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Soylent Green
this is the first time i have played shadowrun in a good ten years and character creation is not my strongest skill. i am great with the personality and story of the character, but the mechanics are often difficult. plus this is my first trek into SR3.

a little background for our game: we are using the rules and mechanics of shadowrun but a different version of earth's future. this future has no metahumans or awakened beasts or magic.

the character i want to play would be a retired agent from some government security agency specialized in undercover work, infiltration and removal of targets.

how to bring this character to life confounds me. is money the way to go, followed by skills and attributes? skills, money, attributes? he will not have a lot of obvious cyberware. i was actually thinking mainly bioware as it is more inconspicous. he will need a lot of funds to pull it all off. but skills are also very important.

i really would love some help. thanks a lot...
Crimsondude 2.0
Without magic... Skills are probably the most important priority. Use the Covert Ops Specialist as an example. It also depends on their exact skillset, especially if they worked for a specialized agency (like, say, any U.S. intelligence agency).
Chance359
An alternative would be to go with Skillwires 3 or 4 and a Chipjack Expert Driver. this will let you have most skills you'd need for faking an identity. Also check out "aliaschips" from SOTA 64.
Westiex
Also note that if the character is working directly for a government agency/corp, all of their gear will likely be provided for. The agency would pay for the implants and do it in their own clinics, provide all the nessecary gear for their missions, so any resources would be what the character personally owns.
bitrunner
SOTA64 is a book you might want to consider picking up if you haven't already - there is a whole section about the intelligence agencies and how to play an espionage type campaign - there are spy gadgets in there as well as rules for creating them, and as Westiex mentioned above, there are rules for having a Resource Pool for drawing money for issued items, etc... this, of course, usually means that you're still working for the intelligence agency that is funding you...it is really meant more for a team that is working together for the same government/agency in a campaign setting.
Jrayjoker
QUOTE
Also note that if the character is working directly for a government agency/corp, all of their gear will likely be provided for. The agency would pay for the implants and do it in their own clinics, provide all the nessecary gear for their missions, so any resources would be what the character personally owns.


Character creation is different. You are spending the money, but it is not to be thought of as earned money. Rationalize the faxt that you have 400,000 nuyen.gif worth of resources at the beginning of gameplay however you want, but you have to buy your enhancements and sarting gear. There is no such thing as a free lunch.
GrinderTheTroll
QUOTE (Soylent Green)
the character i want to play would be a retired agent from some government security agency specialized in undercover work, infiltration and removal of targets.

Sounds like you have a good idea for a runner which is a good first step IMO. I've often read through all the cyberware and made a list of all the items I think my char would use during is past or future profession and then narrowed it down from there.

Some cyber and bioware lend themselves to things a "secret agent" would find useful, skillswires, lingusofts, orientation systems, advanced hearing, camera cybereyes are some typical examples. For bioware maybe Synthacardium, Symbiotes, extra-lung capacity, etc.

I had a similar char that had an auto-injector loaded with oxygenated flourocarbons (sp), which basically gave him up to 8 hours of not requiring oxygen, great for keeping underwater. The auto-injector could be loaded with other things as well, maybe something to feign death, boost stamina, or reaction when needed. He also had Cyberdart gun to tranq opponents, and I considered a fingertip monofiliment line to use as a garrot.

Another consideration is a cyberleg with alot of installed security devices using DNI to allow him to controll them and sniff out various things. Maybe even an implanted cyberdeck or cranial remote-control deck (for drones).

This atleast gives you an idea what your "ideal" cyber will cost and you could plan accordingly. The alternate route is to pick your skills make the cyber fit with the budget you've allowed.

I've used either approach depending on what my idea was for the char.
Crimsondude 2.0
QUOTE

Some cyber and bioware lend themselves to things a "secret agent" would find useful, skillswires, lingusofts, orientation systems, advanced hearing, camera cybereyes are some typical examples.  For bioware maybe Synthacardium, Symbiotes, extra-lung capacity, etc.

*cough*mnemonic enhancers*cough*

Making Skills your top priority is the best choice because, well, skillwires and anything that could be construed as a housing for an aliaschip--or just the data, i.e., lots of headware meory--is rather suspect. You don't need to worry about concealing a Ettiquette 6, Negotiation 6, Stealth 6, Disguise 6, and an assload of knowledge skills (e.g., performance skills like Acting and skills which help them blend in and familiarize themselves with their target). Relying on technology is dangerous, especially for HUMINT. These are people who might get killed for having a satellite phone on them (oh, that reminds me of something I need to gripe about re: deckers and uplinks). God forbid they are found to be more chipped than a network cluster. It's even more important if he's supposed to be an assassin specialized in infiltration. Forget the James Bond bullshit, and run them like a professional and not just some guy who exists to let his utility belt toys do all the actual work. It's like Sam says in Ronin (I dog it because I love it): It's a toolbox. Put the tools in the box. Toys are an afterthought, especially if you have someone who doesn't know how to use them or is too specialized to do anything else--or in your case, what your PC is supposed to do for a living: Infiltration and subterfuge. Start loading a PC up with cyber and they become a lot less useful conpared to someone with a strong skillset that allows them to improvise and fulfill the objective in as clandestine a manner as humanly possible.

It's a shame you don't use magic, because social adepts (well, physads in general) are really cool for spies--which is why I have two.
GrinderTheTroll
QUOTE (Crimsondude 2.0)
QUOTE

Some cyber and bioware lend themselves to things a "secret agent" would find useful, skillswires, lingusofts, orientation systems, advanced hearing, camera cybereyes are some typical examples.  For bioware maybe Synthacardium, Symbiotes, extra-lung capacity, etc.

*cough*mnemonic enhancers*cough*

Oh yeah, I forgot... what was I saying again?
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