NEWS

Technomancer feedback for a new book!

  • 542 Replies
  • 181982 Views

Finstersang

  • *
  • Omae
  • ***
  • Posts: 751
« Reply #525 on: <02-07-18/1220:28> »
Just a passing thought: What if diagnostics got moved/toned down and machine sprites could act like drone pilots again (like from 4th)?

Either that or an additonal "Pilot/Drone Sprite" with that specific power.
Machine Sprites would still be quite usefull for repairs and other forms of out-of-combat tech handling.

If the separate Dronomancer Stream comes back, they could use a different loadout of Sprites to underline the difference to standard TMs.

Example Dronomancer Sprite cadre:
  • Machine: For repairs and Modifikations
  • "Drone" Sprite: Buffing of autonomous Drones
  • Paladin Sprite: Protecting the Drones
  • +2 Additional Sprites, likely less about Hacking/Cybercombat and more about utility stuff. Maybe a another new Sprite that helps hiding gear?
« Last Edit: <02-08-18/1012:20> by Finstersang »

HP15BS

  • *
  • Chummer
  • **
  • Posts: 123
« Reply #526 on: <02-08-18/1802:01> »
We'd all like for technos to not be completely useless outside of the matrix (the special disadvantage to technos incurred by the soft ban on 'ware has already been lamented at length).  The main way to mitigate their natural incompatibility with action in the physical world is of course to add some drones (a very costly prospect, depending on how far you want to take it).

Skillsoft emulation would be a great addition, but there's still another avenue staring us right in the face: bioelectromagnetic fields.

Resonant Bioelectricity
   Science has long known that organic bodies operate upon electric signals transmitted through their nervous systems, and even generate their own electromagnetic fields.  Some rather enlightened technomancers realized the parallels to eastern conceptions of Qi, and proceeded to allow the knowledge from one to inform the other, thus developing a new means of applying their technomancy.
   A technomancer with this echo has learned a means of manipulating Resonance to affect a little more than just the radio waves that the Matrix works on.  This echo allows you to sense bioelectric fields of metahuman size or larger within 30 meters while focusing exclusively on that sense, and to learn complex forms which manipulate those fields in order to directly affect other organisms' minds and bodies.  You learn one such form as part of gaining this echo.  At least two ranks of some medical knowledge, as well as the medicine active skill, are required before gaining this echo.


RTMS
Target:  Biological
Duration:  S
Fade Value:  L-2
   Near the turn of the century, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was discovered to affect patterns of neural activity, leading to changes in mood.  That knowledge has been blended with the eastern wisdom of Qi, spiritual / mental energy, to create this complex form.  With it, a technomancer is able to use Resonance to manipulate a person's bioelectromagnetic field enough to alter his mood in various ways.  Choose a mood / emotion and thread a complex form vs the target's Willpower + Charisma.  The target defends with a -2 penalty if he has an implanted datajack or similar; -1 if he is wearing active trodes instead.  Your net hits are applied as a modifier to all tests (both skill and resistance) as appropriate to the mood you chose (excitement will make a target more agreeable to the terms of your negotiation, while anxiety will make him a less commanding leader and more susceptible to intimidation, etc).
   If you sustain this complex form for at least a minute, then the modifier will slowly fade after you drop it, being reduced by 1 each subsequent minute as the target's mood slowly returns to normal.  If the target has no direct connection to the Matrix, then you must be within 30 meters and have line of sight in order to use and sustain this ability.


Bioconductive Resonance
Target:  Biological
Duration:  S
Fade Value:  L-1
   This complex form uses resonance to manipulate the target's bioelectric field, making it fluctuate so erratically that it causes random discharges along the target's motor nerves.  The end result is a target that's rather... twitchy.  Thread a complex form vs the target's Body + Willpower.  The target defends with a -2 penalty if he has an implanted datajack or similar, -1 if instead wearing active trodes, and an additional -2 if the target has skillwires (whether active or not).  Each net hit applies a -1 penalty to the target's defense, physical, and social active skill tests; for every 2 net hits, further decrease the thresholds for glitches and critical glitches by 1 each.
   If the target has no direct connection to the Matrix, then you must be within 30 meters and have line of sight in order to use and sustain this ability.


Resonant Meridians
   A technomancer with this echo has learned to stimulate the transmission of bioelectric energy along certain pathways throughout the body, much as Qigong masters are said to do.  This technique allows you to stimulate natural healing processes in any body you touch (including your own).  To do so, make a Resonance + Medicine [Mental], 1 Combat Turn extended test; the subject may add your hits to his next healing test.  Each full point of essence loss incurs a -1 penalty to this test.  As the practice clears all the proper bioelectric pathways, it also makes you more naturally resilient against fading, providing a bonus equal to 1/2 of your submersion grade, rounded up, to resist fading.
   This echo is not compatible with the symbiotes bioware.  You must already have the Resonant Bioelectricity echo prior to gaining this echo.

. . .
So what do we think?  Is (bio)electromagnetic manipulation a reasonable extension of mental radio-wave powers?  Are penalties to defense from datajacks, etc balanced and reasonable, fluff-wise?  Would you ever even bother with these, or is 13+ karma too much just to get the 1st such complex form and gain access to the other stuff?  What other stuff could we add?  Maybe a cf to increase Body or physical limit? 
Should we even bother adding stuff, or is this actually a rabbit hole we'd be better off avoiding?
« Last Edit: <02-09-18/1255:28> by HP15BS »
To Deckers the Foundation really is a crazy place from Alice in Wonderland. How does that stuff just happen? How do they work when everything about them defies logic?
Then a Techno comes, high 5's Caterpillar, takes a swig of Mad Hatter's tea, & wanders away chatting up White Rabbit.
- Marcus Gideon

Pericles

  • *
  • Newb
  • *
  • Posts: 44
« Reply #527 on: <02-08-18/2214:50> »
How about a complex form that lets you and your sprites share marks? Maybe one mark per net hit...  I really like the idea of one of us doing Hack on The Fly while the other does something else..and then when we get our marks on a target we go to town on him.

&amp;#24525;

  • *
  • Guest
« Reply #528 on: <02-09-18/1147:45> »
How about a complex form that lets you and your sprites share marks? Maybe one mark per net hit...  I really like the idea of one of us doing Hack on The Fly while the other does something else..and then when we get our marks on a target we go to town on him.
Share Mark

Although I'd make it a Sprite power or action.

dragrubis

  • *
  • Newb
  • *
  • Posts: 99
« Reply #529 on: <02-09-18/1400:32> »
Is it really needed? Sprite use the same GOD tracking, they may use the sames marks too?

HP15BS

  • *
  • Chummer
  • **
  • Posts: 123
« Reply #530 on: <02-09-18/1445:35> »
Is it really needed? Sprite use the same GOD tracking, they may use the sames marks too?
Sprites have their own Overwatch scores; they don't add to yours. 

Likewise, there is no raw way to share marks.  I expect cgl would claim it's imba to let technos and sprites do it.  (Unless maybe it's a fairly costly exercise)
To Deckers the Foundation really is a crazy place from Alice in Wonderland. How does that stuff just happen? How do they work when everything about them defies logic?
Then a Techno comes, high 5's Caterpillar, takes a swig of Mad Hatter's tea, & wanders away chatting up White Rabbit.
- Marcus Gideon

Finstersang

  • *
  • Omae
  • ***
  • Posts: 751
« Reply #531 on: <03-05-18/0942:33> »
Is it really needed? Sprite use the same GOD tracking, they may use the sames marks too?
Sprites have their own Overwatch scores; they don't add to yours. 

Likewise, there is no raw way to share marks.  I expect cgl would claim it's imba to let technos and sprites do it.  (Unless maybe it's a fairly costly exercise)

IMO, usable rules and options for Matrix teamwork and sharing of Marks are already desperately needed regardless of the Technomancer/Sprite interaction. There need be ways for Hackers to acquire Marks for other Parties, or at least comprehensive rules for Matrix teamwork to help others with it. The existing teamwork rules are insufficient for Matrix actions, because itīs unclear who reaps the benefit (i.e. finds the target, gets the Mark etc.), who gets the OS and who takes the fall if an illegal action fails. Comprehensive Rules on this would benefit all Hacker archetypes and also enhance the general group interaction (as I said in another thread: The biggest problem with the general Matrix contant is not that Hacker archetypes have nothing to in the game, itīs the fact that they can hardly integrate the rest of the group while they do "their thing.")

TMs would only profit a bit more than the rest because the can always compile their own little helpers.
« Last Edit: <03-05-18/0944:25> by Finstersang »

Lorebane24

  • *
  • Omae
  • ***
  • Posts: 461
« Reply #532 on: <04-05-18/1344:43> »
It would call for a more extensive rewrte, but I think the root of techno's biggest problems come back to the facct that their living persona is tied to their mental attributes.  I think they initially did thos figuring that if technos didnt. Need decks, they needed another important resource to make up for it.  Except they already jave that in the form of magic/resonance.  Amd they still need several of those attributes just for hacking skills.  Tying them to their LP tho means they REALLY need them.  They need charisma, but are so resource hungry they have little room to makke use of it.  Additionally, it seems very tough to make a viable technomancer that isnt human.  Ultimately, this is a problen that absolutely kills their build diversity.

I think if they gave them a pool of points to build their owm LP, it would make them a lot easier to work with.  They still need logic, intuition, and willpower to hack, but they no longer need to stay as on top of them as they advance, doing so when theyy want to boost the actual attribute and not just their LP.  I feel like this would make building them more intuitive, requirig fewer min/maxing shenanigans, and open the archtype to a little versatility.

I think they also need a way to run a couple of programs and create a direct lik before submerging, but they should be restrictive.  Maybe theyy get 1 program "emulator" that cant be changed for each 3 points of resonance?  This, with the above, would help them out while retainig their mechannical identity of "a hacker who doesnt swap out stats and programs, but gets a few other cool tricks.
The power of the Tri-Horse!

dragrubis

  • *
  • Newb
  • *
  • Posts: 99
« Reply #533 on: <04-06-18/0402:31> »
Hey that's a very good ID a pool of characteristics/points based on the resonnance score sounds good!

Pericles

  • *
  • Newb
  • *
  • Posts: 44
« Reply #534 on: <04-06-18/0929:50> »
Quote
It would call for a more extensive rewrte, but I think the root of techno's biggest problems come back to the facct that their living persona is tied to their mental attributes.  I think they initially did thos figuring that if technos didnt. Need decks, they needed another important resource to make up for it.  Except they already jave that in the form of magic/resonance.  Amd they still need several of those attributes just for hacking skills.  Tying them to their LP tho means they REALLY need them.  They need charisma, but are so resource hungry they have little room to makke use of it.  Additionally, it seems very tough to make a viable technomancer that isnt human.  Ultimately, this is a problen that absolutely kills their build diversity.

I think if they gave them a pool of points to build their owm LP, it would make them a lot easier to work with.  They still need logic, intuition, and willpower to hack, but they no longer need to stay as on top of them as they advance, doing so when theyy want to boost the actual attribute and not just their LP.  I feel like this would make building them more intuitive, requirig fewer min/maxing shenanigans, and open the archtype to a little versatility.

I could not agree more!  The first character I made was a Technomancer, so I was still learning the rules when I made him. Afterwards I felt really dumb that I hadn't given myself good INT and CHA, because my Sleaze and Attack were crippled.  But really, I didn't have the points to do it anyway. Their living persona tied to their attributes creates a major MAD problem with them. 

Quote
I think they also need a way to run a couple of programs and create a direct lik before submerging, but they should be restrictive.  Maybe theyy get 1 program "emulator" that cant be changed for each 3 points of resonance?  This, with the above, would help them out while retainig their mechannical identity of "a hacker who doesnt swap out stats and programs, but gets a few other cool tricks.

I also agree with this. I ended up getting the Resonance Riding echo and a deck, so that I could keep up. The lack of ability to directly connect really makes hacking into hosts difficult.
« Last Edit: <04-06-18/1352:38> by Pericles »

Lorebane24

  • *
  • Omae
  • ***
  • Posts: 461
« Reply #535 on: <04-06-18/1239:15> »
The house rule I have been using is that all technomancers have a "basic skinlink" power that lets them forge a direct connection through their fingertips, but only in VR, preventing shenanigans like "I casually hrush my hand against this thing and place a mark on it" until they've submerged.
The power of the Tri-Horse!

dragrubis

  • *
  • Newb
  • *
  • Posts: 99
« Reply #536 on: <04-07-18/0444:51> »
Personaly i let the trodes be used to make direct connections if needed...

manchuwook

  • *
  • Newb
  • *
  • Posts: 20
  • DO EET!
« Reply #537 on: <04-07-18/1303:28> »
The house rule I have been using is that all technomancers have a "basic skinlink" power that lets them forge a direct connection through their fingertips, but only in VR, preventing shenanigans like "I casually hrush my hand against this thing and place a mark on it" until they've submerged.

Is that because it makes getting a mark have no risk? If that is the case, I would argue that there were a bunch of other risks to get to the point of physically touching it: Palming if they are trying to not alert the commlink holder, doing an entire infiltration run to get to the protected device (terminal, server room, etc.), risking being seen by a camera, popping the hood of the car to get to the onboard computer, and so forth.  If it is in a situation where you could easily do it with a Hardware skill check with no risk, you should just as easily get a mark with Skin Link.

EDIT: Even moreso, Technomancers have a horrible rap in-game, risking the appearance of being an active Technomancer can draw the crosshairs of NeoNET or Anti-TM groups.
« Last Edit: <04-07-18/1433:39> by manchuwook »

Lorebane24

  • *
  • Omae
  • ***
  • Posts: 461
« Reply #538 on: <04-07-18/1346:03> »
I initially thought about just giving them all skinlink for free, but then started discussing different interpretations for the power.

Ultimately, the big problem was that with skinlink, it could be argued that a techno can walk past someone and casually brush their forearm or something against a device in a fairly non-suspicious way, and suddenly become the uncontested kings of making a quick, stealthy direct connection.  I actually like that idea, but I feel like it's potent enough to warrant submersion.

So I figure with tje lesser skinlink variant, VR only means that they start out being able to form direct connections with roughly the same risk as a decker having to get up in there with a datajack.
The power of the Tri-Horse!

manchuwook

  • *
  • Newb
  • *
  • Posts: 20
  • DO EET!
« Reply #539 on: <04-07-18/1944:48> »
I initially thought about just giving them all skinlink for free, but then started discussing different interpretations of the power.

Ultimately, the big problem was that with skinlink, it could be argued that a techno can walk past someone and casually brush their forearm or something against a device in a fairly non-suspicious way, and suddenly become the uncontested kings of making a quick, stealthy direct connection.  I actually like that idea, but I feel like it's potent enough to warrant submersion.

The question is if a decker with headware, internal routing, and skinlink do the same thing?  If they can, then why force the player to spend 30,000Ĩ+ (eq. 15+ karma) and sacrifice an echo to do it? It doesn't seem to be an apples to oranges comparison for me.

So I figure with the lesser skinlink variant, VR only means that they start out being able to form direct connections with roughly the same risk as a decker having to get up in there with a datajack.

Yeah, but a decker might spend a few weeks in jail.  A TM might not have that kind of luxury.  That's why Shadowrun puts so much social pressure on being a Technomancer - it's a balance mechanic most GMs don't take advantage of.