While there aren't necessarily native packages pre-built and ready to pull down with the installers, you don't need to be a 'software packager' to install .NET Core and I don't know what the problem is with 'add[ing] a separate PPA'

Instructions for Debian[1], Fedora[2], Centos[3] and Ubuntu[4]. These all seem like pretty simple copy+paste instructions.

[1] https://www.microsoft.com/net/core#linuxdebian [2] https://www.microsoft.com/net/core#linuxfedora [3] https://www.microsoft.com/net/core#linuxcentos [4] https://www.microsoft.com/net/core#linuxubuntu