What are the various common, generalized archetypes that characters can fall into as broad rough categories?

I realize that shadowrun is a very complex system with a great deal of customization, hence the numerous qualifiers above. Still, I've looked around enough to realize that there are "niches" in the system and most characters can be roughly summed up as a combination of those. But I do not know what they actually are, which is frustrating.

Ideally speaking, the list would include a rough guide on how they work, a general descriptor stating how "invested" a character needs to be to do ""suitably well" (meaning not min-maxed, but functional), what other roles tend to pair well, and maybe even which metatypes might be more suited, both mechanically and setting-wise. Again, generally speaking. Something like:

Magician (resource intensive): magicians provide magical force and support of all kinds, able to summon/banish spirits, perceive the astral, protect other runners from enemy mages and spirits, and accomplish the impossible with magic of all kinds. Magicians are very resource intensive, requiring a large selection of specialized skills, equipment, and other resources.

Basic Combat (resource light): Harming others, if only to escape capture, is something that every runner has to deal with eventually. Whether it's with powerful magic, high tech weaponry, remote operated drones, or good old hand-to-hand, picking up the basics on how to shoot a gun and what makes suitable cover is fairly easy and highly valuable, so most runners are advised to at least learn the basics.

Just to start things off. I know there are at least a half dozen others, though I'm not entirely sure how resource intensive they are to do, or what the "proper" names for some of them are. I have not been able to figure out what a "SAM" is, for instance - the term isn't in the core book anywhere.

Face (social, con artist), Thief (ninja, stealth, physical security), Hacker, Wheelman (driver, drones, maybe the hacker), Mage (spells and spirits, astral overwatch), Muscle (tank, melee), Soldier (guns). More or less.

Sam is 'street sam(urai)', which means muscle/soldier, possibly with a code of honor, probably with cyber and high-tect gear.

In greater detail: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=0Aq...amp;output=html

A 'SAM' is just an abbreviation for Street Samurai. Here are a couple archetypes that I've got off the top of my head.

Hacker (Resource Intensive) Depending on which rule system you use (skill + program or skill + logic, limited by program) , the hacker still needs a large number of skills at high levels in order to go about his business. The hacker protects the integrity of the team's network, and compromises the integrity of every other network--setting security cameras on loop, hacking the cyberarm of an enemy SAM, and ferreting out important information. Programs and top-of-the-line comlinks get really expensive, really fast, and that doesn't even cover the cyber.

Rigger/Driver (Resource Intensive) In charge of getting the team from point A to point B without getting everyone killed, and also in charge of moving team drones. Riggers can cover a large number of bases within a team, from combat support, to transportation, to reconnaissance. Drones are cheap enough, but only off the rack. Many riggers require, or at least prefer, a number of cyber augmentations to themselves, their vehicles, and drones.

Face (Resource Moderate?) Exactly what it sounds like. The team Face is in charge of everything that involves face-to-face interactions, from negotiating the contract, to distracting the target, to convincing a Lonestar officer to look the other way just this once. High charisma is a must, and tailored pheromones are cheap enough that most faces should have them. They need a strong skill base, but bioware augmentations will help make just about anyone a decent secondary Face.

Demoman (Resource Light) Skill light and cheap enough that just about half of the team could double as one of these. When the team needs to make something explode, the demoman is the guy to call. Often used as a distraction, or a last-ditch play at a botched mission. Also in charge of neutralizing any explosive threats the team might come across, such as a bomb that needs to be disarmed.

Medic (Resource Light) With medkits, anyone with a few ranks in medicine and/or first aid can at least patch up the team well enough to keep them from leaking all over the van interior. Any character with a high logic could easily double as the team medic.

do you mean SAM as character "class" ? if so: Street Samurai (also known as street sammy)

Wow, Medic isn't on my spreadsheet! Stupid me.

Yerameyahu, that is the best spreadsheet.

Also, I've found that a hacker and medic combo works...surprisingly well. But, only if the hacker has a high logic score.

Well, I figured in SR4 you don't need logic to hack (optional rules aside), and I wouldn't want the medic (ideally) to be anyone busy during an escape (not the hacker, the driver, the shooter, etc.). But you're right.

Yeah, it pretty much works only if the optional rules are used.

Thank you very much. I knew it was a pretty basic question, but I hadn't seen the information actually written down anywhere. Knowing what the generally accepted niches are makes figuring out how to put things together a lot easier.

If you have Runner's Companion, there's a section discussing roles there, too.

The 4E companion opens (pages 8-18) with describing team roles, different ways each one can be filled, basic character build info for doing such, as well as recommended equipment.

Of course it isn't all emcompassing, medic isn't on that list either.

Actually, it is. It's on the top right of page 18.

My runs tend to have darker archetypes:

Gunbunny - Someone who uses just about every damn gun ever, min-maxed for IP and agi/skills.

Combat Monster - The min/max of melee/range damage combined with the capacity to avoid/absorb your average damaging attack. Normally accessorized with some sort of flavourful negative social quality.

Ninja - Also known as a dodge monster, basically focused around the Reaction/Agi stats with a melee skill to make them useful. If they use a ranged weapon, they're a Gunslinger.

Tank - Focused on taking up the most physical space and having a cumulative Body/Armor pool in the high 20s, often given random damaging skills. If they punch, they're Bruisers.

Tech - The guy who does everything else (except magic). Bombs, cars, maglocks, enemy security. Normally full of cyberlimbs in a desperate attempt to keep him alive in the average bloodbath.

Face - The little guy who stands there and looks oddly serene, surrounded by a posse of deathmonsters. Strangely, victims always try to speak to him/her first.

Mage - The guy who makes sure you're not about get ritual boom'd, helps fix you up and makes you invisible when it's useful. Normally small, and standing as far back as possible.