Collin "404" Van Len

[Kuri_kun]

I wanted to do this a week ago but its been a rough week at work so I eventually waited till I had a day off to really sit down and focus. Hopefully Ive done all this right as its been a long time since I made a shadowrun character. Also I wasnt sure how we were doing Real licenses since Collin has a CLSIN so just in case I got a fake SIN and Fake licenses. I can always change the CLSIN to something else

1. How would you respond to an in-character (IC) insult or challenge to your character by another player?
2. How would you respond to another character doing something very stupid that would provoke a response that would endanger the group? (IE: While doing some lowkey recon of a location, a teammate uses a flamethrower on a Stuffer Shack drive-thru or overcooked fries.)
3. How would you handle it when, not if The GM is in error regarding a ruling or procedure according to RAW?
4. How would handle the GM making a judgment call that you disagree with and are impacted by?
5. Would you consider your play style more of a loner or team player?
6. Can you play while respecting the other players? "That's what my character would do." shouldn't be an asshole pass.
7. Shadowruns generally require the group to figure out a plan to accomplish their objectives. Can you work with a group to come to a consensus? Even if your plan is better?

1. The same answer to many of these questions. It depends. 404 knows that runners dont have to like each other to work together but they do have to work together. Most likely he would put their differences aside till the run is done but then there will be a long talk, likely over drinks, to clear the air.

2. Probably hack their weapon so it wont fire. Again it depends, putting the entire group at risk is not what we want. We work in the shadows for a reason. We want the nuyen and the corps want plausible deniability. Everything has its price and if 404 can make it so the price is the idiot just looks stupid then hes willing to pay it

3. So Im a GM of 20+ years myself and Ive played in countless systems and settings. The GMs role is to facilitate a fun atmosphere for everyone to play in and enjoy. There is not a person on the planet that knows every single rule with 100% clarity no matter how long youve been playing a game. It goes back to rule 0 the GM is always right and if a mistake is made the best thing to do is keep that in mind for the future in case the same situation comes up again.

4. Again, nobodys perfect. The GM is here to facilitate a fun environment for everyone. If that means I get the short end of the stick so others have a good time then so be it. Its just a game and it doesnt serve anyone to hold a grudge

5. Oh team player for sure. I almost always play deckers because theyre so team oriented. Yes Matrix stuff takes up lots of time and is essentially solo but all the stuff a decker does is for the group so everyone gets back and gets paid. I like them because theyre so support focused. Plus the matrix is awesome, I cant say that enough. The matrix is awesome!

6. Absolutely. Were all here to have a good time, lets have one together!

7. Sure. Ive always tended to just take a vote when there isnt a general consensus and go with the most popular plan even if I feel mine or someone elses is better. Its a group game, not a solo game. Were all here to have a good time afterall

Name: Collin Van Len

Alias: 404

Metahumanity: Human

Background: Who am I? Well I didnt expect anyone to ask but I suppose I'll humor you. I grew up a Renraku kid back in Europe, Bergen, Norway specifically. Mom and Dad were just simple wageslaves back then working the assembly lines and doing maintenance in a cyberware factory, apparantly they met on the job, hit it off, fell in love, then I came by 9 months later. We lived in a small habitation cell a stones throw away from the factory, had enough to eat, and we got by alright. At the time I thought life was good. I mean it wasnt perfect but it was a life, or so I thought. Maybe I wasnt old enough or didnt know enough to see it but both my folks were dying, not from some disease or anything like that but the monotony of their jobs, the meger pay, the same old same old meal rations the company gave us...it all equated to a life that had no soul to it. I was the only thing that brought a smile to their faces and they both tried to teach me about technology hoping I would do better in the company then them.

My dad once told me I was born with a computer coming out of the womb and he swears I learned to code before I learned to walk. It made sense because I was always a weak kid physically, I probably just got into it because it was easier then playing rugby or whatever, I dont know, I dont follow sports. Anyway, I dont really remember when I started getting into the whole decking thing but I know I was a kid when I built my first com link out of junk parts I fished out of a dumpster. By the time I was twelve I was writing my own software and by the time I was 15 I could break through the software on the family car and take a joyride. It was just kids stuff and I had my run ins with the security chef a few times but he figured boys will be boys and let me go more times then not.

I was 16 when the same chef approached me and offered me a full time job in security as an on site decker. We didnt really have the money for me to get a better education so I took him up on the offer figuring it would at least get me some world experience and maybe I could save up some nuyen for a degree at some fancy school before I moved up in the world. We had our share of break ins from outlaws and gangers and I made their lives a living hell, jamming their com links, making their smart weapons fire at things that werent there, hell one time I ran a bunch of guys over with their own car. It was awesome! I mean I took my licks too, even lost and eye from a stray bullet but luckily Ild saved up enough to get a new chrome one. The chef and our security teams got to calling me 404 and the name sounded kind of cool so I kept it. Problem was I was old enough now that I saw the bars on my cage and I felt the same thing my folks felt, our existence lacked a soul and it was killing me.

I didnt know what to do, I started studying philosophy and religion looking for some answers but I didnt find them in some book. I found them at a seedy little bar in Zurich that I probably never shouldve gone to but I was in town on business so I thought what the hell while I was off duty. I met a girl there, and no this isnt a boy meets girl kinda story, though I admit I did approach her because she was nova hot! She called herself Ultraviolet, we had a few drinks, let loose on the dance floor, painted the town red. Just two kids having fun but she took me up to some of the highest buildings to look out over the town as the sun rose and I stood there and I poured out my soul as she poured me one last drink. She told me there was another way, a way to find that freedom and spice of life that I wanted so badly but it would cost me everything. My family, my friends, my job, my very existence all to find my soul. It was the hardest choice Ive ever made, to leave it all behind and start running the shadows but if given another chance I would make the same choice every time. Im a decker, Im a shadowrunner, and Im never gonna stop living this life to the fullest

So you might ask, why did I come halfway across the world to Denver? Well the jobs were drying up back home, Seattle's a little to rainy for my taste, Ive got an ex in Morocco that I cant stand being in the same city as, and I got family here in town I had never met before. Seemed like the least I could do was pop over for a visit and make some quick nuyen...oh and that little microchip in your vest pocket there. I mean thats why Im here right now with the pistol aimed at yo9ur face. You hand that over, I disappear, and you get to keep sucking air. What do you say Chummer?

Priorities

A: Resources B: Attributes C: Skills D: Meta (Human) E: Magic

Initiative: 8+1d6

Matrux AR Initative: 12+1d6

Matrix VR Initiative (Cold Sim) (Data Processing + Intuition) + 3D6

Matrix VR Initiative (Hot Sim) (Data Processing + Intuition) + 4D6

Inherit Limits

Mental 7

Physical 3

Social 5

Attirbutes

Bod: 4

Agi: 2 (3)

Rea: 1 (2)

Str: 2

Wil: 5

Log: 6

Int: 5

Cha: 3

Edg: 5

Positive Qualities (-14 Karma)

Exceptional Attribute Logic

Negative Qualities (+15 Karma)

Destinctive style: Heterochromia

Weak Immune System

Skills

Automotive Mechanic 2

Automatic(Machine pistol) 3

Con 1

First Aid 1

Forgery 2

Pilot Ground vehicle 2

Perception 3

Running 1

Sneaking 2

Cyber combat 4

Electronic Warfare 4

Hacking (Devices) 6

Computer 3

Hardware (cyberdeck) 2

Software (Databomb) 2

Knowledges

Corporations(Street) 3

Cyberware(Interests) 2

Deckers(Interest) 1

Fences(Street) 2

Fixers(Street) 2

Mr. Johnsons(Street) 2

Matrix security measures(Interest) 3

Matrix hardware(Interest) 3

Matrix software(Interest) 3

Laungages

Nowegian (N)

English 3

Contacts

Aunt Cecilia(Cyberdoc): Collin's true aunt who works in Denver as a cyberdoc and owns a small business on the outskirts of town. Shes famlily but they dont know each other that well yet due to years being apart Connection 2 Loyalty 2

Holly Night(Runner bar bartender/Fixer): First person 404 met when he came to town who seemed to know anything worth anything. She's well connected but the two dont know each other very well yet. Connections 4 Loyalty 1

Karma 9

Resources

Ares Crusader II Accuracy 5 (7) Damage 7P AP - Mode SA / BF RC 2 RC Ammo 40(C) Avail 9R 870y

-Laser sight(Underbarrel) 125

Quick Draw holster 175

Combat Knife Accuracy 6 Damage (STR+2)P Avail 4 300y

Armored clothing AR 6 450y

Synthleather Jacket AR 4 +200y

Spare clip 4 20y

Hermese Ikon Com link Rating 5 3000y

Renraku Tsuguri cyberdeck Device rating 3 Attributes 6 5 5 3 Programs 3 Avail 9R 214,125y

Regular ammo x160 3200

Medkit Rating 6 1500

Flashlight 25

Gasmask 200

Data tap x3 900

Data chip x5 25

Toolkit 500

Silver Credstick (4105 Credits) 20y

Doc Wagon Contract (Basic) 5000

Lifestyle(High) with Hardware shop for 5 months 40000

Fake Sin (Johan Hartmond) Rating 4 10000

Licenses

Ares Crusader 2 Rating 4 2400

Cyberdeck Rating 4 2400

Dermal Plating Rating 3 600

Reaction enhancers Rating 3 600

Program licenses Rating 3 4200

Muscle Toner 3 600

Simrig 3 600

Programs

Mapsoft(Denver) 100

Shopsoft(Electronics) 100

Linquasoft (Japanese) Rating 2 2000

Agent rating 3 3,000

Browse 80

Configurator 80

Edit 80

Encryption 80

Signal Scrub 80

Toolbox 80

Virtual Machine 80

Exploit 250

Guard 250

Lockdown 250

Sneak 250

Track 250

Wrapper 250

Cats Paw

Shell

Smoke and mirrors

Cyberware

Comlink (Hermese Ikon Rating 5) Essence 0.2 +2000y

Cybereyes Rating 3 Essence 0.4 Capacity 12 10000y

-Thermographic vision 1500y

-Vision Magnification 2000y

-Smartlink

-Low Light vision

Simrig Essence 0.2 4000

DataJack Plus Rating 3 Essence 0.15 9500y

Muscle replacement Essence 2 Rarity 10R 50,000y

Reaction enhancer Essence 0.6 Rarity 10R 26,000y

Dermal Plating Essence 1.5 3 9000

Bioware

Muscle Toner Rating 1 Essence 0.2 32000

Platlette factories Essence 0.2 17,000

Vehicles

GMC Bulldog 35,000

Karma Expenditures

Pilot ground vehicle 2 = 6 Karma

3 Specializations = 3 Karma

Automotive Mechanic 2 = 6 Karma

Con 1 = 2 Karma

Normal Cyberdeck settings: Sleaze 6 Data Processing 5 Attack 5 Firewall 3 Programs: Exploit, Stealth, signal scrub

Reconfigure settings: Attack 6 Firewall 5 Data Processing 5 Sleaze 3 Programs:

Edited February 11 by Kuri_kun (see edit history)

[Shadowstarr]

Things that jumped out: I'll be adding stuff as I go.

Attributes: you Still have 4 unspent attributes and you can't have two attributes at their natural max, (6 for humans) So one needs to move to 5.

Qualities: SINer Corp Limited is a Negative quality not a positive one. So that has you Overspent 30/25 in Negative qualities.

Skills: For efficiency, I altered your spending; I took the cracking group to rank 4 then increased hacking to 6 + a specialization. Its better than taking hacking, cyber-combat and electronic warfare individually

Hacking specialization Hacking on the fly): I don't think hacking on the fly is a legit choice; SR5 p.145 calls out Hacking targets as Specializations (Devices, Hosts, Personas etc.), not Matrix Actions. If you want that bonus, take the Codeslinger Quality p.72. Computer skill-related actions can be specialized according to the book but not the Hacking ones, it looks like.

work in progress.

 

[Kuri_kun]

I figured Ild make mistakes, I havnt made a 5e shadowrun character in several years.

Alright so going down the list

1. Added 1 Willpower and raised all his 1 stats to 2. Ill remove the muscle replacement for some other cyberware, not sure what yet

2. I must have read that wrong then. I was wondering how a fake sin and legit sin would interact but nevermind, I dont have to worry about it now. Instead are you ok with Exceptional attribute: Logic?

3. I assume Im missing something here but my math comes out to at Priority C for skills I can only put 2 points into a skill group to raise it to 4 would be (Rating 3 x 5 Karma = 15) + (Rating 4 x 5 = 20) = 35

4. Changed hacking specialization to Devices since its kinda the same thing as I saw it

and yeah work in progress. Like I said I havnt made a shadowrun character in a long time so its getting back to the rules

[Shadowstarr]

Made the changes you outlined. I also cleaned up the fake licenses you have.

Only issue is you still have 25 unspent karma. Please review this character sheet as well as this screenshot. It shows you totals.

Shadowrun has a lot of crunch so don't get discouraged by the creation process.

[Kuri_kun]

Well I think more skills is always a good bet to open up his range in other fields

Forgery 2 = 8 Karma

Running 1 = 2 Karma

Sneaking 2 = 8 Karma

and I guess Ill save the rest unless youve got some suggestions

[Shadowstarr]

I am a fan of a character that can handle their own biz outside of shadowruning as a team. Being able to have a very basic ability to communicate without getting punched or shot. So i'd suggest etiquette 1, maybe navigation 1. Maybe talk with the other players and see where else you could spend the last bit of karma. Best to spend it before we start

[Kuri_kun]

Well by my math I had 7 Karma points left and a new skill is 2 karma each so I guess Ill just grab 3 more 1 dot skills.

So lets go with one dot in ettiquette, navigation, and...I guess Intimidation

[Shadowstarr]

2 hours ago, Kuri_kun said:

Well by my math I had 7 Karma points left and a new skill is 2 karma each so I guess Ill just grab 3 more 1 dot skills.

So lets go with one dot in ettiquette, navigation, and...I guess Intimidation

you got a good bit more than that. without the changes above you got 13 karma and 32500 nuyen to spend. You may want to consult @Miss as she knows a great deal about matrix stuff.

[Miss]

I can certainly offer some suggestions, lesser known options or 'more optimal' choices if you'd like. Lol

[Kuri_kun]

To be honest I feel like this has gotten away from me. I am however open to suggestions

[Miss]

4 hours ago, Kuri_kun said:

To be honest I feel like this has gotten away from me. I am however open to suggestions

Alright, when you think about your character's hacking/decking 'style' or methods- do you see them as more subtle or more brute-force? Or somewhere in the middle, not a brute-force user but also not entirely a subtle manipulator?

Also, when the group gets into combat, a gunfight with security forces, gangers etc- what do you see your character doing most-often? Pulling out their gun and joining the firefight to eliminate the threats as quickly as possible? Diving behind cover and using their hacking skills to try and hinder the enemies ability to kill the group?

[Kuri_kun]

I think more subtle then brute force but probably more in the middle and leaning toward subtlety

As for combat, I see him debilitating smart weapons, robots, communications, turning off alarms, etc

[Miss]

1 hour ago, Kuri_kun said:

I think more subtle then brute force but probably more in the middle and leaning toward subtlety

As for combat, I see him debilitating smart weapons, robots, communications, turning off alarms, etc

Explaination of everything follows- but if you want to skip all the jargon and hows/whys, you can skip to the end. Lol :)

 

Alright, I asked about the hacking style because there are things called "Specialty Cyberdecks" with better stats for cheaper prices- but you can't reconfigure their attributes. As a Cyberdeck is a decker's biggest expense and also their lifeblood, that's where any 'look' at a decker character starts.

Based on what you've said, there is 1 other deck I'd like to put forward as a possibility to spend a bit of the 32,500¥ you have left to provide you with the best chance to play your character the way you envision. This deck is not a Specialty Deck, to be clear, so you will be able to configure it's attributes how you like.

You are currently using a Renraku Tsurugi. It has a Device Rating of 3 and an Attribute Array that you can distribute of 6/5/5/3 and it can run 3 programs. 214,215¥
I'd like to present the Aztechnology Shadow Warrior. It has a device rating of 3, and an Attribute Array of 6/5/4/3 and it can run 3 programs. 225,000¥

However the A.S.W. has a special rule sidebar. "This deck adds +1 Limit for Matrix Sleaze actions, and a +1 to the Sleaze Attribute when the deck is configured to have Sleaze as its highest attribute." So if you intend to use a lot more subtle Sleaze-style actions with your character, for the cost of 11,785¥ nuyen and 1 matrix attribute being 1-point lower (which could obviously be your Attack attribute) you can lean more heavily to sleaze actions- but also having the option to reconfigure your deck so you can still engage in matrix combat just as well as your previous deck did.

Other than what I've listed above- there's no downsides to doing this.

 

Next up is a suggested upgrade to your Datajack. To the "Datajack Plus".
A regular Datajack costs 0.1 Essence and 1,000¥.
A Datajack Plus does all the same things, costs 0.15 Essence and costs Rating(1-3)x3,500¥

The difference however is that the Datajack Plus works in tandem with a Commlink or Cyberdeck to provide access to Additional Programs. Rating-in-Number programs, to be exact. These programs also come free with the Datajack as well. So a Rating 3 Datajack Plus will cost 10,500¥, but since it would replace your existing datajack that would make the cost 9,500¥. Running more programs as a Decker can be an incredibly powerful tool. You already have a pretty decent selection- but some recommendations I could offer for picks for these free programs would be- Shell, Biofeedback Filter, Cat's Paw and Smoke and Mirrors.

Shell is a basic general +1 to resist Matrix and Biofeedback Damage. Always a good choice.
Biofeedback Filter is more specialized to resist Biofeedback Damage of +2. Good choice if you get into combat or need to fend off IC/other deckers.
Smoke and Mirrors effectively lets you exchange your Noise Reduction for increased Sleaze attribute on your devices. So if you're somewhere where you don't need the Noise Reduction you have, you can "give yourself noise" from 1-5. That number becomes a bonus on your Sleaze Attribute(!) and a penalty on anyone trying to Trace you or your devices. It's an incredible program but does require managing it to take full advantage.

And finally, Cat's Paw is the ultimate in debuffing your enemies while ensuring you don't brick or destroy any possible loot. It's an attack program, but it doesn't do damage (meaning it doesn't matter what the Attack Attribute of your deck is!) and instead, if it hits a device, it gives that person a -2 or more Dice Pool penalty on their (related) actions until they reboot their device. Security force shooting at us? A quick Data Spike action (after locating their Silent Running icons of course), no 'Marks' or anything needed, and so long as your successful (ie, get even 1 net success on the Cybercombat+Logic vs Intuition+Firewall test), they receive -2 (plus an addition -1 for every Mark you have on them/device, but having marks isn't necessary) on all relevant actions. If this is a hacker- that's -2 (or more) to every action in the matrix. If it's a security guard's gun, that's -2 or more to shooting. If it's a camera, -2 or more to perception tests etc. And best of all, the program continues working round after round, and if after you hit them with Cat's Paw you later add Marks to them, the debuff increases in severity. The downside to all this great debuffing is that it doesn't actually do Matrix Damage. Meaning when you use it, you'll never knock someone offline or destroy the node or device; just make it overloaded with spam and errors. But since you choose whether to use it or not- not too big of an issue. And since you're not destroying commlinks and cyberdecks and guns etc- the team will get to loot and sell those devices for additional profits.

 

Next up- you're lacking a few things that your character really should have.

Tools for your hardware skill. You have the active skills to repair your deck and devices, but not the tools to do so.
You'll want to have a Tool Kit (500¥) to carry with you so you can make small repairs or modifications "in the field", as well as a Tool Shop (5,000¥) allowing you to make heavier modifications and repairs at home. You could in theory have modified your GMC Bulldog to be a mobile workshop (this costs 5,000¥), which is certainly a cost- but would help you make field repairs or even break down looted electronics, disable onboard tracking etc.
A Tag Eraser (450¥) will allow you to quickly destroy most tracking and sensor Tags in devices that you or the team loots, or to be a menace to whatever building or location the team goes since Tags are used for almost everything in Shadowrun.
Your Cybereyes are fairly empty and missing some fairly 'standard' equipment. A strong recommendation goes to getting Low-Light Vision installed (1,500¥) with an almost-equally strong recommendation for a Smartlink (4,000¥), without it being installed you won't get any of the benefits from the Smartgun system that comes with your Ares Crusader 2.
And finally- your Ares Crusader 2. Currently you only have 40 Ammo for it, which is a single magazine. Now as you plan to not really have your character do a lot of gunfighting you can obviously avoid having a giant armory of ammunition, but as a base recommendation I would always recomend every Non-Combat runner starts the game with 5 reloads for their gun(s), as well as several reloads of Gel Ammo. Gel Ammo turns the lethal Physical Damage of your gun to Stun Damage- which, depending on your character's view on killing people- might be the default ammo you load and instead use that Spare Clip you purchased to have a clip of Regular Ammo ready to go for actual 'life or death' fights. Your Ares Crusader has a clip-size of 40. So adding 160 Regular Ammo (to make you have an even 200, ie, 5 reloads) would cost 320¥ and 200 Gel Rounds will cost 500¥.

 

---

 

In summary, for advice I would suggest replacing your Renraku Tsurugi with the Aztechnology Shadow Warrior. This will cost 11,785¥.
Replace your Datajack with a Rating 3 Datajack Plus with the free programs Cat's Paw, Shell and Smoke & Mirrors. This will net-cost 9,500¥
Purchase a Hardware Tool Kit for 500¥, and a Hardware Shop for your lifestyle for 5,000¥.
Then purchase Low Light Vision and Smartlink for your Cybereyes, for a total of 5,500¥
Total cost is 32,285¥, which leaves you with 215¥.
Spend 1 point of Karma, leaving you with 12, for an additional 2,000¥.
Purchase a Tag Eraser for 450¥
And up your ammo by 160 Regular Rounds and 200 Gel Rounds (making 200 Regular, 200 Gel total) for 820¥
This will leave you with 945¥.
And 12 Karma.

Spend 10 Karma and upgrade your Electronic Warfare to 5.
And 2 Karma to give yourself the Palming skill at 1.

Electronic Warfare is a common skill for deckers, especially Debuffing-Deckers like yourself.
But Palming is a curious skill that few people take- even though it's actually pretty critical. Palming is the skill used to conceal items on your person. This can include tiny things like sneaky hacker devices (like your Data Taps or data chips), or even as big as your Ares Crusader or Cyberdeck. Also critically, the Palming Skill is a skill that Can Not be defaulted on. So even having 1 rating in the skill can make a big difference. You'll still be limited in your dice pool of course, but this at least lets you attempt to "Actively Hide Gear" as opposed to passive concealment. Rules for this are on page 419 in the Core Rulebook.

And that would be about it. I'm sure you could find some small additional things to spend the remaining 945¥ on if you'd like too, but those are the big 'stand out' things I can see. :)

[Shadowstarr]

I intend to start the first scene Thursday at midnight EST, lets try and get this mostly wrapped up, please.

[Kuri_kun]

1. picked up 160 (3200y) rounds of regular ammo and 200 Gel rounds (5000y) plus licenses for both (400y)

2. Upgraded datajack to datajack plus rating 3 (9500y)

3. Added low light vision and Smartlink for cybereyes (5500y) plus a license for smarlink (200y)

4. Added Toolkit 500 and hardware shop for lifestyle 5000

5. added Electronic warfare 5 for 10 Karma and Palming 1 for 2 karma

6. Grabbed a tag eraser 450y plus a license 200y

The part Im not going with is the replacement of the cyberdeck as I value the versatility of the one he has more. Im not sure what to do with that last 10k ish so Ill just get more cyberware

7. Got an internal air tank rating 2 (9000)