Decking needs significantly more granularity!!!!

Edit: All discussion of "runs" here refers to the decker-only Matrix runs. These are the "Hack a Random Target" runs in the matrix, and Decking runs Frosty can send you on.

Right now, there's actually one difficulty of decking run outside of Eric's smash and grab at Organ Grinder's.

There are three maps for runs from Frosty, and those three maps plus I think one other (so, a fourth) available for "hack a random target" runs. The hack a random target maps includes one with a soycafe machine you can hack.

They all have the same difficulty target numbers. The only difference in the runs is whether the pay data is behind the Account Records/Management Files, or behind the CPU defenses.

When the hack a random target data is behind the CPU defenses, the target numbers show as the same but the data is worth significantly less nuyen than an equivalent mission for Frosty. The management and old files are worth even less, each. So, while you need to have the same skill set to hack a random target, you get less payout on fenced data (and there's no karma). EDIT: Random targets are now paying out the same as a Frosty mission. Not sure if this is a bug or intended.

The "hack a random target" locations should be easier to hack than assigned runs from Frosty (and have lower target numbers) to provide a transitional option between Eric's single decking run and Frosty's decking runs. That would help deckers finance their first cyberdeck upgrade, and the costs for two sets of storage upgrades.

That brings me to the next point...there's no parity between deckers and other classes as far as equipment costs.

Deckers, in order to be at all effective at Frosty's decking missions, "need" a Decking of 5. I've tried over 100 test runs at Decking 4 and while you can get through them, it's rather gruelling and the odds are pretty good that you'll run out of resources before you get pay data. To have a reasonable chance of succeeding while probably tripping ICE at least once, it's decking 5 with a Sony cyberdeck and 2's across the board in the Mission Item programs. This is a higher skill/cash sink than for other builds looking to do Frosty's easier missions.

A Renraku deck makes decking easier both because it has higher base stats and because you can then upgrade your Mission Item programs to 3. It costs 22,500Y. The next upgrade for deckers is the Fuchi at 35,000Y. These are just the costs for the decks. They don't take into account deckers also need three types of programs, with multiple upgrades for each type (and a smart decker will upgrade their storage space).

All characters can use cyberware so that's a wash between classes. Consumables are also equivalent between classes. Rent is the same for all builds, as is the benefit of Negotiation.

Combat characters have very little in the way of gear costs. There are +3 and +6 armor breakpoints (+6 clothing costs 7500Y) and the most expensive 5 weapon combat weapon costs 5000Y. They seem to average around 3000Y. The gear at the cheaper vendor is significantly cheaper than that (half or less).

Mages pay 12,500Y for Powerbolt II. That's the equivalent to the cyberdeck slot for Deckers.
Mages do have other spells to buy, but that's equivalent to deckers needing programs.

I'm a little fuzzy on how Chi casters work, but all their spells are cheap (under 1000Y). I think they need weapons also, so spells and weapons combined will be their cash sink.

Shamans have a slightly higher cost in that they're probably expected to buy Talismans. I don't know if they get Power Bolt or not (I've only played a Mage) but their most expensive spell is Haste III for 24000Y (requires Conjuring 4). They have plenty of cheaper spells to enjoy along the way.

I didn't see a drone vendor for riggers, but I haven't tried the rigging skill. So I'm not sure if drones are built or bought.

Eric's missions pay around 400Y each. I didn't count to confirm, but I think you get sent for your first mission for Frosty after around 10 missions for Eric. Frosty pays you 5k, and you could have around 4k from Eric, estimating about 9,000Y by the time you finish Frosty's first mission.

Combat characters can afford to upgrade their weapon and armor, at the one vendor they can use. Mages are within a few runs of Power Bolt II. Shamans too, if they get it, or they can get a solid assortment of shaman spells.

Not only can't deckers upgrade their cyberdecks, they're not even halfway there. Once they upgrade their decks, there's still three types of programs (Mission, Stash, ESP) to buy, and deck storage upgrade costs.

It seems like costs should be brought down so they have enough cash to buy the Renraku deck soon after they finish Frosty's first mission (just like casters and combat characters can buy their first upgrades). I'd drop the cost for the Renraku down to 12,500Y, just like Power Bolt II. Right now all they can afford is Mission Item and Stash programs and maybe one ESP. If they buy those (and they pretty much have to as they start with no programs), that leaves nothing (or close to nothing) for the Renraku,

At 22,500 for the Renraku and 400Y a mission, that's 56 missions before a decker can afford a better cyberdeck, *ignoring all other costs*. No other build in the game has to go through 56 missions just to upgrade their weapon slot to the first available upgrade. Mages are the closest at 31 missions for Power Bolt II, which is almost half as many mission as deckers.

Once a decker has the Renraku, it's just a few missions to max out the storage, and then they can pull in around 5000Y a decking mission with fenced data (with an upgraded Fuchi, about 8000Y a mission). Getting there involves investing 22500 for a deck, about 5000Y in Mission Item programs, probably 10,000Y in Stash programs (which is being cheap), 3-5000Y in ESP programs (ESPs are optional), and whatever the storage costs are for the Renraku. I wouldn't be surprised if a realistic cost to get geared for Frosty's decking missions is 50,000Y. It's an "all or nothing" situation right now.

I think that deckers should have to pay more than other classes, since they have special missions that pay more (including fenced data rates) than Frosty's "other" missions. But, they should have also have reasonable chance of buying the Renraku deck shortly after Frosty sends them on their first mission.

I'd also lower the target numbers in the "Hack a random target" missions to give deckers with Sony cyberdecks missions they can reasonably expect to complete with a Decking skill of 3 and Mission Item programs at 1. This would allow deckers some extra cash to buy the many programs they need, as well as keeping up with all the other expenses on their characters.

Those two changes (dropping the difficulty on the Hack a Random Target missions, and decreasing the cost of the Renraku deck) would allow deckers to progress at a similar rate to other classes, while still allowing for the large cash sinks that would absorb much of their higher profits.