Okay, so I admit I am totally unversed in Shadowrun 4th edition, I am learning the Matrix rules as Deckers have been my favorite archetype since 1st edition. As I loved the Otaku from older versions of Shadowrun I was wondering what I'd have to alter to make the Technomancer archetype into an Elf as opposed to a human.

well, start by reducing his base charisma by 2 and his agility by one. that'll free up 30 BP (note: the elf ability mods will boost the stats in question up to the same value, thus you don't actually have lower end stats, just lower base stats before racial mods)

that being said... don't play the sample technomancer. that technomancer is absolutely terrible. i wouldn't touch it with a 20 foot pole.

*mutter mutter* Just my luck its full of fail.

I would advise against an elf base for a TM anyway. TM chargen suffers from a severe lack of BP (well, at 400 at least), and the 30 BP spend on being an elf do not help things along. The stat shuffle Jaid suggests is of course fine, if you can stomach the lost edge.

While we are talking changes:
- The CFs are so expensive later on that you want them at (Resonance).
- The given CF selection is... odd. Browse, decrypt, edit, trace, sniffer can all be threaded. Even this TM can buy two hits on any fading test.
- Dodge 2 will do nothing on top of a Reaction 4, and Body 2 ensures that you are lightly armored. Dodge 1 (Ranged) is the minimum change IMO.
- a light pistol and a DP of 5 (smart 7). I´d rather see a character run, than trying strategies of that kind. Any guards will bring weapons and shoot better.
- Perception 3 and Negotiation 2 are nice. As is natural hardening. Still, not the best way of spending 30 BP. Try Willpower 5 and Influence group 1.

On the other hand, if you play a TM focused on Sprites, the elf isn't a waste of points. The higher charisma lets you have more registered Sprites. Sprites can fill in for several roles, such as data searches, matrix combat, and matrix defense (love the Paladin sprite). My TM is a Sprite focused TM, she occasionally threads, but mostly uses Sprites Assist Operation to improve her hacking ability. With a Charisma 6, she can have 6 registered sprites, and that's way fun.

Plus, pick your sprites carefully and pick your path... er, stream... and then look at your fading attribute. Technoshamans use Charisma for fading. Beefing up your fading attribute is always a good idea.

Skip the tasking skill group, just go for Compiling & Registering (with the points you save, get those up to 5).

Beyond that, I agree that you should get your CF at resonance, and if you can, play the numbers so you can just start with Resonance 6. I didn't, and wish I did.

Something else I'd have done: I'd have dumped the Electronics Group at 3 and simply gotten Software (threading + 2). Maybe Hardware of 1, just to tide me over until I got Skinlink for submersion. With a Sleuth Sprite rating 6, you really don't need Data Search (and skip the Browse CF). Computer I never seem to use, I've either hacked myself an Admin passcode and don't need to make any more tests, or haven't hacked it and have to use my Hacking skill--plus rating 6 Data Sprites often will be better at computer tasks than you (they roll 12 dice, the TM in the example rolls 6 for edit tests).

IMO, a good race to try for a Techno would be a dwarf; it's what I would do.

Since you (probably) aren't going to be in the front lines, the bit lower speed isn't going to affect you. They have the same maxes for mental stats as the rest-AND the Willpower bonus is very nice. They also start with a 2 body and 3 strength, so nothing needs be spent in the latter, and for 10 BP you have a nice, slightly above average Body of 3 for if you do indeed go front-lines now and again. It's also only 25 BP, so less than the elf by 5.

That being said, yeah, don't use the book TM. I say build it yourself.

Warning: Matrix Perception is Computer + Analyse. Without skill it will be hard to perceive icons that have stealth running, or are in hidden mode. The point about Data Search is good, but Hardware is always a usual skill, not only for riggers and hackers. By that count the group as three useful skills and one extra, making it a good buy.

The dwarf is certainly a good idea. Consider a skillgroup-heavy build with only a slight investment in attributes. It´s way cheaper to get a few attributes from 3 to 5 than increasing Resonance and all CFs to 6. The drain stat of choice would be logic, which you want high anyway because of the number of CFs you can buy.

I'd say that this isn't a problem, myself. Even if you don't hit anything- or if you do, don't do much damage- you're reducing the dice pool of whomever you're shooting at by two for when one of your killingsmen gets to go.

Is there a thread on here where people have posted their PCs? I wouldn't mind a pile of technomancer stats to crib notes from.

Very good point, Ryu, and one I forgot. When you're running your own stealth at 18+, you forget you need to look for other people/IC. I guess if my GM used more data bombs, I might use my Matrix Perception occasionally. (shhh... he's on vacation this week)

Here, I'll post my elf Technoshaman for you (as she started the game, to the best of my memory. I don't have the original sheet anymore). Mind you, my group created our 4 PC team together--hey, character generation by committee!-- so they knew my TM was going to be totally weak in the physical world, and her non-computer skills were laughable . The other characters (Adept combat monkey, Speedy razor girl, and combat shaman) make up for it with a heavy focus on combat and a broad selection of useful skills, and we're a close-knit team. She was my first TM and I have been pleasantly surprised at how well she does at hacking. She's primarily built around using sprites and was built before Unwired.

B 2
A 2
R 2
S 1
C 6 (fading attribute)
I 5
L 5
W 5
Edge 1
Res 5

Skills
Compiling (Sleuth +2) 5
Registering (Sleuth +2) 4
Cracking Group 4
Electronics Group 2
Perception 1 <-- look, see, 1 non computer skill! Count 'em. 1!

Qualities
Photographic Memory
Mentor Spirit (er.... this changed to Paragon in Unwired)
Home Ground (ShadowSea data haven)
Mild Allergy
SIN
Sensitive System
Incompetent: Navigation (can I tell you how much fun our group has had with this? Just imagine the person downloading the mapsofts or satelite footage and giving directions...)

CF (all at 5)
Analyse
Browse*
Edit*
Scan
Armor
Attack
ECCM
Exploit
Sniffer
Stealth

* Dump these and just thread or use sprites. I'd replace them with Shield and Blackout

Contacts (used optional Charisma*2 rule)
Resources 3,000

I´d suggest to put Spoof on the list, and refine it into an artform.

Hehe, I can relate to that. If it wasn't for my Garmen I'd be lost all the time too.

On a side note I would actually advise against TMs for starting players.

Actually I don't like them in general.

Even if you have "good" stats you have to know what you're doing to use a TM right (hint if you are not a matrix god that can spank any system the GM can legally make you aren't doing it right, also drones should be horrifying death machines once you start messing with them).

The trouble is that it makes it annoying for game balance. Systems are a joke, but to get there you're severly crippled at everything else usually. And the drones rules are insane and probably broken if your GM lets you abuse the system even a little.

But beyond that TMs are generally pretty worthless.

And to add to the annoyance TMs take longer to do anything in real life as a TM will be making all sorts of extra rolls and maybe be looking some extra stuff up.

I like the hacker. Straightforward, don't soak up much table time, some systems can be a challenge, and they have enough BP left after getting the neccesary skills they can also do something else. Such as being part sammy.

For me, I really don't like "multi-class" characters. When I played D&D I was a mage, or a rogue. Not a Fighter/Mage, Rogue/Priest/Mage or whatever. I want to let the combat characters to shine, that's their job, but the Matrix that's my area. Hackers don't really appeal to me because any slot can take a few skills and be a hacker. Technomancers I like, they give me the magician vibe and still keep me from stepping on the Shaman's toes.

Heading to bed now, but tomorrow I'll try to throw together a technomancer character and see if I can get you guys to help me streamline it. I think the extra edge from human would be pretty useful so I am going to go with that.

Looking at the Technomancer Archetype it looks like the points don't add up to 400. What am I missing?

Attr: 230
Active Skills: 134
Qualities: 10
CF: 35
Gear: 3
Contacts: 8
420?

Check the errata. I think there's something there.

I'd also go for the sprites on a technomancer but for raw hacking power, hacker is still better anyway. Bit funny when reading Emergence, the technomancers seem to be capable of doing lots with just a thought but rulewise, they aren't that good. That's of course to balance it out, as mancers aren't matrix-gods. But to build a good hacker out of technomancer, you really have to make it a narrow build.

SR4 1.5 errata says:

TMs can do far more than you give them credit for bullzeye. threading is a scary, scary thing

I think TMs actually resemble what they are supposed to be. No solid staying power, but dreadful opponents while alive.