My friend and I were entertaining the idea of a new rigger variant today. We thought it would be interesting if I included him in the next run for my group (as this friend does not play in that game). The idea was for a rigger who has zero cyberware, basically does his rigging in a similar manner to how Otaku connect to the Matrix. A man with a supernatural/magical connection to his machine.

Both of us are pretty excited about using this guy, assuming it can be done without shattering the gameplay (as he will be an enemy). So, in the persuit of keeping things fair (albeit un-canon and pretty crazy in concept), we started listing the obstacles and hindrances that we would need to create for this type of rigger to exist. Without tainting the waters with our thoughts, it would be cool to hear the DS community's thoughts on creating this.

Mainly, what drawbacks should compliment the ability to not need cyberware to control one's vehicle? Since age wouldn't be an issue as it is with Otaku, what would be a viable disadvantage to this method of rigging? It might be that this is just a stupid pipe dream, but it would be interesting to hear your thoughts on it.

Thanks.

Sensor reading's aren't immediate.

No ability to simoultaneously control drones.

Controlling turrets and driving at the same time might also be hard.

I'd ask how are they even connecting with the vehicle if they don't have a datajack? I'd say that they need at least that, and the vehicle should also already be rigger adapted. I think it'd be way to over the top if they could just hop into any vehicle and just start rigging.

I'd day they have to have a datajack with an ASIST adaptor at least to experience the vehicle (much like the Otaku). Also, only rigger adapted vehicles of course.

the easiest way to do this--that is, the way that requires fewer rules additions--would be to make the guy an adept. give him Improved Ability: Cars 6, a custom adept power that grants him (1/2 Magic) Control Pool (2pp power), and a custom power that gives him Improved Reflexes while controlling a vehicle only (same cost as regular IR). once he initiates, get him Attunement (Item) for his vehicle.

Hmm, that's a cool idea. Keeps it fairly simple, but still plays off the magic angle.

The adept idea is a good one.

The main problem with doing this Otaku-esque, in my opinion, is that so much depends on the vehicle. With the Otaku, you've got the deck to mimic and then you've got the programs. Each deck has a wide variety of attributes, and there are a wide variety of programs. When you get into vehicles, though, you've got three things: the vehicle, the remote-control deck, and the VCR. If you let the Otakurigger improve the vehicle (similar to vehicle empathy) you have questions like whether the improvements work when someone else is driving (Otakurigger+Rigger scariness), how they operate (+15 to Top Speed? +10%? If + a fixed amount, that +15 is the same to a max speed 5 vehicle as to a max speed 300?), and how exactly it's explained (that would have to be magical in nature). For the remote-control deck, you have… rating. And encryption. And… that's just about it. You can mess around with rating, separate out difficulty of hacking, number of drones controllable, and number of drones affiliateable, as well as messing around with flux rating, but there's not much there either. For the VCR… you've got the bonuses, the control pool, the reaction increase, the initiative increase, and at the most basic level the ability to jump into a vehicle.

I don't know. I'll have to think it over some more, as that's more than I'd thought I'd find, but it still doesn't seem terribly interesting or diverse as compared to what the Otaku get.

~J

There is a viable O-rigger breakdown on a previous thread - keyword = migger

I remember that thread, but I don't remember having been too impressed with the results; I'll have to have another look.

~J

Ok. I've come up with the basic inklings of an idea, but it turns the Otakuriggers into absolute karma whores. As follows:

Otakuriggers are Priority A magic or 30 build points. They have clearly magical auras, but are not capable of astrally perceiving or projecting. They cannot be Otaku or have any other form of magic.

Otakuriggers can bond vehicles and drones with karma. Base cost is equal to the body of the vehicle. Basic bonding allows an Otakurigger to operate the vehicle in the equivalent of datajack mode. The following additional options are available:

Remote Operation (Multiplier: +1): This allows the bonded vehicle to be operated from the equivalent of captain's-chair mode out to a distance based on something I haven't decided yet. The vehicle must have either a drone pilot, robot brain, poltergeist, or a ghost in the machine.

Enhanced Connection 1 (Multiplier: +1): This allows the bonded vehicle to be used as if the Otakurigger had a Rating 1 Vehicle Control Rig. This can be applied at a distance if Remote Operation has also been taken.

Enhanced Connection 2 (Multiplier: +2): As EC1, but as a Rating 2 VCR.

Enhanced Connection 3 (Multiplier: +3): As EC1 and 2, but as a Rating 3 VCR.

Thus: a Body 3 vehicle would cost 3 karma for a basic bond, 6 karma for a remote bond, and 15 karma for a remote bond with equivalent of VCR-3 while piloting.

For Remote Operations, Otakuriggers automatically suffer degradation in the presence of background count. A number of boxes equal to twice the background count are filled in on all three Signal Condition Monitors for any vehicle within the area of the count; if the Otakurigger him- or herself is inside the background count, all remotely-operated vehicles suffer this degradation. There will be things to counter this, but I haven't come up with them yet.

Poltergeist: Magical Drone Pilot. Rules to come.

Ghost in the Machine: Magical Robot. Rules to come.

Very rough and missing large chunks, of course, but any comments?

~J

Make the background count a resisted roll of WP versus 2 x background count to maintain normal control, if failed, add 2 x BC to degradation.

I was planning to add either a metamagic or something else to spend karma on. Given that this will essentially be immune to electronic warfare, and that there's absolutely no way around barrage jamming for a regular Rigger, having it bypassable by just an easy Willpower test seems too lenient.

~J

Ah, at least it has been considered.

With regard to the skyrocketing cost: perhaps allowing a character to perform a ritual to unbond a vehicle, regaining 1/2 (rounded down) of karma spent as bonding points? Or 2/3 with a ritual (rounded down as usual) and 1/3 at any time other than a Surprise situation (to reduce the doubly-penalizing effects of having a vehicle destroyed)?

~J

i'd just lower the karma cost of bonding a new vehicle, if you outfit the new vehicle with enough parts from the old.