[WhiskeyJohnny]

I'm a first time Shadowrun player rolling my first Runner.  I was hoping to get some help in building him - being so new to the system, I'm a little confused with the mechanics, and I'm not sure my concept is feasible, functional, or optimal.  I want to play a Hacker/Street Samurai or Hacker/Gunbunny (or perhaps a little of both, if I can squeeze the ability out of 400 BP) and beyond my hacking/combat abilities I only need two things, the first being enough social skills to not make a fool of myself (We have two faces already, so I think this campaign probably has a lot of social interaction going on) and the second being artistic talent (specifically painting, for character fluff reasons).

What stats should I focus on?  What skills?  What equipment?  How many dice should I be rolling?  How many Initiative Passes should I have (my gut tells me as many as possible)?  Any help is appreciated!

Edit: Oh, and I only have access to the core rulebook and the Runner's Companion.

[FastJack]

Combat Hacker, eh?

I'm thinking perhaps a speed freak: He loves the Matrix but real life is too slow. Probably picked up Wired Reflexes and some Active Skillsofts to buy the fighting skills. Grab Electronics Skill group at 4, then Cybercombat at 5, Electronic Warfare and Hacking at 4. For the social aspect, focus on Etiquette with a specialization in Matrix. Physically, go for Agility and Reaction; mentally, focus on Intuition and Logic. I'd make him an Elf to get a bonus to Agility and Charisma. To top it off and get you 10 extra BPs, grab the Oblivious and Poor Self Control: Thrill Seeker (Runner's Companion, p. 107) negative qualities.

[WhiskeyJohnny]

Hmmm, I'd wanted to roll a human for the extra (potential) edge, but I could see him as an elf.  Where can I find information on Active Skillsofts?  And what sort of programs should I be using?  What can I do to boost my dice pools (for both hacking and combat)?  Are there any general skills that I should keep up with as well (the book calls out infiltration, etiquette, and computers if I remember correctly, and I think I've seen Land Vehicles added to that somewhere, perhaps on this forum)?

[theKernel]

I want to make a hacker (fully immersed) any help?

[Qemuel]

I want to make a hacker (fully immersed) any help?

I'm sure you'd get a better response by starting your very own thread rather than trying to take over this one.  That way WhiskeyJohnny can continue to get the help he needs in this one.
 

[theKernel]

my bad, never used a forum before

[Qemuel]

no problem!  Welcome to the boards.  We all have to learn at sometime.   

Whoever starts a thread (or post) is called the OP (Original Poster).  A thread is started to ask a question or state a comment and then discussion around the topic ensues.  Interrupting the thread (like what I'm doing now) is called threadjacking, which means I've steered the topic away from what the OP intended.  We all do it to some degree.  It's just good manners to limit it.  Often new threads will even get started this way so the side conversation can continue without further jacking of the existing thread.

Essentially, when you create a new topic, the thread belongs to you.
Hope this helps!

[theKernel]

It did:)
Sorry whiskey johnny

[FastJack]

Hmmm, I'd wanted to roll a human for the extra (potential) edge, but I could see him as an elf.  Where can I find information on Active Skillsofts?  And what sort of programs should I be using?  What can I do to boost my dice pools (for both hacking and combat)?  Are there any general skills that I should keep up with as well (the book calls out infiltration, etiquette, and computers if I remember correctly, and I think I've seen Land Vehicles added to that somewhere, perhaps on this forum)?

Let's see. Activesofts are listed in SR4A, p. 330. You'd have to have Skillwires 'ware installed (p. 342) to run them. However, if you're looking to also get Wired Reflexes (p. 342), then I'd recommend you take a look at the Move-by-Wire system in Augmentation, p. 40.

Activesofts give you the skill you slot at the Rating of the software. (Software chips, no essence cost.)
Skillwires can handle up to (Rating x 2) skillsofts at one time and go from rating 1-5. (Rating x 0.2 Essence)
Wired Reflexes give you +1 Reaction and +1 Initiative pass for each Rating (1-3). (R1 - 2 Essence, R2 - 3 Ess, R3 - 5 Ess)
Move-by-Wire give you the +1 to Reaction and +1 Initative pass for each Rating point (1-3), plus a +1 to Dodge for each Rating and acts as Skillwires. It can't handle as many skillsofts, however (R1 - 2 skillsofts, R2 - 4 skillsofts, R3 - 5 skillsofts). (Same essence cost as Wired Reflexes)

In regards to Active skills, look into just purchasing the appropriate skillsoft. It only takes a simple action to change out skillsofts from the system (so, if you start off loaded for sneaking and infiltration, you only need to take a simple action to change it to combat softs). As I said in the previous post, try to get as many skill points in the Hacking and Computer skills as possible. Depending on your style is what you'd favor over other skills in those groups. Etiquette (w/ Matrix Specialization) is good. But since all skills except Knowledge and Language skills are Active, that means you can they "got an app Skillsoft for that". Once you go the route of Move-by-Wire/Skillwires, you simply need to start thinking like you're in The Matrix movies. "Tank, I need to pilot program for a B212 Helicopter."

[WhiskeyJohnny]

Not a problem, the Kernel.  And though I'm new here too, welcome to the boards.

FastJack: I'll have to look into getting Augmentation, and if the GM would be willing to allow content from it (he seems like a reasonable guy, so that shouldn't be too much of an issue), but I'd like to run with the idea of "they have a 'soft for that".  What downsides are there, if any, to skillsofts?

Is there any way to get more than 6 essence, without becoming a cyberzombie?  And what can I do to reduce my essence costs ('cause it sounds like I'm going to be running that particular tab up quite quickly)?  And looking at Move-by-Wire, I'm forced to wonder if it is more efficient, once essence cost reducers are involved, to keep my Skillwires and Wired Reflexes separate, so that I get the best Bang for my metaphorical Buck.  I guess I'll have to do the math on it, but I'm hoping to optimize this character as much as is practical, which is difficult for someone so new to the rules.

What other cyber- or bioware should I look into?  Aesthetically, I'd rather not go with obvious cyberlimbs - the character likes to view himself as intact (mostly).

[FastJack]

FastJack: I'll have to look into getting Augmentation, and if the GM would be willing to allow content from it (he seems like a reasonable guy, so that shouldn't be too much of an issue), but I'd like to run with the idea of "they have a 'soft for that".  What downsides are there, if any, to skillsofts?

Good question. Of course, the answer is: you're screwed if you get into a situation with the wrong softs slotted/on your person.

Is there any way to get more than 6 essence, without becoming a cyberzombie?  And what can I do to reduce my essence costs ('cause it sounds like I'm going to be running that particular tab up quite quickly)?  And looking at Move-by-Wire, I'm forced to wonder if it is more efficient, once essence cost reducers are involved, to keep my Skillwires and Wired Reflexes separate, so that I get the best Bang for my metaphorical Buck.  I guess I'll have to do the math on it, but I'm hoping to optimize this character as much as is practical, which is difficult for someone so new to the rules.

Another good question. Of course, the answer to the first part is: No. You got 6 essence. No more, no less. The trick is the balancing act. You can get better grades of essence: Alphaware Move-by-Wire (Rating 3) would be 4 Essence instead of 5, but would be twice the cost in nuyen. At character creation, you can't get better than Alpha grade. If you go separately, Skillwires & Wired Reflexes, the essence for Alpha 'ware (both Rating 3), the cost would be 4.24 essence. So, the Move-by-Wire is cheaper in Essence than the two separately, plus you get the Dodge bonus that you don't get with the separate package.

What other cyber- or bioware should I look into?  Aesthetically, I'd rather not go with obvious cyberlimbs - the character likes to view himself as intact (mostly).

Bioware is a good call. If you have the Move-by-Wire and are low on essence, bioware doesn't count towards that essence. It goes from 6 essence separately and, as long as you have more Cyber than Bioware, the Bioware is half the essence cost (if you have more Bio than Cyber, Bio is full cost and Cyber is half).

If you want to go the combat route, then I'd recommend going with Enhanced Articulation (+1 to Physical Skill test), Muscle Toner (adds Rating to Agility), Orthoskin (Rating is Ballistic/Impact armor) and Cerebral Booster (Rating added to Logic).

This is all going to get expensive, so you're going to need to put a lot of BP in resources... And, don't forget that you're going to need a good commlink.

[WhiskeyJohnny]

Yeah, I figure this character is going to be one of those people with a lot of nice things living in a really crappy apartment.  Is spending a lot of BP on resources inefficient?

One thing I'm not clear on, when you say Bioware goes from 6 essence separately from Cyberware, you mean I can have an essence cost 4 Cyberware rig and a 4 essence cost Bioware rig cost simultaneously?  And what determines which 'ware costs half?  Number of 'wares, essence cost of said 'wares, something else?

[FastJack]

Yes, they remove Essence differently, However, if you spend 4 Essence on Cyberware, the bioware cannot exceed 4 essence itself, since 2 (half the Bioware) + 4 (Cyber) = 6 Essence and you'd hit zero essence.

Whichever 'ware you have more Essence cost of is the full amount. The lesser amount is considered "half-cost" and added to the first to determine your full Essence loss.

[WhiskeyJohnny]

Ah, that makes sense.  So if I had 3 essence Cyberware, and anything less than 3 essence bioware, my total essence loss would be 4?

And can I upgrade later, i.e. get beta- or deltaware (skipping gamma for some reason) I understand that I don't get essence back, but can I then fit more wares for the same essence cost?

What sort of commlink should I be running?  Is it better to have one implanted or not?

[FastJack]

If you had 3 Essence of Cyberware and 2.4 Essence of Bioware, your total Essence loss would be 4.2 (3+1.2).

Yes, if you upgrade later, you can fill the same "hole" with more stuff. Or, there is a very expensive, very rare treatment in Augmentation that will get that Essence back for you.

Regarding the Commlink, there are rules for building/modifying it to make it better, but go for the high-end 'link and operating system to get good hacking out of. Implanted is good, but the downsides to it are a) raises eyebrows with law enforcement/security that you're not carrying a 'link (not dangerous, but noteworthy) and b) if you want to upgrade/modify your commlink, it requires surgery.

What you may also consider, is that Arsenal has rules for installing your commlink on your gun or something else. Granted, it will raise eyebrows like an implanted 'link, but it does make it pretty cool that your gun is your commlink.