[Whiskeyjack]

Jokes/Sarcasm aside; Why does no one consider using Adept powers instead of 'ware for a Streetsam? It's what I would do. Always.

Most powers are way more expensive than their equivalent ware, for no added benefit. This was even more the case in 4e where the vast majority of adepts also had some ware because you were basically stupid to not eat a loss of 1 Essence to get 4 Essence "worth" of powers in the form of <1 Essence of ware.

Even in this edition, you can cram Muscle Toner 4 into less than 1 Essence. Each Improved Physical Attribute: AGI is equivalent to 1 Essence of ware, costing 1 PP. If you want to devote effectively 4 Essence to something, look at normal grade Muscle Replacement, which gets your +4 AGI AND +4 STR. There's not even a comparison there. 

If you're going to mix magic and ware it's generally better to pick up stuff with PP that you absolutely cannot get any other way. For example, Improved Ability, Combat Sense, Commanding Voice, and Astral Perception.

Or getting Improved Reflexes, where Level 3 is 3.5 PP and level 3 of Wired Reflexes is 5 Essence and Level 3 Synaptic Boosters is too expensive to pretty much ever afford.

[Hobbes]

See also: Pistol Adepts and similar for Samurai Adepts. 

[Rift_0f_Bladz]

While am another that considers Combat Adapts a type of street Sam they are corner case, and at some point sacrifice a point of essence for 'ware (bio most likely).

But for priorities (outside combat adapts and other odd builds)
1) Resources
2) Attributes
3) Skills
After metatype (especially if orc or troll), but metatype and magic/resonance is always pick first (even if they are the lowest).

[Sterling]

Reading through this thread again it seems to me that the term "Street Samurai" has been diluted, and just means a fast cybered fighter.  I always imagined that this was really the ubiquitous Razorboy / girl, and that a Street Samurai relied on a sense of honour to raise themselves above the rabble.

For example, Kid Stealth is not a Street Samurai.  Argent very much is.  Both are cool characters, but Argent comes across as more intrinsically "noble", particularly when he tries to educate the former lone star turned runner in Lone Wolf.  Kid Stealth is probably the more deadly of the two, though.  And definitely scarier.

[Sphinx]

Joining late, so I'll weigh in on the previous questions. Note that my answers reflect my idea of a typical samurai. There are always exceptions. An adept street sam might substitute magic for chrome and still be a samurai in all the ways that matter, but I wouldn't consider them typical.

(1) Which weapon? A smartgun and a blade. The katana is traditional, but retractable spurs are nice, too.

(2) Which metatype? Any. The original Street Samurai Catalog showed us how samurai can be all shapes and sizes. If I had to pick one for the archetype, I guess I'd go with "human," if only because there are more of them.

(3) Which augmentations? An Initiative booster and a smartlink are the bare essentials, but street samurai ought to embrace augmentation more than most. Cyberlimbs are certainly popular, but not required.

(4) Which code? The modern notion of a samurai is basically a "bad-ass warrior who is loyal to the death." Whether or not this is historically accurate is irrelevant. Street samurai are born from popular perception, not history. Further, street samurai are not feudal samurai. According to the new bushido, street samurai owe absolute loyalty to a contract, not a person. Essentially, street samurai always do what they say, no matter how complicated or convoluted a mission turns out to be. It's not about the nuyen, it's about the word. A mercenary can be bought by a higher bidder. A razorpunk can get bored or distracted. But a street samurai is relentless and unyielding. Integrity is the defining quality of a street samurai. In a way, this is the cornerstone of shadowrunner ethics in general. Shadowrunners -- most especially street samurai -- are expected to fulfill the terms of their contract with Mr. Johnson, no matter what. Of course, after the job is done, it's time for a whole new deal.

(5) Which priorities? Resources, then Attributes, then Skills.

[Overbyte]

Priorities:
1) Attributes - the hardest thing to raise with Karma, and they add to many skills at once
2) Resources - Gunna need em if you want the good ware (Wired 2)
3) Skills

[Ajax]

(1) Which weapon?
Put simply, an ideal Street Samurai should live by a modified version of the old maxim of “bow and sword, in accord.” He should be equally capable of mêlée combat, short-ranged firefights, and long range precision. He might lean towards one over the others, but he shouldn’t be overspecialized in any over the others.

Thus, I see the ideal Street Samurai as always carrying a pistol and knife as sidearms as well as general utility; a SMG or Assault Rifle as a primary weapon; and a katana for special occasions as well as something of a “badge of office.”

(2) Which Metatype?   
Any Metatype is possible, but I think of Humans as the default ideal Street Samurai. I tend to think of any of the other Metatypes as being a step removed from the baseline and would name them something like “Ork Street Samurai” or “Elf Street Samurai” when describing them. But Metatype is really one of the least important things when it comes to defining the ideal.   
     
(3) Which augmentations?
The ideal Street Samurai must have ‘ware that boosts initiative and a smartlink, everything else is just a matter of specialization and style. But they must be significantly faster and significantly more accurate than anyone else on the street. Strength-enhancements, durability-enhancements, sensory-enhancements, and the like will almost always be present – the ideal Street Samurai is always heavily cybered – but this will vary in degree from one to the other.   
     
(4) Which code?     
Which code doesn’t matter as much for the ideal Street Samurai, so long as he or she has a code of some kind. They must also live by this code even when upholding their code comes at great personal cost… Otherwise it’s not a code. Whether it’s as elaborate and ritualized as Ghost Dog’s bushido, as simple as Leon’s “No women, no children.”, or something else entirely, it is the code of honor that separates the true Street Samurai from the mere Hired Guns.   
     
(5) Which priorities?
The only hard and fast rule is that the ideal Street Samurai must be magically mundane. Other than that, basically anything goes. Although it is possible to build a Street Samurai using any combination of priorities, usually you’re going to look at Resources > Attributes > Skills or Attributes > Resources > Skills. You’re probably going to run into a hard time if you make Resources your lowest priority at chargen, but you can do it.