Just a few qualities I that I dreamed up that aren't in the books. Will post more if I think of any.


From My Cold Dead Fingers: (Positive, 5-15bp)
"Why the hell anybody plug the likes of you into a deck
like that? Thing ought to be in a museum"

The character does not keep up with the bleeding edge, but that doesn't stop them from doing their job. The character receives an additional dice pool modifier for skill tests using outdated equipment or weapons, due to familiarity with that specific item.

GMs may adjust this to their liking, E.G; giving a character +1 for certain matrix tests using outdated cyberdeck equipment at a cost of 15bp, giving the ability to Burst-fire a specific SA pistol for 10bp, or giving bonuses to matrix initiative for using hardlines instead of wireless.

Emotional Equipment Attachment: (Negative, 10bp)
Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.

The character must make a willpower(2) test to get rid of equipment he or she has used for a period of time, even if it may endanger the character. Difficulty should be proportional to the amount of time the equipment was used.

Topper: (Negative, 10bp)
"Will you just take it easy!?" "Calmer than you are"

The character must make a willpower(3) test to not say anything if they have not gotten the last word in. Give this quality to NPCs for double the fun.

The second example on the first one is a bit overpowered. Maybe adding a +1 or +2 to a non-smartlinkable gun would be more appropriate, but the actual, physical abilities of the equipment should not be affected.

I thought about doing that, but seeing as specializations give you +2 for just 2 points, I figure you should get something worthwhile for your bp. it could indeed be a bit overpowered, but it's up to the GM to approve and regulate that. besides, I thought there ought to be the ability to "Fan" a revolver in this game.

well, maybe you could argue for getting two shots out of an SS gun, but burst fire is going a bit far. And don't think of a +2 bonus as a specialization, think of it like possessing a smartlink that can never be hacked, since it stacks with specializations.

other idea would be to make the first one into a negative quality(i still think negative quality is a stupid thing to call something) that impedes negative dice-pool-modifiers if you try to use any of the newer tech . . hell, i would probably critically botch every time i touched a cellphone . . never owned one, probably never ever will own one . .

Stahlseele's suggestion sounds like a much more sensible way of handling this. Giving bonuses for using outdated equipment should, in theory, just negate the penalties for the equipment being so outdated (after all what exactly is an outdated cyberdeck in SR4? How do you stat it?). Limiting the character to low tech gear and giving them some BP seems more sensible and avoids dice pool bloat.
Alternatively, make it a Code of Honour. Downside is that they don't use "newfangled" stuff (anything that isn't tried and tested), and then give them a couple of appropriate bonuses. Code of Honour works particularly well because it also has the "recognition" aspect amongst others like yourself. An old-school matrix jockey gets that extra bit of respect from other old-school hackers, the dude with the pair of revolvers gets a cautiously friendly nod from the ganger with the trusty old AK-47.