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Combat mage elf

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Dracain

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« Reply #15 on: <02-11-12/1549:58> »
I know that is how it would generally go.  But the GMs that do use the dice rolls scare me.  However if I did detail that my character was socially inept through his lack of trust until it was well proven to him could make it work, though I would have to roleplay distrust of everyone my character met (at least at first), that doesn't sound like a bad idea.  I might just do that instead.  Thanks for the pointers. 

UmaroVI

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« Reply #16 on: <02-11-12/1607:07> »
Summoning is very good (and all the archetypes mages do have summoning). You don't need a lot of summoning skill though, because what limits your summoning is the drain you take more than anything else. With skill 1, a spec, a mentor spirit bonus, Magic 5, and a power focus 4, that's 14 dice. Spirits roll only Force, so you can easily summon a force 5 spirit, but you take Drain = 2x their hits, which can be large and spiky. Thus, large Summoning pool, not so much worth it. Summoning 1 and a specialization? Definitely worth it.

Dracain

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« Reply #17 on: <02-11-12/1620:18> »
Ok, thanks for the info, I missed the one point the combat burnout mage had, I am sorry about that, I cannot believe I missed that.  Though still, even my original setup has 2 points in summoning, and this newer one has three.  I am going to go with what you've written down and take a fire specialization.  But how much binding should I take?  I am certain not all of the mage archetypes have this, and I don't think binding is necessary, though without much actual gameplay experience I figure I should ask.  What is your opinion?  Binding or no binding, and if I do take it, how much?  Gonna edit the changes in now. 
« Last Edit: <02-11-12/1633:23> by Dracain »

inca1980

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« Reply #18 on: <02-11-12/1624:44> »
Remember that the availability of a power focus makes it so that you can only have a max rating 2 power focus at CC.

UmaroVI

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« Reply #19 on: <02-11-12/1745:14> »
That's why you want Restricted Gear inca1980. It pays off in the long run too, because the cost to bond a power focus is so high in karma versus bp.

Binding is totally useful - none of the archetypes have it because of the "widget factor." The main drawback is cost. If you are interested in binding, the Invoking metamagic is extremely good. Because the damage is so spiky, I don't really recommend trying to bind anything above your Magic score, unless you have Edge to spend rerolling drain soak. A force 7 spirit rolls 14 dice then you take double the hits in physical drain, so it averages 9.66P and it can easily get a luck roll and kill you. A force 6 spirit does only a bit less, but it's stun so you are much safer. Based on that, if you want to bind, you should aim to be able to reliably get at least one hit on binding a spirit with Force = Magic, since if you fail to get any hits you lose the binding materials and get nothing. I would thus aim for about 16-17 dice as your target with Binding. With Magic 6, a F4 power focus, a specialization, and a mentor spirit bonus, that's 2-3 binding.

Dracain

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« Reply #20 on: <02-11-12/1821:19> »
That's good to know, though I don't think I'm that interested in binding.  I can see the usefulness of it, but I don't think it fits the character to much.  Also, which book is the restricted item quality from?  My guess is the runners companion, but I wanna be sure. 

UmaroVI

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« Reply #21 on: <02-11-12/1843:42> »
Yes, Runner's Companion.

Because Binding doesn't get too much better with higher skill (it, like Summoning, is more about drain resist than dice pool), you can pick it up later with karma. It's also not a bad idea to do that since you probably have things to do with money for a while.

Dracain

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« Reply #22 on: <02-11-12/1911:08> »
Thanks for the quick response, there is just one more thing bothering me however.  That is whether I bring Focused Concentration down to rank 1 in return for restricted items.  I can see the benefit but on the other hand I can get a power focus later, whereas as far as I know, I cannot get rank 2 Focused Consentration, which is one more valuable point of drain resistance.  Any thoughts on this?

UmaroVI

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« Reply #23 on: <02-11-12/2036:49> »
You don't want to bring Focused Concentration down for Restricted Gear, you want to bring it down for Mentor Spirit, which is dramatically better and half the price. At that point you might as well get restricted gear, because it is a huge upfront power boost.

Dracain

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« Reply #24 on: <02-11-12/2053:47> »
Thanks again for all the help.  That makes so much sense, the sun mentor also fits perfectly with this unlucky pyromaniac of a combat mage.  Thanks again I am so grateful for all the help.  I just edited in the changes. 
« Last Edit: <02-11-12/2106:01> by Dracain »

UmaroVI

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« Reply #25 on: <02-11-12/2124:42> »
One last suggestion - did you want Hermetic, in particular, or just not Shaman? There are a bunch more traditions in Street Magic and a Charisma-based tradition would make this character significantly better. Black Magic in particular is basically the goth version of Hermetic, but is Charisma-based.

Dracain

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« Reply #26 on: <02-11-12/2149:04> »
I haven't read street magic, so I am not 100%.  I guess I just like the idea of magic being like science in some way.  Y'know, it has certain rules, and is done by the caster mentally going through them in some way or other.  With that being said I would be open to checking out that other tradition, it sounds cool.  Though I do tend to play the int based mage (in D&D terms, I play a wizard, not sorcerer, warlock or druid), though I would most certainly be interested in checking this out. I remember reading about a variant of hermetic magic based around math and that sounded cool, or the chaos magic variation also sounds like it would fit.  But still, until I manage to get my hands on a copy of street magic, I am not sure.  Maybe I can find black magic on the internet though, because that does sound cool.  I am gonna go search that.  Thanks for the advice. 
« Last Edit: <02-11-12/2156:42> by Dracain »

baronspam

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« Reply #27 on: <02-11-12/2228:48> »
If you are paying points for Elf you really should follow a tradition that uses Charisma as a drain stat, unless you have a major RP reason to do otherwise.   If you don't like the idea of being a Shaman there are  bunch of others to pick from in the Street Magic book.  While I am totally willing to go away if you say "RP reasons, deal with it", but from a purely mechanical point of view you spent a bunch of points to be an Elf, and then you are not taking advantage of what an Elf is good at.  namely agility and charisma.  Your character doesn't have much of a need for agility, but Charisma really should be your drain stat if you are an Elf. Aboriginal, Aztech, Black Magic, Christian Theurgy, Norse, Path of the Wheel (an elf tradition) Shinto, and Voodoo all use Charisma for a drain stat.  If you don't mind being *evil* black magic is basically hermetic magic that can throw a really good party.

As an alternative, if you keep Logic as a drain stat consider picking up a bit of augmentation.  By loosing a point of magic to some implants you can get 'ware that adds directly to your logic.  You give up one dice on the cast checks but gain two on the drain.  Logic is the only drain stat that can by easily, cheaply, and directly bonused with 'wear.  If you go this route, I would suggest, dropping your magic to 5 (no point paying for a six to just hand it back in cyberware) and then loose one point to make it a 4.  Pick up a power focus.  You can get a Force 2 without a restricted gear quality, and a Force 4 with one (although the latter is a big investment in built points at creation, but the big nuyen cost and high availability rating might make it difficult to get one later during play.  So its kind of bit the bullet now or maybe go without later.)  At minimum I would suggest a Force 2 power focus.  Its two extra dice for almost everything you use your Magic for and you should be able to find room in the budget for it.

Dracain

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« Reply #28 on: <02-11-12/2248:42> »
Thanks for the tips.  The reason I chose elf was basically RP because I liked hermetic magic A LOT more than I liked shamanic.  But again, I would need to read the black magic fluff text, which I don't have as of the moment.  Though this black magic sounds highly intriguing from what I've heard of it so far, and I love being evil, I am a pyromaniacal shadowrunner after all.  Do you know where I could maybe find some of the black magic flavor text before I buy street magic? 
« Last Edit: <02-11-12/2254:01> by Dracain »

UmaroVI

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« Reply #29 on: <02-12-12/0001:26> »
It's probably not kosher to post the whole tradition, but the "Concept" part should be fine.

"Concept: A black    magician’s ultimate focus is a  quest for personal power, regardless of whether this comes from mastery    of the dark arts, secular powerbrokering, or   pacts with the dark
powers from beyond the mortal realm."