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"Werther" (Face/Urban Shaman)

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Werther

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« on: <11-01-12/1955:04> »
Hello fellas,

Werther is my actual character in a campaign we role here in Brazil, take a look and make some critique, cya!

"WERTHER" Alias, "Tim Mohave" Artistic Name, "Timothy Francis Stout" Real Name - 150 Karma

ATTRIBUTES

Body 2
Agility 3
Reaction 3
Strenght 2
Charisma 5
Intuition 4
Logic 3
Willpower 4
Edge 4
Magic 5
Essence 6

SKILLS

<Active>
Blades (Knives) 3
Computer 2
Pistols (Semi-Automatics) 3
Disguise 2
Dodge 2
Artisan 4
Perception 3
Influence Skill Group 4
Spellcasting 4
Counterspelling 2
Ritual Spellcasting 2
Banishing 4
Binding 2
Summoning 4
Astral Combat 3
Assenssing 3
Arcana 2

<Knowledge>
Music 6
Drama 3
Liquor 3
Street Rumors 3
Magical Theory 3
Spirits 3

<Language>
English N
Spanish 3
German 3
Japanese 3
Sperethiel 2

QUALITIES

Magician, First Impression, Mentor Spirit: Seductress, Fame, Sinner, Combat Paralysis, Addiction - Severe - Alcohol

SPELLS

Manabolt, Lightining Bolt, Knockout, Clairvoyance, Mind Probe, Cure Disease, Heal, Increase Reflexes, Stabilize, Chaotic World, Trid Entertainment, Invisibility, Phisical Mask, Trid Phantasm, Silence, Orgasm Mob Mind, Levitate.

Mentor: Seductress

CONTACTS

Club Owner 3/4, Media Producer 3/3, Mr Johnson 2/2, Drug Dealer 2/2, Talismonger 2/2, Lonestar Officer 2/1, Fixer 1/2

GEAR

Savalette Guardian, Survival Knive, Auctioneer Business Clothes

FOCI

Banishing Force 4, Counterspelling Force 4, Summoning Force 3, Spellcasting Force 2

UmaroVI

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« Reply #1 on: <11-01-12/2053:23> »
What schools are your foci for, and why do you have them instead of having a smaller number of more universal foci? You can't even have all four active at the same time.

Knockout is a bad spell that it just worse than Stunbolt. Chaotic World is also a bad spell. Banishing is a bad skill; it's both cheaper and more effective to just be good at stunbolting spirits.

emsquared

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« Reply #2 on: <11-01-12/2059:34> »
Not really knowing what you're going for with your Magic, I'll make some general "Shamanesque" suggestions.

Your BOD is pretty dang low, maybe try to free up some points anywhere to at least get it to 3? For instance, your Actioneer Business Suit will encumber you at your BOD of 2 (Get FFFBA and PPP).

I'm still learning Magician builds (working on my first right now :D, that's instills confidence in my advice, right!?), but 1 thing that jumps out at me that I've seen a lot; I think you're going to be told to drop Banishing completely (instead, get Stunbolt, and boost your Binding maybe), because as I understand it, the Drain mechanics are more predictable and likely favorable for Stunbolt - and they'll ultimately have the same effect (bye bye Spirit).

Unless you have Computer for something specific (like I'm guessing to make disguises) - that can't be contracted out, drop it. Let your group's Hacker (if you have one) make your disguises, direct your points elsewhere.

All of your INT skills (except Assessing) are really tertiary, it seems, however WIL will be very important for you with Drain and resisting addiction and composure tests. With your Addiction and Combat Paralysis (assuming you can't be talked into getting rid of it), I would recommend dropping your INT by 1 and boosting your WIL by 1. Or instead, get rid of Combat Paralysis AND drop INT by 1 and boost WIL by 1.

Your STR does not really behoove melee combat (you'd be better off just staying out of melee, full-defensing, or letting a spirit do it for you) maybe drop the Blades/Knife skill and help out your Pistols instead?

I realize your artisan skill is probably central to your flavor, and that's great, but maybe drop it down a notch and boost your Dodge - something you'll be using to stay alive sometimes.

Your contacts, for a face, are kind of - meh. A Johnson 2/2 or Fixer 1/2 both seem a little pointless to me, these are the two most well connected people you want to know. Maybe drop the Johnson's points into the Fixer since he can hook you up with Johnson's?

Food for thought - again I'm not an experienced mage builder so...

Oh, and if you haven't, make sure to get contacts with Vision Enhancement and glasses with Vision Magnification so you can be further away but still get that LOS.
« Last Edit: <11-01-12/2106:16> by emsquared »

rasmusnicolaj

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« Reply #3 on: <11-02-12/0356:53> »
Oh, and if you haven't, make sure to get contacts with Vision Enhancement and glasses with Vision Magnification so you can be further away but still get that LOS.

Generally sound advice you give.

But Contacts and glasses won't give LOS. That can't be done with technology unless it cost essence. So only your natural eyes or cybereyes give LOS.
Glasses and Contacts with vision enhancement are still great to own so you in general can see whats happening (get low-light, thermographic etc. in them too).

Rasmus

Oh, year drop your foci and just get a Power Foci R4.
And generally speaking you could do a lot better with some more focus on your skills instead of having a lot of average skills and average attributes that just make you suck at lots of different things. Chose an area (hint: Magic) that you are good at and let the team worry about the rest. You are the spellslinging summoning face and cant really be expected to do much beside that.
Deplore killings made in the name of religion. Can't it just be for fun?

emsquared

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« Reply #4 on: <11-02-12/1102:39> »
Generally sound advice you give.

But Contacts and glasses won't give LOS. That can't be done with technology unless it cost essence. So only your natural eyes or cybereyes give LOS.
Glasses and Contacts with vision enhancement are still great to own so you in general can see whats happening (get low-light, thermographic etc. in them too).

Rasmus
I (obviously) did not know that. Brutal. So, what about if you have vision enhancement (tech bonus to your perception), say - to help you spot that camouflaged guy on the roof - but just your natural LOS? Or can you just not cast spells through technologically enhanced (non-ESS bound) vision?

Ympulse

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« Reply #5 on: <11-02-12/1129:55> »
Emsquared, that's a rule I've found that changes from GM to GM. My personal interpretation is that if you can see them naturally (IE, your AR just happened to highlight them for you, but you can still see them once its pointed out) it's no biggie. It's when your tacnet starts highlighting people through walls that you run into issues.

Werther

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« Reply #6 on: <11-02-12/1205:50> »
I've appreciate the all the replies!

And I promise to keep all the advices in mind, but I've bought the book and learned the rules as I was making the character. This is my actual character and I'm playing with him, is there a way in the rules to drop points or something like that?

emsquared

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« Reply #7 on: <11-02-12/1304:52> »
... This is my actual character and I'm playing with him, is there a way in the rules to drop points or something like that?
Just ask your GM if you can make some adjustments. The worst he can say is no. And I would assume he knows you're new to the system, so If you're not too deep into the campaign, I'd think he would let you.

Your character is fairly close to what I've been working on (a summoner/face), so this has been a good exercise for me too :P