[theoretical_cat]

I'm new to the game in general, so I'd like to know how I've done on this build.  It's karmagen, 750 Karma max.  The only books I have are SR4-20th and Attitude (which is where I found the color change bit, though it had no availability noted).
(I know there's debate over BP vs Karmagen; I don't care about that, as I'm doing this according to GM instructions.)

She's sort of a face/stealth type? I'm not really sure how to categorise this build.

A lot of character personality/backstory details haven't been finalised, but basically, she had been in school training for a professional job in security systems, but generally opposed the way megacorps work (political/social).  It didn't fit with her life view as an adept; she doesn't like the faceless organizations when the strength of an individual is very important to her.  Her way of rebelling? Dropping out of school and heading to the streets.  Met her current fixer, who was impressed by her attitude, if not her situation (hence the high priced contact ).  She's only done small jobs so far, but has been preparing to be able to do a "proper run."

All of that background info is subject to change; I'm new to this setting, so while I'm primarily looking for build critique, I would like to know if this is even remotely plausible.

[spoiler]
Alias: Hana ("Flower")
Race: Elf
Sex: Female
Nationality: UCAS (Seattle)
Lifestyle: Low (apt)
Karma Spent: 750 (karmagen)
Physical Description: 6' 1" (~1.85 m), dark brown hair (slightly past shoulders, often worn in a loose bun or tight braid), brown eyes, darkly tanned skin (natural hue, not actually a tan).  Pretty, but kind of average for elves.
Personality/background She was raised on the shiny side of the tracks, so to speak.  She had some specialized training in security (especially corp security) late in high school as preparation for work with a mega.  However, she realized what a terrible world she lived in, that corps ruled everything with no real limits, so rather than aiding the corporations, she ran away.  Annnnd ended up a shadowrunner, which is probably an even worse way to aid the corps.  As you can imagine, she's not too happy about that.
She has worked as a courier and for light B&E, never anything major before; however, her fixer is beginning to feel that she's ready for a real job, and will throw her into something where a face is needed.  (NOTE--she has fairly high loyalty from her fixer, and while he won't go too much out of his way for her, he will give her advice so that she has a chance of doing well.)
It's hard to tell what she's really thinking, because she's so good at pretending.  She has good control over her expression and body language (kinesics maxed).  However, she uses this "face front" almost exclusively around potential clients and people she doesn't know.  Over the course of continuing contact, she may actually loosen up a bit--if that would likely benefit her.

Other Info (from Chummer)
Movement: 10/25, Swim: 6
Street Cred: 0
Notoriety: -1
Public Awareness: 0
Composure: 8
Judge Intentions: 12
Lift/Carry: 8 (75 kg/50 kg)
Memory: 6

Attributes

Body	3
Agility	5
Reaction	4 (5)
Strength	5
Charisma	5
Intuition	4
Logic	3
Willpower	3
Edge	2
Magic	6
Essence	6
Initiative	8 (9)
IP	1 (2)
Astral Initiative	8
Astral IP	3
Matrix Initiative	7
Matrix IP	1
Physical Damage Track	10
Stun Damage Track	10

Positive Qualities
(Low light vision)
Adept
First Impression (+2 DP modifier on Social tests during first meeting)
Mentor Spirit Moon Maiden - +2 dice on Negotiation tests. All other effects only apply to spells.
Negative Qualities
SINner (Julianne Miles)

Active Skills

Influence (group)	4
Con	4+Charisma
Etiquette	4+Charisma
Leadership	4+Charisma
Negotiation	4+Charisma
Stealth (group)	4
Disguise	4+Intuition
Infiltrate	4+Agility
Palming	4+Agility
Shadowing	4+Intuition
Athletics (group)	2
Climbing	2+Strength
Gymnastics	2+Agility
Running	2+Strength
Swimming	2+Strength
Ungrouped Skills
Unarmed Combat	4+Agility
Pistols	4+Agility
Assensing	2+Intuition
Pilot Ground Craft	1+Reaction
First Aid	2+Logic
Perception	1+Intuition

Knowledge Skills

Street Gangs	3+Intuition
Forensics	2+Logic
Fences	2+Intuition
History	2+Logic
Security Procedures	2+Logic
Security Design	3+Logic
UCAS Politics	1+Intuition
Club Music	1+Intuition
Area Knowledge: Seattle	2+Intuition

Language Skills

English	N
Japanese	2

Adept Powers

Power	Cost	Notes
Voice Control	0.5
Killing Hands	0.5	unarmed deals lethal damage
Kinesics 3	1	+3 Social tests (make or resist); +3 to judge emotional state or intentions
Astral Perception	1
Critical Strike 4	1	+4 damage unarmed
Improved Reflexes 1	1.5	+1 to Reaction, 1 extra initiative pass

Cyber/Bioware: None
Spells/Complex Forms/Programs: None

Gear (36,735 ¥*)

Armor	Price
Urban Explorer Jumpsuit (color changing)	675¥
Helmet	100¥
Actioneer Business Clothes	1,500¥
Chameleon Suit	8,000¥
Weapons	Price
Raecor Sting	350¥
Colt America L36	150¥
Yamaha Pulsar	150¥
Weapon Accessories	Price
Flechette Rounds x100	1,000¥
Regular Ammo x100	200¥
Taser Darts x50	2500¥
Spare Clips (Raecor) x2	10¥
Spare Clips (Colt) x2	10¥
Concealable Holster x2 (1 ea)	300¥
Silencer x2 (1 ea)	400¥
Tech	Price
Commlink**	3,500¥
Glasses + ImageLink	50¥
Contacts + ImageLink	75¥
AR Gloves (rings)	250¥
Subvocal Microphone	50¥
IDs/Licenses	Price
Fake SIN 4 (Helena)	4,000¥
fake license 4 x3 (guns, H)	1,200¥
Credsticks x4	100¥
Tools	Price
Nanopaste Disguise (small) x2	1,500¥
Gecko Tape Gloves	250¥
Other	Price
Suzuki Mirage	6,500¥
Lifestyle: Low (monthly)	2,000¥
DocWagon Contract - Basic (yearly)	5,000¥

Wallet: 5,765 ¥ of original 42,500 (17 Karma)

*Includes lifestyle, vehicle, etc.
**Commlink -- Erika Elite + Iris Orb

Vehicles
Suzuki Mirage

Handling	Accel	Speed	Pilot	Body	Armor	Sensor	Availability	Cost
+2	20/50	200	1	6	4	1	-	6,500¥

Contacts

Contact		C/L
Xris	Fixer	3/3
NAME	Street Mage / Healer	1/3
NAME	Bartender	3/3

[/spoiler]
Edit: Fixed a tag
Edit again: Listed Athletics properly, as a group.
Edit 3: Modified attributes, skills, and abilities according to suggestions.  Have not purchased any new gear (yet).  I have .5 PP and 3 Karma left; thinking about ditching Astral Perception (and Assensing skill).
Edit 4: Updated gear.  Went for Yamaha taser, rather than stick'n'shock in the Yamaha light pistol.  I now have 0 Karma left, and .5 PP remaining.
Edit 5: Modified her contacts a little bit, to better use some of the karma I spent on them.  Gave her and her fixer names.  Modified a couple of knowledge skills.  Still need to spend that 1/2 PP.
Edit 6: Entered all this stuff into Chummer, and discovered I'd miscalculated a bit.  Fixed that.  Still need to spend that last 1/2 PP.
Edit 7: Corrected another error (hadn't included the Mentor Spirit in Chummer), and adjusted points.  Added Kinesics 3.  I think I may be done now?

Edit 8: It seems like every time I open Chummer, the karma totals change.  Updated based on an unexpected extra 9 karma (seems some of my knowledge skills got shuffled?).

[Henzington]

i assume the athletics is the skill group which includes gymnastics which you can use in place of dodge for ranged attack.  So you can remove that for a few more karma.

Also if that is the athletics skill group half of the skills in it are agility based.

[theoretical_cat]

Athletics does include gymnastics.  Doesn't the substitution take a penalty?

[Medea]

You did an EXCELLENT job for someone who is new to the game.  Don't worry so much about what other people think.  EVERY character and EVERY campaign background is unique in SR.  I like how you care about your character's background too, but don't be afraid to elaborate.  Most of my character descriptions/backgrounds are at least a page long.  It helps to have a near-obsession when describing your character.  It makes that character SO MUCH more memorable.   

[theoretical_cat]

You did an EXCELLENT job for someone who is new to the game.  Don't worry so much about what other people think.  EVERY character and EVERY campaign background is unique in SR.  I like how you care about your character's background too, but don't be afraid to elaborate.  Most of my character descriptions/backgrounds are at least a page long.  It helps to have a near-obsession when describing your character.  It makes that character SO MUCH more memorable.   

Thanks   I enjoy making characters, so this has been my evening relaxation tool for a few days now, haha.  I haven't gone into detail because her backstory is still vague, even to me. I made most of that up right on the spot.  Plus it's late, and I don't know the setting as well as I'd like yet.

[Henzington]

no it doesnt.  Core book 151.  also what you are thinking of is defaulting which you just use the linked attribute minus 1.

[theoretical_cat]

Cool, thanks. Looks like I skimmed past that info.  I'll update char sheet sometime tomorrow.

[The Big Peat]

A few suggestions/questions

Does her Body Stat include the +2 from the Adept power?

Either way, you generally want Body/Will to end in odd numbers, as your number of condition boxes is determined by dividing those rounding up.

Do you mean Astral Projection there?

I would strongly recommend looking at Improved Reflexes for any character who wants to get all up in people's faces. Those extra Initiative Passes are very useful.

I am slightly puzzled by your choices regards unarmed combat. She has a lot invested in it; but with a low Strength, isn't really using it very well. A high unarmed skill and shock gloves is a good tactic, but penetrating strike and killing hands does nothing to help that, and is just points spent.

[UmaroVI]

Yeah, without Arsenal you can't really wear that much armor, and I think you over-invested in Body since being able to wear more armor is one of its main advantages. I'd drop a level of Improved Physical Attribute (Body) and go down to 5.

Rapid Healing is not that great and not worth the PP compared to other stuff you need more like Improved Reflexes.

I am not a big fan of attribute boost. If you know there's going to be a fight within the very short duration it lasts, it's good, but it's never worth blowing the action to use it once combat has already started, and it's very short duration.

You have a problem, which is that your melee attacks are far too weak for anyone to care about, but you've spent a ton of resources on them. As an elf with only Core and Attitude, you are not going to be able to fix this. I'd recommend dropping Killing Hands and Critical Strike, getting Improved Reflexes, dropping Dodge, and going down to 4 unarmed, then up to 6 pistols. Then use a Shock Glove if you really need to melee, but 95% of the time you are better off shooting people,

With core-only, I strongly recommend picking up a Yamaha Sakura Fubuki and loading it with Stick-n-shock. It's very good.

Like all unaugmented adepts, you'd be better off using a small amount of 'ware, and I just want to check that you are forgoing it for reasons of RP rather than effectiveness.

[The Big Peat]

If you are committed to Unarmed Combat, and want to hit people with your bare hands and really make it hurt, then you need to buy a lot more critical strike, or up your strength - or get some bio and bone lacing.

[theoretical_cat]

Does her Body Stat include the +2 from the Adept power?

Yes

Either way, you generally want Body/Will to end in odd numbers, as your number of condition boxes is determined by dividing those rounding up.

I forgot about the rounding up; I'll shuffle my points a bit so they're not wasted.  I also realised last night that my max for attributes is 435 + 60, not just 435, so I have some room to boost that I didn't count before.

Do you mean Astral Projection there?

Nope, the Adept power is astral Perception.  She can see and assense, but she can't go anywhere--has to do all that locally.  I had her take it as another way to "size people up," since she's partly a face.

I would strongly recommend looking at Improved Reflexes for any character who wants to get all up in people's faces. Those extra Initiative Passes are very useful.

I am slightly puzzled by your choices regards unarmed combat. She has a lot invested in it; but with a low Strength, isn't really using it very well. A high unarmed skill and shock gloves is a good tactic, but penetrating strike and killing hands does nothing to help that, and is just points spent.

I was counting on the skill's basis of agility.  I see what you mean; her max damage is 4+5S(e).  It seemed like more when I had all those +s lined up, but actually adding them is kind of... bleh.
[/quote]

Yeah, without Arsenal you can't really wear that much armor, and I think you over-invested in Body since being able to wear more armor is one of its main advantages. I'd drop a level of Improved Physical Attribute (Body) and go down to 5.

Makes sense to me.  **adds to the change list**

Rapid Healing is not that great and not worth the PP compared to other stuff you need more like Improved Reflexes.

Especially given that one of my contacts is a healer type, you're probably right.

I am not a big fan of attribute boost. If you know there's going to be a fight within the very short duration it lasts, it's good, but it's never worth blowing the action to use it once combat has already started, and it's very short duration.

Eep, I didn't see the "simple action" bit, I thought it was free.  I think I may put that extra point from Body into Strength, then.

You have a problem, which is that your melee attacks are far too weak for anyone to care about, but you've spent a ton of resources on them. As an elf with only Core and Attitude, you are not going to be able to fix this. I'd recommend dropping Killing Hands and Critical Strike, getting Improved Reflexes, dropping Dodge, and going down to 4 unarmed, then up to 6 pistols. Then use a Shock Glove if you really need to melee, but 95% of the time you are better off shooting people

Maybe.  A lot of the time, she would try to avoid a fight altogether, possibly trying to use her persuasive abilities to talk someone down (especially if they're not sure she's really an enemy), then if necessary getting close enough to disable them.  I'm not sure how well this would work in gameplay, but this character's kind of an experiment.

With core-only, I strongly recommend picking up a Yamaha Sakura Fubuki and loading it with Stick-n-shock. It's very good.

I'm assuming that's in addition to the guns I've already picked up?

Like all unaugmented adepts, you'd be better off using a small amount of 'ware, and I just want to check that you are forgoing it for reasons of RP rather than effectiveness.

Yep.  She doesn't trust tech, especially implanted. That's why her skills in that area are minimal--she knows better than to shun it altogether, so she's not incompetent and does carry a commlink, but she doesn't trust it completely, and sees it as damaging herself when she "knows" her body could be capable of just as much, if she continues to train as an adept.  "Knows" in quotes because, quite frankly, I don't see that happening, but she does

If you are committed to Unarmed Combat, and want to hit people with your bare hands and really make it hurt, then you need to buy a lot more critical strike, or up your strength - or get some bio and bone lacing.

I'm going to shuffle my points to boost strength a bit, and probably move some of those freed up PP into critical strike.  The character mentality is that she uses guns when she can't defend herself otherwise, but she trusts in her body, etc.  She's kind of weird, I guess.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions   I'm going to start working on those points, and will edit the main post and this post when I'm done to reflect that.  I've updated skills, attributes, and adept powers.  I have some extra points now.  I have not purchased any new gear just yet.

[The Big Peat]

I'd like someone else to confirm this, but I am pretty sure Shock Gloves and Unarmed Damage don't add up. It's one or the other. Which means, when you naturally hit at a DV of 7, you don't need Shock Gloves.

In general I'd suggest you could probably shave a fair bit off of what you've brought. Generally, Magic-using characters never have enough karma to buy everything they want when it comes to advancing, but after a bit tend to sit there wondering what to do with all the cash. So I'd take karma out of the nuyen pool and buy up some skills. Or specialities.

The only other thing I'd suggest is that, if you can, you  might as well buy her Cha a little higher.

Elsewise, looks like a fairly well rounded character who does her thing well at most tables.

Oh - and stick that last half power point in Kinesics. I mean, why not?

p.s. Consider mentor spirits at some time. Some of them offer some tidy little social bonuses.

[Blue_Lion]

I'd like someone else to confirm this, but I am pretty sure Shock Gloves and Unarmed Damage don't add up. It's one or the other. Which means, when you naturally hit at a DV of 7, you don't need Shock Gloves.

In general I'd suggest you could probably shave a fair bit off of what you've brought. Generally, Magic-using characters never have enough karma to buy everything they want when it comes to advancing, but after a bit tend to sit there wondering what to do with all the cash. So I'd take karma out of the nuyen pool and buy up some skills. Or specialities.

The only other thing I'd suggest is that, if you can, you  might as well buy her Cha a little higher.

Elsewise, looks like a fairly well rounded character who does her thing well at most tables.

Oh - and stick that last half power point in Kinesics. I mean, why not?

p.s. Consider mentor spirits at some time. Some of them offer some tidy little social bonuses.

Yea the shock gloves whould replace your dv but they do electric damage so may be better agaist armored apponets. Pluss the chance to stun even if boxes not filled up little op to face.

Yea there is not much that magic needs to buy after a while other than stuff that cost karma as well. Later in game sectoins most mages cash perchas dont realy matter much to them. In earler edtions mages could buy spell points with cash but not in 4th. (took allot thou think it was like 20K per point not shure been a while.)

[theoretical_cat]

All right, I'll ditch the shock gloves, then.  Not much point when I can deal more damage without.

I had heard that mentor spirits are mostly of use for spellslingers... The only ones in SR4 that match her outlook would be Eagle, Wise Warrior, or Wolf, none of which provide useful bonuses for this build   I'm debating writing up a tradition, just so it's more clear how she sees things. I'm not sure if I'm explaining well, and it's partly because she's still pretty fluid in design (as opposed to set in stone).  Seductress would be useful, but this character is very much against drugs and such (again with the "that's tainting of the body" mentality).

As for that extra bit of PP, I'm deciding between Critical Strike, Enhanced Perception, Improved Sense (either smell, sound dampening, or flare compensation), or kinesics.

I went ahead and got the extra money because I figure these are the items that will take the longest to get hold of.  If she needs an outfit to wear to meet Mr. Johnson, she can pick that up.  Same with any need for payment/bribery type things.  Adding on the Yamaha gun and ammunition (and another fake license), she's got about 13k nuyen left.

Actually, now that I think about it, do I need to have a fake license for each gun, or can one license work for all my pistols? The Fake License section on p332 says "Each type of item/activity requires a separate license" (emphasis mine).  That would save me about 800 Y, though if that's the case, I might invest in a slightly higher level license.

[The Big Peat]

Licences - ask your GM, everyone has a different opinion.

Mentor spirits - Look at Moon Maiden. Seems to sorta fit in, +2 to negotiation, no downsides.