[celondon]

I'm building a character to replace me very soon to be deceased Adept. I know I want him to be a mage of the Vodou tradition and I picked Elf as his race because I found a good piece of character art I can use for him. Why Vodou? I've never run a Possession Tradition mage and want to give it a shot. Also, there's a lot of tradition and flavor to draw upon with it.

Role-wise, I want him to be a decent back-up face, but mostly a spell slinger. Which brings me to the point of the post.

What is a good layout of spells for such a character? Bearing in mind I won't have Focused Concentration, so I'm relying on Sustaining Foci for Sustained spells.

I know I want:
Heal
Increased Reflexes
Physical Mask

I have 7 more slots and way too many spell choices.

[Whiskeyjack]

Are you sure you don't want to be a Mystic Adept? 

Anyway:
Stunbolt
Ball Lightning
Improved Invisibility
Levitate
Sterilize
Trid Phantasm

One of (to start - they're all good):
Chaotic World
Opium Den
Hot Potato

Honorable Mention:
Fashion
Mana Barrier
Extended Detect Enemies

[celondon]

Are you sure you don't want to be a Mystic Adept? 

Yes. MySad's are a level of cheese I try to avoid!

Anyway:
Stunbolt
Ball Lightning
Improved Invisibility
Levitate
Sterilize
Trid Phantasm

One of (to start - they're all good):
Chaotic World
Opium Den
Hot Potato

Honorable Mention:
Fashion
Mana Barrier
Extended Detect Enemies

Is Sterilize really all that helpful? As far as I know, it's most common use is to reduce forensic evidence of the runners by dropping thresholds. That doesn't seem all that great, honestly.

I'd looked at "Intoxication" but it pretty much sucks for general use. Opium Den seems like it would fit the bill, though.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Jack_Spade]

Are you sure you don't want to be a Mystic Adept? 

Yes. MySad's are a level of cheese I try to avoid!

Commendable.

Sterilize is quite useful to set  up first aid without penalties for environment.
In the same vain, Healthy Glow is an awesome little buff and a great way to speed up healing stun damage.

Since you are playing a CHA based possession tradition with Spirit of Men in the health slot, you might want to get some more health spells. Specifically CHA and WIL booster for better drain resistance and have a spirit cast them on you.

If you get Improved Invisibility also get Punch - sneak up on people and drop them.

Fashion is great if you want to wear heavy armor despite attending a high class event.

[celondon]

If you get Improved Invisibility also get Punch - sneak up on people and drop them.

That's great in theory, but with only 6 dice in Sneak and the -2 for Sustaining Imp.Inv. it'd be a bit unlikely that I could sneak up on any target I'd *need* to do that on. With more cash and Karma I'll get an Illusion Sustaining focus that will help, though.

[Jack_Spade]

Well, there's your problem: Learn to sneak 

But seriously: You are a mage. Have a spirit work concealment on you. And while you are at it, have the spirit of man cast increased agility on you to help with your sneaking.

[Whiskeyjack]

Are you sure you don't want to be a Mystic Adept? 

Yes. MySad's are a level of cheese I try to avoid!

mweh 

Is Sterilize really all that helpful? As far as I know, it's most common use is to reduce forensic evidence of the runners by dropping thresholds. That doesn't seem all that great, honestly.

You basically get rid of useable physical evidence pretty quick with huge penalties to analyze it, and destroy its ability to be used as a material link, both of which can be helpful depending on the run and your game.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Any time!

[Pap Renvela]

Well, there's your problem: Learn to sneak 

But seriously: You are a mage. Have a spirit work concealment on you. And while you are at it, have the spirit of man cast increased agility on you to help with your sneaking.

Summon a force 6 Task Spirit..it's AGI is probably higher than yours so you gain +3 AGI.

Summon it with Skill(Sneaking)..it will be equal to Force.

So your AGI+3+6 means you can sneak.

Task Spirits are Magical skilljack for all physical and technical skills that aren't matrix related.
And the Guardian Spirrit is a skill jack for combat skills.