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Knife Fighting Adept / Investigator

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default_108

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« on: <03-19-12/1352:18> »
Just wanted to get some opinions on an idea I had (you all helped me alot with my Technomancer after all)  I made this guy to be an adept knife fighter from the streets with a secondary skill set as an investigator.  It's using the standard 400 BP.  Role-play wise he'd be the Robin Hood kind of character doing terrible things for good people who need terrible things done. 

== Info ==
Street Name: Razor Eddie, Quick-Step Eddie, Vagabond Eddie
Name: Edward Harrow
Movement: 10/25, Swim: 5
Karma: 0
Street Cred: 0
Notoriety: 4
Public Awareness: 1
Human Male Age 23
Height 1.78M Weight 74Kg
Composure: 4
Judge Intentions: 6
Lift/Carry: 7 (30 kg/20 kg)
Memory: 2
Nuyen: 0

== Attributes ==
BOD: 5
AGI: 6 (10)
REA: 4 (6)
STR: 2
CHA: 3
INT: 3
LOG: 1
WIL: 1
EDG: 2
MAG: 5

== Derived Attributes ==
Essence:                   5.08
Initiative:                7 (9)
IP:                        1 (3)
Astral Initiative:         6
Astral IP:                 3
Matrix Initiative:         5
Matrix IP:                 2
Physical Damage Track:     11
Stun Damage Track:         9

== Active Skills ==
Animal Handling            : 0                      Pool: 2
Animal Training            : 0                      Pool: 2
Archery                    : 0                      Pool: 9
Artisan                    : 0                      Pool: 2
Automatics                 : 0                      Pool: 9
Blades                     : 7 [Knives]             Pool: 20 (22)
Climbing                   : 0                      Pool: 1
Clubs                      : 0                      Pool: 9
Computer                   : 2                      Pool: 3
Con                        : 3                      Pool: 12
Data Search                : 2                      Pool: 3
Disguise                   : 4                      Pool: 7
Diving                     : 0                      Pool: 4
Dodge                      : 0                      Pool: 5
Escape Artist              : 0                      Pool: 9
Etiquette                  : 0                      Pool: 2
Flight                     : 0                      Pool: 1
Forgery                    : 0                      Pool: 9
Gunnery                    : 0                      Pool: 9
Gymnastics                 : 0                      Pool: 9
Hardware                   : 2                      Pool: 3
Heavy Weapons              : 0                      Pool: 9
Infiltration               : 4                      Pool: 14
Instruction                : 0                      Pool: 2
Intimidation               : 0                      Pool: 2
Leadership                 : 0                      Pool: 2
Locksmith                  : 0                      Pool: 9
Longarms                   : 0                      Pool: 9
Navigation                 : 0                      Pool: 2
Negotiation                : 3                      Pool: 12
Palming                    : 4                      Pool: 14
Parachuting                : 0                      Pool: 4
Perception                 : 0                      Pool: 2
Pilot Ground Craft         : 0                      Pool: 5
Pilot Watercraft           : 0                      Pool: 5
Pistols                    : 0                      Pool: 9
Riding                     : 0                      Pool: 5
Running                    : 0                      Pool: 1
Shadowing                  : 4                      Pool: 7
Software                   : 2                      Pool: 3
Swimming                   : 0                      Pool: 1
Throwing Weapons           : 0                      Pool: 9
Tracking                   : 0                      Pool: 2
Unarmed Combat             : 0                      Pool: 9

== Knowledge Skills ==
Area Knowledge: Seattle    : 2                      Pool: 5
Bars and Clubs             : 2                      Pool: 5
English                    : N                      Pool: 0
French                     : 2                      Pool: 5
Gangs                      : 2                      Pool: 5
Japanese                   : 2                      Pool: 5
Russian                    : 2                      Pool: 5

== Contacts ==
Detective Jimmy Gordon (2, 3)
Elana Jennison (1, 3)

== Qualities ==
Adept
Aptitude (Blades)
Bad Rep
Big Regret
Biocompatability (Bioware)
Lost Loved One (Sister, Younger)
Mania/Phobia (Uncommon, Moderate) (Cats)
Restricted Gear (Rating 2)
Wanted (50,000 Nuyen - CAS Memphis Sprawl)

== Powers ==
Improved Ability (Combat) (Blades) Rating: 3
Improved Reflexes 2
Mystic Armor Rating: 2

== Lifestyles ==
Polyaup Abandoned Apartment Building  3 months
   Comforts:      Squatter
   Entertainment: Squatter
   Necessities:   Low
   Neighborhood:  Squatter
   Security:      Middle
   Qualities:     Easy-Going Landlord [1LP]
                  Free Access [1LP]
                  No Neighbors [1LP]
                  Haunted [-4LP]
                  Poor Condition [-1LP]
                  Rough Neighborhood [-1LP]

== Cyberware/Bioware ==
Genetic Optimization (AGI)
Muscle Toner Rating 4

== Armor ==
Form-Fitting Full-Body Suit6/2
   +Auto-Injector
   +Biomonitor
   +Thermal Damping 6
Lined Coat                6/4

== Weapons ==
Ceramic Knife
   DV: 2P   AP: -   RC: 0
Ceramic Knife
   DV: 2P   AP: -   RC: 0
Ceramic Knife
   DV: 2P   AP: -   RC: 0
Ceramic Knife
   DV: 2P   AP: -   RC: 0
Colt Government 2066
   DV: 5P   AP: -1   RC: 1
Colt Government 2066
   DV: 5P   AP: -1   RC: 1
Colt Government 2066
   DV: 5P   AP: -1   RC: 1
Cougar Fineblade Knife, Short Rating 4
   +Weapon Focus
   DV: 2P   AP: -1   RC: 0
Unarmed Attack
   DV: 1S   AP: -   RC: 0

== Commlink ==
Disposable Commlink (1, 2, 1, 3) x4
   +Disposable Commlink OS
Sony Emperor (2, 1, 1, 3)
   +Vector Xim

== Gear ==
Ammo: Regular Ammo (Heavy Pistols) x300
AR Gloves
Autopicker Rating 6
Datachip x10
Empathy Software Rating 6
Fake License (Cougar Fineblade Knife, Short) Rating 4
Fake License (Private Investigator's License) Rating 4
Fake License (Cougar Fineblade Knife, Short) Rating 4
Fake SIN (Steven Spielberg) Rating 4
Fake SIN (James Cameron) Rating 4
Fake SIN (Edward Harrow) Rating 4
Jazz x10
Kamikaze x4
Keycard Copier Rating 6
Maglock Passkey Rating 4
Miniwelder
Monocle Rating 4
   +Image Link
   +Vision Enhancement Rating 3
   +Vision Magnification
   +Low Light
Sequencer Rating 4
Sim Module (Cold)
Suite: Pro User
   +Analyze Rating 4 [Copy Protection 4, Registration]
   +Browse Rating 4 [Copy Protection 4, Registration]
   +Command Rating 2 [Copy Protection 2, Registration]
   +Edit Rating 4 [Copy Protection 4, Registration]
Tag Eraser
Tool Kit (Hardware)
Trodes
Weapon Focus (bonded) (Cougar Fineblade, Short. ) Rating 4
Wire Clippers

== Vehicles ==
Thundercloud Contrail (Racing Bike)
   +Firewall 5
   +Vehicle Sensor


Tecumseh

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« Reply #1 on: <03-19-12/1753:49> »
I'm not sure how much benefit you're getting out of Biocompatability. Maybe you have grand plans for the 0.08 essence that it saved you, but the build points would be better spent on The Warrior's Way. If get that and apply the power point discounts to Improved Reflexes and Improved Combat Ability, it will save you a full power point to spend on other adept abilities.

Speaking of adept abilities, Combat Sense is preferable to Mystic Armor since it's just as effective at reducing damage while also improving your ability to avoid an attack outright.

You've only spent 150 BP on attributes and it shows. An extra point of strength would boost the damage value of your favorite toy from 2 to 3. Maybe you figure that you'll be rolling enough successes off of 26 dice that the difference between 2P and 3P won't matter much. There's some truth to that, but remember that one extra point of strength is worth three extra dice in knives, as far as damage is concerned.

You're a brave man to roll around with Willpower 1. The game master will have no shortage of opportunities for lolz at your expense. Perhaps you're comfortable being the puppet of any magician who can roll two successes. Even if you are, composure, drug addiction tests, and resisting incapacitation by electrical attacks all depend on Willpower too.

You've boldly opted against Perception, which means that your default dice pool for noticing what's going on is a mighty 2, plus few dice from your equipment. For someone with ambitions of being an investigator, this seems like a liability. You could use some earbuds, by the way.

I penciled out your points and I'm only counting 385 or so, based on the gear you listed. You'll need those spare points plus any extras to boost your stats. You could survive with Body 4 instead of 5, given your good Reaction and your adept abilities.

Having your Agility at 10 instead of 9 is costing you 19 BP: 9 from the genetic modification and 10 from the cost of the point itself. Similarly, that last point of Knives is costing you 14 BP: 10 from Aptitude and 4 from the skill point. If you're okay with 24 dice in knives instead of 26, those 33 BP would really help shore up your other attributes.

You've got some extra inventory you could pare down to free up some nuyen / BP. For example, you have three guns (plus ammo) but no Pistols skill. Granted you have an okay pool of dice to default upon, but there's no immediate need for two spare guns and a year's worth of ammo. You could probably cut back on a fake SIN or two, or take one at a lower rating if you need one to burn.

That monocle has an availability of 14. Monocles have a base availability of 4, versus 0 for glasses or goggles, so the modifications push it over the chargen availability limit. Unless you need it for the opera or are going as Mr. Peanut to a costume party, I would pursue more traditional eyeware.

The firewall on your commlink is 1. Perhaps this is a clever ploy at transparency, but if you've gone to the effort of upgrading the firewall on your bike then I'm willing to bet that you see the value in having a secure commlink.

For your contacts, a connection rating of 2 is low for a detective. Per the book's examples, a private investigator might be connection 3 while a police detective would be connection 4. See p.286 of SR4A.

As for your lifestyle, perhaps you meant Puyallup instead of Polyaup. I don't see the need for easy-going landlord if you already have no neighbors, especially if the building is supposed to be abandoned, but that's up to you.

I'll let the others take it from here. Hope that helps!

UmaroVI

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« Reply #2 on: <03-19-12/1818:01> »
Tecumseh's advice is all good. In addition to what he said:

Can you use Ways?
Can you use Martial Arts?
Either or both would help dramatically.

Wear better armor. You should have 7/9 of stuff, plus FFBA. You're 1/4 short of that; you could make it up with SecureTech PPP Systems among other ways.

You have Logic 1 and a (bunch of) crappy commlinks that can't run your programs, and just enough Electronics skill group to not actually be able to do jack. I would ditch the Electronics, and replace your commlinks/programs with 1 dummy commlink, and 1 commlink/agent setup that can handle things like doing data searches for you that you need to do as an investigator; see my sig and the Spook for an example of such a setup.




rasmusnicolaj

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« Reply #3 on: <03-20-12/0227:27> »
Personalized Grip on your knives cost only 100 nuyen.

2 or 3 are not very karma efficient, and you have a couple of charisma linked skill and a lowish charisma so I don't think they will do you much good so that could free up a few point.

Rasmus
Deplore killings made in the name of religion. Can't it just be for fun?

default_108

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« Reply #4 on: <03-20-12/1750:18> »
Thanks guys, you've given me alot to think about, just like with the Technomancer.  I'll take a look over the character and apply what I can.  I always forget about Way of the Adept (Curse of being a new player) and yeah the 1 will power was a bad oversight.  I was even making an awakened character and I didn't even think about magic.  I'm going to revaluate the whole build and get back to you guys, thanks!