So, in terms of the individual themselves, who's the most dangerous NPC that there are stats for in a SR book?

I'm thinking specifically about metahumans - no dragons or immortals, just "regular guys". Also, I don't mean in terms of how much power they have under their command (e.g. don't say Damien Knight or anything!). Nor am I talking about the most kick-hoop conjurer who can whistle up an army of force 12 spirits to beat you to death, or a hardcore rigger and his army of drones custom-made 10 million nuyen drones or anything like that.

Just who, according to their official stats on paper, when fully tooled up, is the most powerful NPC in a stand up fight? Who, by himself, would you pose the greatest challenge to a well-rounded group of top-flight shadowrunners if they encountered him in combat?

I'm gonna go with Fastjack.

...yes, because fastjack is known for his ability to kill people by shooting and stabbing them. or was he known for never actually being encountered in the meat? i always get those mixed up!

Okay okay, if half a dozen decent deckers met FastJack in the Matrix he'd no doubt still give them a kicking. How about in the real world though, who'd be the ultimate challenge there?

FastJack is pretty damn good though, I'll give you that!

For deckers, cybercombat is a straight up fight. If it has to be in the meat, then I'd say Torgo could whoop a few.

I've always been fond of Teachdaire, the elite elven assassin from Tir Na Og.

I especially am found of all of his canon inconsistencies.

*sigh* The deadliest one with stats, eh? Metahuman only, no immortals or dragons.

Straight-up hard-hooped fragger, eh?

I suppose we should do this by edition (note: this is best overall, not "he who could conceivably take a panzer round"):

1st) Blackwing from Bottled Demon
Main Reason: All-around bad-ass cybered combat specialist.

Runner Up: Dusk from Total Eclipse
Main Reason: All-around bad-ass cybered combat specialist.

Notes: This was a hard one. Naturally, I left out vampires and spirits to make this a bit fair, and physads in first edition tended to be horrible. The differences between Dusk and Blackwing are more thematic then practical; in a knock-down drag-out, the winner is the one who moves first and keeps their distance...which would be Blackwing.

2nd) Cyberzombie archetype from Cybertechnology
Main Reason: Great skills and hideous amounts of cyberware.

Runner Up: Akihito "Tuesday" Takemura from Prime Runners
Main Reason: Armed Combat 8 (Katana 12) skill.

Notes: Again, an issue of brawn over brain. Takemura has a better /skill/, but the cyberzombie has better general skills over all AND more and better cyber. Now, life expectancy wise, the elf's going to outlive the cyberzombie...but not if the cyberzombie decides to draw first.

3rd) Sergeant (Unit Leader) of Tir Tairngire Ghost team in "Corporate Punishment"
Main Reason: All-around bad-ass physad combat specialist.

Runner Up: Lt. Berkeley, Firewatch Team Commander in "Wake of the Comet"
Main Reason: All-around bad-ass cybered combat specialist.

Note: Both of these guys are professional combat artists, specializing in taking peopel apart any way they have to. Their gear is top-notch, and their skills are way above par. Sergeant pulls ahead with a bit better gear and magic, which Lt. Berkeley just can't quite match.

what's 'canon' mean?

Canon = According to published material.
See also

Ryan "uber twink" Mercuary

you're thinking of someone else, whose name i cannot recall. Fastjack is the uberdecker supreme in SR; you can check him out in Target: Matrix.

Hatchetman became a cyberzombie on the dime of some unnamed corp. No one knows what happened to him after he left the clinic, but by now one of the big nasties cyberzombies get hit with probably took him down.

Fastjack is a decker who is (I think) 74 years old. One of the sourcebooks gives enough info to figure out the year he was born, but I can't remember which. Anyway, he is the best decker in the world and I think the most dangerous person in the Shadowrun world. Sure, he's only good in the Matrix. Sure, he never meets in the meat. But think of what the man could do. He talks about hacking into then-Fuchi systems nonchalantly as if he had just done a search on Google. If he wanted to, he could forge execution orders on anyone he wanted, he's made probably dozens of good contacts and hundreds of people probably owe him favors, plus there's the little fact that he has the reputation to call almost anyone in the shadows to help him just on his rep.

Remember, in the Shadowrun world, information is supposed to be the ultimate source of power. If it's not Fastjack, it'd be one of the NEXUS SysOps.

The Abstruse One

It's possible that he's a supreme decker and a cyberzombie, isn't it?

only if he is also an vampiric otaku dragon physmage.

with an AVS slivergun ally

You gotta spell it SILvergun SILVER!!

does it kill shapeshifters then

Only if you use it like a club...

Oh C'mon, don't be so over the top. He's a DRAKE not a Dragon.

I've always thought that the Smiling Bandit would kick Fastjack's hoop. I know I'm probably wrong, but I've always loved the Smiling Bandit over Fastie.

Well, the most powerful human in shadowrun would have to DK. as I recall he was thought of as a peer by a great dragon. He owns what the third largest Mega corporation.(I know SK is number one..I am just not sure what place Ares has.) Also one my friends think he is fastjack.

Teachdaire from the Prime Runners sourcebook. Very, very, very dangerous indeed.

Somewhere, someone (I believe Tom Dowd) posted stats for Dunkelzahn. When combined with the Great Dragon abilites from Do6W, that'd make him very nasty.

However, Harlequin is probably the nastiest, since his stats are: "Whatever the GM wants them to be".

Most powerful?

Tim. Definitely Tim.

~J

I'd guess can but chooses not to.

And I'm pretty sure there are others who have changed their time/datestamps. A good chunk of the Otaku in RA:S, IIRC, though I may be wrong.

~J

About a dozen different people managed the time/date stamp trick before they got rid of them. He was, however, the first. Besides, it's never said Fastjack can't do it...he just may not bother.

It's made pretty clear though that Fastjack is a decker through and through, while Bandit is both a decker and a biologist, thus splitting his time and most likely making him less effective as Jack.

The Abstruse One

I never played the card game, but would stats from that count? I'm guessing there were probably some pretty uber-statted characters there.

Skwaaark plus dual handrazors!

~J

Harlequin

I swear I'm the only one to put some thought in this.

There's probably a reason for that.

Did Argent ever appear in any of the books? He's pretty bad in the novels.

And yes, I have been out of the loop for a while, thanks. I think I have about three 3rd Ed. books, everything else is 2nd or even first edition.

i've got most of the published runs, but i've never sat down and read most of them. i did read SotF, and it had what may possibly the least threatening NPCs ever presented as serious opposition. the group of critters who were supposed to hunt the PCs? most starting-level groups i've seen could take them without even really paying attention.

Excuse me? A drake and a wereform plus others for good measure? Most starting groups of equal size that I know wouldn't even be a close match at all...

some people are minmaxing play-to-win SOBs sadly...

Argent's good, but he's not necessarily the best. I'd love to say Dirk, but that's just way off...Mercury shouldn't count being a drake-twink...I still stand by Fastjack in an all-round contest, but if we're not allowing deckers/riggers...hmm...Burnout before Lethe popped in?

The Abstruse One

Fastjack's approximate age is in Target: Matrix, if I remember right, and it's roughly 70 at the time the post was supposed to be made (2062?).

I'm'a have to go with Teachdaire. That guy is mad twink. And the "OMG yuo = forget me kthxbye!" focus is nice too.

Remember he wants THINGS THERE ARE STATS FOR IN BOOKS!!!

Were there posted stats for Burnout?

Hello all.

Thanks for all the replies so far, much appreciated and pretty interesting in places. As other people have already pointed out, I did specifically mention NO immortals, dragons etc, and in fact banned Damien Knight by name! Yet they still get mentioned. Anyway that's cool, far be it from me to dissuade people from discussing these other guys if they want to. It's derailing the thread a bit, but I guess there's a first time for everything...


Heh, some of the people mentioned bring back old memories. Is Blackwing a pistols (or at least, Firearms) specialist, possibly an elf? Perhaps an adept too, I can't quite recall. Anyway I think that's the guy, and if so I believe he was shot by a runner while coming out of the shower in one of our previous campaigns. Oops!

Teachdaire is definitely quite high up there, I concur with that suggestion!

Are there stats for Ryan Mercury anywhere? I'm not aware of any, but if there are I'd be interested in seeing them. I'm not keen on the guy, but considering all the hype it'd be cool to have a look I guess. He is a drake, but I suppose I can allow those in. In which case vampires and so on would be a go too. I can think of a certain English gentleman who's a bit dangerous in that line, as well as quite a character!

FrostyNSO: Who's Torgo? The name doesn't sound familiar.

AH: Yeah, I would have to say you've put more thought into it than most people, which I appreciate. You even managed to read the question and answer appropriately. A marvel!

Is the cyberzombie archetype from Cybertech called Livewire or Burnout or something? I think I remember a picture of him balancing on a beam or similar, arms outstretched. Anyway if that's the guy then, again, a total badass. All deltagrade implants and plenty of power. A bit of a rarity for SR NPCs sadly!

Anyway, I'd say I do broadly agree with all your suggestions. I remember the Ghost unit leader being very dangerous too, even in our high-powered campaign.


Again, thanks for all the posts. Keep them coming, and do try to stick to the question where possible: Metahumans only, no immortals, no corp power players, no drones/spirits/vehicles. Just one guy plus equipment in a typical combat. If possible someone who has published stats as well, otherwise we can't really tell if they're as good as is claimed, can we now?