[Sliver]

I know, but unless the GM is also making all the augmented characters role play their cyberpsychosis(for no build points) for being low essence and the hacker become a BTL addict(for no build points) for using VR, he is being a schmuck about it.  As your GM to declare his intentions.  Unless he plans a very dark, serious, and "realistic" game where just being a runner tends to eat you up and eveyone is just kind  of doomed, I don't think you have to worry.  The people that I played with in previous editions didn't gravitate toward that kind of game.

No, it's not my GM, it's just something to keep in mind. Unfortunately, my GM doesn't really give two shits about the book and barely follows any of it. He wouldn't know a barrier rating if it hit him in the face.

But you propose an interesting idea, a doomed campaign. I'm planning on running one now in which the main enemy will force them to take a very addictive drug (Of my own making) that drives you completely mad. A doomed campaign sounds really fun, I might pursue that.

[JohnQ]

I think a focus is integral to playing a magician. Having a Sustain Focus and a Weapon Focus should not be something a GM should penalize the magician for unless they also drop the bomb on the Street Sammy with her .85 Essence total every chance they get. They are part of the game IMHO.

Gaining Focus Addiction During Play

When a magician relies too heavily on foci, the become a "crutch" that begins to undermine the magician's abilities. Prolonged (ab)use of more foci than the magician can safely handle can burn out their Talent.
Focus Addiction (p.26, Street Magic) uses the Addiction rules (See Addiction quality, p.80 and Substance Abuse p.247 Shadowrun, Fourth Edition). The gamemaster can call for a a Focus Addiction Test at any time she feels the player is abusing foci; a good guideline is whenever a character has a total Force of active foci in excess of twice their Magic attribute...

from Digital Grimoire p.8

I noticed you mentioned your GM doesn't care much about the "rules" but decided to post the source anyway since I am home and had a few minutes.

I don't know about you, but I'd rather have it now and use that Karma to get myself on the track for Initiation for Masking, or Centering!