[GunDrake]

I can't decide on which spellcaster and race that I want to play. I am the only spellcaster in the group. And we are using the sum to 12 and prime runner rules. This is what I have so far, a mage albino fox shifter infiltrator, a surge III anthropomorphic bat "mage or mystic adept" infiltrator or forensics investigator with a shamis drone, a surge III mystic adept anthropomorphic kangaroo martial artist, and last is a surge III anthropomorphic tiger mystic adept face and entertainer. What choice should I pick? And do you have any great ideas?

[DeathofVirtue]

  What about the rest of your group?  It's hard to just say pick this without any knowledge of how it will gell with your team.

Seeing as your the only caster I assume that means you are the only one who is going to have astral access too?  If thats the case the odds are the buck stops with you for spell def, astral recon/defence and mental stat targeting spells for gibbing trolls etc

  In that sort of a role I tend to pull a standard caster due to the massive utility you can have and the spirits are always usefull if your the only line of astral defence (Or for having a watcher spirit trail behind you deleting your astral signatures).  As far as choosing shaman or hermetic it's down to prefferance although those totem buffs are crazy handy if you choose carefully based on your needs.

  Race is always subjective, I do love shifters but I actually have a secret thing for dwarves when making hermetics and you cant sneeze at the elf face shaman either, filling two usefull rolls for your group which both need nice beefy Char really pays off, especially when you can use spells to aid your role as face.

  But yeah in short your probably going to want something that keeps your options and utility really high.

[Mestoph]

Edge 7 Human heretic with reveal in murder is always a good option.

[GunDrake]

The other PC's are a street samurai, a technomancer, and an AI rigger.

[drakir]

Sum to twelve!? and prime! Why? But ok, here comes a suggestion (crunch only, no fluff). Human edge 7 mage. This mage cover all important magic skills and is quite capable at mundane stuff (especially if edge is used). Most Mentor Spirits are nice, chose one that fits. Probably even more broken to do a MysAd but then you lose astral projection.

Priorities: Magic A, Attributes A, Skills C, Meta C, Resources E

Attributes: Bod 3, Agi 5, Rea 3, Str 2, Cha 5, Int 7, Log 3, Wil 5, Edge 7, Magic 6

Pos Qualities: Except Att (Intuition), Spirit Affinity, Mentor Spirit, Focused Concentration 1

Neg Qualities: Up to 35p negatives to be chosen

Skills: (Power Focus included)

6(8 ) Automatics 1 + spec

12 Assensing 5

15(17) Binding 6 + spec

15(17) Spellcasting 6 + spec

15(17) Summoning 6 + spec

12 Counterspelling 6

8(10) Perception 1 + spec

6(8 ) Con 1 + spec

6 Etiquette 1 (Influence Group)

6 Negotiation 1 (Influence Group)

6 Leadership 1 (Influence Group)

6 Sneaking 1 (Stealth Group)

6 Palming 1 (Stealth Group)

8 Disguise 1 (Stealth Group)

Spells: Ten of choice. Suggestions: Clout, Ball Lightning, Imp Invisibility, Heal, Levitate

Gear: Power Focus rating 3 + 46000 Nuyen to spend

Karma: 10 Str, 30 pos Qualities, 18 Power Focus. (12 left to spend if 35 p neg qualities)


As your group seems to lack a Face you could also go Charisma 9 (or even 10)  Elf.

[DeathofVirtue]

  Yeah seeing as you have no face in your group and they seem quite matrix dependent my original point about an elf shaman face is seeming more and more applicable.

[Glyph]

A human mage with Edge: 7 might be the most optimal choice, but given that the four choices are an albino shapeshifter and three changeling anthropomorphic animals, I would venture to guess the original poster wants to play something more exotic.

Frankly, the first option is the best one.  Vulpine shapeshifters are comparatively cheap at Priority C and only 5 points of Karma, and let you start out with an Edge of 5, along with the ability to turn into a small animal that can get into some tight places, and bonuses to two mental attributes.  And as the only awakened character in the group, being a full mage is the best choice for dealing with the magical end of things.

SURGE is a wretched mess in SR5 - character creation is frustrating even if you take 30-point SURGE, and the advantages are not that great (and you have to take a matching amount of negative qualities).  So go with the albino fox 'shifter.  I would recommend against the albinism, but I imagine it is probably a core part of the concept.  At least plan to have an improved invisibility spell and/or a spirit using its concealment power on the character, for any sneaking around.

[GunDrake]

I have heard from my hunter friend, that it is illegal for someone to hunt and kill an albino fox and other albino animals in my state, and many other places. Which will let me roleplay a cute sneaky fox sneaking around and in secret  corp. facilities until if some awakened npc's notice that I have shifter aura or when I shapechange. Plus if some hunters or anyone that knows the law, I will not half to worry as much about being shot at. My friend's and I  love to play exotic character's.

[GunDrake]

Since a fox shifter has high agility, do I want to have any of these weapons? Ares Redline laser pistol (From the Run & Gun book page 48), the FN-AAL Gyrojet pistol (from the Run & Gun book page 26-27.), or mabe a sniper rifle? Or is there a better choice? Note: I love lasers and missiles.

[DeathofVirtue]

0.o  Megas dont tend to care too much about national law, oftentimes they are more powerfull than the government enforcing said law/s.  Automated defenses are also unlikley to care, or to differentiate between an unauthorised intruder and an albino fox, security tech programmers have no reason to take the time to teach their tech "this is an albino fox, don't shoot it".  Further albinos tend to be a rare thing and rare things with fur that's considered fashionable tend to fetch nice prices from collectors and the like, it seems like being an albino is something that would be just as much if not more of a hinderance than a help.

  Obviously not my table not my game but reading that didn't sit well with me as a gm who tries to keep his games as consistent with th sr world and realistic as possible within the constraints of the game. 

[Dwagonzhan]

Since a fox shifter has high agility, do I want to have any of these weapons? Ares Redline laser pistol (From the Run & Gun book page 48), the FN-AAL Gyrojet pistol (from the Run & Gun book page 26-27.), or mabe a sniper rifle? Or is there a better choice? Note: I love lasers and missiles.

Upside of lasers is that they're very effective, and inherently silent (or logically, should be).
Downside is that laser wounds are distinctive and very rare; corp-sec is going to share that with their contractors (read: K-E, the Star, or any merc-net they partner with).

Also, once you get a reputation for packing one, every thug on the block is going to try to ambush you because they're ridiculously chase.
It's like owning a gold plated Ruger Warhawk.

Gyro-Jets are pretty nice in theory, especially in underwater scenarios. (which is what they were originally designed for)
However, the rules on ammo are...well, I can't seem to find them.
Chummer 5 says Gyrojet ammunition has an Availability of 15 and a cost of 16 nuyen a pop, but with a reference of Run & Gun 28...which doesn't have anything involving gyrojet ammunition.
Someone else might have the proper reference to hand.

[Glyph]

Keep in mind that a fox shapeshifter's Agility bonus is only for its fox form, so you won't get it for shooting (unless your metahuman form also gets an Agility bonus - gnome, nocturna, etc.).

A grenade launcher might fit your style, and it has several advantages.  It is not an exotic weapon, so you can specialize in it.  It is a comparatively compact weapon (not much bigger than a pistol).  And there are so many kinds of grenades - high explosive, flash-bangs, gas, smoke, etc.

[drakir]

Do you really think a hunter in the world of SR would care IF there were laws against hunting albinos? I'm guessing  hunters will hear about this albino fox running around and tracking you to get well paid for an exotic pelt when they kill you.

[Medicineman]

and now, that Shifter have Regeneration(back again)
 a Hunter can pelt him again and again and again,etc....

HokaHey
Medicineman

[Reaver]

and now, that Shifter have Regeneration(back again)
 a Hunter can pelt him again and again and again,etc....

HokaHey
Medicineman

My team made REALLY good money out of tiger pelts we skinned of a shapershifter tiger.

As I recall we got 12 complete hides off of him before he failed his regeneration test and died....