[Critias]

Lots of folks have been chatting about PACKS lately, and it seemed like maybe it'd be handy to make a thread for people to share their thoughts, to post characters they created with PACKS (along with how long it took 'em!  ), and to share any new bundles that folks might cook up.

To get the ball rolling, I'll share some gear bundles I wrote up that just didn't get in the door fast enough to see publication.  I didn't hop on board with Catalyst until PACKS was pretty late in the design stage, so these might not mesh up perfectly with the final format they went with.  For what it's worth, there's also one or two things I might have done differently to account for a couple books that have come out since then, too...but anyways, here's some extra gear bundles, just for kicks. 

The Go-Ganger (2 BP, 10,000 ¥)
Go-Gangs love nothing more than to swoop out of nowhere to wreak havoc with the speed of their bike and the ferocity of their attacks.  They’re fond of weapons they can wield one-handed, so they can keep riding while shooting it out.  This could be used by characters with any sort of history tying them to handlebars and extreme violence, like a Combat Biker or the Outrider of an Urban Brawl team, too.

Suzuki Mirage racing bike (6,500¥)
Bike Racing Armor  (500¥)
Bike Racing Helmet, plus Smartlink upgrade (700¥)
5 doses Betameth (100¥)
Remington Roomsweeper, 40 Explosive Rounds, external Smartlink (850¥)
Combat Axe (600¥)
2 each, fragmentation and high explosive grenades (160¥)
Motorcycle Repair Kit (500¥)
Extendable Baton (50¥)
2 Knives (40¥)

Veteran Shadowrunner (5 bp, 25,000¥)
This character has been around the block a few times and has invested both time and nuyen wisely, stocking up on the incidentals and extras that they’ll need to stay alive in The Sixth World’s shadows.  With a mixture of corporate chic, electronics, and street-ready gear, they’re ready to handle the basics of most jobs...and the aftermath!

Form-Fit Body Armor, Full Suit (1,600¥)
Ares Predator IV heavy pistol (450¥)
150 rounds EX ammo in 10 clips (1,550¥)
60 gel rounds in 4 clips (200¥)
1 Flash-Pak, 2 fragmentation and 1 flash-bang grenade (300¥)
1 can of rating 8 explosive foam, blasting cap (875¥)
Actioneer Business Clothes (1,500¥)
Lined Coat with level 2 chemical protection and 3 fire resistance (1,500¥)
Transys Avalon Commlink running Iris Orb and rating 3 Empathy Software (6,600¥)
25 RFID tags, 4 Security Tags, 20 Stealth tags, Tag Eraser (675¥)
Rating 4 Area Jammer, Rating 5 Microtranceiver, Rating 5 White Noise Generator (3,250¥)
Rating 4 Fake SIN, Rating 4 Weapons and Concealed Carry Licenses (4,800¥)
Rating 4 respirator, Survival Kit, Rating 5 Medkit (700¥)
2 months prepaid safehouse/Squatter lifestyle (1,000¥)

Dedicated Sniper (2 bp, 10,000¥)
This character lives and dies by the motto “one shot, one kill.”  Whether formally trained by a military, brought up hunting in the NAN or CAS, or a grim urban killer who has found their niche on the rooftops, this gear kit is designed to let a character with the appropriate skills lay down dangerous long-range fire from a hard to reach, often concealed, location.

Ghillie Suit (500¥)
2 doses Long Haul (100¥)
Climbing Gear (200¥)
Gecko Tape Gloves (250¥)
Periscope (50¥)
Rappelling Gloves (70¥)
Grapple Gun with 300 meters Stealth Rope, catalyst stick (765¥)
Armored Camouflage Suit (1,200¥)
Body Armor Bag (750¥)
Ares Desert Strike rifle with vision magnification, low-light, thermographic upgrades to imaging scope, plus silencer, 70 subsonic rounds and 70 EX-explosive rounds in 10 clips (5,280¥)
Certified Credstick with 810¥ left over (835¥)

Bug Out Bag (1 bp, 5,000¥)
Sometimes the shit hits the fan and all a runner can do is grab a bag full of the basics and put some distance between themselves and trouble.  This small kit is for just that sort of emergency, with a few of the basics needed for discrete transportation, last ditch self-defense, and the basics of survival.

Nondescript synthleather duffel bag (150¥)
1 month prepaid bus/rail pass (250¥)
Survival Kit (100¥)
Browning Ultra-Power heavy pistol with 40 rounds regular ammo in 4 clips (400¥)
Armor Clothing (500¥)
Rating 3 fake SIN (3,000¥)
2 doses of Long Haul (100¥)
Certified Credstick with 475¥ (500¥)

High Class Lowlife (12 bp, 60,000¥)
This kit is for the character that’s hit the big time and wants everyone to know it.  Centered around gear that’s as stylish as it is functional, it’s perfect for up and coming syndicate thugs, Shadowrunners who are desperate to show they’ve made it past seedy roots, or corporate men who enjoy the finer things in life while still getting the job done.

Morrissey Alta heavy pistol with 60 explosive rounds in 5 clips (1,175¥)
Vashon Island Synergist Business full suit (3,300¥)
Hyundai Shin-Yung Sedan with Pimped Ride (1), High Amenities (18,500¥)
1 year Gold DocWagon contract (25,000¥)
1 month High lifestyle (10,000¥)
Certified Credstick with 2,000¥ pocket change (2,025¥)

Low Class Lowlife (2 bp, 10,000¥)
This gear kit is perfect for gangers, thugs, and assorted tough guys who came up from the streets and have kept one foot there despite moving on to bigger, better, things in the shadows.  It’s full of gear that’s worried about form instead of function, is easy to find on the streets, and is as disposable as the life of a gutterpunk.

Ruger Super Warhawk heavy pistol with 30 rounds in 5 speed loaders (435¥)
Quick Draw Holster (100¥)
Street Sweeper shotgun with 15 ammo cubes (190¥)
Armor Jacket (900¥)
Thundercloud Contrail motorcycle (5,000¥)
CMT Clip commlink running Vector Xim (500¥)
1 month Low lifestyle (2,000¥)
5 doses Novacoke (50¥)
Certified Credstick with 800¥ life savings (825¥)

Combat Spellcaster (12 bp, 45,000¥)   
The Combat Spellcaster kit is for magicians who love to wade into a fight and disable their enemies with their magical talent and their own two hands.  Equipped with reasonable armor, vicious Foci, and back-up by way of mundane firepower, they’re capable of slugging it out with the best of them.
Bonded Spellcasting Focus, Force 2 (30,000¥)
Bonded Weapon Focus, Force 1 (10,000¥)
Lined Coat (700¥)
Remington 990 shotgun with laser sight and 40 rounds regular ammo (730¥)
Colt Manhunter with Quick Draw holster and 80 rounds in 5 clips (585¥)
Trauma Patch (500¥)
Mage Sight Goggles (2,000¥)
Certified Credstick with 460¥ (485¥)

Combat Summoner (13 bp, 50,000¥)
This gear kit is for the magician who prefers to let his spirits do his fighting, while staying back from the action and assisting team-mates or laying down some mid-range fire.  While more of a support than a front-line character, these Summoners can turn the tide of many a fight.

Bonded Force 3 Summoning Focus (45,000¥)
Force 5 Spirit Binding Materials (2,500¥)
Armored Vest (600¥)
HK MP-5 TX Submachinegun with 80 rounds in 4 magazines (730¥)
Rating 5 Medkit (500¥)
Certified Credstick with 645¥ remaining (670¥)

NAN Soldier (1 bp, 5,000¥)
This character may have been trained, and maybe even saw combat, as part of a the Salish Sidhe, Sioux, or another major NAN military.  With a practical mixture of rugged combat weaponry and survival gear, he presents a well-equipped and dangerous foe, whether in the wilds or simply the urban jungle.  It’s also appropriate for any other long-range recon or patrol military force, from merc outfits to paramilitary or militia groups.

Survival Knife (50¥)
Tomahawk (150¥)
Garotte (10¥)
Ruger Super Warhawk heavy pistol with 30 rounds in 5 speed loaders (435¥)
AK-97 with low light and vision magnification imaging scope, 380 rounds in 10 clips (1,810¥)
Armored Camouflage Suit (1,200¥)
Survival Kit (100¥)
Sleeping Bag, Backpack (325¥)
Climbing Gear (200¥)
Rappelling Gloves (70¥)
200 meters standard rope (100¥)
Rating 3 Medkit (100¥)
2 High Explosive and 2 Smoke grenades (150¥)
12 meters det-cord (300¥)

Demolitions Enthusiast (2 bp, 10,000¥)
This gear kit is for characters that believe in the big bang theory – anything can be solved with a big enough bang!  Whether throwing grenades, planting explosives with precision and care, or setting up a booby trap to cover a retreat, this character is well equipped for the task at hand.

Smartpack (500¥)
4 fragmentation grenades (140¥)
2 white phosphorous grenades (240¥)
2 incendiary grenades (100¥)
2 visible laser trip beam sets (50¥)
2 infrared laser trip beam sets (100¥)
2 motion sensors (50¥)
40 meters detcord (1000¥)
5 rating 10 foam explosive cannisters (5,000¥)
10 blasting caps, 50m safety fuse (450¥)
Rating 2 electric exploder, rating 2 optical exploder (800¥)
2 each of electrical, optical, push, pull, and timer detonators (530¥)
Certified Credstick with 1,015¥ (1,040¥)

Sprawl Ganger (4 bp, 20,000¥)
This character came up in the urban jungle of the sprawl, and never stepped very far away from it.  This gear kit is crafted for a character accustomed to a life of both vice and violence, with deceptively dangerous gear thanks to black market pipelines and outright stealing things himself.

Gaz P-179 Pick Up Truck with pimped ride 1 and ram-plate (16,200)
Combat Axe (600¥)
Hardliner Gloves (100¥)
Ares Predator IV with 60 rounds in 4 clips (490¥)
1 high explosive grenade (45¥)
Armor Jacket with gang colors (900¥)
CMT Clip commlink running Vector Xim (500¥)
Sim Module with BTL modification (350¥)
5 BTL recordings, 3 VR games (650¥)
Rating 1 Cool Sunglasses (25¥)
Certified Credstick with 115¥ and blood on it (140¥)

Heavy Security (2 bp, 10,000¥)
Characters with this crowd control type gear might be former – or current – corporate security, could be Urban Brawlers that made off with their customized kit, or might be in modified Lone Star SWAT or Knight Errant riot type armor they put together after peeling it off the former owner.  Whatever the case, this package is best suited for characters burly enough to wear it, and brave enough to draw fire by being an obvious target.

Riot Control Armor plus Helmet (4,000¥)
Form Fitting full body suit (1,600¥)
FN HAR assault rifle with 175 regular rounds and 175 gel rounds in 10 clips and shock pad (1,975¥)
Rating 4 medkit (400¥)
Defiance EX-Shocker Taser (150¥)
Trauma Patch (500¥)
Flash-Pak (200¥)
4 Flash-Bang Grenades (120¥)
2 High Explosive Grenades (90¥)
3 rating 4 Stim Patches (300¥)
Certified Credstick with 640¥ remaining (665¥)

Exotic Hunter (4 bp,  20,000¥)
Whether hunting Ghouls, paracritters, HMHVV infected, or other dangerous game, the Exotic Hunter kit is for characters who’ll need a mixture of strange and lethal takedowns.  They’ll be after elemental attacks for supernatural threats, brutal firepower for other critters, and protection from mundane as well as more colorful threats with their selection of armor suits.

Form Fitting full body suit (1,600¥)
Mitsuhama EE Suit (1,500¥)
Bunker Gear with Helmet (700¥)
Rating 5 Medkit (500¥)
1 dose Rock Lizard Blood (1,500¥)
Rating 5 Respirator (500¥)
Radiation Film Badge (25¥)
Trauma Patch (500¥)
Enfield AS-7 Shotgun with 10 flare rounds, 20 stick-n-shock rounds, 20 silver rounds, and 30 EX-explosive rounds in 8 clips (2,025¥)
Remington 950 rifle with 5 silver and 5 EX-Explosive rounds (850¥)
Combat Axe (600¥)
Smartpack (500¥)
2 thermal smoke grenades (70¥)
2 Flash-Packs (400¥)
2 Ink Grenades (70¥)
10 incendiary grenades (500¥)
5 white phosphorous grenades (600¥)
Rating 3 fake SIN (3,000¥)
2 Rating 4 weapons licenses, hunting license (1200¥)
Novatech Airware running Renraku Ichi with Wildlife Spotter-3 sensor ‘ware (2,450¥)
Certified Credstick with 885¥ expense account (910¥)

Expert Arbalist (1 bp,  5,000¥)
This character might have started as a NAN throwback, an urban primitive, a sport hunter, or a competition shooter;  what counts is that they’ve upgraded since then and have a dangerous arsenal centered around a high-tech upgrade of one of man’s most ancient weapons.  Capable of silent takedowns or loud and lethal fire, he’s got a variety of ammunition to suit whatever task is at hand.

Heavy Crossbow with 8 Narcoject injection bolts, 8 barbed bolts, 8 explosive bolts, 4 hammerhead bolts, 4 stick-and-shock bolts,  2 screamer bolts, and 4 incendiary bolts (1,988¥)
Smartpack (500¥)
Pistol Crossbow with 10 Narcoject injection bolts (1050¥)
Certified Credstick with 1437¥  additional funds (1462¥)

[Critias]

While I was poking around in my dusty old PACKS folder (and since I was just chatting about PACKS and metaspecies selection in another thread), I found this.  It was my spin on PACKS races, but I -- much like with my gear selections -- just threw it into the mix a little late in the game, as lots of decisions had already been made and I was basically the guy showing up in the fourth quarter and trying to swap out the roster.   

I tried to smooth over the rough edges of metaspecies selection by balancing everything (BP-wise) through adding some Qualities and stuff like that into the mix...For "plug and play" playability it would mean all metaraces costing the same (so less math to worry about), but it had the potential to cause some hiccups with other stuff (by mixing in Qualities and Contacts and junk like that at a weird step in the creation process). 

At any rate, here ya go, and hopefully it'll still be a fun read:

HUMAN
The most common examples of metahumanity worldwide, humans are physically jacks-of-all-trades and masters of none.  Without natural physical tendencies pulling them towards certain attributes, humans are free to specialize on their own terms, exploring options that may not be as obvious to other metahumans who get shoehorned due to their natural affinities.  It doesn’t hurt that they don’t have the Humanis Policlub breathing down their neck, either, and are free to cultivate friendships with anyone they please.

Attribute modifiers:
Edge +2
Qualities/Resources:
Aptitude (any one skill)
Contacts, combined Loyalty/Connection Rating 10 (10 BP)

ORK
Orks live hard, die young, and aren’t afraid to grab the world by the scruff of the neck.  Born into litters and often raised in hardship and squalor, Orks have a physical toughness that isn’t to be underestimated, and an attitude to match it.  In most major urban centers, Orks have a tendency to band together in tightly knit social groups, cultivating a strong “us versus them” mentality.

Attribute modifiers:
Body +3
Strength +2
Charisma -1
Logic -2
Qualities/Resources:
Natural Low-Light Vision
Contacts, combined Loyalty/Connection Rating 10 (10 BP)

DWARF
Dwarves are gifted with a long natural life second only to Elves and with a toughness and resilience that lets them drink most Trolls under the table.  Their small physical stature belies incredible strength and durability, matched only by willpower and stubbornness.  Dwarves are formidable both physically and mentally.

Attribute modifiers:
Body +1
Reaction -1
Str +2
Will +1
Qualities/Resources:
Natural Thermographic Vision
+2 to Body tests to resist Pathogens and Toxins

ELF
Blessed with natural grace, good looks, and an incredibly long life, Elves are often stereotyped as being preternaturally wise and innately magical, a lie that many of them will cheerfully perpetuate.  Just as many of them grew up on the same streets as Ork and Human kids, however, and are every bit as likely to wield a pistol or a commlink as they are a magic wand.

Attribute Modifiers:
Agility +1
Charisma +2
Qualities/Resources:
Natural Low-Light Vision

TROLL
The biggest and nastiest metahumans around, Trolls are looming masses of muscle and dermal plating that are as powerful as they are intimidating.  Towering over the smaller metahumans, Trolls are physically powerful at the expense of being slower than their peers, both physically and mentally.

Attribute Modifiers:
Body +4
Agility -1
Strength +4
Charisma -2
Intuition -1
Logic -1
Qualities/Resources:
Natural Thermographic Vision
+1 Reach
+1 Natural Armor (cumulative with worn armor)

[Critias]

*listens to crickets chirp* 

Or not.   

[Chrona]

I actually think these are very good, could you add availabilities though? Atleast R and F

[Bradd]

Having recently switched to karma-based character creation, it would be nice to see the karma costs for these things!

[skulldier]

These are nice, especially the "generic" Shadowrunner kits. Consider it yoinked.

However, wish it was posted a few days ago, before I made my PACKS worksheet (everything fit perfectly on two pages). But should be easy enough to add.

[Raventrickster]

Consider the thread bookmarked.  There are quite a few of these that look nice.  Mostly though I'm passing this along to my GM since he'll probably have more use for them than I do.

[Billy_Club]

I agree, this seems especially useful for GM's, taking a chunk of time out of NPC creation that can otherwise be spent on devising cunning plans for exsanguinating his runner team.  Thanks for putting this up!

[killfr3nzy]

I probably wouldn't use it, and some things confused me (like why you'd ever take a medkit/respirator at less than R6; plus I think Fake Liscences are capped at the level of the attatched Fake Sin, which if so you violated on the Exotic Hunter). Also, I'm not sure if dumping BP-money on credsticks is legal - although I know nothing saying that, it fits with the whole 'cash not crossing over' thing in the rules. Although if it is legal... a whole lot of builds would feature it, as being able to exceed Availability 12 would open up a brand new world of implants/vehicles/focus' etc.

HOWEVER. I'm am an exceedingly gear-obsessed person, and I love seeing new kind of character types and what sort of things they might be carrying (it's the Looter in me). So, I like it and thank you.

[Critias]

The main reason lots of these guys dumped BP-nuyen onto credsticks was just the nature of the creation system -- having to keep to neat, tidy, round numbers of nuyen (for the base BP cost of the package).  I COULD have certainly found stuff for each of them to buy to use up every last nuyen, but larger, clunkier, gear lists kind of defeats the purpose.  I was going for simple and playable, streamlined, more than anything else.

[The Seven]

Here's my first true PACK (first 'fake' pack being the Basic Melee Street Fighter Customization). It's designed for those urban courier types, or any runner that wants a fast bike (something I think the PACKS book lacks).

It's very alike the Go-Ganger pack from Critias, minus all the guns and weapons. I designed it to make the vehicle the center of attention. Keep in mind it was designed for urban scenarios; the Improved Suspension mod won't make it much good for off-road driving, even though I added a Gyro Stabilization mod.

Courier Bike and Tools (45'600¥ or 10 BP)

Automotive Mechanics Repair Kit (500¥)
Fake Driver's License Rating 3 (300¥)
Bike Racing Armor (500¥)
Bike Racing Helmet w/ Image Link, Low-Light Vision and Flare Compensation (375¥)
Suzuki Mirage modded w/ Racing Tires, Skinlink, Acceleration Engine Customization, Gridlink Override, Improved Economy, Improved Suspension and Motorcycle Gyro Stabilization (43'925¥)

Ideas?

[Edited for clarification]