[Talgrath]

So, my attempts to build test characters so that I understand the rules of character creation continues.  As before, the idea here is not to create a power build and I'm mostly looking to ensure I did things "by the book" correctly.  This is using just the basic book, so no fancy martial arts and whatnot.

== Info ==
Street Name: Trogadin
Name: Unnamed Character
Movement: 14/28
Karma: 0
Street Cred: 0
Notoriety: 0
Public Awareness: 0
Troll
Composure: 6
Judge Intentions: 6
Lift/Carry: 16 (120 kg/80 kg)
Memory: 5
Nuyen: 575

== Priorities ==
Metatype: A - Any metatype
Attributes: B - 20 Attributes
Special: C - Adept, Magician, or Technomancer
Skills: D - 22 Skills/0 Skill Groups
Resources: E - 6,000¥

== Attributes ==
BOD: 8
AGI: 5 (7)
REA: 4 (7)
STR: 8
CHA: 2
INT: 4
LOG: 1
WIL: 4
EDG: 4
MAG: 6

== Derived Attributes ==
Essence:                   6
Initiative:                8 (11) + 4d6
Rigger Initiative:         11 + 4d6
Astral Initiative:         8 + 2d6
Matrix AR Initiative:      11 + 4d6
Matrix Cold Initiative:    4 + DP + 3d6
Matrix Hot Initiative:     4 + DP + 4d6
Physical Damage Track:     12
Stun Damage Track:         10

== Limits ==
Physical:                  11
Mental:                    4
Social:                    5
Astral:                    5

== Active Skills ==
Animal Handling            : 0                      Pool: 1
Archery                    : 0                      Pool: 6
Automatics                 : 0                      Pool: 6
Blades                     : 6                      Pool: 14
Clubs                      : 0                      Pool: 6
Con                        : 0                      Pool: 1
Disguise                   : 0                      Pool: 3
Diving                     : 0                      Pool: 7
Escape Artist              : 0                      Pool: 6
Etiquette                  : 0                      Pool: 1
Free-Fall                  : 1                      Pool: 9
Gunnery                    : 0                      Pool: 6
Gymnastics                 : 5                      Pool: 12
Heavy Weapons              : 5                      Pool: 12
Impersonation              : 0                      Pool: 1
Instruction                : 0                      Pool: 1
Intimidation               : 4                      Pool: 6
Leadership                 : 0                      Pool: 1
Longarms                   : 0                      Pool: 6
Navigation                 : 0                      Pool: 3
Negotiation                : 0                      Pool: 1
Perception                 : 0                      Pool: 3
Performance                : 0                      Pool: 1
Pilot Ground Craft         : 0                      Pool: 6
Pilot Watercraft           : 0                      Pool: 6
Pistols                    : 0                      Pool: 6
Running                    : 2                      Pool: 10
Sneaking                   : 0                      Pool: 6
Survival                   : 0                      Pool: 3
Swimming                   : 1                      Pool: 9
Throwing Weapons           : 0                      Pool: 6
Tracking                   : 0                      Pool: 3
Unarmed Combat             : 0                      Pool: 6

== Knowledge Skills ==
Martial Arts               : 6                      Pool: 7
Sprawl Life                : 6                      Pool: 7

== Contacts ==
Sensei (1, 5)

== Qualities ==
Adept
Code of Honor (Children)
Dependent (Inconvenience)
Quick Healer
Thermographic Vision

== Powers ==
Adrenaline Boost Rating: 3
Combat Sense Rating: 4
Critical Strike (Blades)
Enhanced Accuracy (skill) (Blades)
Improved Ability (skill) (Blades) Rating: 1
Improved Physical Attribute (AGI) Rating: 2
Improved Reflexes 3
Mystic Armor Rating: 4
Wall Running

== Lifestyles ==
Crappy Apartment  1 months

== Armor ==
Armor Jacket                        12
Clothing                            0

== Weapons ==
Combat Axe
   Pool: 14   Accuracy: 5   DV: 14P   AP: -4   RC: 4
Combat Knife
   Pool: 14   Accuracy: 7   DV: 11P   AP: -3   RC: 4
Ingram Valiant
   +Gas-Vent 2 System
   +Laser Sight
   +Shock Pad
   +Spare Clip
   +Stock
   Pool: 12   Accuracy: 6   DV: 9P   AP: -2   RC: 9
Survival Knife
   Pool: 14   Accuracy: 6   DV: 11P   AP: -1   RC: 4
Unarmed Attack
   Pool: 6   Accuracy: 11   DV: 8S   AP: -   RC: 4

== Commlink ==
Renraku Sensei (ATT: 0, SLZ: 0, DP: 3, FWL: 3)

== Gear ==
Ammo: Regular Ammo (Light Machine Guns) x100
Fake License (Adept License) Rating 4
Fake SIN (Fake ID) Rating 4
Micro-Transceiver
Trodes

[Glyph]

You should have much fewer adept powers.  A Magic of 6 means 6 power points, and even just glancing at your powers, I can tell it is well over 6 points.  Maybe you were purchasing power points with Karma?  Only mystic adepts can do that, and they get that instead of the free power points.

[Talgrath]

Hrrrm, okay, how do adepts get new powers then?  Only by initiation? 

[Glyph]

Adepts can gain power points by electing to get a power point instead of a metamagic when they initiate, and they automatically gain a power point when they raise their Magic rating.  At character creation, they can take the exceptional attribute quality to begin with a Magic rating of 7 (subject to GM approval), gain certain powers from choosing a mentor spirit, and buy/bond qi foci for additional power points.

[Talgrath]

Hrrm, okay, that makes sense.  Thanks.

[Strange]

Not sure if that code of honor would fly. Seems weird to have heavy weapons but absolutely no gun skills. After that, it's hard to judge without a points spent/ karma spent breakdown.

[Glyph]

Children was one of the examples given under the description of the code of honor quality, so it should be fine.  I agree heavy weapons as the only ranged skill is a bit weird - but I am also concerned about the practical applications.  There are limited times where hauling around a machine gun won't result in a SWAT team being called out, meaning that this character will be without a ranged attack too much of the time.  Even a point or two in pistols or throwing weapons would be a good idea.

[Hobbes]

If you're looking for a mechanical accuracy check a couple quick notes as to where the Karma was spent helps the auditing. 

Looks like you spent 5ish Karma on Nuyen, and a few on Skill points? 

Adept powers were mentioned, once those are corrected you're likely good to go.  The powers Adrenaline boost and Improved Reflexes don't stack FYI.

Balance wise, as other posters have mentioned, Heavy weapons as the only ranged attack is an odd choice.  Intimidation is always an opposed test, 6 dice will only be useful for growling at wage slaves or other sheeple. 

[ZeldaBravo]

Intimidation stacks really good. Pull out your gun, smack a target with it, bring your buddies and be well built. That's an easy +5 - +6 to your pool.
And also I happen to have a melee-focused character with a grenade launcher as the only ranged option (not in a Shadowrun game but still). I must say that it sure brings a lot of croud control to the table, you just need to get all the kinds of grenades and not just HE/Frag.

[Talgrath]

Intimidation stacks really good. Pull out your gun, smack a target with it, bring your buddies and be well built. That's an easy +5 - +6 to your pool.
And also I happen to have a melee-focused character with a grenade launcher as the only ranged option (not in a Shadowrun game but still). I must say that it sure brings a lot of croud control to the table, you just need to get all the kinds of grenades and not just HE/Frag.

Precisely right on intimidation.  On most checks he gets a +2 advantage just for being a troll.  I'd imagine pulling out a big old axe and showing how fraggin' quick he is with it would probably be pretty scary to most folks too.

As far as ranged combat, my general thought was that anything in throwing range probably wouldn't be worth throwing at, given his initiative and what not he can get up close and personal real quick.  Heavy weapons are for enemies he doesn't want to go toe to toe with for some reason (fire elementals, for example) or for cases  when he needs to deal with a large crowd.  Generally if he needs to go in "quiet" like, he'd probably just bring his knives.

[Strange]

Children was one of the examples given under the description of the code of honor quality, so it should be fine.  I agree heavy weapons as the only ranged skill is a bit weird - but I am also concerned about the practical applications.  There are limited times where hauling around a machine gun won't result in a SWAT team being called out, meaning that this character will be without a ranged attack too much of the time.  Even a point or two in pistols or throwing weapons would be a good idea.

Next sentence it specifies that if children are not regularly encountered in campaigns, the GM can reject the choice.  How often are you ordered to kill a child?  Not very, I'd imagine.  I'm not saying the GM can't allow it, I am just saying that perhaps the GM won't, i.e. not sure if it would fly.

[Talgrath]

Children was one of the examples given under the description of the code of honor quality, so it should be fine.  I agree heavy weapons as the only ranged skill is a bit weird - but I am also concerned about the practical applications.  There are limited times where hauling around a machine gun won't result in a SWAT team being called out, meaning that this character will be without a ranged attack too much of the time.  Even a point or two in pistols or throwing weapons would be a good idea.

Next sentence it specifies that if children are not regularly encountered in campaigns, the GM can reject the choice.  How often are you ordered to kill a child?  Not very, I'd imagine.  I'm not saying the GM can't allow it, I am just saying that perhaps the GM won't, i.e. not sure if it would fly.

Sure, but this could just be an example, instead you could say defenseless people, for example.  Everything as far as that quality is up to GM approval since it can be a little squishy in terms of what you might face.  If the GM is running a Renraku heavy campaign, Renraku personnel could be a valid option, for example.

[Strange]

Children was one of the examples given under the description of the code of honor quality, so it should be fine.  I agree heavy weapons as the only ranged skill is a bit weird - but I am also concerned about the practical applications.  There are limited times where hauling around a machine gun won't result in a SWAT team being called out, meaning that this character will be without a ranged attack too much of the time.  Even a point or two in pistols or throwing weapons would be a good idea.

Next sentence it specifies that if children are not regularly encountered in campaigns, the GM can reject the choice.  How often are you ordered to kill a child?  Not very, I'd imagine.  I'm not saying the GM can't allow it, I am just saying that perhaps the GM won't, i.e. not sure if it would fly.

Sure, but this could just be an example, instead you could say defenseless people, for example.  Everything as far as that quality is up to GM approval since it can be a little squishy in terms of what you might face.  If the GM is running a Renraku heavy campaign, Renraku personnel could be a valid option, for example.

Perhaps, except, again, I would bet you would have to do runs on renraku 100x more often than an orphanage. I'm saying choosin children is not in the spirit of the high reward from taking the quality, both from the standpoint that you will probably never be asked to kill a child and also from the standpoint that most runners would then automatically have that quality because they aren't demented. Compare "children" code of honor vs "warriors code" and tell me that are anywhere near each other. A gm who was any good wouldn't allow it.

[Talgrath]

Children was one of the examples given under the description of the code of honor quality, so it should be fine.  I agree heavy weapons as the only ranged skill is a bit weird - but I am also concerned about the practical applications.  There are limited times where hauling around a machine gun won't result in a SWAT team being called out, meaning that this character will be without a ranged attack too much of the time.  Even a point or two in pistols or throwing weapons would be a good idea.

Next sentence it specifies that if children are not regularly encountered in campaigns, the GM can reject the choice.  How often are you ordered to kill a child?  Not very, I'd imagine.  I'm not saying the GM can't allow it, I am just saying that perhaps the GM won't, i.e. not sure if it would fly.

Sure, but this could just be an example, instead you could say defenseless people, for example.  Everything as far as that quality is up to GM approval since it can be a little squishy in terms of what you might face.  If the GM is running a Renraku heavy campaign, Renraku personnel could be a valid option, for example.

Perhaps, except, again, I would bet you would have to do runs on renraku 100x more often than an orphanage. I'm saying choosin children is not in the spirit of the high reward from taking the quality, both from the standpoint that you will probably never be asked to kill a child and also from the standpoint that most runners would then automatically have that quality because they aren't demented. Compare "children" code of honor vs "warriors code" and tell me that are anywhere near each other. A gm who was any good wouldn't allow it.

Ah, but I'd point out that just because they aren't your primary goal doesn't mean they might not be around.  The quality doesn't make exceptions for "oopsies" and it doesn't care if it is your fault, if a member of your chosen group gets killed on a run no matter whose fault it is, you lose karma plus if someone is threatening a member of your chosen group you must act unless you succeed in a test to resist.  That said, it was just an example chosen based on the idea that the character would be a "big old softie" despite his massive size and physical prowess.  Personally I'd be okay with it as a GM because it gives me a ton of ways to screw with the characters more than just straight-up making some runs unworkable for the character, but like I said, it's one of those "squishy" qualities that will vary from GM to GM.

[Strange]

Children was one of the examples given under the description of the code of honor quality, so it should be fine.  I agree heavy weapons as the only ranged skill is a bit weird - but I am also concerned about the practical applications.  There are limited times where hauling around a machine gun won't result in a SWAT team being called out, meaning that this character will be without a ranged attack too much of the time.  Even a point or two in pistols or throwing weapons would be a good idea.

Next sentence it specifies that if children are not regularly encountered in campaigns, the GM can reject the choice.  How often are you ordered to kill a child?  Not very, I'd imagine.  I'm not saying the GM can't allow it, I am just saying that perhaps the GM won't, i.e. not sure if it would fly.

Sure, but this could just be an example, instead you could say defenseless people, for example.  Everything as far as that quality is up to GM approval since it can be a little squishy in terms of what you might face.  If the GM is running a Renraku heavy campaign, Renraku personnel could be a valid option, for example.

Perhaps, except, again, I would bet you would have to do runs on renraku 100x more often than an orphanage. I'm saying choosin children is not in the spirit of the high reward from taking the quality, both from the standpoint that you will probably never be asked to kill a child and also from the standpoint that most runners would then automatically have that quality because they aren't demented. Compare "children" code of honor vs "warriors code" and tell me that are anywhere near each other. A gm who was any good wouldn't allow it.

Ah, but I'd point out that just because they aren't your primary goal doesn't mean they might not be around.  The quality doesn't make exceptions for "oopsies" and it doesn't care if it is your fault, if a member of your chosen group gets killed on a run no matter whose fault it is, you lose karma plus if someone is threatening a member of your chosen group you must act unless you succeed in a test to resist.  That said, it was just an example chosen based on the idea that the character would be a "big old softie" despite his massive size and physical prowess.  Personally I'd be okay with it as a GM because it gives me a ton of ways to screw with the characters more than just straight-up making some runs unworkable for the character, but like I said, it's one of those "squishy" qualities that will vary from GM to GM.

Any run involving killing innocent children, even accidently, would upset 90% of the runners out there.  That's my point, it's not a quality deserving of karma if everyone already has that code.  Losing a point of karma is only a small part of the code of honor, there are the aspects such as taking a run against said chosen group, leaving witnesses, and the roll to see if you intervene if anyone else is attempting to harm the protected group.  Kids make horrible witnesses, I have never seen a run that targeted killing a child, and anyone would intervene if someone was trying to kill a child.  You aren't losing anything to gain karma, in actuality.  Does that make sense?  Not sure if I am making my point clear or not.  It just seems cheesy, I guess, but whatever floats your boat.