[Magnaric]

1) I agree that a true Street Samurai would carry multiple weapons for multiple situations. And at least one or two concealed or cyber weapons. The point being, a Street Sam doesn't only carry weapons, they ARE a weapon.

2) I don't really picture any one metaspecies over another when thinking of a street sam, as all the races have them.However, I think Humans are likely the most common, if simply because Humans are the most common metaspecies, and street sams are something that appears easy to become for a lot of Shadowrunners/runner wannabes (just slot some chrome and you're a "street sam").

3) Wired Reflexes. Some sams are durable. Some are stealthy. Some are great in melee. And others are incredible with guns. But damn - near ALL street samurai are known for being ready for action at a moment's notice, and being able to react in the blink of an eye. You don't even need to be the best shot on the street or have a signature weapon, if you can act many times faster than a normal person, you'll win most fights before they start. And while there are other ways of getting that speed, chrome nerves and wired reflexes are the most iconic.

[Novocrane]

Taking 3 per question, in descending order;

1. c, e, g

2. c, b, d

3. e, h, i

[BetaCAV]

1) I agree that a true Street Samurai would carry multiple weapons for multiple situations. And at least one or two concealed or cyber weapons. The point being, a Street Sam doesn't only carry weapons, they ARE a weapon.

Or, to paraphrase, "Guns and swords are tools. I am the weapon." They probably even have a t-shirt that says that, or did, but matured out of it... perhaps after getting shot/stabbed a few times.

[Wakshaani]

The Samurai Code.

One of the most definitive things in the eyes of many is that a Street Samurai has a Code. Just what that entails, however, varies! Let's see by how much. Which of the following best defines the Code by which your typical samurai follows?

1) The Samurai Code. The Seven Samurai Virtues, especially absolute loyalty to one's master to the point of suicide if so ordered.
2) The Ronin's Code. The Seven Samurai Virtues, especially Honor above all else. You will not cheat, lie, ambush, or serve a dishonorable master.
3) The Assassin's Code. You kill only who you are paid to kill and are above common violence. You, after all, are a professional.
4) The Mercenary's Code. You fufill the contract, no matter your personal beliefs. If you agreed to erase a place and it's an orphanage, too bad. A deal's a deal.
5) The Soldier's Code. Looting bodies is forbidden, as is attacking civillians/non-combatants.
6) The Hooder's Code. Rob from teh Corps, give to the SINless. Never let a fellow Hood be arrested. Nobody's ever too poor to not share.
7) Codes are for suckers. Do what it takes to win 'cause the streets will chew you out otherwise. No such thing as an unfair advantage, and the whole point of getting somebody down is to hit them when they're vulnerable! SCrew you, I got mine.
Other - Fill it in!

[Sterling]

This the important question, and for me the answer is B, the Ronin's Code.

[Wakshaani]

I figure that this one will create quite a bit of debate. In a good way, mind you!

[Herr Brackhaus]

1) What single weapon best defines the Street Samurai archetype in your mind.

To my mind the street samurai embodies combat in all forms, and should always be prepared for engaging enemies at range and in close combat. At a minimum, that means a melee weapon and a ranged weapon, preferably legal or at most restricted, possibly concealable. As such, I'd pick two:
c) The Katana
e) Smartsmg (Ingram and friends)

2) When you picture "Street Samurai" in your head, what race are they?

Having made it half way through the line of Shadowrun novels I feel like the universe often presents samurai as humans, but if I got to pick more than one option it would be as follows.
C) Human
D) Ork
B) Elf

3) One thing that everyone agrees on is that a Street Samurai has cybernetics. But which upgrades are the *definitive* ones? The ones that change "Guy with cyber" into "THAT one is a samurai"? Not only do you get to pick three on this one, but you get to put them in order of must have, should have, and probably has.

I don't think the 'ware defines the samurai, personally, but if you're human, elf or even an ork, you're likely going to need an edge against the troll bodyguards or elite corpsec guards you'll eventually go up against. So, with that in mind, I'd say initiative enhancements are the most important thing, and wired reflexes are iconic in this field to my mind. The second most important improvement as far as I'm concerned would be some sort of physical boost, whether that be strength, body, or agility would be up to the individual. If I had to choose I'd go with muscle replacements, which affects agility and strength. Finally, the smartgun link; it provides a significant improvement for very little cost, and ties into the iconic weaponry of the samurai. In order of importance, then, I'd list the following:
E) INITIATIVE enhancement (Wired reflexes, synaptic accelerator, etc)
B) AGI enhancement (Muscle replacement) AND D) STR enhancement (Muscle replacement)
I) Smartgun Link

4) The Samurai Code.

A samurai in the shadows is not an actual samurai, but he still obeys a warriors code. To my mind, honor is important to the samurai, so I'd go with the following.
2) The Ronin's Code. The Seven Samurai Virtues, especially Honor above all else. You will not cheat, lie, ambush, or serve a dishonorable master.

[Kincaid]

Tough one.  I'm very much in the "a sam isn't just someone with a gun" camp, even though I use sam as shorthand for a gun-focused character in the forums.  My sam is distinct from my merc who is distinct from my soldier.  Part of this is equipment choices, but a bigger part of it is outlook.  I'm a big fan of Legend of the Five Rings, so my sam's code is largely based off of that setting's bushido code (he's an Akodo, for those wondering).

1. (C) Katana, absolutely.  The character is very much a throwback to 1st-2nd edition sams, so the other classics are there as well (Ingram Smartgun, etc.), but it's the katana (daisho, if you must know) that defines him.
2. (C) Human, with orks running a close second.  I like the idea of orks in the older incarnation of the JIS adopting a classically Japanese outlook to work within a culture that is extremely prejudice against them.
3. (E) Wires, wires, wires.  Especially under the old initiative rules. 
4. (B) Ronin's Code.  Do NOT try to double-cross this guy, Mr. Johnson.

God, I miss my old Dikoted, Bullet Barrier/Detect Enemies-anchored katana.

[psycho835]

The Samurai Code.

One of the most definitive things in the eyes of many is that a Street Samurai has a Code. Just what that entails, however, varies! Let's see by how much. Which of the following best defines the Code by which your typical samurai follows?

1) The Samurai Code. The Seven Samurai Virtues, especially absolute loyalty to one's master to the point of suicide if so ordered.
2) The Ronin's Code. The Seven Samurai Virtues, especially Honor above all else. You will not cheat, lie, ambush, or serve a dishonorable master.
3) The Assassin's Code. You kill only who you are paid to kill and are above common violence. You, after all, are a professional.
4) The Mercenary's Code. You fufill the contract, no matter your personal beliefs. If you agreed to erase a place and it's an orphanage, too bad. A deal's a deal.
5) The Soldier's Code. Looting bodies is forbidden, as is attacking civillians/non-combatants.
6) The Hooder's Code. Rob from teh Corps, give to the SINless. Never let a fellow Hood be arrested. Nobody's ever too poor to not share.
7) Codes are for suckers. Do what it takes to win 'cause the streets will chew you out otherwise. No such thing as an unfair advantage, and the whole point of getting somebody down is to hit them when they're vulnerable! SCrew you, I got mine.
Other - Fill it in!

A modified version of Soldier's code - stun is fair game against non-combatants, looting is fine if it's something of immediate use - like say, ammo when you're running low, machine gun if you need to lay down suppressive fire and don't have appropriate weapon, medkit when you're out of supplies and bleeding out etc.

[JmOz01]

the Ronin Code/The San Code/Soldier code/others The Hooder code can be respected but not quite their.  Above and beyond everything else this MAKES the Sam... You might be a decker, you might be a mage, but if you live by a code then you are a Sam, especially a code about Honor/loyalty/ being better than the masses and thus having a responsibility to them

[PJ]

Troll, because that was what I played in 1st/2nd!  Although really, any race.

Initiative boosters, followed by a cyber weapon, followed by Agility enhancements.

For a code, I'd say Other= any.  I think what defines a samurai from other fighter types is a code.  Doesn't matter which one, but he follows it.  You may not agree with him, but because of his code he earns respect.  After all, if he couldn't back it up, he wouldn't be around.

[PiXeL01]

Race: Any. Genes are no barrier for anyone to pick up the katana, get wired + Spurs implanted and lay down fire with Ingram smartguns. Just look in the back of the old Street Sam's Catalogue!
But if I'd have to choose then Human, Elf and Ork with the two first being more iconic than the last.

Implants: Initiative Boosters, Cyberweapons and Agi/Str enhancers (good old muscle replacement)

Code: the iconic would follow Ronin's Code but in reality the street warriors that they are come in shape, size and philosophy if any.

[Overbyte]

Katana
Human (Japanese)
Wired Reflexes
Code of the Ronin

[phydaux42]

When in doubt, check the source material.  The answer comes to us in one sentence:

"Molly was a razorgirl."

And to reach for another quote from Stepin' Razor, Molly to Chase, the Console Cowboy:

"People like us, what we do, it's what we are."

Later Molly tells Lady 3Jane that she would have tried to kill her ninja.  When 3Jane asked her why, Molly replied "Because they're suppose to be the best."

At the end of the book, after Molly and Chase are safe, rich, and back on earth, Chase woke up alone in the bed in their hotel room.  All he finds of Molly is a brief note: "Sorry, I was starting to lose my edge."

So to me it isn't so much a particular weapon or selection of weapons, it's that whatever weapon you pick, katana, implants, SMG, heavy pistol, knives, whatever, you will be the absolute best there is, whatever the cost.

[Deadborder]

Question 2:
I generally see Street Sams as being human. Much of this comes down to the Archtype pictures (and stats) for the Sam in every edition but 5th being Human. Orks and Elves to a lesser degree, but definitely human above all else. I don't think I've ever once heard of a Dwarf Sam.

Question 3:
Hard call, but I'd say E (Initiative), I (Smartgun) and either A (STR) or B (AGI) depending on their focus, leaning to B.