I like marcus's advice there. Get the basic how tos out of the way, it helps with char gen. One other thing is I'd go over with the GM some campaign guidelines, any spells he hates, any way he has security react when targeted by magic or certain spells, how many decking opportunities will there be. Personally I still use the 20 questions from SR1 and SR2 as that helps me decide where i put things on the priority system, but I;m old.
2 Quick examples showing the opposite ends of generalist mage vs specialist. Neither are min maxed, the negative qualities were picked somewhat randomly. I always take simsense vertigo on magically active types as it fits my view of the setting, another old SR 1-2 holdover where magically active types had a +2Target number penalty in the matrix. But as they are character defining, its sort of player dependent.
Example 1 has a wider set of skills in magic and makes a solid healer for the group, I'd drop a bit more money for a real first aid kit but to make it easy i grabbed a basic runner kit. On both examples I tried to stay away from problem spells as they irritate GMs IME. I like alchemical preparations for some sustained spells, pop a command trigger as the fight starts as a simple action and it last minutes which not only handles that fight but might be enough to get out of the compound or whatever. Mechanically without multiple qualities and initiations they aren't fantastic, but I find them interesting and somewhat useful. Adds some depth to the character I think.
Example 2 is basically just spellcasting/summoning in magic and has solid face skills. He has a bunch of spells, but spells are fairly personal so the player should really think through the character concept before picking them. He also comes with a bunch of contacts due to the high charisma. I was tempted to take astral combat as he hits really damn hard in astral combat, so that would be a solid place to swap in skill points.
The point of showing these two isn't for the characters themselves anyone can throw 2 characters together. The point is to illustrate how different builds can be and still be viable. example 1 had A in skills and c in magic, example 2 had A in magic and i think D in skills. Be decent at a couple core skills for the character and everything else is pretty adaptable. Now if your campaigns are exceptionally brutal and require a level of min/maxing it does narrow the field of builds quite a bit.
Example 1
METATYPE: HUMAN
B 3, A 3, R 3, S 2, W 4, L 6, I 5, C 2, ESS 6, EDG 2, M 6
Condition Monitor (P/S): 10 / 10
Armor: 9
Limits: Physical 4, Mental 7, Social 5
Physical Initiative: 8+1D6
Astral Initiative: 10+3D6
Active Skills: Alchemy (Command +2) 6, Artificing 2, Assensing 6, Banishing 3, Binding 6, Con 1, Disenchanting 3, First Aid 6, Influence Group 2, Perception 4, Pistols 2, Sorcery Group 6, Stealth Group 2, Summoning 6
Knowledge Skills: Alchemy 5, Bars 3, Campaign City 3, Combat Sports 3, Telsma 4
Languages: English N, Japanese 4
Qualities: Allergy, Uncommon (Mild): XX, Code of Honor: The Hermetic Code (6dicepool vs. 4), Focused Concentration (6), Hermetic Magician, Simsense Vertigo
Spells: Alter Memory, Detect Enemies, Extended, Fireball, Heal, Levitate, Physical Mask, Stabilize
Alchemical Preparations: Increase Reaction, Increase Reflexes
Gear:
Armor Vest
Backpack
Certified Credstick, Silver
Ear buds (1)
Flashlight
Glasses (1) w/ Image Link
Identity: Specify Name w/ Fake SIN (3)
Identity: Specify Name w/ (1 month) Low Lifestyle
Medkit (1)
Metal Restraints
Micro-Tranceiver
Plastic Restraints x10
Renraku Sensei w/ Mapsoft: Campaign City
Respirator (1)
Survival Kit
Weapons:
Knife [Blade, Acc 5, DV 3P, AP -1]
Contacts:
Cleaner (Connection 2, Loyalty 2)
Fixer (Connection 2, Loyalty 2)
Starting ¥: 25 + (3D6 × 60)¥
example 2
METATYPE: ELF
B 3, A 3, R 3, S 2, W 4, L 3, I 5, C 8, ESS 6, EDG 4, M 6
Condition Monitor (P/S): 10 / 10
Armor: 9
Limits: Physical 4, Mental 5, Social 9
Physical Initiative: 8+1D6
Astral Initiative: 10+3D6
Active Skills: Arcana 2, Assensing 3, Con 6, Etiquette 3, Perception 6, Sneaking 3, Spellcasting 6, Summoning 6
Knowledge Skills: Campaign city 3, Hobby 3, Hobby 3, Telesma 3
Languages: English N, Sperethiel 4
Metatype Abilities: Enhanced Senses: Low-Light Vision
Qualities: Asthma, Code of Honor: Avenging Angel, Focused Concentration (5), Gremlins (1), Hermetic Magician, Mentor Spirit: Raven, Simsense Vertigo
Spells: Alter Memory, Combat Sense, Detect Life, Extended, Fireball, Heal, Improved Invisibility, Increase Reflexes, Levitate, Mana Barrier, Net, Stabilize, Stunbolt
Gear:
Armor Vest
Backpack
Certified Credstick, Silver
Ear buds (1)
Flashlight
Glasses (1) w/ Image Link
Identity: Specify Name w/ Fake SIN (3)
Identity: Specify Name w/ (1 month) Low Lifestyle
Medkit (1)
Metal Restraints
Micro-Tranceiver
Plastic Restraints x10
Renraku Sensei w/ Mapsoft: Campaign City
Respirator (1)
Survival Kit
Weapons:
Knife [Blade, Acc 5, DV 3P, AP -1]
Contacts:
Fixer (Connection 2, Loyalty 2)
Gang Boss (Connection 3, Loyalty 2)
Mr. Johnson (Connection 2, Loyalty 2)
Street Doc (Connection 4, Loyalty 2)
Talismonger (Connection 3, Loyalty 2)
Starting ¥: 25 + (3D6 × 60)¥
Hero Lab and the Hero Lab logo are Registered Trademarks of LWD Technology, Inc. Free download at
http://www.wolflair.comShadowrun © 2005-2017 The Topps Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Shadowrun is a registered trademark of The Topps Company, Inc.