NEWS

Snooty Covert Ops Specialist

  • 33 Replies
  • 8268 Views

Tarislar

  • *
  • Ace Runner
  • ****
  • Posts: 1820
  • Uzi's + Fireballs .... Why I love Shadowrun!
« Reply #15 on: <02-19-18/2154:43> »
I really hate C for skills.  2 in a skill group is a huge point of why bother. 

Ah, see, for me I much prefer C, its D in skills that I "Hate" with a Passion, that and Magic-C, both are just so weak compared to the points just above/below them.

2 Points in Influence would be solid with Charisma-6/7 to get you buy for any social interactions your forced to do.

I also love C because the remaining 28 points works out to 4 maxed out 6+Spec skills which is normally enough to get me a semi-focused starting character.

In the case of Infiltrator you have Gymnastics & Stealth, with Pick 2 more from (Perception, Disguise, Locksmith, Pistols, Con), or Pick 3 at 4/5 points each.

But over all I think the Skills-A build I suggested above might be over all the best way to accomplish this character.

ZeldaBravo

  • *
  • Ace Runner
  • ****
  • Posts: 1067
« Reply #16 on: <02-19-18/2232:45> »
2 in a skill group works just fine when your attributes are very high, like street samurai(s?) tend to have.

I can't help but notice that this character has a lot of extra quality of life stuff. Basically, all you want to have is used Muscle Replacement 2 and RFIDs, everything else is optional. She can live with minor discomfort just fine with Skills B and Resourses D+10 karma.

Acting or Stealth Skill Group 5;
3 skills @6;
3 skills @4;
6 specializations;
A sprinkle of skills @1 for karma.

What do you think?
*I have problems with clarifying my point in English, so sometimes I might sound stupid or rude.*

Stainless Steel Devil Rat

  • *
  • Errata Coordinator
  • Prime Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 4572
« Reply #17 on: <02-20-18/1400:06> »
Well you guys convinced me to try a minor priority swap.

Again the dice pools at Metatype C and Skills D:
Active Skills: Animal Handling 6, Archery 8, Armorer 3, Automatics 8, Blades 8, Clubs 8, Computer 3, Con 8, Cybercombat 3, Demolitions 3, Disguise 6, Diving 2, Escape Artist 13, Etiquette (High Society) 9 (11), Exotic Ranged Weapon (Grapple Gun) 10, First Aid 3, Forgery 6, Free-Fall 4, Gunnery 8, Gymnastics (Dance) 15 (17), Hacking 3, Hardware 5, Heavy Weapons 8, Impersonation 11, Instruction 6, Intimidation 6, Leadership 6, Locksmith 12, Longarms 8, Navigation 4, Negotiation 6, Palming 10, Perception 7, Performance 6, Pilot Ground Craft 5, Pilot Watercraft 5, Pistols 10, Running 2, Sneaking (Urban) 17 (19), Survival 2, Swimming 2, Throwing Weapons 10, Tracking 4, Unarmed Combat 8

And with Metatype D and Skills C (with 25 Karma being spent to get EDG 3)
Active Skills: Animal Handling 6, Archery 8, Armorer 3, Automatics 8, Blades 8, Clubs 8, Computer 3, Con 9, Cybercombat 3, Demolitions 3, Disguise 4, Diving 2, Escape Artist 11, Etiquette (High Society) 8 (10), Exotic Ranged Weapon (Grapple Gun) 10, First Aid 3, Forgery 3, Free-Fall 2, Gunnery 8, Gymnastics (Dance) 15 (17), Hacking 3, Hardware 5, Heavy Weapons 8, Impersonation 9, Instruction 6, Intimidation 6, Leadership 6, Locksmith 15, Longarms 8, Navigation 4, Negotiation 8, Palming 10, Perception 9, Performance 9, Pilot Ground Craft 5, Pilot Watercraft 5, Pistols 10, Running 2, Sneaking (Urban) 17 (19), Survival 2, Swimming 2, Throwing Weapons 10, Tracking 4, Unarmed Combat 8

With attributes (other than EDG) and resources being the same across the two, it pretty much seems like it did indeed come out to be a toss up.  Advantage in the re-priority is higher Locksmith and Perception which are both skills the archetype uses a lot.  And as an added bonus gains in Performance (via skill group) which is fun since since it helps give an explanation for why the Audio Analyzer cyberware might be there prior to beginning a life in crime.

OTOH the original build has more dice pool advantages over the respec despite having fewer skill points, because it has more Karma available to spend on skills.  Where the original has a 2 dice disadvantage in Locksmith, it has a 2 dice advantage in Escape Artist.  And advantages in several other secondary skills that'd probably be used often.  The only real disadvantage I'm seeing is in Perception, as that'll be one of the most used skills for an infiltrator.  And a tossup except for a point higher in EDG isn't much of a tossup.

In order for the higher skill priority to actually give a solid advantage, I'm gonna have to run with even lower EDG than 3 so that I can spend a comparable amount of karma on skills.  That or get more extreme and go with the suggestion of dropping resources.  But I'm liking the cyber; it's giving abilities that won't be replicated by some rando with a sneak skill and a mage backing him up with some sustained spells.

Some abilities the cyber is giving that isn't represented in dice pools:
Passive ultrasound (hearing motion sensors is huge for an infiltrator)
Ability to pinpoint location of (sound emitting) objects even while being unable to see them
Dampening from Flash Bangs
Noise Reduction
All of the above can be had via external/worn gear, but the following can only be done thru the cyberware:
DNI
Ability to squeeze whole body through any opening big enough to fit the head through
Ability to hold breath for hour(s) (immunity to inhalation vector; easy to use underwater terrain for ingress/egress/hiding while waiting)
And last but certainly not least, ability to know anything that's plausibly ever been published on a knowsoft :D  Need to get inside a facility and do a task?  Getting in is the first part.  Doing the task is the second, and whatever task it is, surely there's a knowsoft relevant to that task!  Besides, if you're using an impostor strategy to infiltrate, it's easier to look like you belong if you know what people who belong are supposed to know!

I guess a way to look at it is since I'm set on having a lot of cyberware, I'm building a snooty chromegirl specializing in infiltration rather than an infiltrator specializing in being snooty :)  I am still thinking though about maybe running with 2 EDG, and seeing if the extra skills that'd then be available make it more difficult to stay with the original priority array even with 4 vs 2 EDG.  It'd allow for bringing the rebuild's skills up to meet the original's in every case (except Impersonation by way if being part of the skill group) and still have 8 more karma left over.  That's a big chunk for even more dinky skills or even some positive qualities.

EDIT:  I was thinking the best way to maximize the impact of 8 karma would be to look at positive qualities.  And Oh. My. God.  Friends in high places with 7 CHA is wringing a LOT of value out of 8 karma.  And it's SRM legal... I think my decision to run with Skills C and only 2 EDG is a lot easier to make when I can have some uber contacts...  Maybe pick a connection rating 12 and call her the black sheep relative of a Horizon Executive Board member :D  Hey I've already assumed for the background that the company already bailed her out by squashing a potential criminal conviction...
« Last Edit: <02-20-18/1505:43> by Stainless Steel Devil Rat »
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.

Stainless Steel Devil Rat

  • *
  • Errata Coordinator
  • Prime Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 4572
« Reply #18 on: <02-21-18/1130:08> »
Update:  I decided to go with the C/D priority swap.  Thanks to all who helped give feedback, I made lots of tweaks based on that and I feel the character is better thanks to you!

The updated character:

== Personal Data ==
Name: Lauralasthana Moonbeam Alias: Break N Dancer
Elf, Female Movement: 18/36 (2m/hit) Swim: 10 (1m/hit)
115, 6'2" Composure: 10
Street Cred: 0 Judge Intentions: 12
Notoriety: 0 Lift/Carry: 6 (45 kg/30 kg)
Public Awareness: 0 Memory: 7
Karma: 0 Nuyen: 490¥
Age: 25-ish Skin: Flawless
Eyes: Sparkle Blue (TM) Hair: Fabulous
Primary Arm: Right

== Priorities ==
Metatype: D,1
Attributes: A,4
Special: E,0
Skills: C,2
Resources: B,3

== Attributes ==
BOD: 3 CHA: 7
AGI: 7 (9) INT: 5
REA: 5 (6) LOG: 4
STR: 1 (3) WIL: 3
EDG: 2

== Derived Attributes
Essence: 2.76 Initiative: 11 +1d6
Physical Damage Track: 10Rigger Initiative: 11 +1d6
Stun Damage Track: 10Astral Initiative:
Physical: 5 Matrix AR: 11 +1d6
Autopicker [+6] (Only for picking a mechanical lock)
Chameleon Suit [+2] (Only for Sneaking, Must be visible)
Smart Articulation [+1] (Only for test involving endurance, Must be tightened)
Smart Articulation [+2] (Only for Escape Artist and Grapple, Must be loosened)
Mental: 6 Matrix Cold: 5 + DP +3d6
Audio Enhancement [+3] (Only with audio Perception)
Spatial Recognizer [+2] (Only with Perception to find the source of a sound)
Social: 7 Matrix Hot: 5 + DP +4d6
Audio Analyzer [+1] (For musical performances)
Astral: 7

== Active Skills ==
Con Base: 2 + Karma: 0 = 2 Pool: 9
Disguise Base: 0 + Karma: 1 = 1 Pool: 6
Escape Artist Base: 2 + Karma: 0 = 2 Pool: 11
Etiquette (High Society) Base: 1 + Karma: 1 = 2 Pool: 9 (11)
Exotic Ranged Weapon (Grapple Gun) Base: 0 + Karma: 1 = 1 Pool: 10
Forgery Base: 0 + Karma: 1 = 1 Pool: 5
Free-Fall Base: 0 + Karma: 1 = 1 Pool: 4
Gymnastics (Dance) Base: 6 + Karma: 0 = 6 Pool: 15 (17)
Hardware Base: 0 + Karma: 1 = 1 Pool: 5
Impersonation Base: 2 + Karma: 0 = 2 Pool: 12
Locksmith Base: 6 + Karma: 0 = 6 Pool: 15
Negotiation Base: 0 + Karma: 1 = 1 Pool: 8
Palming Base: 0 + Karma: 1 = 1 Pool: 10
Perception Base: 4 + Karma: 0 = 4 Pool: 9
Performance Base: 2 + Karma: 0 = 2 Pool: 9
Pistols Base: 0 + Karma: 1 = 1 Pool: 10
Sneaking (Urban) Base: 6 + Karma: 0 = 6 Pool: 17 (19)
Throwing Weapons Base: 0 + Karma: 1 = 1 Pool: 10

== Knowledge Skills ==
English Native
Sperethiel Base: 3 + Karma: 0 = 3 Pool: 8
Architecture (Modern) Base: 1 + Karma: 0 = 1 Pool: 5 (7)
Art Base: 3 + Karma: 0 = 3 Pool: 7
Classical Music Base: 2 + Karma: 0 = 2 Pool: 7
Connoisseur (Fine Arts) Base: 3 + Karma: 0 = 3 Pool: 8 (10)
Fashion (Tres Chic) Base: 2 + Karma: 0 = 2 Pool: 7 (9)
Forensics Base: 3 + Karma: 0 = 3 Pool: 7
Megacorporations Base: 1 + Karma: 0 = 1 Pool: 6
Security Design Base: 3 + Karma: 0 = 3 Pool: 8
Tir Nobility Base: 3 + Karma: 0 = 3 Pool: 7

== Qualities ==
Agile Defender
Allergy (Uncommon, Mild) (Polyester)
Catlike
Friends in High Places
Low-Light Vision
Prejudiced (Common, Biased) (The Poor)
SINner (Corporate Limited) (Horizon)

== Lifestyle ==
Nice Condo (High) 1 Months

== Cyberware/Bioware ==
CyberearsRating 3
+ Sound Link
+ Balance Augmenter
+ Spatial Recognizer
+ Increased Hearing Spectrum
+ Audio Analyzer
+ Audio EnhancementRating 3
+ Damper
Datajack
Internal Air TankRating 1
Muscle ReplacementRating 2
Reaction EnhancersRating 1
SkilljackRating 3
Smart Articulation
Voice ModulatorRating 3

== Armor ==
Chameleon Suit 9
+ Chemical Protection 3
+ Thermal Damping 6
Vashon Island: Ace of Clubs 7
+ Chemical Protection 3
+ Thermal Damping 3
+ Holster

== Weapons ==
Grapple Gun
Pool: 10 Accuracy: 3 DV: 7S AP: -2 RC: 2
Grenade: Flash-Pak
Pool: 10 Accuracy: 5 DV: Special AP: - RC: 2
Grenade: Gas
Pool: 10 Accuracy: 5 DV: Chemical (10m Radius)AP: - RC: 2
Grenade: Gas
Pool: 10 Accuracy: 5 DV: Chemical (10m Radius)AP: - RC: 2
Parashield Dart Pistol
+ Gecko Grip
+ Laser Sight
Pool: 10 Accuracy: 6 DV: 0 AP: - RC: 2
Unarmed Attack
Pool: 8 Accuracy: 5 DV: 3S AP: - RC: 2

== Commlink ==
Transys Avalon (ATT: 0, SLZ: 0, DP: 6, FWL: 6)
+ Encryption
+ Signal Scrub

== Gear: Equipped ==
Ammo: Injection Darts (Exotic Ranged Weapons) x10
+ Narcoject
Certified Credstick, Gold
Certified Credstick, Silver x2
Contacts Rating 2
+ Image Link
+ Thermographic Vision
Datachip x10
Fake SIN (Tir Tairngire: Jenny Smith) Rating 4
+ Fake License (Restricted Cyberware License) Rating 4
Grapple Gun
Grenade: Flash-Pak x2
Grenade: Gas x2
+ CS/Tear Gas
Grenade: Gas x2
+ Nausea Gas
Knowsoft (Forensics) Rating 3
Knowsoft (Tir Nobility) Rating 3
Linguasoft (French) Rating 3
Linguasoft (Japanese) Rating 3
Linguasoft (Sperethiel) Rating 3
Microwire (100m)
Rapelling Gloves
Restraint, Plastic x10
Sensor Tags x10
+ Camera Rating 2
Sensor Tags x10
+ Omni-directional Microphone Rating 2
Sensor Tags x20
+ Motion Sensor Rating 2
Stealth Rope (100m)
+ Catalyst Stick
Stealth Tags x10
Tool Kit (Hardware)
Tool Kit (Locksmith)
+ Autopicker Rating 6
+ Cellular Glove Molder Rating 4
+ Chisel
+ Keycard Copier Rating 6
+ Lockpick Set
+ Sequencer Rating 4
+ Miniwelder [Miniwelder Fuel Canister]

== Vehicles ==
Dodge Xenon
+ GridLink Override
+ Spoof Chips
+ Sensor ArrayRating 2

== Contacts ==
Bvlgari Cyberware CFO (Corporate Manager), Rome (Connection: 10, Loyalty: 4)
Generic Fixer Contact (Fixer), Campaign City (Connection: 4, Loyalty: 1)
Johnny Cocharin IV, Esq (Shark Lawyer), Campaign City (Connection: 3, Loyalty: 1)
Lady La La (Simsense Star), Los Angeles (Connection: 8, Loyalty: 6)
Shady Art Dealer (Fence), Campaign City (Connection: 5, Loyalty: 2)
Trendy Club Owner (Club Owner), Campaign City (Connection: 3, Loyalty: 2)
« Last Edit: <02-21-18/1133:18> by Stainless Steel Devil Rat »
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.

Marcus

  • *
  • Prime Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 2802
  • Success always demands a greater effort.
« Reply #19 on: <02-21-18/1347:41> »
What no Smartlink?
*Play-by-Post color guide*
Thinking
com
speaking

Stainless Steel Devil Rat

  • *
  • Errata Coordinator
  • Prime Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 4572
« Reply #20 on: <02-21-18/1440:33> »
What no Smartlink?

There wasn't one to begin with because it didn't feel like it fit with the background.

One didn't get added halfway thru because it doesn't help with the primary offense: chucking grenades.

Still don't have one because there's a connection rating 10 contact for cyberware upgrades now.  Why buy an alphaware smartlink now when I'll be able to get a deltaware version in the short future after leaving chargen? :D


still, with resources B I should be able to swing a simple smartlink.  I want to avoid gunfights, but I have to agree having a smartlink IS hard to beat for those times you have to fight.  It's certainly a wiser investment of =Y= than any single skillsoft, which is what I'd probably cut to acquire it.  Skillsofts can be bought anytime for no time investment.. even a cheap smartlink bought after chargen costs time as well as =Y=...

Edit:  Just had an epiphany.  A grapple gun is a ranged weapon.  No reason it couldn't be smartgun'd, right?  Hmm, maybe that'd be reason enough for metagame and in-game reasons to get a smartlink...  I wouldn't have even considered that had you not asked about it :)
« Last Edit: <02-21-18/1448:35> by Stainless Steel Devil Rat »
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.

ShadowcatX

  • *
  • Omae
  • ***
  • Posts: 573
« Reply #21 on: <02-21-18/1909:26> »
Carrying a gun and enjoying being alive is enough of a reason to get a smart link in my eyes. I mean if your life depended on your accuracy with a firearm, even occasionally, wouldn't you want every advantage?

Tarislar

  • *
  • Ace Runner
  • ****
  • Posts: 1820
  • Uzi's + Fireballs .... Why I love Shadowrun!
« Reply #22 on: <02-24-18/1146:42> »
SSDR,  I had to try this concept at Skills-A because while I'm normally against Skills-A, this concept is one of the few where using it can REALLY shine.
Look at your dice pools now.

== Priorities ==
Metatype: D,1
Attributes: A,4    B
Special: E,0
Skills: C,2    A
Resources: B,3    C

== Attributes ==
BOD: 3 CHA: 7  5
AGI: 7 (9) INT: 5
REA: 5  4 (6) LOG: 4  3
STR: 1 (3) WIL: 3
EDG: 1 (3 w/ Karma)




== Active Skills ==
Con Base: 2 + Karma: 0 = 2 Pool: 9
Disguise Base: 0 + Karma: 1 = 1 Pool: 6
Escape Artist Base: 2 + Karma: 0 = 2 Pool: 11
Etiquette (High Society) Base: 1 + Karma: 1 = 2 Pool: 9 (11)
Exotic Ranged Weapon (Grapple Gun) Base: 0 + Karma: 1 = 1 Pool: 10
Forgery Base: 0 + Karma: 1 = 1 Pool: 5
Free-Fall Base: 0 + Karma: 1 = 1 Pool: 4
Gymnastics (Dance) Base: 6 + Karma: 0 = 6 Pool: 15 (17)
Hardware Base: 0 + Karma: 1 = 1 Pool: 5
Impersonation Base: 2 + Karma: 0 = 2 Pool: 12
Locksmith Base: 6 + Karma: 0 = 6 Pool: 15
Negotiation Base: 0 + Karma: 1 = 1 Pool: 8
Palming Base: 0 + Karma: 1 = 1 Pool: 10
Perception Base: 4 + Karma: 0 = 4 Pool: 9
Performance Base: 2 + Karma: 0 = 2 Pool: 9
Pistols Base: 0 + Karma: 1 = 1 Pool: 10
Sneaking (Urban) Base: 6 + Karma: 0 = 6 Pool: 17 (19)
Throwing Weapons Base: 0 + Karma: 1 = 1 Pool: 10

OR

Stealth-6G   (Sneak-17,  Disguise-11, Palming-15)
Influence-4G   (Etiquette-9, Negotiation-9, Leadership-9)
Con-6S    (Seduction-13)
Gymnastics-6S  (Parkor-17)   (Its like Climbing, Leaping, & Rolling all in 1...with terrain/environment restrictions I suppose)
Locksmith-6S   (Maglocks-17)
Pistols-6S   (Semi-Autos-17)
Escape Artist-6  (15)
Grapple Gun-6   (15)
Perception-6   (11)


This is a triple threat able to infiltrate both physically & socially & still able to participate if the lead starts flying.

I also had to drop the Throwing Grenades concept,  because, well, stealth infiltration & BOOM do not play well together.   Better Suppressed Pistols w/ Tasers.


== Qualities ==
Agile Defender  3
Catlike  7
Friends in High Places  8
Jack of All Trades  2
Trust Fund (Medium)  5
Negatives = 25


I stuck in Jack & Trust fund to allow you to pick up cheap skills w/ Karma later & have a fixed Medium lifestyle w/o the monthly upkeep cost.


== Cyberware/Bioware ==  Went used based on a good suggestion from ZB above, its cheaper for lower resources & allows you to upgrade later & still not loose essence.
Muscle Replacement-2U  (37.5K)
Reaction Enhancers-2U  (19.5K)
Skilljack-3U  (45K)
Datajack-A  (2K)

Dropped the rest of that stuff as most of it can be duplicated with some earbuds for far less $$



== Contacts ==  Had to tweak from lower CHA
Bvlgari Cyberware CFO (Corporate Manager), Rome (Connection: 9, Loyalty: 1)
Lady La La (Simsense Star), Los Angeles (Connection: 8, Loyalty: 2)
Generic Fixer Contact (Fixer), Campaign City (Connection: 5, Loyalty: 1)
Trendy Club Bouncer/Bartender, Campaign City (Connection: 1, Loyalty: 1)   (Gets you in, minor info, but not the owner)
Assistant DA, Campaign City  (Con-4, Loy-3)    (Never underestimate the power of a good friend who can make police charges disappear)
« Last Edit: <02-24-18/1151:55> by Tarislar »

Stainless Steel Devil Rat

  • *
  • Errata Coordinator
  • Prime Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 4572
« Reply #23 on: <02-24-18/1211:40> »
This is a triple threat able to infiltrate both physically & socially & still able to participate if the lead starts flying.

I usually am not a fan of Skills A either since skills are the easiest/cheapest thing to advance after chargen, so why not pick something that's harder/more expensive to advance for priority A?

But your demonstration is compelling, to be sure.  It's a choice between do I want to focus on building the cyber or the skills after I begin playing?  Using Friends in High Places to pick a contact for cyberware acquisition only serves to make delaying the cyberware even more viable. 

It's a tough choice.

Quote
I stuck in Jack & Trust fund to allow you to pick up cheap skills w/ Karma later & have a fixed Medium lifestyle w/o the monthly upkeep cost.

I don't think I said at any point in the thread, but this is going to be a SRM character.  So alas, no Trust Fund is possible.  Oh how I wish it were otherwise; I absolutely would have already grabbed it!  Paying for high lifestyle in SRM is just silly to the point of stupid when lifestyle appears to have no impact on your character other than how much you spend on upkeep per month :(

I'm expecting to probably have to go down to the still sub-optimal Medium lifestyle after beginning play as is.  To make it even worse, I'm looking at the Skillsoft network subsricption because I'm just being adamant about having skilljacks.  So why shouldn't I have infinite skillsofts for a "modest" monthly fee?  Since I want skillsofts mainly for maintaining appearances whilst infiltrating, I'm thinking the basic membership granting rating 1s would suffice.  Also looking at tweaking a stat to get another point of LOG from somewhere to make professional knowledge skills get another die to help make up for not using rating 3s. 

Fun find: Pressure plates (a concern for infiltrators) penalize you for your BOD stat.  Having 2 BOD is actually superior to a 3 in this corner case... maybe I should cut there :D
« Last Edit: <02-24-18/1233:45> by Stainless Steel Devil Rat »
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.

Stainless Steel Devil Rat

  • *
  • Errata Coordinator
  • Prime Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 4572
« Reply #24 on: <02-25-18/1648:30> »
Tarislar you made it really hard for me to make up my mind :D

I ultimately compared the two strategies and compared how long it'd take the more cyber version to earn the karma to match the skills, and for the higher skill version to earn the =Y= to match resources of the cyber.

It'd take 96 karma for the first case, and 310,000 =Y= for the second.

In SRM the assumption is 6-8 karma and 10,000-12,000 =Y= per successful mission.

That works out to about 14 sessions for the cyber build to gain the karma to match the skill build (10 sessions if consistently working for the People-possibly not feasible though due to lifesyle demands)
Compared to about 28 sessions to amass the nuyen for the Skills A build to match the resources of the cyber build.  Working for the Man consistently can shave that time almost in half, nearly matching the same timeframe.  But unlike karma, nuyen doesn't just sit and amass.  You lose chunks of it every month due to lifestyle, and working consistently for the man means half as many Shadowruns per month, which ends up being a wash BEFORE paying for lifestyle each month.

From an optimization standpoint.. I'm thinking paying up front for cyberware is the much more efficient build than paying for skills up front.
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.

ZeldaBravo

  • *
  • Ace Runner
  • ****
  • Posts: 1067
« Reply #25 on: <02-25-18/1812:38> »
There's a flaw in your calculations. You assume that builds in this topic are different routes leading to the same endgame goal, while they are, infact, different characters. Tarislar's build has seven skills with dicepools of 15+, it doesn't need the exact same cyberware set your original character has. You can actually focus on "inefficient" fluff nuyen and karma purchases because you're already great at what you're supposed to do. You don't have to wait 6-8 sessions until your build comes online, and you don't have to specialize further.
You can just spend all your income on plastic surgeons and SPA, and get a PhD in Marine Biology or something.
*I have problems with clarifying my point in English, so sometimes I might sound stupid or rude.*

Marcus

  • *
  • Prime Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 2802
  • Success always demands a greater effort.
« Reply #26 on: <02-26-18/0058:46> »
Optimization is great and it can help refine a concept, to where you want it to be. Optimization is terrible, it can destroy what it is you love about the concept in the search for a couple more crappy d6s. Everyone's line in the sand is different, just be sure not to cross yours.
« Last Edit: <02-26-18/0150:13> by Marcus »
*Play-by-Post color guide*
Thinking
com
speaking

JoeNapalm

  • *
  • Ace Runner
  • ****
  • Posts: 1309
  • Ifriti Sophist
« Reply #27 on: <02-26-18/1033:33> »
Optimization is great and it can help refine a concept, to where you want it to be. Optimization is terrible, it can destroy what it is you love about the concept in the search for a couple more crappy d6s. Everyone's line in the sand is different, just be sure not to cross yours.

A-frakkin-men.

This ruleset, more than any other, has a siren's call for me to build what is "optimal"...

...but I've always had fun playing the characters that clearly aren't.


-Jn-
Ifriti Sophist

Tarislar

  • *
  • Ace Runner
  • ****
  • Posts: 1820
  • Uzi's + Fireballs .... Why I love Shadowrun!
« Reply #28 on: <02-26-18/2037:33> »
My idea of non optimized is the fact that any optimization you do pretty much leaves you lacking in other areas.

So you end up with 6+Spec in 4 skills & then totally lacking in the other 10 skills you want and you are stuck doing Ability-1 defaults till you can by a Level-1+ in those other skills.

Having 3 in everything is another way to be sub optimal & it gives you better dice pools in your off skills but then leaves you a bit short in your primary.

So there is no win-win in chargen at this point.

Not that everything should be OP but just that it seems you are down right short in multiple areas these days.

Stainless Steel Devil Rat

  • *
  • Errata Coordinator
  • Prime Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 4572
« Reply #29 on: <02-26-18/2055:38> »
After much deliberation I think I'm going with the cyber option and riding a handful of max dice pools in the primary infiltration arena (Stealth, Gymnastics, Locksmith) and splitting the 2 skill group points as one each in Influence and Acting as well as having low stacks in assorted complimentary skills.  It's not logical/optimal but I do have to admit that something that helped influence the decision is that the Resources C has a hell of a time fitting a car in.  And if I'm gonna be teasing the other runners about how poor they are, it really won't do to have to beg a lift from them.

Resources vs Skills aside: I noticed I completely overlooked one really critical thing:  I didn't buy a jammer to give some cover vs cameras & other (wireless) sensors!  Heh, easy fix though as those are comparatively cheap.
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.