Author Topic: 5e using the Modern rules - Creating a hacker.  (Read 4617 times)

Offline Kasz

  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 574
  • The God-Emperor protects, the Omnissiah provides.
    • View Profile
5e using the Modern rules - Creating a hacker.
« on: November 28, 2016, 08:38:41 AM »
Hi guys, just wondered if anyone had any ideas on this topic, this is what I've developed currently;

The campaign world is modern day, tech is basically what we have now, magic exists but most people don't know about it. (Harry Potter / Last Witch Hunter). We're starting at level 5.

We will be using the modern UA

Background wise he is going to be a Corporate Spy, which is homebrew and as such open to whatever skills are needed to fill out the build.

Options
  • Rogue - Arcane Trickster
  • Warlock - Ghost in the Machine
  • Wizard - Technomancer
  • Mystic - Awakened Mind
  • Bard - Lore
  • Sorcerer - Favored Soul

Now, I'm not really going to consider Bard or Sorc here because they excel at the social side of things, can sort of access the skills and spells, but really don't do what I'm looking for as well as the other options.

The character goal;
Character is being designed as a Support role that deals with the technical side of things, so gaining access to places, information from things and whatnot. Combat is not a primary focus but being able to contribute is nice.
Character should be able to blend into a crowd, talk his way into things, get what he needs and leave.

The goal was the have the character have some of the "social hacking" skills, but to be mostly tech focused.

Arcane Trickster
Very skillful, able to get all the desired skills; Stealth, Thieves' Tools, Hacking Tools, Investigation, Perception, Deception, Sleight of Hand - including some expertise
Sneak attack - could be useful for combat, very thematic of a spy to use the element of surprise and then escape.
cunning action, generally great options to have.
Spells - lacking, mage hand is great but doesn't really get access to the Modern magic spells which could be great. (System Backdoor seems amazing for example).
Int based - tech focused
Dex secondary works well with guns
Trap finding could be very handy for avoiding things like claymores.

Ghost in the Machine
Access to Modern Magic spells
Access to things like the disguise self invocation which would be useful during subterfuge
Possible downside of needing an invocation to pact weapon a gun - seems like a weird requirement for Modern UA. Always the option of an invisible scouting familiar though.
Might lack the same competency of skills compared to the AT - no expertise

Technomancer
Access to Modern Magic spells
Might lack the same competency of skills compared to the AT - no expertise
Doesn't quite feel like it could get the spy job done.

Awakened Mind
Int based, with expertise in hacking - great.
Doesn't access Modern spells.
Great at social hacking, can spend psi points to pick up skills/languages on the fly, really solid spy.

Offline TenaciousJ

  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 600
  • AVENGE WAGON
    • View Profile
Re: 5e using the Modern rules - Creating a hacker.
« Reply #1 on: November 28, 2016, 02:24:42 PM »
Multiclass Arcane Trickster and Technomancer together if you'll play to a sufficient level.  You can start with 4 skill proficiencies and expertise in 2, and go wizard the rest of the way after level 3 of rogue since most of what you want is covered in those first 3 levels.  The combination of skills and innate ritual casting from wizard should go a long way toward what you want to do.
Make Eberron Great Again! #MEGA

Offline awaken_D_M_golem

  • Epic Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 7639
  • classique style , invisible tail
    • View Profile
Re: 5e using the Modern rules - Creating a hacker.
« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2016, 04:34:47 PM »
Knowledge Cleric dip for the tools-o-rama part.
It's also very open ended, how you define what a Tool does + what it can effect.
(the gawds of the matrix give me powers you won't believe)

Find Familiar can be fluffed as a drone of some sort, or a small Autobot.
As can the Wizard spellbook, or Tome'locks tome.
Your codpiece is a mimic.

Offline sambojin

  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 472
  • It's a game. Have fun.
    • View Profile
Re: 5e using the Modern rules - Creating a hacker.
« Reply #3 on: December 06, 2016, 05:37:47 PM »
Depending on how far you're allowed to take it, Wiz Conjuration 2 might be very handy for a hacker. Conjuring up laptops with specific programs on board, tools, anything, might be very handy indeed.

As magic isn't known about, that implies everything is essentially non-magical in that society. There's a heap of very useful stuff to conjure up in modern society. Credit cards, key cards/swipe cards/keys, guns, computer hardware, even an electric motorized foot scooter. It's like you're Batman, because what would be a magical item in medieval fantasy is often completely mundane technology in a modern theatre, thus conjurable for you.

You can do the social side in many ways, but having whatever you need is better in modern than it is in fantasy, because there's soooo many amazing things to have or use. How you'd story it is up to you. Utility belt perhaps?


I know it's not on the list, and it may be borderline broken in that setting, but it's core standard, so might be allowed. You get your modern magics, you get all your tools (even through security), you can magic-talky, and you don't have to go very deep into Wiz if you do want to multiclass. Lacking skills a little, but it's the perfect dip in a modern setting to be able to "do anything".

AT 3/Conj 2 sounds like an amazing start point for that sort of character. Then just keep upping your casting with Conj levels, and get a few little bonuses to boot (teleports are always nice, especially in modern).
« Last Edit: December 06, 2016, 06:27:55 PM by sambojin »