| Essential Skills Regardless of what sort of character you are, Stealth is the most important skill you can possibly have. Stealth is, after perception, probably the single most common test on a shadowrun, regardless of character type. All successful shadowrunners should have at least 4 points in this skill in chargen, with a possible specialisation in Sneaking. Another set of skills often overlooked is Electronics and its B/R cousin. Take heed! At least one person on the run MUST have both of these skills at a level of 4 or above. These are the two skills used for maglock breaking, and are absolutely essential to the happy ending of a shadowrun. Without these skills, the team will hit a brick wall, literally, at the first locked door they encounter. And maglocks are generally linked to the central security, so its either make it or break it with locked doors in Shadowrun. Biotech, with its First Aid specialisation, is also a skill often relegated to the last priority ont eh list for most shadowrunners, but it is essential someone on the team have first aid, or some sort of heal spell. Preferrably first aid, because any heavily cybered people (who are the people who will often be eating the bullets in te first place) are very hard to heal with magic, even harder if there is a background count. On the flipside, it is easier to heal mundanes than awakened characters with biotech. If someone takes a D wound on a run, you dont have time to get them to a doctor, you need first aid. Dont forget the kit, either! A ranged combat skill - Even if its throwing or projectile weapons, a ranged combat skill is important for every character. Its really not all that often that combat will take place right enxt to the enemy, unless you've successfully snuck up on them. Mages cant always rely on spells (and their spell pool) so a proficiency in some sort of ranged weapon is a must for shadowrunners. A piloting skill - You need to get to the place you're breaking into, and most of the time you'll need to leave it, quickly. Its a real downer when the person you caught a ride with dies, or turns out to not have a driving skill at all, which is fine until they break the local speed limit. Car, bike, rotorcraft - it doesnt matter, just make sure someone knows how to handle some sort of vehicle. Etiquette - this skill isnt vitally important if you have a reliable, dedicated face ont eh team, but its still a handy skill. Contacts are pretty useless if you've got no eitquette skill, and you cant get items off them. You're a social buffoon, to, the J wont like you, you wont fit into groups, you'll be a real nigel. If you have some spare points at the end of CG, definately consider throwing them into this skill. Contacts There are a number of highly useful contacts, but of the following list of contacts, you should probably have at least one of. Fixer - This is how you get work. The fixer is the generic contact, and an argument can be made for getting everything and anything else through the fixer. Legwork, jobs, gear, services - all available through your fixer, but for inflated costs. Decker - The number 1 best contact for legwork, and if you're really short, they double as an intrusionist you can hire to hack in and do matrix overwatch. Some deckers can be pretty expensive, but in the nanotech age there is no better source of information on nearly any subject. The Deckmeister is also a source of techno gear. Smuggler - Not so important in the original Seattle Setting, but in Treaty City (thats Denver) these guys become highly important, due to all the stinking borders around the city. There's no better guarantee on getting something done than having an NPC do it for you as legwork (usually) and that Smuggler contact can also double as a half-hearted fixer (and vice versa). Essential Items Above and beyond weapons and character specific tools, these specific items should be defiantely considered. Smartlink - This is a must have for any firearm-centred character. Hell, every character should have this item, really, its one of the few modifiers to the range test that actually helps you, rather than hinders you. Communications - You really really really should have a communication device somewhere, of some type. Subvocal mics are a godsend - you can communicate with everyone else without making a noise. You dont have to wave and yell for peoples attention. You dont need to waste so many actions trying to get your message across in a timestop. Definately get a radio in chargen. As a side note, quite a few players look down a bit on other runners who do not feel a radio is important enough to buy. And they're cheaper in chargen, too. Electronics kit - Cant break a lock using your Electrionics skills without at least a kit to go with it. Well, you can, but the TN penalty hurts. Medkit - This is the same for biotech - no kit, big TN, people keep bleeding. Trauma/Stim patches - Oft forgotten, but still effective. The trauma patch is one of those last resort things, its the only safety net short of HoG. Silencer - Everyone who uses pistols should have at least 1 silenced pistol. Silencers are not that expensive, and for a semi automatic pistol there's no reason against having them, and a very good reason for having them. And there you have it. Arguments can be made that other things should be added to this document (and most likely will come the near future) but thats an overview on what you should probably look to get your new shadowrun character, to give them a good start in the world. Oh. One last tip. Put all your change into lifestyle. |