[JustADude]

(Whoops, had this in the wrong forum! Re-posting it here.)


So, I'm thinking about my current team, who only can't be described as Pink Mohawk because they're playing as Corp-Sec doing officially sanctioned stuff, and so don't have to hide their traces. This has had the (not inappropriate, given they're S-K) side effect of giving them more than a bit of swagger in their tactics... for example, beating down a bar full of Halloweeners, interrogating them, and then doping everyone in the bar with Laes before moving on. (They've got a mega-corp supply budget, so I'm pretty much saying it's "open bar" for things like ammo and chemicals... more power just means bigger challenges, after all.)

I do, however, want to throw a couple hurdles in the path of the Mage, who has been having it all her own way on the Astral side. The problem is that, except for the one Mage, who is not practicing an "optimal" setup for character reasons, none of the group can do the Astral gig. I don't want to neutralize her completely  (aka, have her stuck fending off enemy Spirits the whole fight) but I want to throw in some things to trip her up.\

That said, anyone got suggestions on how to give a Mage a hassle without taking her out of the Mundane fight completely?

[Lethe]

Working permanently(?) for SK probably means they get specific orders from superiors in how to advance in situations, not really free like shadow runners. Actually its not shadow running at all ;-)
If its such a special and well supported group, definitely better then any SWAT team, they are probably supposed to have magic protection (counterspelling) all the time. Meaning the mage wouldn't even be allowed to go in astral space and leave his team alone. If he perceives threats in astral space, he'll probably have orders to call for astral backup, spirits or even other mages, who will be there in an instant. SK wouldn't waste assets like that group by denying backup and risk loosing them. Corps tactics are mostly based on superior firepower, exactly the opposite of shadow runners, and if they need "a little" more, they send it.

That said the mage will run with the others together, shielded by them, taking the support role. And is for sure as useful in normal encounters as any other team member. So any possible way to try to "trip" him in a non-astral way, will "trip" the others of his team as well... after all its a team...

But if the enemy notice the team has a mage with them, you could give him some hassle, 'cause "Always geek the mage first!", but maybe that's not what you are looking for.

[JustADude]

Working permanently(?) for SK probably means they get specific orders from superiors in how to advance in situations, not really free like shadow runners. Actually its not shadow running at all ;-)
If its such a special and well supported group, definitely better then any SWAT team, they are probably supposed to have magic protection (counterspelling) all the time. Meaning the mage wouldn't even be allowed to go in astral space and leave his team alone. If he perceives threats in astral space, he'll probably have orders to call for astral backup, spirits or even other mages, who will be there in an instant. SK wouldn't waste assets like that group by denying backup and risk loosing them.

That said the mage will run with the others together, shielded by them, taking the support role. And is for sure as useful in normal encounters as any other team member. So any possible way to try to "trip" him in a non-astral way, will "trip" the others of his team as well... after all its a team...

But if the enemy notice the team has a mage with them, you could give him some hassle, 'cause "Always geek the mage first!", but maybe that's not what you are looking for.

Yeah, they're basically Brackhaus recruits.

I'm playing it perhaps a little more "loose" than the normal S-K micromanagement, mostly because it's no fun having every move scripted, so I think I'm going to probably stick to the classic "Geek the mage" strategy and save the astral stuff for when it's the focus of a mission.

[Reaver]

Insect spirits. ESP flesh form ones. They would home in on the quick, but also pose a challenge to your chromed goons too.

Shedim infestation near one of the battle sits that your PCs are in. They kill a guy, 2-3 turns later he gets back up and starts fighting everyone! (to kill more ppl for other shedim to infest) now the Mage (and the group) have to find a way to deal with the spirits + the possessed + the other attackers!

lots of options out there, just get creative (and evil!)