Right now I am remaking my Technomancer after the first game with the GM's permission.

What are the "Top Ten" Programs to take as the matrix support specialist?

What are a few programs that are undeniably necessary and which are ones that I could just thread or delegate to a sprite?

I will start the list with two programs that I imagine that are vital, Armor and Stealth.

Depends on the type of TM you are making, regardless I'm going to say ECCM, and if you plan on using drones, Command (because I'd hate to have to thread it from scratch every time)

Stealth is certainly your #1.

Armor may be on the top ten list, but its only useful in cybercombat. Which as a TM and a crazily high-threaded stealth, may never happen.

Analyze is important, as its is the way you perceive in the matrix. Browse is needed for any data searches, which are bound to be needed. Edit is needed for editing, deleting files, video feeds, just about anything. Scan will be needed as well. Those four are all common use and are critical to any matrix character.

Stealth is already there and looking through the rest of the hacking programs, Exploit is important, as its mandatory to hack into anything. The last one I can see being needed is Spoof. It will let you did little hacks, with nothing more than an Access ID.

So that is 7 for sure programs you'll want.

Everything else, is preference. If you are going to be in cybercombat, Armor and some attack programs would be needed, but the best hackers, IMO, are the ones that do what they need to and are never engaged by an IC or spider.

Things like Encrypt/Decrypt are useful, as are the rest of the programs, but only if you GM is going to be using them a lot against you. I've been running SR4 for several years and have yet to encrypt stuff or hide databombs in any files. No one has used Medic or either of the filters. I think Track and Sniffer are useful, but don't get used a whole lot in my games.

I'd say you want those 7 programs for sure and the rest are situational.

Remember that one program you don't need is the biofeedback filter. You get that with your living persona; it's equal to your Charisma, if I remember correctly.

Thats correct Dashifen. So, in no particular order...

Analyze, Browse, Edit, Scan, Stealth, Exploit, Spoof, (I agree with all of those) and I add ECCM just because I can't begin to imagine the headache that jamming causes for TMs. You can honestly thread up other programs as needed, if you can get access to Unwired I would throw in Shield, and for a mere 1 BP, Smartlink.

In order:

• Stealth
• ECCM
• Exploit
• Analyze
• Edit
• Armor
• Browse
• Spoof
• Black Hammer
• Electronic Warfare

YMMV, depending on whether you're trying to be well-rounded, a dronomancer, a sprite compiler, or whatever.