[Dynathas]

Hello,

I have been working on designing this character based on the Eagle Shapeshifter to fill the role of a shaman / scout in our group. I felt that a sapient animal character could be a lot of fun to roleplay, however since my group is lacking any magicians so far, I am going to be filling that role. Some of the roles I envision this character doing are scouting out locations using illusion spells and / or the shifter's critter flight ability, joining in combat with counterspelling and combat spells, and using manipulation spells and a high visual perception to fill various niche roles.

The backstory and background of the character are not yet flushed out, but I have a good general idea so far of what it will be. Due to the expensive BP cost of the shifter, the rest of the build unfortunately is rather tightly squeezed to try and start as an effective shaman, while still resembling the intended nature of the shifter.

If anyone would like to look over the build so far and offer constructive critique I would appreciate it.



(fifth revision)

Eagle Shapeshifter (Human) -60 BP

Attributes: (max -200 BP)

BOD 1/6(9)     + 4 = 5
AGI 1/6(9)      + 0 = 1
REA 1/6(9)     + 1 = 2
STR 1/6(9)     + 0 = 1
CHA 2/7(10)  + 4 = 6
INT 1/6(9)      + 4 = 5
LOG 1/6(9)    + 0 = 1
WIL 3/9(13)   + 5 = 8

total = -180 BP

*below not constrained by -200 BP attribute limit*
EDG  1/6(6)  + 0 = 1
MAG 1/6(6)  + 4 = 5

Initiative 1/12(18) = REA + INT = 7

total = -40 BP



Qualities:

Positive Qualities: ( -25 BP)

Magician -15 BP (shaman tradition)
Mentor Spirit -5 BP (sky father)
Restricted Gear -5 BP (f4 power focus)

Negative Qualities: (+35 BP)

Uneducated +20 BP
Wanted +10 BP
Lost Loved One +5 BP
Distinctive Style (shapeshifter quality – has sharp features and dark eyes in human form)


Skills:

Assensing (INT)               + 1 = 1 (-4 BP)

Counterspelling (MAG)   + 4 = 4 (-16 BP)
Spellcasting (MAG)         + 6 = 6 (-24 BP)

Summoning (MAG)         + 1 = 1 (-4 BP)

Perception (INT)     + 4 = 4 (-16 BP)

total = -64 BP


Knowledge Skills: (18 free points)

Interests:
Sapient Critters (2)
Astronomy (2)
Military Aircraft (1)
Dragons (1)
Eyrie Construction (4)
Golden Eagle Mating (3)

Languages:
Golden Eagle Communication (n)
English (3)
Sioux (2)




Shapeshifter Powers:

Dual Natured
Enhanced Senses:   (vision enhancement (2), vision magnification)
Natural Weapon:     (claws/bite: DV STR/2 + 2, AP 0)
Regeneration:          (BOD + MAG = regenerated points)
Sapience
Shift (human)

Weaknesses:

Allergy (silver, severe)
Vulnerability (silver)



Spells: (max 10 spells)

Combat Spells:
   Stunbolt (direct)
   Stunball (direct, area)
   Lightning Bolt (indirect, elemental)

Detection Spells:
   Detect Enemies Extended (active, extended area)
   Mind Probe (active, directional)

Health Spells:
   Increase Reflexes

Illusion Spells:
   Improved Invisibility (realistic, single sense)

Manipulation Spells:
   Shape Metal (environmental, area)
   Influence
   Levitate (physical)

total = -30 BP

Drain: WIL + CHA = 14

Mentor Spirit:

Sky Father
+2 dice for Detection and Manipulation spells
-1 dice for resisting Con attempts. If insulted, must make a WIL + CHA(3) test to avoid retaliating



Contacts:

Talismonger – Connection 3 – Loyalty 5

total = 8 BP



Equipment:

Nuyen = 105,000 (before equipment costs subtracted)

Armor / Clothing: (-2020Y)                                    B/I                     Avail                         Cost
Lined Coat                                                                 6/4                         2                            700Y
   Non-conductivity (rating 6)                  +6 to electrical               8                           1200Y
Helmet    (adds to lined coat if worn)                        +1/+2                       2                           100Y
Clothing                                                                     0/0                         -                             20Y

Other Equipment: (-960Y)
Gecko Tape Gloves  •  Availability: 12  •  Cost: 250Y
Flash-Pak  •  Damage: special  •  Blast: special  •  Avail: 4  •  Cost: 200Y
Plastic Restraints (50)  •  Availability: -  •  Cost: 1Y per 10 = 5Y
Certified Credstick  •  Availability: -  •  Cost: 25Y
Tag Eraser  •  Availability: 6F  •  Cost: 150Y
Glue Sprayer  •  Availability: 2  •  Cost: 150Y
Micro Flare Launcher  •  Availability: -  •  Cost: 50Y
   Micro Flares (2)  •  Availability: -  •  Cost: 25Y x 2 = 50Y
Thigh-pack   •  Availability: 4  •  Cost: 80Y

Magical Equipment: (-100,000Y)
Force 4 Power Focus  •  Availability: 20R  •  Cost: 100,000Y  (-4 BP for bonding)

Optics and Audio Gear: (-780Y)
Earbuds (rating 3)  •  Capacity: 3  •  Availability: -  •  Cost: rating x 10Y = 30Y
   Audio Enhancement (rating 3)  •  Availability: +2  •  Cost: + rating x 100Y = 300Y
   Spacial Recognizer  •  Availability: +6  •  Cost: 100Y
Glasses (rating 4)  •  Capacity: 4  •  Availability: -  •  Cost: rating x 25Y = 100Y
   Flare Compensation  •  Availability: +2  •  Cost: 50Y
   Low-Light  •  Availability: +4  •  Cost: 100Y
   Thermographic  •  Availability: +6  •  Cost: 100Y

Survival Gear: (-440Y)
Survival Kit  •  Availability: 4  •  Cost: 100Y
Survival Knife  •  Reach: -  •  Damage: (STR / 2 + 1) P  •  AP: -1  •  Availability: -  •  Cost: 50Y
Respirator (rating 6)  •  Availability: -  •  Cost: rating x 25Y = 150Y
Light Stick (2)  •  Availability: -  •  Cost: 5Y x 2 = 10Y
Ration Pouch (2)  •  Availability: 8  •  Cost: 50Y x 2 = 100Y
Smart Canteen (6)  •  Availability: 8  •  Cost: 5Y x 6 = 30Y




Lifestyle: (-800Y)

Comforts:      Squatter (+1 LP)
Entertainment:   Street (+0 LP)
The Necessities:   Low (+2 LP)
Neighborhood:   Squatter (+1 LP)
Security:      Middle (+3 LP)

AI in Residence (-3 LP)
Green Plan (-1 LP)
Network Bottleneck (-1 LP)
Poor Condition (-1 LP)
Defective CHN (-1 LP)

Quiet Neighborhood (+1 LP)
Inconspicuous Housing – Matrix (+2 LP)
Escape Tunnel (+3 LP)




remaining = 0Y
total = -21 BP = 105,000Y
Total Remaining BP = 0




Derived Attributes:

Essence:                               6
Initiative:                             REA + INT = 7
IP:                                        1
Astral Initiative:                  INT x 2 = 8
Astral IP:                             3
Matrix Initiative:                 Commlink Response + INT = 4
Matrix IP:                            1
Physical Damage Track:     8 + (BOD / 2) = 11
Stun Damage Track:           8 + (WIL / 2) = 12
Ballistic Armor:                  6 (+ 1 with helmet)
Impact Armor:                    4 (+ 2 with helmet)
Composure:                        WIL + CHA = 14
Judge Intentions:                INT + CHA = 11
Lift and Carry:                   STR + BOD = 6
Memory:                             LOG + WIL = 9
Movement:                         3 / 6 (movement speed in meters)
Fly:                                     18 / 80 (flying speed in meters)


Thank you anyone, for your insight on my character.

[rasmusnicolaj]

I would lower Assensing and Summoning to 1. 4 of those point could go toward Binding 1. The Last 20 BP to raise Charisma to 6. Drain resistance is very important.
I would suggest getting a R4 Power Foci also but I can't imagine where to find the points - Shifters are just expensive 
Your armor is 1 higher than your encumberance limit. You could do better with a slightly worse armor and then supplement with SecureTech stuff to max it out.
It's a very narrow build but that can't be help when you use 15 % of your told BP on being a shifter. I think you will do okay with that in mind.
Rasmus

[Dynathas]

Thank you Rasmus for your excellent suggestions. I tweaked around the build in the original post to soft-cap charisma and modify the respective skills. Adding the binding skill was a little hard for me to do however, because of my interpretation of this statement on page 189 of the SR4 core book:

Most spirits resent attempts to bind them, as it turns the relationship between magician and spirit from a short-term contract between equals (or near equals) to a forced servitude for an extended period of time. (Some pro-spirit groups even go so far as to claim that binding a spirit is the equivalent to enslaving a sentient being.) A bound spirit can be forced to harm itself to further the magician’s ends—something no living being willingly suffers. Binding spirits, then, has a far higher potential for things turning nasty than simple summoning does—especially if the spirit becomes uncontrolled.

I figure that in the pursuit of good RPing, my character would likely resent the mistreatment of spirits partially because of his shamanic tradition, and partially because he is himself a sentient being. Therefore, would it be possible to approach binding in a manner that is respectful of the spirit's sentience, and avoids the notion of "enslaving" him?

Thank you as well for catching that over-encumbrance oversight of mine. The armor now meets a nice 10/10 total.

[Orvich]

A note on binding: the 'binding' skill and the use of it does NOT (NOTNOTNOT) necessitate literally binding a spirit. You don't have to be literally forcing a spirit to do your bidding, especially if the tasks you require aren't particularly onerous. My spellcasting character rolls 'binding' as 'tethering them'. In other words, he's giving them a task and a reason to stay on the plane, without which they would fade away. In the ritual to do this, he even offers some of his blood (a superficial wound) to enter into a pact with that spirit, involving worship of the gods that he believes spawns them.

Before you get a power focus (you can't even get one that powerful at character creation without restricted gear.) I'd get a sustaining focus. Without a sustaining focus, you're eating a -2 penalty (to ALL rolls) to sustain your combat reflexes (Which I would drop as a spell, anyways), your Improved Reflexes, or your Levitate.

Check with your GM on the Orgy spell. There are similar spells that do similar things without the... possibly uncomfortable fluff text.

One thing you might also want to consider is making your Shamanic tradition a Possession tradition. There aren't rules for that in the core rulebook, so it wasn't applied to the Shamanic tradition that is within the core rulebook, but I think it would be appropriate. That would let you roll around town with greatly (GREATLY) enhanced physical stats with only a few downsides.

In short:
1) Binding can be roleplayed to be less harsh, as long as you keep up with it and are consistent.
2) Drop Combat Reflexes.
3) Get a sustaining focus before any other sort.
4) Check Orgy with GM. Most I think would be okay with it, some might be uncomfortable.
5) Possession tradition?

[UmaroVI]

I would hold off on binding until later, really. You're going to want to spend money on foci later and you are very, very tight on points.

There's nothing wrong with possession but it isn't better than materialization. You can certainly go that route if you want to, of course.

I actually would get a f4 restricted gear power focus before a sustaining focus. Why? Because not having it at chargen hurts you later (since the binding costs is 4 bp or 32 karma), whereas the sustaining focus you can get later at a reasonable price.

Your special attributes are funny. Eagle shifters don't have 2/7 edge, and you seem to have paid 10 bp. I'm assuming that should be 1/6+1=2 there.

Sense of Direction is utterly worthless. Welcome to the future, you can get a GPS in your pants.

"Golden Eagle Mating" is a funny skill for this guy. It's not like all human characters have 3 ranks in Knowledge Skill: Doing It.

Combat Sense is not worth it for you, not until you have a better way to sustain spells. Increase Reflexes still is though.

Orgy is only a good spell under very specific circumstances (Illusion hyperspecialists) which you are not. Use Stunball instead.

I would probably:
Drop Binding (+4)
Drop Orgy, and Combat Sense, and get Stunball (+3)
Drop -1 Edge and -1 Reaction (+20)
Drop Sense of Direction (+5)

Get ye olde RG power focus force 4 like all the other cool kids (-29)
Pick up some new spell, I suggest Mind Probe (-3)

[Dynathas]

Thanks a lot Orvich, for your clarification on the nature of binding. You have given me confidence in the future use of this skill in a character-proper manner.


I appreciate your in-depth analysis on my character build  UmaroVI. After doing some rulebook research, I find myself agreeing with your suggestions. Unfortunately, the -10 build points spent on edge was a false-positive; I had overlooked changing that number to -40 (from -50) because I originally had purchased one additional edge point on the first revision. The edge was written as 2/7 because I assumed that since going as a shapeshifter / other-than-human metatype would mean the inheritance of bonuses like low-light vision, a basic shapeshifter / human would inherit the +1 edge bonus humans get.

To make up for the -10 build point deficiency, I had to take an additional -1 to reaction. Hopefully the spell 'Increased Reflexes' will make up for this for the time being. However, the addition of a f4 power focus seems like it more than makes up for the loss in reaction.

Now I just have 1650Y left to spend, and my character will hopefully be complete. I welcome anymore critiquing as I am finding these suggestions very informative and beneficial 

(original post has been edited to reflect changes)

[UmaroVI]

I would rather have 2 rea/1 str than the other way around.

[Pyromaster13]

If you haven't come up with a street name, AC-130 has done me well in the past for a eagle who flies around throwing combat spells. 

[Dynathas]

Aha, that is indeed a very fitting street name Pyromaster 

Well, I updated the original post to reflect what I feel is a good final equipment load-out. I do have a question about the clothing and armor. The generic 'clothing' item in the core rule book has a price range from 20Y - 100,000Y. Would that indicate that quality is directly relative to the price I set? Also, am I able to wear the clothing on top of all my armor and still maintain a degree of concealment for the armor?

[UmaroVI]

You're right about the clothing. How concealable armor is like that is completely not covered in the rules, but you can also just use armor clothing to the same effect.

   Form Fitting Body Armor (1600) (6/2, counts 3/1 for encumbrance)
   SecureTech PPP System Shin Guards (150) (0/1)
   SecureTech PPP System Vitals Protector (200) (1/1)
   SecureTech PPP System Forearm Guards (200) (0/1)
   SecureTech PPP System Arm and Leg Casings, only Leg Casings Worn (350) (0/1)
   Synergist Business Line Suit Jacket and Shirt or Slacks (1200) (4/3)

is one option.

   Form Fitting Body Armor (1600) (6/2, counts 3/1 for encumbrance)
   SecureTech PPP System Shin Guards (150) (0/1)
   SecureTech PPP System Forearm Guards (200) (0/1)
   Vashon Island Steampunk Line, Overcoat, Corset or Vest, Slacks or Knickers/Petticoat and Skirt, Blouse or Shirt (2250) (7/7)

is another.

[Glyph]

I personally would not require a shapeshifter to use up their native language slot on (their animal species) communication (their animal species doesn't even really have a language, per se) - I would let them take it for their native human language.  After all, as beings capable of assuming human form, presumably born to parents with the same ability, they would (usually) be exposed to human culture from an early age, even if from the periphery.

Form-fitting body armor and PPP (the discrete version) are both designed to be worn under normal clothing and not be obvious.

On the armor - layers of armor give a significant advantage, protection-wise, but one thing to keep in mind is that you cannot wear it in your eagle form.  Also, you need to take it off before changing.  I would invest in at least one easy-on, easy-off piece of armor (armor jacket, lined coat, body armor bag, etc.) for when you expect to do some quick changing to/from your eagle form.

[Dynathas]

Thank you Glyph - you made me realize that I was overlooking one of the main aspects of my character (shapechanging) when making my armor choices. Therefore, I decided to go with a simple lined coat with non-conductivity and an optional helmet to simplify things for now. Later on I will buy more armor in game as needed, but for now that should do nicely. This also left me with enough nuyen to buy a reasonable customized lifestyle too, so I am happy with the outcome.

For the armor mod however, I am a little confused about whether I am over the limit or not. The capacity for the lined coat doesn't seem to be listed anywhere so I am assuming that means I have to default on to the maximum armor modifications rule. Therefore, does that mean that I potentially have room for up to 3 more mods?

(original post updated to reflect changes)

[UmaroVI]

You are right about how armor mods work. Capacity is only for items that have capacity (but they can put in some things that normal armor can't).

Armor is important enough that it is definitely worth owning a proper setup with FFBA as well, but yes, birdie armor is not a bad idea.

[Dynathas]

Well, my character is almost complete now. I just have one last question however, regarding the shapeshifter powers. Under 'Enhanced Senses' for the Eagle Shapeshifter is listed Vision Enhancement (2), and Vision Magnification. After looking through many of the rulebooks to find clarification on these abilities, I found this section in Running Wild on page 205:

ENHANCED SENSES
Many enhanced senses provide additional senses that the creature did not have before. These senses are treated as natural, unaugmented senses when determining modifiers for Perception Tests. When a critter has enhanced senses for a sense that it would normally possess, such as Enhanced Hearing for a hellhound, it receives a +2 dice pool modifier to Perception Tests. An enhanced sense may also provide the critter with new uses for skills.  Enhanced Scent, for example, allows a trained critter to track a person or prey by scent alone. Scent tracking uses Tracking + Intuition. Thresholds and dice pool modifiers are provided.

Based on what I read here, I take it that an enhanced sense ability grants a +2 dice pool modifier for that particular sense usage, and since I have Vision Enhancement (2), I take it that gives me a +4 bonus to all visual perception tests. Is this accurate?

 Also, since vision magnification is not covered anywhere that I saw as a critter power, would it be safe to assume that it would operate exactly the same as the optical vision enhancement add-on for optical devices given on page 333 of the core rulebook?

Vision Magnification: This zoom function magnifies vision by up to 50 times, allowing distant targets to be seen clearly. It is available as both an optical (ideal for spellcasting at distant targets) or electronic (with real-time image correction) enhancement. For rules on using vision magnification in ranged combat, see p. 150.

[UmaroVI]

I agree on both of those.