[Phoatu]

I'm brand spanking new to Shadowrun in general and was invited to join a campaign with some friends. After learning the rules on a pretty general basis (I'm still fairly clueless when it comes to gear, weapons, and augmentation; don't really have a grasp on what spells are good or to be avoided).
I strove to make a dwarven magician who's solid in melee combat and infiltration. I'm fine with my character being inadequate at range for now; can compensate for that later with the right spells I figure.

Here's the sheet as it stands:

Character Name: Dunadir Davaast ("Ohmbreaker")
Pos. Qualities: (55pts)
-Metatype: Dwarf
-Magician (Tradition: Buddhism)
-Mentor Spirit (Bear)
-Human-Looking
-Erased (1 week)
Neg. Qualities: (35pts)
-Addiction (Mild, Alchohol)
-Day Job (10 hr/week)
-Distinctive Style (Rating 1)
-Gremlins (Rating 1)
-Geas (Meditation)
-Sinner (Standard)
Attributes: (160 primary, 60 special)
BOD: 4
AGI: 4
REA: 3
STR: 3
CHA: 2
INT: 5
LOG: 2
WIL: 5
EDG: 3
MAG: 5
Skills: (120pts)
Assessing (Astral Signatures) [1]: 6(
Astral Combat (Weapon foci) [2]: 7(9)
Counterspelling [4]: 7(9)
Enchanting (Artificing) [2]: 7(9)
Gymnastics [4]: 8
Infiltration (Urban) [3]: 7(9)
Perception [2]: 7
Shadowing (Tailing) [2]: 7(9)
Spellcasting [4]: 9
Unarmed Combat (Martial Arts): [3] 7(9)
Knowledge Skills: (21/21 knowledge pts)
Alchohol [1]: 6
Bars and clubs [1]: 6
Biology (Physiology) [1]: 3(5)
Combat Tactics (Ambush) [2]: 3(5)
Magic Traditions [3]: 5
Magical Theory (Enchanting) [2]: 4(6)
Religion (Buddhism) [2]: 4(6)
Shadow Community (Personalities) [1]: 6(
Underworld (Prostitution) [1]: 6(
Hindu-Urdu [1]: 6
Cantonese [1]: 6
Spells: (15pts)
-Clairvoyance
-Increase Reflexes
-[Blast] Aura
-Magic Fingers
-Levitate
Gear (10pts nuyen, 5pts foci binding)
-Sustaining Focus (Health): Force 3
-Weapon Focus (Hardliner shin/arm guards): Force 2
Contacts: (8pts)
Abadesa (Madame): 4/4 ((Bit of fluff: Matron of a local pleasure palace where Dunadir works. As a tall, human-looking dwarf who's fairly knowledgeable about tantric buddhism he fills a very small niche for those with particular tastes. She's a well-connected socialite who generally knows what's up, what's going down, and could offer Dunadir and his friends use of the bordello as a safehouse in a pinch.))

All in all: Only 2 BP left, possibly to make his contact more connected or to convert into nuyen to buy gear (which I'm sure is lacking).

If there's anything you guys feel is unnecessary that can be trimmed, or glaring things you think I need to shuffle points around to get things that are essential or pretty important do let me know.

Magic hands is going to be his primary ranged combat and utility spell for use with clairvoyance  for long-distance manipulation or filching. I lose out on the weapon foci dice and take a -2 penalty atop of that when using unarmed combat with magic hands, but that use would be more of an 'in the pinch' sort of thing where he would absolutely need cover and still need to dish out damage.
I could do with clout instead of magic fingers, as both can fill the 'ranged ki strike' thing. It would do more damage but i'm sure there are pretty useful applications for magic fingers, and i'm really tight for points to get two 'ranged combat' abilities.

I could replace Levitation for another sort of useful utility/travel spell, perhaps invisibility. But whatever spell I get for that slot i'd like to be equally fluffy as it is useful. I've no familiarity with the spell selection so if there's a spell that could really enhance Dunadir's speed/jumping/infiltration, or even all of the above all at once please point me to it.

I rather like the flavor of the character as it stands, but I also want to be effective in combat and good at what I intend the character to be adept at.

Any feedback or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[emsquared]

Have you looked at Mystic Adepts? Adepts have some Powers custom made for what it sounds like you want to do, and are better at it than spells (no drain,etc.)... And the Mystic part means you'll still have some face-melters or what-have-you.

[Phoatu]

I've considered it it but I wouldn't know where to start with the adept powers. Reason I came on the board is for some help.

Were I to go mystic adept and say, get 2 points in adept buffs without sustain, wouldn't that leave me casting really weak spells (maximum: force 6 with overcast) otherwise?

As for concerns that I'd like the most help with:
-Is manufactured armor better than having a sustained armor/mana armor spell on for protection? Or would it be better to say get a reaction enhancing spell to avoid damage alltogether?

Worth noting that I got rid of the astral combat skill as I just figured out blast aura and magic hands would let me attack astral-only targets with my unarmed skill.

[All4BigGuns]

Were I to go mystic adept and say, get 2 points in adept buffs without sustain, wouldn't that leave me casting really weak spells (maximum: force 6 with overcast) otherwise?

By the rules-contradicting FAQ entry, yes, but by the actual rules, no. People try to argue 'vague wording' and crap to defend using the FAQ ruling, but it's pretty clear that without intentional misreading, it would only affect the dice pool you roll to cast.

Mystic Adepts
Some adepts choose to learn less than their maximum number of adept
powers, preserving some of their Power Points for spellcasting or conjuring.
Such magicians are still called adepts by most magicians, though
other adepts may refer to the character as following the “Magician’s
Way.” Characters who wish to become mystic adepts have the option
of splitting their Magic attribute between spellcasting and conjuring
or physical abilities.
For every point of Magic invested in physical abilities, the character
gets one Power Point that she can use to purchase adept powers.
Every point of Magic invested in mana-based abilities grants the character
one point to use with Magic-based skills. For all other purposes,
including the determination of the maximum level for adept powers,
the character’s full Magic attribute is used. Such a character will not
have as many adept powers as most other adepts, nor will they be able
to cast spells with the same skill as true magicians. Mystic adepts may
use their adept powers normally.

Example:
Roxanne is a mystic adept with a Magic attribute of 4. She spends 1 point of Magic for
1 Power Point, which she uses to purchase four levels of Rapid Healing. Her other 3
points of Magic are dedicated to Magic skills. When using her Magic-linked dice pools,
such as Spellcasting or Summoning, she will be able to allocate 3 dice for Magic (since
the other is tied up in her adept powers). For all other uses, her Magic attribute
counts at its full value of 4.

Most of the ones who advocate the FAQ ruling blatantly disregard the example which plainly states that it's only the dice pools affected.

[Phoatu]

So if I understand you correctly I'd still be able to cast force 5 spells only worrying about stun and be left rolling 2 less dice than normally on the cast?

Also, in relation to the armor vs evasion question: Is the bear mentor spirit worth the points? The GM plans on throwing mostly dual natured and mundane enemies at us, so the +2 physical damage resistance would be pretty solid in a scenario like that, yes?

[All4BigGuns]

So if I understand you correctly I'd still be able to cast force 5 spells only worrying about stun and be left rolling 2 less dice than normally on the cast?

Also, in relation to the armor vs evasion question: Is the bear mentor spirit worth the points? The GM plans on throwing mostly dual natured and mundane enemies at us, so the +2 physical damage resistance would be pretty solid in a scenario like that, yes?

By the actual rules, yes.

On the second, personally, I don't blow points on Mentor Spirits, so I couldn't tell ya.

[Phoatu]

I guess I picked a bad day to expect a high volume of suggestions and feedback for last-minute sheet changes...

For those who are active on the board right now:

Is there any particular reason why there's a preference/tendency to go with mystic adepts or adepts for attribute boosting instead of getting the Increase [Attribute] spell and buying a sustain focus to maintain the buff indefinitely?

Is it that it's more expensive or not as good? Potentially you could get a much bigger buff than you could with a flat adept increase if I understand right.

[emsquared]

I've never made a Mystic Adept or even a similar build like you're going for, but my thought with the MA was that you use the Adept portion for enhancing your unarmed strikes (Killing Hands, Critical Strike, Counterstrike, Distance Strike, Elemental Strike, Inertial Strike, Penetrating Strike, etc. - I don't know what are the good ones), and then the Mystic part for everything else, including bumping up stats, distance attacks, manipulation, etc.

[All4BigGuns]

I guess I picked a bad day to expect a high volume of suggestions and feedback for last-minute sheet changes...

For those who are active on the board right now:

Is there any particular reason why there's a preference/tendency to go with mystic adepts or adepts for attribute boosting instead of getting the Increase [Attribute] spell and buying a sustain focus to maintain the buff indefinitely?

Is it that it's more expensive or not as good? Potentially you could get a much bigger buff than you could with a flat adept increase if I understand right.

Improved Physical Attribute is a little bit too expensive (mainly due to the doubling-effect once you get in between Natural Maximum and Augmented Maximum), and the Adept powers can't really boost mental attributes. If you go Mystic Adept (assuming your GM runs it by the rules rather than the FAQ).  Probably best to keep those "buff" things as spells, and focus your powers on increasing other abilities.

[Crunch]

So if I understand you correctly I'd still be able to cast force 5 spells only worrying about stun and be left rolling 2 less dice than normally on the cast?

Also, in relation to the armor vs evasion question: Is the bear mentor spirit worth the points? The GM plans on throwing mostly dual natured and mundane enemies at us, so the +2 physical damage resistance would be pretty solid in a scenario like that, yes?

By the actual rules, yes.

On the second, personally, I don't blow points on Mentor Spirits, so I couldn't tell ya.

Check with your GM how he wants to play Mystic Adepts. It's not at all as settled as Guns is indicating. The rules admit to either interpretation and the FAQ supports the more conservative reading. I don't have a dog in the fight either way, but it would not be unusual to find a GM who played in favor of the FAQ's interpretation.

[The Key of E]

Phoatu, I really like this character. Extremely flavorful.

I sat down with Chummer and threw together a similar character but with a stronger focus on combat, using Dim Mak to disable foes. His main combat spells would be Death Touch (or possibly Shatter) with a high Unarmed skill to deliver the touch attack, Clout for the distance ki-strike, and Flamethrower for a Street Fighter-style hadouken. I also threw in Stunball and Blizzard because they're useful. Utility spells include Levitate for the wire-fu flying around, Heal for positive applications of the nerve strike stuff, and Physical Mask/Improved Invisibility for clouding the minds of enemies (a la The Shadow). I went with Wuxing for Tradition instead of Buddhism because I felt it fit better, although WIL+INT from Buddhism is better for drain resist than WIL+LOG from Wuxing. Oh, well.

Regardless, your character definitely inspired me. Thank you.

To the community at large, one aspect of Dim Mak is being able to immobilize your opponent with a touch, as well as killing them. Aside from Knockout, I couldn't think of any spells that would reflect this. Anybody able to think of one?

P.S. I looked at making a Mystic Adept with the Nerve Strike power to get the "dim mak" flavor, but it seemed too costly compared to just using Touch spells.
P.P.S. I've been replaying Jade Empire recently, so that definitely influenced me some.

EDIT: Linky - I had to use KarmaGen because I couldn't get it to work right using BP. The character has some Bioware, but could also be built without it.