This post is about
Mystical Adepts, the discussion about
Physical Adepts can be found here:
https://forums.shadowruntabletop.com/index.php?topic=29744.0During character generation 1 point of
unadjusted magic from the Magic or Resonance priority seem to give a Mystical Adept 1 free Power Point or 2 free Spells.
p. 66
"
They must split their Magic between spells and adept powers. They first purchase adept powers up to a maximum of their Magic attribute then multiply the remaining Magic by 2 to determine their starting number of spell choices. Again, this uses the Magic value in the Priority table, not as adjusted with Karma or adjustment points."
And again later reinforced here:
p. 158
"
At character creation, mystic adepts divide their Magic rating between spells and power points. They get 1 power point for each point of Magic dedicated to the adept side, and spells equal to the amount of Magic dedicated to being a mage x 2."
It seem as if adjusting Magic to a higher value (due to for example spending Adjustment Points or Karma on Magic) does not yield any extra free Power Points or Spells.
If your essence is reduced below any whole integer then magic is also reduced. Book does not mention anything about the effects of dropping your current magic rating to zero. And it also does not say anything about reducing your maximum magic rating. That no matter how much augmentations you get you can always increase your magic rating to 6 (+ Initiation Grade) by spending Karma. It also seem as if adjusting Magic to a
lower value (due to for example buying Augmentations during character generation) don't mean you lose any of your free Power Points or free Spells you got from your Magic and Resonance priority selection.
So how can we gain more Power Points or Spells beyond the free Power Points and Spells we get from Magic or Resonance priority during chargen?
Step four on p. 66 Spend Customization Karma list four ways you are allowed to spend your Customization Karma:
1. Skill advancement
2. Attribute advancement
3. Spending karma on resources
4. Additional qualities.
It also point to the table on p. 68 which also list advancement costs for New spells, New complex forms, Initiation and Submersion; however, as I read it during chargen you are limited to Skills, Attributes, Resources and Qualities. You can only spend karma on new spells, complex forms, initiation and submersion post chargen.
The only way to gain a new spell, New Spells (p. 70), is to get hold of the a formula, have a magical lodge, time to spend and 5 karma to spare. There does not seem to be an upper limit to the amount of spells you can learn (you are only limited by resources, time and karma).
The only way to gain a new Power Point you need to Initiate and select Power Point. There does not seem to be an upper limit to the amount of power points you can gain (but you can only pick one each time you initiate).
If I read this correctly you should probably never, as a Mystic Adept, spend Magic rating from Magic and Resources on free spells over free Power Points, instead buy most of your spells for 5 karma each once chargen is done. While magic is used for the mystic side of mystic adepts it also seem more important for a Mystic Adept to have a high magic rating from Magic or Resonance rather than from adjustment points and customization karma (compared to Full Magicians, Aspected Magicians and Physical Adepts) as this is the only way for a Mystic Adept of ever gaining Power Points (except for post chargen Initiation).
Drawbacks of getting augmentations is that spells depend on magic rating and also that it gets harder to land healing and increasing spells on you (which mean it will probably hurt a mystic adept more than / not benefit a mystic adept as much than as / for example a physical adept), but in this edition it does not seem as if you lose Power Points by getting augmentations which is interesting...
