Hey folks, just was typing this up to organize my thoughts on the various touch spells, gimme a heads up if I missed anything or we can start a constructive debate on this new quality. Thanks.
-----------------------
S Tier (versatile,has good drain for an adept)
* Detox F-6: Drugs are so good, of note: Animal tongue is amazing for some runs when combined with some other touch spells.
A Tier (maybe as versatile as S tier, but either has bad drain or more narrow application)
* Mind Probe Core 287 F: Gets you so much information, especially for social adepts this can be game breaking if not for the fact the drain code gets deadly.
* Awaken SG 109 F-3: Gets people up, and has to have force equal to the stun wound modiifer. Most people don't have -3 or more. Better than most stim patches this way.
B Tier (Could be good in a variety of situations, and generally the drain code is fair by the results)
* Analyze Device SR 285 F-3: Be skilled in just about anything or help others.
* Combat Sense F: Good for just about anyone, but mainly, the help for surprise checks is nice.
* Detect (whatever), usually Life: Good for the low force, and depending on your GM, good for seeing ambushes, though some GMs may rule "too much life" or similar around you.
* Clairvoyance/dueince/crypthesesia: Pretty much all the same, great at what they do for detection.
* Physical Mask F-1: Good disguises, may want extended masking too tho.
C Tier (Narrow in focus, but good at what it does for the drain)
* Catalog//Death Replay SG 104 F-3: Good drain for investigation type adepts for objects/corpses.
* Death Touch SR 284 F-6 // Rupture F-6// Convert blood to ichor, et all Touch spells with damage
* [Element] Grenade SSP 17 F-1: Gets you grenade launcher ranges, throwing 'tests' with magic attribute (or arguably, unarmed as 'spellcasting') and can bounce off walls or corners.
* Borrow sense, eyes of the pack, et all: Can be good for using animal tongue drug with detox combo to become a pseudo beast master adept.
* Translate: good for what it does on the drain.
* Decrease [Attribute] F-2: Almost to B tier, as this is your adept version of nerve strike for LOGIC on those soak tank trolls or similar. Leave them a gibbering mess.
* Heal: Yes, heals.
* Increase Reflexes F: Buff times are sexy times, even with this drain or edge to blow it.
* Gecko Crawl: Bit better than gloves.
* Blood whip FA 129 F-2: Good drain code, and adepts can be close quarter monsters with this, too bad its a blood spell.
* Ram [Object] SG 105 F-5 : Doors, and sometimes pants are handy. But seriously, can be decent for not taking hardware.
D Tier (Hard to rate)
* Increase Attribute [any]: Due to the force needing to equal the stat, maybe a good thing or a terrible thing for Barehanded adept. Though arguably an apprentice health with man spirit maybe fine with any of these, but seems like a lot of hoops to just be a buff mage.
* Corrode [Object] SG 102 F-5: Maybe good if mini welders weren't a thing. Optionally, can be great when mini welders going to cut it for walls or doors due to how acid can lower armor each application.
* Diagnose SG 107: Good drain, but maybe overshadowed by assensing, as well as narrow application for just injuries. Probably not a great spell due to this.
* Ghoulish sstrength, vampiric speed, et all: Most games won't allow you to be these things, if so, have fun!
* Incision: Good for medical concepts.
* Increase Gear limits: Edged, could be great for a cheap adept decker.
* Makeover: Unfortunately, no mechanical benefit, but definitely easier to dress up.
* Mana Blade // Power Blade, maybe good for some home games for a jedi theme style. (may not be applicable due to range).
F Tier (narrow in focus, application, or bad drain code)
* One less metatype: Hilarious, but ultimately very narrow.
* Mindlink/net: Comms, micro transceivers, DNI, are all options before this unfortunately.
* Alleviate addiction, allergy, nausea// Cure disease, et all: all very specific ailments that have to be cured. Might be better to just carry the mundane drug version or have it in an autoinjector for most of these.
* Decrease Inherent Limits: If not for the objective resistance check, could be amazing.
* Healthy Glow: This is usually a setup for other spells, while limits and heal checks are great, most adepts won't have the spell slots from just barehanded to be able to heal decently.
* Double Image SG 111: I really wanna like this as a theme spell, but requires GM handwaving and has no mechanical aspect except to be 'doubled' to confuse things.
* Vehicle Mask// Switch Vehicle signature: Obj resistance, boo.
* Alter ballistics: takes too much karma to gain a dv or 2.
* Fix SG 116 F: Obj resistance still.
---------------------------
Are there any of these touch spells that benefit from a good lodge of the same tradition for low force but high hits?