[Ajax]

Faeries wear boots and you gotta believe me... -- Black Sabbath (1970)

I'll come right out and admit it, pixies are my favorite option for player character race in all of Shadowrun. I don't care if this makes me reek of "Special Snowflake Syndrome" or not, I don't care that at 55 HP they're costing as much as a Wolf `shifter or Elf Magician for less benefit... Pixies are awesome. End line. (And yes, I prefer Windlings on those rare occassions I get to play Earthdawn). I might be starting a new Shadowrun campaign in the next few weeks, the GM is a twenty-year veteran of the system and most of the players - myself included - have been playing almost as long. We've been given three fairly broad guidelines for making chracters (1) they should be capable of more than just combat, (2) anything rules legal from any and all current SR4 books is kosher, and (3) "munchkin not, least ye be munchkin'ed."

From my talks with the other players, it looks like I will be working with a dedicated Magician (Human), a multipurpose street samurai/hacker/infiltration expert (Human), and a marksman/sniper adept (Elf), and a Rigger/Heavy Weapons Guy (Troll, `natch). Which leaves the group in need of a Face and a little light in close-quarters combat. The troll is focusing on machine guns and assault-rifle drones, the samurai and adept are both drooling over various rifles, and the Magician... well, she's a magician.

I refuse to give up on my precious Pixie, despite the mocking of my peers. So I built one that can punch people with pretty.

Yep, she's got an Unarmed Attack with DV 11P, AP -3, and 15 Dice to hit you with it. Gotta love a 16 kg girl that can punch in the same weight class as a Panther Cannon. But it's not just about the superhuman savate, thanks to an unholy high Charisma score and some budget-priced software, she's rolling 16 for the whole Influence Skill Group... and 10 Dice if she should be out-of-touch with her Commlink. So... Face, Face-punching, and Flight. Awesome.

But I just know I can make this better. Assume I have access to any SR4 book and can do anything that doesn't involve breaking the rules or taking advantage of anything that would be breaking the rules if only they had been better written. How can I make my pixie a better face and a better face puncher? I'm pretty sure that Adept + Mind Over Matter (Charisma) is the key to unlocking this... but I'm open to any better ideas.

Name: Isabelle Créer (aka Tink)

[spoiler="Info in Depth"]== Info ==
Street Name: Tink
Known Alias: Pix, Puck, Lil Bit, Midge (Nicknames); Isabelle Monteque (Fake SIN)
Real Name: Isabelle Créer
Sex:Female Age: 25 Height: 45 cm (18") Weight: 16 kg (35 lb.)
Movement: 1/4, Fly: 20/50
Karma: 0
Street Cred: 0
Notoriety: 1
Public Awareness: 0
Composure: 11
Judge Intentions: 15
Lift/Carry: 3 (15 kg/10 kg)
Memory: 7
Wealth: ¥2,400 (Starting Nuyen)[/spoiler]

== Attributes ==
BOD:2
AGI:5
REA: 4(6)
STR: 1
CHA: 8
INT: 6
LOG: 4
WIL: 3
EDG: 3
MAG: 6

[spoiler="Derived Attributes"]== Derived Attributes ==
Essence:    6
Initiative:    10 (12)
Init. Passes:    1 (3)
Astral Init.:    12
Astral Passes:    3
Matrix Init.:    9
Matrix Passes:    1
Phys Damage Track: 9
Stun Damage Track: 10[/spoiler]

[spoiler="Skills in Depth"]== Active Skills ==
Only those with a Rating > 1 shown.

• Athletics Skill Group [10BP]
• Climbing 1 (Pool: 9)
  
• Flight 1 (Pool: 9)
  
• Gymnastics 1 (Pool: 6)
  
• Running 1 (Pool: 9)
  
• Swimming 1 (Pool: 9)
  
• Influence Skill Group [10BP]
• Con 1 (Pool: 16)
  
• Etiquette 1 (Pool: 16)
  
• Leadership 1 (Pool: 16)
  
• Negotiation 1 (Pool: 16)
  
• Individual Skills [xxBP]
• Computer [Commlink] 1 (Pool: 5[7])
• Dodge [Ranged Combat] 4 (Pool: 10[12])
• Perception [Visual] 4 (Pool: 10[12])
• Shadowing [Tailing] 2 (Pool: 8[10])
• Unarmed Combat [Martial Arts] 6 (Pool: 13[15])

== Knowledge Skills ==

• Language: Sperethiel N (Pool: N/A)
• Language: English 3 (Pool: 9)
• Language: French 3 (Pool: 9)
• Academic: Magical Threats 2 (Pool: 6)
• Academic: Parazoology [N. America] 2 (Pool: 6[8])
• Professional: Forensics 3 (Pool: 7)
• Street: Area Knowledge: Seattle 2 (Pool: 8)
• Street: Bars and Clubs [Elf] 2 (Pool: 8[10])
• Street: Shadow Community [Rumours] 2 (Pool: 8[10])
• Street: Underworld 1 (Pool: 7)

[/spoiler]

[spoiler="Contacts"]== Contacts ==
"Orchid" (Elf Call Girl) (C:1, L:2)
Claude Sinjin (Elf Private Eye) (C:2, L:3) 
Ichiro "Itchy" Yotsuma (Fixer) (C:3, L:2)[/spoiler]

== Qualities ==
+ Adept
+ Distinctive Style
+ Sapient Education (Buys off Uneducated)
- Geas (Ritual)
- Incompetent (Intimidation)
- Sensitive System
- SINner (Standard) (Tir Tairnigire)

== Powers ==

• Geas Critical Strike x5
  
• Geas Improved Ability (Unarmed Combat) x2
  
• Geas Improved Reflexes II
  
• Geas Killing Hands
  
• Geas Kinesics x1
  
• Geas Mind Over Matter (STR)
  
• Geas Penetrating Strike x3

== Critter Powers ==

• Concealment
• Enhanced Senses (Astral Perception)
• Sapience
• Vanishing

[spoiler="Lifestyle / Gear / Commlink / Etcetra"]== Lifestyles ==
Elven District Office (2 Months Prepaid)
Comforts: Low Entertainment: Low Necessities: Middle Neighborhood: High Security: Middle
Qualities: Freindly Neighbors 1 [1LP]; Living By Committee [-2LP]; Trigger-Happy Landlord [-1LP]

== Armor ==

• Leather Jacket 2/2 (Not Worn)
• Vashon Island: Steampunk Blouse 1/1
• Vashon Island: Steampunk Corset 2/2 (Nonconductivity x4; Ruthenium Polymer Coating)
• Vashon Island: Steampunk Slacks 1/1

== Weapons ==
Survival Knife (Metahuman Customization)

== Martial Arts ==
Savate (+2 DV on Unarmed Combat attacks; Finishing Move, Set-Up)

== Commlink ==
Novatech Airware (3, 3, 6, 3)
   +Custom Commlink OS [Firewall 6, System 3]
   +FTL Matrixware Power Suite [Analyze 3, Browse 4, Command 2, Edit 4, Purge 4, Scan 2]
   +Gait Analysis Software (Hacked) Rating 6
   +Facial Recognition Software (Hacked) Rating 6
   +Empathy Software (Hacked) Rating 6
   +Lie Detection Software (Hacked) Rating 6
   +AR Gloves
   +Skinlink
   +Optimization (Analyze)
   +Mapsoft (Seattle, Hacked) Rating 6
   +Mapsoft (Tir Tairnigire, Hacked) Rating 6
   +Mapsoft (Salish Shidhe Council, Hacked) Rating 6
   +Mapsoft (Portland, Hacked) Rating 6
   +Mapsoft (UCAS, Hacked) Rating 6
   +Subvocal Microphone

== Gear ==
Contact Lenses Rating 3
   +Image Link
   +Flare Compensation
   +Low Light
Earbuds Rating 2
   +Microphone, Micro Rating 1
   +Audio Enhancement Rating 1
Fake SIN (NeoNET Corporate) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Private Detective) Rating 4
   +Fake License (Ruthenium Polymer Coating) Rating 4
Goggles Rating 3
   +Camera, Micro Rating 1
   +Vision Magnification
   +Thermographic
Tag Eraser

== Vehicles ==
Federated-Boeing Kull (Medium)
   +Amenities, Middle
   +Signature Masking Rating 1
   +SunCell
   +Chaser (Hacked) Rating 2
   +Maneuver (Drone, Hacked) Rating 4
   +Medium Drone Sensor
      +Laser Microphone Rating 6
      +Directional Microphone
      +Camera Rating 3 [Thermographic, Vision Enhancement 3, Vision Magnification]
      +Radio Signal Scanner Rating 6
   +Personality Software
[/spoiler]

[spoiler="Description & Background Fluff"]== Description ==
An attractive female pixie, approximately 18" tall, dressed in stlyish steampunk fashions: goggles, aviator's slacks, and a lace-and-leather corset. Transluscent dragon-fly wings sprout from between her shoulder blades, just above the corset... in bad weath, she throws a light-weight pleather "bomber jacket" overtop (but this restricts her wings).

When in public, she almost always uses her natural Concealment power and will often engage the ruthenium polymers on her clothing as well. She does not like drawing undue attention to herself if she can avoid it.  Inside Seattle's Elven District, espesially her home neighborhood, or when in areas where a non-metahuman sapient would attract less shock (such as "mage bars," NAN territories, or even NeoNET officies) she is less guarded.

== Background ==
Subject Isabelle Créer du Paix (#72ICP88) has a very clear data trail for her childhood and teenage years. Subject was born 1 April, 2046, to a suburban enclave of pixies near Portland. Exact parentage is unknown as the Créer du Paix Enclave practice line marriage and raise children communally. Unlike many non-metahuman sapients around the globe the Créer du Paix Enclave appears to be intergrationist and techologically progressive. Isabelle has Tir citizenship, was educated in public schools, and even attended Portland Community College for two semesters in her late teens. No reliable data trail has been round for Subject between 2063-67, likly as a result of dataloss during Crash 2.0. Itis known subject dropped out of college during this time, relocated to the Seattle metroplex, and began to associate with Claude Sinjin, an elvish private detective (see file #72ICP88/Contact_01). Subject appears to have spent several years as Sinjin's apprentice and/or assistant, it is unknown how the pair met or why they seperated.[/spoiler]

[CitizenJoe]

Are pixies legally recognized as people?  A pixie showing up with a SIN is going to have a hard time convincing someone that it isn't fake.

[beowulf_of_wa]

Tir SIN?

[Ajax]

Are pixies legally recognized as people?  A pixie showing up with a SIN is going to have a hard time convincing someone that it isn't fake.

It all depends on which book you read: "France is the only nation that issues permanent SINs to pixies; the government of Portland has begun issuing criminal SINs to pixies accused and convicted of a crime. NeoNET is the only AAA megacorporation with any pixie corporate citizens." (Runner's Companion, p. 65) leaves open SIN status with France or NeoNET, or a criminal SIN with Tir Tairnigire. On the other hand, Running Wild greatly expands on the list of nations/corporations that are non-metahuman sapient friendly to include all of the NAN, Tír Tairngire, Tír na nÓg, and the entire Corporate Court. I'm inclined to beleive Tír gives pixies regular SINner status, not just criminal.

One of the reasons I paid extra to live in a High-class Neighborhood was the ability to name Seattle's Elven District as my home.  We've always treated it as kind of a "Elf China Town" with a large number of Tír Tairngire ex-pats, Tír sympathetic metahumans, and such.  I figure a a pixie is still going to draw comments from the neighbors but not out-right hostility.  By registering the fake SIN as a NeoNET citizen, I've got a degree of  plausibility... at least, enough to pay the rent. Especially when I get to throw sixteen dice into the Con and Etiquette checks with the landlord, local rent-a-cop, and neighborhood association. "I'm a security critter at NeoNET. ::puppy dog eyes:: Honest."

I'm planning to stick to Concealment and ruthenium polymer to keep questions down to a minimum when I need to move in public. Oh, and smuggling compartment in the rotodrone isn't for contraband... it's for me.

[CitizenJoe]

Why don't you make Isabelle Monteque an elf detective Tir expat who is rarely seen due to being "Out of the office on a case someplace."  And then Midge is just Isabelle's pet/girl friday/office security faerie.  Of course, there is no Isabelle Monteque, and Midge just hires a stand in whenever an in-person meeting is needed.

[UmaroVI]

Pixies are in fact excellent at everything, and low strength barely matters for unarmed combat.

Mind over Matter (Charisma->Strength) blows trolls. Melee damage is not a strength test, so it won't help you. It just lets you get a bonus on stuff like lifting tests or running or whatever.

Question 1: Are you specifically interested in unarmed melee combat? Or would you go with armed combat if it worked better?
Subquestion: What about Unarmed Combat rather than unarmed combat, ie, are you willing to use stuff like shock gloves?
Question 2: One of the more effective ways to facepunch people is to use magic to enhance your facepunching. How do you feel about:
a) Being a mystic adept, and using buff spells for facepunchage?
b) Being a Possession mage or mystic adept, and using Channeling for facepunchage?

[Ajax]

Why don't you make Isabelle Monteque an elf detective Tir expat who is rarely seen due to being "Out of the office on a case someplace."  And then Midge is just Isabelle's pet/girl friday/office security faerie.  Of course, there is no Isabelle Monteque, and Midge just hires a stand in whenever an in-person meeting is needed.

That is a brilliant idea! Gives me a way to work a "The Anselmo Case was never solved..." joke into all of my character logs.

Pixies are in fact excellent at everything, and low strength barely matters for unarmed combat.

Mind over Matter (Charisma->Strength) blows trolls. Melee damage is not a strength test, so it won't help you. It just lets you get a bonus on stuff like lifting tests or running or whatever.

Huh, Chummer seems to disagree with you on that. But I trust you more than the program.




Question 1: Are you specifically interested in unarmed melee combat? Or would you go with armed combat if it worked better?
Subquestion: What about Unarmed Combat rather than unarmed combat, ie, are you willing to use stuff like shock gloves?

I'd prefer for the damage to be coming from me, rather than techonology. But am open to the suggestion.


Question 2: One of the more effective ways to facepunch people is to use magic to enhance your facepunching. How do you feel about:
a) Being a mystic adept, and using buff spells for facepunchage?
 b) Being a Possession mage or mystic adept, and using Channeling for facepunchage?


I'm open to Mystic Adept, but dislike Possession Traditions. Possession Traditions are kinda clunky mechanically and seem really out-of-place for a pixie (who should follow a Druidic or Shamanist path. Maybe Path of the Wheel.)

[CitizenJoe]

Develop the Five Point Palm Exploding Face technique.  Spread the rumor that it exists.  At some point, perform this maneuver on someone, then stand back and explain that you have performed the technique and that the guy will be dead in five steps.  Meanwhile, in the attack, you snuck a tracking/homing beacon onto the guy and on the fifth step, your sniper guy blows his head off. Milk that reputation for all it is worth.

[UmaroVI]

There is one oddity, which is that in order to be most effective at unarmed combat you need to wear some sort of fist-weapon on your offhand (shock glove or hardliner glove). You don't actually need to hit with it. It's kind of dumb.

I'm going to go with the facepunchy mystic adept setup. It's perfectly good. Compared to weapons, you are paying significantly more in PP more to get a little bit more damage, but I see you hopped on board the Geasa-abuse train so that actually matters less. Possession totally can work but it's not better per se; you can be better at melee combat, but you give up having a materialized spirit helping you.

First, you should find out from your GM how they think the power "Heightened Concentration" from Digital Grimoire works. It is either awesome, pretty good, or utter crap depending on interpretation. The version you want to take is one of the ones where you can spend a Complex Action to set it to negate penalties from a specific source and then go about doing things while ignoring that source of penalty. The versions you don't want are the ones where you have to spend one Complex Action right before you make any test, and then the power goes away. You also want to know if "Spell Sustaining" is one penalty of -2 per spell, or a separate -2 penalty that is different for each spell.

Second, you should fine out how your GM thinks Mystic Adepts work: does your GM use SR4A mystic adepts, where they use total magic for all purposes except the amount of dice they roll on magic-based skills, and the amount of PP they get (I am assuming this) or the SR4+FAQ version, where they use their reduced magics for all purposes including maximum rank of adept powers and maximum Force (this version means you either play a full mage, unless the strongest version of Heightened Concentration is used in which case you play a 1-PP mystic adept).

The way you want to work is:

Like all other spellcasters everywhere, Restricted Gear and a F4 Power Focus.

Make sure you can sustain 2 spells, minimum: you want to use some combination of Heightened Concentration (see above) and Sustaining Foci. Those spells are Increase Reflexes and Sound Aura (Street Magic, [Element] Aura).

Qualities: Martial Arts (+3 Unarmed DV), Mystic Adept, Way (Magician's Way using the Warrior's Way set/metamagic). It might, maybe, be worth dropping one MA level for a Mentor - if you have the strongest version of Heightened Concentration, I think a +Manipulation/+Something Useful mentor would be worth it. Adversary, Sky Father, Firebringer, or Raven.

Manuevers: Setup is absolutely worthless. Finishing Move is not. Two-Weapon Style (this is why you need that offhand glove weapon) is a must-have. Vicious Blow is key - this lets you do Physical damage with Sound Aura-enhanced punches. Focus Will is pro (Drain). Riposte is probably better than Finishing Move if you expect to one-punch people most of the time (better against multiple people). Watchful Guard is OK. Summary: Two Weapon Style, Vicious Blow, and Focus Will. Optional: Riposte OR Finishing Move, Watchful Guard.

Spells: Basically, aside from Increase Reflexes/Sound Aura, whatever you want. If you have the best version of Heightened Concentration, one more buff spell you can sustain on yourself - probably Increase Reaction or Increase Agility. I recommend going for utility-type spells to cover the "not face-punching" end of things.

Adept Powers: there are a lot of adept powers that are not useless per se, but are just too expensive to actually be worth it. The ones that are really good and efficient are Critical Strike and Kinesics, and the useful versions of Heightened Concentration. You want just enough "unique" powers to apply all your Way discounts - Combat Sense and Improved Combat Ability (Unarmed) are good if you can get them discounted down enough. Things like Penetrating Strike are just not worth it. 2 body makes me really uncomfortable - while you could wait for 15 karma to up it to 3, that is (a) 15 karma you could spend on getting more facepunching-related magical powers, and (b) a few adventures for you to get killed in. For this reason, I recommend coughing up the .75 PP for Improved Physical Attribute (Body) to get 3 body at chargen without having to cough up 25 BP for it.

Skills: Don't take Unarmed and Dodge and Gymnastics. Unarmed provides Block, Gymnastics covers active defense. Dodge points are best spent elsewhere. Cough up for Assensing 1 so you can actually use that Astral Perception racial.

Stats: You can go lower on Logic and be OK. You need enough to run your foci, but more than that is just for fluff.

Armor: Form Fitting Body Armor. Also, you can Softweave yourself an extra point of armor that you badly need with such low body.

[Ajax]

Develop the Five Point Palm Exploding Face technique.  Spread the rumor that it exists.  ... Milk that reputation for all it is worth.

No joke, in a SR2 game many, many moons ago my decker was running for his life from a "celtic double cross" and caught unarmed by a street gang he had pissed off a few weeks earlier.  He threw a handful of shredded paper in the face of the gang's leader, interupting his intimidation routine, and started shouting things at them in Ecclesiastical Latin... It probably helped "sell it" that I have about two or three dots in Ecclesiastical Latin 'IRL' and actually stood up at the table and roleplayed my "spellcasting."  It was 2052, the average sprawl ganger was a lot more worried -- and a lot less educated -- about magic back then.  The "Wiz-Nerd of Redmond" became a legend in the sprawl that summer.

[CanRay]

*Cough*

[Makki]

I'll come right out and admit it, pixies are my favorite option for player character race in all of Shadowrun. I don't care if this makes me reek of "Special Snowflake Syndrome" or not, I don't care that at 55 HP they're costing as much as a Wolf `shifter or Elf Magician for less benefit... Pixies are awesome. End line.

Well, you got one thing right. Pixies are awesome. But you're wrong with the reasoning. They're in fact not expensive, but the cheapest and most cost-effective race in the whole game. (Almost) No GM likes having them around, it always smells like munchkinism. Pixies would be a valid race, if they're BP cost was something like ~100...

regarding your build. I find it kinda dangerous to put a geas on all your adept powers. A good GM will make sure, that you can't fullfil it from time to time, which means you will sit this one out.
Also, don't forget, that the Geas negative which quality gives you BP, and the adept power cost reduction geasa are two completely different things.

[rasmusnicolaj]

Incompetence Intimidation makes it hard to resist intimidation.

Instead of being a Mystic Adept you could take the Sound effect as an Elemental Strike power. That would make you suffer from having to take Increase Reflexes as a power though.

Rasmus

[UmaroVI]

The Elemental Strike adept power is actually much less good. The big killer is that you have to spend a simple action to turn it on, and it's really short duration. It takes a Complex action to melee, and thus using the adept power means that you have to waste your first action in combat a lot of the time, which is really bad. It also has the drawbacks of needing Killing Hands and not adding DV (which Element Aura does).

I totally missed that Incompetence (Intimidations). As rasmusnicolaj pointed out, you use Intimidation to resist Intimidation, which may not be what you had in mind since it means you automatically fail, and thus anyone who gets even 1 hit can intimidate you.

[Ajax]

Okay, I tried to apply the advice from Umaro and others as best I could. A detailed reply to Umaro's post is in the spoiler tag below, if you just want a summary of the changes skip to beneath the first Spoiler Tag. The latest verison of her "sheet" is in the second Spoiler Tag.

[spoiler="Detailed reply to Umaro's Advice"]

Like all other spellcasters everywhere, Restricted Gear and a F4 Power Focus.

Make sure you can sustain 2 spells, minimum: you want to use some combination of Heightened Concentration (see above) and Sustaining Foci. Those spells are Increase Reflexes and Sound Aura (Street Magic, [Element] Aura).

Qualities: Martial Arts (+3 Unarmed DV), Mystic Adept, Way (Magician's Way using the Warrior's Way set/metamagic). It might, maybe, be worth dropping one MA level for a Mentor - if you have the strongest version of Heightened Concentration, I think a +Manipulation/+Something Useful mentor would be worth it. Adversary, Sky Father, Firebringer, or Raven.

This is well beyond the 35 BP cap on Positive Qualities; I went with Mystic Adept (10 BP), Restricted Gear I (5 BP), Magician's Way (10 BP), Mentor [Raven] (5 BP), and Martial Arts I [Savate (+1 Unarmed DV)] (5 BP). Oh, and buying off Uneducated, but that doesn't count towards the cap.

Manuevers: Setup is absolutely worthless. Finishing Move is not. Two-Weapon Style (this is why you need that offhand glove weapon) is a must-have. Vicious Blow is key - this lets you do Physical damage with Sound Aura-enhanced punches. Focus Will is pro (Drain). Riposte is probably better than Finishing Move if you expect to one-punch people most of the time (better against multiple people). Watchful Guard is OK. Summary: Two Weapon Style, Vicious Blow, and Focus Will. Optional: Riposte OR Finishing Move, Watchful Guard.

Okay, I went with Two-Weapon Style and Vicious Blow. That's 4 HP, and with only a single Martial Arts rank I'm capped at two manuevers.

Spells: Basically, aside from Increase Reflexes/Sound Aura, whatever you want. If you have the best version of Heightened Concentration, one more buff spell you can sustain on yourself - probably Increase Reaction or Increase Agility. I recommend going for utility-type spells to cover the "not face-punching" end of things.

Increase Reflexes, Increase Reaction, and Sound Aura; Heal and Control Actions for utility; and Fashion for fun.

Adept Powers: there are a lot of adept powers that are not useless per se, but are just too expensive to actually be worth it. The ones that are really good and efficient are Critical Strike and Kinesics, and the useful versions of Heightened Concentration. You want just enough "unique" powers to apply all your Way discounts[.]

The primary purpose in raising my BOD stat is keeping my faerie alive, yes? Primarily by wearing heavy armor but also with stronger resistance tests. While playing around with the numbers the Warrior's Way and my ritual geas lets me take either Mystic Armor at 0.25 PP/rank or IPA (Body) at 0.375 PP/rank. Call me crazy, but I think the Mystic Armor is a better value at chargen.

Skills: Don't take Unarmed and Dodge and Gymnastics. Unarmed provides Block, Gymnastics covers active defense. Dodge points are best spent elsewhere. Cough up for Assensing 1 so you can actually use that Astral Perception racial.

Stats: You can go lower on Logic and be OK. You need enough to run your foci, but more than that is just for fluff.

The loss of Mind over Matter really hurts my dice pools for Physical Skills. Reducing my Logic really hurts my already modest investigation pools...

But the real problem is that, following the advice you have given me, I have spent 55 BP on race, 140 BP on Attribute, 85 BP on Special, 92 BP on Skills, and 28 BP on spells, foci, and maneuvers... Even with -35 BP in flaws, that's 400 BP and no Nuyen...[/spoiler]

So I took your advice as best I could add applied it to  Mk.II of the character, like so:

• Logic reduced from 4 to 3.
• Adept swapped for Mystic Adept.
• Martial Arts reduced to 1; Maneuvers changed to Two Weapon, Vicious Blow.
• Dodge skill dropped, picked up Assensing 1, Spellcasting 2.
• Added the Magician's Way Quality.
• Adept Powers reallocated: Critical Strike 4; Kinesics 3; Mystic Armor 3; Living Focus; Improved Unarmed Combat 2; Heightened Concentration; and Improved Body 1.
• Spells chosen: Catalog, Increase REA, Increase Reflexes, Sound Aura.
• Bought a pair of Shock Gloves.

[spoiler="Isabelle Mk.II"]
== Attributes == 
BOD: 2 (3)
AGI: 5
REA: 4
STR: 2
CHA: 7
INT: 6
LOG: 3
WIL: 3
EDG: 3
MAG: 6 (Adept: 5 / Magician: 1)

== Derived Attributes ==
Essence: 6
Initiative: 10
Init. Passes: 1
Astral Init.: 12
Astral Passes: 3
Matrix Init.: 9
Matrix Passes: 1
Phys Damage Track: 10
Stun Damage Track: 10

== Active Skills ==

Assensing 1 (Pool: 7)
Climbing 1 (Pool: 3)
Computer 1 (Pool: 4)
Con 2 (Pool: 18)
Etiquette 2 (Pool: 18)
Flight 1 (Pool: 3)
Gymnastics 1 (Pool: 6)
Leadership 2 (Pool: 18)
Negotiation 2 (Pool: 18)
Perception [Visual] 4 (Pool: 10[12])
Running 1 (Pool: 3)
Shadowing

[Tailing] 2 (Pool: 8[10])
Spellcasting 1 (Pool: 3)
Swimming 1 (Pool: 3)
Unarmed Combat [Martial Arts] 6 (Pool: 13[15])[/list]

== Knowledge Skills ==
No changes.

== Contacts ==
No changes.

== Qualities ==
+ Erased (1 Week)
+ The Magician's Way
+ Mystic Adept
- Day Job (10 hrs/week)
- Distinctive Style
- Geas (Ritual)
- Sensitive System
- SINner (Standard; Tir Tairnigire)

== Spells ==
(Tradition: Path of the Wheel, Resist Drain with WIL+CHA)
[Sound] Aura
Catalog
Increase [REA]
Increase Reflexes

== Powers ==
Critical Strike Rating: 4
Heightened Concentration
Improved Ability (Combat) (Unarmed Combat) Rating: 2
Improved Physical Attribute (BOD) Rating: 1
Kinesics Rating: 3
Living Focus
Mystic Armor Rating: 3

== Lifestyles ==
No changes.

== Armor ==
No changes.

== Martial Arts ==
Savate (+1 DV on Unarmed Combat attacks); Two Weapon Style, Vicious Blow

== Commlink / Gear / Equipment ==
Other than buying two Shock Gloves (w/ Metahuman Customization) and removing Optimization from Commlink, no changes.
[/spoiler]

To sum up, Isabelle has given up a touch on her combat power... she needs to have spells cast and sustained for her offense to really shine, but with the sole exception of initiative, her defenses are much better. On the other hand, her social skills have all jumped up two dice, I've gained a smidge of magical utility, and it is a good deal easier to learn more spells than to gain Adept powers. Oh, and we are using the "awesome" verision of Heightened Concentration... given its high Power Point cost, it needs to be good.

Still not sure if this is... quite right.