Page 196 Unwired... Fetch Module

What I'm getting from this is that you get a browse agent with a personality, that per RAW "may not be loaded with other software or data."

Ok, why would a hacker pay 24,000 Nuyen (and track down a 24 Availability item) for a 'little buddy' rating 6 Browse program that saves 1 slot on their 'link?

I must be missing the point here, someone help me out and explain the usefulness of a nearly double-cost agent that can only browse. That's some expensive fluff for a hacker who wants to save 1-2 initiative passes by having his fetch look up cheap flights online...

A hacker, or any other Matrix specialist character, wouldn't bother with such an item.

Our team's Troll Bodyguard, who has Simsense Vertigo and a penchant for "servant" tech that he can talk to in order to have them go do things finds it very useful however. Even a level 3 Fetch module (like he has) throws 6 dice at most searches per interval. Since most Data Searches are extended tests, they don't need to be maxed out to be useful, they just might take a little longer. Still works great though for doing basic Matrix legwork, which he can be doing while my Face makes a bunch of comm calls, and his commlink and computer skills don't need to be top notch (or even existant in the case of skills) to do it.

Also, technically it saves two slots (one for the Agent program, one for the active copy of Browse), plus if you do decide to spring for the rating 6 version (or take it from someone else--hintwinknudge) it can be run on a commlink with 1's across the board and still run both the Agent and Browse at R6, for 12 dice per interval.

Think of it as less a hacker toy than as a Joe the Wageslave toy that is useful for (some) 'runners...

Thanks Kingboy, I appreciate your experience and your teammate's good roleplaying.

What annoys me is that a good fetch module is priced over and above the Simsense Accelerator and Response Enhancer, which are obviously the hacker's tools to keep up with Technomancers Gone Wild.

(Don't get me wrong, I love the fact that both matrix specialty character paths can get to 5 IPs)

It just seems that the Fetch Module (priced as printed, anyway) would have been well-made as sort of an Auxiliary Processor that would run an agent w/o burdening the main commlink. It's only 1, not multiples like a 'mancer can have multiple sprites, but it's still a nice thought. But with that limitation on no other programs or data... not going to happen.

Just from a cost/benefit standpoint, it would be cheaper to buy a customized 6 Response Commlink with NO wireless signal, Skinlink or 'attach' it through the modular port as a slaved connection (probably wouldn't be a very difficult Hardware roll), and it would be even more effective than the 2 Response version printed (which probably effects the speed of the browse agent I'm guessing).

Parts for Response 6 = 4000, hacked System 6 = 600, hacked unrestricted Agent Pilot at 6 = 1250, personafix program = 100, hacked Browse 6 = 60... 6110 nuyen and a couple days work w/Hardware skill for something that exceeds book specs. Maybe my hacker will go into the biz of selling these actually... hehe

Ah well.

I certainly won't argue that the damn things are kinda retardedly pricey...