[Bob The 3rd]

Hello there? I'm fairly new to Shadowrun, and have just got into my second game. I plan to make an adept using automatics and melee weapons too compliment the more support oriented characters already in the game. However, I'm kinda stuck at character creation. Some basic tips would be appreciated. Thanks!

Edit: Priority, Sum-to-Ten, and Karma allowed

[Csjarrat]

Gun Adepts pretty much write themselves tbh, Attributes A, Magic B (adept 6) Skills C, Metatype D (human, 3) resources E (6k +10 karma for 26k).
pump attribute points into AGI/INT/REA to make sure you've got good gun skills and high initiative (so you get to act a lot in combat).

As for adept powers, combat sense/improved reflexes/improved skill:(weapon class) is a good start

[fseperent]

Regardless of team, you might want some Computers, Etiquette, and maybe Negotiation so you don't stand out like you have a "I'm a runner, please shoot me" sign.
Make sure you have a fake SIN and licenses for your guns.
Best bet would be to stock gel and shock rounds.
Nothing puts a target on your back like having a trail of dead bodies behind you.
Not good with building adepts or street sams but that should help out.

[Whiskeyjack]

Skills C might be tight to do both gun and melee fighting along with the runner staples of high Perception and Sneaking.

You're going to hard cap AGI, soft cap INT and REA, BOD 5, WIL 3, dump LOG and probably CHA.

For melee you either want decent to high STR or dump it and go monowhip (my preference - bonus points to make it a weapon focus).

Look at Wolf or Eagle as a mentor spirit.

This character would benefit from Prototype Transhuman if he wasn't basically required to be broke for the rest of priority to work.  though Att B/MAG B/Resources c/Skills C/Human E could work.

Regardless of team, you might want some Computers, Etiquette, and maybe Negotiation so you don't stand out like you have a "I'm a runner, please shoot me" sign.

You certainly DO NOT need Computer or especially Negotiation. Etiquette 1 is a good karma buy.

The advice about killing is also, eh, generally good but impossible to know if it's useful without knowing the details of the OP's actual game.

[Csjarrat]

here's one I built ages back before a lot of the splat books. should give an idea of what you can do:

Combat Adept - SR5

Priorities:
A: Attributes (24)
B: Adept (mag 6, x1 R4 skill)
C: Skills (28/2)
D: Gear (50,000)
E: Meta (human, 1)


Attribs:
BOD 4 (+3)
STR 4 (+3)
AGI 6 (+5)
REA(6)(+4)
CHA 3 (+2)
INT 4 (+3)
LOG 2 (+2)
WIL 3 (+2)

ESS 6
MAG 6
EDG 3 (+1)

Qualities:
{+ve} Ambidextrous -4 karma
{-ve} National Sin (UCAS) +5 karma
      Mild, Common allergy (dogs) +10 karma
      Sensitive System +12 karma

25 basic, + 25 from negative = 50 total
________________________________________
Skills:

Groups:
Athletics R2

Individual:
Sneaking 4 (free)
Pistols 6(9) (semi-auto +2)
Etiquette 2 (street +2)
Negotiation 1 (bargaining +2)         24
Clubs 6 (staffs +2)       
Locksmith 3
Pilot ground 1 (wheeled +2)
Perception 4

Karma:
Throwing Weapons 2 (6karma)
Palming 2 (6karma)
________________________________________
Adept Powers: (6pp)
Improved reflexes 1 1.5pp
Improved Pistols 3 1.5pp
Combat Sense 4 2pp
Critical strike (clubs) .5pp
Enhanced Accuracy (clubs) .25pp
Enhanced Accuracy (pistols) .25pp
________________________________________

Gear: 50,000 + 10 karma = 70,000
Foci:
F4 Improved reflexes focus (8 karma) 12,000
F4 Traceless walk focus (8 karma) 12,000
F1 Weapon focus (3 karma) 7,000
F1 Light body focus (2 karma) 3,000
(21 karma spent on bonding + 36k spent)
16 karma remaining
________________________________________
Electronics:
Commlink: Transys Avalon 5000 (dr 6)
-Trodes 70
-Subvocal mic 50
-R3 SiN 7500
-Gun License 3 600
-Vehicle License 3 600
-Foci License 3 600          14,420

Glasses R4: 400
-Low Light +4 500
-Flare comp +1 250
-Image enhance 2 +4 1,000      2150

Contacts R2: 400
-Image Link 25
-Vision Mag 250                 675

Headphones R5: 250
-Audio enhance 2 +4 1,000
-Sound filter 1 +3 500
-Spatial recog +4 1,000        2750

19,995 total
__________________________________________
Weapons + armour:

Browning Ultra-Power (heavy pistol) 640
-Concealable Holster 150
-Gas vent 3 600

Browning Ultra-Power (heavy pistol) 640
-Concealable Holster 150
-Gas vent 3 600                            2,780

Fichetti Security 600 350
-Concealable Holster 150
-Silencer 500                              1,000

Telescoping staff 350                        450
-Weapon focus R1
-Personalised Grip 100
                                         
Armour Jacket (arm 12) 1000       
-Non Conduct 3 750
-Insulation 3 750
-Chem Protect 3 750                        3,750
-Fire Resist 2 500                        (7,880)         
__________________________________________
Misc:
Yamaha Growler  5,000
Low Lifestyle (1month) 2,000               7,000
x20 APDS (HP) 240
-x2 spare clip 10
x40 regular (HP) 80
-x4 spare clip 20
x60 regular (LP) 120     
-x2 spare clip 10                            440
Data chip 5

Credstik 5
 -145 NY embedded

Hidden arm slide 350
x2 smoke grenades 80

70,000

_________________________________________
Contacts: cha x3 = 9 pts
Talislegger 3,3
Street Doc 1,2

_________________________________________
Knowledge skills: Log 2 + int 4 x2 = 12pts.

[Whiskeyjack]

Is Enhanced Accuracy useful to start when you can easily get ACC of 7-9 between good gun choice, a smartlink and personalized grip? I'd say no.

[Csjarrat]

its an old char template I made. not a super optimised one!

[Whiskeyjack]

Just asking! 

[Reaver]

Weapon selection and firepower are going to dictate a single gun or dual gun build.

Both have their advantages, and there flaws, and will affect your power and skill choices.

If you are looking for close range, high volume fire: machine pistols
Close range, high damage: shotgun/pistols
Long range high damage: sniper/assault rifle

Just keep in mind, some weapons you can use one-handed, others require two hands. (So no sense in wasting karma/pp on dual welding qualities or powers)

[Medicineman]

its an old char template I made. not a super optimised one!

What about
A : Attributes (24)
B : Meta : Human (7) or Elf (6)
C Skills (28/2)
D : Adept (MAG 2)
E : Resourcen

As a Human he would have MAG 6 and Edge 5
as an Elf MAG 6 and Edge 3
(and as an Elf with CHA 6 he could start as a Face/Gunslinger )

He'd loose the 50.000 but start with Edge 5 instead of 3 or as an Elf (with higher AGI ) instaed of a Human

with an Alternate Dance
Medicineamn

[adzling]

I would suggest you consider a cybered adept gunslinger for optimum killing power.

Priorites would look something like this:

Attributes A
$$ B
Metatype C (take your pick!)
Magic D
Skills E

Jam your agility up to max, you've got plenty of attributes to go around,

This build would raise magic to 5 or 6 via special attribute points from Metatype C.

Take the Prototype Transhuman quality from Chrome Flesh for 10 karma and load up on one essence point of bioware.

That $275k nuyen from priorities B will net you some nifty things, like 2 levels of Synaptic Booster to put into that free point of essence from Prototype Transhuman.

You will be pressed for skills with such a low skill priority so focus on the things absolutely must have like:
bang-bang
smack-cut-chop
Sneaking
Perception
Gymnastics
+ take the Jack of all Trades quality for 2 karma and be prepared to invest some karma post chargen into low level skills that everyone needs like pilot ground craft, throwing weapons, computer etc.

[Whiskeyjack]

Skills E isn't really viable for this, out of the gate, IMO.  Yes JoaT is good but you're going to be pretty down for a few runs.

I really would not ever recommend Synaptic Booster when you can get Improved Reflexes 2 and a ton of Combat Sense and Imprived Ability then move into IR3 with initiation. Orthoskin, Muscle Toner and Platelet Factories are markedly better options.

I've never seen dual gun work well, I tend to go MP/SMG as normal carry and an AR hidden in the car for more intense jobs or in non-A districts.

And jesus I wish people would stop promoting fallacies like "everyone needs Computer."

[adzling]

I disagree, but as always YMMV.

Considering he stipulated that other characters already provide roundedness to the group he doesn't need a broad skill set out the door.

Also Synaptic Boosters 2 (1 essence) are far more efficient essence wise than Improved Reflexes 2 (2.5 essence).
That's a 1.5 essence point difference!
Which, when you consider all the cool things he could be spending those pp, on it just makes more sense to get them as cheaper essence 'ware if you can.

Heck take Transhuman and Biocompatibility and you can prolly squeek in 2 x synaptic boosters + 1 rating of muscle toner.

Skills E isn't really viable for this, out of the gate, IMO.  Yes JoaT is good but you're going to be pretty down for a few runs.

I really would not ever recommend Synaptic Booster when you can get Improved Reflexes 2 and a ton of Combat Sense and Imprived Ability then move into IR3 with initiation. Orthoskin, Muscle Toner and Platelet Factories are markedly better options.

I've never seen dual gun work well, I tend to go MP/SMG as normal carry and an AR hidden in the car for more intense jobs or in non-A districts.

And jesus I wish people would stop promoting fallacies like "everyone needs Computer."

[jim1701]

I disagree, but as always YMMV.

Considering he stipulated that other characters already provide roundedness to the group he doesn't need a broad skill set out the door.

Also Synaptic Boosters 2 (1 essence) are far more efficient essence wise than Improved Reflexes 2 (2.5 essence).
That's a 1.5 essence point difference!
Which, when you consider all the cool things he could be spending those pp, on it just makes more sense to get them as cheaper essence 'ware if you can.

Heck take Transhuman and Biocompatibility and you can prolly squeek in 2 x synaptic boosters + 1 rating of muscle toner.

Skills E isn't really viable for this, out of the gate, IMO.  Yes JoaT is good but you're going to be pretty down for a few runs.

I really would not ever recommend Synaptic Booster when you can get Improved Reflexes 2 and a ton of Combat Sense and Imprived Ability then move into IR3 with initiation. Orthoskin, Muscle Toner and Platelet Factories are markedly better options.

I've never seen dual gun work well, I tend to go MP/SMG as normal carry and an AR hidden in the car for more intense jobs or in non-A districts.

And jesus I wish people would stop promoting fallacies like "everyone needs Computer."

My understanding would be that with SB2 that is what you would be stuck with but with IR2 you can always upgrade to IR3 after an initiation.  Considering PP acquisition is relatively open ended for an adept the efficiency argument holds little weight with me and personally I'm just not a fan of cyber adepts but that is just me. 

[adzling]

Different strokes for different folks Jim!