When I was playing a rigger, everyone was like, "Where's your custom vehicle?" I didn't need one, my Americar was fine, I was more of an electronics warfare type of guy. I would disrupt communications, surveillance, things like that...I was also the one responsible for getting us through doors and other security devices. I didn't need a nova hot vehicle to do my job.

So what do you all feel about Riggers? Are you as tired as I am of seeing nothing but getaway drivers as I am?

i have to go with drone rigging being the most all-around useful. a good drone rigger can be decent in all of the other fields without expending much in the way of resources, but it's hard for a rigger who's an expert in other fields to cover the bases a drone rigger can cover.

I object to your poll choices. First off, the dichotomy between Vehicle and Drone Rigger should only exist when said Rigger is not, first and foremost, a Rigger; a Decker or Sam that rigs on the side, say. To be both a Vehicle and Drone Rigger requires a very small investment over either individually, and increases versatility and power by an order of magnitude. Likewise Electronic Warfare can be dealt with with only one skill. Other than building and security Rigging, my answer would have to be Jack of All Trades, Master of All.

~J

I voted jack of all trades. You don't have to be a "drone rigger" to get an eye in the sky and some heavy fire support, you just need a couple drones, and that can be a huge bonus to the team. As for being a vehicle rigger; you don't necessarily need a vehicle to end all vehicles, to be useful. VCR advantages alone put you far ahead any non-rigged vehicle, which 9 times out of 10 is more than enough for an effective getaway. You might not be exclusively a CCSS rigger, but drop some cash to get some key pieces of gear and you can dip into that quite effectively on occasion. And so on and so forth.
I think of riggers' main strength as their versatility, simply because with the ability to jump into a vehicle they can very nearly be in several places at the same time. (not exactly the same time, but instantly jumping from one to the next is the next best thing)

Also, those 12 hours of agonizing of the custom parts on your "team vehicle" can cost you later as it is a unique vehicle, probably easily recognized. I've seen a few rigger submissions with no clean vehicle that is as legal as is safe. The last thing you want to do at Club Prenumbra is roll up in an obviously armored truck with barely concealed gun ports or worse yet bullet holes and a mmg sticking out of the grill.

I voted "Jack of all Trades, Master of None," But just because your rigger is a jack of all trades doesn't mean he can't be a master of them all, too. I KNOW Capt. Dave is going to see this thread and cream his jeans, so I'll let him tell you instead. But trust me, it's true.

You rang?

"Jack of All Trades, Master of All", as Kagetenshi said.

The most we've ever modified a stock vehicle is with the Color Change paint and maybe adding a drone rack. Our rigger is pretty good about rotating through his stock of vehicles, so we don't end up with the Ninja Turtles Blimp or Van. One week, we could be piled into a Ford Americar. The next, a Brumby.

As long as you make your vehicle plausible and not too distinctive, there's very little reason to rotate. Keep in mind the range at which Riggers can operate.

~J

that's one thing i dislike about rigging--very little integration with the Matrix.

that's why the decker is in the passenger seat

My personal fav setup is a "clean car" 20 km from the group remote rigged van, with a retrans unit in the van. You get to be upwards of 50 km from immdiate danger and still provide it all with the right drones.

that's the fault of the rigger, not the vehicle.

Armor is bullet resistant, not bullet proof.

If they are in range of your guns, likely you are in theirs.

gotta remember that you put out tons of Flux from a C&C vehicle, gotta remember to keep a watchful eye out.

My rigger is mostly a Jack of All trades guy, and is much of a mechanic as a rigger. He doesn't have a heavily customized vehicle, he usually sticks to stolen cars or vans and treats them as somewhat disposable. He makes very effective use of unarmed vehicles in combat in street settings, as ramming people and other vehicles is a very effective combat tactic. As long as the vehicle survives enough that he can yank the Rigger Adaption and Remote Control Interface out of the car when he's finished with it, it doesn't cost him much at all.

He reserves his drones for indoor settings and usually buys cheap drones and customizes them himself. A Microskimmer or a Roto-drone with one level of Engine Customization to increase its load capacity, some vehicle armor and a micro-turret with an Ares Alpha Combat gun makes for a cheap tough drone that can pack a punch for not much cash.

I have to side with Jack here, I like the ability to take what the world will throw at me without batting an eyelash. IRL I am very specialized in my job. I prefer the fantasy of doing everything.