[virgil]

I'm running a new game soon, and one of my players is wanting help with their character creation. The current house rules are half BP cost for all skills and skill groups, and the books allowed are the Core book (not the anniversary edition), Street Magic, Aresenal, Augmentation, and Trollman's Ends of the Matrix. The player is obviously only roughly halfway through, and is very uncertain of where to go next. Do you guys have any advice for her?

Race: Orc [20]

Body 6
Agility 4
Reaction 3
Strength 6
Charisma 2
Intuition 5
Logic 2
Willpower 5
Magic 6
Edge 1
Initiative 8

Conjuring 4
Summoning 5 (Spirit)
Spellcasting 4
Counterspelling 4
Assensing 3
Astral Combat 3
Infiltration 4
Perception 3
Exotic Weapon (Monowhip) 3
Shadowing 2
Athletics 3
Gymnastics 5
Hacking (Stealth) 1
Parkour Counter-Culture 1
Knowledges 3

Spells [7 total] Turn to Goo, Shape Metal, Physical Mask, x, x, x, x
Gear [15BP]
Contacts [3BP]

Positive Qualities (15)
Magician

Negative Qualities (35)
Incompetent: Ritual Spellcasting
Incompetent: Cyber Combat
Spirit Bane (x)
Incompetent: Pilot Aerospace
Incompetent: Aeronautics Mechanic
Incompetent: Pilot Aircraft

[Shadowjack]

I would start by upping his Edge. It's a very fun stat to use and it can really be vital in so many situations that I would really advise taking at least a 2 but preferably a 3+ for a new player. It's really handy if he gets himself into a very dangerous situation due to him being to the game as well.

I would also advise not allowing him to take the Incompetent negative quality for skills he has no plans of using. Negative qualities can feel really brutal to take but they can be a lot of fun. They should still be a detriment to your character and imo the less 100% freebies you give away like this, the better.

He'll probably have more fun if he gets some more contacts too.

[Thrass]

As all Characters... go for an uneven body and strength score.

[Solo]

Hi
i posted an Orc mage a while back. You could look into it. i don't think that there is too much wrong with it.

http://forums.shadowrun4.com/index.php?topic=9476.msg168236#msg168236

[virgil]

Just to make certain I understand this properly. I know you can't have more than one skill at rating 6 (or two at rating 5). Does this apply to attributes as well, no more than one at racial maximum? To be precise, I'm using Shadowrun 4th, but not the Anniversary edition

[All4BigGuns]

Looks all right to me for the most part, though I probably would save 10 points dropping that Body by 1, and with Edge being still at 1, I'd say take Bad Luck in the place of four of those Incompetent qualities (trade in 4 notoriety for 1 notoriety).

[emsquared]

I know it's tempting, but advise him not to hard-max the MAG. He'd essentially be paying 50 Karma (= 25BP) for what would cost just 30 Karma post char-gen, that's a massive waste. Instead, do have him bump that EDG 1 point (but only 1 point unless you have a liberal EDG policy). Even then, I'm not crazy about investing heavily in EDG for Magicians, but 2 is just good policy.

What is the point of the Hacking skill? Get rid of it. Wielding a whip and without a firearm, he's probably going to stick out like a sore Magic user. And what's he gonna do when he can't take anymore Drain? Melee is a bad answer (i.e. ditch the Monowhip, pick up a gun).

3 BP in Contacts? Might as well just take another spell instead.

And heed the other advice too, odd STR and BOD, don't let your players take Neg Quals that won't effect them. Good policy.

[virgil]

I'm not terribly understanding the advice for uneven Strength and Body, is there something I'm missing? She was figuring the hacking skill was for the Matrix Stealth move would be better than an automated program, especially if she goes stealth ahead and gets D/C'd from the party hacker.

[emsquared]

I'm not terribly understanding the advice for uneven Strength and Body, is there something I'm missing?

Nothing complicated, just math, 6 STR gives the same Damage as 5, 6 BOD gives the same number of Physical Soak boxes as 5. So you might as well just pay for 5, or find the resources to bump it up to the next odd, where you get the next level of Dam or Soak.

She was figuring the hacking skill was for the Matrix Stealth move would be better than an automated program, especially if she goes stealth ahead and gets D/C'd from the party hacker.

Bad figuring. Why is your group's Mage devoting any resources at all to doing anything at all on the Matrix, that's what the Hacker is for. She has a 2 LOG, I realize it comes down to programs largely, but she has no business getting into the Matrix for anything other than shopping. IMHO, of course.

[virgil]

If she's wielding a monowhip (or even a gun), STR wouldn't factor at all in damage, but still would for things like encumbrance & skills (which most of the Athletics group uses). As for BOD, is the soak die that much more important than being able to wear two higher armor without encumbrance and the extra hit box?

I'll certainly advise on the skill portion though. Keep in mind I did state I am using the Ends of the Matrix rules, where hackers can force a matrix connection with anyone in LOS; hence the choice in Matrix Stealth to avoid being visible in the Matrix.

[emsquared]

If she's wielding a monowhip (or even a gun), STR wouldn't factor at all in damage, but still would for things like encumbrance & skills (which most of the Athletics group uses).

So, she's planning on carrying a lot of that Mage gear that's so heavy? I see.

It's a better deal here (Karma wise) to raise the skill than the attribute (for instance you could have rank 4 Athletics and 5 STR for the same pool... and net 2 Karma - or 6 if you count Flight...) and since we've already established she won't be using the attribute for damage, I really don't know why she's invested in STR as much as she has, even at 5. REA is way more important (IMO) over STR for this character for it's passive dodge and initiative benefits.

As for BOD, is the soak die that much more important than being able to wear two higher armor without encumbrance and the extra hit box?

You're paying the same 10 BP for 1/2 the "benefits" of that 10 BP. I'm not saying one aspect of BOD is more important for you than the other, but my suggestion definitely gives you more bang for the BP. Especially if you were to buy a 7 with 10 BP.

So yeah, drop STR 3, bump BOD 1 and REA 2. Makes for a pretty good Combat Mage (don't forget to drop that MAG 1, bump EDG 1 and get a Power Focus 2 instead, yea?).

I'll certainly advise on the skill portion though. Keep in mind I did state I am using the Ends of the Matrix rules, where hackers can force a matrix connection with anyone in LOS; hence the choice in Matrix Stealth to avoid being visible in the Matrix.

Again, hopefully your group has a Hacker to take countermeasures against this. It's not worth spending 6 BP (12 Karma) on being crappy at Matrix Stealth. Purchase it post chargen for 6 Karma if having her Commlink disabled is going to cripple her (or forget about trying to be something you're not and get Mindlink and not have to worry about it).

Also, just noticed this. She appears to have taken the Athletics Group at 3, but somehow separately raised her Gymnastics rank to 5? I don't think this is allowed. And now that I think of it, dunno why she would really need Shadowing, isn't that what Watchers are for?