[Michael Chandra]

That context does point out a frequent problem with shadowrun products which is poor proof reading.  Things like grammatical mistakes and missing words have been common throughout every edition.  Some books are much worse than others, and generally the core book is the best, but some of the supplements have been, from an englishj major's perspective, downright bad.

The proof reading isn't that bad, the main problem is the rush. And honestly, Core seems from my perspective to be the WORST, maybe not word-wise but definitely mistake-wise.

[Tarislar]

I have ZERO issues w/ the 5K / PP Cost for MA's.

My only big issue with them is the major choice required at CG & the inability to grow to Max Magic in PP's if you don't take them all up front.

If you had the option to buy PP's the same way you can buy Spells post Char Gen, I think the MA would be fine.
Another option would be if you could exchange spells for PP's and start out w/ less than an equal priority Full Mage as an option.
Its an artificial limit on Positive Qualities that no other class really has at CharGen.

[Zwischenzug]

A limit on Positive Qualities; how so?

Like Martial Arts (which, if you want to take a style and all techniques) cost a maximum of 27 karma; how is this any different from taking up to 30 karma worth of Power Points?

Both reduce the amount of Karma you have for other things (like skills, attributes, and yes, positive qualities), but that's the cost of doing business as I see it. Mystic Adepts have the best of both Awakened worlds (i.e. they can have both power points and spells), something no other archetype in the game is capable of; that they have to sacrifice something for that ability is not only fair, but balanced, in my opinion.

[MijRai]

Sacrificing the ability to purchase their max amount of power points without requiring negative Qualities (and being unable to boost it afterwards, sans initiation) isn't a sacrifice; it's a bit unfair.  Comparing it to Martial Arts isn't all that accurate, since you can buy Martial Arts after chargen.

A good example of the 'sacrifice' of being a Mystic Adept is losing the ability to astrally project like a normal magician, and being unable to receive power-points when you boost your magic, like a normal adept. 

Maybe if you were allowed to purchase power-points afterwards with Karma, up to your natural magic cap (pre-initiation, to be clear) would even things out.  As it is, anyone who wants to get the full bang for their buck as a mystic adept has to spend 30 karma on that alone at character creation, as well as pick the priorities that give them that full Magic stat.  I don't know about y'all, but I do enjoy playing characters that are recently Awakened or Awaken in play; the current system really hampers improvement for a Mystic Adept (oh look, you're Awakened!  Here's Magic 1 for some Karma, and...  Well, you can't get power points after character creation.  Sucks to be you, I guess). 

[Shrazkil]

Mystic adepts have the largest growth potential of any archetype in the game.

I think the 5 points is perfectly fair, and makes for interesting decision making. I would love the ability to buy up to magic for maybe 10karma  per PP like spells, but its not neccessary. If it was too easy to get full PP, why would anyone want to be an adept.

[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

My house rule for this one is that at character generation (or Awakening for those with latent magical ability) the character can purchase PP at 5 karma each, up to their Magic.  Afterwards, power points are treated as though it were an attribute, with subsequently increased karma cost.  It makes it possible to gain both Power Points and metamagics, but it becomes expensive pretty quickly.  If you have five or so PP already, it's often better to simply Initiate and get the PP there.

[MijRai]

My house rule for this one is that at character generation (or Awakening for those with latent magical ability) the character can purchase PP at 5 karma each, up to their Magic.  Afterwards, power points are treated as though it were an attribute, with subsequently increased karma cost.  It makes it possible to gain both Power Points and metamagics, but it becomes expensive pretty quickly.  If you have five or so PP already, it's often better to simply Initiate and get the PP there.

That's... An awesome idea.  Treating it (to an extent) as if it were an attribute.

[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

Yah.  It's useful for getting you up to adept weight (per se), but puts the breaks on things once you get up there.

As a note, I track Power Points bought in the above manner independently from Power Points gained via Initiation; you could have two Power Points at your Awakening, initiate a couple of times (taking one Power Point in place of a metamagic), then purchase another power point for 15 karma - 2 >> 3 = 3 x 5 = 15 karma.  The Initiation power point does not cost towards the total, otherwise there'd be no reason to have the rule at all.

[Shaidar]

The only issue is that Mystic Adepts have from their inception in the SR world been intended to be in the middle ground between Magicians and Adepts.  While being intended to not be as proficient in both realms as their more dedicated brethren.

[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

Of course.  And what do you think a mage could do with 15, 20, or more points of Karma?  How about an adept?  The balance doesn't come from 'oh, now he's as good as an adept AND as good as a mage', it comes from Opportunity Cost - he had to spend Karma to balance that out, karma that could have gone to other things.

[Top Dog]

Of course.  And what do you think a mage could do with 15, 20, or more points of Karma?  How about an adept?  The balance doesn't come from 'oh, now he's as good as an adept AND as good as a mage', it comes from Opportunity Cost - he had to spend Karma to balance that out, karma that could have gone to other things.

Not to mention not getting astral projection, not getting free power points when you increase magic, and having to split skills, attributes, foci and initiations between mage-stuff and adept-stuff. Being a Mystic Adept only gives you the opportunity to become (nearly) as proficient at being a mage/adept as their pure bretheren (and at a decent cost, as mentioned) - you still have to invest into actually becoming any good in it.

[ZeConster]

I proposed a similar houserule once, although in my proposal buying a PP always cost at least 5 Karma, and you weren't allowed to get more PP (not counting the Initiation ones) than your current Magic rating.

[Tarislar]

Like Martial Arts (which, if you want to take a style and all techniques) cost a maximum of 27 karma; how is this any different from taking up to 30 karma worth of Power Points?

As already pointed out.  Martial Arts can be purchased Post Char-Gen.  Just like skills & attributes. At no cost change.  Power Points, Can Not.

[Tarislar]

If it was too easy to get full PP, why would anyone want to be an adept.

1.  Lower Magic Priority Table so better rating in some other priority.
2.  No need to take Negative Qualities. 
3.  Free PP for every Magic Point.   Not only is that 30 Free Karma, but its 30 Karma at Char-Gen that is instead being used for Positives or improving Attributes.

[All4BigGuns]

If it was too easy to get full PP, why would anyone want to be an adept.

1.  Lower Magic Priority Table so better rating in some other priority.
2.  No need to take Negative Qualities. 
3.  Free PP for every Magic Point.   Not only is that 30 Free Karma, but its 30 Karma at Char-Gen that is instead being used for Positives or improving Attributes.

Even if it had been the 3 or 4 Karma per point, the Adept and the Magician both would have more Karma for foci and various 'tweaking' that is the reason the generation Karma is there to begin with.