Dumpshock Forums > Character Critique

PresentPresence

Sep 8 2012, 02:46 AM

This is one of the more "technical" characters that I've created. I really cut it close on BP and Nuyen expenditures. His dice pools are kind of meh whatever but I think he has the potential to become much more talented. Made with 400 BP, but I have a suspicion that he would have some more breathing room in karmagen. I'm still working on the background (who isn't?) but I have some vague concepts floating around. I'm thinking he fled the Cheyenne slums before he could be drafted into the SDF and then, I dunno, somehow half of his body got blown off.

Here's the build:

[ Spoiler ]

BP Breakdown: Primary Attributes 160 + Special Attributes 40 + PQs 30 - NQs 35 + Contacts 12 + Nuyen 50 + Skills 108 + Spells 24 + Foci 11

I had to resort to some things that I prefer to avoid to fit it all in there (S&S, Used Alphaware, In Debt), but I got most of what I wanted. I'd eventually like to add some hacking ability, more skills (and improved rating of existing key skills), various doodads and gadgets that I couldn't fit in, like cool sensors and 'chutes, and some more 'ware after Initiation. Maybe if I'd done it in karma I could have those things now.

Anyways, comments and suggestions would be greatly appreciated. And yes, I want to keep the kludgy cybergun. You can't stop me!

FuelDrop

Sep 8 2012, 03:05 AM

I like it, now that i finally noticed Mind Over Matter it starts to make a lot of sense. I may suggest you start your karma spending spree by specializing your palming skill in pick-pocketting, and invest in a smart jammer at the highest rating you can afford ASAP so that when you pinch stuff it doesn't start screaming for help (well it does, but no-one can hear it

). Increasing one or more of your stealth skills is also very worthwhile, though it'll be your call if you want to break the group up by specializing or just advance it as a whole. Knowledge: Jewelry (appraisal) may also be worthwhile, along with some other shiny-thing related skills

All in all it looks like an interesting character who's going places. I like it.

PresentPresence

Sep 8 2012, 03:51 AM

I was thinking that sticking the goodies (at least those that fit) in my MAD-shielded smuggling department would help "shut them up". It does block WiFi signals, doesn't it? I did want to grab a disposable jammer or two, but I just couldn't afford it. I have literally zero nuyen left over.

Specializations: love 'em or lose 'em?

FuelDrop

Sep 8 2012, 04:20 AM

Love 'em. particularly for this kind of character. After all, not all aspects of a skill necessarily fit your vision of the character (Hardware) but specialization lets you shine in the one area that does (Maglocks) without feeling like a 'waste' of BP.

Xenefungus

Sep 8 2012, 10:00 AM

Or just get the specializations ingame for half the price, they are cheap to get.

But really, you should use Karmagen. You character will profit from it.

Thanee

Sep 8 2012, 10:24 AM

Yep, specializations are best taken after character generation when using BP.

And, if you have that option, Karmagen is surely the better choice.

Bye
Thanee

pbangarth

Sep 8 2012, 02:12 PM

QUOTE (Xenefungus @ Sep 8 2012, 05:00 AM)

Or just get the specializations ingame for half the price, they are cheap to get.

But really, you should use Karmagen. You character will profit from it.

Karmagen often provides more for the starting character, but you have to watch some things in this PC in particular. Bonding the power focus will cost a lot more, as will the few Attributes and Skills that are a higher rating. For example, that LOG 6 (before augmentation) will cost 100 karma all by itself.

Halinn

Sep 8 2012, 03:32 PM

QUOTE (pbangarth @ Sep 8 2012, 04:12 PM)

Karmagen often provides more for the starting character, but you have to watch some things in this PC in particular. Bonding the power focus will cost a lot more, as will the few Attributes and Skills that are a higher rating. For example, that LOG 6 (before augmentation) will cost 100 karma all by itself.

100 karma is a better deal than 65 bp, though.

pbangarth

Sep 8 2012, 05:21 PM

QUOTE (Halinn @ Sep 8 2012, 10:32 AM)

100 karma is a better deal than 65 bp, though.

Yeah, I forgot about the extra 15 BP for the last point. But then, the karma is out of 750 rather than the BP out of 400. So I guess this point is a bit of a wash.

*buries nose back into his books*

Glyph

Sep 8 2012, 07:44 PM

A Logic of 7 would actually cost 125 points in karmagen, since you are buying it up from 2 to 7, much like Agility for an elf. The character would still come out marginally ahead with 750 karma. I calculated this character would cost 733 karma under karmagen (with Attributes using the x5 multiplier). Not really much of a difference from BP. However, if your GM is using the 1,000 point karmagen...

PresentPresence

Sep 8 2012, 09:38 PM

Even better if I get free knowledge skills. Thanks for the input, guys.