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Nautilust

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« on: <07-15-17/1638:52> »
As our team is working in Miami, which is right next to the Everglades I took it upon myself to be the outdoors specialist of the party. My goal is to be good at summoning, archery, and outdoors skills. I would appreciate it if you would help me optimize this character for the table.

== Personal Data ==
Name: Unnamed Character         Alias:
Human                           Movement: 10/20 (2m/hit)     Swim: 7 (1m/hit)     
                                Composure: 10
Street Cred: 0                  Judge Intentions: 9
Notoriety: 4                    Lift/Carry: 7 (60 kg/40 kg)
Public Awareness: 0             Memory: 5
Karma: 0                        Nuyen: 640¥
Age:                            Skin:
Eyes:                           Hair:
Primary Arm: Right             

== Priorities ==
Metatype: E,0
Attributes: B,3
Special: A,4
Skills: B,3
Resources: E,0
Bonus Skill: Alchemy
Bonus Skill: Summoning

== Attributes ==
BOD: 3                          CHA: 6
AGI: 5                          INT: 3
REA: 2                          LOG: 1
STR: 4                          WIL: 4
EDG: 2                          MAG: 6

== Derived Attributes
Essence:                        Initiative:          5 +1d6
Physical Damage Track: 10       Rigger Initiative:   5 +1d6
Stun Damage Track: 10           Astral Initiative:   6 +3d6
Physical: 5                     Matrix AR:           5 +1d6
Mental: 3                       Matrix Cold:         3 + DP +3d6
Social: 8                       Matrix Hot:          3 + DP +4d6
Astral: 8

 == Active Skills ==
Alchemy                         Base:  6  + Karma:  0  =  6   Pool: 12
Animal Handling                 Base:  3  + Karma:  0  =  3   Pool: 13
Archery (Bow)                   Base:  6  + Karma:  0  =  9   Pool: 14 (16)
Assensing                       Base:  3  + Karma:  0  =  3   Pool:  6
Counterspelling                 Base:  6  + Karma:  0  =  6   Pool: 12
Gymnastics                      Base:  3  + Karma:  0  =  3   Pool:  8
Navigation                      Base:  5  + Karma:  0  =  5   Pool:  8
Perception                      Base:  3  + Karma:  0  =  3   Pool:  6
Sneaking                        Base:  3  + Karma:  0  =  3   Pool:  8
Spellcasting                    Base:  6  + Karma:  0  =  6   Pool: 12
Summoning                       Base:  6  + Karma:  0  =  6   Pool: 12
Survival                        Base:  5  + Karma:  0  =  5   Pool:  9
Tracking                        Base:  5  + Karma:  0  =  5   Pool: 10

 == Knowledge Skills ==
English                         Native
Biology                         Base:  2  + Karma:  0  =  2   Pool:  3
Magical Theory (Street)         Base:  2  + Karma:  0  =  2   Pool:  5
Parazoology                     Base:  4  + Karma:  0  =  4   Pool:  5

 == Qualities ==
Animal Empathy
Bad Rep
Chain Breaker
Code of Honor (Harmony With Nature (Shaman's Code))
Consummate Professional
Gremlins (Rating 2)
Mentor Spirit (Wolf)
Mystic Adept
Outdoorsman
Vendetta (Brother (Toxic Shaman))

 == Tradition ==
Shamanic, Resist Drain with  WIL + CHA (10)

 == Spells ==
Ball Lightning (Alchemical)DV: F-1
Death Touch (Alchemical) DV: F-6
Enhance Aim              DV: F-1
Fireball (Alchemical)    DV: F-1
Heal (Alchemical)        DV: F-4
Increase [Attribute] (STR)DV: F-3
Increase [Attribute] (INT)DV: F-3
Increase Reflexes        DV: F
Knockout (Alchemical)    DV: F-6
Stabilize (Alchemical)   DV: F-4

 == Powers ==
Animal EmpathyRating: 4
Combat SenseRating: 4
Focused ArcheryRating: 2
Improved Ability (skill) (Archery)Rating: 3
Master Archer

 == Lifestyle ==
Cabin (Low)1 Months

 == Armor ==
Armor Jacket                       12
Helmet                             2
   + RespiratorRating 6

 == Weapons ==
Dynamic Tension Bow
   Pool: 14 (16)Accuracy: 5     DV: (Rating+2)PAP: -(Rating/4)RC: 3
Unarmed Attack
   Pool: 4      Accuracy: 5     DV: 4S       AP: -     RC: 3

 == Commlink ==
Hermes Ikon (ATT: 0, SLZ: 0, DP: 5, FWL: 5)

 == Gear ==
Arrow: Monotip Head (Bows) Rating 6 x10
Arrow: Standard (Bows) Rating 6 x30
Certified Credstick, Platinum
Fake License (Hunting License) Rating 1
Fake License (Mage License) Rating 1
Fake License (Adept License) Rating 1
Fake SIN Rating 1

 == Contacts ==
 (Talismonger), (Connection: 4, Loyalty: 3)

 (Paramed Shaman), (Connection: 3, Loyalty: 4)

 (Fixer), (Connection: 2, Loyalty: 3)
« Last Edit: <07-15-17/2259:05> by Nautilust »

Marcus

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« Reply #1 on: <07-15-17/2027:26> »
You're covering a lot of ground that wasn't discussed in "To be good at summoning, Archery, and outdoor skills".
Can you hammer that out a little more clearly? If your going archery, then why not go into alchemy with greater focus and just run magic arrows? IIRC spells need to be labeled alchemy or spellcasting.

This doesn't jump out at me a super archery build, for one thing you could do a lot more with the bow, Custom Grip, Melee Hardening, some martial art center around it?
I would also consider moving away from dynamic tension, the regular bow has better accuracy, stick n shock arrows with static shafts gives 12S  AP -5 i think. With focused and imp ability str you can equal maybe beat that but it's a lot trouble to go to. I like the animal companion thing, it's almost never seen in builds, so that could be cool.

Also this build lacks sustaining foci, or focus concentration, with something that's clearly intended to use it, yes alchemy can help with that but it leaves you open to surprise and being run out.

To me I'd run this as adept, use contacts to get magic arrows, and focus down on archery and animal handling. Summoning is cool, but i don't really see it doing lot for you and certainly it's the odd man out on your list.
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Nautilust

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« Reply #2 on: <07-15-17/2157:58> »
We have three adepts on the team already so I was trying to play something a little different.

I could definitely use a sustaining foci.

I did not know that you had to label between alchemy and spellcasting; chummer does not make you do that.

 I could get rid of summoning, but i planned on using channeling later on.
 
My plan was to use focused archery and improved attribute str to use the dynamic tension at rating 5 - 10 hopefully 10 to get the best damage even though i'm at a loss of 1 point in accuracy. Custom Grip Could bring that back up to 6. I'm unsure about the usefulness of melee hardening what skill do you use.
« Last Edit: <07-15-17/2200:05> by Nautilust »

FST_Gemstar

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« Reply #3 on: <07-15-17/2217:22> »
Chummer does :) 

But rules as they are, spells come as either alchemical spells or regular spells. If you want the option to use one for alchemy and one with spellcasting, you have to use two of your free spell slots for it. 

Nautilust

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« Reply #4 on: <07-15-17/2233:05> »
Didn't notice the little check box.
Changed some of the spells  to alchemical preparations. Added Mentor Spirit (Wolf) and Code of Honor (Harmony With Nature (Shaman's Code)) For Free. As per, Forbidden Arcana
« Last Edit: <07-15-17/2256:12> by Nautilust »

Marcus

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« Reply #5 on: <07-15-17/2329:04> »
It becomes a club basically, it's just nice way of doing all those melee bow moves you seen on arrow and similar programs.

Going to 10 means 12P, but you can hit 12S  without ether the spell or the powers, I prefer Stun over physical, particularly when electrical damage is involved. 
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SmilinIrish

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« Reply #6 on: <08-16-17/1611:09> »
Lets look at your stats and talk about the skills you've taken.  You've said you want to be good at summoning, so I assume that's why you've chosen Shaman.  But you aren't utilizing that high charisma for anything, including spirits.  You don't seem to have taken Binding (ah, chain breaker), which is where charisma comes in (limit of bound spirits).  Can only have one summoned spirit at a time.  Here is a breakdown of your skills by stat:

CHARISMA
Animal Handling                 
               
INTUITION
Assensing
Navigation                     
Perception   
Tracking 

MAGIC               
Counterspelling   
Spellcasting                 
Summoning 
Alchemy   

AGILITY             
Gymnastics                     
Archery (Bow)               
Sneaking                       
                     
WILLPOWER
Survival

So you have high charisma and no social (whose skills don't fit the theme anyway).  You said outdoors skills were important, and you took them, but you have mediocre Intuition for that.    By switching to an Intuition based tradition (see Chaos below), you might consider these stats:       

== Attributes ==
BOD: 3                          CHA: 3
AGI: 5                          INT: 5
REA: 2                          LOG: 1
STR: 4                          WIL: 5
EDG: 2                          MAG: 6         

Having Will at 5 and Intuition at 5 gives you the same drain pool, your drain pool for adept powers increases, adds to your stun track, increases resistance to direct damage spells, increases dodge pool on normally and more on full defense.  Higher intuition increases perception and assensing, tracking and navigation, dodge pool, judge intentions.  Note on the assensing though, Mys Ads can't perceive without the Astral Perception power.  With the increased dodge pool you could drop two levels of combat sense for Astral Perception.  You might also consider dropping one level of improved ability archery to pick up improved sense (lowlight or thermo) and one level of attribute boost agility.  The loss of permanent die to archery only would net you a temporary bonus of +2 to all agility skills for what is likely to be the duration of a combat.  Plus it negates the single greatest disadvantage humans have in the wilderness, can't see the predators at night.

So chaos mages.  The tradition isn't about anarchists and nut jobs.  Its about magic being intuitive.  Quote from the tradition description:

"For some Chaos Magicians, performing magic is the path to fulfillment. For others, it’s about power. Some Chaos Magicians believe they are more powerful  when they do not limit themselves to the trappings of any one tradition. As they listen to and learn from others, and as they pay attention to their own experiences, they see what works and what doesn’t. If it works, no matter what tradition it originates from, they use it."

So maybe your Chaos mage was heavily influenced by shamanism.  You lose beast spirits but gain Man, which you can task with casting and sustaining buff spells on you. 

Anyway, with the adjustments to stats you can respec skills a little to make small increases.  You only need 3 group points in outdoors to have effectively the same dicepools, and now you can shift 2 group points to athletics, adding running and swimming to your list.  Swimming would be important to an outdoorsman I think. 

Of course, this appears to come at the cost of contacts for the character.  When I started this, I was seeing the advantage of 6 Intuition on dodge pool, perception and initiative, and allowing a respec of your skills.  But you need the 4 Str I assume for the bow you want, and for your physical limit, so I could only bring it to 5.  So this turned out to be a less drastic improvement, but there are some interesting alternative in there if you like them.  Only thing wrong that I saw was assensing with no astral perception.
                     
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