[the_konch]

Hello all, I'm currently attempting to build a mage character with a fair amount of bioware and some cyberware, for a campaign that starts in the near future. The backstory for this character is that he was bred to be the perfect heir to a mega corp and/or to infiltrate a mega corp and eventually gain control of it for some evil group (perhaps the Black Lodge). As such, the evil group made sure that my character would have every single advantage possible in the corporate world via 'ware and training.

I was hoping to get some advice on which 'ware would be really good for this character mechanically and/or flavorfully. Mechanically, I plan to use him as the group face and he will be the only mage in the group, so I would prefer to not lower my essence below 4. He has the prototype transhuman quality, so he has an extra essence to burn.

So far, I have:
-cerebral booster(r2)
-neuro retention amp
-platelet factories
-PuSHed
-trauma damper(r2)
-cybereyes(smart link, vision mag, vision enhance, thermo vision)

and my essence is currently 5.6

Also, how much cyberware or bioware would I need to have to make the bio-compatibility quality worth it?

Also also, I wasn't sure if this post was suppose to go into the gear forum or into the char creation, I apologize if I chose the wrong forum.

[ZeldaBravo]

If biocompatability is the thing that lets you stay at 5+ essence and not drop another point of magic, it is worth it.
I think that restricted gear + pain editor may be a good investment. A datajack is always good, too.

[PiXeL01]

Have you considered nanohives and Logic boosting nano? A Datajack and sleep regulator might be good too

[Rooks]

Biocompatibility 5 Prototype Transhuman 10

15 Karma to make sure your magic doesnt go down past 5

[Whiskeyjack]

So, what kind of Mage is he? Don't load up on a bunch of "extra good for sams" ware just because you can focus on stuff that improves your ability to be a Mage.

[SichoPhiend]

Might recommend Damage Compensators over the Trauma Damper, May not handle wound penalties ass easily as the Damper, but without the nasty side effects.

[the_konch]

Biocompatibility makes all bioware or cyberware (you pick which) cost 10% less essence rounded down to the nearest tenth. As what kind of mage, I was planning on focusing mostly on manipulation and illusion spells, but I would have the standard heal and maybe a fireball.

The logic boosting nano you're referring are called neural amplifiers, right? Would anyone know where its located on the chummer character gen? I'm having trouble finding them.

[adzling]

If you want to be primarily a face you should consider a bioware-adept.
They make the best faces.

If you only want to be a part-time face your choice as a mage could make sense.

FYI don't forget Way of the Burnout, which gives you alpha grade cyber and bio for the cost of Standard ware.
it costs 15 karma at character generation so you may not be able to fit in.

However if you are planning on max'ing out ware then Prototype Transhuman + Way of the Burnout (25 karma total) would be a lot better than bioware compatibility + Proto Transhuman.

Another option would be to take bioware compatibility and proto transhuman then post-chargen take way of the burnout.
It won't affect the essence cost of the ware you installed during chargen however.

So for max ware with minimal essence lost go Way of the Burnout and Proto Trans.
If you did this with the ware you note your essence would be 5.76 + you would have only used 0.72 of your free essence point for Transhuman.
I would suggest ditching the cyber-eyes all together so your essence remains at 6 and utilize the remaining 0.28 free essence from Transhuman.

Or if you have more money load up on a point more of stuff.

[Whiskeyjack]

Having the only Mage be a burnout is maybe not the best idea.

So my question is if your character is magic why this evil group would push a ton of non-PT ware. In setting its known that ware affects your ability to work magic.

If you want to be a face then I would just not worry about having Sam style ware or LOG focused ware. Remember that SR is a team game. You come across a little like you want to be good at everything and in this system the result is being mediocre at everything.

[adzling]

Well the Way of the Burnout does not affect anything other than discounting your ware's essence cost so it's not an issue in any way other than the label ;-)

I do agree with Whiskey's comments re: your choice of 'ware, they are not suitable for face work.

But the Cerebral boosters would help if you are a Hermetic Mage (or other Logic based tradition).

I also agree with Whiskey's comments re: focus on your main role and perhaps a secondary role.

Do NOT try to do everything.

[falar]

Do NOT try to do everything.

Unless your tradition has Task Spirits and Guardian Spirits and you're a Possession Tradition.

<.< >.>

[adzling]

hehe one of the reasons we ban possession traditions at our table ;-)

[ZeldaBravo]

If you want to be primarily a face you should consider a bioware-adept.
They make the best faces.

I know you like how your adept is working but read this:

Mechanically, I plan to use him as the group face and he will be the only mage in the group

And possession is inferior to materialisation.

[Whiskeyjack]

I'm playing an Aztec MysAd face and it's a blast. The Aztec spirits are amazing.

[the_konch]

For what it's worth, I am playing a hermetic mage, so all the logic boosting is pretty helpful. As for trying to be good at everything, that's really more a side effect. I am trying to focus on just being a face and a manipulation mage, are those two things too big to be focused on together? Is there anything that boosts the charisma stat the same way cerebral booster boosts logic? If so, I can go all in to charisma instead of splitting between the two.

Despite the name sake of this thread, the 'ware is more favor than anything else, I have no problem dropping all the sam 'ware for pure flavor and utility 'ware.

That being said, I do like the Burnout's way, but it says I have to be an Adept, so I'm afraid I'll have to cross it out, unless I can build a Mystic Adept in a way that it can substitute for a mage, to an extent. Tell me more about this Aztec Mystic Adept.