement, Radio Scanner lvl 6, Directional Microphone
Psyche (a no-longer-full bottle) ¥400
Low Lifestyle 1 month ¥2000
Total ¥100,000
Slivergun: 7 DP to hit, 9P DV +5 AP
Soak with vest: 8 vs ballistic, 6 vs impact/fire
Checks: Composure 9, Judge Intent 9, Memory 10, Lift 5
Threading 11
Resist Fade 10
Machine sprite compiles at (12-R) tasks; other sprites (10-R) tasks

- The concept of the TM rigger calls for using machine spirits instead of rigging. Gone are rigger controls and actual vehicle skills, we need the BP. We also need better registering, same reason.

- Your Resonance works as a cap to your Persona stats, or so I think. Four across the board, welcome to a primary reason why TMs are inferior to hackers - in the beginning. Ditch all the ware you have, buy none, or buy ware that increases your physical stats.

- Matrix Combat should be higher, so you do not need to keep Sprites in reserve.

Right, okay. Thanks for the ideas so far. Basically we can forego the entire usual rigging setup, and need to give him at least Resonance 5 so he can start with 5 already bound Machine Sprites. Complex Forms should probably include Command, Decrypt and Spoof -- what more will he definitely need and shouldn't be left to Threading?

Skillwise, a starting TM-Rigger shouldn't leave the house without Compiling and Registering 5, with a Spec if you don't want to leave it for buying later with Karma.

Does he need Pilot? That's a good question. Giving him either Groundcraft or Aircraft would probably depend on the background -- a ganger wunderkind probably wouldn't have either (unless we're talking go-ganger, that is). For everything else, Sprites should do the trick.

Even Mechanic couldbe optional, if he just goes around nabbing other people's stuff rather than maintaining his own armada, but then he'd probably need to be better at Hacking.

Don't bother with Decrypt. Relie on Sprites for that. Replace it with Analyze since that is your Matrix Perception which is much more important. Machine sprites either start with Decrypt or else get it as an optional CF.

@ Riley's Build

I personally would keep the Pilot skills since Sprites don't get Edge.

EW needs to be much higher is you want to attack opposing drone networks at all. Hacking is actually useless unless you actually want to hack into their systems. EW and a Crack sprite allow you to avoid this skill (actually I think machine sprites get Hacking and Spoof as well don't they?).

Get rid of Decompiling. Get Registering a lot higher. You are going to be more reliant on Registered sprites than a regular TM as a rigger so this is a must.
Personally I'd try for Compiling (MS) 4, EW 5, and Registering (MS) 5. Eurotroll: are the skill caps still in place for these Prime Runners?

If you are going to go the Cyber route then definitely take the Control Rig Boosters from Augmentation. Since you have the skill you can get an extra +2 to your pilots and suddenly you are as good as a Rating 6 Machine Sprite.

I can't stress enough how important it is to NOT use your sprites to pilot your drones. It is a big waste of time. If you have the downtime and can register a ton then go for it but I wouldn't bother. In addition to Machine Sprites you might want to also register Data Sprites for their nifty little Hash power. Makes your encryption damn near unbeatable (they'd have to hack your commlink and kill the sprite in order to decrypt your communications with your drones).

Also, I don't know how your GM runs the game but a House Rule that I am using is that Sprites can only Aid Complex Form for CFs that they actually have. So try to think ahead.

TMs are THE most powerful hackers/riggers in the game but they aren't point and click like a regular hacker. You have to really think and plan ahead.

No, the caps for the Prime Runner version are off. That's the whole point, really.

Also, I'm the GM for my game.

i think i have that picture somewhere at home . . been in the RPG.net motivational posters thread i gather? *g*

No. I read Transmetropolitan.

SR4 Riggers . . kinda like that
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2203/220405...0b68afa_o_d.jpg
and there it is . . i knew i had that image somewhere ^^

edit:fixed URL according to Post below

You need to take the "_d" off the end of the URL. I don't necessarily want to download it.

here