[markelphoenix]

Disadvantages
Cat magicians toy with their prey. Unless you
succeed in a Willpower + Charisma (3) test at the
start of combat, you cannot make an attack that
incapacitates your target. If you take any Physical
damage, all this playing around stops.
Similar Archetypes: Mystery, Stealth

So, does that mean NO attacks at all? Technically any damage could incapacitate an enemy. Would this allow for opening attack that 'soft balls' the attack, where there wouldn't be a reasonable expectation of 'one shotting' the opponents?

[GuardDuty]

It means going into a fight with the intent of just being a murder machine is out of character, and Cat won't take it too well.

[markelphoenix]

It means going into a fight with the intent of just being a murder machine is out of character, and Cat won't take it too well.

So, that part I agree with, the part that concerns me is the verbage seems pretty precise and restrictive. Is there any fluff around Cat Mentor spirit that supports an opening attack that, would say, be a Stun Ball meant to 'toy' with the prey, vs not ever risking an opening attack that could 'incapacitate' (which to me sounds like stun knockout as well), which is technically EVERY attack, unless you have atrocious skill dice.

[GuardDuty]

I'm not aware of any Cat shaman fluff.

A GM could reasonably decide it means low powered attacks are fine.  I think it's much more interesting to examine the idea of toying with prey, though.  Toying is basically entertaining yourself with "how do you respond if I do this?"  I see it as maybe gluing an opponent in place, or catching them in a pleasure illusion, a creative use of Influence or another control manipulation, or even non-magical choices.  But I would expect a cat shaman to resort to something other than combat first.

[GuardDuty]

Also: spirits with Accident.  For sure, that's a cat shaman thing to do.

[Xenon]

I would probably have you take a Willpower + Charisma (3) test if you wished to open up with edge (such as Called Shots Vitals or Knockout) or amp (such as increasing the damage value in exchange for higher drain).

[Kiirnodel]

A great thing to open up with for a follower of Cat would be:

• Spells that restrict targets, like Illusions that give them penalties
• Called Shots to hamper actions, like Disarm or Grappling
• Basically anything Catwoman does to Batman

[Michael Chandra]

Smoke grenades, mocking them, tear gas...

[Shinobi Killfist]

I would probably have you take a Willpower + Charisma (3) test if you wished to open up with edge (such as Called Shots Vitals or Knockout) or amp (such as increasing the damage value in exchange for higher drain).

That’s how I’d lean. A base damage lightening bolt is like 3. You’d need a bucket of net hits to incapacitate someone with that. But shocking the heck out of them seems like playing with them to me.

In previous editions attacks had damage codes like lite-deadly. I think the totem limited it to lite. So I don’t think the theme is you can’t do damage on the first attack just not one that is likely to take them out in one hit. If oops you roll that good that’s a fluke if you start tossing 24 dice or something maybe switch to illusions.

[GuardDuty]

Per SR3:

Disadvantages: +1 to all Mental target numbers if dirty or unkempt.  An unwounded Cat shaman must make a Willpower (6) Test when casting a damaging spell.  If the test fails, the shaman must cast her least damaging spell (at its minimum damage level, for a variable damage spell, and at 1/2 force).  If the shaman is wounded, all this playing around stops.

[Hobbes]

Go slow.  Wear a Pointy Hat.  Waive a magic wand around.  Should resolve all your playing around issues.   

[Shinobi Killfist]

Per SR3:

Disadvantages: +1 to all Mental target numbers if dirty or unkempt.  An unwounded Cat shaman must make a Willpower (6) Test when casting a damaging spell.  If the test fails, the shaman must cast her least damaging spell (at its minimum damage level, for a variable damage spell, and at 1/2 force).  If the shaman is wounded, all this playing around stops.

Thanks. I couldn’t remember the specifics. Just don’t amp it seems to track with that pretty well. Which i wish they had gone with this edition. It’s less vague. But I still think don’t amp it fits with don’t incapacitate in one move pretty well.

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

It's all GM call-y.

Stun Gloves-to-the-gonads is probably quite appropriate.  OTOH if you know the NPC is already partially full on the Condition Monitor and another hit is feasibly going to incapacitate, then no it isn't anymore.