[Slamm-O!]

I'm going to start creating several characters for the new SRM season in Neo-Tokyo.  This means extra black trenchcoat as any overt shenanigans are going to case major headache for a team of runners.  What are some ideas for sneaky runners in the land of the rising sun ? 

[Redwulfe]

Personally I am loving the thought of playing in Neo-Tokyo. Currently I am making a decker but the black trenchcoat aspects have crept into the build and I decentralized his deck gave him a false face and voice modulator. I also put AR fashion on all of my clothes. Trying to be able to blend in as best as I can or disappear quickly if the heat is on.

I think covert operatives will be nice some B&E specialists will also be good. Look at ways to hide gear like decentralized deck or make sure gear is in cyber. For mages get masking as quick as you can I am thinking. I think Technos will be good in the game as well as adepts.

concepts to explain R and F rating gear? Wasn't Japan really racist against metas? Do they have some sort of blade runner style of professionals that hunted escapees and such, even if it is not present today that could explain why your human had licenses for the tech he has now. so former blade runner professional license with gear licenses for some of the tech. Possibly?

Another concept that might be neat is foreign credentials from some obscure place that has more lax laws giving you license and explanation to your restricted gear while having a visa equivalent and possible diplomatic immunities. All fake of course but the local beat cops wouldn't really be able to check it.

In country maybe you could go really ballsy and tattoo one of your arms in a yakuza style even though you are not yak and act like you own the place. If a cop stops you give him money and tell him you will forget this ever happened for the sake of his family. Though when the real yakuza are around fun could be had. Maybe not the best Idea but it is one.

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

A background schtick I really like for Neo-Tokyo is having a San Francisco background.  Works for a former military type now running the shadows, as well as any metahuman as occupied San Fran was one of Japan's dumping grounds for them.

[Marcus]

I haven't fully locked in a character of Neo-Tokyo yet. My current thinking is an adept with combat and enthralling performance powers named Starbuck, using the Stag Mentor spirit, and being the lead singer of an Epic Fantasy Band.

I'm interested to See if a GM will let me get away with staging random flash mob style concerts as a distraction.

I'm leaning towards just having the character's contacts be band members or if I can talk other local player into signing on. Taking Application from skill keytarists if your up for it. lol

[Medtec28]

I was putting together a human looking elf face, but I've become intrigued that the Ares Screech Sonic Rifle is a firearm that can be licensed in Japan RAW. I may have to see if I can build a concept around that...

[Slamm-O!]

I was going to make a Sumo Wrestler / Face.  Still trying to figure out how to stat him up. 

[Hobbes]

Builds that don't care about gear.  So Unarmed combat sorts, Technomancers, and Mages.  Also popular concealed hand crossbows, Sapphire Knives, Skin Pockets, Sleeping Tiger Armor, Ares Briefcase Shields, Smoke Grenades, Spray Paint (or a Paintball gun...), and anyone with a Van.

Seriously, want to be voted most popular runner in NT just buy a Van with a Smuggling Compartment.  Let everyone carry around all their toys without any issues.

[Marcus]

I feel like we missed half that post Hobbes.

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

The two characters I'm polishing up are:

Covert Ops: former ballet dancer turned art thief turned shadowrunner.  Basically a cyberware ninja.  Fights primarily with Dart pistol and gas grenades, but since there's a nice and high palming skill I have a Monofiliment Whip (and for true emergencies a SMG) for those times when nonlethal won't get the combat won.

Rigger: An honest to goddess Tokyo Drift Street Racer.  Because it's Neo-Tokyo for funsies he's Incompetent with Firearms.  Total matrix games nerd; he thinks the way guns work in the trids/matrix games is how they really work. (e.g. You can totally curve bullet paths around a corner by swinging your arm around as you shoot!) So of course that also gives a perfect excuse for being a Cosplay otaku for his favorite games.  Much more challenging to make him combat relevant; toying around with being a Cybercombat focused Decker as well as Rigger.

[Slamm-O!]

The Decker/Rigger concept is glorious.  Issues are the skillsets are completely different. Same with the expensive deck, and RCC/Control Rig.  I'd make a Decker, with higher than normal reaction - then commlink some drones.  Slowly build up the cash to advance to the next Rigger level. 

Covert Ops - have you thought about taking Pistols with DMSO/Narco capsule rounds ?  Same thing but no shitty exotic skill. 

The two characters I'm polishing up are:

Covert Ops: former ballet dancer turned art thief turned shadowrunner.  Basically a cyberware ninja.  Fights primarily with Dart pistol and gas grenades, but since there's a nice and high palming skill I have a Monofiliment Whip (and for true emergencies a SMG) for those times when nonlethal won't get the combat won.

Rigger: An honest to goddess Tokyo Drift Street Racer.  Because it's Neo-Tokyo for funsies he's Incompetent with Firearms.  Total matrix games nerd; he thinks the way guns work in the trids/matrix games is how they really work. (e.g. You can totally curve bullet paths around a corner by swinging your arm around as you shoot!) So of course that also gives a perfect excuse for being a Cosplay otaku for his favorite games.  Much more challenging to make him combat relevant; toying around with being a Cybercombat focused Decker as well as Rigger.

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

have you thought about taking Pistols with DMSO/Narco capsule rounds ?  Same thing but no shitty exotic skill. 

I have.  I haven't come to a final decision yet, but I'm leaning towards the Dart Pistol due solely to the Neo-Tokyo special setting rules.  The pistol with nonlethal rounds is rules mechanically superior (can't specialize with an exotic skill) but even if a Pistol is loaded with nonlethal rounds, being able to fire lethal bullets makes it a F rating piece of gear.  Being able to openly carry a sidearm (so long as the Fake SIN/License passes scrutiny) is an advantage the Dart Pistol gives that you won't replicate with a Pistol packing drug rounds.

[Marcus]

Covert Ops - have you thought about taking Pistols with DMSO/Narco capsule rounds ?  Same thing but no shitty exotic skill. 

That was my jam back in 4th. Used that with an Ares Crusader, and did the simple, simple shot. Worked like a charm.

[blackshade10]

This sounds really cool.  Is there an online game a new player can join in on? =)

[kyoto kid]

I was going to make a Sumo Wrestler / Face.  Still trying to figure out how to stat him up.

...I actually did, as an adept using the Troll Giant variation.  Downside, he was fairly limited due to taking skills at Priority D which meant only a handful of skills mostly focused around his fighting ability, and none with a really high pool.  Effectively he made more of a good "street level" character, who was relatively colourful (a baseball fan and had his armoured jacket tailored to look like a Tokyo-Yomiuri Giants team jacket, wore a matching cap, had his custom ballistic mask styled like a catcher's mask, and carried around a shoulder bag of baseballs which were his primary throwing weapons [he had the precision throwing power so he could throw them far]).  He did have the Sumo martial art with Throw person technique (another favourite attack usually using bodies as projectiles) and a couple levels of Penetrating Strike for his open hand strike (I actually read up on Sumo technique).  Didn't have Killing Hands as he could do enough stun damage just smacking,
grappling, and throwing people around.

Part of the concept was to see if I could make an effective character around stun and incapacitating attacks only. 

[Fedifensor]

My experience so far is that social skills are more important than they were in the Chicago campaign, especially Etiquette.  Any character who doesn't have Etiquette is just asking to be jailed by the police or offed by the Yakuza.  Speaking of which - the NTMP and the Yakuza are a key part of the campaign.  Invest in knowledge skills about them, choose contacts with one or both groups, etc.  Disguise is also a good skill to have, and will help avoid getting Public Awareness.  Finally, any character should be able to justify some sort of interaction skill.  If you're the gruff, tell it like it is troll that can't justify Con or Negotiation, look into Intimidate.  Scaring people away from a potential fight is a valid tactic in Neo-Tokyo.

If you're carrying firearms, Palming is nearly essential, and anything that helps with concealing firearms is a good choice.  I think the best option for a dedicated gun user is a cybergun.  You won't have a ton of choices with the +4 Availability of the cybergun and the increased availability of firearms, but a Colt America L36 is a valid option with decent firepower.  If Availability is an issue, a cyber holster is almost as good and lets you carry a heavy pistol without much chance of detection.  Another option is a smuggling compartment on a vehicle - a Suzuki Mirage with smuggling compartment, morphing license plate, and spoof chip is 11,500 nuyen, and a great place to store your gun where it won't be found on a casual NTMP sweep.  At a minimum, a concealed holster and a coat that gives added concealment should be worn.  The Parashield Dart Pistol is in a grey area - it is normally used for Narcoject, but it can use toxins that deal lethal damage.  I'm unsure whether it falls under the lethal firearm restrictions.  Regardless, have a high dice pool if you use it, because you need three net hits on an armored foe.

Melee builds are considerably more viable than they've been in the past, so it's worth a look.  However, there will be times where the foes are farther away, especially for CMPs that take place outside of Neo-Tokyo.  Every character should have a range option, even if it is the lowly taser.  High strength builds have more options, as throwing weapons have a decent range - it's possible for a starting character optimized for Strength to have a longer range than a heavy pistol!

Mages AND adepts should consider Masking (and Enhanced Masking) as early initiation choices.  The best defense against the increased watchfulness on the astral by NTMP is not being identified as Awakened.  If you're casting spells in combat, Flexible Signature or a quick way to scrub signatures is a good idea.

I don't claim to be an expert, but the Neo-Tokyo Missions Character Optimization thread illustrates several of the ideas above with sample builds.