[SmilinIrish]

I agree with some of this, and disagree with some.  Biggest thing I like was that someone suggested you switch to a tradition with an Intuition drain stat.  Perception/Assensing are off Int, which is big for a detective type.  I prefer gut instinct detectives rather than Sherlock Holmes types.  Having the higher Int will improve your initiative, as well as your dodgey-ness.  Don't forget that Street knowledge skills run off of Int. 

My best suggestion for qualities (have these on my Intuition mage) is Aged 2 (bullets and bandages).  lowers your physical maximums (by 2, so Body needs to be 3), but grants you bonus knowledge skill points (5 per level).  This could be a reason that your character left KE, they RIFed him because of age (quality would make you 60, and give good explanation of those low physical stats). 

So, high Intuition, Aged (bonus knowledge skills), plus the School of Hard Knocks quality in Run Faster can really leverage those Street Knowledge skills.  You could be rolling 12 dice with just 3 knowledge points spent. 

Another good quality is Big Regret from Run Faster.  Give you a alternative reason that you left KE.  Don't forget, if you worked for KE, you had some kind of a SIN. 

In my opinion, Biotech is a wasted skill.   Not something runners should need often.  First Aid and Medicine should be enough to fit a physician background and still be useful skills.

[SmilinIrish]

Not suggesting you copy my character, because our backgrounds are different, just showing you some possibilities:

== Priorities ==   Sum to Ten A B B E E
Metatype: E extra - Human (1)
Attributes: B - 20 Attributes
Special: A - Magician or Technomancer
Skills: B extra - 36 Skills/5 Skill Groups
Resources: E extra - 6,000¥

== Attributes ==
BOD: 3
AGI: 2
REA: 2
STR: 2
CHA: 5
INT: 6
LOG: 3
WIL: 5
EDG: 3
MAG: 6

== Derived Attributes ==
Essence:                   6
Initiative:                8 + 1d6
Rigger Initiative:         8 + 1d6
Astral Initiative:         12 + 2d6

Physical Damage Track:     10
Stun Damage Track:         11

== Limits ==
Physical: 3    Mental:    6   Social:  7      Astral:   7


== Active Skills ==

Arcana                           : 5                      Pool: 10  (houserule that you can gather reagents with Arcana)
Assensing                    : 6                      Pool: 12 (group)
Astral Combat              : 5                      Pool: 10
Automatics                    : 1                      Pool: 3 (Karma)
Banishing                     : 5                      Pool 11 (group)
Binding                          : 5                      Pool: 11
Con [Fast Talk]               : 3                   Pool: 8 (10)
Counterspelling            : 5                      Pool: 11
Negotiate  [Dipl]               : 1                     Pool: 6 ( 8 )
Perception                 : 6                      Pool: 12
Ritual Spellcasting        : 6                      Pool: 12
Sneaking                   : 1                      Pool: 3 (karma)
Spellcasting [Combat] : 6                      Pool: 12 (14)   (+2 Detection from mentor spirit)
Summoning                  : 5                      Pool: 11  (group)

Computer                     : 0                      Pool: 2
Disguise                   : 0                      Pool: 5
Etiquette                  : 0                      Pool: 4
First Aid                  : 0                      Pool: 2
Gymnastics                 : 0                      Pool: 1
Impersonation              : 0                      Pool: 4
Instruction                : 0                      Pool: 4
Intimidation               : 0                      Pool: 4
Leadership                 : 0                      Pool: 4
Navigation                 : 0                      Pool: 5
Performance                : 0                      Pool: 4
Running                    : 0                      Pool: 1
Survival                   : 0                      Pool: 5
Tracking                   : 0                      Pool: 5
Unarmed Combat             : 0                      Pool: 1

== Knowledge Skills ==
Area Knowledge: Seattle    : 2                      Pool: 8
Astral Space               : 5                      Pool: 8
English                    : N                      Pool: 0   Street Lingo
Forensics                  : 6                      Pool: 9
Gangs                      : 2                      Pool: 8
Japanese                   : 2                      Pool: 8
Magical Threats            : 6                      Pool: 9
Organized Crime            : 2                      Pool: 8
Ork Underground            : 1                      Pool: 7
Or'zet                     : 2                      Pool: 8
Parazoology                : 4                      Pool: 7
Russian                    : 1                      Pool: 7
Shadow Community           : 2                      Pool: 8
Spirits                    : 6                      Pool: 9

== Contacts ==
Yakuza Lawyer (3, 4)
Hacker (legwork)  (2, 3)
Private Detective (3, 4)

== Qualities ==
Addiction (Mild) (Stims)
Aged (Rating 2) (bullets and bandages)
Big Regret  (Run faster)
In Debt II

College Education (RF version) (needed this for my magical knowledge skills)
Focused Concentration (Rating 4)
Mentor Spirit (Oracle)

== Spells ==
(Tradition: Chaos Magic, Resist Drain with WIL + INT (11))
Ball Lightning             DV: F-3  (cast with fetish for reduced drain)
Chaotic World              DV: F
Clout                      DV: F-3
Detect Individual          DV: F-3
Heal                       DV: F-4
Improved Invisibility      DV: F-1
Increase Reflexes          DV: F
Influence                  DV: F-1
Levitate                   DV: F-2
Remote Sensing             DV: Special (for use with find individual)
Sterilize                  DV: F-3
Stunbolt                   DV: F-3

==Bound Spirits==
F6 Spirit of Air  2 services
F6 Spirit of Fire  3 services

== Lifestyles ==
Coffin Motel-Bolthole  1 months (squatter, cramped, dangerous area)
Wharehouse Office  1 months (low, extra secure)

== Armor ==
Armor Vest                          9

== Weapons ==
Steyr TMP  (primary use is cover fire)
   +Spare Clip
   +Spare Clip
   Pool: 1   Accuracy: 4   DV: 7P   AP: -   RC: 1
Unarmed Attack
   Pool: 1   Accuracy: 3   DV: 2S   AP: -   RC: 1

== Commlink ==
Meta Link (ATT: 0, SLZ: 0, DP: 1, FWL: 1) (change phones often)

== Gear ==
Certified Credstick, Silver Rating 1
Certified Credstick, Standard Rating 1 x3
Contacts Rating 3
   +Image Link
   +Flare Compensation
   +Low Light (can use to target physical spells, not mana spells)
AR Gloves
Fake License (Magic, Concealed Carry, PI ) Rating 2 x3
Fake SIN (Main) Rating 2
Fetish  (street grimoire, reduces drain by 2 for lightning ball)
Laser Microphone
Magical Lodge Materials Rating 6
Micro-Transceiver
Reagents, per dram x50
Restraint, Plasteel x3
Slap Patch, Stim Patch Rating 6
Spell Formula, Detection (Clairvoyance)
Spell Formula, Health (Increase Intuition)
Spell Formula, Health (Increase Will)


Spent karma:  4 on skills, 2 on Nuyen, 10 on spells, 5 on spirits, 4 on contacts.


Early money priorities will be upgrading SIN
Early Karma priority will be initiating for Quickening, and adding spells.

[drakir]

Latest iteration: (GM so far no to sum210)
Priorities:   A:Skills, B:Attributes, C:Magic, D:Metatype, E:Money
Attributes:     Bod:3  Agi:2  Rea:2  Str:1  Cha:4  Int:6  Log:5  Wil:5  Magic:6  Edge:2
Qualities: Mentor Spirit (Cat), Quick Healer, Spirit Affinity (Air), Focused Concentration (rating 2), Magician (Chaos trad)
                         Aged (rating 2), Day Job (10 hrs), Prejudiced (Aspected Magicians)

Skills:                                              Pool
Assensing (signatures) 6+2                  12(14)
Summoning (Air) 6+2                           12(14)
Binding 6                                             12
Spellcasting 6+2(Illusion from Cat)       12  (Group)
Counterspelling 6                                 12  (Group)
Ritual Spellcasting 6                             12  (Group)
Perception 6                                         12
Con 6+2 (Fast Talk)                              10 (12)
Etiquette 6                                              10                                         
Sneaking (Astral) 6+2+2 (Cat)                10 (15) (Log=Agi in Astral)
First Aid 4 (from Biotech group)               9 (15) (medkit)
Arcana 1                                                6 (karma buy)                           

Knowledge Skills: Biology (awakened) 5+2, Docwagon Procedures 1, Forensics (Thaumaturgical) 6+2,
Magical Threats 4, Police Procedures 1, Underworld medicine & drugs 2, Urban Brawl (Players) 1+2, Astral Space 3, Fashion 1, Japanese 1, Mandarin 1, Spanish 1, Triads 2

Spells:  Lightning Bolt, Clairvoyance, Mind Probe, Heal, Increase Reflexes, Trid Phantasm, Levitate, Watcher

Contacts: Knight Errant Mage Detective 3/3. Fixer 4/2    Enemy: 2/1 Shan Liao (Triad member)

Gear: Lodge materials (rating 6), 2 Medkits (3+6), Thaumaturgic Forensics Tool kit, Fake SIN rat 4 with Mage, Private Investigator and Medical licenses, Renraku Sensei commlink , Stealth Tags, 2 Slap Patches (stim 6), 2 Slap patches (Tranq 6), Plastic Restraints, Armor Jacket, 13 reagents (Not enough to bind I know)
Middle Lifestyle 1 month

In Combat I'm thinking Increase Reflexes + Air Spirit + Trid Phantasm of a Fire Spirit. Order of these depending on situation. The Air Spirit should be summoned long before combat.

Thanks for all suggestions. Aged as quality fits right in. Intuition based tradition also feels better.
To all that thinks C in magic does not work. PC has 6 in magic, spells is cheap to learn during campaign, skills is very expensive. The only thing I believe I will miss from choosing A in magic is the three extra Edge I would have.

[Tarislar]

The only thing I believe I will miss from choosing A in magic is the three extra Edge I would have.

Not trying to argue, but, the first time your GM actually devotes a couple gangers w/ AK's to shooting at you to "geek the mage 1st" and you try to avoid fire w/ 8 "dodge" & 2 "edge",  well, you'll figure out what it is your missing. 

[drakir]

Of couse i would want my PC to have everything, unfortunately you have to choose. I think 8 group points and 8 skillpoints is worth it.
 
In your scenario I just hope that PCs 12 Dice in Perception gives him (and friends) some warning. No warning at all (sniper shot or other surprise) and even a street samurai with 14 Dodge Dice is toast. PC don't plan to advertise his "magicness" by the way he looks.
Most shadowrunners do not advertise their weapons, so what will make the gangers choose this mage instead of the samurai with 2 Ares Predators in concealable holsters?

If PC have some warning, standard procedure will be to get behind cover and send an air spirit (and my combat capable friends) to attack. Or cast inc reflexes to get initative 12+3d6 and (12 Dodge Dice, edit oops incorrect) use full defense for 13 dodge dice which should be enough to Dodge random gangers firing (8 Dice per the rulebook). Remember PC is not a combat mage. If I wanted a combat mage I would use a Mystic Adept with Reflexes and Combat sense. 

Got a little defensive here. Good sign for my PC 

[halflingmage]

Maybe a good question to ask in designing this character is how long of a campaign are you planning? A character for a one off would be built different from a character for a 3 month campaign played twice per month which will be built different from a character  intended for a weekly indefinite campaign.  That determines how much time you have to grow into a character concept, vs how "complete" the character has to be a creation.

The reason that may players go all Admiral Ackbar on  you when you say A skills is that skills are the easiest thing Karma wise to add during play.   Priority A is a crap load of skills. You have 9(!) skills at level 6 plus your skill groups.  Now if your character concept requires that, AND it will be a short campaign or a one off, then it may be a reasonable choice.  But if you are going to be playing longer term, I think the conventional wisdom would be to build a stronger foundation in attributes/karma/magic and built up to the outrageous level of skills you have now. 

Edit: keep in mind that magic priority A also gives 10 skill points.  Magic A and Skills C still gives you functionally 38 skill points and a 2 point group.  You would also have more karma  and more spells. 

[SmilinIrish]

Its a bummer that the GM won't allow Sum  to 10.  That really opens up possibilities.  Although looking at yours, since you are prioritizing skills, not sure it would work much for you.  Can't drop meta to D and bump Magic up to B and still get Magic 6.  Attributes can't go down. The only possibility is dropping skills and meta by one each, and bumping magic by two.  The gain of 10 skills would offset some of the skills loss, but you'd lose the ability to get 6's in spellcasting with group points, and forget the biotech group.   You wouldn't have the same skill set.  Its ok to build the way you have.  Just don't be blind to the tradeoffs.  Too bad you can't free up karma to start with a bound air spirit.  They have the conceal power. 

I'm glad you like the Aged quality.  Its one of my favorites.  I like knowledge skills, but its hard to justify spending character gen karma.  This lets you start with a decent pool of knowledge skills. 

I have a couple of thoughts:

Have you discussed Astral Sneaking with you GM?  When you are Astral, I've always assumed that perception (ie vision) is based off of assensing auras.  I've never even considered that you can sneak in astral.  I'd at least bring it up with the GM before the game.  Sneak is valuable anyway, but if he's not on board with astral sneaking that specialty would be better spent as Sneak (Urban). 

Enemy:  Don't think I've seen this in 5e yet.  If you GM didn't specifically say something about enemies, its worth a conversation.  If you got that out of Chummer, its a coding leftover from 4e, and not brought into 5 e yet to my knowledge.

Increase Reflexes:  To my dismay, the other day I noticed that it doesn't say anything about increasing your reaction attribute.  It says it increases your initiative.  It is likely that it is intended to affect initiative only, and not the actual attribute, with all derived results.  It reads the same in 4e.  Might want to look into that before you count on it for dodge.  Now there is a spell "Increase [attribute] that will increase your reflex, but you'd want "increase Intuition" for the boost to dodge and drain.  Initiate for the quickening metamagic to make them semi permanent.   Thats my plan.

[SmilinIrish]

You've made me reconsider my priority selection.  Since I am using Sum to 10, I'm exploring AACEE.  Magic A, Skills A, Attributes C, Meta E, Resources E.  Basically I would take my original build and drop 2 from Charisma, and one each from Reaction and Agility.  I'd drop two spells, one contact, and my bound spirits to regain the karma to bring both those 1's back up to 2's.  The contact could be gained in game for Nuyen, as well as the spells and bound spirits.  The loss of Charisma would be permanent, but the gain in skills points would offset the loss in dice pools.  The main permanent loss would be the loss of 2 damage in Astral Combat.  Due to the gain in group points, after rearranging my allocation, I'd be gaining nearly 100 karma worth of skills.  I'm 90% convinced that I'm making this switch.  I was unhappy that my original build didn't have ranged weapon and sneak proficiency. 

[Tarislar]

So you lost 4 Attribute Points & only went up 1 Edge?  That's not going to help your survival rate much.

Why not the following?

A-Magic
B-Skills & Attributes
E-Meta & Cash

Attributes =  B3, A2, R3, S1, W5, L3, I6, C5