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New player character class

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Bisharian

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« on: <09-06-10/0122:27> »
Hello all. I am Bisharian, you can call me Bish. I just ordered my first SR4 rulebook, and while I wait for it to arrive in the mail, I was hoping someone or someones could help me choose a fun class for a newb. Based on my knowledge so far, I was thinking

A. Weapon Specialist: In RL I am indeed a weapons afficionado and connoisseur. In my quest to find my niche in this world, I am considering gunsmithing/bladesmithing or (if I really want to challenge myself) Engineering/design for firearms.

B.Rigger: I like vehicles and robots and such, so why not.

C. Street-Mage/Shaman: Magic dominates most games including it, and my imagination is a malestrum of ideas and fantasy. So I thought it  would be good to include one of the magic classes.

D- is for Decker-or Hacker if you can't spell or are a literalist to new classifacation. The matrix seems like it would be complicated so this would have to be one of my last choices, especially since I know programswww and hardware are expensive, but the rewards could be worth the nuyen...

Anyway, thanks for reading my post. Please leave a remark with your thoughts and opinions on the matter. Null-sweet, Chummers.

Casazil

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« Reply #1 on: <09-06-10/0129:26> »
As your new I would say steer clear of the matrix to start and to a degree magic as well both have lots of rules to learn.

Start out with the gun guy that works how do I play take this point it at the enemy fire easy.

If you want to go up the skill chain a bit to start then go with the Adept.

You can do an adept gun guy or something like that now your tossin some magic but not alot to start with just enough to get the learnin going.
"If at first you don't succeed blame someone else"
Joel "Casazil" Rogers
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http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/CasazilsShadowrun/

Magus

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« Reply #2 on: <09-06-10/0143:35> »
Now don't listen to Cas. Jump into the deep water and pick up a Technomancer. Yes it can be frightening but you will learn a lot.
Commanding Officer of the Floridian Ninja Surfing Drop Bear Pirates!!!

Shah Dude!!

Mooncrow

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« Reply #3 on: <09-06-10/0202:17> »
I think Cas covered things nicely.  Being the gun guy is a fairly uncomplicated role that can let you learn the rules of the game.  The other three get a little more complicated.  It doesn't take a whole lot of build points to get really good at shooting - max agility, max firearms skill group, heavy weapons, qualities to help out the specific kind of shooter you want to be; Ambidextrous for dual wielding pistols, for example.  In your case, add Armorer as well.

Do not, by any means, go with the pre-gen weapon specialist in the book.  As a combat person, you want at least 3 Initiative passes, you can pick them up pretty easily and cheaply with Wired Reflexes 2.  Once you have your combat basics covered, be sure and pick up at least a couple other useful skills.

Anyway, whatever you pick, have a blast with it =)  and feel free to ask if you want advice or anything - I love making example characters =)

Mara

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« Reply #4 on: <09-06-10/0202:56> »
First, they are not classes, they are Archetypes.

Second, a character is not defined by archetype, even,but by their skills.
Archetypes are good for a start, but...I have seen Hacker Mages, and
I have even started seeing a bit of an emergent Technomancer type
specializing as a gunslinger/weapon specialist.

Ultimately, I would advise: look for what yu want your character to
do and build them that way. Also, Etiquette and Perception: IMPORTANT
survival skills!

FastJack

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« Reply #5 on: <09-06-10/0215:42> »
Yeah, take a gander over on the Road to Redmond thread to see how there's not really classes, but archetypes/themes to characters. Being a gunslinger, you have a ton of different options: the cybered out walking machine gun; a magical gun adept; the sniper; Panther-toting troll...

Kontact

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« Reply #6 on: <09-06-10/0227:27> »
For your first time, Chrome up.

Get something which gives you 3 initiative passes like Wired Reflexes 2.  Reflex recorders and such are cheaper than skills.  Muscle toner and such are cheaper than stats.  Being a Combat specialist doesn't mean you can't buy and run drones too.  Only your books and your depth of knowledge will keep you from that.  Don't neglect your support skills like Infiltration for sneaking around or Con for talking your way past somebody.  

The depth of 2070 tech means that you can exercise your creative impulses without resorting to magery (Not that magic is very creative.  It's so powerful it doesn't need to be.)

Benefits are: High twitch cyber means that you're a bad man all the time.  Enjoy your guns.  Wide growth path.  Easy first character.
On the down side: Magic will eff' you up.  You're going to set off detectors when you go to fancy parties.

The_Gun_Nut

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« Reply #7 on: <09-06-10/0232:36> »
Another important thing to remember:  contacts.  It's not what you know, it's WHO you know.  Get, at a minimum, two contacts of rating 2/2.  That is a bare minimum.  Contacts are a way for the GM to provide the players with not only information, but adventure hooks to help get them motivated.  Fleshing out your contacts, giving them personalities, will also help both the GM and you interact with the contact and get what you need as a player.
There is no overkill.

Only "Open fire" and "I need to reload."

FastJack

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« Reply #8 on: <09-06-10/0241:14> »
For your first time, Chrome up.

Get something which gives you 3 initiative passes like Wired Reflexes 2.  Reflex recorders and such are cheaper than skills.  Muscle toner and such are cheaper than stats.  Being a Combat specialist doesn't mean you can't buy and run drones too.  Only your books and your depth of knowledge will keep you from that.  Don't neglect your support skills like Infiltration for sneaking around or Con for talking your way past somebody. 

The depth of 2070 tech means that you can exercise your creative impulses without resorting to magery (Not that magic is very creative.  It's so powerful it doesn't need to be.)

Benefits are: High twitch cyber means that you're a bad man all the time.  Enjoy your guns.  Wide growth path.  Easy first character.
On the down side: Magic will eff' you up.  You're going to set off detectors when you go to fancy parties.
LOL, *this* explains so much about the SR universe. All the wired sammies are newbs!

(Don't misunderstand me, I know that there's probably a lot of players that are veterans and like to roll-up a wired sammy, but it does explain the attitudes and high casualties...)

Mara

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« Reply #9 on: <09-06-10/0545:13> »
Heck, for gunslingers, AH created a new type, the Gunsel Karcist, that uses
drone guns and Sprites to do CRAZY things with guns...As someone who
normally tries to come up with off the wall concepts and strange tangents,
it impressed me.....I had never thought of that before!

Inverse

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« Reply #10 on: <09-06-10/0555:20> »
Heck, for gunslingers, AH created a new type, the Gunsel Karcist, that uses
drone guns and Sprites to do CRAZY things with guns...As someone who
normally tries to come up with off the wall concepts and strange tangents,
it impressed me.....I had never thought of that before!

Okay, I'm trying to imagine that. If played well, that would be SCARY...
Oh, source of all power, light which burns beyond crimson, let thy power gather in my hand.

Tex Muldoon

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« Reply #11 on: <09-06-10/1107:54> »
Always play part of yourself if you like slinging mojo then do that. Dont over specialize. Just cuz you can drive better than everybody else means you have no skills anywhere else. Alot of runners go down cuz they can't react to the run.
"You don't shoot til the can hits the ground" Snake Pliskin

Bisharian

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« Reply #12 on: <09-06-10/1259:15> »
Whoa, thanks for the tips. A few questions and concerns though: 1: what is pre-gen weapon specialist, 2: I like wired- reflexes, and syth- muscle implants, but I don't want to be a chromed out Sammie. I like subtley over all things, but when it is time to throw down, I like to be able to take a few guys out.

If I had to play a character, I would like it to be similar to a spec ops recon/infiltration type, who keeps things quiet, and gets out quickly.
Also, I prefer smart googles to cyber eyes (so I can keep essence as high as possible so magic doesn't eff me up.) is there some sort of cyber armor I can wear that will give me a boost to agility and strength, when I am attempting to steal something from the corps? Maybe just an adaptive camo suit like in Metal Gear Solid 4, which I could strap some armor plates to?

FastJack

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« Reply #13 on: <09-06-10/1310:08> »
I'd recommend going with a Physical Gun Adept. This is the easiest of the magics to deal with. You put a lot of BP in your magic attribute, then purchase 'powers' to up your character. You can have boosted attributes, enhanced skills and other goodies. But you're restricted to some of the 'natural' abilities. You'd still need to get glasses or contacts to use Smartlinked guns (which you're going to definitely need as a gunman), but it's worth it if you don't want to hit your essence up.

Turtletron

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« Reply #14 on: <09-06-10/1551:12> »
Quote
Always play part of yourself if you like slinging mojo then do that. Dont over specialize. Just cuz you can drive better than everybody else means you have no skills anywhere else. Alot of runners go down cuz they can't react to the run.

So true XD, anyway it doesn't cost to much karma to upgrade your skills and attribute(in comparision to other games), so don't spend all your BP on maxing AGI and Firearms if you can't even throw a grenade, dodge a katana strike or patch yourself up a little (first aid), and plz, plz, don't pick the motorcycle only because it's cool, you can also take a car, bike makes you so vulnerable and are so easy to destroy when you are in a car chase.
(>) ...and I would have made it too, except for those nosey kids & their stupid dog...
(>) excerpt of The Smiling Bandit's taped deposition, Knight Errant casefile #E385h-0516