[Xzylvador]

I must not get the concept... The Social skill group + Commanding Voice; not enough dice to be a main weapon imo.
Why not drop astral, commanding voice and another 0.25 (why not sustenance; but again, I might be missing the concept) and get Mind over Matter instead?
Logic = Agility = profit.
Seen the Sherlock Holmes movie? Kind of like that, he's not the strongest or the quickest, he's just always thinking three moves ahead and knows where to hit to make it count.

Then again, I might be drunk... all-you-can-eat spare ribs & free wine. Just a little SR to finish such a perfect night

[Rockopolis]

Well, it was sort of mashing my last wild fancy with my next one.  But I wasn't really sure what to spend that last 0.25 points on, and just dropped it into the Voice.
Sustenance is one of those powers I really like, even if it doesn't seem to have any dice bonuses.  Like a magic version of the Sleep Regulator, I guess.

I don't actually have War unfortunately, and I'm already kinda pushing my luxuries budget this month.

And I keep meaning to see Sherlock Holmes, but I never had time.

[Glyph]

The movie was entertaining, although it was a mix of good and bad (they slathered on some Holmes/Watson subtext with about as much subtlety as an episode of Xena, and Irene Adler seems to have been replaced by Fujiko Mine from Lupin III somehow).  That fight scene was very good, though, definitely how I would picture a mentat fighting (and unlike other bits, not too far from canon - Holmes in the books was pretty badass).

The low leadership ability for an elven feudal lord is explained in the backstory (they are basically humoring the crazy/eccentric person because it beats living elsewhere in the Barrens).  But for commanding voice, you really won't be very effective with a dice pool of 4.  I would recommend nimble fingers instead, which has a good synergy with multitasking (one gives extra free actions when not directly involved in combat, and the other gives you a bunch of things that you can now do as free actions).

[Rockopolis]

Oh, never noticed that, thanks.  I'll edit that one in.

I get the feeling that one of the problems is that they're not optimized for anything except pure Logic and perhaps crafting.  Seems like it almost makes Mind Over Matter a necessity, or at least such a big power boost that it's hard to pass up.  Maybe next month.

Any opinion on Melanin Control?  I figure the green thing would make one tend to stand out...time for a Berserker Adept?

All this talk about Sherlock Holmes is making me think of Star Trek, the episode with Data playing Sherlock Holmes; he just looks at the crime scene and solves them, mostly by picking out which Sherlock Holmes story they were plagiarized from.

[Rockopolis]

Hey, how exactly does Mind Over Matter work, anyway?  Is it like Cognition or Somatic Control?  Roll to transfer a couple points for a couple minutes then take huge drain?

Do you think I should try to take Mystic Adept instead of Adept?

[Operator]

MoM lets you use one mental attribute in place of a physical attribute for any kind of test, using the Astral attribute correspondence. It can only be taken once and is a permanent choice.

Available choices:
Charisma -> Strength
Intuition -> Reaction
Logic -> Agility
Willpower -> Body

[Rockopolis]

Oh, okay that's not too bad, if rather pricey.  10 Agility is an okay attribute score, right?

[Rockopolis]

Hmm...if I do take Mind Over Matter, I might just drop a point of Agility for a point of Magic, and drop Nimble Fingers and Analytics, or Eidetic Sense Memory.  Almost seems that you can use your comlink, maybe a simrig, instead of that power.  Not bad for the 'needs more knowledge' type of character, though.  And it could go a long way towards explaining why she's a little loopy, if she can't forget anything.
probably going to have to Initiate before cramming in much more cyberware, though.  Could shove an Encephalon II in okay, I think.

As for additional backstory, I might tack on the cliche "I was really stupid so my parents shoved extra brains in my skull" and call her Julia Bashir.

[Rockopolis]

I edited the first post to include a sheet.

Apparently there's a comic character called Midnighter that's somewhat like this?  Predicting everyone's moves before the fight begins.

I need to work on a BP version of this, though it'll probably be pretty tricky.  I should also probably disconnect the Anglo-Saxon warlord aspect, save it for a different character.

Perhaps I should make the monofilament sword into a Weapon Focus?

Hmm...an alternate look, for different negative qualities, is to take Flashbacks, maybe Bipolar, and others to represent someone trying to force in too much too fast.  It'd certainly add a bit of flavor to a rather bland character, perhaps give them another reason to be running?

[Glyph]

Predicting people's moves in Shadowrun would actually fall under Intuition more than Logic.  In SR terms, the equivalent of the Midnighter would be a very augmented individual with Synch (or a permanent infusion of Sideways).  The magical equivalent would use Combat Sense (possibly with Counterstrike).

But forget truly emulating the Midnighter - you need a deltaware vatjob or multi-initiate adept to emulate the things that supposedly completely mundane heroes (Daredevil, Electra, the Foreigner, Iron Fist, Green Arrow, etc.) can do.

[Rockopolis]

Oh, yeah, Intuition ties to Reaction.

I'm working on the BP version, and I've changed things around a bit; dropped Exceptional Attribute for Mystic Adept and Restricted Gear.  I've got Mild Flashbacks and a Mild Addiction to Psyche.  I've got 5 Positive and 25 Negative Qualities remaining.  Any suggestions?
Boosting base Logic to 9 will now take...40 Karma + 3*9 Karma = 67 Karma.  In the meantime, I have modified 12 Logic.

[Makki]

  I've got Mild Flashbacks and a Mild Addiction to Psyche.  I've got 5 Positive and 25 Negative Qualities remaining.  Any suggestions?

What about Reality Impaired. Or something else giving giving a malus to social skills

Boosting base Logic to 9 will now take...40 Karma + 3*9 Karma = 67 Karma.

where's the 3 coming from? cost equaled new attribute rating x5 for a long time now

[Rockopolis]

Media Junkie, I guess.  Information addict.  Reality Impaired is interesting, if rather embarassing.  Virtual Personality might fit better, but I've got low enough social skills as it is.

Rats, it is 5?  I was looking through Runner's Companion karmagen rules, since that PDF lags less than the SR4A one.
Okay, 85 karma; a lot harder to come across than 30 grand and 15 availability for Cerebral Booster III, but it lets me be a Mystic Adept and have a higher starting Logic.  If I start with Exceptional and SURGE I can either be an Adept (and have Mind Over Matter) OR have the rank III Boosters.  I suppose I could start with Boosters II.
Is Mystic Adept worth it?  I kinda want it because it gives me access to a bigger slice of the Awakened world.  Not really going to be good enough for serious mojo, though, just minor or nonstressful stuff.  Maybe detection magic, and Heal.  I'm only going to start with one point in the Mystic side of things.

[Rockopolis]

Okay, spent 400 BP and I'm shifting it around a bit.
Might try to add more Face style things; it's not just what you know, it's who you know.  All I've got so far is a ludicrously expensive ShadowSEA group contact, that's mostly a placeholder.

I've got about fifteen grand left over, and what I really, really, need to know is programs; what do I need to get?

By the way, I've got a Weapon Foci I Monofilament Sword; can it be later upgraded, or do I have to start from scratch?  More importantly, something like this needs a name, but what?  Le Bon Mot?  The Cutting Remark?  The Razor Wit?  The Masterstroke?

[Rockopolis]

I decided to drop the Third Eye, for now.  I think it's nifty, and thematically appropriate, but it stands out way too much and it's too hard to hide.  Same for the Chloroplast Skin.  Mood Hair might be an interesting addition to symbiosis.
I need a trigger condition for Flashbacks, or I should just drop it.
I also need to work on my contacts; ShadowSEA is more of a bloated placeholder than anything else.
Any opinion on Asthma as a Negative Quality?

For the sword, I think I'm rolling...11(Agility)+1(Personalized Grip)+2(Weapon Focus)=13 Dice+(1Reach)+1(Psyche)=15 Dice.  Only 4P base, though, with -3AP.
Wow.  The Really Sharp Sword indeed.  Still, if you need to use it, you probably screwed up somewhere along the way.
Using 400BP

Name: Cassandra Violet
Alias: Mossy, Mint, Sho-Chan (irritating, familiar)
Race: Elf
Sex: Female
Lifestyle: Middle, Custom
Karma Spent:
Physical Description: Short, scrawny elf; basically, an ugly Dryad.  When not on the job, her hair is dyed green and kept in a quiff.  She dresses for the occassion; a technician's jumpsuit, pockets bulging with tools most of the time, hiking gear for the woods, and a snazzy Synergist suit to dress.
Her avatar is often something incredibly generic or off the rack, but when it's not, it's generally a robed female, her skin pulsing with glowing veins.
Personality/background Quiet.  Rather self-effacing, but when she makes a pronouncement, it carries authority.
As a child, the pressure to succeed was immense.  Be a glamorous politician, like your mother, or an astronaut like your father, or a cutthroat executive or cutting edge scientist or cult leader or a mightly wizard, like your siblings.  The fact that she wasn't...a naturally outstanding specimen didn't suit her parents, who ordered some corrections.  They helped, but she was still 'a spare sibling', out of dozens of children.  "Dear, it's not that we don't love you, we do.  We just love our successful children more."
SURGE just made things worse, despite not leaving visual changes.  The Sixth World is not the kindest of places to those with a symbiotic bond, though additional implants provided some small relief.
Enough was enough, and she fled.  She planned to live the hermetic life, out in the hills, with no one but her comlink and all the other hermits.  She's a farmer, a doctor, a mechanic, whatever needs to be done.
For her Shadowrunning is an adventure, way to polish her skills and prove she has some value, and last but not least, lucrative.
"The odds favor us."

Attributes 195+30

Body	Agility	Reaction	Strength
3	29!(11)	3	2
Charisma	Intuition	Logic	Willpower
3	4	9!(11)	4
Edge	Magic	Essence	Initiative
1	42/4	4.8	7, 1 Pass

Positive Qualities 35
Low Light Vision (Elf)
Exceptional Logic
Adept
SURGE II

• Improved Logic
• Symbiosis

Negative Qualities -35
Mild Psyche Addiction
Flashbacks I (processing too much information)
Media Junkie
Virtual Personality
Bipolar

Active Skills 78

Electronics Skill Group	1
Cracking Skill Group	2
Influence Skill Group	1
Athletics Skill Group	1
Outdoors Skill Group	1
Mechanic Skill Group	1
Biotech Skill Group	1
Blades	1
Pistols	1

Knowledge Skills

Genetic Engineering	2
Math	3
Medical News	1
Elven Conspiracy Theories	3
Ecopolitics	4
Area Knowledge Seattle	4
Headware	4
Local Gangs	1
The Ancients	3	Because every elf knows all about the Ancients
Elven Conspiracy Theories	1
Performance Enhancing Pharmaceuticals	3
Meditation	1

Language Skills

Sperethiel	N
English	6

Adept Powers

Power	Cost	Notes
Mind Over Matter	1.5	Analytically Agile
Eidetic Sense Memory	.5	Remembers everything, with perfect recall

Multitasking	.5	Supernaturally good at multitasking
Astral Sight	1	Need to pick up Assensing later
Sustenance	.25	Need three hours of sleep and one meal a day.  No discounted Lifestyle
Linguisitcs	.25	Learns languages quickly and cheaply

Cyber/Bioware

Cyberware/Nanoware	Essence	Cost	Notes
Attention CoProcessor III	0.3	9000¥	+3 Perception
Math SPU	0.15	4500¥	+2 to MATH!
Orientation System	0.2	1250¥	Never get lost.  +2 to Navigation
Bioware/Geneware	Essence	Cost	Notes
Genetic Optimization (Logic)	0.2	45000¥	XXXXX
Genewipe	0.2	45000¥	XXXXX
PuSheD	0.1	15000¥	XXXXX
Cerebral Booster II	0.6	20000¥	XXXXX
Silky Skin	-	1500¥	XXXXX

Custom Middle Lifestyle; Dryad Pad (4500¥, though with at least one roommates)+(500¥ Medication)

Comforts 2, Entertainment 2, Necessities 3, Neighborhood 2, Security 3

Feng Shui Friendly Neighbors Homegrown Farming Perfect Roommate Workplace Black Hole I Crash Pad Green Plan Living By Committee Network Bottleneck Poor Condition

It's a reasonably self sufficient hermitage commune.  What happens when you have a bunch of Dryads who can't stand living in the rough city, and are too poor and too powerless to move up or shape up their neighborhood?  They leave and start their own. There's not actually that many dryads, and the community has expanded, since it's more or less mandatory for the Dryads to make the area a reasonably nice place to live.  It's still not the most prosperous of areas. Mossy commutes to town, and stays at a coffin hotel for longer trips.

Gear (255000¥) 50
Small Nanopaste Disguise
Psyche
Slab
4 G3

Biomonitor
Medkit VI
Medkit Suppiles
Middle Lifestyle+Medication
Fake SIN IV
Fake SIN II

Contact Lenses III
Image Link
Flare Compensation
Glasses IV
Image Link
Smartlink
Vision Enhancement III
Vision Magnification
Earbuds II
Audio Enhancement III
Select Sound Filter III
Microphone I
Spatial Recognizer

Industrious Jumpsuit
Form Fitting Half Body Suit
Hard Hat
Massaging Liners

Monofilament Sword
Personalized Grip
Gecko Grip
Lanyard
Weapon Foci II

Hammerli 620S
Personalized Grip
Gecko Grip
Lanyard
Improved Range Finder
Silencer
Extended Clip
Barrel Extension
Skinlink
Hermes Ikon
Novatech Navi
Sim Module
Mapsoft VI
Skinlink
Nanopaste Trodes
Satellite Link
Simrig

Meta Link
Vector Xim

FTL Matrixware Powersuite
Iris Antivirus
Tacsoft II
Seattle Area Mapsoft VI
Datasoft (Literature) VI

Stealth V
Exploit V
Eastern Tiger Palladium
Eurosoft Clavicula
Spoof V
Talislegger's Kit
Chemistry Kit
Forensic Thaumaturgy Kit
Forensics Tool Kit
Operations Cleanup Kit
Hardware Tool Kit
Automotive Engineer Kit
Armorer Tool Kit
Science Tool Kit
Atmosphere Sensor III
Cyberware Scanner VI
Geiger Counter
MAD Scanner III
Motion Sensor
Olfactory Sensor VI
Radio Signal Scanner VI

Smart Pack
Pistol Ammo Pouch
Ration Pouch
Smart Canteen
Combat Load Vest
Tag Eraser

Globetrotter Heavy Armor Clothes (Urban)
Globetrotter Heavy Armor Clothes (Woodland)

Wuxing Peng You 4x4
Gecko Tape Gloves
GPS
Gas Mask

20 Regular Ammo
10 Stick and Shock Ammo
10 Subsonic Ammo
10 HiC Ammo
5 Spare Clips

Ceramic Knife
Personalized Grip

Morissey Elan
Gecko Grip
Smartgun System

Vehicles
Wuxing Peng You 4x4

Handling	Accel	Speed	Pilot	Body	Armor	Sensor	Availability	Cost
-1	15/30	90	1	14	6	1	-	12000¥

Contacts 15 Contact C/L ShadowSEA(S2/L2/M1/M1) 6+2/1 She has an account, and has posted a few times, but that's about it. Street Doc 3/3 She refers patients to her when they require more advanced care. BP Totals:  400 = 30 + 195 + 30 + 35 - 35 + 78 + 50 + 2 (weapon focus) + 15