[Taejix]

Critter Form is in the 4E core, under manipulation spells on page 211.

[Csjarrat]

Lol, that's why. I'd convinced myself it was in grimoire or something

[freerunner]

Hi, I've reworked my character so he's not so reliant on guns in combat and now has decent close combat skills. Let me know if there's anything you would change around or if I've made any silly mistakes (or if I'm completely off the mark     )
He really needs a bit of fleshing out in terms of background so any help you can give there would be much appreciated

Name: Nathaniel Black aka "Gryphon"

att:b magic:a mystic adept "shamanic" skills:c race:d elf 0 res:e

b 3, a 7, r 3, s 2, w 3, i 5, l 1, c 7
edge 1, essence 6, magic 6
composure: 10, judge intentions: 12,
lifting/carrying: 5, memory: 4
phys: 4(5) mental: 4  social: 8
Phys track: 10  stun track : 10  overflow : 3
armour: 14/16 with helmet , soak dice pool: 17
Defence dice pool: 13  movement rate: 14/28
init: 7+1d6 (12+3d6 4 hits increase reflexes sustained through improved concentration)

skills 10 magic points + 28/2 ;
spellcasting 6 (12dp), counterspelling 5, longarms 5 (12dp), con 4 (11dp), influence (etiquette, leadership, negotiation) sg 2 (9dp), perception 5 (10dp), sneaking 3 (10dp), unarmed combat 6 (13dp), summoning 4 (10dp)

spells 10:
increase reflexes / physical / touch / sustained / force
heal / mana / touch / permanent / force - 4
increase charisma / physical / touch / sustained / force-3
mind probe / mana / touch / sustained / force
improved invisibility / physical / los / sustained / force-1
physical mask / physical / sustained / touch / force-1
levitate / physical / sustained / los / force-2
Clout / physical / instant / los / force-3
ball lightning / physical / instant / los / force-1
control thoughts / Mana / sustained / los / force-1

karma 34: 6pp (30), 4 resources

+ve qualities: improved concentration 4 (16), 
-ve qualities (25): allergy moderate 8 uncommon platinum 2, corporate sin 15

knowledge+language skills (int+log) x 2; 12:
sperethiel 4, small unit tactics 4, magical theory 4

adept skills 6pp: improved accuracy - longarms .25pp, combat sense level 6 3pp,  improved potential - physical limit .5pp, nerve strike (stolen souls) 1pp, attribute boost agility .25pp, mystic armour 2 1pp

contacts; fixer 6/1, talismonger 6/1, police detective 3/4

gear 14000:
Ruger 100 sporting rifle, 80 s+s ammo 5 clips, 150 regular ammo 5 clips, shock gloves, trodes (in wig), armour jacket, renraku sensei comlink, fake sin rating 2, fake firearms licence rating 2, fake magic use licence rating 2, contact lens with image link and flare compensation, 2 flash bang grenades, 2 thermal smoke grenades, flash pak, helmet, 3 silver cred sticks, 1 month low lifestyle

Ruger 100; acc 7/dam11p(9s)/ap-3(-5)/sa/rc1
Shock gloves; acc phys(5)/dam8Se/ap-5/10charges

Background
"my motto is live and let live except, of course, when there's some killing to be done"
Discovered by my mentor/employer at a young age, was taken under her wing, she later died on a job betrayed by the company she was contracting for. While employed as a sinner, worked as both security (high threat response unit/threat elimination) and bodyguard for corporates through contracted freelance agencies. Sometimes appearing as a decoy disguised as the body being guarded or providing backup against runners/infiltrators. Fed up with the corporate greed decided to switch sides, nothing against the honest few just trying to make a living but saw too much injustice (including the betrayal and killing of his mentor) and decided to do what he could to stuff it to the man. Packed what little possessions he had, bought fake ids and started life anew as a 'runner.

Appearance and character: think han solo with pointy ears  Guided by gut instinct more than reason, he's a charming smoothy rogue with a broad smile and (hopefully) witty one liners.

[Csjarrat]

looks like a good start. I would say that your magic selection has an awful lot of overlap with our mage character though, so perhaps you'd be up for swapping some of the spells around?
it looks like you'll be our "combat character" so maybe drop some of the manipulation/stealthy ones and go for more aggressive/defensive spells to fit your combat backstory?

[Taejix]

Agreed, coordinating our spell selection to prevent overlap would probably be a good idea. I'll swap Blackbird's spells around a bit.

Speaking of, I redid her a bit to account for not taking Criminal SIN. I pretty sure that they didn't slap the political prisoners they released (they did release them when the booted out the LPO, right?) with criminal SINs, which lets me keep the jail time in her background. Also got a chance to read up on what the various types of Druid rocking about the isles are and shifted her away from being NDM trained,

Name: Blackbird (Melissa Hughes)
Metatype: Human
Background: Originally from a middle class family in one of the few remaining rural areas, Melissa awakened early in life. Her magical training came from a local druidic circle, eager to induct a young, promising mage like herself. It was through her teachers that she came into contact with some of the more extreme elements of the Movement and, being young, stupid and easy influenced, threw her lot in with them. She was soon arrested - it was easy for the authorities to track her, unlike many her licence to practice magic was real and her information on file.

Her family didn't quite abandon her, she still got the occasional visit from her parents once every few months, but they certainly didn't want to seem like they agreed with her. She spent six years rotting in a prison cell before the pendragon's march and the changes that followed. Among the political prisoners discreetly released in the wake of the regime change was Melissa, her former crimes discreetly swept under the rug and her SIN restored, no doubt to meet some quota or iniative.

Since her release she's tried to make a life for herself, to move past her mistakes. It's been harder than it should be. Most of her old friends and family had stopped talking to her when she was arrested and most of the people she knows nowadays she met on the inside. Some of them have passed a few jobs her way. She doesn't like it, but a girl's gotta eat. She just hopes it doesn't land her back behind bars.

In person Melissa is friendly but quiet, preferring to say as little as possible but always ready with a friendly smile. She masks her regrets beneath that smile and tries to push on through her troubles when she can.

Karma: 47/47
-Focused Concentration 16
-Mentor Spirit 5
-Strength 2 10
-Arcana 1 2
-Computer 1 2
-Etiquette 1 2
-Contacts +1 1
-Nuyen +18,000 9

Body: 3
Agility: 4
Reaction: 3
Strength: 2
Charisma: 3
Intuition: 6
Logic: 3
Willpower: 5

Edge: 5
Essence: 6
Magic: 6
Resonance: -

Initiative: 9 + 1d6

Mental Limit: 6
Physical Limit: 3
Social Limit: 5

Armour: 14
Physical Condition: 10
Stun Condition: 11

Qualities:
-Focused Concentration (Rating 4)
-Mentor Spirit (Blackbird, AKA Eagle)
-Allergy (Pollutants, Mild)
-Incompetent (Enchanting)
-Simsense Vertigo
-SINner (National SIN)
-Spirit Bane (Spirits of Man)

Spells:
-Clout
-Analyze Truth
-Detect Life, Extended
-Heal
-Increase Reflexes
-Improved Invisibility
-Physical Mask
-Sound Barrier
-Blackbird Form
-Physical Barrier

Active Skills:
-Outdoors Skill Group 2
-Arcana 1
-Assensing 4
-Computer 1
-Con 3 (Fast Talking +2)
-Counterspelling 6
-Etiquette 1
-Perception 4
-Pistols 3 (Tasers +2)
-Sneaking 4
-Spellcasting 6
-Summoning 6

Knowledge Skills:
-Bird Watching (Interest) 2
-Magical Theory (Academic) 1
-Parazoology (Academic) 3
-Sprawl Life (Street) 2
-UK Politics (Interest) 4

Language Skills:
-English N

Gear:
-Defiance EX Shocker 250
|-Hidden Arm Slide 350
|-Taser Darts x40 200
|-Spare Clip x4 20
-Armour Clothing 450
-Armour Jacket 1,000
-Helmet 100
-Meta Link Commlink (Rating 1) 100
-Renraku Sensei Commlink (Rating 3) 1,000
-Trodes 70
-Subvocal Mic 50
-Fake SIN (Rating 4) 10,000
|-Fake Licences (Rating 4, Magic, Magical Paraphenalia) 1,600
-Glasses (Rating 4) 400
|-Flare Compensation 250
|-Image Link 25
|-Thermographic Vision 500
|-Vision magnification 250
-Ear Buds (Rating 1) 50
|-Select Sound Filter (Rating 1) 250
-Gas Mask 200
-Respirator (Rating 6) 300
-Survival Kit 200
-Magical Lodge Materials (Force 4) 2,000
-Reagents, 50 Drams 1,000
-Low Lifestyle (1 Month) 2,000
-1,385 Nuyen

Contacts:
-Miss Jekyll, ex-con and former 'political activist', Fixer 4/3
-'Arm and a leg' Armando, fellow druid, Talismonger 2/1

Weapons:
-Defiance EX Shocker, 9 Dice, Accuracy 4, Damage 9S(e), AP -5, Mode SS, RC -, Ammo 4 (m)

Priorities:
-A: Magic (Full Mage, Druidic Tradition)
-B: Attributes
-C: Skills
-D: Metatype
-E: Resources

[freerunner]

I'm happy with that. I'll drop the invisibility and mask spells probably for resist pain and a direct combat spell. any other suggestions welcome.

having two mages on the team with all those spells should be pretty awesome 

[Csjarrat]

Heh, yeah. Gonna have to chuck some serious magical firepower at you now lol

[Taejix]

Cool, I'll stick Invisibility and Physical Mask back on her spell list.

Might I suggest Ice Sheet or Intoxicate if you need another spell? Ice Sheet is good crowd control and utility (particularly against vehicles), while Intoxicate is basically a more subtle Stunbolt with some out of combat use.

Mind you, if we don't get a hacker I might end up having to make a Technomancer instead.

Speaking of, Csjarrat, mind coming down with word of GM on how TMs are supposed to get a direct connection to anything or if they can form a PAN with their Living Persona? RAW they can't do either of those things, but both are so stupidly vital to the new matrix rules. Just in case I do end up having to take up the hacker position.

[Csjarrat]

Speaking of, Csjarrat, mind coming down with word of GM on how TMs are supposed to get a direct connection to anything or if they can form a PAN with their Living Persona? RAW they can't do either of those things, but both are so stupidly vital to the new matrix rules. Just in case I do end up having to take up the hacker position.

so i was chatting to some other guys more experienced than I with TM's and had a good read through the TM section again. Here are my TM houserules:
-they start with the skinlink echo (direct connection to devices they touch)
-can use data taps to form direct connection
-can form a PAN with [BOD] items (body 3 TM can form PAN with gun, commlink and glasses for example)
-can submerge once during chargen

think this should help them, they're pretty boned as it is otherwise!!

[Taejix]

I can't see a use for submerging at chargen unless you want to make a Techno-Rigger (metamagics >>> echoes), but I guess that'd be the reason for it.

The rest of it's good though. I'll draw up a TM in case no one else want to be the hacker.

EDIT What's the legal status of TMs in the UK anyway? I haven't been able to find anything on it.

[Csjarrat]

Yeah, had a scan and can't find it. treat them a bit like mages for this purpose:
If they're known to the system then they should be registered and marked as such on their SiN. People generally wary and distrustful of them, some hate groups actively campaign against them.
Most TM's don't want to face social stigma and go to lengths to hide their abilities, never registering their status as emerged.
Police will arrest those suspected of being a TM and not registered on the SiN database and co-operate with GOD in all instances of suspected technomancy.
Matrix crimes around the area of residence of a known and registered TM will see the TM arrested and questioned for up to 48 hours, longer if police have evidence to connect TM to the crime

[Csjarrat]

so looks like we've got 3 char sheets sorted and good to go.
Between our face "flash henry" and you guys, we've got combat/magic + social + Matrix covered
Henry has the wheels and basic driving skills too, so think you've got most of the basics sorted (except full astral of couse).
I think we're good to go once our TM sheet is up and verified, you guys happy to start?

[griffalo]

I'm excited - go easy on me!

[Taejix]

Well, here we go then.

Name: Roundabout (Matt Lucas)
Metatype: Human
Background: Matt's old man was not an honest man. Far from it, the old ork made his living smuggling. He was a pretty decent dad though, tried his best to give Matt a good life after his mum, some fancy elf slumming it, decided she didn't want anything to do with the kid. He did a decent job of it too, even got him into a decent university after pulling a few strings. He wasn't the best when it came to saving his money though, and his retirement fund's been raided enough times to be fairly scant now that the old codger's finally started going senile.

So Matt's moved back in with the old man, to help take care of him. There's bills to pay though and Matt inherited a strong stubborn streak. He won't be selling his soul to some megacorp or syndicate, just to make ends meet. He's been talking to some of his da's old drinking buddies, looking for work that pays. A fancy case, done up right is enough to pass for a decker ('cos like hell is he telling anyone why his degree is in bloody Resonance Theory, hell, let's just not mention the degree, okay). The money ain't great, but it doesn't come with so many strings attached and that suits Matt just fine. His dad did alright by him, so he'll do alright by his da.

Karma: 50/50
-Focused Concentration 16
-Reaction 2 10
-Strength 2 10
-Nuyen +20,000 10
-Complex Forms +1 4

Body: 3
Agility: 3
Reaction: 2
Strength: 2
Charisma: 4
Intuition: 5
Logic: 6
Willpower: 5

Edge: 2
Essence: 6
Magic: -
Resonance: 6

Initiative: 7 + 1d6

AR Initiative: 7 + 1d6
VR Initiative: 10 + 3d6/4d6

Mental Limit: 8
Physical Limit: 3
Social Limit: 7

Armour: 7 OR 14
Physical Condition: 10
Stun Condition: 11
Overflow: 3

Qualities:
-Focused Concentration (Rating 4)
-Allergy (Pollen, Mild)
-Codeblock (Set Data Bomb)
-Dependents (The Old Man, 6 Karma)

Active Skills:
-Cracking Skill Group 6
-Influence Skill Group 4
-Compiling 6
-Computer 6
-Con 6
-Hardware 4
-Perception 5
-Pistols 3 (Tasers +2)
-Registering 6
-Sneaking 5
-Software 6

Knowledge Skills:
-Corporations 1 (Street)
-Fixers 1 (Street)
-Matrix Architecture 4 (Academic)
-Neuroscience 2 (Academic)
-Resonance Theory 6 (Academic)
-Smugglers 1 (Street)
-Sprawl Life 3 (Street)
-Technomancers 1 (Street)

Language Skills:
-English N
-French 1

Living Persona:
-Attack 4
-Data Processing 6
-Device Rating 6
-Firewall 5
-Sleaze 5

Complex Forms:
-Cleaner
-Diffusion of Firewall

Gear:
-Defiance EX Shocker
|-Internal Smartlink
|-Hidden Arm Slide
|-40 Taser Darts
|-4 Spare Clips
-Armour Jacket
-Helmet
-Vashon Island Ace of Clubs
-Glasses (Rating 3)
|-Image Link
|-Smartlink
|-Vision Enhancement (Rating 1)
-Earbuds (Rating 1)
|-Audio Enhancement (Rating 1)
-Transys Avalon Commlink (Rating 6)
-Micro-Tranceiver
-Trodes
-Data Tap
-Fake SIN (Rating 4)
-Low Lifestyle (1 Month)
-Respirator (Rating 6)
-Medkit (Rating 3)
|-Medkit Supplies x2
-Stim Patch (Rating 6) x2
-745 Nuyen

Weapons:
-Unarmed, 2 Dice, Accuracy 4, Reach -, Damage 2S, AP -
-Defiance EX Shocker, 8 (9) Dice, Accuracy 6, Damage 9S(e), AP -5, Mode SS, RC -, Ammo 4(m)

Contacts:
-Fixer 4/3
-Smuggler 2/3

Priorities:
-A: Skills
-B: Attributes
-C: Resonance
-D: Metatype
-E: Resources

[Csjarrat]

Ok gents, looks like we're good to go.
So we don't have to spend 4 months running perception checks and assensing each other prior to the meet, i'll get this rolling where you guys have already worked with one-another and have established a working relationship,
unless you guys object?
I'm just aware that PBP's are slow and I know people drop off the scene if the action grinds to a halt