Guh, I hate asking for build advice, but it seems to be something I've actually begun to do...


So, I'm new to SR4, but not exactly new to Shadowrun in general. I've been playing the game on and off for several years, but I never once did the following things: Played a Decker, Rigger, or Otaku. I touched lightly on playing a Mage, but the groups I usually found myself in, usually didn't have a dedicated Street Sam so I played that... or a Face.

Now, after pouring over SR4 and trying out a few different character ideas over the past several weeks, I've come to the conclusion that Technomancers are bad ass... At least in fluff. The only thing is, I am realizing that I really suck at trying to pin him down. After a long bout of consideration, I've decided that I'd like to post what I thought might be a decent TM so that I could get advice and criticism by players who are far more experienced than I.

A few things that I've limited myself on while creating this character: I want to make an Elf as I've never actually played on before and I have a good background idea why, I want to hopefully -not- use cyber. No specific reason why, just don't see the use for it given the race / Fading Soak choice. I'm trying to use Charisma as my soak stat, and I'm looking to control drones (but not as a focus, but a reason to be physically useful in combat as I don't want to use guns).

So here goes:

Race: Elf
Stream: Technoshaman
Paragon: Daedalus (is he useful for drone control? Should I instead look toward one of the hacking Paragons, maybe 01?)

Attributes:

Body: 2
Agility: 3
Reaction: 4
Strength: 1
Charisma: 6
Intuition: 5
Logic: 5
Willpower: 5

Edge: 2
Resonance: 5

Active Skills:
Perception: 1 (do I need that?)
Compiling: 5
Registering: 5
Electronic Warfare: 3 (Or this?)
Hacking: 4
Electronics Group: 3 (I could put the above points into this, or break this apart and lose Hardware?)

Current CFs:
Analyze: 5
Browse: 3
Edit: 3
Exploit: 5
Scan :3
Spoof: 4
Stealth: 5
Shield: 3

Qualities:
-5 Technomancer
-5 Paragon: Daedalus (took +1 for Machine Sprites)
+5 SURGE: Striking Skin Pigmentation
+30 In Debt VI (Needs me da monies)

-- I don't have command yet, as I plan on using my sprites to control the drones at this time. Later on I may grab up Command, but I figured the Sprites can, for the most part do that for me. I don't have nay attack abilities and will probably instead rely on a Paladin Sprite to do my hitting for me while I drop off the net or try and work my way around the situation. With a little effort, I shouldn't be ever getting caught anyway.

As far as the remaining BP: I tossed in 12bp into cash. I'm trying to get a Lynx (A few in my group are heavily suggesting I get it instead of a Doberman or 2), a Stepvan for the Lynx, and hopefully a few other drones.

Additionally: I know, I know.. The huge debt is going to be where most of my money goes to for a good long time, but if things go my way, I won't always need to worry overly much about it. -- And Charisma based skills? Should I do something about trying to get a few of them? Earlier renditions of this character build had the Influence Skill group at 1 for 7 dice to throw at charisma based tests. I wouldn't be calling myself a face, but I could pull off a few things in a pinch.

And finally: What is actually my biggest headache is trying to figure out how to outfit my Drone(s). For the Steel Lynx, I've got what.. An LMG? For the Stepvan I've attached a Large Rack. That's it thus far. I don't know what else to add.

Thanks for advice as it comes along!

Edit: Also, I've been tooling with the idea of getting rid of Electronic Warfare and popping in First Aid or Medicine to be even more useful in combat... Have a medkit (too tired to look at the book for the one I'm thinking of) with a Sprite assisting + First Aid + (a later bought Specialty for physical drain?) + Logic... Is what I'm looking at

color me crazy, but isn't electronic warfare part of the hacking group anyways?

in any case, not sure you're *technically* allowed to pick up a negative surge quality unless you have already surged. in any event, you definitely need to find some way to squeeze in a few more BP for those CFs: complex forms are one of the best things you can buy with build points. i would probably recommend even losing something on the stats, and fill up on whatever complex forms you want *now* because you are going to be paying a lot for any complex form you want to pick up later.

personally, i would also ditch scan and browse... you can thread them to low ratings as needed. assuming you aren't willing to rely on compiled sprites for that. focus on other complex forms, the ones where you *really* need to have a good dice pool. there is no such thing as a well-rounded technomancer. either you are good at technomancering and terrible at pretty much everything else (dodge skill may be a worthwhile investment, btw) or you are terrible at technomancering and not completely horrible at everything else but still not very good.

I chose the Surge negative quality mainly as a filler for right now. I'll get rid of that. Thanks for the input. I originally didn't have scan OR browse in my list and was, like you mentioned, going to use my sprites for that. EW is in the Cracking Skill Group, not the Electronics Skill Group. Thinking on it, I really don't need it, even if I do decide to still go Hacker/Drones. I can always rely on the Sprite that's riding along, in a pinch.

I'll tinker around a little more based on your comments and see what I come up with, thanks.