[Whiskeyjack]

As I said, you don't need 3.5 points of IR. Rating 2 is pretty much always sufficient so long as your INT + REA is decent.

Relying on spirits for counterspelling is extremely dangerous, and potentially expensive if you rely on Binding them.

[8-bit]

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?

Personally, I don't mind having the Increase Reflexes Spell that you can sustain and boost with reagents. Especially as a Mystic Adept, and a non-combat focused one at that, Improved Reflexes is just really expensive.

That said, if I were to drop anything, here's what I would drop. Enhanced Perception, Agility Boost, Linguistics, 1 level of Combat Sense, and maybe Astral Perception. I don't know though, that's a lot of stuff to drop.

[Whiskeyjack]

You can be a con-mage all you want but if you're relatively unprepared to be in deadly fights you just kinda reap what you sow.

But I mean there's always IP-boosting drugs. 8-but is right, that's a lot to give up

[eximius]

I guess I see the benefit of having it as a power, but I always just have Combat Senses sustained by Focused Concentration using 6 reagents and Increased Reflexes in a Force (whatever I can afford) Sustaining focus (with reagents, if necessary).

It's only a problem unless you walk through a barrier or are caught by surprise (which I make a habit of not doing ).

[Tarislar]

I guess I see the benefit of having it as a power, but I always just have Combat Senses sustained by Focused Concentration using 6 reagents and Increased Reflexes in a Force (whatever I can afford) Sustaining focus (with reagents, if necessary).

Aye, as I was looking at Chicago it seems like, if I'm understanding this right, that Force/Foci all get gimped so the Reagents trick doesn't really work there.
Thus taking me eventually to the idea of using Heightened Concentration for a single spell at a higher force & focusing on "other" abilities.

Which is going to mess with Perception & Command, gah, how did I miss that?  Back to the drawing board.

[eximius]

Ouch. :/ Anyway you can get Cleansing early?

[Tarislar]

Updated to remove as much Adept PP stuff that affected Dice Pools as possible since it will just penalize them w/ Background count.

What do you think now?

[Tarislar]

Question for you all.

Clout  v/s  Stunbolt:  What do you prefer?

I'm torn between easier to hit bouncy targets & the higher DV/AP.

Thoughts?

[ikarinokami]

i prefer clout. my current 8 magic 5 initiate mage, doesn't have a single direct damage spell. i suppose stunbolt could be useful against a really force spirit.

[halflingmage]

Question for you all.

Clout  v/s  Stunbolt:  What do you prefer?

I'm torn between easier to hit bouncy targets & the higher DV/AP.

Thoughts?

Clout is for knocking out low to mid power targets.  You will use it more, and if you only have one at creation I would go with that.  Its nice to have a direct spell, however, for targets that a difficult to damage with you indirect spells, and for astral.  If you don't have room in your lineup at creation pick it up early with karma.

[Tarislar]

So this character isn't going to make it to Chicago but the overall concept I'm thinking of using for a Denver group starting next week.

This is my current twist on the concept, adjusted for Denver. 

When I first got the Conmage idea I think I'd been watching a lot of "The Mentalist" on Netflix.

Please let me know what you think.

Attributes:  24
Body-3
Agility-4
Reaction-5/8
Strength-1
Willpower-5
Logic-3
Intuition-5
Charisma-6
Edge-3
Essence-6
Magic-6
Initiative-10/13 + 1/4d6
Physical Limit-4/5
Mental Limit-6
Social Limit-8
Composure-11
Judge Intention-11
Lift/Carry-4
Memory-8
Dodge-14
Armor-12
Soak-15


Skills:
Binding-6         
Con-6   (Mentor+2)   (FastTalk+2)         
Counterspelling-6   (Dispelling)         
Disguise-2   (Facial Sculpt+1)         
Palming-2         
Perception-6         
Sneaking-2   (Traceless Walk-4)         
Spellcasting-6   (Manipulation+2)         
Summoning-6         


Knowledge Skills:
Spanish-1  (Speaking+2)         
Magical Theory-1  (Power Sites+2)         
Club Music-1  (Wiz Punk+2)         
Flat Screen Films-1  (Movie Quotes+2)         
Denver Knowledge-1  (PCC Sector+2)         
Organized Crime-1  (Kachina Society+2)         
St.Gang ID-1  (PCC Sector+2)         
Police Procedures-1  (Checkpoints+2)         


Power Points:  6      
Agility Boost-1  (0.25)      
Combat Sense-1  (0.5)      
Eidetic Memory Sense  (0.5)      
Facial Sculpt-1  (0.25)      
Heightened Concern  (0.5)      
Improved Reflexes-3  (3.5)      
Melanin Control  (0.5)      
Traceless Walk  (0.0)      
Voice Control-1  (0.0)      


Contacts:
Fixer - 6/1      
Mr. 'Ares' Johnson - 5/2      
PCC Police Detective - 2/2      


Qualities:         
Creature of Comfort - Medium         
DayJob - 1000         
Jack of all Trades         
Mentor Spirit - Deception         
Mystic Adept - Myal         
Phobia - Rare/Mild - Scorpions         
SINner - PCC         
Spirit Whisperer         
Trust Fund - Medium+500         


Spells:  
Acid Stream   
Clout   
Detect Enemies XR   
Heal   
Increased Willpower   
Trid Phantasm   
Alter Memory   
Control Thoughts   
Fashion   
Fling   


Gear:      (Seriously lacking here but what can you do, I'll be working on it during the campaign)         
1430   Globetrotter Jacket (NonCon-4)            
     w/ 2 Hidden Pockets & 1 Faraday Pocket            
140   Regular Clothing   *7         
20   Backpack            
975   Polychromatic Contacts w/ Flare Comp & Image Link            
100   Survival Knife            
100   Meta Link            
100   Microtransceiver            
100   Bicycle (Cheap)            
5   Credstick-Standard            
5   Datachips (10)            
5   Security Tags (10)            
200     Flashbang*2            
2820   Reagents*141            
               
6000   Subtotal            

[Hobbes]

Phobia - Rare/Mild - Scorpions         

Uh.  Lived in Denver for a few years, Scorpions aren't so much rare as literally you'll only see them in Zoos.  Way too cold for Scorpions here.  Unless your game is headed to Arizona or New Mexico you could just as well take Phobia  Andromedans.  If your GM is okay with it, carry on. 

As mentioned IR 3 is overkill. 
Facial Sculpt and Melanin Control?  You're a spell caster, pick up Physical Mask.
Eidetic Memory Sense?  If it's a character pick rock on, but otherwise pass.
Agility Boost 2 is what the cool kids take.
Combat Sense is better with bigger numbers.

Gear...  uh.  Lots of games I'm okay with a character not taking a fake SIN at char gen.  It really is something that could be picked up a few runs in for most games, but not Denver.  Denver is one of those cities where I would expect SIN checks as a daily in a runners life.  YMMV, but throwing Karma at Nuyen is going to happen with Resources E.

[Tarislar]

Uh.  Lived in Denver for a few years, Scorpions aren't so much rare as literally you'll only see them in Zoos.  Way too cold for Scorpions here.  Unless your game is headed to Arizona or New Mexico you could just as well take Phobia  Andromedans.  If your GM is okay with it, carry on. 

As mentioned IR 3 is overkill. 
Facial Sculpt and Melanin Control?  You're a spell caster, pick up Physical Mask.
Eidetic Memory Sense?  If it's a character pick rock on, but otherwise pass.
Agility Boost 2 is what the cool kids take.
Combat Sense is better with bigger numbers.

Gear...  uh.  Lots of games I'm okay with a character not taking a fake SIN at char gen.  It really is something that could be picked up a few runs in for most games, but not Denver.  Denver is one of those cities where I would expect SIN checks as a daily in a runners life.  YMMV, but throwing Karma at Nuyen is going to happen with Resources E.

Good to know about Scorpions.
I hadn't thought about it, as I AM in AZ & this guy is from the PCC so it is really common here.
I was looking for something annoying w/o being so generic as to take Spiders or Roaches.

Hmm, I guess 12+3D will leave him at 3 actions each turn much of the time.
I might just look into that & then pick up Magic Sense & Motion Sense for that extra point, which I also love.

Mask is great for getting by someone quick I guess, but I was looking for something that I didn't have to sustain.

Eidetic is for RP reasons & just to be able to recall anything we saw before.  Like I said, watching too much Mentalist, Numbers, & Lie to Me, when I thought of this guy.  I pictured him as sort of a ConArtist / Charlatan type, holding fake Seance, using his spirits to "contact the dead" very 20th century feel set for the 2070's.

More AgiBoost & CombatSense certainly isn't a bad thing, but I get the basics of each & can take more later with Foci or Initiations.
In the mean time I wanted that Surprise Check & the avg 2 Agi dice for now.

I completely get what your saying about Cash for SIN. 
I'm dreading it as it was bad enough with my Seattle character a couple years ago who started out in the same boat.
I could give up JoaT at Chargen for an extra $4k & then skip the Reagents for a quick bind of my 1st Spirit that I was planning on.
Then in turn pick up a single Fake-2, but I feel like that thing is going to get burned about as fast as it would take me to save up for a better one.
I'm also considering changing over a Contact to be a Coyote/Smuggler to get across boarders instead.

Thanks for the IR suggestion, I think that's a for sure option & I'll see what I can do about getting around across boarder options.

[Tarislar]

Thanks again for the suggestions.

Got to play in our first game last weekend.

I'm not sure if its a Missions Season 2 scenario or if its a home brew or if its some other scenario.
We only got about 1/2ish way through. 
Hired by 1 smuggler to find out what happened to his partner, another smuggler.


The changes I made were pretty minor but I think it managed to cover up some of the weaknesses.

Reaction-5/7
Initiative-10/12 + 1/3d6
Physical Limit-4/4
Dodge-13


Power Points:  6      
Improved Reflexes-2  (2.5)      
Magic Sense  (0.5)
Motion Sense  (0.5)


Contacts:
Mr. 'Ares' Johnson - 5/2      
ZDF Investigations Officer - 4/2
PCC Council Assistant - 3/2      


Qualities:         
Phobia - Rare/Mild - Snakes


I didn't end up getting a Fake-SIN but changed around the contacts to work with the Day Job & Real SIN to give him a reason to have to move between the sectors for his non-shadow work.

I'll still be getting a Fake for sure, but in the short term this seems to be workable.



Also, this game up in the game.... What do you roll for the Spellcasting Test when using the Magic Sense power?
I'm going to ask in the other forums areas but curious if there has been a ruling on this anywhere.
My thought is replace Spellcasting w/ Intuition, but, I can't find anything.