Shadowrun

Shadowrun Play => Character creation and critique => Topic started by: Waju on <08-05-12/2155:19>

Title: First Character - Spirit Shaman
Post by: Waju on <08-05-12/2155:19>

So this character was born out of my memories of the Shadowrun books when my friend asked me to chip in a character for one of his runs.  The character concept is one of dealing with spirits, rogue or incorporated.

The character was drawn up with a CharGen program, so values may not be entirely accurate.

Name: Steven Davaner
Alias: Watcher
Race: Troll
Sex: Male
Age: 17
Nationality: American
Lifestyle: Low
Karma Spent: 0
Physical Description: Troll, in so many ways.  His horns begin in front of his temples, run parallel to his scalp, and then curve back like a ram's
Personality/background It was while undergoing Goblinization that Steven awoke to magic and met his totem.  The process had intence psychological effects for Steven, and coupled with a run in with an earth spirit, have developed into a paranoia that often finds itself justified.  There are spirits in the world that would like him dead, and he has trained to oppose them all.

Game Time Spent:[b/] 0

Attributes

Body	Agility	Reaction	Strength
5	3	3	5
Charisma	Intuition	Logic	Willpower
4	4	4	5
Edge	Magic/Resonance	Essence	Initiative
2	6	7	6

Positive Qualities
15  Magician
  5  Mentor Spirit (The Adversary - SM)
            +2 Manipulation and Banishing.  Problem with authority, Willpower + Charisma (3)
  5  Erased
Negative Qualities
  5  SINner
10  Spirit Bane
10  Paranoia
  5  Reality Impaired
  5  Computer Illiterate

Active Skills

10  Conjuring	1
4  Binding	1
4  Summoning	1
16  Spellcasting	4
4  Counterspelling	1
4  Assensing	1
4  Perception	1
4  Unarmed Combat	1

Knowledge Skills ( 24 free points)

12 Spirits	6
8  Magical Threats	4
4  Parazoology	2
4  Magic Background ( Way of the Shaman)	2
4  Urban Brawl Odds	2
7  Bound Foci

Language Skills

English	N
Japanese	2

Spells
Combat
  Stunbolt
Health
  Heal
  Increase Reflexes
Illusion
  Physical Mask
Manipulation
  Influence
  Mana Static (SM)
  Sound Cloud (War)
  Spirit Barrier (SM)

Gear (149,905¥)

Shock Gloves

200¥

  Personalized Grip
  Customized

Survival Knife	50¥
Form-Fitting Armor	1,600¥
Non-Conductivity	1,200¥
SecureTech PPP System Shin Guards	150¥
SecureTech PPP System Forearm Guards	200¥
SecureTech PPP System Vitals Protector	200¥
Comm: Meta-Link with Vector Xim	300¥
Public Broadcast
Comm: Sony Emperor with Novatech Navi	2,200¥
Hidden, used for runs
FTL Matrixware Net Wizard	480¥
Programs: Analyze 3, Browse 3, Command 1, Edit 2, Purge 3
Certified Credstick (Standard)	25¥
DocWagon Contract (Basic per Year)	5,000¥
Rating 4 Fake SIN	4,000¥
Rating 4 Fake License (Practice Magic)	400¥
Rating 4 Fake License (Carry Foci)	400¥
Rating 4 Power Focus	100,000¥
Rating 3 Sustaining Focus	30,000¥
Rating 3 Magical Lodge Materials	1,500¥

Contacts
House Rule 2xCHA in Contacts

Contact		C/L
Talismonger		3/2
Fixer		2/1

Title: Re: First Character - Spirit Shaman
Post by: rasmusnicolaj on <08-06-12/0201:48>

Drop the Conjuring group. You don’t want Banishing. I would get Summoning 1 (or 4 if you can find the points for it) and Binding 4. Try to get Spellcasting 6 or at least more than 3. Counterspelling 1 and drop the specialization to save 6 BP (it is cheap to buy back with karma).
Ignite isn’t that great a spell. Mana Static on the other hand is great against spirits. An element type attack spell to use against drones and also a area effect attack spell would be great.
You could do a lot better with armor with form fitting body armor and some securetech stuff.
Personalized grip and custom look on the shock glove.
Get a R4 Power Foci with restricted gear instead of the spellcasting foci.
You need some basic progams for your commlink. Just get one of the basic program package deals for starters.

Oh yeah and cudos for playing a troll shaman  :)

Rasmus

Title: Re: First Character - Spirit Shaman
Post by: Glyph on <08-06-12/0206:12>

Sorry to say you can't take magic resistance for an awakened character.  A quality with a slightly similar effect would be the guts quality, which also works on magical fear.

The free knowledge skill points are not free build points to spend on knowledge skills - they are free points in knowledge skills.  In other words, 6 points gets a rating: 6 knowledge skill.  So you have only spent half of your free points.

Title: Re: First Character - Spirit Shaman
Post by: Waju on <08-06-12/0912:28>

Quote from: rasmusnicolaj on <08-06-12/0201:48>

1.)  You don’t want Banishing.
2.) Ignite isn’t that great a spell. Mana Static ... An element type attack spell to use against drones.
3.) Get a R4 Power Foci with restricted gear.
4.) Just get one of the basic program package deals for starters.

1.) But I want a focus of the character to be banishing spirits, unless I missed what you were getting at
2.) Liked Ignite for him because it is a Physical Manipulation spell.  Still thinking about what to replace it with
3.) Only got R2 because of points.  Want to keep the sustaining focus to use primarily with Increased Reflexes, but also with some of the other spells
4.) I've seen these on other players' sheets, but I can't find them.  What book/page are they on?

Quote from: Glyph on <08-06-12/0206:12>

Sorry to say you can't take magic resistance for an awakened character

So you have only spent half of your free [knowledge] points.

Good call on Magic Resistance, switched out with Erased and thinking about how it plays into his paranoia.  So much knowledge to use, hasn't been updated on the sheet yet

Title: Re: First Character - Spirit Shaman
Post by: UmaroVI on <08-06-12/1009:56>

The Banishing skill isn't actually very useful, even if you do want to focus on fighting spirits. If you want to be good against spirits, specializing in Manipulations and having Mana Static is a much better way to go.

Ignite is a real bomb of a spell. If you want a Physical Manipulation you can use for fighting non-spirits: Sound Cloud (the [Element] Cloud spell from WAR!) with the Sound element is a good choice.

I think dropping Banishing should free up the points for the f4 power focus. It really is worth it to start with one, because you can't upgrade foci and they are really karma-intensive to bind. The Sustaining focus is also good and you do want to keep that.

Program package deals are in Unwired. If you want a ready-to-use setup that will handle matrix basics, look at the first link in my sig, and the Paranormal Investigator; you can use that (or use it as a base if you want to add more things).

Title: Re: First Character - Spirit Shaman
Post by: Waju on <08-06-12/1352:54>

Quote from: UmaroVI on <08-06-12/1009:56>

Sound Cloud (the [Element] Cloud spell from WAR!) with the Sound element is a good choice.

Thanks, grabbing the book from a friend later to look it over