My group is looking at starting into Shadowrun [digging a friends books out of the closet] and will be using 3E and the priority system to boot. The GM has said we have carte blanch on access to books, but any book we draw from he will consider fair game for NPCs; same goes for cyber quality and gear rarity. Anyways, I want to pull from as few books as possible, ideally just core and maybe one or two supplements. No Deckers or Astral mage stuff as the group finds it too disruptive.

The trick is that I have played all of two sessions of Shadowrun and that was many a year ago. I was hoping to draw on some experiance from the community to get a few pointers both with the system and setting, maybe fish for ideas to help flesh out the character too [because well polished stats on a bland character doesn't interest me, I try to use optimization to get the system to allow for a concept, not make a concept to hold my stats].

The concept that I am looking at is elven data courier who run sensitive data for clients in with datalocked headware with high encryption. I also want him to be socially competent and well connected, but useful in a fight and other situations to boot. As a starting point I am looking at something between the 'covert op' and the 'face' archetypes in the book, but I am unsure on how well those characters are put together and if the list of cyberware they employ is worth it. If I want to be able to open locks and such will I need respectable levels of computer / electronics?

I am looking at the following priority; A:Resources, B:Attributes, C:Race, D: Skills, E: Magic. That would let me get some useful toys, the elf race will let me start with a very high charisma, but I am leary of my skill pool dropping so much, but something has to eat up that D slot I guess. Im just not sure if the Attributes or Skills will be more important for me. Any tips, suggestions, or ideas for me?

Your priority spread looks reasonable. I would, however, mention that the costs for the hardware you're going to be looking at are completely out of whack. The cost for headware memory is insane. Talk with your GM if he's willing to rebalance them to match your concept. I believe some costs have been rebalanced with the SR3R project.

In my game, I've rebalanced the followign cyberware:

Memory MP/600 $MP*75 Storage memory
Radio .2 Rating * $2k$ A radio (transmits and receives)
Radio Receiver .15 Rating * $1k$ Receives radio only
Telephone .2 $3.7k$


Beyond that... Contacts are useful, but you have to choose them well, and the SR system doesn't flesh them out very well. I tend to aim for people high up in underworld organizations, someone established as either a politician or high up in Lone Star, a smuggler, and a data haven.

Cyberware... what you want is smartlink system + CED (from M&M). This is the only way to get pool dice on a social test. It'll make up for your low skills priority, and it'll make you super adaptable. The archetype you're talking about is the only one who really benefits from a skillwire system. Also talk with your GM about the compatibility between the skillwires simrig and other cyberware such as wired reflexes or smartlink. The book does say that some interconnections are possible, but doesn't outline all of them.

For your charisma skills, charisma is LESS important than Intelligence. If you are only going to have two cha-linked skills, you may want to leave Charisma as your dump stat, and for all other skills default to your good skill(s). Negotiations and Etiquette are obviously what you'd be looking at.

Since you're not doing recon and you're an elf, you don't necessarily want cyber eyes, but you wouldn't lose much getting cyber ears. Mixing that up with the ultrasound vision is fun, but again, more a recon thing.

You'll probably want speed over strength in general, so focus on initiative boosters. Quickness is obviously your second most important stat, so you can layer on armor (unless you go over to SR3R).

Thanks for dropping in and giving advice! I really appreciate it. I have spent some time plucking at some numbers and think that I have a decent first draft. If you would indulge me, I will post it up for critique.

Body 3, quickness 7, strength 2, charisma 8, intelligence 6, willpower 4

Essence 6 [0.1], Reaction 6 [8], Initiative 1d6 [3d6], Combat Pool 8

Pistols [Predator III] 4/6
Stealth 6
Etiquette 6
Negotiation 6
Computer 3
Electronics [Magolocks] 3/5


Knowsoft Link
Skillwires [3] mp 27
memory [150mp]
datalock [enc 10]
datajack
smartlink II
boosted reflexes 3
cyber eyes
- image link
- flare comp
- range finder
- retinal duplication [5]
cyber ears
- ear dampener
- sound filter [5]
- ear recorder
Voice Modulator
- Playback
- Second Pattern [6]
- Tonal Shift

Ares Predator III [Gas vent II, Concealable Holster]
Keypad Sequencer [4]
Maglock Passkey [4]
Encryprion [10]

281,200 left to burn, most will go to contacts probably. The only ware that I could find that adds to charisma roles is the tailored pheromones. What is the CED?

I don't see an body armor on that list. After you buy a gun, immediately buy some armor.

Scratch that. Buy armor first.

This goes double for a Body 3 character. Body three is going to really REALLY hurt if you get shot, punched, or even stub you toe.

It's not a completely bad idea, but if you ever plan to be anywhere near combat, I'd pump that up. I typically play tech characters (drone rigger) and frequently have body three. My characters stay alive primarily because i stay outside. If i get shot, its usually for S. If i get lucky, i can stage it down to M. Remember, 2 S and your dead!

CED is Chipjack Expert Driver. By errata, the cap is rating 3, but without errata, there is no cap (which makes it EXTREMELY broken).

I have to double check, but I believe the maximum rating out of chargen is 8, which would cap your encryption (which is okay, because you're not likely to see much beyond 8 anyway).

Retinal duplication is hugely overpriced and I've never seen it used. Use it at your own risk. However, you DO want thermo. Also note, with your image link, you can reduce the cost of your smartlink, as per M&M. In fact, with image link, datajack and (ask your GM) skillwires system, you may be able to reduce the cost of the smartlink to just the processor.

Regarding the Ares pred - you can only fire SA, so you only need 1 point of recoil compensation. I believe one of the modifications available in Cannon Companion is personalized grip. Get that, then drop the gas vent. Now you can put on a silencer if you need it. Also, install your smartlink. Important note

Ask your GM is you need a knowsoft link to run knowsofts, or if the skillwire system is sufficient. Knowsoft links are cheap though, so you may want to get one anyway. If you are flush with cash, consider upgrading the skillwire system. I know those prices jump fast, but if properly implemented, it can be very deadly. I had a character with a rating 6 skillwire system + CED 3. She'd pick up a rifle and effectively had max skill and a combat pool of 3 for shooting, and her normal CP of 8 for dodging. Pick up some personafix chips and it makes you the perfect infiltrator.

You might want to consider some body pockets, and some concealable weapons. A melee skill wouldn't be terrible, but you might want to wait until later, when you have the points. Also, unless you're planning on boosting your two charisma skills up to 8 or above and buy a third social skill, your extra skills in charisma are wasted. Your character will NEVER roll Charisma, except when fighting spirits (very rare).

Keypad sequencer and maglock passkey... Your character doesn't need them. Those are for people without the Maglock skill. What you need is an electronics toolkit (much cheaper and more reliable). You MAY want to keep the maglock passkey, but its only advantage is speed. There's no reason to keep the sequencer. They do not permit you to use the maglock skill. (You may also want to consider dropping the maglock skill and using your skillwire system for that.)

With your remaining cash, buy some activesofts. Buy a nice car. Buy a nice lifestyle and some safehouses. Buy a bunch of fake SINs. A pair of 1s, and a single 4+, at minimum. Then buy maybe 8 contacts. If you still have cash left over, start upgrading your cyberware. Better skillwire system. Upgrade your boosted reflexes with synaptic accelerators (BTW, if you have the choice, upgrade boosted reflexes to alphaware. They can NEVER be upgraded or removed after installed.)

If you bump your skillwire rating above 3, you will want chips for skills you cannot normally use a pool for (social skills, b/r skills, etc.) The CED will turn a rating 4 chip into a rating 7 chip - higher than your natural skills. (Otherwise, it's not worth it.)

Otherwise, the major limitation on skillwires is you can only use one or two chips at a time. So if you have stealth and rifles chipped, you can either be sneaky, or you can shoot, but not both. As such, you want to make sure that skills you're going to use simultaneously with something else are generally natural (stealth, athletics, at least 1 combat skill), and any skills you might need to use when surprised are natural (such as melee, and again, athletics). Otherwise, there's no reason not to chip a skill. Get the specialization when you can. So maglocks, first aid, driving skill, interrogation, computers, corporate politics, languages, etc. you can all get cheaper chipped than by learning the skill. Buy a skillwire jukebox with three slots, for your three most common (probably maglocks, driving and one other). Code the others so you can sort them by feel and by color.

Hah, i knew 3rd ed wasn't dead by a long stretch ^^

Oh yes, armor. The combinatino you generally want is, there's a piece of armor rated 2/4 (one of the rapid transit line jumpsuits) in Cannon Companion.

Combine that with, in your case, the armored jacket (or a similarly rated, but nicer item). The stacking scores are 7 and 7, so no penalties, but you get 6/5 armor total.

Slap on a helmet, when it's socially acceptable for another +1/1.

Slap on the form-fitting body armor (aka shadowrunner underroos). If your GM has the more updated book and read it carefully, it'll only give you a bonus should you have to shed another layer. Otherwise, you can add on another point here or there.

That's your 'running' garb.

Then put that all away and buy some posh clothes from Cannon Companion you can wear when hobnobbing + FFBA for discrete gear.

There's one of those Fashion Armors that gives 4/4 Armor. Victory Industrious Jumpsuit.
Combine this with FFFBA and you are looking at 6/5 Armor without too big of a Problem.
Also, check my signature and download the NSRCG located there for your convenience.
That is the single most awesome tool for (N)PC-Creation ever to hit the Matrix.
Done by sorely missed McMackie, former Dumpshock-Victim.

Shoot strait, conserve ammo, and never deal with a dragon...

By the way, this does sound as if you're trying to play Johnny Mnemonic as an Elf basically o.O
Personally, i would lower Charisma to 6 or maybe even 5, then use the freed up points for body for example.
And/or for Willpower.
Don't summon anything bigger than your head.
If the Troll is hungry, FEED HIM SEYMOUR!

And never trust an elf.

That hurts, that really really hurts.

I want to thank everyone for all of the great feedback! In all honesty I had not thought about Johnny Mnemonic when conceptualizing the character although in hindsight I can see the similarity. I actually was looking at the Face archetype thinking about how to take that and make it a bit my own. While reading about cyberware the memory lock mentioned that many couriers would use them and I kinda took that and ran with it. That being said it might not be a bad idea to go over the book as a source of inspiration and ideas.

I am right now in the midst of reworking the augmentations and gear loadout which I hope to post here shortly.

OK here is the aforementioned revision. I tried to take allot of feedback into consideration although chose to not employ a few of them, not out disagreement but for the sake of the character. There are just certain traits and capabilities that I want him to have; for example I kept the high charisma and did not buy an activeskill chip for my charisma based skills. I want those to be natural.

Stats
Body 3, Quickness 7, Strength 2, Charisma 8, Intelligence 6, Willpower 4
Essence 0.60, Reaction 6( 8 ), Init. Dice 1(3), Combat Pool 8

Skills [Still need to flesh out knowledge and language]
Pistols/Predator III [4/6]
Athletics [3]
Stealth [6]
Etiquette [6]
Negotiation [6]
Interrogation/Lie Detector [1/3]
Car [2]

Cyber
Boosted Reflexes [3](A) E:2.24
Smartlink II(A) E:0.40
+ Range Finder (SmrtLnk)(A) E:0.08
Knowsoft Link(A) E:0.08
Expert Chipjack Driver [3] E:0.30
Memory (150 Mps) E:0.50
Skillwires [6] MP 108 E:1.20
Chipjack, Multi-slot 4(A) E:0.28
Datajack(A) E:0.16
Data Lock(A) E:0.16

Contacts
Gangleader 1
mr johnson 1
Decker 3
fixer 1
club owner 1
street doc 1

Gear
Secure Long Coat
Victory "Rapid Transit" Heavy Jumpsuit
Victory "Rapid Transit" Helmet

Ranger Arms SM-3 Smartlink 2, Low-Light or Thermo Mag:(3) Scope, Gas Vent II(2RC), Silencer
[20]6-Round Clip (APDS)

Ares Predator III Smartlink 2, Personalized Grip, Concealable Holster
[40]16-Round Clip (Regular)

Eurocar Westwind 2000

Encryption[8]
ActiveSoft Gen. [6] Rifles
ActiveSoft Gen. [6] Unarmed
ActiveSoft Gen. [6] Computer
ActiveSoft Gen. [4] Computer B/R
ActiveSoft Gen. [6] Electronics
ActiveSoft Gen. [4] Electonics B/R
ActiveSoft Spec. [4] Biotech

Basic Medkit
Electronics Toolkit

Goggles, Low-Light & Thermo
Micro-Transceiver [4]
Subvocal Microphone
Earplug Cell Phone

DocWagon: Basic Service

Level1 Forged SIN: Squatter Lifestyle [2Months Paid]
Level1 Forged SIN: Squatter Lifestyle [2Months Paid]
Level4 Forged SIN: Low Lifestyle [2Months Paid]

There is still ~40,000 left to spend and fill in needed gear. Getting the Rifle and the activesoft offers some extra utility to the group as does the ability to open doors; socially and physically. The quad chipjack lets me quick-swap skills as needed so that I can go from cracking locks to kungfu quickly without eating too much of the expensive cyberware memory.

No Bioware?

Im looking at the pheremones but I decided to wait til in-game and spring for the cultured when I can afford it.

Normal Tailored Pheromones cost 90k on level 2.
The cultured Pheromones cost 360k on level 2.
Also, did you check out the NSRCG in my Sig?

I'd use a Browning Ultrapower for better concealability. The 5 more rounds a PredIII offers won't make a difference anyway.

Also, I'd think about the sniper rifle. Your character is pretty much static if you deploy it, maybe a shotgun or submachinegun could fit him, too. If you need the range, a tricked out assault rifle would be the way to go.

The sniper rifle and, I believe, tailored pheromones, are out of his reach at chargen.

Your biotech chip should probably be First Aid. There are a number of other specializations under biotech, but the odds of you using any of them are slim to none.

You may also want to replace Unarmed with an unarmed specialization. However, with your strength, I'd look at shock gloves.

See if your GM can merge Electronics and Electronics b/r (or at least specify which skill does what. Many GMs rule that b/r is for opening up maglocks, defeating security systems, so on and so forth, and Electronics is for Electonic Warfare). Same with Computers - Computer includes computer use, but also decking (and I don't believe you can deck using a chipped skill, but I could be wrong). See if maybe you don't need those chips and can recoup some costs.

I think you confused SINs and lifestyles. SINs are in the "running the shadows" section, and will eat up your remaining $40k real fast.

I'd also consider your contacts more carefully. Does someone else in the party already have a street doc? A fixer? If so, consider dropping them in favor of some more specialized contacts. A weapons dealer, an Ares delta clinic doc.

You mentioned the GM doesn't want to do decking. Your decker buddy then should really be a group expense, if he's filling that role. Since it is so ungodly expensive, see if you can convince the GM to just add an NPC decker to the party. That'll free up cash for scads more of your specialized contacts.

Yeah, the Culture pheromones are expensive, but those are some pretty hefty bonuses. +4 charisma and another 4 extra dice.

I am using nsrcg, thankyou! It has been a big help.



I'll take a look at the Browning; Thanks. I went with the sniper rifle because It wasn't much more of an investment and lets me fill a role that I am fairly certain none of the other players are going to approach.


The GM lifted the availability ban at chargen but I am trying to keep it within reason, thats why I didn't start out with a laser rifle


I bought the SINs and lifestyles separately, I just clumped them together for personal reference. I will talk to the party about dissipating the cost of the decker, but I have a strong feeling that I am the only one prioritizing money high enough to handle the financial load. I could lower the decker down to a level 2 and cut the cost that way, but I was really wanting something dependable.

I'll take a look at some of the activesofts and contact choices a bit more before finalizing them, thanks for the suggestions and feedback!

Enhanced Articulation, syntha-cardium: 2. This bioware combo will for a mere 55,000 give you plus 1 to all physical skills (shooting, sneaking, running, driving), but also an additional plus 2 to you're athletics skill.

Why boosted 3 (alpha)? Thats 180K of your starting resources. IMO you'd be better off going with Wired Reflexes: 1 w/ Trigger (alpha) [110K], Enhanced Articulation (40K), Muscle toners: 1 (25K), and Syntha Cardium: 2 (15K). This will cost you 10K more than you're spending on Boosted 3 (alpha) and 1 initiative die, but it will give you pluses to skills, Increase your Reaction to 7 (9), and give you an extra combat pool die.

Because Boosted 3 on alpha is both not upgradeable/replaceable and the only way to get to 4 dice in initiative with synacc level 2

Now here is a tricky question... Can you upgrade your Boosted Reflexes from say rating 1-2-3?

No.
You can't get rid of it, you can't upgrade it to alpha, beta or delta later on.
You can't upgrade from level 1 to level 2 or level 3 later on.
You also can't get the vehicle control rig implant anymore.
That's the price you pay for a cheap ass basically undetectable and pretty essence friendly initiative boost.

And now because it hasn't been said yet I'll make the tip............ Go buy Shadowrun 4th Edition! Sorry I'm not an SR3 fan.

booo! *hissss* bad karma for you!

Troll Hacker Hermetic Mages with Dog mentor spirits make me cry.

That would make ANYBODY cry <.<

And it has nothing to do with the relative values of the system. Well, unless, of course, you never read your player's sheets before starting a campaign.

Actually, I'm not sure about that. The rules say:
"can never use wired reflexes or a VCR, nor can they be removed at a later date".

Alpha/beta/delta is forbidden then because, to upgrade to alpha, you must remove the standard grade first.

However, I don't see anything there that forbids you from upgrading to rating 1 to rating 2. It is allowed in my game.

Well, the ware is being described as a chemical coating of the complete spinal column.
And if you have it coated once, coating it over again and again or making a thicker coat usually won't help much.
And all of the other ware that gives initiative has to be replaced to be upgraded. Aside from the Synaptic Accellerator i think.

Be sure to check out p. 93 of the BBB, Social modifers and cyberware. Personally I think the character build is trying to do too many things at once. You wanna be fast? Be a sam. With a Body of 3, you shouldn't be wading into combat. Reaction and the use of surprise tests will probably work better for you.

Yeah, all in all, the character is a bit too thin.

You have a page reference for that?

(If so, that would definitely settle it!)

No, there is no Page-Reference.
But all of the other Stuff is Move by Wire and Wired Reflexes, which are both complete big very invasive systems.
This upgrading has never really been cleared up i think. Every group i know handles that different as far as i remember.

And that is exactly the reason I brought it up...

If you wanna be on the safe side, bite into the sour apple and take level 3 in alpha on character generation.
There is no official ruling either way.

What I keep wondering as I read this is... who's playing your group's rigger and do they want to buy an RV missile boat cheap?

Last SR3 character I played loved his Long Haul Lolita and her many fruity flavors of flying death. Especially when it came time to let Mr. Johnson know just what he'd gotten into when he agreed to cover our ammunition expenses (although to be fair, he always provided a record for each missile fired to prove that any fired were in the course of the mission).

I enjoy SR4 a great deal for many reasons, not the least of which being that hacking and magic are more accessible to the average group, but I really do miss my SR3 riggers and all their juicy/meaty ride building glory.

***

Regarding the question of removing/replacing reaction cyber/bio, my past SR3 groups reached the understanding that since all of this sort of tech is put in place with specialized nanosurgeons to build the pathways parallel to the subject's neurons that such things would be used to remove them as well. This led to our GM ruling that to get such things removed would be equivalent to buying/installing the same item at the next higher grade (so to upgrade from standard to alpha would involve TWO alpha grade purchases... one to remove the old stuff and one to implant the improvement). Each surgery had its own damage and recovery time. To keep things simple, he also ruled that /any/ cyber or bio could be removed in this manner but to get something removed such as the Boosted would require a delta clinic.

and so your going to disrupt a thread to say this?
Tell ya what, we will switch to 4th edition if you buy and ship us the books.



Yeah, the character is a bit diluted. Sadly there will not be many characters [about three players] so I am looking at trying to fill in a role or two and still be able to relevant in combat. From a combat perspective, what would be some good benchmarks to be relevant? I don't want to go running in guns blazing, but I do want to be able to support my team mates. I would like to focus on three things for the role.

1) Be well connected, get information, supplies and solutions for the group.
2) Get the team into and out of the mission area, preferably as quietly as possible.
3) Not be dead weight or a burden in combat.

I can only give tips for 3 i am afraid:
Cut Charisma and related skills in half.
Invest freed up points into Body and willpower.
You are quick, get your combat pool up. This means your dodge increases and you can deal more hurts.
Also, you can use combat pool to soak damage too by means of dodging.
Look up the ruthenium Polymer-Suit/Cloak. You can wear that one over your armor to still get full benefit.

I wouldn't do that. You're pretty far in regards to 1) and 2), don't weaken those fields for some (still) half-assed 3).

In combat, try to support the other two guys. Get a tactics/small unit skill, get a primary weapon system that can suppress the enemy and lets you engage targets at some distance. Maybe use under-barrel launcher to deploy smoke/flashbangs to disrupt the enemy or conceal your teams advance/retreat.

There's no real need to have all three characters invest the majority of resources into combat. Just take a look at what the others can offer, fill the gaps, get all three to work as a team.

So my storyteller came in tonight to talk about char-gen and then pulled out the 4e book.

Thanks to those that offered some direction and assistance. I promise that the effort was not in vain as it has helped out flesh out the concept if nothing else.

I'll never understand why anyone chooses to play SR4 when they could play SR3. But I know, that's just me.