Back in 3rd Ed, I made a decker character that I ran myself in order to tech myself the decking rules before I GMed a game with a decker. So I figure I need to do it for 4e, both to learn the chargen process and to use the character to learn hacking. So I remade the same character (not converted). He's your typical anti-social hacker type, preferring to stay home and jacked in full VR than go outside. I placed him in Austin because, well, I live here (and damnit, would someone PLEASE visit the city before you write another bit about how everything south of the river sucks and is abandoned?! The best half of the city is the south side, and that's not just because I live south of the river myself). Anyway, here's the character. I'm sure I've screwed up somewhere and missed something. I used DaisyBox's program until I noticed it kept stealing BP for magic for some reason even though the character is vanilla human mundane, so I switched over to the Excel spreadsheet that has the 50+ post thread, but I think there's a problem with letting me pick too many negative qualities...and it kept trying to subtract from my BP for my free knowledge skills, so I had to fix the formula. Anyway, here it is. The gun's only for self-defense, thus the low ammo and skill. The albinism isn't that he's actually an albino, it's just he spends so much time indoors or out at night that he never sees sunlight, and therefore suffers the same flaws (kinda like I do after working an overnight shift for almost 5 years). Please tell me where I royally screwed up, either in breaking the rules or just somewhere I could improve:


EDIT: See post below for the updated character, placed this version in spoiler tags to keep from massive scrolling.

Hmmm..18 views and no comments...either I did well or no one wants to help me...

Hmmm noticed that he does not have perception, that would be quite the flaw I guess.

you have too many flaws, only allowed 35.

you might wish to add the hardware skill group, perhaps pilot and gunnery for controlling drones, and I did not see a dodge skill.

Obviously you can choose to default both of these skills, especially since matrix perception is based off the computer skill.

I friggin' HATE drones. Maybe it's a holdover from the old 2nd/3rd Ed days, but anything reeking of rigger is automatically off my table.

Basically, I was trying to create a non-technomancer who is a out-of-the-gate behemoth on the Matrix, focused solely on that to the detriment of anything else. The Pistols skill is basically just to make sure I don't shoot off my own foot, and the social skills so I can fence paydata.

So how important is the Perception skill if I'm going to be in VR most of the time? I figured anything involving Perception online would be done with Computer + Sensor program (haven't gone thoroughly over the rules yet). I'm only reluctant to increase it because I'm already going to lose 10 BP in dropping one of the flaws, and I can't decide which one since they're all important character-wise...hell, I'd almost keep them and just give the BP back

EDIT: I dropped the Media Junkie to Moderate (-10) and nerfed or deleted some of the contacts.

Hmmm, with the exception of Matrix Perception (computer + analyze program), I believe that all perception checks are sensor + perception skill, or Intuition + perception skill +sensor bonus if applicable.

Otherwise I think he fits your requirements, he should be pretty good at all the matrix stuff.

Where is the part about perception in the Matrix? I was skimming over the section in the BBB and I can't find it...

Pg 217 of SR4, not sure in SR 4a.

One friggin' page off...I started reading from 218 (I've got the Ltd. Ed. non-anniversary edition, same layout apparently)

Okay, some things I recognized:

- Does the listed LOG-stat already include the cerebral booster? If not, than I would advice against hard-maxing an attribute. As a general rule, imho it's simply not worth the 15 extra BP you have to pay for the 6th point. This is especially true for a decker, since you will roll skill+program rating most of the time, so logic isn't even a factor in your dicepools.

- Your essence calculation is off; encephalon I alone costs 0.75 essence. Maybe the spreadsheet you used is wrong here...

- You have bought Neocortical Amplifier Nanites. While these are great for deckers, you should really invest in a nanohive to keep the nanites in your system. Without the hive you will lose one rating point every week or so... In the long run a nanohive is way more cost efficient.

- What are your commlink's stats? You do know, that an implanted commlink's costs only cover the implantation? You will have to buy and upgrade the 'link separately... As allways go for the best possible stats at generation (e.g. Response 5, Signal 5, System 5, Firewall 6)

- Your decker is somehow missing the Stealth program. You will want this at rating 6 too

-CJ

I'm not sure if it did or didn't. I did max out one stat, but I can't remember if it was Log or Int...I think it was Log. Anyway, I have the BP to burn since I'm a mundane human. If I dropped it from there, I'd just have to pump up an attribute or skill I don't really need.

I have no idea if the essence is off or not, the spreadsheet calculated that. Everything's alpha except the two big ticket items that I couldn't afford alpha. doesn't matter since I shouldn't be anywhere near worried about ti at this point.

I KNEW I forgot something...going to add the hive in the morning when I'm fully conscious and more sober.

The Commlink I got was a Sony something or other I upgraded to 6s across the board (cheaper that way). I should have every program, both common and hacking, at rating 6. Weird, maybe I missed one...

Anything else that I should have but don't?

What's the Cyber Combat skill for? Wasn't that a specialisation of the Hacking skill? I might weell bemistaken there though.

Why Sperethiel, of all things? It's not like it makes much sense to know this language in Austin. Spanish strikes me as more appropriate, given how the City is half Aztlaner occupied (whisch is why everything south of the River is abandoned, IIRC).

Also, Matrix Theory and Computer Theory strikes me as kind of redundant. Maybe make one Coding Theory?

Also, Programs of rating 6 are, IIRC, illegal out of chargen. Same with commlinks. Because the system wants mundane hackers to suck compared to 'mancers. And if you go the way of upgrading, get yourself the cheapest commlink and upgrade it. Saves you even more money.

I take it you do not use Unwired, because then, you could also mod the 'link, add modules and stuff, which can be pretty nifty; and could use all kinds of options for the porgrams too. And buy them as warez for 1/10 the listed price, and a monthly overhead cost of 1% list price for cracked updates.

I also miss an warez dealer connection, which I would demand as a GM if you buy the underworld pipeline edge.

You are mistaken. It is a separate skill.

As of SR4A you can only increase a stock commlink's attributes by two. Upgrading has been nerfed.

Some more things that struck me as odd or wrong:
-The implanted commlink does not include a Sim Module. The description of SR4A implies that you have to by the Sim Module implant to use the features with the implanted commlink. Personally I'd just use Trodes.

-Do you actually have a commlink to be implanted?

It's a bit cost-prohibitive, but consider upgrading your Encephalon 1 to Encephalon 2. The extra die to Cracking and Electronics in AR or VR fits the theme of your character. Also get a Math SPU, it's a cheap means of getting bonus dice to encryption and decryption. I would also take Analytical Mind (5 BP, Runner's Companion) for the bonus to Data Search and Software.

There's also some Lifestyle options you can take to make hacking from home easier on you, like Free Access, Inconspicuous Housing, and Privacy Screen (RC p.162)

The same skill cap for active skills is in effect for knowledge skills. You can only have one skill at 6 or 2 at 5, the rest must be 4 or lower.

Okay, going to go through these bit by bit:

I did customize the lifestyle, just left it off here because, well, I shoved enough crap on here as it is. Lowered necessities, raised entertainment, took the "Free Wifi" or whatever it's called advantage.

I've got the regular 4e book, thus the problem with the upgrade. It was a trick to save about fifteen hundred, I can fix that easily.

The availability of hacking programs are (Ratingx2)R, which makes rating 6 programs 12R and therefore available at chargen.

I picked Sperethiel for character background reasons, I thought I had a linguasoft for Spanish, but I forgot.

Every character generator I had didn't limit Knowledge skills and I couldn't find anything about it in the book, but admittedly I didn't look too hard...I can fiddle with those easily...

And someone mentioned something about not having a data/computer based contact. That's what the Fixer was supposed to be, a data broker and another hacker, and I took the Black Market Pipeline - Software advantage as well. The spreadsheet made me choose between the Contacts archetypes, figured Fixer was closest. Also, I didn't realize but the spreadsheet had a house rule turned on that you get 6 BP free for contacts. I'm going to fix that, but personally I really like that rule and will be using it in my games.

Okay, the new version of the character is in the Spoiler tags below


So there we go...dropped a few skills, spread out the Knowledge skills...I think I've got everything covered this time, anyone sees anything let me know. And thanks for the pirated software tip, that was friggin' BURIED in Unwired (and I don't think it's available at chargen, but it fits the character so as GM I'm going to allow it).

Just a few quick suggestions.

1) Your hacker has too many limbs. Lop one off at the elbow and give him a replacement lower arm. Put the Fairlight and a pair of Hermes Ikons into it, along with the nanohive. Then, downgrade your cyberware from alpha to standard. Shoving the nanohive and commlink into the arm will save you a pile of essence, making the higher grades of questionable value. Also, putting the commlinks in a cyberarm rather than your head means you don't need brain surgery to work on them.

2) You need to take the Restricted Gear quality to get a Response 6 commlink. Take it three times to get three of them, then cluster the three R6 commlinks in the cyberarm into a single node that will actually run all your programs at once.

3) You're investing a ton into Logic, which is a dead weight stat. Chop it down to a 4 and spend the difference on more Edge and on getting rid of a few negative qualities.

4) Ditch the Cerebral Booster and pick up the PuSHeD transgenic modification that gives you +1 die to all tests with Logic linked skills. While you're at it, grab a Sleep Regulator. Everyone knows real hackers don't sleep.

5) You can't take program options for a Rating 6 hacking program since the program options raise the Availability. Load your common use programs with them, then skip buying most of your hacking programs and pick them up as pirated programs on an "as needed" basis when you don't have to deal with the Availability cap and it takes seconds to find them rather than days or even weeks.

6) Black Market Pipeline is useless for software since you're pirating it and paying 10% of cost to begin with.

7) Optimize your commlink for Exploit.

Upgrading to a Signal of 6 is also over the Availability cap. Stick with the 5 for now, since going from 4 to 6 doesn't really help anyone who's not remote controlling aircraft.

9) Skip the Reality Filter program. The gain isn't worth the risk when things like Custom Interfaces and Response Increases are so cheap and easy.

10) Get an optical tap, an electronics kit, and a satellite link.

11) Pick up a Response 3, Persona 3, Processor 10, System 6, Firewall 6 nexus to serve as home to the pair of agents. Stick it in a closet with a satellite link and you've got on-demand goons to back you up any time you're out and about.

Okay, I think I understood half of that...going to have to do some research, but I don't want to lose any of my flaws because they're all character-based. I like my flaws

And I thought the Black Market - Software would add bonuses to the tests to get pirated software? Isn't that the point of it?

Black Market Pipeline gives you a bonus to negotiation tests to fence things not acquire them, and a 10% discount when buying through said Black Market Contact. Pirated software is found using Data Search via a VPN, rather than with Negotiation through a contact, and is bought by paying 10% of the base cost as a service charge to the VPN. In short, you're paying 10BP for a 1% cost reduction on software.

If you're keeping the flaws, then the points shaved from Logic can go into something like increasing your charisma to help you make better use of Chatty.