[Pathos]

Making an Ex-Cop / Failed Bodyguard. I ran a small 6 episode campaign as GM and now I am passing the torch. This will be my first go at being a player.  The Character will be an ex cop / failed body guard (Cartel drug lord and his family  was gunned down on my watch) I imagine Denzel from Man on Fire with cyberware and a mild addiction to pain killers.  The GM said there will be little to no hacking.

GM is giving us 400 BP I am going to be a human, I like the Edge benefit and will have the standard 200BP for attributes, and 260BP toward gear, skills, qualities and cyberware, (GM approved 60BP for my negative qualities: 2 mysterious implants 25 BP with 0.3 drain on Essence, Regret 5BP, Enemies 10BP, Judas 10BP,  Left out to dry 10BP).

I feel having a high level agility, reaction, intuition and edge are crucially important. A solid body is good enough, strength just enough to not be scrawny, and a charisma level that is just high enough to get laid. Logic should be at a mid grade ex detective from Lone Star.  I have a good idea on what I want for Attributes and  starting contacts, but the skills, qualities, and gear list are quite extensive and I am a little lost.  Which is more useful bone lacing or bone density augmentation? Some community knowledge and experience would greatly be appreciated.

[Ethan]

Bone Density Augmentation is less detectable. It'd make more sense for a Bodyguard to be less easily scanned for.

That said, if he's an ex-detective from Lone Star they do have Cyberware Suites with Bone Lacing. Now, whether they'd let you keep the chrome when you quit is another question.

Analytical Mind is a good PQ perhaps. Skills, definitely Pistols and maybe Longarms for Shotguns due to his background. Unarmed also rates a 1-2 for background purposes.

Perception and Infiltration should be at 4. In fact, the Stealthskill group could fit for you. A cop would be good at trailing someone, disguising himself, etc.

[Decade Rider]

Etiquette makes sense for an ex-cop..and intimidate for the bodyguard part...nego or con so you dont get con so easily depends on how failed of a bodyguard you think he is.

He kinda sound like the latest Max Payne game

[Pathos]

I am not going to lie, that is part of what I am going for too, I just don't want the hardcore drug addiction.

[emsquared]

I have a good idea on what I want for Attributes and  starting contacts, but the skills, qualities, and gear list are quite extensive and I am a little lost.

I know how you feel (especially with the gear), I've found the best way to familiarize yourself with it all is a) download Chummer - I wish I'd known about this program sooner and 2.) use Chummer (and of course your book resources) to build a bunch of different types of concept characters revolving around elements of play that confuse or interest you. Like martial arts (qualities), but don't know much about em? Build an MMA fighter from the ground up (not worrying about functionality as a runner). Want to get to know the cyber and bioware better? Build a completely chromed out street-sam, starting with eyes, ears, head and moving on down putting something in every body part (not worrying about well-roundedness). It seems like a lot but once you start taking on the bits, the greater possibilities and variety comes together.

He kinda sound like the latest Max Payne game

My thoughts exactly.

Don't count out Willpower as an important ability, resisting magic is pretty important when it comes up. You're gonna have to do wired reflexes or synaptic boosters too, to replicate Bullet Time

When I think of a (cartel) bodyguard, I think of a scary looking dude (intimidate), who looks like he's looking nowhere and everywhere (high perception), who can probably handle himself in a fist fight as well as a gun fight, wearing a long heavy coat (probably armored, and probably with armor underneath that), with dark shades (probably tricked out with handy viz enhancements) and his hand (possibly at the end of a sythetic cyberlimb?) over his earbud (probably tricked out with handy audio enhancements), talking into a (subvocal) mic. And he also probably knows how to do first aid (y'know, incase he doesn't do his job well)...

[Decade Rider]

Chummer helps alot in character creation even tho i kinda learned about it like 2 weeks ago. I remember first character i made for shadowrun took me something like 7 hours..I was so freakin lost with everything and  "ill" be honest the core rulebook is very weird made since they talk about certain important stuff like lets say how much BP a spell cost for a mage in very weird place. Eventually as you read the books and learn you get around easy enough cause at some point you know approximatly where to open your book to look for something specific. Then its all up to character concept in your head. Best way to pick the right skills and upgrades is to deconstruct your characters job and role and isolate the no brainer and start going from there.

Ex-Cop and bodyguard Should give you idea on how you want your attributes as does the personality. a Max payne-ish character should have good willpower,body,perception and agility. Charisma and logic could be in the 3s maybe 2s if you think its feels more right..3 being the average metahuman norm.

Skills; Guns at the very least pistol and wichever other you fancy. You dont need to max all of em out you can put 2 or 3 points in em then let a specialization, a good agility and smartlink do the rest. Bodyguard dont carry LGM on themselves anyways..tho they might have one in the car . perception and some social skill, unarmed combat 1 or 2 points means you know how to use your fists well and dont make youa  pro Kung Fu champ. 1 or 2 points in infiltration and shadowing. You wont sneak in any corporate enclave but you can get the jump on some thugs with a shotgun.

as for gear pretty much what emsquared suggested Security and Steal RFID tags can be good to put on your client or a suspect to keep there location

 For Augmentations muscle toner..wired relfexes...any of the armored skin you fancy