[UmaroVI]

You can't initiate more than your Magic. So if you have Magic 6, you have a maximum Initiate Grade of 6. Most likely you should be raising your initiate grade to your magic, then buy a magic, then buy a grade, etc.

[TheNarrator]

He's only initiated 5 times and his Magic is 6, so it's not a problem for him... yet. (Could be in the future, after he accumulates more karma.)

[Big John]

Again - you guys are all awesome! Thanks for your time.

OK, I edited the last version of Big John posted. I got rid of the astral stuff, which opened up for some skil increases and added Infiltration (which he does a lot more of then spirit fighting). I am prideful, however, and couldn't give up my 9 Strength. He's BIG JOHN for cryin out loud - sometimes the story rules! So anyway, I took a hit on Willpower and Charisma. Charisma shouldn't kill, but I'm looking to boost Willpower when I can. I added some initiations and a Magic increase - thanks for those sweet insights on buying initiations before Magic. With his additional power points I added and boosted his powers. I dropped Gymnastics back for Dodge for this simple reason - bigger dice pool. However, I may not be clear on the mechanics of defense so clue me in.

Thoughts...

[UmaroVI]

First, you can only have one 6 skill, or two 5 skills, to start, so you'd have 4 in either Dodge or Gymnastics.

The reason to take Dodge is that Dodge can both be used for active defense (ie, sacrifice an action for +Dodge to melee and ranged defense), and passive defense (you roll Reaction+Dodge in melee). Gymnastics can do active defense (for either melee or ranged; pick one when you use it, but this rarely matters), and other stuff like ninja flips. Gymnastics can't do passive defense, but you don't care because Unarmed can and you have more Unarmed anyways.

Mystic Armor is a no-no power. Combat Sense costs the same and is better; extra dice to dodge are more valuable than extra dice on armor, because both negate damage at the same rate and extra dice on dodge mean you might just not get hit in the first place. Dump it and put the points into Combat Sense.

[TheNarrator]

Yeah, I agree with UmaroVI on this one: if you have Gymnastics than you don't need Dodge. Gymnastics can substitute for Dodge in the only circumstance in which your character would want to use Dodge.

While I do think that there is still some value to be had in Mystic Armor (since there are some things that can't be dodged, like explosions and attacks when you're surprised), I also have to agree that Combat Sense is probably better. It's not like you won't have pretty good armor already. (Body 8 means you can wear Armor 16 without penalty. 24 dice to resist damage is pretty good already.) Combat Sense gives a bonus to defense rolls (so you don't get hit) and to Surprise Tests (to decide if you get a defense roll in an ambush situation), so it pays for itself twice over.

(Seriously, I love Combat Sense. I'm playing an adept with a lot of Combat Sense in a game right now, and I have yet to roll to resist damage because I never get hit.)

[Big John]

I can't believe I did that. I was watching so close to make sure I had only 1 rank 6 and no rank 5s.

OK, dropped Gymnastics to 4, increased Infiltration to 4, dropped Mystic Armor 7, bumped Combat Sense to 7 and made it my 3rd discounted power, and added Improved Physical Ability (Gymnastics) 2, and bumped Critical Strike to 7.

So...I should now have Unarmed (martial arts) at 15 dice (with a reach of +2) and a damage of 15S/P. My dodging ability should be 21 dice. I let the shaman spank all spirits and mojo slingers. I have 6 points with which to nullify negative Physical and Combat modifiers.

I'm sure feeling like a beast!

BIG JOHN
METATYPE: Troll (Italian)
REAL NAME: Anthony Vizarelli
ATTRIBUTES
Agility: 4         Charisma: 2
Body: 8            Intuition: 4
Reaction: 5 (8 )         Logic: 3
Strength: 9         Willpower: 3
Edge: 2
Initiative: 9 (12)         Initiative Passes: 1 (4)
Magic: 6         Initiate Grade: 0
Essence: 6
Damage Track: Physical 12   Stun 9
Karma: Total: 134      Unused: 134

ACTIVE SKILLS
Gymnastics: 4
Pistols: 4
Unarmed Combat: 6
Perception: 4
Survival (Urban +2): 1
Etiquette: 1
Pilot Ground Craft: 1
Infiltration: 4

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS
Syndicates (mafia +2): 2
Denver Gangs: 2
Denver Area Knowledge: 3
Denver Safe Houses: 2
Security Procedures: 4
UFC Procedures: 3
Italian: N
English: 4

QUALITIES
Wanted (+10)
Sensitive System (+15)
Incompetent (Swimming, Diving) (+10)
The Warrior’s Way (-10)
Martial Arts (Kickboxing) (-10)
Martial Arts (Boxing) (-5)

MANUEVERS
Kick Attack
Watchful Guard

ADEPT POWERS (6 pts)
Improved Ability (Unarmed Combat) 2
Killing Hands
Improved Reflexes 3 (25% off)
Critical Strike 6 (25% off)

NOTES
+1 Natural reach, +1 Natural armor, Natural thermographic vision

ADVANCING (118 karma spent)
Join Group – 5 karma
Initiate Lvl 1 (Adept Centering) – 8 karma
Initiate Lvl 2 (+1 PP) – 10 karma
Initiate Lvl 3 (+1 PP) – 12 karma
Initiate Lvl 4 (+1 PP) – 14 karma
Initiate Lvl 5 (+1 PP) – 15 karma
Initiate Lvl 6 (+1 PP) -- 17 karma
Specialize in Perception (Visual) – 2 karma
Magic 7 - 35 karma

(6 more power points grants Distance Strike, Combat Sense 7 (25% discount), Improved Ability (Unarmed Combat) 3, Counterstrike 1, Critical Strike 7, Improved Physical Ability (Gymnastics) 2)


P.S. Karma all around! You guys are the bomb (a non-IPA bomb). I'll be bringing others runners to the board, so prep your adept minds!

[TheNarrator]

 A beast indeed! This is a serious combat machine. Your team shouldn't complain about a lack of muscle. 

It doesn't say on your sheet what three advantages you took for your three levels in Martial Arts. Can I assume that it was the boost to unarmed damage all three times?

[UmaroVI]

Looks good. One thing to keep in mind is that the big selling point of Distance Strike is that it counts as a ranged attack and thus opponents defend with just reaction, not reaction+skill. So you want to use it any time you can. In fact, one time it's especially good is versus materialized or possessing spirits, since they normally have really high melee defense pools as their skills are all at Force.

[Big John]

Yes Narrator - I took Kickboxing for 10 (+2 Unarmed DV) and Boxing for 5 (+1 Unarmed DV). I was thinking of, eventually, spending 30 karma and getting 15 more points of Martial Arts (Kickboxing, Boxing) for a total to +3 to Defense Die. We will see...

Yes Umaro - I did notice that advantage, which is why I worked diligently to get it as soon as I reasonably could. I hadn't realized the advantage against spirits though, so thanks for the heads up!

I sure do thank you all for your kind assistance. I will be using you for future characters as well, if you would all be so kind. All members of our group are Awakened (it's a theme), so get your thinking caps on. Among them we have a shaman (my RL wife), a social adept (think Black Widow, but nicer), and an artisan adept (the group's mechanic and drone rigger).

Thanks again all! If you have any more ideas lemme know!

[UmaroVI]

A good general place to look is the first link in my sig, if you haven't already.