I don't like technomancers. I don't like their "magicians in the Matrix" vibe, and I don't like the fact that they're just flat-out better at hacking than actual hackers. The following, then, is the first draft of an attempt to rewrite technomancers into something that doesn't step on the toes of other archetypes but is still cool and flavorful.

The basic idea is that technomancers have the ability to manipulate machines. This control is extremely coarse: they can't hack a computer with it, they no longer have intrinsic access to the Matrix (gotta buy a commlink like everybody else), and it never, ever takes the form of sprites.

What a technomancer can do is transmit an electromagnetic signal strong enough to override whatever instructions a device may be receiving from elsewhere. He can open maglocks, hijack drones, and otherwise bend just about anything with moving parts to his will.

The "Technomancer" quality now has three levels: for 5 BP, your power is effective to a range of 50m; for 10 BP, you can reach out and touch machines up to 100m away; and for 15 BP you can make technology your bitch from up to 150m away.

The system is this: the technomancer makes a Willpower + Electronic Warfare roll, against a threshold of the target's Device Rating or System, plus Hardening. If he succeeds, the device is under his control; note that the device must contain moving parts. A technomancer cannot assume control of a commlink, Nexus, or other standalone computing device. The control lasts as long as the technomancer sustains it (-2 per device being controlled to all rolls), with the caveat that the technomancer must have line-of-sight to the device at all times. If LOS is broken, the technomancer's control is broken. Note that only buildings or terrain features count as breaking LOS for this purpose.

Critique and additional ideas welcome.

So it's like a super rigger now? Or maybe a not so good rigger, because of the LOS and sustaining penalties.

I think you might need to broaden the requirements and abilities a little to make it a full archetype. Maybe allow them to control their Logic + Charisma in Device ratings for free before they suffer penalties.

Edit: A few more questions, are you scrapping resonance? What happens when two of these guys are fighting over a drone? Are the electronics of a controlled device still operational, so could it be recording you as you force it to knock the gate down for you? Can he only take control of things that are remotely controlled?

That sounds more like run-of-the-mill telekinesis than a technomancer...

I don't think you should dig out the entire progression system, resonance and submergion ensure that TM's feel like a seperate archetype and not just hackers +1. Without resonance to throttle your ware... Why wouldn't every hacker and his mom pick up your quality?
It also gives no room to grow your talent, it's just a static machine mindcontrol.

I like the idea of more manipulation of the real world, but it would be odd to disconnect them from the matrix, as they've been associated with it since 3rd.

Why do Technomancers get a magical wireless connection anyway? The Otaku didn't.

The matrix went wireless, and Otaku went wireless with it. Personally I wouldn't mind if TMs were not affected by Essence loss and in return would require a (wifi-enabled) Datajack again, but TPTB obviously went a different route...

I'm explicitly trying to get away from the magician metaphor. Spirits are independent entities with minds of their own, but the key here is that the technomancer is suppressing a device's own programming in favor of his own will. I don't like giving them free control.

You are right about Resonance. I'm thinking maybe, instead of levels of the Technomancer quality, make effective range equal to (Resonance x 25) meters. As for the other questions, in order and off the top of my head: opposed test, Resonance + Willpower; record yes, communicate with other devices no; and please clarify what you mean by "remote controlled."


I'm pretty sure none of the available TK spells have enough fine control to make a drone fire its weapons against the orders of the rigger commanding it.


Again, I want to move away from the technomancer-as-magician thing. I'd love to hear suggestions for submersion that make it not like initiation. I really, really don't like "TM goes on a vision quest and suddenly gets better with machines."

This seems like a better Echo idea than basic rules change. Making technos MORE expensive isn't the answer, they're bad enough already.

See my technomancer houserules for a list of balance and pricing changes that make them hackers instead of gods, without being as expensive(yet worse) than magicians.