[Lysanderz]

Well glyph now you can't be a Mage who does everything great, you gotta start specializing. Myself? I'm smelling a combat Alchemist. Something about an SMG in one hand and a wand that spits Ball Lightning's at corp teams in the other that makes me go "Yep, that's a good idea."

[All4BigGuns]

Perception. Perception perception perception.

Luckily they boosted the ability to notice magic. It's a perception test with very specific standards. Especially if you have a background knowledge skill involving it (automatic +2. Dice to your role)

*facepalms* Damn... It needed to be to where magic could NOT be noticed at all until the effect occurred without astrally perceiving.

[Lysanderz]

Why?

[VajraSupremus]

I think it only applies to Physical spells, A4BG. Mana spells still require Assensing to notice. Either that or a Glowand and/or training in seeing potential mages use their powers( physical mnemonics, incantations, focusing on something intensely).

[All4BigGuns]

It keeps magic being that thing that is feared by those who can't use it (as it should be). If just anyone can just notice when a spell is being cast, that defeats part of the point in having to have a magician on the team. They put stuff in that makes you screwed if you don't have a hacker (at least if you want to get full benefit of the gear you payed for), so why shouldn't the mage be the only one to be able to notice magic?

Again, keep in mind that most of my characters would never be able to notice a spell being cast if it worked how I think it should.

[Lysanderz]

That's incorrect. The new rules are SPECIFICALLY for direct spells and enchantments and status as dual natured being, yada yada.

Basically it gives those mundane a a chance to understand what the fuck is going on without a Mage in the group. Though I am sure there are some ways around it for the Mage.

For all the good that is in SR5 I can't see why peeps continue to just bash it before using it in gameplay. Theory is shit until it is proved, so fragging try it. Maybe it's horrible. Maybe it's awesome. Maybe you have to break your normal way of thinking and get creative.

[RHat]

That's a false equivalency - the hacker isn't the only one who can notice Matrix stuff.

Noticing it and doing something about it, however, are two entirely different things.

[Wildcard]

It keeps magic being that thing that is feared by those who can't use it (as it should be).

You seem to be in the minority on that one.

I'm glad it's more obvious. It's comforting knowing 5th is going down all the right paths and making all the right choices so far, with only a few possible exceptions.

[GiraffeShaman]

Well glyph now you can't be a Mage who does everything great, you gotta start specializing. Myself? I'm smelling a combat Alchemist. Something about an SMG in one hand and a wand that spits Ball Lightning's at corp teams in the other that makes me go "Yep, that's a good idea."

Well the thing is you have the choice of being a generalist or being a specialist, and the various specializations are now valid choices.

Back in 3rd edition I saw almost all Sorcerers (spellcasting specialists) because a) spellcasting was easy to understand, and b) it was such a tempting choice, with the ability to gain huge spell points and 1,000,000  nuyen with resources A. An elemental conjurer could be a powerful choice, but I only ever saw it done once, and the character was just like the magical version of a drone rigger. And it was damn expensive to do as you paid many thousands per elemental summoned.

So, I'm really happy there are several specialists that are valid choices this edition. I strongly suspect an Alchemist will be my first character choice in 5th edition as well.

[Scawire]

When it comes to the Alchemist making the items so mandarins can use them I'm thinking that would be a meta magic to look at putting in a Magic Source book. Maybe cost more to make but not to the degree of those anchoring those cost more then a new arm and leg.

[Mara]

So, the people who have the book:
Can you tell us anything about what traditions are in the core book? How are they mechanically different? What are totems
like now? How do they work?

I see people with the book talking about all sorts of irrelevant things, but they seem to be ignoring the important stuff.
Or...is there no difference anymore, and all magicians are the same thing?

[Shinobi Killfist]

Gator Shamans from 1-2e(3rd?) are they back? the 4e croc shaman was not nearly as cool.  I liked the lazy big score gator shaman.

[Reiper]

Just curious, how hard would it be to convert some of the spells from SR4 to SR5?

[StarManta]

Real easy. You'd really only have to switch the drain modifier.

[Reiper]

Real easy. You'd really only have to switch the drain modifier.

Cool, means I can keep my slow spell for jumping off of buildings.