Shadowrun

Shadowrun Play => Character creation and critique => Topic started by: ATraveller on <12-03-12/1125:18>

Title: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: ATraveller on <12-03-12/1125:18>
I'm trying to create a viable (overcast) combat mage, but I'm an utter noob, and I keep getting lost in the rules. So, if someone would have a look-through I'd be very grateful!

== Info ==
Street Name: Red Samuels
Name: Frankie Samuels
Movement: 8/20, Swim: 4
Karma: 0
Street Cred: 0
Notoriety: 2
Public Awareness: 0
Dwarf
Composure: 8
Judge Intentions: 6
Lift/Carry: 8 (45 kg/30 kg)
Memory: 12
Nuyen: 0

== Attributes ==
BOD: 5
AGI: 1
REA: 3
STR: 3
CHA: 1
INT: 5
LOG: 5
WIL: 7
EDG: 2
MAG: 5

== Derived Attributes ==
Essence:                   6
Initiative:                8
IP:                        1
Astral Initiative:         10
Astral IP:                 3
Matrix Initiative:         7
Matrix IP:                 2
Physical Damage Track:     11
Stun Damage Track:         12

== Active Skills ==
Assensing                  : 2 [Astral Signatures] Pool: 7 (9)
Counterspelling            : 3 [Manipulation]       Pool: 8 (10)
Spellcasting               : 6 [Combat]             Pool: 13 (15)

== Knowledge Skills ==
None yet.

== Contacts ==
Hippo (1, 1)

== Qualities ==
Addiction (Moderate) (Psyche)
Focused Concentration (Rating 2)
Magician
Sensitive System
SINner (Criminal) (Frankie Samuels)
Thermographic Vision

== Spells ==
(Tradition: Hermetic, Resist Drain with WIL + LOG (14))
Blast (Limited)            DV: (F÷2)+2
Clout (Limited)            DV: (F÷2)
Detox (Limited)            DV: (Toxin DV)-4
Heal                       DV: (Damage Value)-2
Increase Reflexes (Limited) DV: (F÷2)+2
Levitate (Limited)         DV: (F÷2)+1
Mana Barrier (Limited)     DV: (F÷2)+1
Manabolt (Limited)         DV: (F÷2)
Physical Barrier (Limited) DV: (F÷2)+3
Powerbolt (Limited)        DV: (F÷2)+1
Stunbolt (Limited)         DV: (F÷2)-1

== Lifestyles ==
Low  1 months

== Armor ==
Clothing ("Pants'n'such")                   0/0
Helmet                    1/2
Lined Coat ("Ol' Nelly")                 6/4
   +Fire Resistance 4

== Weapons ==
Unarmed Attack
   DV: 2S   AP: -   RC: 0

== Commlink ==
Sony Emperor (2, 2, 2, 3)
   +Simrig
   +Renraku Ichi
   +Biomonitor

== Gear ==
Certified Credstick, Ebony Rating 1
Combat Fetish
Earbuds Rating 3
   +Audio Enhancement Rating 3
Fake SIN (Logan Williams) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Spellcasting Focus (Combat)) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Power Focus) Rating 3
   +Fake License (Combat Fetish) Rating 3
   +Fake License (Sustaining Focus (Manipulation)) Rating 3
   +Fake License (Sustaining Focus (Health)) Rating 3
Goggles Rating 2
   +Flare Compensation
   +Vision Magnification
Healing Fetish
Power Focus (bonded) Rating 2
Psyche x6
Spellcasting Focus (Combat) (bonded) Rating 3
Stimulant Patch Rating 4 x4
Sustaining Focus (Health) (bonded) Rating 3
Sustaining Focus (Manipulation) (bonded) Rating 3
Trauma Patch
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: rasmusnicolaj on <12-03-12/1135:29>
If you want lot of drain resistance a little cyberware like cerebral boosters would help.
you could also choose to be surged with metagenetic improvement.

drop the spellcasting foci as it doesnt stack with your power foci. Get a R4 power foci with restricted gear.

will comment futher when I have gotten something to eat. Been a long day at work and driving in this seasons first snow

Rasmus
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: Csjarrat on <12-03-12/1146:52>
well you certainly have a stack of spells. some of the combat ones and the barrier spells might not be necessary, but i'm sure the magic pro's on this board will give you more in depth on that. there are some good group spells, like mob mind that would be worth looking into.
no summoning?!

otherwise, as the mage, you will be target priority number one for enemies. make sure you make use of your body (5) attribute by taking 10 armour! (you can squeeze even more in if you use full form fitting armour.)
obviously this means you are a lot less dead when people shoot at you.
your kit is underutilized as well, you'll need some programs on that commlink (pro-usersuite would be good), your goggles could do with some extras, how about vision enhancement? image link? low light?
you'll also need some points in perception if you actually want to see/notice anything that isnt blindingly obvious.

put some points into a weapon skill. pistols is good, you can at least use a revolver (ruger super warhawk ftw) or taser in circumstances where magic is limited/not appropriate or you're drained out.
agi 1 is asking for trouble really, there are a huge amount of skills linked to it. dump statting CHA would get me slapped on the wrist by my GM too.
you'll need at least some ability to get by undetected, so some points in infiltration combined with a reasonable attribute and a camo outfit would be most helpful to you.
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: rasmusnicolaj on <12-03-12/1305:17>
For the greatest part I agree with Csjarrat.

For a weapon I think either automatics so you can make suppressive fire or heavy weapons and the use the armstech mgl-6 from arsenal. If you want a weapon skill and not just spellcast your enemies to death.

For combat you need initiative so the more reaction you can squeeze in there the merrier. It is also used to dodge and that is ok. You don’t need strength for much though so you could lower that.

You need more skills. Spellcasting 6 Is fine. Counterspelling 4 to help your self and your team. Also Assensing, Summoning, Binding, Infiltration and Perception are must have skills. For BP efficiency One skill at 6 and then the rest at either 1 or 4 is best and wait with specializations until after you have startet playing.

You would want a power foci R4 as it give you a huge bonus to all magic related rolls. You need restricted gear from runners companion. A sustaining foci for your increase reflexes is also great.
You need fetish for all spell types as you have a lot of limited spells. I would get extra sets as they are fairly cheap and a must have for you to cast almost any spells so if you lose them you are lost. I would consider just have you most draining spell limited as you should be able to cast the others without suffering to much.

And definitely get a form fitting body armor (from arsenal) and other armors supplemented with securetech PPP stuff so you can get 13/11 in armor.

You could get 1 point of cyberware. Cerebral Boosters can give you a boost to your drain and platelet factories is also nice.

Manabolt isn’t great so drop it. The barrier spells are not great drop them. You don’t want clout or blast. Maybe you want Powerbolt maybe not.
For a barrier you want [metal] wall from street magic as it is both solid and you can’t look through it.
There are some good elemental effect spells in street magic. My favorites are Boom, Soundwave and Blizzard. Boom and Blizzard are both effective vs. vehicles and drones and soundwave can hit people you can’t see. You should also get Stunball. I would probably not get more than 5-6 combat spells and then have utility spells for the rest. Physical Mask, Improved invisibility, trid phantasm, mob mind are all good choises.

A mentor spirit is a great way to get a bonus to you dicepools and it is worth more than focused concentration in my opinion.

Rasmus
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: Whiskeyjack on <12-06-12/1346:27>
If you get Cerebral Boosters, a partial cyberarm with cranked Agility for shooting isn't a bad idea when spell slinging isn't possible (background count or some combat situations).
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: Thrass on <12-06-12/1531:10>
You should reallly really think about getting cybered up... and while cybering up can help immense with drain..
There can be different options...

If you have enough dice to cast to accept a -2 mod you can go elf metagenetic improvement charisma (which brings your charisma to 2/8(12)) go for 6 Charisma (seriously don't get 7) then cast a force 6 improve Charisma spell onto yourself and you get up to 6 more Charisma which is up to 6 more drain dice...
You can achieve 12 Charisma with that which is compared to 10 logic with the same metagenetic improvement and a logic booster 3... a possible 2 more dice... if you can hit those 6 net hits

Cyberware is more reliable and dosn't incure the -2 penalty for having an active spell.

If you're going for a logic class you should stick with dwarf...
Or you can of course think about Pixie (runners companion under sapient critters), which alas is not advisable for new players I think.
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: Orvich on <12-06-12/1542:01>
I would not advise taking physical barrier. It can work out alright if you overcast, but overall it makes relatively weak armor/barriers, that will go down very quickly in a real fight. With 15 spellcasting dice (assuming a R4 Power Focus), you're likely to get only 5 hits or so. That's adding 5 armor to whoever is behind the barrier, which is nice, but hardly worth (imo) the 5 DV you're going to be resisting from casting at 5 force. Especially as it works both ways, protecting the enemies against any shots originating on the inside of the wall! Additionally, if your GM counts damage going through the barrier armor as also checking against destroying the barrier, you've got a barrier with 10 armor dice and 5 hit boxes, likely to go down within a single round of combat.

Same kinda goes with mana barrier. If you're worried about spells, you'll want beefier counterspelling. Spirits will whiz right around or straight through your mana barrier, even if fairly overcast. If it's other mages you're worried about, the point at which you have time to raise a mana barrier is probably when you should be overcasting a nice little stunbolt their way, or a nausea spell with a body-based check, to incap them.
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: All4BigGuns on <12-06-12/1551:00>
This more goes into playing the mage after creation, but check to see if your GM is using that ill-conceived optional rule that adds net hits used for damage to the drain of direct spells. If he is, then you might as well always overcast at double your magic. You'll generally suffer less drain for the same damage.
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: JustADude on <12-06-12/2005:53>
This more goes into playing the mage after creation, but check to see if your GM is using that ill-conceived optional rule that adds net hits used for damage to the drain of direct spells. If he is, then you might as well always overcast at double your magic. You'll generally suffer less drain for the same damage.

Double -1. ;) Remember, drain rounds down.
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: ATraveller on <12-07-12/0639:02>
Thank you so much for all your replies - I promise I'll respond to them in more detail during the weekend.

Just a few notes:
All: I probably should have specified that we're only playing with the basic rules :(
All4BigGuns: I assumed we were playing with that rule, but thanks - I'll ask.
Re physical (& mana) barrier: Thanks. It sounded much more useful in the book - I'll definately have to rethink that one! I'd seen it as a way to escape/keep myself safe, but if it just gets shot to pieces ...
Re cyberware: I'll have to look into that!
Re Powerfocus 4: Aren't you limited to 12R items during creation?
Re lowering strength: It's racial :)
Re summoning/binding: There's another mage in the group who can do that. As far as I know I can use assensing to target spirits - does it then still make sense to invest in those?

Right, back to work! :-/
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: Ethan on <12-07-12/0732:22>
If you're just using the main rulebook then you won't have access to the Restricted Gear quality which allows one item with 20 Availability for 5BP.

Also, that means a lot of the metagenic stuff is out of your reach.
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: Thrass on <12-07-12/0830:35>
In other words:
If you have runners compendium check for the positive Quality named "Restricted Gear" which allows you to take 1 item up to Availability 20.
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: Caradoc on <12-07-12/0939:53>
If you're going to overcast, your maximum Force atm is 10. You might consider taking an Area spell like Stunball so that you can blitz a small group of opponents with possibly one shot and have a good chance of soaking drain. If you cyber up, then your max Force will correspondingly drop by 2 for each point or partial point of Essence you expend and the consequent reduction in Magic will affect the number of dice you'll roll for spellcasting.

As previously stated, get as much armour as possible. Body of 5 lets you wear a lot and Soft Weave mod on armour lets you wear more without penalties. Your low Reaction/Initiative means you won't be dodging much and you'll be one of the last to take action in any Initiative Pass.

Another Positive Quality to check is Mentor Spirit for 5 BP. If you take Wise Warrior, it adds +2 to Combat and Detection spells. You'll also suffer -1 on all dice pools if you act dishonourably until you make amends.

If you are going to take Assensing, your first weapon shouldn't be a firearm since you have ranged combat with your spells already. When you Assense, spirits in the Astral Plane can spot you and attack you without having to materialize. You'll need Astral Combat to fight back - especially if you go projecting and travelling around in the Astral Plane. Ranged weapons won't work on the Astral Plane, but spells and Weapon Foci like a blade weapon will.
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: Orvich on <12-07-12/1655:49>
You may want a little astral combat, but really, there isn't any point in using astral combat to fight the majority of spirits... Just use stunbolt at a high force, you'll drop them faster and with less risk (unless there is a LOT of counterspelling going down)
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: ATraveller on <12-14-12/0042:28>
Right, finally got around to fiddling a bit - please keep in mind that I'm restricted to the basic source book (4th ed anniversary ed.). The skills that I've put points in (one way or another) are bold.

Any thoughts? I'm a bit unsure on the whole assensing as a knowsoft ... seems too easy somehow?

== Info ==
Street Name: Red Samuels
Name: Unnamed Character
Movement: 8/20, Swim: 4
Karma: 0
Street Cred: 0
Notoriety: 2
Public Awareness: 0
Dwarf
Composure: 8
Judge Intentions: 4
Lift/Carry: 8 (45 kg/30 kg)
Memory: 12
Nuyen: 0

== Attributes ==
BOD: 5
AGI: 2
REA: 3
STR: 3
CHA: 2
INT: 2
LOG: 6
WIL: 6
EDG: 2
MAG: 5

== Derived Attributes ==
Essence:                   6
Initiative:                5
IP:                        1
Astral Initiative:         4
Astral IP:                 3
Matrix Initiative:         6
Matrix IP:                 2
Physical Damage Track:     11
Stun Damage Track:         11

== Active Skills ==
Animal Handling            : 0                      Pool: 1
Animal Training            : 0                      Pool: 1
Archery                    : 0                      Pool: 1
Armorer                    : 0                      Pool: 5
Artisan                    : 0                      Pool: 1
Assensing                  : 4                      Pool: 6
Automatics                 : 0                      Pool: 3
Blades                     : 0                      Pool: 1
Climbing                   : 0                      Pool: 2
Clubs                      : 0                      Pool: 1
Computer                   : 0                      Pool: 5
Con                        : 0                      Pool: 1
Counterspelling            : 3 [Manipulation]       Pool: 8 (10)
Cybercombat                : 0                      Pool: 5
Data Search                : 0                      Pool: 5
Demolitions                : 0                      Pool: 5
Disguise                   : 0                      Pool: 1
Diving                     : 0                      Pool: 4
Dodge                      : 0                      Pool: 2
Escape Artist              : 0                      Pool: 1
Etiquette                  : 4                      Pool: 6
First Aid                  : 3 [Combat wounds]      Pool: 9 (11)
Flight                     : 0                      Pool: 2
Forgery                    : 0                      Pool: 1
Gunnery                    : 0                      Pool: 1
Gymnastics                 : 0                      Pool: 1
Hacking                    : 0                      Pool: 5
Heavy Weapons              : 0                      Pool: 3
Infiltration               : 0                      Pool: 1
Instruction                : 0                      Pool: 1
Intimidation               : 0                      Pool: 1
Leadership                 : 0                      Pool: 1
Locksmith                  : 0                      Pool: 1
Longarms                   : 0                      Pool: 3
Navigation                 : 0                      Pool: 1
Negotiation                : 0                      Pool: 1
Palming                    : 0                      Pool: 1
Parachuting                : 0                      Pool: 4
Perception                 : 1                      Pool: 3
Pilot Ground Craft         : 0                      Pool: 2
Pilot Watercraft           : 0                      Pool: 2
Pistols                    : 0                      Pool: 3
Riding                     : 0                      Pool: 2
Running                    : 0                      Pool: 2
Shadowing                  : 0                      Pool: 1
Spellcasting               : 6 [Combat]             Pool: 13 (15)
Survival                   : 0                      Pool: 5
Swimming                   : 0                      Pool: 2
Throwing Weapons           : 0                      Pool: 1
Tracking                   : 0                      Pool: 1
Unarmed Combat             : 0                      Pool: 1

== Knowledge Skills ==
Combat Tactics             : 3 [Magic]              Pool: 9 (11)
English                    : N                      Pool: 0
Magic Traditions           : 3 [Mages]              Pool: 9 (11)
Magical Threats            : 5 [Toxic Magic]        Pool: 11 (13)
News                       : 1                      Pool: 3
Russian                    : 5                      Pool: 7
Spirits                    : 4                      Pool: 10

== Contacts ==
Hippo (3, 2)

== Qualities ==
Addiction (Mild) (Psyche)
Allergy (Uncommon, Mild) (Gold)
Focused Concentration (Rating 2)
Magician
Sensitive System
SINner (Criminal) (Frankie (Red) Samuels)
Thermographic Vision

== Spells ==
(Tradition: Hermetic, Resist Drain with WIL + LOG (14))
Detect Enemies, Extended   DV: (F÷2)+3
Detox (Limited)            DV: (Toxin DV)-4
Flamethrower (Limited)     DV: (F÷2)+3
Heal                       DV: (Damage Value)-2
Increase [Attribute] (INT) DV: (F÷2)-2
Increase Reflexes (Limited) DV: (F÷2)+2
Levitate                   DV: (F÷2)+1
Powerball                  DV: (F÷2)+3
Powerbolt                  DV: (F÷2)+1
Stunball (Limited)         DV: (F÷2)+1
Stunbolt (Limited)         DV: (F÷2)-1

== Lifestyles ==
Low  1 months

== Armor ==
Armor Clothing            4/0
Armor Jacket              8/6
   +Thermal Damping 3
Clothing ("Pants'n'such")                   0/0
Helmet                    1/2

== Weapons ==
Unarmed Attack
   DV: 2S   AP: -   RC: 0

== Commlink ==
Hermes Ikon (4, 5, 5, 3)
   +Simrig
   +Sim Module (Cold)
   +Subvocal Microphone
   +Knowsoft (Etiquette) Rating 4
   +Knowsoft (Assensing) Rating 4
   +Biomonitor
   +Custom Commlink OS [Firewall 5, System 5]

== Gear ==
Certified Credstick, Ebony Rating 1
Combat Fetish
Cram x5
Earbuds Rating 3
   +Audio Enhancement Rating 3
   +Spatial Recognizer
Fake SIN (Logan Williams) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Combat Fetish) Rating 3
   +Fake License (Sustaining Focus (Health)) Rating 3
   +Fake License (Power Focus) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Sustaining Focus (Health)) Rating 4
Goggles Rating 4
   +Flare Compensation
   +Vision Magnification
   +Image Link
   +Ultrasound
Healing Fetish
Kamikaze x5
Medkit Rating 6
Novacoke x10
Power Focus (bonded) Rating 2
Psyche x10
Stimulant Patch Rating 4 x5
Sustaining Focus (Health) (bonded) Rating 3
Sustaining Focus (Health) (bonded) Rating 3
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: All4BigGuns on <12-14-12/0105:59>
Increase <Attribute> is chosen for a particular attribute when you learn the spell, so I'd probably  suggest finding some other spell to take that slot unless you wanna use it to buff up one of your drain stats (though you'd take a penalty to casting for a while doing so because of sustaining). Going with a Logic of 5 instead of 6 would save you 25 build points--natural maximum is rarely worth the cost. Though your Willpower is good given your metatype (though I'm not fond of Dwarves myself, but I have an aversion to playing "shorties".

Might be a good idea to drop Etiquette down to a 1 and put those points into making First Aid a 4 and the rest into Perception. With your Counterspelling and Spellcasting specializations, I'd probably drop those, but I have a personal preference for keeping dice pools on those simple (meaning not situational by spell type). This would allow Perception to go the rest of the way to 4.

If you take my advice and reduce Logic to 5 (only losing 1 die off of drain resist, big whoop), you could put those 25 BP into having PIstols (Semi-Automatics) 4(6) for "oh shyte" situations, and get Pilot Groundcraft (Wheeled) 1(3). This would leave 1 point floating which could be used for boosting the Loyalty or Connection on your contact.
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: Caradoc on <12-14-12/0140:57>
In addition to All4BigGun's suggestions, you don't necessarily have to take any specializations yet. It costs you 2 BPs for each specialization and will cost you 2 Karma in-game anyway no matter what level the skill is. Collect those points and boost 1 or more of your skills a bit higher to take advantage of the 4 BPs per skill level at chargen.

You might have changed you mind about what specializations you want by then as well.
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: ATraveller on <12-14-12/0359:06>
Increase <Attribute> is chosen for a particular attribute when you learn the spell, so I'd probably  suggest finding some other spell to take that slot unless you wanna use it to buff up one of your drain stats

My idea was to keep up a sustained int F:3, thereby buffing both init, perception and assension with+1-3, depending on the magical background. I have the focus for it.

As for pistol skill, then I have the money to buy a knowsoft - what's the deal with them btw, they seem way too cheap considering what I get out of them, and no one seems to use them? I'm missing something there.

Quote
"Going with a Logic of 5 instead of 6 would save you 25 build points--natural maximum is rarely worth the cost. Though your Willpower is good given your metatype (though I'm not fond of Dwarves myself, but I have an aversion to playing "shorties"."

I'll have to look into that

Quote
[Might be a good idea to drop Etiquette down to a 1 and put those points into making First Aid a 4 and the rest into Perception.

Those points come from a knowsoft. Wouldn 't that mean dumping what I already have in FA?

Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: UmaroVI on <12-14-12/0903:45>
Skillsoft prices got jacked up in SR4A from SR4. They're now 10k nuyen per rating.
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: All4BigGuns on <12-14-12/1158:38>
Your Intuition is high enough that a Force 3 Sustaining Focus wouldn't be enough for a spell high enough Force to actually increase your Intuition (minimum Force equal to attribute value--Force 5 in this instance).

As to skill softs, you don't have skillwires, so you can't use them, plus they are far to expensive to be worth anything. See Umaro's notation in the post above.
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: Unahim on <12-14-12/1318:35>
Can always get pirated skillsofts though, right?
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: All4BigGuns on <12-14-12/1320:44>
Can always get pirated skillsofts though, right?

Then you still run into the problem of needing skillwires to run them.
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: ATraveller on <12-14-12/1334:32>
Hmmm, as far as I can tell from the book, you just need a "direct neural link (either a sim module or datajack)" (p. 330), and the price for a knowsoft is "rating x 2000" table (p. 331). In other words, I can go from 1 to 6 etiquette dices for 1.6 built points (aka. I wont have to sit in the car every time the group goes in to talk with Mr. Johnson ... :P).

Ah, I see my error now - must learn to read ALL the words, and not assume :(

On a different note, then I'm playing around with your suggestion reg. lowering my logic, but for some reason, I only get 19 pts back, and I can't figure out why. I'm getting a tad frusterated with Chummer, but there's probably something I'm overlooking. Nose, grindstone, here we go ...
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: All4BigGuns on <12-14-12/1342:14>
Hmmm, as far as I can tell from the book, you just need a "direct neural link (either a sim module or datajack)" (p. 330), and the price for a knowsoft is "rating x 2000" table (p. 331). In other words, I can go from 1 to 6 etiquette dices for 1.6 built points (aka. I wont have to sit in the car every time the group goes in to talk with Mr. Johnson ... :P).

On a different note, then I'm playing around with your suggestion reg. lowering my logic, but for some reason, I only get 19 pts back, and I can't figure out why. I'm getting a tad frusterated with Chummer, but there's probably something I'm overlooking. Nose, grindstone, here we go ...

You do realize that a Knowsoft is for Knowledge skills right? It would be Active soft for the stuff you have.

As such:
Quote from: SR4A Page 330
Activesofts: Activesofts replicate skills that require physical activity,
including all Combat, Physical, Social, Technical, and Vehicle
skills (but not Magic or Resonance skills). Recording and programming
physical skills is more difficult, so Activesofts are limited in rating.
Activesofts must be accessed with a skillwire system (p. 342); the rating
of the activesoft is limited by the skillwire system’s rating.

Knowsoft: Knowsofts replicate Knowledge skills, actively overwriting
the user’s knowledge with their own data. Knowsofts must be
accessed with a direct neural link (either a sim module or datajack).

Linguasoft: Linguasofts replicate language skills, allowing the
user to speak a foreign language as fluently as her native language.
Linguasofts may also be used as real-time translation programs.
Linguasofts must be accessed with a direct neural link (either a sim
module or datajack).

Quote from: SR4A Page 331
Activesofts (Rating 1–4)  8 Rating x 10,000
Knowsofts (Ratings 1–5) 4 Rating x 2,000
Linguasofts (Rating 1–5) 2 Rating x 500
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: Lotofsnow on <12-14-12/1343:57>
Hmmm, as far as I can tell from the book, you just need a "direct neural link (either a sim module or datajack)" (p. 330), and the price for a knowsoft is "rating x 2000" table (p. 331). In other words, I can go from 1 to 6 etiquette dices for 1.6 built points (aka. I wont have to sit in the car every time the group goes in to talk with Mr. Johnson ... :P).

Ah, I see my error now - must learn to read ALL the words, and not assume :(

On a different note, then I'm playing around with your suggestion reg. lowering my logic, but for some reason, I only get 19 pts back, and I can't figure out why. I'm getting a tad frusterated with Chummer, but there's probably something I'm overlooking. Nose, grindstone, here we go ...

Check your knowledge skills. You get free points for knowledge from having a high logic/intuition. By lowering your Logic, it probably  isn't removing those points you spent.
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: Redmercury on <12-14-12/1551:16>
always have a gun. Even if you're a mage and have tons of spells to blast your foes to oblivion you will run into situations where you would be better off capping your prey. Say you're on the move with your group making an escape, taking out corpsec as you go. You use your initiative pass to drop a couple of them unconscious, but since you don't have time to erase your astral signature you're leaving behind a nice "thumbprint". (well it's not really the same, but they can still track you with it if they want to.) This is just me, but I'm super paranoid about leaving my astral signature around.

Another thing is that if you're the only guy on the team without a gun, you may run into some corpsec that's been trained to identify a mage through things such as lack of guns. You've heard the term geek the caster?

Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: ATraveller on <12-15-12/0514:25>
Many cheers for all the input, I think you folks have kept me from looking like an utter fool at the table :P

Here's a hopefully final version - biggest changes is that a couple of specializations have been dropped, logic lowered and pistols added, as suggested.

Again - many, many thanks for the continued input and patience!

== Info ==
Street Name: Red Samuels
Name: Frank Samuels
Movement: 8/20, Swim: 4
Karma: 0
Street Cred: 0
Notoriety: 2
Public Awareness: 0
Dwarf
Composure: 7
Judge Intentions: 6
Lift/Carry: 8 (45 kg/30 kg)
Memory: 11
Nuyen: 0

== Attributes ==
BOD: 5
AGI: 2
REA: 2
STR: 3
CHA: 1
INT: 5
LOG: 5
WIL: 6
EDG: 2
MAG: 5

== Derived Attributes ==
Essence:                   6
Initiative:                7
IP:                        1
Astral Initiative:         10
Astral IP:                 3
Matrix Initiative:         9
Matrix IP:                 2
Physical Damage Track:     11
Stun Damage Track:         11

== Active Skills ==
Assensing                  : 2                      Pool: 7
Counterspelling            : 4                      Pool: 9
First Aid                  : 4                      Pool: 9
Perception                 : 1                      Pool: 6
Pistols                    : 3                      Pool: 7
Spellcasting               : 6 [Combat]             Pool: 13 (15)

== Knowledge Skills ==
Cantonese                  : 3                      Pool: 8
Combat Tactics             : 5                      Pool: 10
English                    : N                      Pool: 0
Italian                    : 3                      Pool: 8
Japanese                   : 3                      Pool: 8
Magic Traditions           : 4                      Pool: 9
Magical Threats            : 5 [Toxic Magic]        Pool: 10 (12)
News                       : 2                      Pool: 7

== Contacts ==
Bluebird (6, 1)

== Qualities ==
Addiction (Mild) (Psyche)
Allergy (Uncommon, Mild) (Gold)
Focused Concentration (Rating 2)
Magician
Sensitive System
SINner (Criminal) (Frankie (Red) Samuels)
Thermographic Vision

== Spells ==
(Tradition: Hermetic, Resist Drain with WIL + LOG (13))
Armor                      DV: (F÷2)+3
Detect Enemies, Extended   DV: (F÷2)+3
Detox (Limited)            DV: (Toxin DV)-4
Flamethrower (Limited)     DV: (F÷2)+3
Heal (Limited)             DV: (Damage Value)-2
Increase Reflexes (Limited) DV: (F÷2)+2
Levitate                   DV: (F÷2)+1
Manabolt                   DV: (F÷2)
Stunball (Limited)         DV: (F÷2)+1
Stunbolt (Limited)         DV: (F÷2)-1

== Lifestyles ==
Middle  1 months

== Armor ==
Armor Clothing            4/0
Armor Jacket              8/6
Helmet                    1/2

== Weapons ==
Ares Predator IV
   +Quick-Draw Holster
   +Silencer
   +Spare Clips
   +Smartgun System
   DV: 5P   AP: -1   RC: 0
Unarmed Attack
   DV: 2S   AP: -   RC: 0

== Commlink ==
Hermes Ikon (4, 3, 6, 3)
   +Simrig
   +Sim Module (Cold)
   +Subvocal Microphone
   +Biomonitor
   +Custom Commlink OS [Firewall 6, System 3]

== Gear ==
Ammo: Regular Ammo (Heavy Pistols) x100
Certified Credstick, Ebony Rating 1
Combat Fetish
Cram x4
Earbuds Rating 3
   +Audio Enhancement Rating 3
   +Spatial Recognizer
   +Select Sound Filter Rating 3
Fake SIN (Logan Williams) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Combat Fetish) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Power Focus) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Sustaining Focus (Health)) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Sustaining Focus (Manipulation)) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Ares Predator IV) Rating 4
Goggles Rating 5
   +Flare Compensation
   +Image Link
   +Ultrasound
   +Vision Enhancement Rating 3
   +Smartlink
Healing Fetish
Kamikaze x3
Medkit Rating 6
Nitro x4
Novacoke x7
Power Focus (bonded) Rating 2
Psyche x10
Stimulant Patch Rating 4 x5
Sustaining Focus (Health) (bonded) Rating 3
Sustaining Focus (Manipulation) (bonded) Rating 3
Trauma Patch x2
Title: Re: Help needed for creating a combat mage!
Post by: Redmercury on <12-15-12/1328:13>
Looking good. If there's another spell that you want to pick up you could drop stunball. Stunbolt has such low drain that you can use it to multicast already without much trouble, unless you expect to be running up against groups of 10 or more enemies. In that case you're better off sneaking around them with a spell like silence or invisibility anyway. Of course this is a combat mage by name, so if you'd rather be going full agro all the power to you.