[SR4] Street Samuraizing

[CatharzGodfoot]

EYES, yes, and it worked at least under SR3.
But NOT EARS.

If you can put a datajack in your eye, you can put it in your ear. The visual is awesome (and not just because you can still see).

[UmaroVI]

Neither, however, is permitted in SR4. Eyes accept only eyeware, ears accept only earware, any other type of ware goes in cyberlimbs.

[Stahlseele]

Ah, so they changed that too in SR4 i guess . .

[Aryxbez]

Iaijutsu is the same, but cheaper (only 2 bp, requires you have a martial art) but not as good since it's a 3 threshold, not 2.

The other thing you need is to not use shitty thrown weapons. Missile Mastery lets you murder people with paperclips which is obviously pro. Boomerangs have really REALLY long range. Combat Axes do a lot of damage (but have shitty range). Molotov Cocktails (especially with called shots) are good for cutting through hardened-armor targets [vehicles, drones, and spirits]. Nets are good for stalling people. Everything else is basically shit.

Do note that this character is designed with Shadowrun Missions in mind; you can do a lot better if less of the optional rules that make adepts suck less are banned.

However, you can easily pump your attack way higher than anyone can get defense, because of the nature of where the bonuses are. Also, Wide Bursts from automatic weapons will chug through your dodge pool really fast. So if you are going up against opponents with light ware and good automatic weapons - and especially against people who are smart enough to use wolfpack tactics - dodging is a bad idea and the only way to win is to kill them first.

Why not just use Iajitsu then, save up on PP, apparently cheaper, as you can just "Buy Hits" of easily up to 4 with your 16 dice pool for throwing, on those quick draw tests. Also on a random note, recalled that Bowling Balls did like (str/2)+3, which is innocent enough object you can carry in a bag without too much fuss I'd imagine.

Also, what optional rules would those be (like Frank's unrelated houserules lowering adept power costs?), and if were in effect, what improvements would be made?

I agree that dodging doesn't seem the most likely, unless like Frank said, you have your Dodging Dice Pool up really high, then more or less going to get hit. With enough specialty you'd even have a chance at dodging bullets from a Minigun. Also disgaree that one can skip on armor, find it a good policy to keep that good and high at all times, Full Body Suit + PPP + whatever main armor + Chameleon Coating, goes long way.

Oh and thanks for the Throwing Adept post UmaroVI, it looks like it'd make for a pretty fun character (big fan of improvised weapons, part why I like games such as Dead Rising). Found your analyzing of that Street Sam rather insightful as well, learning the inner machinations to creating an awesome street Sam. As I'm seeking to recreate my Ork Boxer Street Sam, maybe use a cyberarm or two if it'd also be efficient idea.

[UmaroVI]

Buying hits in SR is kind of like taking 10 in D&D: you can only do it when not stressed (or if you have a huge pool and the GM agrees you are unlikely to fail).

It is totally true that - past a certain point - Iaijutsu is just as good as Quickdraw, because the difference between a 3 threshold and a 2 threshold is slim. But it's not as early as you'd think. With 16 dice, it's the difference between a 1% and 6% failure rate; whether that's worth the price depends on what else you could buy.

The main optional rules (by optional I mean official optional, not houserules optional) are using Way of the Adept AKA Adept Powers: The Discounting, and Martial Arts.

If you are interested in seeing more character builds: http://forums.shadowrun4.com/index.php?topic=4495.0

[Silent Wayfarer]

Ogre gets you -20% lifestyle and Distinctive Style over ork. Some GM's interpret Distinctive Style as fuck you forever you will die immediately and every corporation and government knows where you live and is coming for you the second you do anything, so check with your GM about that one.

Point taken; I'll ask my MC about it.

Willpower is actually fairly important because it gives you stun boxes, and you are more likely to go down from stun damage than physical damage. It's worth having odd willpower because this rounds up. Strength is largely irrelevant except for particular specialists. -1 Strength +1 Willpower is my recommendation.

I'd agree too, but the 4 Strength +2 Muscle Augmentation is kind of what I was aiming for to get the -1 RC mod from Strength. I suppose I could scoop a point out of CHA and slap it into WIL, though.

Pilot Groundcraft. You can default to 8 dice. 10 dice versus 8 dice on a task that isn't your job doesn't really matter.
Data Search: You don't even have Browse. You can buy a commlink with an agent that can Google Search for you for less than 4 bp of resources.
Throwing Weapons: Throwing grenades in SR is a retard move because of the time they take to detonate. Airburst Link or don't bother. Throwing Weapons are for specific adept builds only.

I wasn't aware that Throwing Weapons were that shit, but then you reminded me of the detonate time. I can axe all of these, they're not important to the concept, they just seemed like "basic life skills" that everyone should have.

Since the smallest weapons you have are Machine Pistols, I really recommend more Palming so you can shove them up your ass more effectively. Ass guns are usually important in SR.

Good point. I actually did a revision on my own, I'll do another one incorporating this advice.

I'm not a big fan of going that hardcore for dodging and I think you'd be better served with a better Automatics skill. Passive defenses are generally better than Active defenses, and killing people before they can shoot you is generally better than trying to dodge them and hoping they don't have one of the many ways of hitting you anyways.

I guess whoring out Initiative is the way to go, then. I have some thoughts about this below.

I'm not a big fan of Milspec Armor for a few reasons.
1) It is really fucking obvious and illegal. You can't walk around looking like an assault squad 24-7, you should expect to have to wear more subtle armor quite often.

Yeah, I have a Lined Coat + PPP armor for situations where I don't want to look like someone out of Halo.

2) It's not actually very good except for very particular characters - namely, people with low-range Body and Strength, like 2-4. This is because it doesn't stack with other shit.

I have a little complex about this because I'm a fan of Exalted's magitech power armor which gives you the functionality of about half a dozen little items in one package, and milspec armor comes with a free R4 commlink and shittons of bells and whistles.

3) It's expensive.

Holy fuck yes. I strongly suspect dropping it entirely would let me afford MBW2 and FFBA to make up the difference. Plus, it doesn't make sense that a guy who is not currently special forces would have SOTA milspec armor rather than guns.

I'd give some serious thought to making that RG into RG: Move-by-wire, and getting non-alphaware MBW 2. That does the same thing as WR2/RE2 combined, for 3 essence, and you get free skillsofts. It costs 85k, but is quite good. And it gives you magic epilepsy powers because SR is retarded.

I'm giving it some thought myself. And a free Skillwires 4 is... really fucking handy.

How easy is it for a hacker to hack me some sweet skilsofts?

Cybereyes aren't worth it. You can't actually get Ultrasound in your cybereyes because it is not eyeware; it has Capacity so it can go in your cyberarm and shit. You can also get all this stuff on goggles instead. And it doesn't cut into your immortal soul. And is cheaper.

True enough, and I have this paranoia about being eyehacked like Batou in the second GITS movie. I wasn't aware about the ultrasound, though. I kind of like the idea of that or a radar sensor. Still, I'll look into it.

I'm mainly a fan of cybereyes because targeting / enhanced imaging overlays and they can't be taken away from you.

Again, not worth it. You can't put a Datajack into cyberears. If you really really want a Balance Augmenter I guess you can have that but IMO it isn't worth the cost to your holistic well-being; just get earbuds.

I'm operating on the dodge-whoring frame of mind so yeah, I do think BA is important.

Fundamentally, the reason I like cybersense is because they can't be taken away, forgotten, knocked off, etc. though they can be hacked and possibly jammed. I'm not sure how often either of the latter will pop up, though.

Orthoskin is way the fuck too expensive for what it does. If you want to be tougher, get a Cyber Lower Leg or two and slap Armor 2 in it. You can throw other shit in it too; particularly good things include Foot Anchors for more recoil compensation (and a totally legal lethal weapon, albeit one you have to default on because it is Exotic Melee Weapon).

Is this a Shock Hand? I'm not sure what "Electroshock" is.

The Electroshock augment requires orthoskin, and it basically makes every single part of your body into a stun baton (6S(e) -half Impact armor). You can shake hands and shock people, shock them while grappling you, etc. It just seemed too useful to pass up - it's a quiet nonlethal and nonobvious weapon that can never be taken away or run out of power. Apart from that, orthoskin really is shit and I would not have taken it if it were not a prerequisite.

As you are Ambidextrous, the cutoff for this being usable properly is 5 RC on the mainhand and 3 on the offhand (fire a Short Burst with your main as a simple, then a Long Burst with your offhand as a second simple). You don't have this, but I think you can get there easily enough.

Strongly considering a cyberhand with a gyromount and all the other fun crap (ultrasound, radar, etc) implanted in it at this point. Also, the intent was two short bursts with each hand, but yeah.

The magic number for Recoil Compensation is 8, and I don't think you're there, but you should be able to make it.

I have -7 from the accessories and -1 from Strengh, total of 8.

The Ares HVBR does this job a lot better, if WAR! is allowed.

I'd agree, though the HVBR doesn't include or allow a grenade launcher, which I like a lot.

Non-Airburst-Linked grenades are worthless. Get an Airburst Link.

Will be there in the next revision.

I would think about the following weapons: Ingram Smartgun X (R sound suppressor, they are normally F), Ares Executive Protector (murder briefcase).

The Ingram also looks pretty cool, but there's concealability factors for ass guns. The Ares Executive Protector also leapt out at me.

Rockets suck. Don't bother.

That bad, huh? Mind telling me why? (my experience with heavy weapons sucks).

Also, I was thinking of the Rocket Briefcase to go with the Murder Briefcase. Just one, for the lulz.

Holy shit, this is way more grenades than most people will use in their entire life, and also a lot of shitty grenades. Frag and HE grenades are very questionable. Thermal Smoke is solid. Smoke is generally just less good Thermal Smoke. Flashbangs are solid.

Chemical grenades are good but those are subpar chemicals. The reason is that they are quite slow (immediate = end of combat turn, 1 combat turn = end of next combat turn, anything longer = after the fight is over anyways). Also, chemical grenades are 4+toxin avail, so you need 8 or less availability toxins to start. So no Neuro-stun anyways.

What you want is Splash Grenades of (nasty chemical)+DMSO. Generally speaking, your best bets are Narcoject+DMSO splash grenades - two of them will KO the majority of people at the end of the combat turn quite reliably. The other one you can get at chargen that's worth using is Pepper Punch gas grenades, which are oddly enough more effective than Tear Gas most of the time. The reason is that anyone who takes more boxes of damage after resistance (7-hits) than they have Willpower is nauseated, which removes them from the rest of the fight (3 turns of doing nothing), and it's very, very cheap. However, end of the next combat turn means you can really only use this in select circumstances.

The other ones worth using that you can't get now are Ringu (which will flatten anyone who isn't outright immune to contact vector and inhalation toxins at the end of the combat turn, but is really REALLY expensive and hard to get) and Gamma-scopalamine+DMSO splash grenades, which are faster than Pepper Punch and have power 8, but target Reaction rather than Willpower.

The other grenade type that's sometimes useful is White Phosphorus because of its ability to punch through armor.

Very good advice here. I just highballed the amount of grenades I thought I'd use - a one-time expense sort of thing.

Grenades should go boom so I picked stuff that went boom. Might not be better than a narrow full burst, though. Smoke is there so I can see through it with thermovision but the enemy can't.

Thanks for the advice on the chemical grenades; I'll revise accordingly.

Holy shit that is a lot of ammo too. I suggest using Ex-explosive instead of regular ammo and redistributing your money. Armor Piercing Flechette and APDS ammo are both very good, but not available at chargen.

I'll do that. I got a lot of ammo because I use weapons with burst and full auto fire modes, so I expect to be burning through bullets quickly.

You aren't using Form-fitting Body Armor. Everyone should be wearing it unless they have something against their internal organs. You can easily hit your maximum encumbrance by stacking FFBA, PPP, and a regular armor item.

Would you believe I only realised they existed after I finished the sheet?

If you do decide to keep ogre, you forgot the discount.

I did, yup.

Also, I was thinking of a SURGE II for Metagenetic Optimization: Reaction, offset by astral hazing (fuck you, mages). Then Genetic Optimization at some point so I can has an augmented cap of 12 for Reactions that I can fill up with Reaction Enhancers.

Finally, I was thinking about dropping the Krav Maga shit entirely since apparently you only get 1 Free Action per round and if that's the case I can't spam Take Aim actions like I hoped. Also wondering if I should drop the John Woo angle and just shoot people with one gun.

[Aryxbez]

Buying hits in SR is kind of like taking 10 in D&D: you can only do it when not stressed (or if you have a huge pool and the GM agrees you are unlikely to fail).

It is totally true that - past a certain point - Iaijutsu is just as good as Quickdraw, because the difference between a 3 threshold and a 2 threshold is slim. But it's not as early as you'd think. With 16 dice, it's the difference between a 1% and 6% failure rate; whether that's worth the price depends on what else you could buy.

The main optional rules (by optional I mean official optional, not houserules optional) are using Way of the Adept AKA Adept Powers: The Discounting, and Martial Arts.

If you are interested in seeing more character builds: http://forums.shadowrun4.com/index.php?topic=4495.0

Pardon my likely poor mathematical comparison, but that sounds like the equivalent of rolling a 1 on a d20. Past the part where it needs "GM permission", first part it mentions is if you're unlikely to fail, and sounds to me the PC in question would qualify for that. Even as it goes to the last bit explaining "if rolling would mean bad consequences for the character" , all that really would do, basically have the PC making one less attack in a round. Which, when needed to be done "every" Init Pass, sounds like that would just be slowing things down with the rolling, and the less attacks being thrown around to take out opponents. Although arguably that certainly would keep foes still standing so more shots could be taken at other characters, including you, but considering this adept could've just chosen to use guns instead, and be just as effective (if not possibly more with automatic weapons) , seems rather spiteful to constantly antagonize them with such a ruling.

Also much obliged on the links, interesting seeing a Troll Bruiser on "cyber-skates" of all things ("Bad Enough Trog" archtype).

[Stahlseele]

Rockets suck because of the fucked up scatter rules.
They scatter a minimum of 2d6 - net hit meters i think . .

[Silent Wayfarer]

Rockets suck because of the fucked up scatter rules.
They scatter a minimum of 2d6 - net hit meters i think . .

Christ, that IS fucked up.

[Stahlseele]

These scatter rules are actually in place for all explosive weapons.
Yes, grenades too. Even though you can throw rocks with an uncanny accuracy to knock out targets, doing the same with a grenade does not work.

[Silent Wayfarer]

I hope that ExEx doesn't make guns count as explosives.

[Fuchs]

We ignore those scatter rules, and let grenades have an impact fuse setting, meaning they can explose on contact.

[Silent Wayfarer]

IMO, scatter rules should only be used if a grenade misses, or if you're doing some sort of indirect attack shit (the way it works in Heavy Gear Blitz). I mean, Vietnam war M-79 gunners could accurately put a grenade on target rom 400m away with nothing more than iron sights. Some of them were even said to be able to aim by smell. Hyperbole, I know, but a skilled grenadier should be very damn effective.

Airburst rounds and smartlinks should go one up and allow you to actually target points in space, so you can do the OICW thing of firing a microgrenade and having it explode directly over the guy taking cover behind a wall and stuff.

[Stahlseele]

@Silent:
No, ExEx and other explosive ammo is an exception.
Only Mortars, Grenades, Missles and Rockets have Scatter.
Well, and Thermonuclear Warheads, Artillery and Thorshots, but there it does not matter quite as much . .

My idea was to reduce scatter to 1D6m minus net hits per distance category, with airburst and everything else working as intended . .

[UmaroVI]

Yeah, it's actually very hard to hit jack shit with a rocket and they lose damage really fast.

This is also why High Explosive and Frag grenades are sketchy. They are inaccurate and lose damage too fast to actually be good at taking out groups of people, unless the people are kind enough to be standing in a box all clumped up. Chem grenades, on the other hand, don't lose damage at all.

Surge for Metagenic Attribute is totally worth it, but again only so long as your GM doesn't consider the Distinctive Style = fuck you forever.

Krav Maga for Take Aim as a Free Action, and then the Iaijutsu manuever, is not a bad idea. That's 7 points, you are effectively getting +1 to hit on one attack/round, and it lets you quickdraw automatics which is actually quite useful. I'd probably stop there on the MA, though.

Dual-wielding guns in the "using two firearms at the same time" way is generally not a hot plan. The better way to go is to use Ambidexterity to fire once with the mainhand as your first simple action and once with the offhand as your second simple action; this effectively lets you double up on recoil compensation. If you can hit the RC without that, then drop Ambidexterity.

I'm not seeing the recoil compensation 7 on these:

2x Machine Pistols: Ares Crusader (1.625k) x2
- External Smartgun (Top Mount) (0.4k)
- Personalized Grip (-1) (0.1k)
- Suppressor (0.3k)
- Concealable Holster (75)
- Skinlink (50)

I count 1 (strength), 1 (personalized grip) and that's it.

Unrelated, but also think about Chameleon Coating for ass guns.

Electroshock is nifty, but think about just how much money and essence you're spending on it. I just don't think it's worth it.

[Stahlseele]

well, the only thing split when using 2 guns is attribute+skill pool.
all modifiers, including specialization and so on, get added afterwards.
so with attribute 4 and skill 4 you are looking at 4 + modifiers dice.
if you can pile on positive mods while negating negative mods you can get pretty hardhitting.

[Silent Wayfarer]

I'm not seeing the recoil compensation 7 on these:

The Crusader has built-in RC2. Personalized Grip is +1 and Strength is +1. Hm, must have misthought. In any case, I got modded Ingram Smartguns. So yeah.

Unrelated, but also think about Chameleon Coating for ass guns.

On all of the "might carry concealed" weapons.

Electroshock is nifty, but think about just how much money and essence you're spending on it. I just don't think it's worth it.

It IS spendy, I agree. Kinda in theme for the character, though (the SURGE was triggered by being struck by lightning and he decided to roll with it.

Anyway.

Metatype: Ork (Ogre Metavariant) (20 BP)

Attributes (160 + 20 BP)
BOD 5/9 (10 BP)
AGI 5(7)/6 (40 BP)
REA 5(9)/6 (30 BP)
STR 4(6)/8 (10 BP)
CHA 1/5
INT 5/6 (40 BP)
LOG 2/6 (10 BP)
WIL 3/6 (20 BP)
INI 10(14)/12
EDG 3/6 (20 BP)

Skills (158 BP)
Gymnastics 6 (Gymnastic Dodge) (26 BP)
Unarmed 4 (Krav Maga) (18 BP)
Automatics 4 (Assault Rifles) (18 BP)
Heavy Weapons 4 (Grenade Launchers) (18 BP)
Perception 4 (Visual) (18 BP)
Infiltration 4 (Urban) (18 BP)
Palming 2 (Hiding Weapons) (10 BP)
Etiquette 1 (Mercenary) (6 BP)
First Aid 1 (EMT) (6 BP)
Climbing 1 (4 BP)
Hardware 1 (4 BP)
Demolitions 1 (4 BP)
Running (4 BP)
Locksmith (4 BP)

Knowledge Skills (21)

Positive Qualities (17)
Ambidextrous (5 BP)
Erased (5 BP)
Martial Arts (Krav Maga x2: Take Aim as a Free Action and Iaijutsu) (7 BP)

Negative Qualities (-35)
Sinner (5 BP)
Permanent Infusion (Sideways) (10 BP)
In Debt (20 BP)

Class II SURGE Qualities (10 BP)
Metagenetic Improvement (Reaction) (20 BP)
Astral Hazing (-10 BP)

Gear (270k) (50 BP)

Ware (165.35k)
Alpha Datajack (0.08E, 1k)
Alpha R2 Cybereyes (0.24E, 1.5k + 6.6k)
- Smartlink (3 Cap, 1k)
- R3 V-Enh (3 Cap, 4.5k)
- Thermovision (2 Cap, 1k)
- Protective Covers (0.1k)
Alpha R2 Cyberears (0.24E, 1.5k + 10.25k)
- R3 A-Enh (3 Cap, 4.5k)
- Damper (1 Cap, 0.75k)
- Balance Augmenter (4 Cap, 5k)
SH R4 Radar Sensor (0.36E, 6k)
SH Alphaware Reaction Enhancers 2 (0.57E, 20k)
SH Alphaware Wired Reflexes 2 (2.88E, 32k)
SH R3 Attention Coprocessors (0.28E, 9k)
[4.44E, 87.85k]

R2 Muscle Augmentation (0.48E, 7k)
R2 Muscle Toner (0.48E, 8k)
SH Enhanced Articulation (0.36E, 20k)
SH R1 Orthoskin (0.3E, 15k)
SH Electroshock Orthoskin Augment(0.3E, 12.5k)
SH R3 Synthacardium (0.36E, 15k)
Sideways Permanent Genetic Infusion (0.4E)
[1.34E, 91.5k]

Weapons (17.55k)

2x Ingram Smartgun X (650 + 2k) [5.3k]
- Chameleon Coating (1k)
- Gecko Grip (100)
- Heavy Barrel (650)
- Personalized Grip (100)
- Skinlink (50)
- Custom Look 1 (100)

Ares Executive Protector (1k + 550) [1.55k]
- Gas Vent 3 (400)
- Personalized Grip (100)
- Skinlink (50)

MGL-6 (1.5k + 2.1k) [3.6k]
- Chameleon Coating (1k)
- Gecko Grip (100)
- Personalized Grip (100)
- Airburst Link (0.5k)
- External Smartlink (400)

Ares Alpha (1.7k + 5.46k) [7.16k]
- Foregrip + Sling (60)
- Chameleon Coating (1k)
- Gas Vent 3 (400)
- Personalized Grip (100)
- High Velocity (3.4k)
- Airburst Link (0.5k)


Ammo (15.7k)
500x Regular Ammo (1k)
500x ExEx (5k)
500x Stick and Shock (4k)
10x Frag Grenades (350)
10x HE Grenades (450)
10x Smoke Grenades (300)
10x WP (1.2k)
20x Flashbang Grenades (600)
20x Thermal Smoke Grenades (700)
20x Narcoject Splash (1.4k)
20x Pepper Punch Gas (500)
1x Flashpak (200)

Armor (11.9k)
Vashon Longcoat (1.3k)
Full Body Form-fitting Body Armor (1.6k)
PPP Full Set (1k)
[12B/10I]

Chameleon Suit (8k)

Electronics (7.7k)
Renraku Sensei (1k)
- Renraku Ichi (600)
Disposable Commlinks x2 (600)
Subvocal Mike (50)
Tag Eraser (150)
R6 White Noise Generator (300)
R4 Area Jammer (2k)
R1 Tacsoft (3k)

Intrusion (2.8k)
R6 Autopicker (1.2k)
Lock Pick Set (0.3k)
R6 Maglock Squencer (1.2k)
Wire Clippers (25)
Glue Sprayer (150)

Survival (2.22k)
Climbing Gear (200)
Gas Mask (200)
Gecko Tape Gloves (250)
Flashlight (25)
IR Flashlight (25)
Microflare Launcher (50)
Microflares x10 (250)
Rappelling Gloves (70)
R6 Respirator (150)
Grapple Gun (500)
Microwire (500m) (250)
Standard Rope (500m) (250)

Biotech (1k)
Biomonitor (300)
R6 Medkit (600)
- 2x Refills (100)

ID and Lifestyle (9.2k)
R4 Fake SIN (4k)
- R4 Fake Ware License (0.4k)
- R4 Fake Gun License (0.4k)
- R4 Fake Bounty Hunter License (0.4k)
1 month Middle lifestyle (4k)

So yeah, I went all out with the assguns this time round. I think the Ingrams have a -0 net Concealability rating while the MGL-6 should have a -4, none of which includes the longcoat bonuses. Machine Pistols could have gotten it lower, but then you'd have the illegal suppressors and such. Then again, maybe that's the point. I think throwing 12 dice at assgun rolls should be enough.

I'm keeping the eyes, ear and electroshock for sentimental reasons, but I amended most of the other gear as advised. No milspec armor, replaced by longcoat + FFBA + PPP and a chameleon suit. Cut down dramatically on the amount of grenades and ammo and took Narcoject splash and Pepper Punch gas grenades. The nonlethal stuff is still in there. Still have a fair bit of cash (approx 35k nuyen) leftover, not sure if I should get a vehicle or something.

[Seerow]

Isn't that 35k just about enough to turn your wired reflexes into a MBW? I'd say do that, then have your hacker get you some pirated skillsofts after the game starts.

[Silent Wayfarer]

Isn't that 35k just about enough to turn your wired reflexes into a MBW? I'd say do that, then have your hacker get you some pirated skillsofts after the game starts.

Seems a tad extravagant, though... Hm. I can always switch Ambidextrous to Restricted Gear.

[UmaroVI]

You can't take Permanent Infusion (Sideways) like that. You take Mysterious Implant (10 bp), and then the GM chooses Mysterious Implant(s) worth 10 bp without telling you.

Hardware, Demolitions, and Locksmith are all bad skill choices. Hardware and Demolitions are both things you just suck at. Do you want the guy with 3 dice to disarm the mine (hint: no)? Locksmith is iffy in general - old-fashioned locks aren't that common - and you can just use an Autopicker. An entire extra die on a rare check that you're good at anyways isn't worth 4 bp. More palming is, though. I'd actually think about Stealth Group 4; you have 28bp spent on stealth group skills already and if you dropped those 3, you could get the whole group which isn't half bad.

Heavy Barrel only adds to RC for full bursts. You have 5 RC without it though, so you can just ditch it.

I still think you want an Ares HVBR, not the Ares Alpha. Even if you really do care about that underbarrel grenade launcher, the HVBR is better because of its inherent RC, better damage, and better range.

Also note your Alpha doesn't quite work: foregrips are incompatible with underbarrel weapons. You wind up with recoil compensation of:
2 (magic) + 3 (gas vents) + 1 (strength) + 1 (personalized grip) + 1 (stock - you don't have one, but should), which is 8. It's not a longarm so you can't get RC out of a sling, and all the other recoil compensation in that exclusion category are incompatible with underbarrel weapons, so you're stuck at 8 without a gyromount.

Take the HVBR, slap on the following mods:

Gas-vent 3 [2 slots]
Underbarrel Weapon [3 slots]
Firing Selection Change FA [1 slot]

That gets you recoil compensation of 3 (magic) + 1 (stock) + 3 (vents) + + 1 (strength) which is 8. That's as good as you have on the Alpha, and you're getting +1 DV and better range for it. If you get a cyberarm gyromount, you'll have 11. IMO, two long bursts at -3 on the second is better than a long burst and a short burst with no penalties almost all the time; +3 DV is worth more than -3 to hit, and you can always wide burst if you're having trouble connecting.

[Username17]

Locksmith is iffy in general - old-fashioned locks aren't that common - and you can just use an Autopicker. An entire extra die on a rare check that you're good at anyways isn't worth 4 bp.

This is an unfair characterization of the skill. Locksmith, like many technical skills, is worth a lot more than one die. Tools like Autopickers and First Aid kits count as a bonus to your die pool if you have the skill, and a flat die pool if you don't. So by having First Aid or Locksmith at 1 you aren't adding one die. You aren't even adding two dice (subtracting the penalty for default and adding 1). You're adding your attribute + 1 + other bonuses.

If you don't have Locksmith, your lockpicking die pool is 6 dice (the rating of the Autopicker, because you are not going to buy an autopicker of lower rating). But if you have even 1 in the Locksmith skill, your dicepool is 14 (Agility 7 + 1 + Autopicker 6). Remember, this sort of language is all over technical skills:

The autopicker’s rating added as a dice pool modifier to the Locksmith + Agility Test to pick the lock (see p. 125), or used in place of Locksmith skill if the character lacks it.

Note that having an Agility of 7, you'd actually be just as good with regular unrated lockpicks and defaulting as you would be with a top of the line autopicker.

-Username17

[Silent Wayfarer]

You can't take Permanent Infusion (Sideways) like that. You take Mysterious Implant (10 bp), and then the GM chooses Mysterious Implant(s) worth 10 bp without telling you.

Right, screw Mysterious Implant, then.

Hardware, Demolitions, and Locksmith are all bad skill choices. Hardware and Demolitions are both things you just suck at. Do you want the guy with 3 dice to disarm the mine (hint: no)? Locksmith is iffy in general - old-fashioned locks aren't that common - and you can just use an Autopicker. An entire extra die on a rare check that you're good at anyways isn't worth 4 bp. More palming is, though. I'd actually think about Stealth Group 4; you have 28bp spent on stealth group skills already and if you dropped those 3, you could get the whole group which isn't half bad.

Demolition's there so I can set booby traps at 8 dice (Agi + Demolitions). Frank's already explained about the other two. 9 dice on Maglock Sequencer checks could be worth it, though from experience dealing with errant locks in the home, I would probably be better off just hacking the lock off or blowing the door up.

Heavy Barrel only adds to RC for full bursts. You have 5 RC without it though, so you can just ditch it.

Well, I was designing with FBs in mine. I'll prolly ditch it for the others, though.

I still think you want an Ares HVBR, not the Ares Alpha. Even if you really do care about that underbarrel grenade launcher, the HVBR is better because of its inherent RC, better damage, and better range.

It is tempting. But the HVBR can't take underbarrel weapons, annoyingly enough.

Also note your Alpha doesn't quite work: foregrips are incompatible with underbarrel weapons. You wind up with recoil compensation of:
2 (magic) + 3 (gas vents) + 1 (strength) + 1 (personalized grip) + 1 (stock - you don't have one, but should), which is 8. It's not a longarm so you can't get RC out of a sling, and all the other recoil compensation in that exclusion category are incompatible with underbarrel weapons, so you're stuck at 8 without a gyromount.

The sling does work with an AR - the part where it only works with a longarm and heavy weapon is with regards to the Concealability thing. The +1 RC is completely separate from it.

Take the HVBR, slap on the following mods:

Gas-vent 3 [2 slots]
Underbarrel Weapon [3 slots]
Firing Selection Change FA [1 slot]

That gets you recoil compensation of 3 (magic) + 1 (stock) + 3 (vents) + + 1 (strength) which is 8. That's as good as you have on the Alpha, and you're getting +1 DV and better range for it. If you get a cyberarm gyromount, you'll have 11. IMO, two long bursts at -3 on the second is better than a long burst and a short burst with no penalties almost all the time; +3 DV is worth more than -3 to hit, and you can always wide burst if you're having trouble connecting.

HVBR can't take accessories on or under the barrel, so Gas Vent doesn't work, neither does the GL. I'll probably take the HVBR anyway as a poor man's sniper rifle, though. The MGL-6 is basically a 6 round grenade pistol, so it could be a good backup.

[UmaroVI]

Accessories aren't mods. The HVBR can totally take "underbarrel" mods, it just can't take Underbarrel accessories or Barrel accessories.

I am pretty sure the 1 RC that the sling grants is part of the "longarms/heavy weapon" only thing. Especially since they then go on to have rules for a Lanyard, which is the version you put on things smaller than longarms. If your GM will let it fly you can put it on either weapon, but I doubt it.

Hardware in no way helps you with Maglock Sequencers. They just make a Maglock Sequencer test that doesn't use your skill at all.

Frank, that's not how skill replacement items work in general. Medkits have the exact same language as Autopickers, and you used them in your example, so I think it is fair to assume they work the exact same way. See SR4A 337 and SR4A 335.

Now check SR4A 254 where they have a more full explanation of how medkits work.

If a trained medtech uses a medkit/autodoc when healing a char-
acter, she receives a dice pool modifier equal to the device’s First Aid or
Medicine autosoft rating. If the character is untrained, she can still make
the test using her own attribute and the device’s rating in place of her
skill.

[Stahlseele]

To be Fixink Tags please!

Also: See if you can get the MGL-6 to Full-Auto. Or at least Burst Fire.
Hilarity ensues.
If BOGOTA! Is allowed, try to get MRSI Software and watch everything vanish into an exploding smoke cloud.

[UmaroVI]

What happens in Bogota, stays in Bogota.