The Living Persona Table (SR4 pg 233, SR4A pg 239) says:

Response = Intuition (+1 in full VR)
VR Matrix Initiative = (Intuition x2) +1

Now, regarding this, here are my questions:

1. Where does the +1 to response come from while in VR? Is that just one of the benefits of being a technomancer, or is there something I'm just totally overlooking?

2. Regardless of where that +1 comes from, I've got a questions about VR Initiative. Other hackers in VR use Response + Intuition for VR Initiative (with the listed +1 for being in Hot Sim). Given that a technomancer can raise his Response above his Intuition (echoes, the above listed bonus for VR & Reality Filter are 3 that come to my mind really fast), why don't they get these benefits in Initiative? For example, if the technomancer has Intuition of 5 and goes into VR, by the above table he'd have Response 6 and Initiative of 11 whereas a non-technomancer in Hot Sim with an Intuition of 5 and Response of 6 would have a 12 for Initiative. Is this really how it's meant to be, especially when you consider that a technomancer's Response is also limited by his Resonance score? In this instance I know I'd be inclined to say that the chart was written as Intuition x2 without thinking of Response increases, thereby making Intuition x2 correct, and therefore should actually be Intuition+Response like another hacker.

3. How does Resonance limit temporary bonuses to the living persona? Using the same technomancer with 5 Intuition, and assuming a 5 Resonance, would they even benefit from the +1 of being in VR? How about the temporary bonus of Reality Filter, since it is attempted on each node? Are these both considered hard boosts to Response and therefore they don't matter if it would take your Response over your Resonance? I know this is how I read it, but I could be wrong. Perhaps there is some reason that they, or at least one (more likely the Reality Filter), are considered more of a bonus and therefore they still work.

I'm just curious how others have treated these things, or if they've even come up. Thanks.

1. You are a Technomancer, and that grants +1 Response in VR.

2. TM: Int 5 + (Response 5 + VR 1) = 11. Normal user: Int 5 + Response 5 + VR 1 = 11. I would agree that adding response increases to initiative seems right.

3. Your resonance caps your living persona stats. I would be more generous with Reality Filters myself, them being software, but given how much those do, no TM has used one so far.

What do you mean by this? Are you saying you'd allow Reality Filters to be a temporary bonus over a Resonance capped Response? What do you mean by 'how much they do, no TM has used on so far'? You mean that no TM's in your game have thought a Reality Filter was worthwhile?

Also, I'd love to get other people's opinions, especially on 2 and 3.

My TM doesn't think Reality Filter's are worthwhile. If a point of response might save his life he'd just thread a Shield CF a little higher or use a Sprite for any *cough* heavy lifting.

1. The +1 Response is because the Technomancer is always considered to be using hot sim in VR. I know the hacker gets a +1 to Matrix initiative (and not a +1 to Response). Seems weird, maybe.

2. Under the Overclocking echo, it specifically states that the +1 Response also increases the Matrix initiative. So, it would seem that a bonus to a Technomancer's Response would add the same level of bonus to Matrix initiative. This just means that a Technomancer with INT 5 would have a Response of 5 (6) and a Matrix initiative of 11. That hacker with a Reponse 6 has a better commlink than the Techomancer's Response 5.

3. Since the examples given in the book display the adjusted Living Persona attributes in the same fashion as augmented attributes, I'd say that the base maximum is restricted by Resonance and allow for the "augmented" maximum to be 1.5x base (like all other attributes). So a Technomancer with a Resonance of 5 could have a maximum Resopnse of 5 ( 8 ). This means that he/she could take the Overclocking echo and still benefit from the +1 VR bonus and the +1 if he/she wins with a Reality Filter. Also, since the Overclocking echo would indicate that bonuses to Response add to Matrix initiative, the example Technomancer (INT 5, Overclocking and winning Reality Filter) would then have a Matrix initiative 13 and an "augmented" Response of 8.

on a side note, anyone know how to disable an emoticon so I don't have to put spaces when I type the ( 8 ) to not get ( ?

Uncheck "Enable Smilies" when replying. (8)

Yes, I would allow Reality Filters to be a "software" bonus to the capped "hardware" living persona response. (Not absolutely sure if that is right.)

And yes, a conditional +1 to response was so far not considered "worth" a CF. It is a very acceptable bonus for 2 karma (hack node, thread RF, activate), but response is not terribly important for TMs. Theoretical (so far, for us) combat-TMs might see it differently.

If threaded then wouldn't the sustaining penalty make things like Exploit and Matrix Perception suffer a sustaining modifier?

If you buy the CF at rating 1, you can drop threading after you made the test.

I would think that if you threaded Reality Filter then you'd need to maintain the threading or reroll it since the lower version is basically a lower, and therefore different use of, complex form.