[malady305]

I just recently finished building my first magical shadowrunner. Accordingly, I utilized SR4, Street Magic, Augmentation, and Arsenal in doing so. The concept is loosely based on Chaos Magic from the sourcebooks, but the overarching theme is a Shadowrunized version of the Jedi. Within this tradition, I created a Magical Group set up to embody the Jedi Order, called the Knights of Tesla, which my character plans to initiate into ingame. But one area which I had trouble with was spirits. In my build, the mages do not conjure spirits. They utilize the natural energies of the universe (think the Force) to do their magic. As such, I dont understand how to declare sprits for things as the books suggest. I assume this is just an arbitrary thing, as the flavor of the tradition will explain how their magic works. But I want some clarification on how to implement that system if this is not the case. Below is the description of the tradition, the group, and my character data.

Please feel free to review and critique all the parts of this, as I have never made a mage character before, much less created a magical tradition. Thanks!

Base Tradition: Chaos Magic
Chaos mages believe that magic is wholly based in the natural world. To the chaos mage, magic is all about hacking the hidden source code of the world to manipulate the natural powers therein. As such, they dedicate their lives to the study and understanding of these forces and energies. Chaos mages continually research the theories and laws of magic and nature, seeking a deeper understanding of the structure of the universe. They believe that while all living creatures possess a connection to the world’s energy, not every creature is capable of becoming a chaos mage. The only ways in which this connection can develop is through genetics or by being infused by a master chaos mage following years of study.

In general, Chaos Mages subscribe to various elements of other magical traditions and practices in their study of magic. The nature of such practices tends to produce fiercely independent mages. There are some groups which have formed over time, but they are few in number and in membership slots. But throughout the millenia, there has been one sect of chaos mages who were somewhat communal in nature. Their ancient history is unclear, having been destroyed or lost to time, but most members believe that an ancient dragon called Tesla, having been injured in a fierce battle, confided in a powerful mage the secrets of chaos. Not only did the drake pass on his theoretical knowledge, but also his knowledge of how to imbue oneself with chaos to enhance their fighting abilities and to use the chaos to sense danger. In accpeting the tutelage of the great dragon, the mage swore an eternal oath of altruism, swearing to forever use his wisdom to fight against the evils of anger, greed, hate, and fear, and all those who sought to use magic to achieve them. This mage devoted his life to the development of this knowledge and the fulfilment of his oath. He traveled the world, in search of other beings of power, looking to find someone worthy enough to share in his gifts. From then on, the ancient knowledge was passed on from Master to Apprentice, eventually coming to be known as The Order of Tesla. The members of the order having been successfully initiated became known as the Knights of Tesla, or simply as Tesla Knights. In order to become a Tesla Knight, a mage must first be approached by a Master Tesla Knight. Once such relationship has been developed and sufficient study and training has been completed, the Master assigns the Apprentice his or her initiation rites, or Trials.

(Strictures: Belief, Exclusive Membership, Fraternity)

Streetname: “Shorty”
Name: Nigel Yoda (I know I know, this is still pending 
Race: Dwarf (-25 BP)
Type: Chaos Mage

Attributes:
Body 3
Agility 3
Reaction 4
Strength 3
Charisma 3
Intuition 3
Logic 4 / 7 (cerebral booster 3)
Willpower 5
Magic 6 / 5 (-1 from bioware)
Edge 3
(375 BP - 255 = 180 BP)

Essence = 5 (6-1 bioware= 5)
Initiative = 7 +hits

Qualities:
+Toughness [+1 Die to Dmg Resistance Tests]
+Magician
-Sensitive Neural Structure
-Records on File: Aztechnology
-Mild Addiction: Psyche
-Condition Geas: High on Pysche


Active Skills:
Banishing 3
Spellcasting 5 (+2 Combat)
Counterspelling 4
Assensing 3
Data Search 3
Pistols 3
Dodge 3
Perception 4
Etiquette 3

Knowledge Skills = (27 Free Pts.):
(Still havent picked these yet. Any thoughts?)

Spells (Max of 10 spells [SC x 2])
-Combat: Clout, Manabolt, Lightning Ball
-Detection: Detect Enemies
-Health: Increase Reflexes (+1 initiative pass and 1 initiative per force (thresh 2-4))
-Illusion: Improved Invisibility, Hot Potato
-Manipulation: Influence, Levitate
(NOTE: These were my attempts to replicate the types of Force powers jedi knights would be able to use, any tips on how to improve my selections?)

Language(s): (N),

Resources:: $125,000 (-25 BP)

Lifestyle: ?

Bioware:
Trauma Damper
Platelet Factories
Cerebral Booster 3

Commlink:
HW: Novatech Airware (3/3) [$1250]
OS: Iris Orb (3/3) [$1000]
Programs: (What should these be?)

Weapons:
(Heavy Pistol) 2 x Colt Government 2066
---> w/ smartgun (+2 atk), silencer, concealable [shoulder] holster, 6x spare clips)
(This is one area I am considering changing to be more Jedi-ish. What type of blade or melee weapon do you recommend that is most like the lightsaber...perhaps something with monofilament? If I swap to melee, I will change pistols skill for blades or w/e)

Foci:
Spellcasting Focus (Combat)
Counterspelling Focus (Combat)


Armor: $600
Armor Vest 6/4 [$600] (This will be changed later)


Gear:$1240
Gas Mask [$200]
5 x Fake Licenses
1 x Fake SIN 4 :

Contacts:
Arlo Florian [4/5]
Master Tesla Knight, Order of Tesla (as talismonger)


----Thanks in advance for any help. Sorry for such a long post, lol)

[Glyph]

Just a quick note about the Toughness quality.  It is useful for people making durable combatant characters - after they max out their Body Attribute, they can still get this quality for one more die to resist damage.

Since you have not maxed out your Body Attribute, then instead of taking the Toughness quality, just buy another point of Body, instead.  Same cost, better benefits.

[malady305]

Hmm, I hadnt thought of that. I will make the adjustment. I initially planned for this char to have firearms skill since I did not select too many combat spells, but in keeping with the jedi-ish style of this tradition, I think it would make more sense to swap Firearms for Blades, but what weapon do you think is most lightsaberish? I was thinking vibrosword or monofilament whip for some flair. Any ideas?

[Makki]

-Mild Addiction: Psyche
-Condition Geas: High on Pysche

I'm not sure this fits together. If you use a drug whenever you do magic, this is not a mild addiction. You probably do magic several times a day, which equals at least a moderate, but better a severe addiction.

[malady305]

Makki,

I thought about this at creation. The reason I rated the addiction as mild is due to the duration of using psyche. Per SR4 psyche duration is 12-Body hours, in my case 9 hours (or 8 once I adjust for not taking Tougness) per use. As such, if I use psyche in the morning and at some other point during the day, I should be covered to use magic any point during those hours. Does this account for the geas properly or am I mistaken?

[Phylos Fett]

Hmm, I hadnt thought of that. I will make the adjustment. I initially planned for this char to have firearms skill since I did not select too many combat spells, but in keeping with the jedi-ish style of this tradition, I think it would make more sense to swap Firearms for Blades, but what weapon do you think is most lightsaberish? I was thinking vibrosword or monofilament whip for some flair. Any ideas?

I had a player in SR3 do something like this, and used a Reach 1 Monofilament Whip to replicate a lightsaber, with DV reduced due to size.

[malady305]

I like that idea.  . Now apart from catching hell from my team mates about mingling SW with Shadowrun lol, Im excited to play this build. Any thoughts on how to improve it?

[rasmusnicolaj]

I like that idea.  . Now apart from catching hell from my team mates about mingling SW with Shadowrun lol, Im excited to play this build. Any thoughts on how to improve it?

Softcap Logic for an extra die to resist drain.

Min/Max your skills. Get one at 6 and the rest at either 1 or 4. That is the most karma efficient way to go with skills.

A Power Foci rank 4 is really good.

A Sustaining Foci for Increase Reflexes is also very nice.

Get Form Fitting Body Armor, Some SecureTech stuff and a Leather Jacket. That should give you about 50 % more armor without going over 2x Body.
If you can find the money a coat with ruthenium is nice for -4 to detect you.

Rasmus

[Phylos Fett]

I like that idea.  . Now apart from catching hell from my team mates about mingling SW with Shadowrun lol, Im excited to play this build. Any thoughts on how to improve it?

From memory, Hieronymus Bob McGillicuddy (Jedi Knight) (and, keep in mind this was in the days when there was only 3 movies), was an Obi-Wan Kenobi-style Jedi with a HUGE Charisma, and Increased Charisma Sustaining Focus. Consequently, he took a lot of spells that helped the old "these are not the droids you're looking for" approach, as well as Spark. He had the Lightsabre, brown Tres Chic robes, and a FFL Contact that was for all intents-and-purposes Yoda.

But it was SR3, and it was a fun little game with only 2 PCs.

[UmaroVI]

If you want optimization advice:

Banishing is crap. Don't take Banishing. It's a way to expend points on the ability to melt your own face off. If you want to "banish" a spirit, the way to do that is Stick-n-shock or Stunbolts, not Banishing.

Your core problem is that you are trying to be a dude who shoots lightning bolts and also does physical combat, and you're splitting your focus far too much and ending up good at neither. You would be better off either being a dude who does physical combat and has spells as backup, or a dude who does magical combat and has weapons as backup. What do you want to be good at?

Like all magicians, you want a force 4 power focus (via restricted gear) and a force 3 health sustaining focus for Increase Reflexes.

[UmaroVI]

To give you an example of how to do "physical combat with spells as backup," take a look at the Transhuman Mystic archetype in my sig.

[Mirikon]

I agree with Umaro. Banishing is crap.

As regards the question in the original post, different traditions see spirits in different ways. Personally, I'd say copy the Hermetic spirit list, and say these spirits are manifestations of your power over the world, or some such.

[malady305]

If you want optimization advice:

Banishing is crap. Don't take Banishing. It's a way to expend points on the ability to melt your own face off. If you want to "banish" a spirit, the way to do that is Stick-n-shock or Stunbolts, not Banishing.

Your core problem is that you are trying to be a dude who shoots lightning bolts and also does physical combat, and you're splitting your focus far too much and ending up good at neither. You would be better off either being a dude who does physical combat and has spells as backup, or a dude who does magical combat and has weapons as backup. What do you want to be good at?

Like all magicians, you want a force 4 power focus (via restricted gear) and a force 3 health sustaining focus for Increase Reflexes.

Basically, I think the direction I want to go in is a blade/whip guy who has spells as backup. Can you help me sort out my skills and powers to that end?

[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

And, well, really the topic subject is utterly off -- there isn't a Tradition here, just a magical group.  A Tradition has a lot of stuff particularly defined -- how you resist your drain, what spirits you can conjure and what types of spells they assist, all that sort of thing.

This is ... IMNSHO, a somewhat-flop of a background story.  Call them Jedi and be done; have them founded back in '32 by a guy who loved the movies as a kid, and who has since died.  Nobody, and I mean nobody in their right mind would believe this whole thing about a dragon who shares a name with a 1800's scientist in the forefront of electrical technology.

In Shadowrun, 'revealed knowledge' is valid.  Hell, you can decide that that (whatever 'that' is) is how you're going to pursue your magic, and dedicate yourself to that way of thinking.  You could be the world's first Toaster shaman, for God's sake.  Your magic is shaped by the way you think and the way you approach it; just let him be what you want him to be.  Be obvious about it, take the flak, and get on with it.  I guarantee you will get less ribbing and scorn by playing a Jedi Knight straight out than trying to hide it poorly under the 'Tesla Knight'.

[UmaroVI]

Basically, I think the direction I want to go in is a blade/whip guy who has spells as backup. Can you help me sort out my skills and powers to that end?

Take a look at my sig and the Transhuman Mystic, who's a similar sort of character except using guns instead of melee weapons. You can probably modify that character to work.

A few important questions, since you plan to melee:

Is Way of the Adept allowed?

Are Martial Arts allowed?