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Essentials: What Every Runner Should Have.

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Konig-Wolf

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« on: <06-04-12/1555:00> »
As the must-have gear thread changed focus, I thought I'd bring it back in focus with a new thread.

What all should EVERY Runner carry as part of their core gear? What gear should the Hacker, the Mage, the Face, and the Samurai all be carrying? Let's focus on stuff specifically from the books. Here's some items I would put in that category.

Survival Knife: Inexpensive and functional. Not only that, but a decent knife is always handy.
Flashpak: Laying one of these in front of you can mess with the enemy, and give you a bit of cover when the drek hits the fan.
Armor: Something for all the bases...Actioneer for meetings, polite society, corporate stealth... Camouflage Suit for running operations, and something like an Armored Jacket/Lined Coat/FFBA for the street. Modifications for all regarding Fire, Electricity and Chemicals if you can afford it.
Commlink: All system stats minimum three, with four preferred. Analyze and Encrypt running at rating 3 or 4. AR Gloves, Simrig, Skinlink, and Trodes as accessories.
Optics and Audio Gear. If you don't have the cyber, you need some contacts/glasses/goggles with the basics (Flare Comp, Thermal, Low Light) and Earbuds/Headphones set the same way (Audio Enhancement, Spatial Recognizer; no Damper unfortunately).
Survival Kit: Same reason you rock the Survival Knife...after all, Street Lifestyle is free, if you need it. ^_^
Rope: Always keep some rope on tap.
Medkit, Rating 6: Always have a medkit, even with a Mage on hand. Better to handle the little stuff with the kit.

Please add your suggestions or ideas to the list. Let's help the newbie runners get the essentials!

RelentlessImp

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« Reply #1 on: <06-04-12/1604:33> »
You left out a tag eraser. At 150 nuyen and 6(F) rating, and the world literally being filled with RFID tags, running the eraser over everything you buy, eat, etc. can be the difference between a good 'run and a 'run that goes south because that SoyOat Bar you ate for energy had an RFID chip in it and just started broadcasting that you opened the wrapper and consumed it.

Also, a DocWagon Contract can be invaluable. A month of the basic contract isn't all that expensive, and shelling out for a Platinum contract can get you a little backup when you go down as DocWagon dispatches a High Threat Response Team to get your ass out.
« Last Edit: <06-04-12/1606:17> by RelentlessImp »
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« Reply #2 on: <06-04-12/1613:13> »
Fake ID ... and not just one, AT LEAST TWO.  One that you use day to day.  One that you never, ever touch except when you need to disappear.

Speaking of which: in addition to your usual lifestyle, consider maintaining a Bolt Hole.  Remember to stockpile some extra gear in there - including appropriate weapon(s) and ammunition.

All4BigGuns

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« Reply #3 on: <06-04-12/1617:45> »
I've been going for Analyze and Encrypt of 6 with Ergonomic and whatever Optimization I need to maintain the rating. A Meta Link with Vector Xim as a 'public' comm with the main one running hidden isn't too bad an idea, and I've been throwing that in a lot.
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Mirikon

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« Reply #4 on: <06-04-12/1825:56> »
So here's my list. This goes for every runner, whether they are hacker, mage, or samurai. Obviously, some types will have better than what you see here, but this is what I'd do as a minimum.

Commlink - All stats at 3+. Get at least one of the basic user program suites. You can default on things if you don't have the skill. You can't even attempt matrix actions without a program.

Identification and Licenses - At least two IDs, with licenses for all your non-forbidden gear. If you have a legit (non-criminal) SIN, then don't be afraid to use it if you don't have anything illegal on you, and you aren't doing anything wrong. The less you have to lie about, the less likely you are to screw up.

Ranged Weapon - Even if you are a bad-ass mage who can stunball entire rooms and not take any drain, or a hacker who can take down the ice on ZO without getting burned, some people react more to the visible deterrent of a guy with a gun. They don't know if you can use it or not, but a big gun always makes them think twice.

Melee weapon - whether it is a pair of hardliner gloves, or a katana, or a stun baton, having something to fall back on if people get in your face is a good thing, even if you have zero skills in that area.

Electronics - Tag eraser, glasses/goggles with an image link and any senses you might not have, white noise generator, subvocal mike, etc.

Survival gear - Gecko tape gloves, GPS, survival knife/kit, grapple gun with rope, and a medkit.

Restraints - Handcuffs, zipties, duct tape, what have you. If you can't figure out something to do with them, you're not trying hard enough.

Grenades - Flashbang or smoke for times when you need cover or a distraction. HE or Frag for tossing into tight spaces filled with bad guys. AP mines for traps. "Front towards Enemy", with a tripwire across a hallway...

Clothing - At least two or three outfits, all armored, naturally. I like to go with 'biz casual', 'social', and 'maximum firepower' layouts. Lined coat plus whatever armor gets you to your max but remains low key would be 'biz casual'. Something nicer/more expensive for 'social', ideally something that you could wear to Dante's and not get thrown out on your ear. And for those times when you are expecting heavy resistance, load up with the most armor you can handle, milspec if you got it, because when going into a 'maximum firepower' scenario, anyone that isn't looking heavily armored screams "mage", and you always geek that guy first.

Vehicles - Every runner should have some kind of vehicle. Even if it is just a crappy little Dodge Scoot scooter, you need a way to get from A to B if the rest of the team can't carry you. And taking a cab to a run location is just dumb. If it is a ride that can blend in with other vehicles on the road, even better.

Bolt hole - Get Runner's Companion and Safehouses. Make yourself the most comfortable 0-5 LP bolt hole you can. You'll thank me later when you need to hide out from the Oyabun's men because you pulled one too many jobs against his rengo.
Greataxe - Apply directly to source of problem, repeat as needed.

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CanRay

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« Reply #5 on: <06-04-12/2129:08> »
Bolt hole - Get Runner's Companion and Safehouses. Make yourself the most comfortable 0-5 LP bolt hole you can. You'll thank me later when you need to hide out from the Oyabun's men because you pulled one too many jobs against his rengo.
Fixed that for you.  ;D
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« Reply #6 on: <06-04-12/2229:43> »
Rating 6 Respirator and/or gas mask.  Respirator is smaller and a lot less stand out.

Gas and smoke grenades are a must. and most the time your enemy wont be walking around with any protection from them...
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Change perception and reality will follow
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_Pax_

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« Reply #7 on: <06-04-12/2329:14> »
Rating 6 Respirator and/or gas mask.  Respirator is smaller and a lot less stand out.

Gas and smoke grenades are a must. and most the time your enemy wont be walking around with any protection from them...

Just ne or two Splash grenades loaded with Breath Taker (or whatever it's called), combined with a gasmask / respirator, is an absolute godsend.  Very unlikely to kill anyone, but very VERY likely to disable or severely hinder hostiles.

CanRay

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« Reply #8 on: <06-04-12/2340:29> »
Mirrorshades, switchblade, obvious cybernetics, and a mohawk.
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Netzgeist

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« Reply #9 on: <06-05-12/0102:42> »
And for the deckers, a modem.

What, wrong book?

RelentlessImp

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« Reply #10 on: <06-05-12/0107:56> »
And for the deckers, a modem.

What, wrong book?

Wrong century, grandpa. Get caught up with the times.
Next time you're down on your knees, and you're expecting a slap, it might be me in that mask, and I just might have a bat.
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CanRay

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« Reply #11 on: <06-05-12/0219:50> »
Hey, modems were all the rage until the Crash of '29!
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Mara

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« Reply #12 on: <06-05-12/0502:37> »
Your *ACTUAL* PAN Commlink, Skinlink on it, with some sort of IC put in, always running on hidden.
Your public Commlink that goes to your glasses Image Link, with your fake ID on it.
Disposable Commlink waiting to be activated with your secondary fake ID on it.

Armor with Non-conductivity(preferably  at a value equal to half, or the full value, of your impact)

Smartlink. Seriously, if you are are going to have  a gun, you should have Smartlink somewhere.

You main weapon, a back-up weapon, and hold out weapon.

KE IV in either capsule rounds, grenades, or whatever other way you want to carry it. ALWAYS be prepared
for things to turn into a Bug Hunt...

A change of clothes(or Ruthenium in your clothes so you can at least change the colours)

A med-kit

For Magicians:
  Sustaining Focus 3(Health Spells) for Improved Reflexes
  Sustaining Focus(Manipulation) for Armor

For Hackers:
  A second, top of the line Commlink, with all your programs in it, and a solid Black IC(same as your main Commlink)
as a just in case someone goes after to fry your main 'Link.

For Street Sams:
 Initiative Pass Boost of some kind. Don't care if it is Wired Reflexes, Move by Wire, Cram or Jazz, or Synaptic Booster,
you should always have more then one IP if you are a Street Sam.

For Riggers:
  A "plain brown wrapper" vehicle, something that is not really used for Running, but that you can use day-to-day,
but can still get you out of trouble without drawing attention to yourself...(Running is when you use the Main Battle
Winnebago)

Theros

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« Reply #13 on: <06-07-12/0051:52> »
Honestly, I've always been more interested in what a runner should be carrying that isn't listed in the book. There's probably tons of stuff that would be good to carry that's not on the list.

For instance, there's no listing for a multitool like a Leatherman or a Swiss Army Knife. Stuff like duct tape. That's the kind of stuff I'd like to see. I'm sure everyone here probably has one item that they think is essential that's not on the SR4 equipment lists.

Mirikon

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« Reply #14 on: <06-07-12/0639:33> »
Clean socks. Yes, there was laughing about that point in Attitude, but the point remains that having a pair of socks you can change into makes all the difference, psychologically, as well as dealing with things like trench foot. Don't laugh, it can happen all too easily in any place with a lot of rain and poor drainage. Add in cold, and you get to worry about frostbite as well. Don't care how badass your mage is, he's going to be in a bad way if you got to cut his foot off because it turned gangrenous.
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