Note: Group I'm playing with is all new, so we're just using the core book.

*sheet in later post*

Firstly, I would like to say I dig the concept and the build. The character of a wimp turned music producer as a hacker/face seems very believable/logical to me, so kudos for that. So, down to the nitty gritty: a few questions, then a few optional suggestions for optimization.

Q1) Why sensitive system and Wired Reflexes I? That +1 REA and 1IP costs you a whopping 4 essence. I would suggest either changing your negative quality or dropping the wires and using drugs for the IP bonus, at least until you can afford a synaptic booster.

Q2) Can a mundane get Spirit Bane? Even if you can, is it a good idea given that you do not have the skills/firepower to defeat an irate Beast spirit if you did go toe-to-toe with one.

Now to a few suggestions for optimization, if you can find the BP. I might be tempted to look at your programme load and drop a few to R3 or live without until you can get them in-game: that should give you a few more BP to play with. If necessary, I would also consider dropping AGI to 2 if I had to: let's face it, while you can shoot Pistols you aren't using that AGI for much else, and the Muscle Toner (which you can upgrade to 4 in-game) helps compensate for that somewhat. Also you have a car but no driving skills: might be worth ditching and picking up in-game; for now you have the social skills to bum a ride if you need to, and if you don't there's always taxis ...

O1) Why not Tailored Pheremones 3? If I were designing the character I would max out the pheremones and either drop the Cerebral Booster to 1 or do without until I could spring for a CB3 in-game.

O2) Can you find the BP to soft-max your Edge up to 6? The difference between 5 and 6 is quite large, and increasing by karma in-game would prove costly.

O3) Ditto for Influence group to 4.

O4) Skills you don't have but should try to find the BP to get: Perception, Dodge, the Stealth group or at least Infiltration (although I can see you would probably be better off bluffing your way in socially, there are times when shadowrunners just need to sneak) ...

Fake License (Smartlink) Rating 4
Fake License (Wired Reflexes) Rating 4
Fake SIN (Gregoire Puch) Rating 4
Fake SIN (Alan Slimme) Rating 3
Fake SIN (Horatio Lockheed) Rating 1
Fake SIN (Albert Horace) Rating 1
Fake SIN (Sean LeChiffre) Rating 1

What SIN is the License attached to?

Name him Surge Knight.

I'm at work at the moment, but I'll post up a new sheet later tonight.

His name is actually Capitalist P.I.G.

New sheet in later post.

Bumping again with an even more updated character sheet.

Changed metatype to Elf, added Skillwires and moved some BP around.


Street Name: Capitalist P.I.G. (Parallactically Inverted Godfather, Cap-O)
Name: Arsinius Lindsey
Movement: 10/25, Swim: 6
Karma: 0
Street Cred: 0
Notoriety: 1
Public Awareness: 0
Elf
Composure: 9
Judge Intentions: 11
Lift/Carry: 6 (45 kg/30 kg)
Memory: 9

== Attributes ==
BOD: 3
AGI: 5 (7)
REA: 3 (4)
STR: 1 (3)
CHA: 7
INT: 4
LOG: 5 (7)
WIL: 2
EDG: 4

== Derived Attributes ==
Essence: 1.2
Initiative: 7 ( 8 )
IP: 1 (2)
Matrix Initiative: 10
Matrix IP: 3
Physical Damage Track: 10
Stun Damage Track: 9

== Active Skills ==
Animal Handling : 0 Pool: 3
Animal Training : 0 Pool: 3
Archery : 0 Pool: 6
Armorer : 0 Pool: 6
Artisan : 0 Pool: 3
Automatics : 0 Pool: 8
Blades : 0 Pool: 6
Climbing : 0 Pool: 2
Clubs : 0 Pool: 6
Computer : 4 Pool: 11
Con : 2 Pool: 12
Cybercombat : 0 Pool: 6
Data Search : 4 Pool: 11
Demolitions : 0 Pool: 6
Disguise : 0 Pool: 3
Diving : 0 Pool: 2
Dodge : 0 Pool: 3
Electronic Warfare : 4 Pool: 11
Escape Artist : 0 Pool: 6
Etiquette : 2 Pool: 12
First Aid : 0 Pool: 6
Flight : 0 Pool: 2
Forgery : 0 Pool: 6
Gunnery : 0 Pool: 6
Gymnastics : 3 Pool: 10
Hacking : 6 Pool: 13
Hardware : 1 Pool: 8
Heavy Weapons : 0 Pool: 8
Infiltration : 0 Pool: 6
Instruction : 0 Pool: 6
Intimidation : 0 Pool: 6
Leadership : 2 Pool: 12
Locksmith : 0 Pool: 6
Longarms : 0 Pool: 8
Navigation : 0 Pool: 3
Negotiation : 2 Pool: 12
Palming : 0 Pool: 6
Parachuting : 0 Pool: 2
Perception : 0 Pool: 3
Pilot Ground Craft : 0 Pool: 3
Pilot Watercraft : 0 Pool: 3
Pistols : 1 Pool: 10
Riding : 0 Pool: 3
Running : 0 Pool: 2
Shadowing : 0 Pool: 3
Software : 1 Pool: 8
Survival : 0 Pool: 1
Swimming : 0 Pool: 2
Throwing Weapons : 0 Pool: 6
Tracking : 0 Pool: 3
Unarmed Combat : 0 Pool: 6

== Knowledge Skills ==
Area Knowledge: Seattle : 4 Pool: 8
Bars and Clubs : 4 Pool: 8
Business : 3 Pool: 10
Cantonese : 2 Pool: 6
Data Havens : 3 Pool: 7
English : N Pool: 0
Gangs : 3 Pool: 7
Japanese : 1 Pool: 5
Music : 4 Pool: 8
Russian : 2 Pool: 6
Syndicates : 1 Pool: 5

== Contacts ==
Bartender (4, 3)
Fixer (5, 3)
Rapper (Drug Dealer) (4, 2)
Rapper (Go-Ganger) (3, 4)

== Qualities ==
Addiction (Mild) (Deepweed)
Codeslinger (Hacking on the Fly)
First Impression
Low Pain Tolerance
Low-Light Vision
Sensitive Neural Structure (Tech)
Spirit Bane (Beast)

== Lifestyles ==
Low ("Home") 1 months
Squatter ("Safehouse") 1 months

== Cyberware/Bioware ==
Cerebral Booster Rating 2
Datajack
Muscle Replacement Rating 2
Skillwires Rating 3
Tailored Pheromones Rating 3
Wired Reflexes Rating 1

== Armor ==
Actioneer Business Clothes5/3
+Biomonitor
+Fire Resistance 2
+Nonconductivity 6
Armor Clothing 4/0
+Biomonitor
+Nonconductivity 6

== Weapons ==
Defiance EX Shocker
+Concealable Holster
+Smartgun System, Internal
DV: 8S(e) AP: -half RC: 0
Fichetti Security 600
+Concealable Holster
+Silencer
+Smartgun System, Internal
+Stock
+Laser Sight
DV: 4P AP: - RC: 1
Unarmed Attack
DV: 2S AP: - RC: 0

== Commlink ==
Hermes Ikon (5, 6, 5, 5)
+Novatech Navi [Firewall 5, System 6]
+Simrig [Sim Module (Hot)]
+Subvocal Microphone
+AR Gloves
+Satellite Link
+Biometric Reader
Meta Link (1, 1, 1, 2) x2
+Vector Xim
Novatech Airware (3, 3, 3, 3)
+Iris Orb

== Gear ==
Activesoft (Pistols) Rating 1
+Copy Protection Rating 1
+Registration
Activesoft (Hardware) Rating 1
+Copy Protection Rating 1
+Registration
Activesoft (Software) Rating 1
+Copy Protection Rating 1
+Registration
Activesoft (Gymnastics) Rating 3
+Copy Protection Rating 3
+Registration
Agent Rating 3
Ammo: Regular Ammo (Light Pistols) x100
Ammo: Stick-n-Shock (Light Pistols) x50
Ammo: Taser Dart (Tasers) x50
Analyze Rating 5
Attack Rating 3
Biofeedback Filter Rating 5
Browse Rating 5
Command Rating 5
Datachip x50
Decrypt Rating 5
Deepweed x4
ECCM Rating 3
Edit Rating 5
Encrypt Rating 3
Exploit Rating 5
Fake License (Smartlink) Rating 4
Fake License (Muscle Replacement) Rating 4
Fake License (Wired Reflexes) Rating 4
Fake SIN (Gregoire Puch) Rating 4
Fake SIN (Alan Slimme) Rating 3
Fake SIN (Albert Horace) Rating 1
Flashlight
Glasses Rating 4
+Vision Enhancement Rating 3
+Vision Magnification
+Image Link
+Smartlink
GPS
Headphones Rating 2
+Audio Enhancement Rating 3
+Select Sound Filter Rating 3
Keycard Copier Rating 6
Medic Rating 3
Medkit Rating 4 x2
Novacoke x5
Plastic Restraints x20
Respirator Rating 6
Scan Rating 5
Sequencer Rating 4
Sniffer Rating 3
Spoof Rating 5
Stealth Rating 5
Tool Kit (Handtools)
Track Rating 3
Virtual Surround Music
Virtual Weather
Wall Space
Wire Clippers
Zen x3

== Concept ==
Grew up a 90 lb. weakling nerd with a love for hacking and the various varieties of hip-hop and EDM. His twin loves of tech and music lead him to become a music producer.

You may want to edit the previous posts to remove the sheets or something. I read in order, and was 1/2 way through one sheet with a book in hand before I found out it's old news. It's also a massive scroll. I do like the concept.

I have no idea how experienced everyone is in your shadowrun group, so forgive me if I point out something obvious.

I've griped on armor before, and I hate how SR4a doesn't bother to update the armor-mod limitations. I don't know if you guys are going to ignore them, but it might make for some over-kill armor. Shouldn't be a huge issue without taking Gel-packs or other breaks that the other books could represent.

However, if your group wanted to use said limits, they are simple. Armor's highest rating x 1.5, rounded up (your business clothes, for example, would have a max capacity of 8. 5x1.5 rounded up. That's the max limit for armor mods in total rating. So your current one, 6 + 6, would be over by 4. Things without a rating, like Chemical Seal, count as 1.



If the group is new to shadowrun, the dice-pool for Hacking might mislead (happened in my group with a new guy recently) since Logic isn't counted for program use, just for program writing, which is an extended test.

On that note, I personally think Cerebral Booster is a waste for your character. For programming extended tests, the dice are not as necessary, and it helps your hacking not in the least. You could easily spend the same money upping your programs for another dice, and that WOULD be worth it.

Ah, you're right. Old sheets removed, sorry about that!

Fixed the armor issue.

I suppose it's actually pretty obvious, but I never thought about the fact that program use doesn't apply LOG. There will be some major BP shifting, I imagine, haha. I can probably drop to 3 LOG and and lose the Boosters. Only problem is, with only being able to work out of the core book, I can only use Rating 5 programs at chargen.

Why is that? Base rating for Hacker Programs is 12R for rating 6 program. Ratings of up to 12 are allowed by base book RAW. No issue. And non-hacker programs have an availability of their Rating, so R6 = availability 6. You just need a Response 6 comm. I also like the fact your character is savvy enough to have multiple comms. People on the site may realize this, but I had to browbeat our group into getting 2 comms over one.

Here is the hitch, as far as I know. Getting a Response of 6 out the door is 16 availability, which you can't do in base book alone. Since you don't have other books to play with, your programs will run at 5 until you upgrade your comm. However, getting a 6 now is MUCH easier and cheaper than getting 5 now and a 6 later. Programming your own programs have extended test durations ranging from 1 to 6 months per roll, so I've hardly ever coded my own stuff. The Firewall and System are - availability, so you can get those at 6 with no issue as well. Just make hardware upgrade your first priority when you get going, and for 4000 (assuming GM lets you buy the difference) you gain 1 dice to every program roll.

In short, buy 6 System, Firewall, and Programs now are legal for RAW, and will run on a R5 and function as a rating 5. Start with Response 5, and upgrade to Response 6 at first opportunity.