I made this document for sr4a and was wondering if anyone had any ideas for updates to it for sr5...


Note: Skills listed is considered atleast Skillrating 1 unless otherwise noted


MUST HAVE:

Skills:

Perception
Dodge (Spec Ranged) [Ranged Specialization because of multiple skills used when dodging/evading melee]
Electronics (Group) [In 2072 most persons should know the basics of Electronics, but only data search and computer are in the MUST category]
Stealth(Group) [You _are_ SHADOWrunners]
Influence (Group) [Only Con and Negotiation is in the MUST category but since you get the two other skills for the price of one half...]

Gear:

Comlink w.Programs (Analyze, Encrypt, Browse and Stealth) [a good comlink with the base defense and utility programs is a must in 2072]
(fake) SIN [Unless you actually _like_ being arrested and used as Bubbas toy of the week]
(fake) License [Well... we can always pretend we are doing things legal-like]
Armor [As much as you can carry, scrunge, steal or beg...]
Lifestyle [We all need to live somewhere and cardboard-box is not a fashion statement or chic and won't impress a Johnson]
Knife (As a tool, not a weapon) [Ropes, nets, boxes, clothes, restraints... or as a last resort weapon]
Medkit R2 or above [when the armor mentioned above failed or you forgot to dodge]

Other:

2 or more IP in chosen Role (Meatspace, Astral or Matrix)

(O)

SHOULD HAVE:

Attributes:

No Attribute at 1

Skills:

Athletics (Group) [Running, Climbing... the stuff you do to avoid getting caught]
Close Combat (Group) [Close and personal... For love and knifework]
First Aid
Current Events (Knowledge)
Choice of Ranged Attack (Firearms(Group), Pistol(skill), Automatics(skill), Longarms(skill), Spells)
Cracking (Group)

Gear:

Armor = (Body*2)+ 3 or 2 (if using Formfit, else Body*2)
Weapon (as per chosen spec.)
Medkit
Stimpatches
Glasses + Visionenhancement 3 + Visionmode (Thermo or low-light) + Smartlink
Earbuds + Audioenhancement 3 + Select Sound 3
Disposable Comcodes
Numbered Credit Account
AR Gloves
More then one set of armor

Other:

2 or more IP in Meatspace (Drugs, Cyber/Bio, Spells, Adeptpowers, Echos, Racial Trait [Infected/Free Spirit/Other])
All common use programs.
Choice of Hackingprograms
Armor (Program for Comlink)
Hardening on all Electronic Equipment

COULD HAVE:

Skills:

Pilot Groundcraft
Intimidation
Armorer

Gear:

Lëal Cigarettes
Plastic Restraints
Trodes
Another Weapon.
Cyber Safety Chip and Weapon Addon

Other:

Agent for Comlink (Defensive)
Chemprotection and Elemental protection on Armor

(O)

WOULD HAVE

Skills:

Instruction
Locksmith
Escape Artist

Gear:

Any and all other Running Gear

Skill, Knowledge: My False IDs. As high as you can buy it.

Here's a basic Commlink layout that I think everyone should have at the very minimum.

Hardening, Biometric Lock, Armor, Customized Interface, Nonstandard Wireless Signal, Optimization (Analyze), Response Enhancement
ECCM
Scan
Analyze
Encrypt
Browse
Edit
Command
Purge

Here is the programs you would add in if you were a hacker.
Change Optimization (Analyze) to Optimization (Exploit)

Empathy
Decrypt
Attack
Exploit
Defuse
Biofeedback Filter
Stealth
Armor
Spoof
Sniffer
Medic

Actually, I'd say Computer and Data Search are "should have": if you have a decent hacker you can trust, you don't need these.

Infiltration(urban) is a must. Everything else in the group is situationally useful at best.

Negotiation or Etiquette(+spec) are "should have" category, depending on whether you have a good face, and how you use the rules.
Generally Influence isn't necessary as a group at all.

It's worth looking through Program Packages and Software Suites in Unwired, it's generally cheaper. Plus, depending on your rule usage, I'd add Purge to the mix, and consider adding options like Ergonomic to the Common software.
Plus hard encryption, of course.
Always get a subvoc for your commlink. Radio Signal Scanner is also a must for at least one character at max level.
Add to that a tag eraser and a handful of datachips with backups. A vision enhancer and a smartlink.
A respirator, if only to cover up your face. A credstick for untraceable transactions, and better yet more than one.

Armour and a set of civilian-looking armoured clothes of your choosing. FFBA, if your GM allows. PPP otherwise.

Survival Knife from the Core: ridiculously multifunctional for its price.

Always R6. It's hilariously cheap for its functionality.
Also, I'd add a few chemicals to the "must have" set. Cram, Long Haul and Nitro (or NoPaint) for everyone, other stuff for different archetypes.

No less than three without chems.

A tricked out gun and a weapon skill with a spec to match are an absolute must, too.

Why not?

Useless for everyone but the sammy and the shadow. Situational for them, too, except for Climbing.
Read: get Climbing and a harness, drop the rest of the group.

Useless waste of points. The melee specialist builds should take one skill and spec it. Everyone else is much better off with firearms. (Or use the Exotic Melee: Monowhip for an implanted whip, if you just crave that close-up action).
If you often find yourself captured or otherwise disarmed, let the sammy pick up the skill group.

Best on hacker or mage.

Only for the hacker (except, maybe, for Electronic Warfare). The hacker is better off taking Hacking as a skill, though, R4 is too low on a primary skill.

If you're getting a vehicle, get at least R1(+spec). Unless you're the primary driver, usually that means getting a bike. Trick it out with at least a shielded secret storage.

Balaclava, never forget the balaclava. Or the Ballistic Mask from you-know-which-book.

Our group made the mistake of not having a tag eraser or a jammer the last run. Fortunately, we loaded a truck with the extra swag and sent it down the I-5 on autopilot. Still, would have been nice to have taken that stuff rather than send the bad guys on a wild goose chase.

Respirator, goggles, and hood are usually enough.

I've used some of the tip's from this thread to make a really nice 300BP low power character, thanks!

My two cents (SR5):

First: You have to get a good hacker in your team. If not - you are screwed!

Everyone else -->

Must have

Attributes:
No Attribute at 1, i agree with that. Id say, try not to have much attributes below 3. If you have to (of course youll have to), drop CHA or STR.

Skills:
- Favoured Attackskill (ranged) 6 (+2) || (prefered Shotguns with apds (low recoil, max dmg))
- Sneaking (urban) somewhere between 2 and 6

Gear:
- Facemask with built in voice changer and respirator (if your GM is a dickhead youll have to get everything separate)
- Goggles or (if you are cool) glasses with visionen chancement, smart and LL or IR (depends on what metatype but in general LL is the better choice)
- Earbuds with audioenhancement
- Grenades if the sh*t hits the fan, optional: wireless trigger so you can use them as booby trap
- Jammer
- Survivalknife

Thats pretty much everything elementary.

The following parts are things i noticed, things that can make your life easier or just the math giving you that extra 2 points that make your GM call you a powergamer

Attributes:
- Drop STR, its crap even as a melee the trade off is crappy. If you dont want to be a wimp, take it at max 3. Everything above is imho a waste of ressources.
- Same goes for LOG, if you arent a hacker it wont get often called into action.
- Drop CHA if you have a face or/ and dont talk much during gameplay
- DONT stack BOD unless you are a combatwhore, get an average 3 or (if you feel like you often get the sh*t beaten out) max 5 (never 4, never 6)
- Stack WIL if you dont have a mage and/ or your GM uses critter a lot (same as above, never 4, never 6)
- Stack REA and INT, it gives you initiative and massive "dodge". A nice side effect of great REA is, that you can drive the car, or the bike, or with edge even the plane while your rigger has his hands full or/ and is disabled.
- Stack AGI, its great Just look at the skills-table, the most skills are related to AGI. If you have a high AGI, you can easily pass most Acrobatics tests, defend yourself in melee and fire some weapons you dont have the skill to, if necessary.

- EDGE: There are many opinions about EDGE. Id say, if you want to go for EDG, youll better (ab)use the system and max it out. If you dont, an average 2-3 should be okay.

Edit: I have a character with 3 edge, and another with 7. There is no noticeable difference during gameplay in my opinion, because our mostly edge calls are for rerolling. But its actually nice if you hardneed that kill/ crack/ spell and can throw an extra +7 die in.

Skills:
- Since the Priority system is back, you have to min/ max your skills to get the most effiency out of your resources. That means, you take your "main"-skills at 6 (+spec) and your secondary skills at 1 (+spec). Its important to take the spec at chargen, later it will cost you much more. I wouldn recommend to ever spec during game, better take the 7 Karma and get a brand new skill at 2.

Priority:
Attributes are important, i strongly recommend to take them as A or B. Even if you are Magician/ technomancer. You can spend the "metatype"-points to stack MAG/ RES later.


Gear:

- Gecko Tape Gloves
- Chamaleonsuit
- Mini-welder
- Micro-drones (mct flyspy or/ and kanmushi bug)
- Demolitions (hasnt hurt anyone yet, to have some bombs in the backpack)
- More than one Fake SIN
- Licences for your mainsuff (weapon, gear, foci, magic goods, ware)
- More than one Disposal Commink
- I dont know how drugs are involved in your game, i dont recommend using them on a character because of addiction and social side effects. But if your group plays them like they have only benefits than put everything inside you

If you want to play a character that is insanely overpowered (even with errata rules), pick mysic-adept and get magic and powerpoints both 6. Take focussed concentration 4 quality and some "increase attribute" spells.

Everything written here is just my personal opinion, please no trolling.