[saithor]

OK, I've gotten some of the necessary work done, but my time has really been taken up extremely by my real life, especially school. Currently working on skills, some help would be really appreciated.

Shadowrun Character
Karma: 40
Metatypes
Skills A 46/10
Attributes B
Resources C 140,000
Metaype D
Magic D

Attributes
Body 4
Agility 6
Reaction 4
Str 2
Will 3
Int 3
Logic 3
Charisma 3
Edge 5

Natural Athlete (-7)
Mild Allergy Bee Sting (+10)
Bad Reputation (Previous Run went wrong)(+7)
National SIN(+5)

On Skills, for the Group Points, I've been seeing a lot of Group: Athletics, and Group: Sneak, but not a whole lot of Group: Firearms. Any reasons for this that I am missing? Also, what levels of skills are good? I know that six is the max, but am unsure how far I want to push certain skills. The ones i have been considering are
Armorer
Blades
Heavy Weapons
Gymnastics
Running
Lockpicking
Sneaking
Palming
Pilot Ground Craft
Etiquiette
Perception
First Aid

I know that's a lot, but are there any I missed, and what levels should these skills preferrably be at?

[Marcus]

On Skills, for the Group Points, I've been seeing a lot of Group: Athletics, and Group: Sneak, but not a whole lot of Group: Firearms. Any reasons for this that I am missing? Also, what levels of skills are good? I know that six is the max, but am unsure how far I want to push certain skills. The ones i have been considering are
Armorer
Blades
Heavy Weapons
Gymnastics
Running
Lockpicking
Sneaking
Palming
Pilot Ground Craft
Etiquiette
Perception
First Aid

I know that's a lot, but are there any I missed, and what levels should these skills preferrably be at?

As has been discussed your bear minimum of skills are your combat skills, Etiquette, Perception and Sneak. If you intend for a skill to be a primary rolled in comparative skill tests it should be a 6 probably with specialization in the thing you intend to use it on. That translates to 7 skill points. Skill groups can cause problems. You can't specialize a skill in a group without breaking the group. You can't break a group in creation without spending Karma on it, which is a later step in creation that takes place after skill point distribution. Which means if you want to really max a skill at creation you cannot take in skill group unless your willing to pay the 7 Karma cost for a specialization. Some groups are more trouble then they are worth, Firearms skill group is an example, odds are your not going to use all 3 types of firearms.

After that, what skill group is it ok to only have a couple points in? Stealth skill group is a good example, Influence often is solid if your not social primary. It can work well for conjureing if your not planning on focusing on it. But skill groups are generally just like skills, if your going to use the skill for comparative test you want it has high as possible and that means investment. Low skill groups can server well to cover basic, low priority none central skills on a build.

[Blazrath]

Honestly, Athletics is where I go for with for first when it makes sense. Stealth is good too, but sometimes you only need a one or two skills from there. The main reason why people discourage others or downright refuse to get Firearms is because getting Pistols, Automatics and Longarms all at once is something that people rarely do and use. Usually you see 2 of those together, not all three. Which two is always dependent on what you think is necessary, as smaller weapon users tend to stick with Pistols and Automatics to use all Pistols, Machine Pistols and SMGs, Automatics and Longarms usually have one as short range(Machine Pistols/SMGs or Shotguns) and one long range(Assault Rifles or Sniper Rifles) and Longarms and Pistols I generally see Sniper Rifles and Pistols. Like I said though, up to you.

Honestly, close combat is needed so knives and unarmed combat is needed if you want to stay away from clubs(don't see them used often, though thinking about making a non-lethal character that only kills whom he is contracted for). Definitely pick up Perception or you will find yourself on the short end of many things and could get you killed very easily. The rest is in some ways just fluff to showcase how your snowflake is different from others. That's the best I can give you.

[saithor]

I think I will focus Longarms and Automatics, but still have some pistol skill as a back-up. Will go for a combination of group athletics and Stealth, best of both wrolds, as the starting skills cap at six, don't they? So I'd put five in both. I'm thinkng I at least need some basic computer knolwedge, maybe three or four there, although probably not any others.

[saithor]

Ok, here's what I have for Skills so far, not all of the skill points and no Karma has been spent yet, these are just the ones I feel are the most critical.

Group-Athletics 5
Group-Stealth 5
Automatics 6 (Specialization will be determined later, but there will be either Machine Pistol or SMG)
Longarms 6 (specialization: Assualt Rifles)
Etiquette 6
Perception 6
Blades 4
Heavy Weapons 4
Unarmed Combat 4
First Aid 4

[Marcus]

Ok, here's what I have for Skills so far, not all of the skill points and no Karma has been spent yet, these are just the ones I feel are the most critical.

Group-Athletics 5
Group-Stealth 5
Automatics 6 (Specialization will be determined later, but there will be either Machine Pistol or SMG)
Longarms 6 (specialization: Assualt Rifles)
Etiquette 6
Perception 6
Blades 4
Heavy Weapons 4
Unarmed Combat 4
First Aid 4

Assault Rifles are Automatics.
Longarms are shotguns, and sniper rifles.
I'd remove one. Etiquette is more then you need try 3 or 4. Grab con, or something else you prefer with those points.

[ZeldaBravo]

Nice skillset. I'd set Body on 3 and put that point to either strength for a better limit or intuition for better perception and initiative. And yes, Con is more or less a 'must have' skill most of the time.

[Csjarrat]

To be honest mate, I'd keep long arms and assault rifles. The whole point of this guy is that he is a weapon specialist and should know his way around the vast majority of types of gun on the market.
Long arms is a good skill for rounding out your range brackets so maybe take sports rifles or sniper rifles as the specialisation here; idea being you're skilled with a tool at all ranges and all purposes. I'd be tempted to scale etiquette back a bit, it's mainly just social camouflage. Con/negotiate are more directly useful in their own ways so I'd be tempted to split it 2/4 with one of those

[ZeldaBravo]

I'd be tempted to split it 2/4 with one of those

This. That's a good advice.

[saithor]

Okay, after considering everything, here's my revised list.

Group-Athletics 5
Group-Stealth 5
Automatics 6 (SMG)
Longarms 6 (specialization: Sniper Rifle)
Etiquette 4
Con2
Perception 6
Blades 4
Heavy Weapons 4
Unarmed Combat 4
First Aid 4
Negotiation 4
Pistol 2

Still working on it, very slowly. slow going reading the gameplay section as well.