Hello, im new to these forums but ive been playin shadowrun for about a year. My Character is a Cybered up Melee fighter thats really simple to use and i figured would be awsome for my first true shadowrun experience. Ive decided i wanted to play a rigger long ago when i learn better of the rules except i still dont have a complete grasp yet. First thing i wana know is a recommended set of Equipment for riggers, mostly the programs and agents needed. Also it would be good to know what a regular Rigger comes face to face with in a normal run to be aware of, cause there are a ton of hacking situations but i dont think a rigger needs to know databomb and stuff like that.

I had another question about the programs themselves, if you have multiple drones that do the same thing running that have the same stats, do they each need their own programs running? or will the one program running suffice to all of them? And if i need multiple programs cant i just open more then one of the same type on my system like if i was to open a bunch of Microsoft Word programs so i dont have to buy multiple versions of the exact same program?

Welcome, Riki! I hope you find these boards useful.

I'm not the most experienced player when it comes to riggers, but here's what I do know. If you bought your copy of Clearsight legally, it, like all legal programs, will have copy protection, so you will not be able to copy it. However, if you break that copy protection, acquire a pirated program or code your own, you're free to copy it as you like. IIRC you can use the same autosoft for different types of drones, but make sure to read the relevant text carefully. I know the Pilot program is specific to its drone, and maybe the Targeting autosoft is specific to a gun type (Automatics, Heavy Weapons etc.)

Good luck!

I didnt know that about the programs, i'll have my hacker buddie deal with the copyright murder so i can copy the program for the commlink, also another thing came to mind, how reasonable would it be to utilize multiple commlinks jacked into one another and into my head? cause i know systems have a limited to how many programs they can run at once, could i use like one commlink for autosofts and have it overflow more programs on another commlink to keep from over bearing the system?

If you have Unwired, then look up Clustering on page 59. Fun stuff!

"The processor limit is determined by adding the respective limits of the nodes composing the cluster and halving them."

So pretty much to increase my processing power i would need more then 2 of the same type of commlink to up my procesing power? how does that make sense lol

Depending on how you are rigging, don't forget to buy up the response on your drones if jumping in, or a high rating command program. ECCM, ECM, Sniff, Scan Spoof, Encrypt, Decrypt are all important programs to consider.

Sorry I don't have my books at work, so names might be a little off... but here we go.

Buy List
A Nanite Hive (cyber hand works well, stick in a rating 6 hive for $65~66k and 0.25 essence) and the rigger nanites from Aug should be top'o'da'list.
- In you got the nY, here are some more good nanites: Neural Amplifiers: Neocortical, Neural Amplifiers: Recall, Trauma Control System

Ware to max out your reaction, plus genetic optimization: reaction to get it even higher.

Simsense Booster ware, get those extra actions during hot-sim.

The 'More Than Meta-human' quality. (think that is how it is spelled)

On your Commlink get Simsense Accelerator, Response Enhancer 6, Custom Interface, and Optimization: Command upgrades.

Spotter/Security Agent (Analyze, Attack, Black)


Know List
Choose the style of rigger you want to be:
- Security/counter-security (a hacker/rigger hybrid, designed to take over a rigged building offensively and turn it against the defenders)
- Hoard Rigger (Uses captains chair mode to control *LOTS* of drones, they need good pilot and autosofts, plus mass fires)
- VR/Joystick Rigger (Uses VR to directly control a drone, often with a little hoard on the side)
- Jump-in Rigger (directly jumps into a vehicle to control it)

Look at the stats/programs/skills that make up the die pools for the type your going with and max those out.

Choose a type of rigger you want to be:
- Air
- Ground
- Building
- Vehicle Specialist

Focus your skills in that vehicle and Gunnery.

There are stealth/spy drones of every type. Make sure you buy several. The little fly spy, the LTA sensor platform, the little crawler spys, etc. They will actually be your bread and butter, not the gun drones.

If your building a begining 400BP character, avoid buying one or two of the expensive drones and go with hoards of the cheap ones. Trust me, your going to lose drones and losing a $5k drone is a lot easier to handle then losing a $50k drone.

Taking a que from the above, moding cheap drones with guns ('specially a concealed gun) is a effective way to get some combat power. Just remember to stay cheap, use bulk fires, and suppression fire is your friend.

Know that as a Rigger you will almost always be cash strapped. Steal or otherwise aquire drones and vehicles at every chance you get. That means buy the gear you'll need to jack a drone/vehicle and wipe out the tags on it. You got to replenish your metal army somehow and unless your GM is giving out money like crazy then you most likely will not even be able to cover your combat loses.

Combat loses suck! So the job is paying $10k each huh? Well you lose two $5k drones and you just came out negative for the night since I find it highly unlikely that the other PCs will be willing to take the hit to gross pay or the Johnson to pay damages. Unless the drones are crazy cheap or stolen, make sure that they don't go pop!

Stealth Drones! Spy Drones! Extreme Long Range Attack Drones! Assassin Drones! Things that don't get whacked often. If you want something to go boom, steal a vehicle or drone in mission and load it with explosives or grenades. There, mostly free smart bomb.

And you run the Autosofts on the drone, not your Commlink. So you don't need umber processing power from hell like the hacker in my game has (He runs six Commlinks, plus his implanted Commlink, for the capability to run 21 rating 6 programs... ARG! Drives me crazy!)

Awsome! that helps quite a bit. I plan on being a Joystick Rigger(most likey air or ground) and yes stealing or buying cheap drones was my idea to begin with cause i know in almost every mission we run something gets blown up or destoryed (usually my car) and just have the drones run their own autosofts? didnt know they could do that, i can still illegally copy the programs into them from the mother program right?

Edit: also im not to sure that my GM will like a whole lot of genetech and nanotech in my chars, hes still kinda iffy on all of that stuff since its suposed to be high end augmentation and shadowrunners are suposed to be bottom of the barrel in a sense. any alternatives?

Edit again: yes im makin a brand new 400bp char, im still tinkering around with stats and junk like that.

If the Autosoft is cracked or ware, then you can load it on all the drones you want. Only a legal copy is restricted to a single drone.

As for the Nanotech and single genetech item, runners are not the bottom of the barrel unless your playing a street level game. And you want to buy all that you can as a Rigger, since most of your money will be going towards drones once play begins.

Ya drones are here and there and everywhere, im sure i can find a down baddie, take his AK-47 and weld it onto a Manservent drone, pop in a couple autosofts and wala! I really appreicate the feedback, also.

Thats not the first time ive heard the term "Street Level" but i only see that here, whats that mean exactly?

Street Level is really nitty gritty, the players are playing street scum claiming to be "Shadow Runners" and spend most of their time worried about living day to day, paying the rent, barely making it by. Normally played at less than 400BP and with build restrictions.

Normal level for a SR game has the runners as established and skilled Shadow Runners.

Ah, no my current GM doesnt play that way, we are established skilled runners.

Tho that reminds me of my first GM, 250BP chars and we had to pay for almost everything ourselves(lifestyle covered nothing, including gas and food), and we got very little for our runs, it was a pain in the ass really was all it was and it frustrated more then was fun.

But its a lot to think about, i'll get with my preperations and i'll post back in here if i have any more comments or questions

If you get the right drones, the hacker in the party will be able to route over your signel and hack from your most forward drone. Good signal or directional signal devices here and a very very small stealth drone for the final. Just thought I would add that in.

Oh, and buying a large used van and mounting a couple drone racks in it would be a good idea. You gotta get them around someway that does not call massive attention to them.

I just thought of this, if the Drones are running the programs that means its running off their device rating, i dont expect little household drones i plan on stealing to have more then a 2-3 device rating, whats a quick method to upgrade that, how reasonable is it, how expensive, or should i not even bother if i plan on blowing it up within 2-3 missions?

Cost you a few $k, since you have to use the pilot increase mod. Not really worth it except for you main drones, which if your sinking a lot of cash into you don't want to get into fights.

Don't forget to pick up a copy of Tactical AR Software (Rating: 4)

With a Remote-Control Rigger, your going to want the highest Command program you can get, running on a Commlink that is optimized for Command (+1 dice on all Command test), and get high ratings in these skills
- Gunnery, Dodge, Infiltration, Vehicle, Perception

Good Autosofts out of Unwired are:
- Adaptability (Makes the drone think, function on its on, and take orders better)
- Chaser (Lets the drone take 'Shadowing' test with a bonus)
- Covert Ops (Lets the drone take 'Infiltration' test with a bonus)

Remember that the Optimization programing option is allowed for autosofts! Get all your autosofts with several levels of Optimization. Optimization adds its rating to the System rating for running the program, up to double the system rating. A rating 3 System can run a rating 6 Autosoft as long as you have 3 levels of optimization added to the Autosoft.


Now lets talk about something really important for a Rigger, network security. The easiest thing to do is cut the Matrix out. Get a 'Nonstandard Wireless Link' Rating 6 for your commlink and all your major drones. Use 'directional antennas' and 'laser links' to restrict access. If you need longer range, install a 'sat uplink' to your commlink and a repeater drone. I like the GTS Tower w/ chameleon coating, satellite communications, suncell, and nonstandard wireless link R: 6 for $34.5k. Expensive but it shouldn't go into danger. It serves as the center of your network, able to move around far above the battlefield and bounce your signal down to any of your drones in the area.

This is just a wealth of knowledge, i thank you so much i wasnt aware i could transmit without going completly wireless and i wasnt aware of optimizing. Ive got a lot of planning to do.

Any recommendations for a technomancer rigger? with about 75,000

One program everyone should use more is databomb. If someone doesn't have the Defuse utility it goes off, inflicting damage and acting as a warning of an intruder. If they have the utility they still need to spend time running it. Databomb all your drones and commlinks. Cyber too, if your GMs a jerk. Different password on every one.


TMs have it easy in many regards since they can thread TacSoft as needed or have machine sprites with the Autosoft(Tacsoft) ability. Given that your sprites are much more flexible than drone AI, you've got less call to be "jumped in" the drones. Plus the machine sprite "analyze/diagnose" power is bonus dice even to the on-site sprite.
TMs other advantage is encryption. TM encryption is pretty tough, if I remember Unwired correctly. Use data sprites with encryption to keep your system secure.

If you've got Unwired, show the GM the section about mesh networks (around page 60), it pretty much nerfs the retrans unit by letting all your drones act as repeaters for your other drones and you. Meaning off-the-shelf drones act as range extenders by default.

Get a couple of mini/micro drones and keep them on you at all times. They can house your sprites and act as a warning system since the AI gets a chance to notice overt danger (aka something that will hit you, fire, etc).

best rigger race lol, i cant decide on which one, and you said a high reaction, so im assumin dwarf is a bad selection

Also can i remotely control drones while jacked in? i know thats kinda weird to ask but i only get 1 pass while roaming in the world but i get 4 passes while jacked in with hot sim and simsense booster. Or would it be better to get like wired reflexes and forgo the simsense and stick with just remote control and crazyness, and if thats the case how would i pull that off?

I assume by jacked in, you mean in VR? If so, then yes you can. And if you add a Simsense Accelerator to your commlink, you'll get 5 actions in hotsim.

You will only need more meat passes if you want to do any rigging from AR. I wouldn't really recommend it since you'll be doing captains chair. Unless your building a troll rigger tank.

Actually, dwarves make phenomenal riggers and hackers. Intuition and Willpower are the only stats that actually matter when you are working in hot VR.

And at least a decent reaction (piloting without full jump-in), logic and agility (if you plan to do your own work).
But yea, dwarves make great riggers. Actually, their kinda typecast into that roll.

Reaction only matters if you are driving with two hands on the wheel. A decent Command program lets you drive via remote control without bothering with having a decent Reaction. An optimised Command program is also a hell of a lot cheaper than having a decent Reaction.

Wait wait wait, say it right. An optimised Command 6 program running on a Commlink optimised for the Command program.

You don't need reaction unless you're trying to AR rig, since in VR you use your comm's Response. Also, for 40 net BP you can get a 330,000 nY spending limit (50 BP cash, 10 BP Born Rich, 10 BP cash, 30 BP In Debt).

Ok you guys are taking what i thought i needed and flipping it upside down and hitting it with a hammer lol (there goes one character sheet) I'll have to start over

Ok so it is possible to go remote control style and being wired into VR but how exactly would that work, would i be like just jacked into my own commlink issuing commands? wait... isnt doing remote control isnt that just issuing commands to be.... argh my head >_<

This is the problem i was having in the first place, i dont know enough about the matrix to fully understand how it works and i cant seem to grasp of using drones without having to use the matrix. Reading through the matrix section was hard enough to understand but i had to throw rigging rules on top of it and now i cant seem to get ahold of whats important. It doesnt help that my GM doesnt really understand it ither and is hoping i'll be able to understand the rules to share with him lol.

Ok to command control something I need my commlink optimized with command (because it lets lower device rating drones act higher from what i understand)

The drones themselves need to have loaded programs installed and optimized cause optimization adds to the system rating making a low beef drone understand better.

Grab non-standard signal broadcasting equipment so i can deal without the matrix (hooked into my commlink of course)

I have no idea where simsense accellerator is btw, i dont see it in any book

And what about when i attempt to "Aquire" drone that arnt mine, how exactly do i jack into it and fry its programs and sneak off with it? or should i get an agent to do that for me since it costs a bunch of skills that i dont wana spend on? i think thats really all i dont understand at this point, i thought it was a lot worse... oh wait

Would it be better to get an external commlink or an internal one, cause from what i see you cant just upgrade your internal one without surgically removing it and you can still go VR with an external one if you have a datajack in yer head.

Honestly, IMO, the best option is to go with one drone and jump into it. It's easier bookkeeping, easier for rules, and less stressful (and shortens) combat.

For instance, take the Dodge Guardian, give it Walker Mode, 2 Mechanical Arms, Armor 16, and a couple other mods, and you have a very strong combat machine with roughly the same size/stats as a troll, able to have a LMG installed in it (the bike has a free weapon mount), in addition to being able to carry things. With 16 vehicle armor it will be difficult to take it down too. And you're only adding 1 person (replacing yourself, actually) in combat, instead of adding 10 smaller, weaker things.

If you're intimidated by matrix rules, then load yourself in the walker-bike, add a rigger's coccoon (giving yourself 30 more armor), and hard-wire your comm into it a-la Exo Squad. The 46 armor you gain from being in the Rigger coccoon is in addition to your own armor, BTW.

In order to "aquire" other drones, you would need to hack into them, log them off of their subscriptions, and subscribe them to your commlink. A fairly simple process, once you get used to it. It goes something like Hack, Command(maybe Edit), Subscribe.

But... thats so boring.... besides they have a tendancy to explode cause they arnt PC's i looked back up at one of InfinityzeN's posts and i wana be that "Captians Chair" kinda guy who enjoys "Remote Controlling" with his drone army! MUHAHAHAHAHA!!! *cough cough*

There are two types of Optimization.

- Program Optimization, which allows a higher rated program to run on a lower powered Pilot (drone) or Response/System (commlink)
- Commlink Optimization, which gives a bonus die whenever using that program on that Commlink.

Since you will only be able to get a response of 4 or 5 (can't remember, at work, no books) without the restricted gear quality, you will want to buy the Command program at rating 6 with a couple of points of Program Optimization so you can run it on your Commlink. This same thing applys to your Autosofts for your drones. If you buy the Clearsight Autosoft at rating 6 with Program Optimization rating 3, any drone with a pilot of 3 or more can run it at 6.

Simsense accellerator is located in the very back of Unwired, in the Commlink mods section. It adds +1 action while in Hotsim and specificlly states that it can brake the 4 pass a turn limit to get 5 passes.

You want non-standard signal modules installed in both your Commlink and your drones. If your Commlink has it but not your drones, they won't understand the signal.

Riggers don't have to be combat guys to be effective. Do the security, communications, recon, tacnet, transportation, etc. Direct combat with drones is expensive. If you need a drone for direct combat, the "Aquire" an Americar and use it to ram into the target at a very high rate of speed. Massive death will result.

An 8 body, 8 strength, 16 hardened armor drone is very very difficult to damage, much less destroy. It could full well (alone) go through an army of lesser drones easily, much less handlel a PR 4 goonsquad.

But if you want to go "captain's chair", then by all means do.

here's a little work I've done for stock characters:

Commlink
Meta Link (Response 1, Signal 2) 100
Modular Electronics 1,000
R5 Response Chip 4,000
Sattelite Link 500
Customized Interface 250
R3 Response Enhancer 6,000
AR Gloves 250
Skinlink 50
Sim Module (Hot Sim) 250
Trodes 50
Electronic Paper 20
Holo Projector 200
Total: 12,670


Custom Operating System
R6 System 3,000
R6 Firewall 3,000
Total: 6,000

SR4 Rigging section of FAQ



Jumped in requires VR
Command can be run with AR or VR

Alright, i appreciate feedback, imma get to work again and let ya know how its commin along, i'll post my char stats when i get close to done, and you can nitpick me to death and say "Do, dont do"

Edit:
im assuming this would be idea for my new char, i havnt read the book yet to see what all of this does but it looks promising

Edit: Nevermind, silly question. Now, how do I delete a post...

Since Command is a matrix action could i take codeslinger for command?

Edit: i know thats prolly a stupid question, but i just wana be sure

Edit again: Wait drones can have professions?! ... the possibilites! have like 6 manservent drones in a workshop building more drones, oh my, i can build me an army in no time! MUHAHAHAHA!!!!

"Codeslinger" only applys to a specific choosen Matrix action, so don't know how you would work that into drones. You could ask your GM for special permission to add it while remotely controlling a drone. Take a look at "More than Metahuman", which gives bonuses while jumped in.

And instead of using Manservents, look in Runners Companion in the advanced lifestyles section. One of the drones listed there is a shop/repair drone which would work better in that roll since it has build in tools and is made to fill it.

Does anyone have a decent hacker/rigger hybrid 400bp build? I've toyed with this, but always seem to come up short on points.



What is considered a passable skill ranking? If you are doing basic operations, is a 1 good enough to get around, to you really need a 6 to perform well in combat/recon or are the higher ranks more for getaway drivers?

Thanks,

Lojack, n00b

Is it really that easy? I would think that most drones will be running their PANs in hidden mode. So the first thing you would need to do is find that hidden node with Electronic Warfare. Afterwards you would need to Decrypt the signal. Then you can start your hack. However, most riggers probably have that drone slaved to their commlink, that commlink probably has some hefty defenses, if not the persona of the rigger himself sitting in it, maybe a hacker in overwatch as well. So yeah, its easy, if you consider bringing down the whole network easy.

That is why you send the Drone a Spoof Command to drop the Rigger from its subscription list. Takes the Riggers commlink completely out of the equation. So you do a Scan for the Hidden Node, Decrypt the Signal, Spoof the Command, Log On to the Drone, and then you should be set. This is one the only times I really use Spoof, other times I prefer to do a quick Hack but that can sometimes take too long. Then all you have to worry about is the enemy Rigger doing the same thing to you.

However to use Spoof you must have the Access ID of the Persona you are trying to impersonate. To do this you must perform a successful Matrix Perception test on that Persona. Now a Persona worth its salt is going to be running a Stealth program so getting that one success is not a given, even if all you wanted to do was steal the access ID. But where do you find that Persona to perform that Matrix Perception? Well its probably sitting comfortably in its home node with a high firewall and an IC waiting with Analyze running for you to hack into that node to steal that access ID so that you can spoof.

But if you get through all of that you still would find yourself in Matrix Combat, at least until you can successfully perform a Matrix Perception and then successfully disengage from the IC. Now the Rigger has no idea what you stole, but may very well realize that this is a common tactic. The first thing I would do if I were that Rigger is to change my Access ID even if I had to Spoof it. And then I would re-establish all of my links and subscriptions, which would take all of two complex actions.

Meanwhile the attacking Rigger would need to do what you described above which is at least four complex actions probably more because Decryption has an interval of Combat Turns for the Extended Test.

The best way to Spoof your way to a new drone is if you engineered this operation outside of combat.

It depends entirely on the game you are in. In some 1 is adequate, in others, only 6 is adequate. It's not a function of the game system, but the game you are playing with the GM and other players. Talk to your group and GM about it.

And welcome to Dumpshock.

Could a rigger work in tandem with a hacker where by the hacker unsubscribes drones and subscribes them to the rigger?

Assuming that the hacker's got the appropriate rights in the nexus that the rigger is using to run his network, sure.

Or he could leave a backdoor or pass the method to get into the drone to the rigger, right?

From what I've understood from reading this thread is that riggers don't need to be able to hack if they build their own drones. All it does is enable to them to hijack drones that aren't under his control.

Required gear:

Not sure if any one has mentioned this yet but. you need fuzzy dice.

no really you do,

its like a rule. or something,

That's true, a rigger might not need the Hacking skill, however there are times that you may use Hacking but not be trying to break into someone's node. For example using Electronic Warfare in the expressed purpose of screwing with your opponents drones and communications. Edit and Spoof come to mind.

Electronic Warfare is limited but there are things that you can do and not find yourself in Matrix Combat, such as Intercepting Wireless Signals. This action is easy, Electronic Warfare + Sniffer (3), then perhaps Decrypting, and then you can use Hacking + Edit to send false images, info, communication even just block them off completely. The great thing is, you can't be detected!

Another action that you may find useful that employs the Hacking Skill is Spoofing your Access ID. Changing your access ID on a regular basis can stop some Hacker from stealing your Access ID and then using it to steal all of your Drones. This is a Hacking + Spoof (2) Test. Of course you can just do this on the hardware side, but you never know when you may need to do it on the fly.

For only 80 points you can have Electronics and Cracking skillgroups at 4. With r6 programs and a killer comm, you're looking at about another 20 BP for cash. For ~100BP, you get a hacker with a 10-11 pool for every action. You can fit other character concepts on top of that.

If you skillwire a character, you can pick up a Hacking, Cybercombat, Electronic Warfare, Datasearch, and Computer skillsoft cluster at r4 with r3 Pluscode and Personalized for 184,000 nY (only takes up 3 Skillwire 'slots'; 37 BP, with 1,000 nY excess), continue to pick up the other programs, and have 11-12 dice for hacking, without spending more than 60 BP of cash. BTW, 50 BP cash, Born Rich, 10 more BP cash, and +30 BP In Debt = 330,000 nY.