[Liam oConnor]

I'm asking on help/tips to enhance this character with 60 karmapoints.


Metatype: Orc (20 points)
Attributes (200 points)     
Body             7
Agility            5
Reaction      4 (7 with magic)
Strength       6
Charisma    2
Intuition        4
Logic            2
Willpower    3

Special Attributes (40 points)   
Essence           6
Initiative      8 (11 with magic)
Edge           1
Magic           5
         
Qualities (-5 points)

The Warriors Way     10   (25 % costreduction on: Improved Reflexes, Combat Sense)
Aptitude                       10  Pistols
Adept                             5   
Ambidextrous              5
In Debt                          -20   20000 loan (owes 30000, 3000/month interest)
Enemy                           -5
Geas                             -10  (Ritual: Praying; 25 % Costreduction on Improved Reflexes)

Skills (132 points)     
Pistols                               7
Automatics                       1 
Unarmed Combat          2 
Perception                        3         
Athletics                            3 
Intimidation                      3   
Etiquette                            2 
Data Search                     2
Hardware                          1
Pilot Groundcraft              1
Infiltration                           2
Shadowing                        1   
   
Knowledge Skills    (0 bp, 18 free points)   
English                                         - Native -
Gaelic                                                2
Security-Procedures (Police)         4(+2)   
Gang-Behaviour                               4
Religion (Christianity)                      3
Gambling                                           4

Connections (2x Cha + 13 points):
Fixer (3/4)
Police-Technician (2/3)
Irish-Mob-Boss  (2/3)
Powers:
Improved Reflexes          3 (2 Powerpoints: 50% off because of geas and Warriors Way)
Combatsense                 4 (1,5 Powerpoints: 25 off because of Warriors Way)
Improved Perception      2 (0,5 PP)
Attribute-Boost (Agilty)    2  (0,5 PP)
Rapid Healing                 1  (0,25 PP)
Sustenance                          (0,25 PP)



I'm starting in a new group and the GM offered that I could start at 60 karma (about the level of the rest of the group). Now I have this Gunslinger that I'd like to improve- with your help.  Equipment is not an issue, basic equipment I can buy with the 20.000 Nuyen I got in debts, anything further I can get (if reasonable) with GM-approving.

So what I need is: Your best shots at improving this character with 60 karma.

Thx,
Liam
 

[UmaroVI]

Can you Initiate? Can you do Initiatory Ordeals? Does your GM allow PP in place of metamagic (it's an optional rule in SM)? Does your GM rule that Improved Attribute (Reaction) does not stack with Increased Reflexes?

Far and away best purchase you could make would actually be to get more money, install 1, maybe 2 points of bioware, and buy your magic back up. All4BigGuns will probably be by in a minute to explain how if you do that, you deserve to die of ebola and cancer.

If you don't want bioware, your first best purchase is definitely a sixth point of magic.

If you are allowed to use PP for metamagic (you seem to be using enough other optional rules that your GM is probably OK with that), initiate as much as you can afford. Take Adept Centering for one metamagic and PP for the rest.

Assuming you do not want any ware, and that you are allowed to use initiatory ordeals, and that IA (reaction) and IR stack, that would be Magic 6, then 2 initiations. Select "Improved Combat Ability: Pistols" as your 3rd way discounted power, take 3 levels of that (1.5*.75=1.125 PP), and Improved Ability (Reaction) 1 (.75 PP). I really highly recommend going down to only 1 level of  Attribute Boost: Agility, which would free up enough for an extra level of Combat Sense. Otherwise, sit on the last .125 PP.

Also, you might want to check my sig and the Gunslinger for a similar character; in particular, you can crib some useful modded pistols.

[Makki]

Edge 2 / 10
Edge 3 / 15
Pistols Spec / 2
Hardware Spec (Maglock) / 2
Infiltration Spec/ 2
Perception Spec
Initiate for Adept Centering / 13
Improve Gymnastics / 8
Improve Infiltration / 6
__
60
This is 100%, what I would do.

btw.: the Geas negative quality is in no way related to the geas cost reduction for adept powers. Different rules section, different uses. While a bribed GM might allow to take one Geas for several (completely) different things, you should be aware, that you will lose Improved Reflexed AND an additional number of powers worth one point because your magic drops by one.

[Liam oConnor]

Thank you both, for your input!

@ Geas:  I never read it that way, but it always seemed kind of overpowered to me! Based on that I think I'll change my negative Qualities.

[UmaroVI]

Oops, I forgot to mention specializations. I agree those are a good idea but I think you are better off improving magic/initiation first. However, in my example, I would spend 6 of your last 7 karma specializing; probably Semi-Automatics for Pistols, Visual for Perception, and Urban for Infiltration.

[Tsuzua]

I'm with Umaro about the ware train.  However if you do go down that route, how much money you do have does matter.  A rough scale would be useful since it'll impact what alphaware versus basicware you can get.

[All4BigGuns]

Can you Initiate? Can you do Initiatory Ordeals? Does your GM allow PP in place of metamagic (it's an optional rule in SM)? Does your GM rule that Improved Attribute (Reaction) does not stack with Increased Reflexes?

Far and away best purchase you could make would actually be to get more money, install 1, maybe 2 points of bioware, and buy your magic back up. All4BigGuns will probably be by in a minute to explain how if you do that, you deserve to die of ebola and cancer.

If you don't want bioware, your first best purchase is definitely a sixth point of magic.

If you are allowed to use PP for metamagic (you seem to be using enough other optional rules that your GM is probably OK with that), initiate as much as you can afford. Take Adept Centering for one metamagic and PP for the rest.

Assuming you do not want any ware, and that you are allowed to use initiatory ordeals, and that IA (reaction) and IR stack, that would be Magic 6, then 2 initiations. Select "Improved Combat Ability: Pistols" as your 3rd way discounted power, take 3 levels of that (1.5*.75=1.125 PP), and Improved Ability (Reaction) 1 (.75 PP). I really highly recommend going down to only 1 level of  Attribute Boost: Agility, which would free up enough for an extra level of Combat Sense. Otherwise, sit on the last .125 PP.

Also, you might want to check my sig and the Gunslinger for a similar character; in particular, you can crib some useful modded pistols.

You don't deserve to die of ebola and cancer for getting ware on Awakened, but I do still disagree that it's worthwhile.

[Liam oConnor]

I won't do ware, it wouldn't fit my concept of the character, so there's no need to work in that direction!
Thank you all for your ideas so far.

[Inconnu]

Buy Qualities.

I can't tell you how useful Juryrigger can be.

Guy visiting man in jail-"Is there anything i can get you from outside?"
Man in jail-"Sure. A pack of bubblegum, a paperclip, a scredriver, and a block of wood."

Five hours after he gets them, he riddles the guard full of wooden bullets and takes the keys. He leaves.

[Critias]

Buy Qualities.

I can't tell you how useful Juryrigger can be.

Guy visiting man in jail-"Is there anything i can get you from outside?"
Man in jail-"Sure. A pack of bubblegum, a paperclip, a scredriver, and a block of wood."

Five hours after he gets them, he riddles the guard full of wooden bullets and takes the keys. He leaves.

You play an interesting game of Shadowrun, if that's how things work there.

[Inconnu]

It's a exaggeration, but that's basically what juryrigger does. With next to no stuff, you can perform technological wonders.

It might be more like a short list, or maybe like a wind up toy, but my point is, you make somthing out of next to nothing. OF course, then you may have to roleplay a tinkerer in order to get parts, or think ahead.

For example, under the premise that we may need another detonator, my char grabbed parts from a busted microwave.