[Chalkarts]

Ok,

I really enjoy role play, I get into character and try to get the DM Role playing whenever possible.  For Me RPGs are competitive improv.
I want to make a character that tries to talk his way out of everything by any means necessary.  He can fight, but not well, hes a little sickly.
I'm justifying the madness of this by giving the character an addiction, drugs make ya do weird things.

I want to make a character that uses every route possible to avoid combat.  Lots of charisma with some adept powers, Mind manipulation & Detection spells, bioware, Skill specializations, random hodge podge complete chaotic min max.

I only have a core book to go by. 
I'm trying to work out my priorities and wanted some opinions.
I know I want elf, and Mystic Adept, but cant figure out the order.

I'm making this for a game i just joined and am not as spot on with 5e as I'd like to be.
Might I humbly request the help of the gathered Runners and Johnsons?

[fseperent]

With priority, you're asking for a lot.
But, try this:
A: Attributes
B: Magic
C: Skills
D: Race
E: Resources
Forget about bioware out of chargen with what you have stated you want.
All the bioware a face would want is too expensive.

[Chalkarts]

But, try this:
A: Attributes
B: Magic
C: Skills
D: Race
E: Resources

I was actually thinking of, for role play purposes(I'm one of those), Making him a little physically weak so I'd make Skills A and attributes C,but I like where you are on the rest.

I was also considering dropping the Magic and going full adept.
How many levels in an Adept power can an Adept have, is there a limit?

[fseperent]

Limit for adept power levels is your MAG.

[adzling]

There are often other specified limits to specific powers.

But generally speaking Adepts make the best faces.

Don't miss Commanding Voice and Authorative tone (read the last errata, Catalyst really borked these powers changing them both multiple times).

Personally I like the "doppleganger" face who takes all the body/ face / skin/ hair changing powers so he can BE anyone he wants with a few minutes prep.

You can only do that with an Adept.

[Chalkarts]

There are often other specified limits to specific powers.

But generally speaking Adepts make the best faces.

Don't miss Commanding Voice and Authorative tone (read the last errata, Catalyst really borked these powers changing them both multiple times).

Personally I like the "doppleganger" face who takes all the body/ face / skin/ hair changing powers so he can BE anyone he wants with a few minutes prep.

You can only do that with an Adept.

What book are those powers in?  I would totally make one of those, I didn't know those were a thing.

[Chalkarts]

When you see a group of good guys and bad guys clash in a movie there is often that one guy that tries in vain to stop it.  He jumps in the middle and yells "Wait!" and both sides stop and hear him out and then kill each other anyway?

I wanna play the "Wait!" guy.  When our running team is caught on corporate property and is facing off with a group of 5 corporate security guards, I wanna jump in the middle and talk the security guards in to letting us go, whether by charm or intimidation, at the very least drawing them into conversation while my team prepares to kill them all.

[adzling]

They are spread across many books :-(

S.G., Stolen Souls, Bloody Business etc.

My top adept powers for face work are:

Commanding Voice
Auth. Tone
Cool Resolve
Body Sculpt
Facial Sculpt
Melanin Control
Keratin Control
Linguistics
Voice Control

Those powers will make you the ultimate face able to bend others to your will and in the event they don't bend you can lock them in a closet and BECOME them.

There are often other specified limits to specific powers.

But generally speaking Adepts make the best faces.

Don't miss Commanding Voice and Authorative tone (read the last errata, Catalyst really borked these powers changing them both multiple times).

Personally I like the "doppleganger" face who takes all the body/ face / skin/ hair changing powers so he can BE anyone he wants with a few minutes prep.

You can only do that with an Adept.

What book are those powers in?  I would totally make one of those, I didn't know those were a thing.

[Chalkarts]

That's a great list

[adzling]

here's an adept build similar to my starting point
mostly 16-18 dice pools and a few around 9-12.

Elf Doppleganger
METATYPE: ELF
B 2, A 6/8, R 5/6, S 3, W 3, L 3, I 5, C 8, ESS 5, EDG 1, M 4
Condition Monitor (P/S): 9 / 10
Armor: 14
Limits: Physical 5, Mental 6, Social 12
Physical Initiative: 10/11+2D6
Active Skills: Con (Fast Talking +2) 2, Disguise 1, Etiquette 1, Exotic Melee Weapon: Monofilament Whip 2 (3), Gymnastics 1, Impersonation 2, Leadership (Command +2) 2, Negotiation (Bargaining +2) 2, Perception (Visual +2) 1, Pistols (Semi-Automatics +2) 3 (4), Sneaking (Urban +2) 3
Knowledge Skills: small unit tactics (Urban +2) 6, Street knowledge: Seattle 1
Languages: English N, Japanese 4, Sperethiel 4
Metatype Abilities: Enhanced Senses: Low-Light Vision
Qualities: Adept, Agile Defender, Biocompatibility (Bioware), Jack of All Trades, Master of None, Mentor Spirit: Raven, Prototype Transhuman: Wanted, SINner (Corporate SIN): Renraku, Wanted
Adept Powers: Authoritative Tone (1), Body Sculpt (4 hours) (10dicepool), Commanding Voice (10dicepool vs.  Willpower + Intuition), Facial Sculpt (4 hours) (1) (6dicepool), Keratin Control, Linguistics (8dicepool (Varies)), Melanin Control (5h), Traceless Walk, Voice Control (1) (14dicepool[6] vs. Voice rec. x 2 or PER + INT)
Augmentations:
   Fingertip Compartment
   Mnemonic Enhancer (Prototype) (Alphaware) (1) w/ Prototype Transhuman
   Muscle Toner (Prototype) (Alphaware) (2) w/ Prototype Transhuman
   Reflex Recorder (Prototype) (Alphaware): Exotic Melee Weapon w/ Prototype Transhuman
   Reflex Recorder (Prototype) (Alphaware): Pistols w/ Prototype Transhuman
   Smartlink (Used)
   Synaptic Booster (1)
   Tailored Pheromones (Prototype) (3) w/ Prototype Transhuman
   Voice Modulator (2)
Gear:
   Armor Jacket
   Ballistic Mask (Customized) w/ Gas Mask
   Concealable Holster
   Contacts (3) w/ Flare Compensation, Image Link, Vision Enhancement (1)
   Cram
   ding w/ (1 month) Street Lifestyle
   Ear buds (3) w/ Audio Enhancement (2), Select Sound Filter (1)
   Identity: Specify Name
   Matrix Systems GridGopher
   Micro-Tranceiver
   Novacoke
   Plastic Restraints x10
   Tool Kit, Disguise
Weapons:
   Savalette Guardian [Heavy Pistol, Acc 8, DV 8P, AP -5, SA/BF, RC 4, 12 (c)] w/ (50x) APDS, Flashlight, Low-Light, Gas-Vent System (3), Personalized Grip, Smartgun System, Internal
   Monofilament Whip Weapon Focus (1) [Exotic Melee Weapon, Reach 2, Acc 8, DV 12P, AP -8] w/ Personalized Grip, Weapon Focus (1)
Starting ¥: 755 + (1D6 × 20)¥

[Coyote]

"Commanding Voice (10dicepool vs.  Willpower + Intuition)"

Wouldn't Commanding Voice get the bonus from the Command specialization of Leadership, so it would be 12 dice?

Also, an interesting idea would be to see if you can fit in Narco, and then use pharmaceutical-grade Novacoke. With only 1 threshold, the addiction tests are easy, the drug is very cheap and long-lasting, and getting +2 to Charisma is a big deal for most of the skills/powers.

[adzling]

the Commanding Voice dice pool is calculate by Hero Lab which isn't always right.

We just used leadership pool for Commanding Voice (so his would be 16 dice) but we also use the full social modifers table which can apply some hefty modifiers for use, especially in combat.

[Sterling]

"Commanding Voice (10dicepool vs.  Willpower + Intuition)"

Wouldn't Commanding Voice get the bonus from the Command specialization of Leadership, so it would be 12 dice?

Remember that Leadership is only effective when the subject accepts and acknowledges you, even temporarily, as their superior.  The Command specialisation is used when rolling against targets to see if they will accept you, and you cannot use it against a target that you have already failed against. (P. 142 Core SR5 2nd printing)

[Chalkarts]

What book is Body control and Keratin control in?
I found an online list of adept powers and those two weren't on it.
Id love to see the book text on those powers.

[adzling]

True, except for commanding voice, which is what we're talking about here.

"Commanding Voice (10dicepool vs.  Willpower + Intuition)"

Wouldn't Commanding Voice get the bonus from the Command specialization of Leadership, so it would be 12 dice?

Remember that Leadership is only effective when the subject accepts and acknowledges you, even temporarily, as their superior.  The Command specialisation is used when rolling against targets to see if they will accept you, and you cannot use it against a target that you have already failed against. (P. 142 Core SR5 2nd printing)