[Koshnek]

I haven't messed with Shadowrun 5E in years, but I'm gearing back up now. I made a "mageslayer" concept through Chummer 5E (Aspected/Priority -> Sum10/MysAd -> Point Buy/Full Magician) to get a feel for things via character creation (and also test out Sum 10 and Point Buy which I had never done before).

Having done that, someone recommended I try the Life Modules approach. Unfortunately, Chummer5 doesn't seem to handle that well. So I grabbed google docs and bucked up for a wild ride. I forgot how intense it is trying to create a character by hand in ShadowRun 5e without a program helping you!

So below is my first fully fleshed out character I've made in years. (The "mageslayer" I used to test things out didn't get much gear, any story, many other other small things, etc). The contacts below were left unnamed because I don't know what game the character will be in. If you have time for a bit of a read, let me know what you guys think. (Especially if I made any grievous errors!)
Street Name: MacFear
Name: Fearghas MacGuaire
Race: Fomorian; Sex: Male; Age: 25
Height: 7’5”; Weight: 667 lbs

== Background ==
I was born over international waters en route to Seattle. SINless, just like my parents. Mother was Fomorian, but dad was a normal Troll. Well, mom and dad had to do a run in Japan of all places. Mom was too pregnant to get too involved, but she did legwork and prep.
They finished the job and bugged out immediately. They would never make their flight, but they caught a lucky break on the docks. The rest is history. They raised me in Seattle, and it was as good a place as any, I suppose. There’s plenty of Orks and Trolls doing alright for themselves, relatively speaking.
We settled down in a little squat in the underground, and they kept food and the table with little jobs here and there. They taught me what they knew, or at least what they could teach a kid. Then when I was nine, they disappeared. No sign of them, anywhere.
I had some money stashed away, and I did alright for about a month, but then I started falling in with the local gang - the Trogs. Maybe it was just because I was a big troll and was only going to be bigger, but I like to think they saw something in me.
The boss started taking a liking to me. Said my head wasn’t empty like the rest of them. He taught me what he knew about running a gang while the others taught me how to sneak and fight. It was a good time. They always made sure I was too miss my parents too much..or try to find them?
Well, when I turned seventeen the boss took me aside. He shoved a ticket in my hand and sent me to Harvard. All expenses paid! He said. More like he practically staked the Trog’s livelihood on me doing something with my life. The boss had money. A lot of money for a lifetime ork ganger. But not send a ganger Troll to Harvard money.
Anyhow, college wasn’t exciting like you might think. A troll at Harvard? Yeah, that went over well. I was too busy studying and fighting for my degree to do anything fun. It turned out alright, though. Graduated with honors and flew home with my degree in hand.
And the boss was waiting there for me. That’s when he let me know exactly how much I owed him and the Troggs! He was fair though. He had already set me up a spot downtown to practice law. I took any case that paid. Turns out I’m pretty good at lawyering.
But lawyering wasn’t all I was good at. The boss would pull me back in, have me go talk to some boys. Usually nothing ugly, but he knew I could handle myself if it went that way. Working a job and a half started wearing on me, though. Got this implant that helps me stay awake. I crash hard when its time, but not even for half as long!
I went that way for years. Paying the boss back by working cases and doing side jobs for him. I’ve made a name for myself now, The boys call me MacFear. Most of ‘em don’t know my real name, and the ones that did know couldn’t pronounce it. So they shortened it to MacFear. Now, people know that if you have a problem, you go to MacFear. But if you cause trouble? MacFear will find you.
== Life Modules ==
Nationality: United Canadian and American States (UCAS)
The UCAS—land of the free, home of the brave. No matter how much the megacorporations control the lives of the citizens, no matter how many government officials are caught selling out their constituents for a thin grasp at power, no matter how many sham elections put corporate-controlled puppets into power, UCAS residents still hold true to this old, outdated image. What they are in truth is a nation of great wealth and tremendous power, and if the citizens are lucky, they might someday touch a small piece of it.
Primary Language: English (N)
Secondary Language: Spanish +1
Universal Skills: Computer +1; Knowledge - History +1, Knowledge - UCAS +1
SINless
Attributes: Agility +1
Skills: Knowledge - [City] +1
Formative Years: Child of the Shadows (Age 10)
Your parents were both shadowrunners. Maybe they were hopeless romantics, trying to bring a child into this world, knowing better than most what it’s truly like. Maybe they needed that ray of light into their lives, hope for the future, for a better life for you. In any case, they were not fools, teaching you from a young age the basics of self-reliance and survival.
Attributes: Intuition +1
Skills: Computer +1, Con +1, First Aid +1, Perception +1, Stealth Group +2; Street - Safehouses +3
Teen Years: Trog Ganger (Ages 10-17)
Strength is in numbers, weakness in isolation. In your formative years, you bound yourself to people who could help you survive the rough side of your city, including the people who wanted to see you impoverished, isolated, or even killed simply because of your horns and/or tusks. You lashed out, hitting the opposition the world aligned against you. Sometimes the world hit back, but you learned how to keep yourself standing.
Attributes: Agility +1, Willpower +1
Qualities: Bad Rep (7), Nasty Trog
Skills: Close Combat Group +2; Con +1, Escape Artist +1, First Aid +1, Gymnastics +1, Intimidation +1, Palming +1, Sneaking +1, Survival +1; Street - [City] +1
Further Education:  Ivy League University - Law Science Discipline. (Ages 17-21)
When you need a line on your résumé that will get the attention of the right people, then get yourself to an Ivy League school. Ivy League graduates are more likely than anyone else to regularly remind you of where they went to college, partly because they’ve been conditioned by the number of people who are impressed when they mention their alma mater. Formerly, there were eight Ivy League universities: Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Yale. Additionally, the remaining six of the Seven Sister colleges—Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Smith, Vassar, and Wellesley (Radcliffe, the seventh, merged with Harvard) are often seen to be on the same level as the Ivys. By attending these colleges, students gain not only an impressive education, but also some of the social skills that will serve them well their whole life. They don’t gain much in the way of humility, but no one can have everything.
Attributes: Charisma +1, Logic +1, Willpower +1
Skills: Computer +1, Etiquette +1, Negotiation +1, Perception +1, Performance +1; Academic - [Any] +4, Academic - Law +6
Real Life: Regular Job (Ages 21-25)
You went to college to get a job. Then you got that job. The world needs regular people, right? Whatever job you take should be compatible with your education to this point.
Attributes: Charisma +1, Logic +1, Willpower +1
Skills: Etiquette +1, Leadership +1, Negotiation +1; Interest - [Any] +1, Professional - [Job] +1, Professional - [Job] +2, +6 points to be spent among vocational skills relating to your job (no more than 3 ranks per skill)
== Karma Expenditures ==
Total Karma: 750
Positive Qualities: -15 (-20/25)
Negative Qualities: +18 (+25/25)
Fomorian -100
UCAS SINless -15
Child of the Shadows -40
Trog Ganger -50
Ivy League University -80
Regular Job -100
306,000¥ -153
3->4 Agility -20
1->3 Reaction -25
5->6 Strength -30
2->3 Intuition -15
3->4 Charisma -20
0->4 Pistols -20
Pistol Specialization -7
0->2 Impersonation = -6 Karma
1->2 Performance = -4 Karma
1->2 Leadership = -4 Karma
Blades Specialization = -7 Karma
Clubs Specialization = -7 Karma
2->3 Perception = -6 Karma
Perception Specialization = -7 Karma
0->1 Running = -2 Karma
0->1 Running = -2 Karma
2->3 Disguise = -6 Karma
4->5 Charisma = -25 Karma
1->2 Intimidation = -4 Karma
0->2 Street - Seattle - Gangs = 3 Karma
0->1 Professional - Seattle - Gangs = -1 Karma
Connection: Leader of the Trogs =  -7 Karma
Connection: Law Enforcement Officer = -7 Karma
Remaining Karma: 0
== Info ==

Movement:	8/16 +1m/hit
Karma:	0
Street Cred:	0
Notoriety:	3
Public Awarenses:	0
Composure:	9
Judge Intentions:	8
Lift/Carry:	90/60 kg (10)
Memory:	7
Nuyen:	4,257¥

== Attributes ==

BOD:	4/9
AGI:	4/5
REA:	3/6 (4)	Synaptic Booster 1
STR:	6/10
WIL:	4/5
LOG:	3/4
INT:	3/4
CHA:	5/5
EDG:	1/6

== Derived Attributes ==

Essence	4.8
Initiative	7+2d6
Rigger Initiative	7+2d6
Astral Initiative	6+3d6
Matrix AR Initiative:	7+2d6
Matrix Cold Initiative	9+4d6
Matrix Hot Initiative	9+5d6
Physical Damage Track	10
Stun Damage Track	10
Overflow	4

== Limits ==

Physical:	7
Mental:	5
Social:	7 (10)	Tailored Pheromones 3

== Skill Groups ==
Acting 2, Athletics 1, Close Combat 2, Influence 2, Stealth 3

== Active Skills ==

Skill	Rank + Specialization	Skill Pool
Blades	2 [Knives]	6 (8)
Clubs	2 [Batons]	6 (8)
Computer	3	6
Con	2	7 (10)
Disguise	3	6
Escape Artist	1	5
Etiquette	2	7 (10)
First Aid	2	5
Gymnastics	1	5
Impersonation	2	7 (10)
Intimidation	2	7
Leadership	2	7 (10)
Negotiation	2	7 (10)
Palming	3	7
Perception	3 [Visual]	6 (8)
Performance	2	7 (10)
Sneaking	3	7
Pistols	4 [Semi-Automatics]	8 (10)
Running	1	7
Survival	1	5
Swimming	1	7
Unarmed Combat	2	6

== Knowledge Skills ==

Academic	Rating + Specialization	Pool
History	1	4
Law	9	12
Magic Law	4	7
UCAS	1	4
Interest	Rating + Specialization	Pool
Fashion	1	4
Language	Rating + Specialization	Pool
English	N	N
Spanish	1	4
Professional	Rating + Specialization	Pool
Law	5	8
Magical Law	1	4
Seattle - The Trogs	1	4
Street	Rating + Specialization	Pool
Safehouses	3	6
Seattle	2	5
Seattle - Gangs	2	5

== Contacts ==
The Trogs
The Trogs are one of the local gangs downtown, or rather under downtown.. They recruit orks and trolls exclusively, and they take care of their own. After my parents disappeared, they took me in. The boss noticed that the head on my shoulders wasn’t empty and that I had a way with words, so they set me up.
Loyalty 3; Connection Bonus 1; Karma: N/A; SINner Quality Required: N
Leader of the Trogs
The boss got me into Harvard Law, all expenses paid. Hah, he didn’t tell me that the money was going to come out of my hide if I didn’t complete my courses. I did it though, I graduated with honors. I came back to Seattle and squared most of my debts with the Boss and the Trogs away.
I still owe the old man some chump change, but not too much. I don’t think he wants me to pay it off. As long as I owe him money, I have to keep coming around. It’s not like they could keep me away, anyways!
Loyalty 3; Connections 4
Law Enforcement Officer
This guy isn’t too bad for the law. He knows that I'm looking out for my people, and I’m one of the only ones doing it. As long as nothing too rough goes down, he cooperates with me. I return the favor by slipping him what info I can about the Trogs’ rival gangs.
Loyalty 4; Connections 3
== Qualities ==
Bad Rep (Bonus: 7 Karma)
Day Job - The Trogs' Lawyer (Bonus: 15 Karma)
In Debt - 15k (Bonus: 3 Karma)
+100% Lifestyle costs
Arcane Arrester (1)
Biocompatibility (Cost: 5 Karma)
Community Connection (Cost: 5 Karma)
Made Man - The Trogs (Cost: 5 Karma)
Nasty Trog (Cost: 5 Karma)
Reach +1
Thermographic Vision

[Koshnek]

== Lifestyles (CharGen Cost: 32,293¥) ==
CharGen Cost: 22,193¥
Cost: 5,683¥/mo
Primary SIN: Implanted Transys Avalon (DR6)
+SIN 4 (Johnathan Douglas, Practicing Lawyer;  Avail 12F, Cost 10,000¥)
++Docwagon Gold Contract (2,083¥/mo)
++Low Lifestyle (Cost 3,600¥/MO)

• +++Special Work Area - Law Office
• +++Extra Secure
• +++Key lock 6 (Avail 6, Cost 60¥)
• +++Maglock 4 (Avail 12, Cost 1,650¥)
• ++++Anti-tamper Circuits 4
• ++++Card reader
• ++++Biometric reader
• +++Credit Account

++Lawyer License 4 (Avail 12F, Cost 800¥)
++Bioware License 4 (Avail 12F, Cost 800¥)

• Vocal Range Expander (12R)
• Tailored Pheromones (12R)
• Synaptic Booster 1 (6R)

++Stun Baton License 4 (Avail 12F, Cost 800¥)
++Concealed Carry License 4 (Avail 12F, Cost 800¥)
++Firearm License 4 (Avail 12F, Cost 800¥)

• Colt New Model Revolver

++Restricted Ammunition License (Avail 12F, Cost 800¥)

CharGen Cost: 7,400¥
Cost: 0¥/mo
Shadow SIN: Erika Elite (DR 4)
+SIN 2 (Alexander Trofmun, Security Guard; Avail 6F, Cost 5,000¥)
++Squatter Lifestyle (0¥/mo)
++Security Guard License (Avail 6F, Cost 400¥)
++Armor License 2 (Avail 6F, Cost 400¥)
++Concealed Carry License 2 (Avail 6F, Cost 400¥)
++Firearm License 2 (Avail 6F, Cost 400¥)

• Ares Predator V (5R)
• +Gas-vent system 3 (9R)

++Anti Surveillance license 2 (Avail 6F, Cost 400¥)

• Bug scanner 6 (6R)

++Restricted Ammunition License (Avail 6F, Cost 400¥)

CharGen Cost: 2,700¥
Cost: 0/¥
Burner SIN: Meta Link (DR 1)
+Sin 1 (Malathu Akabang, Student; Avail 3F, Cost 2,500¥)
++Street Lifestyle (Cost ¥0/mo)
++Student License 1 (Avail 3F, 200¥)
== Cyberware/Bioware (Cost 232,000¥) ==
Commlink (Essence .2, Cost 2,000¥ [commlink cost added later])
Sleep Regulator (Essence -, Availability 6, Cost 12,000¥)
Synaptic Booster 1 (Essence .4, Availability 6R, Cost 95,000¥)
Tailored Pheromones 3 (Essence .5, Availability 12R, Cost 93,000¥)
Vocal Range Expander (Essence .1, Availability 12R, Cost 30,000¥)
== Armor (Cost 19,550¥) ==
Berwick Suit (AR 9, Capacity 5, Avail 9, Cost 2,600¥)
+Nonconductivity 5 (+5e AP, Avail 6, Cost 1,250¥)
Ulysses Coat (AR 10/+3, Capacity 12, Availability 8, Cost 3,100¥)
+Fire Resistance 6 (+6f AP, Avail 6, Cost 1250¥)
+Insulation 6 (+6c AP, Avail 6, Cost 1250¥)
Industrious (AR 9, Capacity 6, Availability 6, Cost 1100¥)
+Fire Resistance 3 (+3f AP, Avail 3, Cost 750¥)
+Nonconductivity 3 (+3e AP, Avail 3, Cost 750¥)
Bike Racing Armor (AR 8, Capacity 8, Availability 6, Cost 500¥)
+Bike Racing Helmet (AR +2, Capacity 6, Availability 6, Cost 200¥)
Padded leather (AR 7, Capacity 2, Availability 8, 600¥)
Murder Armor (AR 13, Capacity 4, Availability 12R, 5,000¥)
+Gorepak (Availability 8R, Cost 200¥)
Nonconductivity 4 (+4e AP, Avail 4, Cost 1,000¥)
== Weapons (Cost 6,180¥) ==
Combat Knife (ACC 6, DV (Str+2)P, AP -3 AVAIL 4, Cost 300¥)
Stun Baton (acc 6, Reach 1, DV 9S(e), AP -5, AVAIL 6R, Cost 750¥)
Taser (Cost 625¥)
Cavalier Safeguard (ACC 5(6), DV 6S(e), AP -5, Mode SA, RC -, Ammo 6(m), Avail -, Cost 275¥)
+Hidden arm slide (Availability 4R, 350¥)
Holdout (Cost 480¥)
Colt New Model Revolver (ACC 6, DV 5p, AP -, Mode SA, Ammo 5(cy), Avail 4R, Cost 180¥)
+Concealed Quick-Draw Holster (Avail 5, Cost: 275¥)
+Speedloader (Avail 2, 25¥)
+Speedloader  (Avai 2, 25¥)
Heavy Pistol (Cost 4000¥)
Ares Predator V (ACC 5(7), DV 8P, AP -1, Mode SA, RC -, Ammo 15(c), Avail 5R, Cost 725¥)
+Gas-vent system 3 (9R, 600¥)
+Improved range finder (Avail 6, Cost 2,000¥)
+Infrared Flashlight (Availability 6, Cost 400¥)
+Gecko Grip (Avail 6, Cost 100¥)
+Concealable Holster (Avail 2, Cost: 150¥)
+Spare clip (Avail 4, Cost 5¥)
+Spare clip (Avail 4, Cost 5¥)
+Spare clip (Avail 4, Cost 5¥)
+Spare clip (Avail 4, Cost 5¥)
+Spare clip (Avail 4, Cost 5¥)

== Ammo (CharGen Cost 1,135¥) ==
+12xTaser Darts (Avail 3, Cost 60¥)
+10xRegular (Avail 2R, Cost 20¥)
+5xStick-n-Shock (DV -2S(e), AP -5, Avail 6R, Cost 40¥)
150xRegular (Avail 2R, Cost 200¥)
30xStick-n-Shock (DV -2S(e), AP -5, Avail 6R, Cost 240¥)
15xGel (DV +0S, AP +1, Avail 2R, Cost 30¥)
30xAPDS (AP -4, Avail 12F, Cost 360¥)
15xExplosive (DV +1, AP -1, Avail 9F, Cost 80¥)
15xHollow Point (DV +1, AP +2, Avail 4F, Cost 105¥)
== Commlink (Cost 7,850¥) ==
Implanted transys Avalon (DR 6, Availability 12, Cost 5000¥)
+Subvocal microphone (DR 3, Avail 4, Cost: 50¥)
Erika Elite (DR 4, Avail 8, Cost ¥2500)
Meta Link (DR 1, Avail 2, Cost 100¥)
Meta Link (DR 1, Avail 2, Cost 100¥)
Meta Link (DR 1, Avail 2, Cost 100¥)
== Gear (Cost 5,735¥) ==
Bug Scanner 6 (Avail 6R, Cost 600¥)
White Noise Generator 6 (Avail 6, Cost 300¥)
Gold credstick (Max 100,000¥, Avail 5, Cost 100¥)
Silver Credstick (Max 20,000¥, Avail -, Cost 20¥)
Standard Credstick (Max 5,000¥ Avail -, Cost 5¥)
Standard Credstick (Max 5,000¥ Avail -, Cost 5¥)
Standard Credstick (Max 5,000¥ Avail -, Cost 5¥)
Optical Binoculars (Avail -, Cost 50¥)
Camera (Capacity 5, Avail 12, Cost 2750¥)
+Low-light Vision (Allows sight normally in light levels as low as starlight)
+Vision Enhancement 3 (+3 to limit on visual Perception Tests and +3 to dice pool while Wireless)
+Vision magnification (Magnifies vision up to fifty times)
Contact Lenses (Capacity 3, Avail 11, Cost 1600¥)
+Flare compensation (Mitigates vision modifiers for glare and reduces penalty from flashing lights)
+Vision enhancement (+1 to limit on visual Perception Tests and +1 to dice pool while Wireless)
+Vision magnification (Magnifies vision up to fifty times. See combat rules CRB p 177.)
Biomonitor (Avail 3, 300¥)
== Vehicles (Cost 12,000¥) ==
Harley-Davidson Scorpion (Handl* 4/3; Speed* 4; Accel 2; Bod 8; Armor 9; Pilot 1, Sensor 2; Seat 1; Avail -; 12,000¥)

[Glyph]

Skills are a bit low, looks fine otherwise, nice organic feel to the character.  Looks like you are paying for some of your contacts and knowledge skills?  Can't tell if they are "extra" or not, but the latest errata to Run Faster confirms that point build and life modules characters do get the bonus points for knowledge skills and contacts.

[Koshnek]

Ooh. Yes, I spent -4 karma on Knowledge Skills and -14 on contacts. Between that and shaving some Nuyen off of my gear choices, I could probably make a few skill bumps.

For a standard level character, what should I shoot for in my primary skill pools? In this case, the social skills and pistols.

[Koshnek]

Hmm.
If I drop my Strength from 6 -> 5 (+30 Karma) (And change my greatcoat from the +3 armor one to the +2 armor one; I may or may not save a karma as a result)
Drop my specializations in Blades and Clubs (+14 Karma; Pool 6 in both)
and take the refund from gaining free Knowledge/Language Skills ([Logic 3 + Intuition 3]x2=12; I spent 4 karma on 3 skill points = +4 Karma) and Contacts [Charisma 5x3=15, I spent spent 14 karma on Contacts = +14 Karma)
18+14+30=+62 Karma-1 Karma to go with my 15th Contact point to make a 1/1 bartender or waitress contact.
61 Karma - 15 Karma (Acting Skill Group 2->3 = Pool 11 w/ Pheromones) = 46 Karma
46 Karma - 45 Karma (Influence Skill Group 2->4 = Pool 12 w/ Pheromones) = 1 Karma.
That leaves me with 11 dice in acting, 12 dice in influence, and I would have 1 karma left over to do...something with. I have Pistols pool 10 for combat, too.

Does that sound better than the 10's in my social skills?
Note: My pool of 6 in Blades, Clubs and Unarmed combat come from Close Combat Skill Group 2, which I get from my life modules and am stuck with, so I can't drop them.

[Glyph]

Honestly, it greatly depends on the power level of your group, the kind of characters the other players are playing, and how your GM handles social skills.  Social skills are effective at a lower dice pool level than combat skills, but are easier to get to high levels.  And they can range from overpowered to useless depending on how the GM runs them - the rules for social skills are very subjective.

That said, I generally consider 8-10 dice as pulling ahead of the norm, and 13+ as a respectable dice pool.