[RedRightHand]

So, I am considering playing a magician, but this would be the first mage I've ever played.

I like to shine in combat, but I'd prefer something just really fun to play.

We are using the priority system, and as a side note, the entire group will be magically active, and possibly and all magician group. Also mystic adepts are banned by the GM. (I can go either Hermetic or Shaman)

Please be so kind as to offer up your "1st ever Mage" builds.

[firebug]

I actually made a Troll Hermetic Combat Mage for a game I was going to run--  It was a sample character for newer players.  I have a PDF of it you can view here.  It isn't the most optimized build ever, and it relies entirely on combat spells for damage, with no weapon skills.  However, it's still a Troll with 6 BOD and 17 Armor (without using the Armor spell), Toughness, and a lot of Stun boxes.  The intended strategy is that you cast a F4 Increase LOG spell, and sustain it via Focused Concentration.  This hopefully brings your LOG up to 8, though 7 is more likely.  The 13 Drain Resist dice you have is enough to regularly cast F7 Clout without much issue.  With 16 dice for your combat spells, you can afford a few more sustaining penalties, like what you'd get if you sustained Increase Reflexes and Armor.  It's simple, and it's not subtle, but if you wanna be a Troll with glowing magic armor, moving around hella fast and shooting lightning...  This is one way to do it.  You won't go down easily, and your damage isn't bad.  Of course, if your damage bothers you, there's always "using your tankiness to close in and cast F10 Punch on everyone" but that is another story.

Given time I could make a more rounded-out character, but you should supply me (and others in the thread) with a few bits of info:

Will this be a one-shot campaign?

Is your GM only allowing the core book?

Do you want to be able to use guns as your primary form of combat?

How does your GM feel about liberal use of Spirits?

[Hobbes]

Rough sketch of a Human Mage. 

Magic A, Skills B, Stats C, Meta D, Resources E

10 Karma on Nuyen to pick up the runner essentials.  Secure Jacket, Pistol, Commlink, Fake SIN, Transportation.
5 Karma on Mentor Spirit
16 on Focus Concentration 4

Stats: Drain Stat at 6, Willpower 5, Body 3, do what you can with the rest.

Skills: I like the Conjuring Group 5, Spellcasting, Counterspell, Sneaking, Perception at 6, scatter around specializations as wanted.  Assessing and Pistol with whatever you got left.

Spells: Heal, Increased Reaction, AoE Mana spell, Levitate, Improved Invisibility, Single Target zot,  4 other spells. 

That should get you started, fiddle with it and see if you come up with something you like.

[Tarislar]

Pretty basic "Combat Mage"

A-Magic-6+5/5+10-Intuition
B-Attr-20
CSkills-28/2
D-Cash-$50K
E-Human-1

Attr: 
B3, A3, R4, S1, W5, L3, I6, C3, M6, Es6, Eg3,
Itv-10+1d (Buffed 14+3d)
PLim-3, MLim-6, SLim-6
Dodge-10 (Buffed 16-17)

Skills: 38+2G
Group-2-Stealth (or Influence)
Assensing-6
Binding-6
Counterspelling-6
Perception-6
Spellcasting-6  (Manipulation+2)
Summoning-6

Spells: 10
Clout, Lightning Bolt
Combat Sense, MindProbe
Heal, Improved Intuition, Improved Reflexes
Improved Invisibility
Control Thoughts, Fling


Karma & Foci
Focused Concentration-3
Mentor Spirit
Spirit Whisperer
Sinner-National
20 other Negatives to pay for Bonding & Contacts
Health Sustaining Focus-4
Detection Sustaining Focus-3/4

Contacts  (9+4=13)
7-Fixer
6-Other (Fence/Johnson/Official)



He doesn't do much except the Magic stuff well, but  he does that well enough.
Average Initiative of 24-25,  Dodging with 16-17d,  Drain at 14d,  Summons F7 Spirits easily,  14 dice on surprise Checks IIRC.
He should be able to hold his own in combat........ and if things go really bad then triple-cast Fling & make some Chunky Salsa to ensure no one follows your retreat.

[Hobbes]

Or put the Grenades/Explosives in a bag and Fling the Bag.  No need for Triple casts.

Improved Intuition has to be at Force 6, you'll have to sustain that the old fashioned way.  I'd pick up Psyche to reduce the sustain penalty to -1 and just keep all four sustains going and Drop Focused Concentration.  Just me.  IR and CS on the Foci, Intuition and Invisibility just take the -2 hit and carry on. 

Or split the points in Assensing and pick up Alchemy.  Combat Sense and Improved Invisibility work decently as Preps. 

[Tarislar]

Improved Intuition has to be at Force 6

Ah crap, I spaced that, was thinking of the hits cap & not the actual stat.......... /bonk
Not sure if I'd drop it or just use CS/Invis on it & shift the 2nd Foci over to Health as well & use it for some other Attr.

[SmilinIrish]

I find it worthwhile to take Foc Conc 5, Leave the drain stat at 5, that way with the spell you are at 8 or 9.   Improve [attribute] is a tough one to pull off with a sustaining focus

[Coyote]

I find it worthwhile to take Foc Conc 5, Leave the drain stat at 5, that way with the spell you are at 8 or 9.   Improve [attribute] is a tough one to pull off with a sustaining focus

Right. Do that, and swap Int and Will so you have a 5 & 6, and boost the 5 up to 9. Then you're at 15 dice and a 9 for Initiative/Defense.

[SmilinIrish]

It is worth a shot to make a pitch to the GM to allow the traditions (non possesion) from Street Grimoire.  An intuition mage is nice, because the boost to Intuition as a drain stat is useful so many other places:  Perception, Assensing, Tracking, Disguise, Matrix Search, Matrix Perception, Dodge, Initiative, Language and Street skills, metal limit.  I'm partial to the Chaos mage, because its one of the traditions that isn't based on a religion or philosophy.  Its not chaos in the D&D sense, more like a "learn it on your own, cast by feel" type of theme. 

An alternative to Focused Concentration is summoning a spirit of man (choose a tradition that allows it) and keeping  an F6 on hand with the spellcasting ability for improve [attribute].  Its bad to have spirits sustain your spells, but they can cast and sustain their own for the cost of one task.

[Glyph]

Here's a rough combat-oriented shaman from me.  Intuition-based traditions really are the best ones for a combat build, but it sounds like you are stuck with hermetic or shamanic.

Combat Mage/Shamanic Tradition

BREAKDOWN (Priority)
A: Shaman (Magic: 6, 2 rating: 5 magical skills, 10 spells)
B: Attributes (20)
C: Human (5)
D: Resources (50,000 Nuyen)
E: Skills (18/0)

Starting Karma (25)
Positive Qualities - 25
Negative Qualities - <25>
Bind focus - 8
Influence Skill Group: 2 - 15
Pilot Ground Craft: 1 - 2


=Attributes=
Body: 3
Agility: 2
Reaction: 4
Strength: 2
Charisma: 6
Intuition: 4
Logic: 2
Willpower: 5
Edge: 7
Magic: 6

Essence: 6.00
Initiative: 8 + 1d6

=Positive Qualities=
Mentor Spirit - Dragonslayer
(social skill bonus to Con)
Focused Concentration: 5

=Negative Qualities=
Allergy: Silver, Moderate
Code of Honor

=Active Skills=
Assensing/Auras: 1/+2
Con: 4
Counterspelling: 6
Influence Skill Group: 2
Perception: 3
Pilot Ground Craft: 1
Spellcasting: 6
Summoning: 6

=Knowledge Skills=
Languages>
English: N

Other>
Magical Theory: 4
Paracritters: 3
Small Unit Tactics/Urban: 4/+2

=Contacts=
Fixer (Connection: 4/Loyalty: 3)
Sprawl Ganger (Connection: 2/Loyalty: 2)
Talismonger (Connection: 4/Loyalty: 3)

=Spells=
Clout
Fireball
Lightning Bolt
Manabolt
Heal
Improved Reflexes
Stabilize
Improved Invisibility
Physical Mask
Levitate

=Bound Foci=
Force: 4 Combat Spell Focus

34,000 Nuyen remaining for gear.