Character Concepts: Hackers/Technomancers

This Thread is for building/discussing hacker and technomancer character builds.

I'm also in full agreement that the Viking crew needs a technomancer. Like you said, it's a better fit concept-wise.

Technomancer's can only have Logx2 CFs at char-gen. But they can "Thread" any CF, even one's they don't know... although that is dangerous. They also get Biofeedback Filters = to Charisma for free, So we don't have to pay for that. The BIG FIVE CFs in my opinion are: Blackout (Non-lethal IC attack), Stealth, Exploit, Edit & Browse. If we end up having a Rigger on the team, we don't need the Control CF, but it's not a bad CF to have. Great vs. Spiders.

Thing with Technomancer's is that there is no way to give them more Initiative Passes outside the Trix. At least, not without lowering their potential ability.

well, if you can't beat the rules, go around them, since he would have those faster moves in the trix, give him a splash of rigging, then we give him a 'shield and sword,' two drones one built for defense the other for offense, those faster trix moves would translate into reality that way.

so how about we make our technomancer a female, that way she can explode on them when either one starts to play with one of her gadgets, make her kinda small frmaed, that way when someone makes fun of her, her drones can take over, and taviro and Jotunn can step outta the way. Although there perhaps she should also be the more vindictive side of the viking character, the kind that calls just about any threat, someone calls her a geek and she raises all sorts of hell, like she is at a bar and hacks the robot bartender and makes him douse the guy in random alcohol number 3 and she lights him on fire, turns back to the bar and continues sipping her tea.

I like both of those concepts. I just wish we had a Player to go with the Character before we built it. I don't want to make something whole-clothe for someone else to play... I would want to build it with that person's take on the concept.

i know what you mean, hmm, i've got an idea. To anyone who is reading this message, we are two lonely shadowrunners in hopes of building rightous characters, and we would like to build you a technomancer, PM us or post here if your interested.

I would love to help build this character.

However, I kind of feel like giving her the rigging simply bc she can't have more IP in the meat is almost meta-gaming.

Character's flaws are what makes the game interesting.

One thing I've been wanting to do with a Mancer (not this one mind you) is to grab the Motorized wheelchair thing from Arsenal and stick the mancer in that. Having no legs gives you some decent BP room in qualities

Plus, being confined to a chair gives you a pretty big challenge in playing the character. Of course, if you're a rigger you can control it through touch sensors, and the chair is able to use stairs, etc and you could boost the motor with add-ons to make it pretty damn fast.... man, I might be making another 'mancer soon LOL

Well,, wreck looks like we've got ourselves a winner, sorry folks it is first come first serve, but if you like you can easily PM us with some details, and we can see what we can do to build you a character.

well looks like the most important attributes to a technomancer would be the mental attributs, willpower, intuition, resonance. logic, and charisma. willpower would be our defensive attribute for this one. Logic and intuition would likely be the most important as they are the system and response, respectivly. But the first quesiton is is our girl going to be human, we already have an elf and a troll, so meta isn't a limiting factor, but it owuld help us out a great deal considering for complex forms, skills and equipment, we are going to need a ton of points. Does that sound okay guys?

Well, the points you spend on meta (dwarf or elf would be best if you did it) more than account for the bump in Attributes they get. Dwarf would give us a Willpower boost, or elf would give us Charisma. Both of which are used in defense. Remember the Biofeedback CF = Charisma Score.

I like the idea of putting her in a chair, then give her the Control CF. She can control the chair with her mind (most people will just think she's wired in) and she can have other drones to watch her back.

that sounds kinky to me, so are we doing an elf or a dwarf? personally either one sounds fairly good, the elf helps with charisma (biofeedback) and agility, but the dwarf who is cheaper helps with body, strength, and willpower (firewall), the dwarf helps out a bit more to take care of the physical attributes that we don't want to have to spend points into. as of right now i have our dwarf listed at

Body - 2
Agility - 4
Reaction - 4
Strength - 3
Charisma - 4
Intuition - 5
Logic - 5
Willpower - 4
edge - 2
resonance - 5

this is 190 points thus far, including meta cost and resonance

The 4 agility is just in case she has to fire a gun?

we could take it out if we wanted to, maybe drop it down to a 3 or 2, anything she can't climb she can have a drone fly her up, or taviro can levitate them up.

If she confined to a wheel chair, she won't be doing much climbing anyway.

as far as CFs are concerned. I think the 10 should be.

Command (5)
Edit (5)
Blackout (5)
Exploit (5)
Stealth (5)
Spoof (5)
Browse (5)
Decrypt (5)
Attack (5)
Analyze (5)

Those are the most used, If we need points, we drop some down to 4 or even 3 because we can thread if we have to.

sounds good to me, would the command CF be used for her rigging?

Oh, I didn't mean that I wanted to build the wheelchair 'mancer right now, I just was telling you what one of my thought was for a 'mancer. I also was offering to help build the character for whoever wanted to play it. Not for myself

We could kill two birds with one stone, you could design your chairnomancer with our help. She doesn't have to have the viking flavor, but it would be cool if you can work that into your idea. And if you do want the chairnomancer, Phantom and I will let you take lead on char-design. After all, it has to be what you want it to be.

i'm kosher with that, our boys would need a 21st century contact anyways.

Guys, if nobody wants to build a techno, I would love to. But I feel like I'd be stealing the thunder from someone else, so in anybody else wants to do the character, let them have precedence. It's odd that you guys mentioned the female aspect, because that's what I thought of when I heard you mention the idea in the other thread.

Here's the synopsis I thought of from before:

As for the technomancer... i remember when the otaku were first being written, I took a look at them and thought, "huh. Matrix shamans." Perhaps a variation on this for the char? Make them like a seidhe tech witch. Someone who would be a worshipper of the norns ( I remember you guys mentioning this for one of the chars you've built previously). The norns were known as fonts of arcane knowledge and wisdom, and a technomancer could fit this as well. Or heck, even a shammy with a data-jack might fit the bill, depending on whether you want the char to be a mostly matrix based or a real-world tech user.

I didn't really see a geeky girl when I thought of this, but a skinny goth chick, a real matrix "witch" sort of ideal. Someone who would spend her time in a dark room, lit with candles while running the 'trix, occult imagery all around her.

Anyway, if you like it (or if anybody else likes it) feel free to use it.

I like that idea. I still like the idea of "pets" Like a doberman drone called "Fenrir" or "Fenris," something like that. I'll look in unwired for info on a Paragon that may fit the Norns.

Okay, there are at least 3 Paragons (Technomancer version of Mentor Spirit) that might fit that character. But, you don't have to take any of them.

In Alphabetical Order:

Black Hat: The Black Hat is the personifed essence of the hacker, works to exploit computer systems. While some are just data thieves who steal and sell data for personal gain and monetary interest, there are also those who intrude on nodes just out of fun, curiosity, or personal fame.
Advantages: +2 dice to Exploit Tests, +1 die for Crack or Fault Sprites (player must choose one)
Disadvantage: Black Hat technomancers have extreme difficulty restraining themselves from hacking into a node that is interesting in any way. The technomancer must succeed in a Willpower + Charisma (3) Test to avoid hacking such a system when the opportunity arises.

Cryptome:Cryptome is the preserver of hidden data and a master of encryption, protecting paydata stashed away in vaults, riddled with massive layers of protection. Knowing all confdential and classifed information, he is the embodiment of cryptograms and cipher keys used to encrypt and decrypt data.
Advantages: +2 dice to all Encryption and Decryption Tests, +1 die for Courier or Data sprites (player must choose one)
Disadvantage: Technomancers who follow Cryptome don’t surrender secrets easily and never to unreliable sources. The Technomancer must make a Willpower + Logic (3) Test to share a secret or important information with someone he does not completely trust … and such trust is rare.

The World Tree: The World Tree is the incarnation of connectivity of all information, distributing data in endless cyberspace. Technomancers looking to the World Tree for enlightenment believe in universal distribution of information and knowledge.
Advantages: +2 dice to Analyze Tests, +1 die for Code or Courier sprites (player must choose one)
Disadvantage: World Tree technomancers are easily distracted by information they fnd interesting. When faced with new information, unusual data, or phenomena, the technomancer must make a Willpower + Charisma (3) Test to resist dropping his current task to screen, analyze, and acquire the information (if possible).

i could easily see a technowitch being sort of our guide to the 21st century.

I'm reviewing "Emergence" now, for some ideas, but I like Cryptome. A follower of the norns would have been a Völva, or a witch/priestess. Really enigmatic, someone who works with secrets and obscure knowledge not know to others. That would fit that aspect really well. Since this character will go with Norse winds, the negative effects of this paragon won't be felt by the team (assuming that they're going to be a gang, they'll all know and trust one another right?)

The World Tree could also work, since the Norns tended to Yggdrasil as part of their duties, but I think it lacks a bit of a witchy edge to it.

I like the idea you guys were exploring with the previous char of using someone who's almost entirely matrix based, with just a splash of rigger thrown in for real-world combat. She could have a few drones, highly personal bots that she uses almost like familiar spirits. The Fenrir dog, maybe a spider of some sort, and an aerial of some sort?
This would allow her to concentrate almost all of her abilities in the matrix, which would be her purpose in the group anyway, since the others would cover the meat world so well.

Okay, so Paragon "Norns" (Cryptome)

Okay, so there is a slight problem when it comes to Technomancers, especially ones that are also "riggers" They need way more skills!

The Skills we need are
Cracking Group:
Cybercombat
Electronic warfare
Hacking
Electronics Group:
Computer
Data Search
Hardware
Software
Tasking Group:
Compiling (Making Sprites)
Decompiling (Getting Rid of Sprites)
Registering (Binding Sprites)

There are two Positive Qualities we should at least think about. Natural Hardening (10): +1 to Biofeedback Filtering cumulative with commlinks and CFs. and Code Slinger (10): +2 dice pool mod for a single type of Matrix Action.

That would mean a total of 30BPs for Positive Qualities.

Hawk, what sort of Negative Qualities do you see her having?