[Tarislar]

Chicago Conmage

Possible Missions S5 Character that I altered to use Sum-2-10 if ever approved.

What do you guys think?
Playable or needs more combat focus?

4-Attr/Mag
2-Skills
0-Hum/Cash

Attr   (24)
B3,   A4,   R5,   S1,   W5,   L3,   I5,   C6
Edg-3      Mag-6      Ess-6      Itv-10+1d
Plim-4      Mlim-6   Slim-8

Skills   (38+2G)
Group-Influence-2   (Etiquette, Leadership, Negotiation)
Binding-6
Con-6         (Mentor+2)   Fast Talk+2
Perception-6
Sneaking-6
Spellcasting-6            Manipulation+2
Summoning-6

Spells   (10)
Acid Stream,      StunBolt
Detect Enemies XR
Heal,      Increased Charisma
Trid Phantasm
Alter Memory,      Control Thoughts,   Fling,      Physical Barrier

Karma: 25+25 Negatives = 50
30-PP
10-Cash
5-Mentor Spirit – Deception
3-Contacts
2-Bound Spirits

Contacts: 18+3
Johnson/Fixer – 6/1
Other – 5/2      (Looking for suggestions here, was thinking Government type)
Fence – 1/6

Power Points-6
3.5   Improved Reflexes-3
0.5   Combat Sense-1
0.5   Heightened Concentration
0.5   Magic Sense
0.5   Melanin Control
0.5  Motion Sense
0.0   Traceless Walk
0.0   Voice Control-1


Gear:
2000 - Low Lifestyle
7500 - Fake SIN-3
1600 - Fake License-4 = Magic & Explosives
5000 - Growler
1000 - Commlink-Renraku Sensai
1400 - Globetrotter Jacket-(Fire-4) & Helmet
800 - Flashbang*6, HE Grenade*2
6000 - Reagents*300
700 - Remainder

[Whiskeyjack]

Never take the Increase Reflexes spell when you can take the Improved Reflexes power. Since you have no Sustaining Focus, you're gonna have some problems with dice pools lacking the focus and needing to do other stuff. And I wouldn't think you need to dump 3.5 into it. Rating 2 is enough.

Why AGI 4? You have no skills tied to it at all.

I think both Magic Sense and Astral Perception is pretty redundant.

I know you're low on money but you definitely are taking a few powers that would just be better in qi foci than bought with PP.

Buying bound spirits isn't worth the money. Do it pre-run in the legwork stage.

You want Stunbolt. Don't get the Combat Sense spell, stick with the power. Maybe get Extended Detect Enemies and Levitate.

This character is playable but kinda narrow in terms of what you can do.

[8-bit]

Buying bound spirits isn't worth the money. Do it pre-run in the legwork stage.

I think it's because he doesn't have a high enough Binding pool to get any Force 6 Spirits. Since it would be played in Missions, you would buy dice (I think), which means he would need to bind a Force 5 or lower Spirit. Not that it's that big of a deal, but that's the only reason I can think of. That and he would need a lot more reagents than he has (although he should get at least 50 for general purposes).

I would get some Disposable Needles with some Narcoject and/or Laes. Makes a pretty nasty combination with Fling. If you can fit Magic Fingers in there, it's even better, as you can pull the needle away and leave virtually no trace of an attack.

[north]

I would point out that you have no counter spelling or magic resist of any kind.  Seems like a weak point to me, but that said not bad.

[jim1701]

I think the plan is to use Heightened Concentration to offset the sustaining penalty of at least one spell.  Depending on how you interpret the power you could combine with Psyche to sustain up to three spells with no penalty (other than risking drug addiction of course.)

[Bushw4cker]

You have Astral Perception, don't really need Magic Sense.

Get Leadership up if your going to take commanding voice.

Connection 5 would be something like a Mayor. I personally take Shark Lawyer Connection 5 for some of my more Troublemaking characters.

Black Troll name Johnnie, feel free to use. 

[eximius]

Never take the Increase Reflexes spell when you can take the Improved Reflexes power. Since you have no Sustaining Focus, you're gonna have some problems with dice pools lacking the focus and needing to do other stuff. And I wouldn't think you need to dump 3.5 into it. Rating 2 is enough.

Why AGI 4? You have no skills tied to it at all.

I think both Magic Sense and Astral Perception is pretty redundant.

I know you're low on money but you definitely are taking a few powers that would just be better in qi foci than bought with PP.

Buying bound spirits isn't worth the money. Do it pre-run in the legwork stage.

You want Stunbolt. Don't get the Combat Sense spell, stick with the power. Maybe get Extended Detect Enemies and Levitate.

This character is playable but kinda narrow in terms of what you can do.

For both Improved Reflexes and Combat Sense, you suggest the power. May I ask why? I always thought the spell was better mechanically (granted, I have a focus and/or Focused Concentration for both).

[8-bit]

Never take the Increase Reflexes spell when you can take the Improved Reflexes power. Since you have no Sustaining Focus, you're gonna have some problems with dice pools lacking the focus and needing to do other stuff. And I wouldn't think you need to dump 3.5 into it. Rating 2 is enough.

Why AGI 4? You have no skills tied to it at all.

I think both Magic Sense and Astral Perception is pretty redundant.

I know you're low on money but you definitely are taking a few powers that would just be better in qi foci than bought with PP.

Buying bound spirits isn't worth the money. Do it pre-run in the legwork stage.

You want Stunbolt. Don't get the Combat Sense spell, stick with the power. Maybe get Extended Detect Enemies and Levitate.

This character is playable but kinda narrow in terms of what you can do.

For both Improved Reflexes and Combat Sense, you suggest the power. May I ask why? I always thought the spell was better mechanically (granted, I have a focus and/or Focused Concentration for both).

Because you don't need to sustain them. Improved Reflexes grants you anywhere between +1-3 Reaction and +1d6-3d6 Initiative Dice. For Increase Reflexes to match that, you would need 2 hits at the lowest level, 4 hits at the middle level, and 6 hits at the highest level. Well, not quite, it's a little different, but not by much. Not only does that change what Force is necessary, but you also don't even get Reaction from Increase Reflexes. You really only need 1 level of Combat Sense to always get the Dodge chance. Extra levels of it are nice, but really you just need 1 level. The spell version can be better, worse, or the same as the Power, but the Power doesn't need to be sustained.

Basically, you don't have to worry about Sustaining 2 spells, having to cast either one of them, and it gives you 2 more spell slots.

[Whiskeyjack]

8-bit nailed it. Having stuff that is always on is pretty much always better than something that needs an action to activate (in your case, to get both Increase Reflexes and Combat Sense spells up, you need 2 complex actions, or to reckless spell cast both, each as a simple, at higher Drain values), or needs an item or quality to sustain. Always-on is clearly better than something that takes actions to put up, because you cannot assume you'll have time to buff and sustained spells stand out on the astral.

Also having 2 ranks in the Combat Sense power and then casting the spell...I wouldn't think they stack but that the higher value supersedes (likely the spell if you get a few hits). Just my impression on the matter.

[Tarislar]

Thanks for the input so far guys.

In regards to CS-Spell v/s CS-Power.

They are mechanically different.

1 offers A+B, the other offers B+C, yes, they do overlap in the B area (Dodge Dice), but they are not the same thing.

To me that would mean they stack, especially since they have no fluff about not stacking with other things.
  Like say Increased Reaction that contains that disclaimer.

[Tarislar]

Never take the Increase Reflexes spell when you can take the Improved Reflexes power. Since you have no Sustaining Focus, you're gonna have some problems with dice pools lacking the focus and needing to do other stuff. And I wouldn't think you need to dump 3.5 into it. Rating 2 is enough.
Why AGI 4? You have no skills tied to it at all.
I think both Magic Sense and Astral Perception is pretty redundant.
I know you're low on money but you definitely are taking a few powers that would just be better in qi foci than bought with PP.
Buying bound spirits isn't worth the money. Do it pre-run in the legwork stage.
You want Stunbolt. Don't get the Combat Sense spell, stick with the power. Maybe get Extended Detect Enemies and Levitate.
This character is playable but kinda narrow in terms of what you can do.

I like Reflexes Power, my current character uses it at L3.  That said, its a lot of points & I was looking for something different.
HC allows me to maintain it till I pick up a Focus or Quickening after a few missions.
What would you do with the Agi points?  Where would you put them?  Agi affects a huge # of skills that I would likely pick up while playing even if I'm not starting out with them.  Being able to have 4 + Boost + Level 1-2 skill will allow me to do many of those at a "get by" level as secondary skills.
What do you see as the difference between a PP Power & a Qi Foci power ?
I had 2 Karma left.  I considered Arcana-1 to push towards my first Initiation, but I don't have the Cash to have a spirit bound by Mission 1 & 2 Karma is a very small amount to have a pair of Force-6 Spirits on hand in an emergency for that first run.
I don't want Stunbolt, not in 5E.  Damage is way too limited for a single target.
I like Levitate & have DEXR on my current character so both good suggestions, was just looking for something I hadn't thought of that might catch my eye.  I'm a little disappointed in the Detection spells outside of a few key ones.  (AnaTruth, CombSense, DetEnXR, & MindProbe)  The rest seem so limited or very situational. 

[Tarislar]

I would get some Disposable Needles with some Narcoject and/or Laes. Makes a pretty nasty combination with Fling. If you can fit Magic Fingers in there, it's even better, as you can pull the needle away and leave virtually no trace of an attack.

I like this!
I was looking at Shuriken & Grenades but this is very nice.

[Tarislar]

I would point out that you have no counter spelling or magic resist of any kind.  Seems like a weak point to me, but that said not bad.

I'm looking at using Spirits/Magical Guard for CS.
Its worked well so far in my current group where the 2 casters have 7 CS dice between them & then augment with Spirits that boost higher.

[Tarislar]

You have Astral Perception, don't really need Magic Sense.

Get Leadership up if your going to take commanding voice. 

I find there is enough difference, like being able to sense where vision is blocked, that its worth the overlap.

[Tarislar]

You really only need 1 level of Combat Sense to always get the Dodge chance. Extra levels of it are nice, but really you just need 1 level. The spell version can be better, worse, or the same as the Power, but the Power doesn't need to be sustained.

Basically, you don't have to worry about Sustaining 2 spells, having to cast either one of them, and it gives you 2 more spell slots.

What would you suggest I give up for 3.5 points of IR?
The point of this was to see what HC+spell does & free up room for more PP into the non-combat side of things.
IE, He's a CON-Mage, not a Combat-Mage.
What would you do different to pick up the effects of L2/3 IR?