[K_killn]

I was just think that would be an awesome character I've played as a Mage before but only for a little number of games and I haven't played 4e as a sniper so how would I do this sniper/mage character?

Anything is helpful thanks in advance

[Glyph]

It's doable, but not optimal.  One, it's redundant - a mage already has spells to snipe with.  Two, the linked Attributes for the two skills have no synergy; magic uses mental Attributes, while sniping uses Agility.

[K_killn]

I just think it would make it interesting maybe use spells as camoflage and touch spells/unarmed combat for close range and my long range would be some kind of rifle I just want to do it

[Captain Karzak]

It's not too bad an option. Buffing yourself and then going to town with firearms works well in Shadowrun. You don't really want longarms though. Better off with heavy weapons. In addition to the fact that the (post errata) Gauss Rifle - a heavy weapon - is better for sniping with than any sniper rifle, the heavy weapons skill will also net you proficiency with a wide manner of genuinely useful weapons.

Being a Magician will allow you to cast Physically Mask over yourself to hide those destructive devices as something innocuous - thereby allowing you to carry them openly.

The Levitate spell will allow you to reach good vantage points from which to snipe.

The Detect Life spell (or it's more limited variants) can be used to find distant targets even through the most inclement weather, the thickest cover, and the darkest night.

The spirit powers of Movement and Concealment will help you quickly and stealthy move into almost any sniping position.

You can use Spirits of Man (or ideally several bound spirits of man) and Sustaining Foci to provide the buff's you'll want on all the time such as Improved Attribute: Agility, and Improved Reflexes just for starters.

Or you could just play a possession tradition and possess yourself with a guardian spirit, immediately making you into a world-class sniper.

[JustADude]

Or you could just play a possession tradition and possess yourself with a guardian spirit, immediately making you into a world-class sniper.

Just be sure to get the Channeling metamagic so you don't burn tasks with every shot.

[Crash_00]

Sniping doesn't really require a huge Agility score. If you're doing it properly, you're set up with plenty of time to line up the shot, so the +2 (assuming you max out your sorcery rather than weapon skill) aim bonus will help out. Even an average score of 3 + 4 weapon skill + 2 aim bonus + 2 Smartlink bonus is a 11 DP and they don't get to dodge if they don't know it's coming. The main advantage often is that spells are LOS. An old school optical scope can do wonders for improving your Line of Sight and picking out targets.

However, the more effective route is to have a Cybered sniper with a mage spotter. Best of both worlds targeting the area.

[JustADude]

However, the more effective route is to have a Cybered sniper with a mage spotter. Best of both worlds targeting the area.

So, how tough was that fight we totally skipped by shooting him through the wall, after my Air Spirit identified the target, supposed to have been, anyway?

[UmaroVI]

I think the way to be effective as a sniper-mage would be to

1) Make sure you are taking advantage of the one thing guns can do that spells can't - shoot through walls.

2) Use spells to back up shooting and/or do different things. The cardinal rule of hybrids is "don't make a dude who sucks at throwing lightning bolts and sucks at shooting guns."

So based on that, I would be using Heavy Weapons (with a Gauss Cannon) for maximum shoot-through-walls-age, or if you dislike being good at things you can use Longarms. You could either be a full mage or a Mystic Adept (depending on whether you are using SR4+FAQ [no] or SR4A [yes]), probably pick up Spider and use Illusions (Physical Mask, Trid Phantasm, and Improved Invisibility being the better ones) to get into place, and Detections (Astral Window, Mana Window, Clairaudience, Extended Detect Life, and Spatial Sense in particular would be good) to find people. Don't bother with touch spells (they do nothing but add multiple points of failure) or unarmed; you should probably just use guns close-in too, and just know Stunbolt for a concealable "weapon."

[Mirikon]

I've thought about a sniper mage before, and here's how I'd do it.

Elf - Agility bonus
Spellcasting 5, Longarms (Sniper Rifles) 5(+2) (Or Automatics (Battle Rifles) 5(+2) if you're using WAR!)
Spells include Increase Reflexes (limited to self only), Improved Invisibility (limited to self only), Manabolt, Stunball, Heal, and others to fit. Trid Phantasm is a nice one for giving people a rabbit to chase while you get out of dodge.
Sustaining Focus to keep Increase Reflexes on me. Useful when sniping (more shots) and when dealing with threats close in.
Weapons include a Barret 121, and a shotgun for close-in work. If using a Battle Rifle, just use the same weapon for far shots and near, and stock up on ammo. In either case, different ammo loadouts give you lethal/nonlethal options.

Fill in the rest to suit your tastes.

[Tsuzua]

You could also make a Mind Over Matter Mystic Adept.  Jack your logic skyhigh and you also get a good agility roll in the process.  Then you have your drain, pwning, and sneaking attributes all covered.  You'll also be good at dealing with maglocks and other forms of physical security which is handy for sneaking into abandoned buildings.  For an idea of how such a character could be made, Umaro's Transhuman Mystic is a solid example of a MoM Mystic Adept.

Also if the GM allows you to keep Heightened Concentration up at all times, you can get that and save yourself a focus or two.  Though if you do that, you'll want Magic 4 so you'll likely have to cut out some of the ware the Transhuman Mystic has.

[CanRay]

I had the idea of a Magician that had Photography as a hobby, and "sniped" with a telephoto-equipped SLR Camera (Either film or digital) as it's LOS with a "telescope" and mirrors, just like Magesight Goggles.

Just need a Fake SIN with a Freelance Photographer's occupation to explain why he's on the roof.  "Getting cityscape photographs for a magazine.", with a hacked permission in the database that the guards get to read. 

[Xzylvador]

Spend 1 point of essence on a customised cyberarm with 6 agility and rating 3 enhancement. 9 agility + skill + smartgun, you'll be shooting like the best of `em.
Buy 5 magic, you'll end with 4 left, enough to do some good casting.

[Mirikon]

Except that for things using both arms (like using longarms, or other large weapons) I believe you average the stats of your two limbs. So it doesn't make any sense to just get one cyberarm for a sniper.

Furthermore, if you're a Sniper/Mage, you have better options for increasing your attack than sacrificing magic for ware. There are spells to increase your Agility. There are spells that increase your accuracy. There are spells that give you more IP. Get the right spells, and a sustaining focus or two, and you're much better off than losing magic.

[jonathanc]

I had the idea of a Magician that had Photography as a hobby, and "sniped" with a telephoto-equipped SLR Camera (Either film or digital) as it's LOS with a "telescope" and mirrors, just like Magesight Goggles.

Just need a Fake SIN with a Freelance Photographer's occupation to explain why he's on the roof.  "Getting cityscape photographs for a magazine.", with a hacked permission in the database that the guards get to read. 

Would this be rules-legal? An SLR works using mirrors, and I thought those were a no-no for magical targeting? That is, the spell would travel to the mirror and detonate there, instead of bouncing off and traveling to the target.

[Tsuzua]

Would this be rules-legal? An SLR works using mirrors, and I thought those were a no-no for magical targeting? That is, the spell would travel to the mirror and detonate there, instead of bouncing off and traveling to the target.

Generally that only happens with indirect combat spells (at least in older editions).  You can cast most spells though optical magnification just fine.