About muscle toning, how expensive is that? I am all for spreading my BP and Karma out to give me flexibility, and using cyber or synth implants to boost me to excellence. Also, about the armor, even with a 6/4 rating, if it does it's job as well as I, shouldn't that've all I need? If not, I will insert some alblative plates over vital areas.
Also, if there is anything else I should consider, please let me know.
Well, the first thing you want to consider is whether you're making a casual character to start out with and explore the system, or whether you're going to devote the time now to try and build a character that will last you down the road. Basically, what is your commitment to the build?
Next, if you're looking down the road on this, you have to decide whether you're planning to grow in breadth of function, picking up more an wider skill sets, or if you're looking to specialize in a few skills to the point where you're plain disgusting at them.
If it's the first case, and breadth is what pleases you, then you should build a good old Street Sam style character. You don't need to chrome up until you're bulging with metal, but it's basically a Street Samurai's place to be a flawless unit unto himself. The idea is to be tough, fast, agile, strong, smart, personable and just all around unassailable. I don't know if you watch Television much, but there is a show by the name of Leverage which provides a great example of a Sam's role within the team. In the show, they have a merc type, name of Elliot. Elliot isn't a super-genius, but he's smart and he knows his role to a tee. He isn't the best con man, but he can talk his way out of most any situation. He's not the stealthiest thief but he can sneak past who he needs to. And, what makes him special is that he can operate on his own, because, if the shit hits the fan, he's his own backup. When his mission goes south, he can just punch a hole out and disappear. When someone else screws up, they count on Eliot to come and bail them out.
Now, an Adept isn't too far off from that. You can build an Adept with nearly the same potential for breadth, because, unlike the other Essence-hungry types, an Adept can spare a bit of Essence and therefore Magic, on select implants. But it's always a slippery slope with bio-adepts. You just add a little bit more bioware, and a little bit more cyberware, and a gene treatment here, and maybe a nanohive there, and you start asking yourself why you wasted the points getting magic at all. Well, the reason you get magic, is because it allows for a level of specialization which a Mundane character can't match. You don't spread out your skills as much and, say, pick up some medic training, because you've got a big old karma sink to fill. As you develop the character, you'll always have the option of pouring more and more points into your Magic and Initiate grade in order to take you to unlimited levels of pure awesome. And, really this should be the goal. If you're not playing an Adept to become ungodly awesome at your chosen task, then you really would be better off playing a different archetype. The Adept is that Tiger Woods type guy, who spends all his time and energy intently focused on a sole purpose of bedding incredibly hot wome- I mean golf. It was golf... that should have been obvious.. Anyway, if the idea of becoming the universe's greatest _____ is what you're after, Adept is a prime path to that.
Oh, and as to the armor being 6/4.. You should try and shoot for your maximum armor if you want good survivability. Armor is generally limited by your Body stat, in that neither of the armor values, Ballistic or Impact, can exceed your Body x2 or else you take a hit on Agility and Reaction. A combat specialist should never have less than 4 body. Coming right out and saying that. So, your target armor at 4 body is 8/8. Luckily for you, there exists the SecureTec PPP System of stacked armor. It's a piecemeal armor plating thing which is based on... well, sports equipment for death games. It can be worn under your clothing, so with a Cham suit, the cumulative 2/4 armor bonuses for the PPP (Forearm, shin, "vitals," and leg and arm,) coverings will bring your total armor value to 8/8 on the nose. It's all in Arsenal. Very important book. Alternately, there is the Funderware. Form Fitting Body Armor. It's meant to be worn under armor and stacks with it. The benefit of FFBA is that it only counts as half its value for encumbrance. So, with a Chameleon Suit, select PPP (forearms and shins,) and a half-suit of FFBA you can have an armor value of 10/9. It can make a difference.
