[JustADude]

So, as the title suggests, I'm thinking about scrapping my current character (Finn) in favor of someone a little less self-destructively maniacal. He's a bit awesome, but also a bit of a pain to play in a nobody-takes-him-seriously-until-he-kills-someone kinda way. I also made a few cardinal mistakes with him, as my first mage, such as buying Banishing and Ritual Magic and not buying and binding a Power Focus at character generation.

Not to mention the fact that you can't custom-make Traditions for Missions also threw a spanner in the works, from the characterization end.

Since we're in the gap between Season 2 and Season 3, the team's gone and scattered themselves to the four winds for the moment. With that in mind I've been pondering rebooting Finn into a mechanically similar, but more refined, character. I'll be losing quite a bit of banked Nuyen and the services of some bound spirits, but I'll be able to start with a new build and 148 Karma to burn right out of the gate... yeah, we squeaked through just under the Prime Runner line.

Anyway, what I'm looking for are some suggestions for key points to making a Mage/Face specializing in manipulation and subversion type magic. Such as, for example, is Pixie actually worth the pain?

[All4BigGuns]

I'm still partial to humans, but you could just go simple and stick with elf. (Not a big fan of the overly pricey sapients and metavariants personally)

[Henzington]

my problem with a pixie is that if you get shot you are probably going down or will die due to their lack of body.

[JustADude]

my problem with a pixie is that if you get shot you are probably going down or will die due to their lack of body.

Except I can easily get the Pixie to Body 3. Body 2 at CGen, then 15 Karma afterwards. They're no squishier than any normal Body 3 Human mage.

My main concern is, essentially, the point cost for what amounts to Flight, Concealment, and one extra point of Drain resistance, compared to an Elf.

[TheNarrator]

A more salient reason for why not to play a pixie would be that they're too small (about a foot and a half tall) to use equipment intended for any other metatype, or to get by very well in an environment designed for people four times their height. Not to mention incredibly rare, and thus noteworthy. A pixie PC should have a hell of a time fitting in or getting taken seriously in most places in the sprawl... after all, they're freakin' Tinkerbell.

[UmaroVI]

You can make Pixie pay off, but I'm not sure you can make Pixie pay off on a pure-magic focused character, and especially one someone who's trying to split their focus to also be good at Face. Also, don't underestimate GM aggro. Pixies are not really that amazing but they have a reputation as OMGPOWERGAMERTWINKLOLOLOLTINKERBELL. Also, while you could have been a 3 body elf, if you care about fighting you should probably be a 5 body elf instead because as a magician, you will get shot at a lot. I'd just be an elf.

[Henzington]

I could see using pixie if it gave more Charisma but being limited to less armor for the same casting atrribute doesnt seem worth the points.

[JoeNapalm]

I'm still partial to humans, but you could just go simple and stick with elf. (Not a big fan of the overly pricey sapients and metavariants personally)

That's one way to look at it. But if you're looking for traits that are already part of the Metavariant in question, they're a bit more cost effective.

I try to pick my Race based on character concept, rather than BP efficiency, though. I mean, I try to be cost effective, but if BP cost is driving all of my build decisions, I have to stop and ask myself if I'm mini-maxing.

-Jn-
Ifriti Sophist

[All4BigGuns]

I'm still partial to humans, but you could just go simple and stick with elf. (Not a big fan of the overly pricey sapients and metavariants personally)

That's one way to look at it. But if you're looking for traits that are already part of the Metavariant in question, they're a bit more cost effective.

I try to pick my Race based on character concept, rather than BP efficiency, though. I mean, I try to be cost effective, but if BP cost is driving all of my build decisions, I have to stop and ask myself if I'm mini-maxing.

-Jn-
Ifriti Sophist

I tend to play humans more often than not in most systems, but then I've seen--and been annoyed by--an attitude of "I'm human so no way am I ever playing a human character unless I have to".

[JustADude]

You can make Pixie pay off, but I'm not sure you can make Pixie pay off on a pure-magic focused character, and especially one someone who's trying to split their focus to also be good at Face. Also, don't underestimate GM aggro. Pixies are not really that amazing but they have a reputation as OMGPOWERGAMERTWINKLOLOLOLTINKERBELL. Also, while you could have been a 3 body elf, if you care about fighting you should probably be a 5 body elf instead because as a magician, you will get shot at a lot. I'd just be an elf.

My regular Missions GM is cool with Pixies. Finn is, himself, a pixie. Basically, I'm essentially trying to reboot the character into something a little less... unplanned. As for fighting... my current strategy is to hide behind Concealment and RPC'ed armor and try not to get spotted while I let my Spirits do the fighting. Still, I'll definitely check out the Elf angle... although losing Concealment is going to be a bit wrenching since the whole "getting shot at" thing becomes way more likely.

Also, I'm mostly only a Face because pretty much everyone else in the group dump-statted Charisma and didn't take any Social skills. I'm not really concerned about being a full-on Pornomancer as much as just being someone that can roll enough dice to the basics... like successfully interrogating someone who has already been beaten bloody and is tied to a chair surrounded by unsympathetic people with guns.

I'm guessing Raven is probably the best Mentor, since I'm going for a Manipulation style?

Also, any especially "must have" spells?

[Henzington]

Armor and Levitate are always useful.  Improved Invisibility and Physical Mask which covers voice, smell, and appearance for disguises.  Personally i perfer illusion for Trid Phatnasm as well as the previously two mentioned spells.

[TheNarrator]

Levitate has a mutlitude of uses, and means you'll never have to worry about anyone on the team falling to their death. Improved Invisibility and Physical Mask, as mentioned, are great for sneaking or bluffing your way into somewhere. Stunball is a great combat spell against anything that's alive: low drain and you don't have to kill if you don't want to. Alter Memory if you want to make people forget you were ever there, or plant a false impression of events. (Handy if your team has a rep of doing "they have no idea there was even a shadowrun" jobs.)

[UmaroVI]

Spider and Sky Father are also good choices if you're also interested in detection or illusion spells. Otherwise, yeah, Raven.

[Tsuzua]

My regular Missions GM is cool with Pixies. Finn is, himself, a pixie. Basically, I'm essentially trying to reboot the character into something a little less... unplanned. As for fighting... my current strategy is to hide behind Concealment and RPC'ed armor and try not to get spotted while I let my Spirits do the fighting. Still, I'll definitely check out the Elf angle... although losing Concealment is going to be a bit wrenching since the whole "getting shot at" thing becomes way more likely.

Losing concealment isn't as bad as you'll think.  If you're sneaking around, just burn a service to have your spirit provide concealment over you and your friends.  That way all of you get to sneak around at -6 or higher to be spotted.

[JustADude]

My regular Missions GM is cool with Pixies. Finn is, himself, a pixie. Basically, I'm essentially trying to reboot the character into something a little less... unplanned. As for fighting... my current strategy is to hide behind Concealment and RPC'ed armor and try not to get spotted while I let my Spirits do the fighting. Still, I'll definitely check out the Elf angle... although losing Concealment is going to be a bit wrenching since the whole "getting shot at" thing becomes way more likely.

Losing concealment isn't as bad as you'll think.  If you're sneaking around, just burn a service to have your spirit provide concealment over you and your friends.  That way all of you get to sneak around at -6 or higher to be spotted.

Ah, very good point! Elf it is, then.

How's Nordic tradition stack up, or is there another one with a better selection of spirits?

Also, any suggestions on what I should focus on with my 148 banked karma?