The issue in Shadowrun is that is a
team of
specialists. A team is made up of (usually) 3 to 6 members, who compliment and enhance each others skills and abilities.
And while there will be some overlap in their skills, they all fulfill a separate roll.
Deckers/technomancers for matirix threats and hacking of computer networks
Mages for magic security and countermeasures
Riggers for mechanical response and threats
Samurai for physical threats and countermeasures
Adepts for surveillance and sneaking
Faces for social manipulations
and so on...
and even that very basic list is not really complete, as you can find Deckers that specialize into combat hacking... Or Adepts build for social manipulation... Or the mage that specializes in Conjuration and not Evocation... Or the Sammy that is just a Sniper (To the collective groan of every one on the team)
Now that is not to say that these archtypes can not "spread their wings" into other fields or specialties, just that it generally happens after they reach a "plateau" in their current archtype.
The biggest issue people usually have with shadowrun, is Dice Pools. How much is a big enough dice pool? Now this will be a debate that rages! Ask one person and a dice pool of 18 is your minimum stating point! Ask another and the magic number is 30! Ask a third, and the number is 14...For me, the baseline number you want in your primary skills is between 8 and 12 to start. The reason I say 8 to 12 is because most baseline "professional" opposition is going to be rolling between 8 to 12 dice, and if you below this range, then you are playing catch up to NPCs.... and its just a matter of the rolls until you fail enough times to wash out. (to die, or get caught, or fried, to whatever..)
On top of your primary skills, there are a host of skills that everyone should be taking to some level:
Etiquette Street. Unless the Face is glued to your hip and
your lips are sewn closed, everyone needs etiquette. Be that to get past the bouncer at the club door, to talking your way past that wageslave that popped up in the hallway at exactly the wrong time.
Infiltration (Sneaking). Sneaking is an over looked aspect of the game that a lot of people forget about. And usually ends runs before they actually begin... And if you don't have it... well your team's life just got that much harder! (how, EXACTLY, did you expect to cover that ground to the entry way?? Or move through what should be an empty building...)
Perception: From spotting that ambush before its too late, to that dropped microchip hiding in the carpet, Perception is one of the most used skills in the game. AND the most hit by modifiers ranging from unaware to environmental modifiers.... And its situational for a reason, just because you have "Micro radar 3000" implant in your beanie, doesn't mean its on 24 hours a day, seven days a week.... you actually have to turn it one and "use" it.... which raises the question, "If you are actively using a device, are you 'aware' of the details around you???" (welcome to Shadowrun!)
(ranged) Combat skill: Usually guns of some type. You don't need a high skill, but you should be skilled "enough" to at least make people think twice about following you as you RUNAWAY!!! Lets face it, life in Shadowrun is cheap and dirty, and you could be rolled just getting your morning soycaf, let a lone getting ventilated while stuffing your face at the Stuffer Shack. (Hence 'Food Fight'.. the into module for Shadowrun, that has a fight in a food court!)
From there, depending on the archtype, you have your archtype skills. Which can vary from the archtype. Some Archtypes like Sammy get to pick out a couple of skills from a list and they are good to go. Some Archtypes have a small list of "must have" skills that needs to be taken AND taken at a high value... What those skills are varies with the archtype and what you are trying to do. The "Sniper" just grabs Long guns on top of the 3 skills above and sits on a roof top, being useless to the rest of the team. The Decker has to take a half dozen skills because he has to edit programs, hack locks, defeat IC, and sleaze past security alarms. (each, effectlvely requiring a separate skills, or programs)
And then, there are the "Traps"
"Traps" in this term refers to ideas that players come up with
Like being a Sniper
Some ideas can place way too much strain on starting resources to build an effective character right out of the gate, which leads to either A: an unproductive game for the player as their character can not "keep up" to the rest of the team, OR B: a total party wipe as the character doesn't have the dice pools to effectively handle a situation at a critical moment.
The 2 BIGGEST failures I see in this regard is the often mentioned "Sniper". And when people try to merge "Awakened" into an other archtype, ESPECIALLY a high skill archtype, that doesn't have much synergy.
Sniper is almost always a failure, just because of what role is, versus what a typical Shadowrun is. Snipers like to stay well away from the scene, often from a high vantage point that over sees a narrow field. Shadowruns often involve the retrieval of a person, item, or data from inside a secure facility, requiring the team to GO INTO said facility... Seeing the issue for a Sniper?
Awakened come in many flavors, usually have a high skill cost. And are limited in how they can advance. A trick some players do (which you did) to try to save some karma at generation is to take become aspected.
Just so we are on the same page: CRB 69
Aspected Magicians
• Aspected magicians are a limited form of magician.
• Aspected magicians do not astrally project.
• Aspected magicians can astrally perceive.
• Aspected magicians must choose one, and only one, of the
following three Skills/Skill Groups.
• Sorcery (Spellcasting and related skills)
• Conjuring (Summoning and related skills)
• Enchanting (Alchemy and related skills)
• Aspected magicians cannot perform any of the magical skills
associated with the two groups they did not select.
• Aspected magicians can only learn Counterspelling if they
take the skills to be a spellcaster.
• Aspected magicians can follow mentor spirits.
• At character creation, aspected magicians who cast spells,
perform rituals, or create alchemical preparations may know
a maximum number of formulae from each group equal to
their Magic Rating x 2 (i.e., Magic Rating of 4 allows 8 spells, 8
rituals, 8 alchemical preparations).
You took "D" for Magic, which means you are aspected, and start with a MR 2... Then spent 2 of your 3 SAB on magic, and 30 Karma on Spells. just to be able to.... cast some spells.
And those spells are limited to Force 4 IF you don't want physical drain (because once you cast at force 5 to force 8, if the Hits (not NET hits) exceed 4, its all physical drain!)
You are still open to astral attacks thanks to being awakened, but can't respond to them at all, Can't summon spirits (arguably the most powerful reason to BE a mage), still suffer the effect of being awakened and the risks of Magic Loss (which with Addiction Moderate, you are WELL on your way to!).
I can't help but wonder if those SAP, and 30 karma might be better spent elsewhere (like on less flaws), then what you gain with being an Aspected Mage/Decker.
