Once again, thanks to Aria for the
awesome character sheet. I built this character using SR CG 6.01
After having built a decker, a rigger, and a street sam, I thought it was time to take a gander at the magic section. Since Aspected Magicians actually seem better off in this edition than past ones, and since I didn't want to tackle magic AND spirits (and associated powers and abilities) all at once, I instead focused solely on Sorcery with a side of Influence and Con.
Metatype Elf and Shaman tradition are natural choices, as the potentially high Charisma doubles as both your drain stat and half the equation of your social skills. Choosing Magic at priority 1 seems to be somewhat of a trap, however; Attributes A gets you 8 attribute points over the B selection, while Magic A only gets you one more Magic rank and 2 free spells. I went all in on abilities and magic, and then spent my remaining priority picks judiciously.
I deliberately chose no combat spells. With DV being equal to Magic/2 + net hits or simply net hits depending on the spell and most combat spells having relatively high Drain Values, eliminating an opponent with magic is a potentially costly endeavour. Manipulation magic, on the other hand, could potentially allow you to freeze and opponent in their track (Control Actions with a single net hit = 1 minute of control) while also being far less obvious than a fireball. Also, less collateral damage, which is always a plus.
As a follower of Coyote hailing from AMC, this magician will be focused on using magic to aid with high-stakes negotiations, short and long cons, and both subtle and loud engagements.
DescriptionJackal is a slightly-taller-than-average elf of obvious Amerind heritage; while his accent is currently that of Seattle he can switch dialects at the drop of a hat, and he has a magnetic personality that seems to almost coerce people into befriending him. He maintains a professional demeanor and appearance, and is always impeccably dressed in the latest armored fashions.
Those few individuals he allows into his life for more than a passing encounter knows that under the calm exterior hides a mischievous soul at heart. He will occasionally play pranks on people, both those close to him and those he has just met; this has gotten him into trouble more than once, but he usually manages to talk his way out of any real danger.
In the years he has spent in Seattle he has built a reputation for level-headedness even in the most heated negotiations as well as the occasional firefight. If forced into a violent confrontation, however, he will not hesitate to defend himself by using his magical powers to force his influence upon his aggressors.
BackgroundMatwau is a young Amerind man who was born at some point in the 2050s, to First Nation parents in Churchill, north-east in the Algonkian-Manitou Council lands. As a child he suffered greatly from prolonged illness, and as decent medical care was hard to find in the rugged wilderness just off the Hudson Bay his family moved south to Saskatoon.
For a while things were great; his father worked for the Tribal Council and was well regarded; Matwau Awakened at the age of 6; he grew out of the allergies that had compounded his physical condition; the Shamans of the tribe began teaching him the ways of their ancestors.
Then, in 2064, Crash 2.0 hit. His father and older sister were both lost in the Matrix, and within just a few days his grief-stricken mother left without notice. The prevailing theory is that she wandered off into the wilderness and perished in the cold, November weather. All that is know for sure is that Matwau was alone for the first time in his life.
While the Tribe attempted to recover from the damages caused by the Crash, Matwau's care and training was neglected. It was during this time that he found Coyote; a con against low-level mafia thugs went sideways in spectacular fashion, and forced Matwau to run for his life. Athleticism had never been his strong suit, however, and he was eventually cornered; in that moment, staring death in the face, Coyote's howls echoed through his mind and Jackal was born. Instinctively, he forced his will onto the toughs who were out for blood, and watched with shock and fascination as their bodies performed what he saw in his mind's eye. Fascination quickly turned to horror as the enforcers suddenly turned on each other; he had let his mind wander, and for just a split second imagined them beating each other to death. Before he realized his mistake, it was too late.
Jackal walked away from this encounter a changed man. He vowed to gain control of his newfound abilities, but realized that there was too much heat on him to stay in Saskatoon. Over the next several years he moved south and west, until he found himself in Seattle. Here, he quickly put the confidence skills he had acquired over time to good use, and ingratiated himself with several prominent members of local crime syndicates, international corporations, and small time celebrities. When the chance came to run the shadows and ply his trade as a social infiltrator and con-man, he howled with glee and jumped in with both feet.
PrioritiesMetatype C
Attributes A
Skills B
Magic D
Resources E
Karma ExpendituresStarting Karma 50
Positive Qualities 53
Negative Qualities 18
Attributes 0
Skills 10
Resources 5 (In Debt)
Remaining 0
Personal DataReal Name/Primary Alias/Runner Name Matwau Nattawe/ Chogan Soaring Eagle / "Jackal"
Metatype Elf
Ethnicity Amerind (Algonquian-Manitou)
Age 26
Sex Male
Height 6' 4"
Weight 170lbs
Reputation 0
Heat 0
Karma 0
Total Karma 0
MiscAttributesAttribute Description..... | Value.... | Attribute Description..... | Value |
Body | 2 | Essence | 6 |
Agility | 5 | Magic | 6 |
Reaction | 2 | Initiative | 7+1d6 |
Strength | 2 | Matrix Initiative | 8+2d6 |
Willpower | 5 | Astral Initiative | 10+2d6 |
Logic | 5 | Composure | 13 |
Intuition | 5 | Judge Intentions | 10 |
Charisma | 8 | Memory | 10 |
Edge | 4 | Lift/Carry | 40kgs |
Edge Points | | Movement | 10/+5 |
Damage Resist | 2 | Defense Rating | 6 |
Notes: 9 adjustment points spent on Charisma (-2), Edge (-3), and Magic (-4); 24 attributes points spent on remaining, no karma spent. Also note that while both Magic and Charisma are "maxed", the rules specifically state that "only one attribute may be at the maximum for the selected metatype." As magic is not listed, I think this should be OK.
Core Combat InfoPrimary Armor Actioneer Business Clothes
Primary Ranged Weapon: Ares Light Fire 75
Primary Melee Weapon Unarmed
Condition MonitorPhys 10
Stun 11
SkillsActive Skill Name ..... | Specialization ..... | Rating ..... | Dice Pool |
Astral | Signatures | 5 | 11 (+2) |
Athletics | | 0 | 4 |
Close Combat | | 0 | 4 |
Con | | 4 | 12 |
Electronics | | 0 | 4 |
Engineering | | | 4 |
Firearms | | 0 | 4 |
Influence | | 4 | 12 |
Outdoors | | | 4 |
Perception | | 0 | 4 |
Piloting | | 0 | 1 |
Sorcery | Spellcasting | 6 | 12 (+2) |
Stealth | | 5 | 10 |
Language and Knowledge Skills: English N, Algonquian 1, Amerind Culture, Business, Politics, Psychology
Notes: 24 Skill Points used; 2 specializations purchased with Karma
QualitiesPositive:First Impression
Focused Concentration R2
High Pain Tolerance
Mentor Spirit (Coyote)
Negative:Honourbound (Assassin's Creed)
Weak Immune System
IDs/Lifestyles/CurrencyPrimary Lifestyle: Low
Nuyen: ¥900
Fake IDs / Related Lifestyles / Funds / LicensesFake Sin R3 w/2x Fake License R3 (Licensed Negotiator; Registered Magician)
ContactsTBD
WeaponsAres Light Fire 75 (2P, SA, 10/7/6/0/0, 16(c)) w/integral laser sight and smartgun, custom silencer
Unarmed (DV 1S, AR 5)
ArmorActioneer Business Clothes (DR2)
Matrix StatsPrimary Device: Renraku Sensei (DR3) w/sim module
Attack 0, Sleaze 0, Data Processing 2 (+1), Firewall 0
Attack Rating: 0 Defense Rating: 2 (+1)
Programs (Running): Virtual Machine (Signal Scrubber, Toolbox)
Matrix Condition Monitor: 10
GearCarried:Credsticks (Standard, Silver)
Psyche x1
Stimpatch R6, x2
Ares Light Fire 75 w/2 spare clips w/Gel Rounds x16 each
Worn:Micro-transceiver
Respirator R6
Trodes
Survival Kit:Flashlight
Gel Rounds x2
SpellsHealth:Increase Attribute
Illusion:Physical Mask
Manipulation:Control Actions
Control Thoughts
NotesI did consider swapping Magic B and Skills D; I would have to give up 2 points in either Body, Agility, Reaction, or Strength in order to shift 2 Attribute Points to Charisma and 2 Special Attribute Points to Magic, but in exchange I would get 8 skill points.
These could be used to add some dice to Stealth (useful for palming items during a social con), or boost Con and Influence even further. Alternatively, I could add some Athletics ranks for when drek hits the circulating air device and you need to make a run for it. Boosting Firearms and Perception by even a few points are also valid options, so this choice could grant the equivalent of roughly 100 karma worth of skills at the cost of a few abilities that I can always raise with a sustained Increase Attribute Spell when necessary.
Thoughts on this approach?
Also welcome spell selection advice. Increase Attribute and Physical Mask are intrinsic to the character, and these are likely to be used with Focused Concentration 2 most times. Increase Attribute and Improved Invisibility can also be used on a team mate for when those critical situations demand it, so I'm fairly set on these two.
Control Actions and Control Thoughts I similarly consider essential. Instead of using magic to blast away at an opponents condition monitor, I like the idea of just taking control of their bodies (if the run has already gone loud) or their minds (if the run is still clandestine). Even if you have to spend a Minor Action after successfully casting the spell, a simple "freeze" or "drop to the floor and cower in fear" for a minute could prove crucial in a conflict, and is WAY less obvious than a fireball. Just have to remember to spend those 6 Major Actions to wipe your signature, if Manipulation spells are still considered a no-no. I would think the corps would prefer less collateral damage, but that's just me.
All right, into the realm of more utility, which I'm not 100% sure on:
While Heal can't be used on Drain, it could be used on team mates and any non-Drain DV suffered by the character directly. Very much a support spell, but a useful one since unlike medkit healing you can heal 1 Physical Damage for each net hit as opposed to per 2 net hits.
Mindprobe I just like for it's potential, but I could also see this being wasted a lot of the time. You pretty much need a restrained subject, but the potential to gain some pretty secret information can't be understated in the world of Shadowrun.
I like the idea of Physical Barrier being used to block off pursuers if a run goes south, but that DV of 6 is harsh! This is one I'm less sold on, but I'm not sure what else would be a good synergy for this character.
Changes for v2:Swap Magic B and Skills D for Magic D and Skills B (-2 Magic, +8 skill points)
Lower Body and Reaction by 1 Attribute Point each, increase Charisma by 2 Attribute Points (+2 Special AP)
Increase Magic by 2 using Special Attribute Points (+2 Magic)
- At this point, the net result is the same attributes as before, except Body and Reaction, both of which have been reduced by 1
Remove Con and Influence specializations (+10 karma)
Increase Con and Influence from 3 to 4, Astral from 4 to 5, and Stealth from 0 to 5 (-8 skill points)
Buy 2 spells with Karma (-10 Karma, for a total of 6 spells)
I also swapped out the Yamaha Pulsar in favour of a Streetline Special with gel rounds. Just figured I might as well look try to sell the illusion that I'm a fighter, not a magician.
Changes for v3:Given the rules for carrying Karma into gameplay is unclear, and that by RAW you cannot buy Spells for Karma, I've made the following changes:
Removed Heal and Improved Invisibility spells (+10 karma)
Removed In Debt (-1 Quality, new total is 5/6; -6000 nuyen)
Spent 3 more Karma on resources to make up the difference from losing In Debt (-3 Karma, +6000 nuyen)
Added High Pain Tolerance quality (-7 Karma)
Result: karma balanced, two fewer spells but no In Debt and High Pain Tolerance instead, no RAW issues.
Changes for v4:Minor equipment changes; as holdouts can't take accessories, replaced the Streetline Special with an Ares Lightfire 75. Dropped the Armored Jacket to have more spending money for
bribes facilitation payments.