[Chugga]

My group and I are going to be running Shadowrun for the first time ever this coming Wednesday, and I was hoping to find some help creating a character. We're a small group, with only 3 players (+GM) currently, and the other two are going to be playing a gun focused, cybered up type character and one that has only been described to me as a "Ganga". I'd really like to play either a Hacker or a Technomancer, I'm leaning quite heavily towards a Technomancer at the moment, as I really like the look of the flexibility of them and the flavor seems extremely cool.

However, I'm not really sure how to create a useful Technomancer, and I'm not sure how I should focus it. As far as I can tell there are two main routes, either doing things directly or focusing more on sprites, but I'm not sure which option would be of the most use in this particular situation.

Also how possible is it to have a couple of drones available in case the character does somehow wind up in combat and needs some protection? I imagine she will be physically going on missions with the other two and will probably need to be able to defend herself, however I would prefer that she doesn't have weapon skills herself, both for roleplaying and BP purposes.

Any recommendations and help people can give would be much appreciated.

[Loki]

Disclaimer: I've not built a TM and may therefore be a big pile of stupid.

It's my understanding that it's tough to impossible to get complex forms that perform as well as an out of the box hackers programs. So having decent sprites to supplement your threading can help save on fading damage. Registering them at decent rating is rough but starting with a couple different ones owing you is a nice boost for a few BP (and no fading) while you hoard karma to upgrade complex forms. Use their tasks wisely.

[Dakka]

Loki is correct.  Start with 5 Resonance and a number of registered sprites = your charisma pre-registered at rating 5 that each owe you services equal to your compiling skill.  It does cost some BPs but it's worth it to be able to start the game with the ability to glue a sprite to a complex form using Assist Operation. 

It is INCORRECT to assume the Technomancer can't start with CFs equal to the programs of a hacker out of the box.  Hackers are limited by Response at creation which can't exceed 4 without Restricted Gear, so while they may HAVE the R6 programs they run at R4 unless they purchase Optimization options.  Technomancers commonly will have Attack, Exploit, and Stealth 5 out the gate, and can use threading plus Assist Operation to crack a node with Exploit 8 and Stealth 10 for 400 BPs.

[Glyph]

Actually, Response can't exceed 5 without restricted gear.  Even the archetypes in the book have upgraded commlinks.

I would probably recommend a hacker over a technomancer, for a beginning player (unless you really have your heart set on it).  Technomancers have extra rules specifically for them, and are more cost-intensive.  A hacker has more room to be good at one or two other things, or at least be more well-rounded in general survival skills such as shooting, dodging, perception, etc.