Hello, Dumpshock!

I've recent been asked to join a soon-to-begin game of Shadowrun 4A wherein I'll be needing to play ther rigger-hacker. I thought it'd be particularly interesting and fun to try playing something slightly new this time, and chose to play a metasapient AI. So, here're the rules:

1. We're using Karma-Gen rather than BP. I've been given 900 Karma to play with - the first two hundred that I convert to Nuyen gets me the usual 2,500 per Karma point; the following 100 are at 1250 Nuyen to 1 Karma point, and the following 100 are at a rate of 625 Nuyen to a Karma point. No more than 400 Karma can be converted to Nuyen.

2. We're using the 4A rules for Attributes - raising one to a new level is 5x new attribute level.

3. I've been given Intuition+Logic * 3 Free RANKS of Knowledge and Language Skills, but they have to be spent BEFORE I buy further ranks with Karma.

4. 70 Points each of Negative and Positive attributes.

5. Allowance to buy any of the AI special qualities (like Authority or Emulation) from Unwired for nuyen costs to be determined by the GM. Are any of these particularly useful or good, and if so, would you suggest any?

So... given these rules, does anyone have any suggestions as to what to do to be the most effective hacker possible, with a side-order of as effective as possible rigger? Are there any particular pitfalls to avoid with playing an AI, or certain things that are pretty much must-haves? I could use all the help I can get, since I've never played an AI, rigger, OR hacker before. Thanks in advance for any help, and if you have certain ideas or set-ups that you think I should ask my GM about, please don't hesitate to leave them too.

For hacking you want the Authority quality.
For rigging you want the full version of Piloting Origin.
There are other very good qualities available to AIs but those are your must-haves.

Authority makes sense, and is just plain good - but what is it about the full, 10-BP/20-Karma version of Piloting Origin that makes it so good? I mean, it lets you use autosofts as normal programs, but in what way would that be particularly useful? Maybe I'm just not thinking quite creatively enough about it, but what makes it so good?

Easy: jump into a drone, use its own autosoft. (Every dronetype needs it's own autosofts). There are a few AWESOME autosofts in unwired. And there are some "Agent-Autosofts", depending on how your gm sees it you might be able to use them too. They are very much needed to get you near Hacker/Technomancer level (Offsetting their "hotsim" bonus, which you, per RAW, don't get).

For example "Expert Offense/Defense", "Homeground" or "Cascading"

But it also saves up on needed Skills (Skills you don't need that high anyway)

Talk with your gm about the power balance of AI against usual types. It is pretty much consensus that in raw dice pools and speed AI weirdly lag WAY behind hacker and technomancer (The whole "I'AM a being of PURE electricity and LIGHT.... but only have 3 IP's" for example - makes somewhat sense, but hey. Many people let them have the fourt with the simsense booster for example, or let them buy something akin to echoes or cyberware with karma.

Overall Tips: No reasons to not max all attributes like a cheater, since you only got four. Buy yourself a custom made and optimized Nexus to run on remotely, and declare it your homenode. (For my AI i bought a second one with assisting programs - healing agents for example). Leave this node only if neccessary (You have to "go" into a wifi-dead zone, or into a facility wich scans for wifi), and you are practically immortal. Secure this server (i bought myself a lifestyle with fake sin, good protection and some shops - i was the armorer too).

Also have a good look on the available drones. Enhance your usual "bodies" as you please. It drives the costs up, but you can't affort being squishy AND, if you have to "move" into one it NEEDS to have a good response chip to handle you.

Being able to use autosofts instead of your own skill when jumping in means not having to buy the skill to begin with. This can be a big saving since an autosoft at rating 4 (max) only costs 4000 and you usually get them free with the drone at rating 3 anyway*. It can make for a nice BP/Karma saving.

*None of the drones in Arsenal say they come with any autosofts (unlike in the main book) but I think of this as an omission. At the very least I let my players get Targeting at level 3 free for each drone that comes with a weapon mount. Of course which Targeting autosoft has to be determined immediately.

I'm pretty sure AIs can use agent autosofts as standard!?!

That's very true, and works really well - so Targeting replaces ranged attack skills with weapon mounts, and so on;

My GM ruled that I can get the benefit of a Simsense Booster and all, and a few other interesting goodies that make things work better, so my dice pools are getting up to snuff.

Any other suggestions?

Targeting only replaces gunnery, but then an AI won't have any need for any other ranged combat skills unless jumping into a humanoid drone that carries a firearm like a metahuman.

Homeground: Home Node is a must have quality.

If you're an AI, -absolutely- do use Advanced Lifestyles.
Privacy Screen: Matrix applies to Stealth checks you do while hacking.

Fung Shui applies to most Technical(like hacking) tests.

Allowed Ai qualities? Hit up Running Wild. Munging is -hilarious-. page 197 or so. Some concepts (like the data money zombies) are just funny, and worth picking through for inspiration. I would suggest Fnord or Teergrube, though Nyetworking is hilarious.

Ask you GM about taking Inherent Programs not on the list. (sensor softs, tacnets, Autosofts if you have the piloting origin). Its also worth asking your GM if he's willing to waive the 'only one hardcapped/max attribute rule' because you're making more powerful characters, have extra karma, and AI's are entirely dependent on it. Also ask if you can buy options for inherent programs like techno's do for their CFs. (i believe inherents automatically have some attached)

Exceptional Attribute is worth considering and planning for on an AI. Because an AI Rating is calculated by averaging attributes and Rounding Up (not Round Half Up), you can reach an AI Rating of 7 just by maxing your mental attributes.

I know i posted about it recently, but Emulate is fantastic and well-balanced without sprite abuse, and goes well with Spawn(both unwired). Rootkit is also fantastic.

The main benefit of your AI are your Inherents. You need to ask yourself two questions:
What do you want the character to do and be good at?
Then, which programs at rating 12 do you get the best use out of to accomplish that? Because Inherents can go that high. (protip: command is one of them).


That being sad, taking an attribute to 5 in german karmagen is 70. Thats 280 for your mental attributes at 5. Another 70 for your edge to at 5 as well. 110 for your race. Another 60 to raise one attribute to 6, giving you an ai rating of 5.25, which rounds up to 6.(round up, not round half up), and another 60 for your edge.
The point I am trying to make is that ALL that is only 580/900 karma. 320 points left is -plenty- of room to get good skills and gear on.

Getting a few words in here, to tag it for any future searches: Artificial Intelligence, Metasapient

I've only used the Dragonfly drone from Arsenal, and the text about it says that it comes with the Targeting (Close Combat) 4 autosoft...so I always assumed other drones also included autosofts, but it doesn't look they do...weird...

Drones don't always come with autosofts, all the better for the company to try to sell you a package deal.

Hey, by the way, does anyone know if there are rules for sensors with ratings above 6 - and if so, where they are? Thanks!