[Hobbes]

So, fiddling with Armor options most characters gravitate to one of two sets Mortimer's or Sleeping Tiger.  As a third option I've been thinking cheap Armor with YNT to max out options.

Armor Jacket                        12 / 18
   +YNT Softweave Armor
Ballistic Mask                      2 / 12
   +YNT Softweave Armor
Cloak                               0 / 9
   +YNT Softweave Armor
Armor Clothing                      6 / 9
   +YNT Softweave Armor

Total Armor 12 +2
Total Capacity of 48
Total Nuyen cost 5,412

48 Capacity.  That has to be good for something.  You could of course swap out the Armored Jacket for an Argentium Coat and a high Fashion Cloak, but that increases the cost a fair bit and limits your Armor Options (Gel Packs and Gear Access pretty well cancel out the point of the Mortimer's...)

48 Capacity gets you just about max level on just about everything. 

For Example, around 26k Nuyen gets you:

Armor Clothing                      6
   +Chemical Protection 6
   +Concealed Pocket
   +Concealed Pocket
   +Concealed Pocket
   +YNT Softweave Armor

Armor Jacket                        12
   +Fire Resistance 5
   +Insulation 4
   +Nonconductivity 5
   +Radiation Shielding 4
   +YNT Softweave Armor

Ballistic Mask                      2
   +YNT Softweave Armor
   +Biomonitor
   +Flashlight
   +Gas Mask
   +Jammer, Area Rating 4
   +Sensor Array Rating 3
      +Ultrasound Rating 3
      +Motion Sensor Rating 3
      +Camera Rating 3 [Thermographic Vision]
      +Omni-directional Microphone Rating 3
      +Laser Microphone Rating 3
      +Camera Rating 3 [Low Light]
      +Atmosphere Sensor Rating 3
      +Olfactory Scanner Rating 3

Cloak                               2
   +Attachable Gear Access
   +Fresnel Fabric 6
   +Gel Packs
   +Thermal Damping 3
   +YNT Softweave Armor


Sure does seem like a not bad option.  And that's kinda the point, options.  Cause you've got all of them if you really want.

[Longshot23]

Okay, so you can do all that.

Then what?

What's left to shoot for?

[Jack_Spade]

You, you are left to shoot at.
Hence why getting armor is a good idea 

@Hobbes

I'm very partial to the Ares Wild Hunt. For 3000 you get Gear Access, holster and a Custom Protection 6 + 10 Capacity. Not to mention a bonus to survival.

My new favorite combo for business Armor is the

EXECUTIVE SUITE for only 2.000 (Armor 12) (+YNT + non-conductivity)
Combine it with the Second Skin for 12.000 (+2) (+Autoinjector)
and carry the new
ARES BRIEFCASE SHIELD for 1.800 (+4)
For a nice 18 armor (although you need STR 5 for full use, otherwise a simple ballistic mask might be a better investment.
Add a fashionable cloak for whatever protection you need (chemical, radiation, insulation)

stylish, and a good chance to only receive stun damage from any attack .

[Longshot23]

I need to apologise - my earlier post was way snarkier and abrupt than I intended. So apology extended.

YNT Softweave is actually a favourite armour mod of mine. Just maybe it shouldn't be put on armour that might have to be ditched, in order to get away. Also if you apply it to as much armour that a PC wears as possible, wouldn't it count as a Signature or Distinctive Style?

[Hobbes]

I'm very partial to the Ares Wild Hunt. For 3000 you get Gear Access, holster and a Custom Protection 6 + 10 Capacity. Not to mention a bonus to survival.

Wild Hunt is the 14 Armor that isn't socially acceptable right?  Can't quite "go anywhere" with it.  I like it for Combat Deckers, Riggers, Faces and such since they don't normally have the Str for lots of +Armor so the Wild Hunt and a Ballistic Mask winds up being their Heavy Load out once they have a bit of spare cash.

The Cheap Lots of Options Combo works pretty well as you can toss Gel Packs on the Cloak and keep PPP kits with it.  You can max out your +Armor for Str 5 or less without much effort.  And keep the Cloak, Mask and PPP in the car during the polite phase.  Other than Second Skin there just aren't polite + Armor options. 

My new favorite combo for business Armor is the

EXECUTIVE SUITE for only 2.000 (Armor 12) (+YNT + non-conductivity)
Combine it with the Second Skin for 12.000 (+2) (+Autoinjector)
and carry the new
ARES BRIEFCASE SHIELD for 1.800 (+4)
For a nice 18 armor (although you need STR 5 for full use, otherwise a simple ballistic mask might be a better investment.
Add a fashionable cloak for whatever protection you need (chemical, radiation, insulation)

stylish, and a good chance to only receive stun damage from any attack .

The Cheap option is toss Electrochromatic on the Armored Clothes and keep a Mask and PPP in a brief case.  Not as slick as your set up, but a heck of a lot cheaper.  Which is the point to the "Many Cheap Options" set up.

[Hobbes]

I need to apologise - my earlier post was way snarkier and abrupt than I intended. So apology extended.

YNT Softweave is actually a favourite armour mod of mine. Just maybe it shouldn't be put on armour that might have to be ditched, in order to get away. Also if you apply it to as much armour that a PC wears as possible, wouldn't it count as a Signature or Distinctive Style?

I have multiple teenage children and am immune to Snark, no worries, thank you.

I'm not sure how YNT Softweave becomes a Distinctive Style in and of itself as it's not actually visible.  But a Set of Armor with several obvious mods/colors/whatever that a PC always wears certainly could be.

[Jack_Spade]

Nope, you are thinking of the Ares Victory Big Game hunter. The Wild Hunt is a outdoor jacket but there is nothing about it being not acceptable in polite society.

But if you are looking for cheap armor, you actually have to buy a full body armor with helmet. Nothing beats 15+3 armor for only 2500 nuyen.

Also: If you have to wear heavy armor invest also in a lined coat to cover it up - There is a reason why it's called mirror shades and black trench coats 

[Slipperychicken]

Also: If you have to wear heavy armor invest also in a lined coat to cover it up - There is a reason why it's called mirror shades and black trench coats 

What's the concealability modifier on full body armor again?

[firebug]

But if you are looking for cheap armor, you actually have to buy a full body armor with helmet. Nothing beats 15+3 armor for only 2500 nuyen.

Also: If you have to wear heavy armor invest also in a lined coat to cover it up - There is a reason why it's called mirror shades and black trench coats 

The first three words of the description of Full Body Armor is "Impossible to conceal".  A lined coat wouldn't logically cover it anyways, unless it completely covered your feet and hands, and this is a coat, right?  Not cultist robes?

Or did I misunderstand you, and by "heavy armor" you meant just...  An armor jacket?

[Jack_Spade]

The latter. FBAs with the helmet on are of course unconcealable.

If you want to cover those up, I suggest wearing a mascot suit. Doesn't work for every venue, but malls and sports themed environments are fine. 

[firebug]

Most of the armor is acceptable in normal situations though; even the armor jacket is fine outside of "special occasions" purely by virtue of just being a jacket and not like, a suit.  In situations where you couldn't get away with an armor jacket I don't think a trench coat would blend in any more...

[Jack_Spade]

Debatable. In general the design philosophy seems to have been that Armor up to 9 is socially acceptable, everything above that will get you special scrutiny

[Hobbes]

I've always gone with any armor with a bonus to Social Limits is good anywhere with a dress code.  Armor with a Social penalty is a bad idea in A or B neighborhoods and C gets iffy.  Armor without Social Modifiers comes down to fluff.  A street rat with an Armored Jacket is very different than the elf face with an "nice" Armored Jacket.  The Street Rat is good to go in seedy bars, but not so much any place with a dress code.  And the "nice" armored jacket gets you a table at a good restaurant, but sticks way out in scruffier locals. 

[firebug]

Debatable. In general the design philosophy seems to have been that Armor up to 9 is socially acceptable, everything above that will get you special scrutiny

There's not really any logic to that.  An armor vest, though concealable, is not "socially acceptable", while an armor jacket explicitly says it doesn't catch much attention.  Meanwhile that is completely proven wrong by the Mortimer of London coats (10 to 12, or to 13 with stacking), the Synergist Business Line (10 or 13 with stacking), Sleeping Tiger (which is 13), Executive Suite (12)...  The on the other end, Bunker Gear at 6 isn't acceptable anywhere outside of a flaming building, Chainmail ( 8 ) is only acceptable around some gangers, (same with Padded Leather at 7)...

My point is, there's no direct correlation between armor rating and how it looks or how people react to it.

And yes, Executive Suite will stand out in some places.  But that is true for literally anything, as people are diverse and nothing could fit in everywhere considering "counter cultures" exist.

[Jack_Spade]

I'm talking mainly about the core book - specialty armor is of course the exception (that's why you are paying premium for those high fashion armor)