I love Technomancers, but I haven't done too much with sprites.

What are some of the various uses of the types of sprites? Has anyone put together a list of ideal uses for the various types of sprites?

IE: What do you use Code sprites for? Why are Sleuth sprites AND Data sprites around, they seem redundant.

I find sprites to be good for thirst-quenching

Seriously though, the way I see sprites (and sculpting and a lot of the other Matrix stuff) is for running Matrix heavy adventures where the players spend a lot of time in detailed virtual worlds. Never really comes up at our table - one game world is more than enough.

Hm... my technomancer just uses them for everything.

He saved on complex forms or threads them if REALLY needed on the fly. But all small hacks and such: Sprites. Just make a rating 7 Crack-Sprite and he will get things done... not like anything usual {Security system, Firewall, Agents, Hackers} has a chance to find and stop it.

So yeah: Overpowered... just like spirits.

Silly question probably: why can't a system/agent etc detect sprites? I know the TM's biological node can't be hacked but that doesn't apply to sprites does it?

Sprites are good for whatever agents are good for (mostly) and then some and it's not horrendously difficult to get them at higher ratings.

An agent running in one's home node can assist teamwork-style, but a registered sprite will add its whole rating to a TM's complex form (and doesn't even need its own copy).

They also come with some nifty powers.

The system or an agent can detect them. But if the sprite's rating is high enough this becomes so unlikely that for all intent and purpose the sprite is undetectable.

Only if they have the Stealth CF. If not, they cannot hide.
Not all Sprites have that CF.

Code, Machine, Paladin, and Tank Sprites cannot ever have Stealth (They do not have it inately, nor optionally).

Which is an advantage all it's own as the IC and White Hats are focused on the Sprite while the TM/Hacker buddy deal with the rest of the DataRun.

Well, as long as the White Hat decides not to flip the Molly-Guard and hit the BRS. Dumpshock is a harsh mistress...

The big boon of Code sprites is Info Sortilege, which makes them great for the more complex data searches. And yes, there is a significant overlap between the various "search" sprites, just like mages have various effective combat spirits

Sprites are the entire reason to play a TM. It takes a lot of karma and a long time before you'll be able to be more effective with complex forms than a hacker who invested in his craft, but being able to create sapient agents at will with whatever programs you want is a huge advantage.

This basically. I remember thinking that TMs were way underpowered when I first tried to make one, and in many ways a regular hacker is still way cheaper. Sprites are their saving grace in my opinion, they have other tricks and advantages of course, but the ability to summon a sprite on the fly to handle any task you would want to do is what makes them viable as hackers.

Machine: Drive things for you, provide passive buffs (like have them sit in the street samurai's gun and assist shooting)
Code: Info Sortilege is niche but handy, Probability Distribution is really, really good because you can use it to help with nearly anything you want to do.
Tutor: Proficiency lets them give anyone a Technical, Vehicle, or Knowledge skill (at the price that it may take extra long to use). This is still super awesome for when you need obscure skills. The "any knowledge skill" thing is also great. Need to know about 19th century french artwork for a heist? Summon a tutor sprite.
Tank: Sucking
Paladin: Tanking
Fault: Winning matrix combats for you
Sleuth: Finding people for you. It is absurdly easy for sleuth sprites to track down anyone who doesn't live in the woods in a log cabin.
Courier: Sucking
Data: Sucking
Crack: Crack sprites are capable of hacking nearly anything, but unsubtle. If you just need the hack done, but don't care if you get caught 20 seconds later, crack sprite solves your problem.

Machine Sprites also have the really nice ability to negate Glitches with their Stability power.

Hmm, I've always ignored TMs, because it seemed like they were not reallly worth the effort - what with being really, really vulnerable due to always hot-sim and such. But... perhaps sprites completely overcome this weakness. Maybe I should check them out, and send one against my runners... MUAHAHAHA

A TM with the skinlink echo can be a frightening thing to a cyber, especially if they don't know she's a TM (or a bad guy) at first. Fine you win the grapple and you're subduing her. Holding her with your mechanical hand...

Make it a submerged dissonant and really have some fun!
Great flavour-wise too.

Huh? Crack sprites have a Stealth CF by default, and if anything goes wrong they get another Rating/2 turns (not IPs) before the alarm goes off.

They do have stealth, but if you care at all as a TM you can thread/Assist Operation your stealth at least as high as they have it at. Since it sets a threshold that's very significant. I mean, yes, you could compile rating = 2xResonance crack sprites, but that will get your face melted eventually.

The idea, though, is that even a low-rating crack sprite can hack damn near anything by simply kicking the door down and relying on the rating/2 turns.